EP3344559B1 - Beverage can closure, and can unit consisting of a beverage can and a closure - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a resealable beverage can closure for attaching to a beverage can and a can unit consisting of a beverage can and an attached beverage can closure.

Beverage cans with a disposable closure are well known. Such cans have a jacket and a base that merge into one another and are formed by deep drawing. The top of the can is formed by a separately manufactured end wall that is welded to the rest of the can. In this end wall, which is usually made of aluminum like the rest of the can, a drinking opening is perforated by punching. This drinking opening can then be opened once. There are various opening mechanisms for opening, but the section of wall around which the perforation runs is usually pushed in, exposing the opening. In the case of beverage cans, a lever attached to the front wall, also called a locking ring or pulltab, has become established.

Beverage cans essentially have a standardized geometry, with the casing always being cylindrical over almost the entire axial height and a closed, circumferential, ring-shaped bulge on the bottom of the can, over which a ring-shaped base is formed. This ring-shaped bulge is important for stackability, because the bulge is located on the inside of an upwardly protruding upper edge of the can underneath, which holds the can standing on top of it laterally. The casing also has a circumferential, lateral, radially outward-open ring groove below its previously mentioned upper edge in the edge area to the front wall (welding area).

The disadvantage is that such an opening in the front wall, which can only be exposed once, cannot be closed again and thus the entire contents of the can must be consumed at once or it will go to waste. In addition, insects can enter the can unnoticed through the exposed opening, which There is a risk that the insects will subsequently be swallowed by the consumer.

There are various approaches to creating a lockable bulkhead. However, these closures do not seal the opening sufficiently. Complex resealable lids or locking mechanisms that are attached to the bulkhead are often made up of several parts and are therefore more expensive to produce.

From the genre-forming US 5353 942 A A beverage can closure is known in which a bent wire ring that does not completely run around the can snaps into the ring groove on the can side. Two wire sections protrude from the ring section at a clear distance from the can opening inwards and merge into one another in a connecting web on the narrow edge of the can opening. The connecting web forms a pivot axis for a lid that has a locking tab that snaps into the ring groove to close the can.

In addition, beverage manufacturers are often not interested in resealability of the can because, on the one hand, the closing mechanism makes the can more expensive and thus reduces profits and, on the other hand, overall consumption decreases.

The object of the invention is therefore to create a resealable beverage can closure and a can unit consisting of a beverage can and a beverage can closure, through which the drinking opening on the can side, which only needs to be opened once, can be resealed. The beverage can closure according to the invention should be easy to manufacture and, above all, should seal reliably against the front wall of the can.

The above object is achieved by a resealable beverage can closure according to claim 1, which can be attached to a beverage can and has a base body that can be fastened to the can side and a lid attached to the base body and movable relative to the base body for reversibly resealing the beverage can. The base body has a circumferential retaining ring for locking, i.e. snapping, into the annular groove in the edge area of the jacket of the can as well as longitudinal webs connected in one piece with the retaining ring and adjacent to a central opening in the base body. to rest against the side wall to the side of the drinking opening. The central opening is designed around the drinking opening and exposes it when the beverage can closure is opened, either for the first time opening the drinking opening in the front wall or after opening to empty the beverage can. The longitudinal webs run transversely to the retaining ring and essentially connect opposite holding sections to one another, with at least one free space between the longitudinal webs and the adjacent sections of the retaining ring. This free space is, so to speak, a hole in the base body. The central opening is located between the longitudinal webs. On the other side of the respective longitudinal webs there is then the previously mentioned free space, which ensures that the retaining ring is exposed in this area and is not coupled to an upper wall section of the base body. Since the retaining ring thus has clamp-like sections exposed in the area of the free spaces, the retaining ring is significantly more flexible in the circumferential direction than in embodiments in which the retaining ring merges in one piece all the way around into an upper wall of the base body that completely covers the front wall. Due to this greater flexibility of the retaining ring, it can be more easily placed on the beverage can and, above all, given a larger undersize to the can's outer geometry. In addition, this undersize in the embodiment according to the invention has less influence on the important sealing surfaces, which in the present case are formed by the longitudinal webs. The lid has adjacent longitudinal ribs on its underside facing the base body, whereby each longitudinal rib is assigned to a longitudinal web and, when the beverage can closure is closed, cooperates with the longitudinal web to form a seal, preferably resting against it. A relatively narrow pressing surface or pressing lip is created via these longitudinal ribs, which creates a better sealing effect than a wide rib. Since the sealing effect is always created by plastic deformation of one or both of the sections or parts lying on top of one another and on top of one another, a higher elastic deformation of the sections or parts pressed against one another can be achieved with the same contact force and a smaller contact surface formed by a narrower longitudinal rib, which is beneficial for the seal.

