US2740547A - Sanitary pouring surface for cans and the like - Google Patents

Description

April 3, 1956 w. c. HUNTTING 2,740,547

SANITARY POURING SURFACE FOR CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 16, 1954 v INVENTOR.

WILLIAM C. Humwmc:r

AY'TJRNEY SANITARY POURIN G SURFACE. FOR, CANS AND THE LIKE William C. Huntting, Falmouth, Mass., assignor to llairy: mat Crp., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation or New York Application February 16', 1954, Serial No. 410,585 1 Claim. (Cl- 2209-24) This invention relates to a tab or cover strip, applicable to the surface of a can of the type adapted to be punctured for removal of the contents. More particu-. larly, the invention has reference to a tab. which will maintain in a substantially sterile condition that portion of the container surface in which the discharge and air vent openings are to be formed, until such time as the container is to be punctured and the contents thereof removed.

Evaporated or condensed milk, and various other food products, are normally sealed within a can, after which the can or container and its contents are brought to a heat that sterilizes the contents and cleans the outer surface of the container. At this stage, the container is in a completely sanitary condition. However, after appli cation of a label thereto, the container is packaged with others in a carton, and is subsequently removed and placed upon a store shelf or other exposed location where dirt or harmful bacteria can lodge upon the surface thereof due to handling by store employees, customers, etc. As a result, when the container is punctured and the contents poured therefrom, said contents may pick up some of the dirt or other undesirable elements, to the possible detriment of the users health.

The main object of the present invention, in view of the above, is to provide a tab-like strip applicable to a container at the time the container is still in a sanitary condition, and is being labeled preliminary to packaging in a carton and shipment, which strip will sealably cover and maintain in a substantially sterile condition that portion of the container surface which will subsequently be contacted by the contents when the container is punctured and the contents are being poured.

Another object is to so design the strip as to promote not only ease of application by the producer, but also ease of removal by the ultimate consumer.

A further object is to prevent the strip from interfering with normal packaging of the container in cartons, or with other conventional manufacturing and merchandising practices, by fashioning the strip as a thin, fiat article that will lie flat upon the container surface and will not define an undesirable projection thereupon.

Yet another object is to permit the strip, in at least one form of the invention, to. be pressed back into position over the discharge and vent openings, if only part of the contents are used, thus to protect the remaining portion of the contents pending eventual use thereof.

A further object of importance is to design the strip so that it can be manufactured and applied with a minimum of expense, and so that it can in addition serve to carry printed or pictorial advertising matter.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

2,740,547 Patented Apr. 3, 1956 In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container to which has been applied a protective strip formed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view on line 22 of Fig. l, the dotted lines showing the strip lifted for pouring of the container contents.

Fig. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the strip or tab per se, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5-5 of Pig. 4, the dotted lines showing the strip position when the contents are being poured.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged bottom form of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of a container and of another modified strip applied thereto, part of the strip being broken away.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through the perspective view of the strip of Fig. 7 and container.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 in which the strip shown in Fig. 8 has a modified tab applied thereto.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a container and of the protective strip of Figs. 7-9, showing the strip as it appears after a portion thereof has been removed to permit pouring of the container contents.

The reference numeral 10 has been applied generally in the several figures of the drawing to a conventional container of the type used for evaporated milk or other food products. in Figs. 1 and 2, there has been illustrated in applied position a protective cover strip 12 formed in accordance with the invention. The strip can be formed of paper or like material, and in these figures of the drawing, is shown as having an elongated, rectangular configuration. The strip is bent downwardly at its ends when applied to the container, and thus, there is defined an elongated body 14 in the strip, said body extending diametrically across one end wall of the container in contact therewith.

The end portions defined by bending the strip have. been designated by the reference numeral 16 and as shown, extend in contact with the side wall of the container at diametrically opposite locations thereupon.

As shown in Fig. 3, the midlength part of body 14 is coated on its underside with adhesive as at 18, from side to side of the body, this adhesively coated area merging into adhesively coated side areas 20 ofthe. underside of the body. The areas 20, being confined to the.

longitudinal edge portions of the body, define at each end of the body clear or uncoated rnidwidth areas 2.2, the areas 22 overlying those portions of the container surface which are to be punctured when the contents are to be poured.

The end portions 16 are coated with adhesive 24 from side to side thereof, said adhesive terminating short of the free ends of end portions 16 to define uucoated areas, forming lifting tabs 26.

As previously noted herein, the strip is applied to the. top of the can while the can is still in a sanitary condition. Thereafter, since the particular portions of the container that are to be punctured will be completely surrounded by areas of the strip that are adhesively engaged with the container surface, said container portions will be completely sealed against the admission of air and will be maintained in a sterile condition.

