GB2294445A

GB2294445A - Can with hygienic cover for dispensing orifice

Info

Publication number: GB2294445A
Application number: GB9421809A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin John Toogood
Original assignee: John Roger Toogood
Current assignee: John Roger Toogood
Priority date: 1994-10-29
Filing date: 1994-10-29
Publication date: 1996-05-01

Abstract

A can 1 containing a beverage, such as beer, or a soft drink, has a sealed dispensing orifice 3. The dispensing orifice 3 is covered by an at least partially removable sealing film 4. The area covered by the film corresponds to at least that part of the can which would come into contact with a mouth of a person drinking directly from the can. The removable sealing film 4 may be attached to the can 1 by an adhesive adapted to facilitate easy removal of said film with the use of a portion of the film 5 not directly attached to the can as a pull tab. The film may also be pre-weakened along tear lines 6 to facilitate removal of a portion thereof. <IMAGE>

Description

CAN WITH HYGIENE TAB The present invention relates to a can for soft, or alcoholic, drinks fitted with a hygiene tab.

Both soft drinks, such as lemonade, colas etc., and alcoholic drinks such as beers, ciders and even wines, are sold packaged in metal cans fitted with ring pull tabs, or the like, on their upper walls. Such cans are opened by pulling the ring tab, which causes a small section of the upper wall of the can, defined by a score line, to either break away from the top of the can, or be depressed into the can. Purchasers of canned drinks frequently consume the contents by drinking directly from the can. While the top walls and upper side walls of canned drinks may be clean and sterile when they leave a canning plant, by the time they reach the consumer they will frequently have picked up a variety of noxious substances.A person consuming a canned drink by drinking directly from the can will bring his mouth into direct contact with whatever materials have accumulated on the top wall and upper side walls of the can. Drinking canned drinks directly from the can clearly poses a health hazard to the parson consuming the drink.

The present invention proposes a simple and effective solution to this problem. A drink can, according to the present invention, is provided with a tab made from a suitable flexible material, such as plastics film, or metal foil. The tab, is removably attached to the top wall and upper side wall of a drinks can, so that the area of the can which would come into contact with the mouth of a person consuming the content of the can directly from the can, is covered. This ensures that the area of the can which will come into contact with the mouth of a person drinking directly from the can is sterile and free from noxious substances.

The use of foil, or film, tabs to seal cans, or cartons containing fluids is known. But such tabs are relatively small and do little more than cover the orifice through which the drink is dispensed. Such tabs do not cover a substantial area of the top wall and side wall of the carton, or can, as is the case with the present invention.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a can, having a top wall, side wall and a bottom wall, containing a fluid intended for human consumption as a drink, said can having a sealed dispensing orifice in the top wall thereof, characterised in that an area of the top wall, including that part of the top wall immediately surrounding said orifice and a contiguous area of the side wall, is covered with an at least partially removable sealing film, the area of the top wall and contiguous area of the side wall corresponding to at least that part of the can which would come into contact with a mouth of a person drinking directly from the can.

The removable sealing film may be attached to said can by an adhesive selected to facilitate easy removal of said film.

Alternatively, said film may be pre-weakened along tear lines to facilitate removal of a portion thereof.

A portion of said film may be arranged so that it is not attached to said can and can be used to facilitate removal of said film.

The film may be made of metal foil, plastics, paper, or metallised plastics.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a can, fitted with a hygiene tab, embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the can illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a rear elevation of the can illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a front elevation of the can illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 5 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 shows a plan view of the can illustrated in Figure 5.

The can illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings is intended for the packaging of drinks for human consumption. The can has a top wall, 2, side walls, 1, and a bottom wall not shown in the diagram. The top wall of such cans have a score line, 3, which defines an area of the top wall which can be readily removed to form a dispensing orifice for the fluid contained in the can. A pull ring, or depression ring, is attached to the area of the top wall defined by the score lines referred to above. The can is opened by either depressing the area defined by the score lines down into the can, or by raising and possibly removing this area. Such cans are well known.

The present invention resides in attaching a flexible film, 4, to the top and side walls of the can.

This film is of such an area and so located on the can that it completely covers those parts of the can which might come into contact with the mouth of a person drinking directly from the can. The film can be made of any suitable material. Such materials will be familiar to those skilled in the art of packaging and include metal foils, paper, plastics films and metallised plastics films. The film may be attached to the can by a weak adhesive which permits easy removal of the film, and also prevents litter by enabling the film to be reattached to another part of the can.

Alternatively, the edges of the film may be attached to the can by a stronger adhesive and the film provided with lines of weakness, 6, to facilitate removal of a portion of the film. In addition, the film is provided with a portion, 5, which is not directly attached to the can and may readily be gripped by the fingers to facilitate removal of the film.

The film may be impregnated with a suitable germicidal agent to ensure that the area covered by the film is free from bacteria, or the like. Alternatively, a germicidal agent may be inserted beneath the film in a suitable form, or on a suitable carrier.

A variation on the present invention is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment of the invention, the film, 4, in contrast to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, is not of rectangular shape, but has a triangular portion designed for attachment to the upper wall of the can and a rectangular portion for attachment to the side wall of the can. Both triangular and rectangular portions are integral with each other. This embodiment has the advantage that less material is used for the film. The film 4 may be provided with an additional tab, 7, to facilitate removal of the film. In all respects other than the shape of the film, the two embodiments of the invention are the same.

Many variations on the shape of the film will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The film may bear indicia for advertising, promotional purposes, instructions and consumer information.

Claims

1. A can, having a top wall, side wall and a bottom wall, containing a fluid intended for human consumption as a drink, said can having a sealed dispensing orifice in the top wall thereof, characterised in that, an area of the top wall, including that part of the top wall immediately surrounding said orifice, and a contiguous area of the side wall is covered with an at least partially removable sealing film, the area of the top wall and contiguous area of the side wall corresponding to at least that part of the can which would come into contact with a mouth of a person drinking directly from the can.

2. A can as claimed in claim 1, in which said removable sealing film is attached to said can by an adhesive adapted to facilitate easy removal of said film.

3. A can as claimed in claim 1, in which said film is pre-weakened along tear lines to facilitate removal of a portion thereof.

4. A can as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in which said film carries indicia in the form of advertising material, or the like.

5. A can as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, in which a portion of said film is not attached to said can and is arranged to facilitate removal of said film.

6. A can as claimed in any previous claim, in which said film is a metal foil.

7. A can as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which said film is a plastics film.

8. A can as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which said film is a metallised plastics film.

9. A can as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which said film is paper.

10. A can as claimed in any previous claim, in which said film incorporates a germicidal agent.

11. A can as claimed in any previous claim, in which said film defines a substantially rectangular area.

12. A can as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, in which said film defines a substantial triangular area on the top wall of said can and a substantially rectangular area on the side wall of said can.

13. A can, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A can substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.