When a fastener is put on or put on, the entire shape of the fastener naturally changes due to the plastic expansion at the edge. In particular, when an upper wall of a base body that is pushed on completely merges all around into a retaining ring, as in the prior art, the wall is inevitably stretched like a trampoline and is thus pushed away from the end wall. This effect is excluded by the invention. Because the longitudinal webs run to the side of the opening, they can easily be subjected to high tensile stresses and act like tension belts. Since a beverage can is characterized by an upwardly bulging end wall when it is closed, the tensioned longitudinal webs can press against the upwardly bulging end wall and form a seal.

Once the can has been opened and it is then closed again and, for example, shaken, the longitudinal webs can be further stretched elastically in order to adapt to the end wall, which bulges out again, and to press against it.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that at least over 35%, in particular over at least 45%, of the circumferential length of the retaining ring are adjacent to free spaces, which means that in these sections the retaining ring is actually only designed as a clamp section and not upwards over the upper one Edge merges into a front section of the base body.

In the area of the ends of the longitudinal webs, for example, transverse webs connecting the longitudinal webs are provided. The longitudinal and transverse webs together form a closed sealing web that surrounds the drinking opening and rests against the end wall, which in turn surrounds the central opening or also defines the central opening. The sealing effect between the beverage can closure and the beverage can is therefore achieved exclusively through contact on the end wall of the can.

At least one crossbar can merge into the retaining ring in one piece along its entire side edge via an intermediate section, so that in this area a section (intermediate section) of the base body runs from the retaining ring over the upper edge of the can to the part of the closure that is above the The front wall is located. In this case, this part is the crossbar. In the area of the intermediate section, the beverage can closure is consequently stiffened, which allows other functions that require a rigid geometry to be provided here.

However, it is also possible for at least one crossbar along its side edge to merge into the retaining ring in one piece only in sections through connecting ribs and for a gap to be present between the connecting ribs. This variant increases the circumferential length in which the retaining ring is actually only designed as a clamp section.

In order to optimise the sealing effect both when the can is already opened and when it is still closed, and when the can is already opened and the internal pressure is re-pressurised (by shaking the can), the sealing web can be designed to be resilient relative to the retaining ring perpendicular to the plane defined by the retaining ring, so that the sealing web presses against the end wall with pre-tension when the drinks can is closed and the end wall is curved outwards, and when the drinks can is open and the end wall is essentially flat. The lower edge of the retaining ring lies in one plane or, in the assembled position, defines a plane through the ring groove. Since the retaining ring cannot be moved resiliently perpendicular to the end wall when it is snapped onto the drinks can, the sealing web is designed to be movable relative to it.

When the beverage can closure is not mounted on the beverage can, the longitudinal webs and/or the transverse webs can be curved towards the underside. This means that in the initial state the longitudinal webs bulge towards the front wall in order to create a spring effect, similar to a pre-tensioned leaf spring, and to increase the pressure on the front wall where it springs back most when the can is opened.

The preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the sealing web lies completely below the upper edge of the can onto which the beverage can closure is snapped. It lies in the recess that is formed between the upwardly projecting upper edge of the can and its end wall. This ensures that when stacking cans with equipped with the beverage can closure according to the invention, there is no significant increase in the stack height.

The lid can be connected to the base body via a pivot bearing, in particular a film hinge, so that the lid and base body form a one-piece unit.

The preferred embodiment of the invention naturally provides that the beverage can closure according to the invention is made entirely of plastic.

The pivot bearing can be provided in the area of the gap defined between the connecting ribs of the crosspiece and the retaining ring. This also creates more space for the part of the cover that is close to the film hinge.

The lid can also be detachably held on the base body in the closed position of the beverage can closure via a snap-in connection, i.e. it is easy to open and close.

