GB2255081A

GB2255081A - Re-sealable portable containers

Info

Publication number: GB2255081A
Application number: GB9109082A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Umur Talip Erte; Michael Shaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-04-25
Filing date: 1991-04-25
Publication date: 1992-10-28
Also published as: GB9109082D0

Abstract

A portable container, particularly a beverage can, is resealable in order to prevent spillage or product spoilage and includes an aperture 2 defined by a region of weakness 3 in its top end wall which is opened by depressing a cover attachment 11, the cover attachment being further used to seal the aperture by rotating about pivot 4 on an axis parallel to the side wall from a position clear of the aperture to a position overlying the aperture. The cover is attached to the end wall and either the cover or the end wall has a seal attached formed of a polymeric sealing material. The cover may also be biased against the end wall via the resilient seal by one or more biasing means which may be bosses 5, or latching means around the edges of the aperture, or the edge of the aperture remote from the axis of rotation may be raised (fig 6). The cover may carry a clip configuration to interlock with an edge of the end wall when the cover is positioned over the aperture. The cover may be located on the inside face of the container. <IMAGE>

Description

RE-SEALABLE PORTABLE CONTAINERS This invention relates to resealable portable containers, particularly beverage cans.

It is known that the contents of such portable containers may easily be accidentally spilled after opening. This tends to occur especially with childrens drinks, in parties and during travelling, where drinks are opened and left untouched for periods of time. The contents may also start degrading in quality on coming into contact with air when the container is opened and, if not used within a short period of time, no longer be of usable quality.

Currently, in use are several designs of portable containers with ring pull mechanisms, which remain attached to the container after opening. Examples of these are carbonated soft drink, beer, wine and oil cans.

Most of these consumable containers are air-tight; gases within the container are retained and air excluded until the container is opened. However, once opened it is not possible with existing designs to re-seal the container.

This is normally not of concern if the contents are to be consumed or used completely within a short period of time. However, this is not always the case and many such containers are opened and their contents not finished within a reasonable period of time. As a result, the quality and taste of the contents deteriorate rapidly.

The presently known solutions to these problems either involve placing a cover over the entire face of the container in which the opening has been made, the cover attaching to the container in some fashion.

Alternatively the opening may be closed by the inserting of a mechanism into the opening, and mechanically expanding the mechanism to bias the mechanism against the edges of the opening to close and seal the opening.

According to the present invention there is provided a recloseable container comprising a hollow container body with an end wall having an aperture substantially defined by a preformed weakened region of material, and a cover attached to that end wall and rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the end wall, from a position clear of the aperture to a position overlying the aperture and vice versa.

In one aspect the cover may be attached to the outside of the container, and a resilient seal may be provided between the cover and the end wall when the cover is overlying the aperture. That seal may be attached either to the cover or to the end wall and may in the preferred embodiment be formed of a strip of polymeric sealing material; the cover may be biased against the end wall via the resilient seal by one or more biasing means.

Preferably the resilient seal is automatically compressed between the cover and the end wall as the cover is moved to a position overlying the aperture.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover also functions as a tag for the user to pull to fracture the weakened zone in the end wall by way of lever action, and the end wall is circular and has a surface configuration such that diametrically opposite the aperture there are one or more projections from the surface which interact with the cover to force the cover towards the aperture by way of a lever action when coming to overlie the aperture, and compress any resilient seal between aperture and cover which is provided.

A second preferred embodiment is one in which the cover also functions as a tag for the user to pull to fracture the weakened zone in the end wall by way of lever action, and the end wall of the container is circular and so configured that the edge of the aperture remote from the axis of rotation of the cover is raised relative to the plane of the end wall being at the lowest part of the profile.

In another embodiment, the aperture may be formed by an opening means attached to the end wall of the container; and the opening means may remain attached to the end wall after opening enabling the cover to be biased against the resilient seal by inserting a part thereof between a part of the opening means on and the end wall.

The cover may if desired be biased against the resilient strip by one or more latching means located around the edges of the aperture.

The cover may be attached to the end wall at a noncentral point, and have on its free end remote from the point of attachment a clip configured to interlock with the edge of the end wall when the cover is rotated to a position over the aperture.

The cover may alternatively be located on the inside face of the container.

It may be desired to render the reclosed container gas tight, in which case the quality of sealing should be sufficient to ensure that.

The present invention is particularly valuable in reducing unnecessary wastage of drinks sold in cans.

Such cans are conveniently provided with ring pull tabs to enable the container to be opened. It is a particularly valuable feature of the present invention that it may be applied to the problem of resealing beverage cans after opening, using the ring pull mechanism itself to re-seal the aperture. This has the effects firstly, of prolonging the life of the contents (if required); secondly, to prevent the contents from spilling, and thirdly to aid transportation of opened containers.

The present invention thus covers the concept of using ring pull tab mechanisms themselves, to cover and/or reseal the pouring aperture of portable containers, after opening. The design may include means to form a seal between the tab and the container pouring aperture. The ring pull tab may be rotated to effect closure of the container. One or more actuation points embossed in the surface of the container, may raise the tip of the tab as it is rotated causing a fulcrum effect which presses that part of the tab which covers the pouring aperture against the container surface. The cover prolongs the life of the container's contents, prevents accidental spillage, and aids the transportation of opened containers without loss of contents.

Some preferred embodiments of the will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a top view of a beverage can according to the present invention, prior to opening.

Figure 2 shows the same view after opening and sealing.

