GB2127376A

GB2127376A - Can for effervescent beverages

Info

Publication number: GB2127376A
Application number: GB08324975A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mario Pasquale
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-09-23
Filing date: 1983-09-19
Publication date: 1984-04-11
Also published as: FR2533531A1; FR2533531B3; BR8305152A; GB8324975D0; ES274242Y; ES274242U; DE3331343A1

Abstract

A can 1 for effervescent beverages such as non-alcoholic drinks, beer and sparkling wines, of conventional type is provided internally with a dividing wall 7 to define two distinct and independent chambers 5 and 6 that can contain the same drink or different drinks and can be opened individually for the product to be consumed. An easy open device 4 is provided in each end of the can to facilitate independent opening of each of the chambers. In alternative arrangements, two cans are connected end-to-end, e.g. by welding or bonding material, Figs. 2 and 3 (not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Container for effervescent beverages The container is intended in particular for effervescent beverages such as non-alcoholic drinks, beer and sparkling wines, etcetera.

As is known, the said beverages, in addition to being packed and sold inglass bottles with a sealing cap, can also be purchased in pressurized metal vessels of elongated cylindrical shape known as "cans".

It is also known that, compared with vessels made of glass, the numerous advantages the said metal containers offer, of a practical and financial nature, have led to an ever growing popularity and use thereof not only for effervescent beverages and beer, for which they are preferably destined, but recently also for products such as, for example, sparkling wines that are habitually placed on sale in bottles.

With the metal containers in question known to date, however, the said beverages are offset by certain problems.

Since the contents of cans of the most widespread type correspond roughly to two glasses (33 cl), it happens very frequently that only a part of the beverage is consumed, while the remaining inside open container is subject to becoming "flat", with a consequent loss of the characteristics of the product, and/or to being accidentally spilt, especially in cases when children are present, or more generally, in outdoor living conditions, or on the occasion of sporting events or excursions, etcetera, that is to say, in all situations where the consumption of drinks in tin cans is the most widespread.

On the other hand, tha adoption of containers of a lesser volume (holding, for example 25 cl) could overcome, only in part, the aforementioned problem and, furthermore, in this case sufficient a total quantity of the drink would not be available and at the disposal of the consumer or consumers.

Furthermore, it is felt that the face of having to make provision for the insertion on the market of cans of a reduced size would not, on one hand, be greatly favoured by consumers accustomed for some time to the cans in question having a well defined exterior image, and on the other, that if cans of various sizes were to be available on a large scale, problems of storage, transportation and distribution would be created. Without a doubt, containers that are all of the same standard outside dimensions do enable, in fact, costs to be cut down for both the producers and the distibutors.

The essential object of the invention is, therefore, to overcome the problems to which prior reference has been made concerning the metal containers of a known type, through a container for effervescent beverages which, although being, but not necessarily so, of a conventional shape and size, and thus having a total capacity identical to that of the containers that up to the present time are the one most sold, allow even a limited consumption of the product contained therein without the surplus tending to go "flat" and/or being accidentally spilt.

This and other objects too are all attained by the container for effervescent beverages in question, of the type constituted by a pressurized vessel of elongated cylindrical shape (commonly called a "can"), characterized by the fact that it is provided internally with a dividing wall separating two distinct chambers that can contain the same drink or different drinks and can be opened independently one of the other for the product to be consumed.

Advantageously, the said chambers are formed in one particular embodiment for the invention, by a pair of separate cans connected one to the other in the region of the bases thereof, the said dividing wall being constituted by the said bases.

A further advantage that can be had with the container in question, in addition to what has been stated above, is constituted by the possibility of being able to utilize the two separate chambers to hold different drinks such as, for example, orangeade and lemonade or something else. It is thought that this fact of not much apparent importance may, instead, be a considerable commercial success, with a consequent financial advantage, especially with the child consumer who, as is known, prefers drinks that are different each time and are in relatively small quantities.

Further characteristics and advantages of the container according to the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description that follows of one preferred embodiment, with two constructional variants, illustrated purely as an unlimited example on the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows diagrammatically, in an axiometric view, the container forming the subject of the invention; Figure 2 shows diagrammatically, in accordance with a first constructional variant, a longitudinal section view of the area where the concave bases of a pair of the container in question are connected one to the other; Figure 3 shows, in accordance with a second constructional variant, a similar situation to that depicted in Fig. 2 but where the bases of a pair of can are concave and convex, respectively.

With reference to the above listed drawings, at 1 has been shown the container for effervescent beverages forming the subject of the invention.

From a diagrammatic point of view, the said container is constituted by a pressurized metal vessel (commonly known as a "can") formed by a cylindrical casing 2, both extremities of which are provided with a base plate 3 of a conventional type provided with a tongue 4 for tearing open the extremity concerned. Internally the said vessel is divided into two distinct chambers, 5 and 6, respectively, separated by a dividing wall 7 rigidly fixed to the casing 2, placed in an essentially perpendicular position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the container 1 and in an intermediate position with respect to the two base plates 3.

With particular reference to Fig. 2, the dividing wall 7 is constituted by the two concave bases, 8 and 9, respectively, of two corresponding cans, 8' amf 9' respectively, of a relatively small volume, that constitute the chambers 5 and 6 and are secured one to the other by means of, for example, welding or bonding material 10. This method is particularly advantageous from a technological point of view since it allows the container according to the invention to be produced without revolutionary modifications having to be made to the present container production and filling lines.

In Fig. 3, a second constructional example is illustrated and this envisages, using the same welding or bonding material 10 to which reference has been made above, the concave base 11 and the convex base 1 2 of the two cans 11' and 12' being secured one to the other.

Naturally, in the practical embodiment of the container according to the invention differences may occur with respect to the foregoing description and, in particular, the characteristics of the dividing wall, the position of this inside the container and the means for securing it to the cylindrical casing may be any, as deemed opportune by an expert in the field concerned, without because of this, there being any deviation from the framework of protection affordal to the invention. Furthermore, the shapes, dimensions and materials used may be any depending on the requirements.

Claims

1. Container for effervescent beverages, of the type constituted by a pressurized vessel (2) of elongated cylindrical shape, characterized by the fact that it is provided internally with a dividing wall (7) separating two distinct chambers (5) and (6) that can contain the same drink or different drinks and can be opened indepedently one of the other for the product to be consumed.

2. Container for effervescent beverages according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the said dividing wall (7) is placed in an essentially perpendicular position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the said cylindrical vessel (2).

3. Container for effervescent beverages according to claims 1 and 2, characterised by the fact that the said chambers (5) and (6) are formed by a pair of separate cans (8'-9') and (11'-12') secured one to the other in the region of the bases thereof (8-9) and (11-12), the said dividing wall (7) being constituted by the said bases (8-9) and (11-12).