A locking geometry of the latching body provided on the base body, which interacts with a corresponding locking geometry on the lid, can be formed on the intermediate section, which merges into a crosspiece and the retaining ring. In particular, this is of course provided on the crosspiece that is connected to the retaining ring in one piece along its entire side edge via the intermediate section and thus forms a very rigid section of the beverage can closure. The locking geometry of the latching body can also be formed on the base body in the area of a longitudinal web, in particular on one of the two connecting ribs with which each longitudinal web is connected to the retaining ring. Preferably in the area of the sides of the longitudinal webs facing away from the film hinge.

Preferably, the lid has on its underside a closed circumferential pressure surface, preferably defined by a circumferential rib, which cooperates sealingly with the sealing web when the closure is closed, preferably rests in a closed circumferential manner on the sealing web.

For improved sealing, the base body can have an elastic seal that runs closed around the central opening on its underside facing the front wall and/or on an upper side facing the lid. The seal is made of a softer and more elastic material than the rest of the base body.

A simple manufacture of the beverage can closure according to the invention results from the fact that the beverage can closure is a 2-component injection-molded part, with one component forming the base body and the lid and the other component forming the seal or seals.

To better hold the sealing material on the material of the base body, at least the longitudinal webs, and preferably also the transverse webs, can have holes through them from the top to the bottom. The sealing material, which forms the seal on the top and the seal on the bottom, extends through these holes. These seals thus merge into one another in one piece, and a positive fit of the seals with respect to the rest of the beverage can closure is achieved.

A particularly effective seal is achieved by a side sealing surface running around the central opening, which is part of the seal and thus of the sealing web and which extends essentially perpendicular to the central opening. This side sealing surface can interact with the contact surfaces, in particular the sides of the rib of the lid, in order to tightly close the beverage can closure.

The seal can also have a base that is provided between the side sealing surface and the central opening. This creates a further sealing surface against which the contact surface can rest, thereby further improving the sealing effect of the seal. The base can also be provided with a groove to improve the fit of the cover on the seal, whereby parts of the side surface can limit the groove on one side.

To seal the beverage can closure, the contact surface can be sealed against the Partially abut the side sealing wall, in particular partially abut the side of the side sealing wall facing the central opening.

An improvement in the sealing effect between the front wall of the beverage can and the beverage can closure can be achieved in that the seal has at least one extension which extends further downwards, at least in sections, below at least one of the longitudinal and/or transverse webs, away from this longitudinal and/or transverse web, wherein the extension is designed such that it can engage in the recess of the front wall in a sealing manner. The extension is designed, for example, in the sections of the seal which are arranged above the recess when the beverage can closure is in place. The contour of the extension is preferably complementary to the contour of the recess, in particular complementary to the wall of the recess on the drinking opening side, so that the seal can also adapt to the front wall in the region of the recess and seal it.

In order to ensure that beverage cans provided with the closure according to the invention can be safely stacked, the beverage can closure can have a recess formed at least in circular segment sections on its top side when closed. This recess serves to accommodate the previously mentioned ring-shaped bulge of the can to form the base. This holds the can placed on the closure according to the invention laterally.

In the area of the recess, predetermined, projecting contact points can be formed to support the bulge, so that the can stacked thereon only rests on the closure according to the invention at a few predefined points. This is also for hygiene purposes, as the area that may be contacted by the user's mouth should not have been previously contacted by an attached can.

The central opening in the base body should be large enough so that the drinking opening and a locking ring provided on the front wall of the can for opening the drinking opening lie completely in the central opening. The central opening therefore ensures that both the drinking opening and the opening mechanism on the can are accessible.

In particular, the central opening has an elongated shape, with the opening being wider at one longitudinal end than at the opposite longitudinal end. The longitudinal webs therefore run essentially obliquely towards or away from each other.

The lid can be curved from the bottom to the top to accommodate an activated locking ring when the beverage can closure is closed. These locking rings are pulled up and bent over when opened. For environmental reasons, the locking rings usually remain attached to the front wall and thus protrude further upwards than when not activated. The lid shaped in this way also closes securely when the locking ring is still attached to the front wall but has already been activated.

As already explained, the upper end of the retaining ring merges into a section that extends over the upper edge of the can that connects the jacket and the front wall in the direction of the front wall, thus covering the upper edge of the can in sections. This section forms a drinking rim. The drinking rim should be located on the section of the retaining ring that is closest to the drinking opening.