Figure 3 shows ring pull tab & closure mechanism in under plan and side view.

Figure 4 and 5 show progressive stages of opening and resealing a can, and Figure 6 shows an alternative design.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 a can according to the invention comprises a ring pull tab 6, which is produced as a solid piece, with a single hole 7 to allow fixing of the tab 6 to a container 1 with a rivet 4 or similar detail. The area surrounding the fixing point is cut around, allowing a hinge 10 to be formed along the remaining line of contact between the area of the fixing point 4 and the rest of the tab 6.

Over all or part of the underside of the tab, a suitable sealant material 11 is affixed. This may be applied by crimping the edges of the tab over the sealant, or attaching it by adhesive, heat, ultrasonic, electrical, electromagnetic or other processes. Alternatively, the sealant 11 may be directly applied to the ring pull tab as a coating before or during the manufacturing process.

Suitable sealant materials include rubber, plastics, PVC, polypropylene, polystyrene and foam or waxed materials that offer an airtight seal, when firmly placed over a pouring aperture 2.

One or more embossed actuation points 5 are incorporated in the can wall.

In operation, the can is opened by pulling a liftable edge 8 of the ring pull tab 6 in the traditional manner, to break a line of weakness 3 around the pouring aperture 2. By raising the liftable edge 8 away from the surface of the container 1 the ring pull tab 6 pivots about the hinge 10, creating increasing downward pressure on the tip 9 of the ring pull tab 6. This pressure is exerted onto the surface of the pouring aperture 2. The pressure causes the pouring aperture 2 to fracture along the line of weakness, allowing the aperture to open and the container contents to be discharged.

When it is desired to re-seal the container, the ring pull tab 6 is rotated in one of two directions; either clockwise 12, or anti-clockwise 13, rotating over the pouring or drinking aperture 2, to cover it. As the ring pull tab 6 is rotated over the hole 2 about centre rivet 4, the other side of it 9 rotates in the opposite direction and is forced to the top of the embossed actuation point 5 of the surface of the container 1. The fulcrum effect caused by rotating the tip of the tab 9 over the top of the actuation point 5 causes sufficient downward pressure on the portion of the ring pull tab which is covering the pouring aperture 2, effectively to seal the container.

The size and shape of the new ring pull tab can be varied in different versions of the design, as long as its surface area and that of the sealant material 11 sufficiently covers the pouring aperture 2 of the portable container to form a good seal.

In another version of the invention one or more catches, hooks or clips (not shown) at convenient points around the pouring aperture 2 may capture and hold down the same or similar design of ring pull tab 6, to form a satisfactory seal. These alternative devices may work in combination with, or instead of any of the design features described above.

It is also possible to position the sealant material 11 on the surface of the container body 1, around the perimeter of the container pouring aperture, allowing the tab to form a satisfactory seal either with or without a coating of sealant material 11 on its underside.

Referring to figure 6 in an alternative preferred embodiment the top of the container 1 surrounding the aperture 2 is raised relative to the surface of the rest of the top of the container 1. The pull ring tab 6 when rotated is forced into contact with the container 1 surrounding aperture 2, so sealing the aperture.

Claims

1. A recloseable container comprising a hollow container body with an end wall having an aperture substantially defined by a preformed weakened region of material, and a cover attached to that end wall and rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the end wall, from a position clear of the aperture to a position overlying the aperture and vice versa.

2. A recloseable container according to claim 1 wherein the cover is attached to the outside of the container and a resilient seal is provided between the cover and the end wall when the cover is overlying the aperture.

3. A recloseable container according to claim 2 wherein the resilient seal is attached to the cover.

4. A recloseable container according to claim 2 wherein the resilient seal is attached to the end wall.

5. A recloseable container according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the cover is biased against the end wall via the resilient seal by one or more biasing means.

6. A recloseable container according to claim 5 wherein the aperture is formed by an opening means attached to the end wall of the container; and the opening means remains attached to the end wall after opening in order to enable the cover to be biased against the resilient seal by inserting a part of the cover between a part of the opening means and the end wall.

7. A recloseable container according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the cover is biased against the resilient strip by one or more latching means located around the edges of the aperture.

8. A recloseable container according to any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein the resilient seal is a strip of polymeric sealing material.

9. A recloseable container according to any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein the resilient seal is automatically compressed between the cover and the end wall as the cover is moved to a position overlying the aperture.

10. A recloseable container according to claim 9 wherein the end wall is circular and has a surface configuration such that diametrically opposite the aperture there are one or more projections from the surface which interact with the cover to force the cover to compress the resilient seal by way of a lever action when overlying the aperture.

11. A recloseable container according to claim 9 wherein the end wall of the container is circular and so configured that the edge of the aperture remote from the axis of rotation of the cover is raised relative to the plane of the end wall being at the lowest part of the profile.

12. A recloseable container according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the cover also functions as a tag for the user to pull to fracture the weakened zone in the end wall by way of lever action.

13. A recloseable container according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cover is attached to the end wall at a non-central point, has on its free end remote from the point of attachment a clip configured to interlock with the edge of the end wall when the cover is rotated to a position over the aperture.

14. A recloseable container according to claim 1 wherein the cover is located on the inside face of the container.

15. A recloseable container according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the material defining the aperture is formed into a lip projecting from the end wall towards the cover.

16. A recloseable container according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the seal between the cover and the end wall is capable of rendering the container gas tight.

*. A recloseable container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.