In order to hygienically cover the drinking rim, a protruding lip can be provided on the lid. This lip covers the drinking rim when the beverage can closure is closed and exposes it when the beverage can closure is open.

The invention further relates to a can unit made from a beverage can of the aforementioned type, which has a casing and a front wall which has a drinking opening closed by a disposable closure, wherein the casing has a circumferential lateral annular groove in the area of the front wall. Furthermore, the can unit according to the invention comprises a beverage can closure according to the invention.

This beverage can closure can be removed from the beverage can without causing any damage and can therefore be reused on a can that is still full.

The terms "top" and "bottom" refer to the state in which the beverage can closure is placed on a beverage can and the Beverage can stands horizontally on a surface with the drinking opening facing upwards.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the following description and from the following drawings, to which reference is made.

- Figur 1

eine perspektivische Draufsicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Doseneinheit mit einer Getränkedose und einem darauf aufgesteckten erfindungsgemäßen Getränkedosenverschluss,

- Figur 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht des erfindungsgemäßen Getränkedosenverschlusses im geöffneten Zustand,

- Figur 3

eine Draufsicht auf den geöffneten Getränkedosenverschluss nach Figur 2,

- Figur 4

eine Schnittansicht längs der Linie IV-IV in Figur 1 durch einen Abschnitt eines Längsstegs,

- Figur 5

eine Längsschnittansicht durch eine erfindungsgemäße Doseneinheit mit darauf gestapelter Getränkedose,

- Figur 6

eine perspektivische Ansicht der erfindungsgemäßen Doseneinheit nach Figur 1 bei geöffnetem Deckel,

- Figur 7

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer zweiten Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Getränkedosenverschlusses im geöffneten Zustand, und

- Figur 8

eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Doseneinheit mit dem Getränkedosenverschlusses der Figur 7 in geschlossenem Zustand.

The drawings show:

- Figure 1

a perspective top view of a can unit according to the invention with a beverage can and a beverage can closure according to the invention attached thereto,

- Figure 2

a perspective view of the beverage can closure according to the invention in the opened state,

- Figure 3

a top view of the opened beverage can closure after Figure 2 ,

- Figure 4

a sectional view along the line IV-IV in Figure 1 through a section of a longitudinal web,

- Figure 5

a longitudinal sectional view through a can unit according to the invention with a beverage can stacked on top,

- Figure 6

a perspective view of the can unit according to the invention Figure 1 with the lid open,

- Figure 7

a perspective view of a second embodiment of the beverage can closure according to the invention in the opened state, and

- Figure 8

a partial sectional view of a can unit according to the invention with the beverage can closure of the Figure 7 in closed position.

In Figure 1 a can unit is shown consisting of a conventional beverage can 10 made of aluminum and a resealable, separately manufactured beverage can closure 12 attached to the beverage can 10.

The beverage can 10 essentially consists of a base 14, which is Figure 5 can be seen using an identical beverage can 10 placed on the can unit, a one-piece, predominantly circular-cylindrical shell 16 and a front wall 18, which is recessed. The shell surface 16 usually has a truncated cone-shaped section 19 towards its upper end in beverage cans, to which an upwardly circumferential edge region with an upper edge 20 of the can is connected (see Figure 6 ), via which the casing 16 and the front wall 18 are connected to one another. The front wall 18 is recessed opposite the upper edge 20.

In the front wall 18, a drinking opening 22 is predefined by an embossing, which can be closed or opened once by a disposable closure with an opening mechanism, for example a closure ring attached to the front wall 18. The closure ring is also referred to as a pull tab.

The end wall 18 also has a recess 23 which is provided between the edge 20 and the drinking opening 22. The depression 23 can have the shape of the edge 20 in plan view, but with a smaller radius than the edge 20. The depression 23 also completely encloses the drinking opening 22. The depression 23 can be designed as a groove.

As in Figure 5 As can be seen, the casing 16 has, near the upper edge 20 in the edge region, a closed circumferential lateral radial annular groove 26 which is particularly concave in cross-section.

A beverage can closure 12 is placed or, in other words, clipped onto the beverage can 10 and uses the annular groove 26 as a holder.

The beverage can closure is an injection-molded part made of plastic, in particular polypropylene, with a base body 28 and a lid 32 integrally connected to the base body 28 via a film hinge 30.

The base body includes a closed, circumferential clamp-shaped retaining ring 34, which, as in the Figures 2 and 5 can be clearly seen, is convexly curved on its radial inside, preferably essentially complementary to the outside of the annular groove 26.

However, the retaining ring 34 has an overall elongated cross-sectional shape when viewed in axial section, which runs essentially parallel to the axial direction, i.e. to the central axis of the circular cylindrical section of the casing 16.

Integrally connected to the retaining ring 34 in the radial interior of the base body is a closed circumferential sealing web, which comprises longitudinal webs 36 which run laterally along the drinking opening 22 and the opening mechanism in the form of the closure ring 24. The fact that the drinking opening 22 becomes slightly wider towards its end remote from the locking ring 24 results in a slightly oval envelope overall for the unit consisting of the drinking opening 22 and locking ring 24. In order to allow complete access to the drinking opening 22 as well as to the locking ring 24, the longitudinal webs 36 also run somewhat obliquely to one another and define a central opening 38 between them, which is aligned with the unit consisting of the drinking opening 22 and locking ring 24 and is slightly larger than this unit , How Figure 6 shows.

The longitudinal webs 36 essentially connect opposing retaining ring sections 40 and 42 to one another. Transverse webs 44, 46 connect the two longitudinal webs 36 to one another and together with them form a circumferential sealing web.

In the area of the transverse web 44, two connecting ribs 48 are provided, via which the transverse web 44 at its radially outer side edge and the longitudinal web 36 merging into it in this area are connected in sections to the retaining ring 34 in one piece.

The connecting ribs 48 extend in an arc upwards and finally downwards to the retaining ring 34 to form a receiving space 50 for the edge 20 and the edge region.

A gap 52 is formed circumferentially between the connecting ribs 48, which is designed as an empty space without material.

On the side of each longitudinal web 36 opposite the central opening 38, a free space 56 is provided in the base body 28 between the longitudinal web 36 and its immediately opposite retaining ring section 54, so that here too there is no material between the longitudinal web 36 and the retaining ring 34.

The transverse web 46, on the other hand, is connected to the retaining ring 34 over the entire length of its radially outer side edge, including in the area of the transition to the longitudinal webs 36, via an intermediate section 53, so that this part of the closure is relatively stable.

The lid 32 can be pivoted about the film hinge 30 and can close the central opening 38 and thus also the drinking opening 22. In addition to the film hinge 30, the lid 32 can be connected to the base body 28 via a detachable locking connection.

In the area of the intermediate section 53, a locking contour 58 with a wedge-shaped cross section is formed, which leads downwards to an undercut (see Figure 5 ).

The cover 32 in turn has a corresponding locking geometry 60 with an outwardly projecting edge which can engage behind the locking geometry 58.

The intermediate section 53 runs upwards and finally downwards again in an arc to the upper end of the retaining ring 34 and also has a receiving space 50 between itself and the retaining ring 34 in which the edge 20 and the edge region can be received.

This intermediate section 53, which connects the crosspiece 44 to the retaining ring 34, will function in its middle section as a drinking rim 59 when the beverage can is opened and drunk from, because the can contents flow out via this drinking rim 59.

The lid 32 has one, as in the Figures 1 and 5 can be clearly seen, radially protruding lip 62, which, when the beverage can closure is closed, covers the drinking edge 59 upwards.

Furthermore, the lip 62 projects radially outward in sections to such an extent that, in the closed state, it projects laterally beyond the retaining ring 34 and can thus function as an operating surface for opening the closure.

The longitudinal webs 36, preferably also the transverse webs 44, have holes 64 running through from the top to the bottom, only some of which are in Figure 2 are provided with reference numbers. Through these holes 64 it is possible to create a soft Sealing material is to be sprayed onto the webs 36, 44, 46 in a form-fitting manner in the 2-component spraying process and to be connected to them in a form-fitting manner.

An annular seal 68 or 70 runs both on the top and on the bottom of the sealing web (see Figure 4 ), whereby the seals 68, 70 merge into one another in one piece through the holes 64, because the holes 64 are filled with the sealing material. The difference between the Figures 2 and 4 in the area of the webs 36, 44, 46 shows where the circumferential seals 68, 70 are positioned. The seal 70 is provided essentially identically on the underside of the sealing web.

The cover 32 has on its underside facing the base body 28, which is in the Figures 2 and 3 can be seen, a closed, circumferential narrow rib 71 with longitudinal ribs 72, which in the closed state come to rest on the seal 68 on the longitudinal webs 36, and transverse ribs 74, which in turn rest on the seal 68 in the area of the transverse webs 44, 46. Thus, in the closed state, the circumferential rib 71 rests on the sealing web, more precisely on the seal 68 of the sealing web, and compresses it.

The embodiment shown is designed so that the lid 32 does not cover the free spaces 56 when the closure is closed, so that the longitudinal ribs 72 define the lateral end sections of the lid 32 in this area.

Figure 2 It can also be seen that the cover 32 is curved on its underside towards the top, ie through the ribs 72, 74 a receiving space 80 open from below (see Figure 5 ) which is large enough to accommodate an actuated closure ring 24 when the beverage can closure is closed.

When the beverage can closure is closed, the lid with the circumferential rib 71 presses on and into the seal 68 in order to seal in a liquid-tight manner, and in addition, the seal 70 on the underside of the sealing web presses all around against the top of the end wall 18 and is deformed in the process, so that also A seal is created here to prevent liquid leakage.

Although the front wall is 18 in Figure 5 is drawn essentially flat, it should be emphasized that due to the pressure of the contents of the beverage can before it is opened for the first time, the end wall 18 bulges upwards, so that the circumferential contact line on the top of the end wall, along which the seal 70 rests, is slightly offset in height from the position in Figure 5 can be.

In order to take part in this height compensation and to press the sealing web against the end wall 18 with a pretensioning force in every state, the sealing web is relative to the retaining ring 34 perpendicular to the plane E defined by the retaining ring and is therefore resilient in the vertical direction (with the can upright) on the retaining ring 34 appropriate. This ensures that the sealing web presses against the end wall 18 with pretension when the beverage can is closed and the end wall 18 is curved outwards, just as it is when the beverage can is open and the end wall 18 is essentially flat.

In addition, in the unassembled state of the beverage can closure, the longitudinal webs 36 can be arched downwards towards the underside, as with a broken line in Figure 2 indicated. After the center of the end wall 18 makes the greatest vertical movement when opening the beverage can, the arcuate curvature of the longitudinal webs 36 ensures that the longitudinal webs 36 can follow this movement distance. This arcuate curvature can of course also be realized by applying additional material or by correspondingly thickening the seal 70 in the middle section of the longitudinal webs 36.

Beverage cans must be stackable. In order to achieve acceptance by the filler, the beverage can closure must not result in any additional stacking height.

As in the Figures 1 and 5 As can be seen, the beverage can closure in the closed state has on its upper side a recess 90 formed at least in circular segment sections, into which an annular bulge 92 provided on the base 14 of the can projects, whereby the can placed on the can 10 is held laterally as desired. The bulge 92 also forms the base or the base ring surface of each can.

In the area of the recess 90, predefined contact points 94 are provided in the form of top sides of small projections, with three or four such contact points 94 preferably being present. For example, they prevent the bulge from resting on the lip 62.

Due to the free spaces 56 and the gap 52, the retaining ring 34 is not connected to the rest, i.e. the inner section of the base body 28, over large circumferential sections, preferably over more than 45% of its circumference, and can be plastically stretched in the circumferential direction independently of the rest of the closure like a tension ring or tension band.

The retaining ring 34 is significantly undersized compared to the annular groove 26, which creates tension on the longitudinal webs 36 when the beverage can closure is attached. This increases the pressing forces of the longitudinal webs 36 on the top of the end wall 18.

The convex shape of the inside of the retaining ring 34 (see Figure 5 ) on the other hand allows the closure to be conveniently pushed or attached from above onto the edge 20, such as Figure 5 shows. This means that the user can easily apply the forces needed to push it on or put it on.

The beverage can closure can also be pulled upwards again from the beverage can 10 in a non-destructive manner and placed onto the next beverage can 10. So it is reusable.

In the Figures 7 and 8 another embodiment of the can unit or the beverage can closure 12 is shown. This embodiment corresponds essentially to the first embodiment, so that only the differences will be discussed below. Identical and functionally identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

The seal 68 partially extends further upward in the second embodiment than in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the seal 68 lies partially against the connecting ribs 48 and the intermediate section 53.

The seal 68 can even extend upwards so far that it partially even protrudes above the edge 20 of the beverage can 10 when the beverage can closure 12 is attached to the beverage can 10.

The seal 68 points, as in Figure 8 can be seen, a step 95 which defines a side sealing surface 96 oriented towards the central opening 38.

The side sealing surface 96 extends substantially perpendicular to plane E and extends completely around the central opening 38.

The seal 68 has a base 98 between the side sealing surface 96 and the central opening 38. A groove (not shown) may also be formed in the bottom 98, wherein parts of the side sealing surface 96 may form one side of the wall of the groove.

In the second embodiment, the contact surfaces or sealing surfaces on the lid 32 are formed on the outside, i.e. on the side of the rib 71 or the longitudinal ribs 72 and the transverse ribs 74 facing away from the central opening 38 in the closed state.

In the closed state, the rib 71 is arranged between the central opening 38 and the side sealing surface 96 and lies sealingly against the side sealing surface 96. In other words, the side surfaces of the rib 71, i.e. the sealing surfaces, and the side sealing surface 96 come into contact, thereby creating a liquid-tight connection between the cover 32 and the seal 68. The seal 68 can also be compressed in this case.

Because the sealing connection between the rib 71 and the side sealing surface 96 extends perpendicular to the plane E defined by the retaining ring and thus in the vertical direction (when the can is in an upright position), the connection remains liquid-tight even when the lid 32 or the rib 71 moves in the vertical direction relative to the seal 68. These slight relative movements can occur when beverage cans 10 containing carbonated beverages are resealed using the beverage can closure 12, whereby pressure builds up within the beverage can closure 12, which slightly deforms the lid 32.

Of course, the rib 71 can also come into sealing contact with the base 98, thereby improving the sealing effect. The rib 71 can also engage in the groove.

It is also conceivable that the side sealing surface 96 is not formed on a step 95, but the seal 68 has a different type of projection, edge, rim or the like on which the side sealing surface 96 is provided.

In the embodiment shown, the seal 70 also has an extension 99 which extends further downwards below parts of the webs 36, 44, 46.

The extension 99 has a contour that is adapted to the recess 23 so that it protrudes into the recess 23. In addition, the extension 99 lies against the radially inner wall of the recess 23 and thus further seals the receiving space 80 of the beverage can closure 12.

The seal 70 therefore not only rests on the front wall 18 in the flat area of the front wall 18, but also follows the contour of the front wall 18 in the area of the recess 23, in particular along the wall of the recess 23 on the drinking opening side. In this way, the sealing surface between the front wall 18 and the beverage can closure 12 is further enlarged and the sealing effect is improved.

Of course, the extension 99 can have a completely complementary shape to the recess 23 and thus completely fill the recess 23.

In the second embodiment, the extension 99 is provided on the seal 70 in the areas of the transverse webs 44, 46 and in the areas of the connecting ribs 48 at the ends of the longitudinal webs 36. When installed, these areas are located above the recess 23. In addition, these areas are not connected, so that the extension 99 is designed in several parts.

It is also conceivable that the side sealing surface 96 is provided on the seal 70 and/or the extension 99 extends from the seal 68.

In the second embodiment, the seals 68, 70, in addition to their connection through the holes 64, also extend in one piece on the inside of the longitudinal and transverse webs 36, 44, ie the side facing the central opening 38 into each other. It is also conceivable that the seals 68, 70 merge into one another in one piece only on this inside.

In the beverage can closure 12 of the second embodiment, a locking contour 58 is also provided on the sections of the retaining ring 34 at which the ends of the longitudinal webs 36 facing away from the film hinge 30 are connected to the retaining ring 34. In this way, the locking contours 58 are not arranged in the area of the drinking rim 59.

The locking contours 58 protrude perpendicular to the plane E from the retaining ring 34 and have an undercut or notch 100.

The cover 32 in turn has corresponding locking geometries 60 with outwardly projecting edges 102 which can engage in the notches 100.

The edges 102 are designed to be resilient relative to the rest of the cover 32, for example by providing elongated openings 104 in the cover 32 on the inside of the edges 102.

Of course, the individual features of the described embodiments can be combined with one another as desired. In particular, the type of locking can be selected independently of the shape of the seal. The extension 99 is also independent of the other features.

Claims (15)

1. A reclosable beverage can closure for fitting on a beverage can (10) which has a shell (16) and an end wall (18) having a drinking opening (22) sealed by a single-use closure, the shell (16) having a circumferential lateral annular groove (26) in the edge portion towards the end wall (18), comprising

   a base body (28) adapted to be fastened to the can and a lid (32) attached to the base body (28) and movable relative to the base body (28) for reversibly reclosing the opened beverage can (10),

   the base body (28) having a circumferential retaining ring (34) for snapping into the annular groove (26) and longitudinal webs (36) that are integrally connected with the retaining ring (34) and adjacent to a central opening (38) in the base body (28),

   at least one free space (56) being provided between each of the longitudinal webs (36) and their neighboring portions of the retaining ring (34),

   characterized in that the longitudinal webs are configured to rest against the end wall (18) laterally of the drinking opening,

   the longitudinal webs (36) extend transversely to the retaining ring (34) and connect substantially opposite retaining ring sections (40, 42) with each other, and

   the lid (32) includes neighboring longitudinal ribs (72) on its lower side facing the base body (28), each longitudinal rib (72) being associated with a longitudinal web (36) and sealingly cooperating with the longitudinal web (36) in the closed state of the beverage can closure.
2. The beverage can closure according to claim 1, characterized in that transverse webs (44, 46) connecting the longitudinal webs (36) are provided in the region of the ends of the longitudinal webs (36), and the longitudinal and transverse webs (44, 46) together form a closed circumferential sealing web that surrounds the drinking opening (22), rests against the end wall (18) and surrounds the central opening (38).
3. The beverage can closure according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one transverse web (46) continues in one piece along its entire side edge into the retaining ring (34) via an intermediate section (53).
4. The beverage can closure according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that at least one transverse web (44) continues into the retaining ring (34) in one piece in sections along its side edge by connecting ribs (48) and a gap (52) exists between the connecting ribs (48).
5. The beverage can closure according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, with respect to the retaining ring (34), the sealing web is configured to be resilient in relation to the retaining ring (34) perpendicular to the plane (E) defined by the retaining ring (34) such that the sealing web presses against the end wall (18) with a pretension when the beverage can (10) is closed and the end wall (18) is curved outwards and also when the beverage can (10) is open and the end wall (18) is substantially flat.
6. The beverage can closure according to claim 5, characterized in that the beverage can closure has a lower side and, when the beverage can closure is in a state in which it is not mounted to the beverage can (10), the longitudinal webs (36) extend in an arcuate curved manner towards the lower side.
7. The beverage can closure according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lid (32) is connected to the base body (28) by means of a swivel bearing, in particular a film hinge (30).
8. The beverage can closure according to claims 4 and 7, characterized in that the swivel bearing is provided in the area of the gap (52).
9. The beverage can closure according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lid (32) is releasably held on the base body (28) in the closed position of the beverage can closure by means of a snap-in connection.
10. The beverage can closure according to claims 2 to 6 and additionally according to claim 9, characterized in that a locking geometry (58), provided on the base body (28), of the snap-in connection is molded in the area of a transverse web (46) and/or longitudinal web (36).
11. The beverage can closure according to any of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the lid (32) includes on its lower side a closed circumferential contact pressure surface which is preferably defined by a circumferential rib and which in the closed state of the beverage can closure sealingly cooperates with the sealing web, preferably rests against the sealing web in a closed circumferential manner.
12. The beverage can closure according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base body (28) includes, on its lower side facing the end wall (18) and/or on an upper side facing the lid (32), an elastic seal (68, 70) extending around the central opening (38) in a closed manner.
13. The beverage can closure according to claim 12, characterized in that the beverage can closure is a 2-component injection-molded part, one component forming the base body (28) and the lid (32) and the other component forming the seal (68, 70).
14. The beverage can closure according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that at least the longitudinal webs (36), preferably the longitudinal and transverse webs (36, 44, 46), have holes (64) that are continuous from the upper side to the lower side and through which sealing material extends such that the seal (70) on the lower side and the seal (68) on the upper side continue into each other in one piece.
15. A can unit made up of

    a beverage can (10) which has a shell (16) and an end wall (18) having a drinking opening (22) sealed by a single-use closure, the shell (16) having a circumferential lateral annular groove (26) in the edge portion towards the end wall (18), and

    a beverage can closure, placed on the beverage can (10) and forming a prefabricated unit, according to any of the preceding claims.

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