When the consumer is about to open the container, it is necessary merely that the lifting tabs 26 be grasped, and pulled upwardly, so as to peel the strip away from the protected, spaced portions of the container surface.

The strip will now be disposed as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the only part of the strip remaining in adherence to the container surface being the midlength part 18.

The container may now be punctured at spaced locations to formdischarge and air vent openings 28, and the contents are poured from one of said Openings. if the full contents are not to be used, the strip ends are pressed back into their original positions, so as to sealably cover the openings 28 until the remaining contents are to be dispensed.

In Figs. 4-6, the strip has been designated generally at 30, and includes a tapering body 32 merging at its wider end into a depending end portion 34 the inner surface of which is entirely coated with adhesive 36. The underside of the body is coated with adhesive 38 along its longitudinal edges, the areas 38 merging at one end into the adhesively coated inner surface of end portion 34. At their other ends, the areas 33 merge into a narrow, transversely extending adhesively coated area extending from side to side of the body adjacent the narrower end thereof. This defines a clear or uncoated center area 39 on the underside of the body 32, which area 39 will be adapted to overlie a portion of the upper end wall of the container sufiicicnt for the formation of spaced openings therein.

The narrower end of the body, beyond the transversely extending adhesively coated area, is left uncoated and is bendable upwardly to form a lifting tab 49.

In use of this form of the invention, the strip is applied to the container as shown in Fig. 4, while the container is still sanitary. Subsequently, when the container is to be punctured, the lifting tab is grasped, and the strip is peeled partially from the container to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. This exposes the portion of the container surface that was previously sealed by the adhesively coated strip areas bounding the same. and in this portion discharge and air vent openings 42 are formed.

As in the first form of the invention, the strip can be pressed back into its original position if all the container contents are not dispensed on the initial use, to provide a seal for the punctured container.

in Figs. '7 and 8, there is shown another modification 4 2 the general shape of the strip being the same as that shown in Figs. 4-6. The strip here includes a tapered body 46, and spaced a short distance inwardly from and extending parallel to the periphery of the body is a continuously extending scored or weakened line 43. The

wide end of the body is integral with a depending end portion 47, which is wholly coated with adhesive on its inner surface for engaging the side wall of the container.

On its underside, the body 46 of the strip is coated with adhesive 50 through its full periphery, the adhesive being confined to the space between the line 43 and the edge of the body.

At the narrow end of the body, and disposed wholly within the area bounded by the weakened line 48, a tab 52 is secured. As a result, when the container is to be punctured, tab 52 is grasped, and upward pull is exerted thereupon. This tears the body along the weakened line, and permits removal of the portion thereof bounded by the weakened line. The adhesively coated marginal. portion of the strip will remain in engagement with the container, however, as shown in Fig. at 54.

The previously protectively sealed portion of the container surface will now be exposed, andopenings 42. can be formed therein for pouring of the contents.

In Fig. 9, the strip 56 has a body 58 and end portion 60, these being like those of the Fig. 7 form, so far as their outer configuration, location of the adhesively coated areas, and use of a. weakened line is concerned. However, in this form, the tab 52 is not used, and instead, there is employed a lifting tab 62 formed from a small piece of fibrous stock having its inner edge undercut as at 64 for insertion of ones fingernail. Tab 62 is, of course, confined to the portion of the body bounded by the weakened line.

In all forms of the invention, there is the common characteristic of a strip adhesively engaged with the container surface, and having uncoated areas bounded entirely by adhesively coated areas, with said uncoated areas overlying the portion of the container surface which is to be punctured, thus causing said surface portion to be sealably protected against the admission of air, dirt, or other deleterious elements.

It will be understood that the material from which the strip is formed, and the adhesive applied thereto, will be selected so as to benon-toxic and adhesive may be sprayed or otherwise applied to the desired areas.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

The combination with a cylindrical container having a side wall and'a top wall and having portions of its top wall surface adapted to be punctured for dispensing of its contents of a protective strip, comprising a body adapted to overlie said surface portion, at least one end portion on the body being adhesively coated for engaging the container, an adhesive coating on the body in areas bounding the part of the body overlying said surface portions, for sealably protecting said surface portions until the same is to be punctured, said strip having an elongated rectangular shape with depending end portions engaging the side Wall of the container, said end portions being adhesively coated over part of their inner surfaces, and being clear of adhesive over the remaining part of their inner surfaces to define lifting tabs at the ends of the strip, said body being adhesively coated over its full width at its midlength location, and being coated only along its longitudinal edges at its ends to define clear areas at the ends of the body bounded entirely by adhesively coated areas,said clear areas of the body overlying said surface portions of the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 506,982 Diamond Oct. 17, 1893 585,645 Achenbach July 6, 1897 1,915,503 Schmidt June 27, 1933 1,967,978 Sprague July 24, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 393,199 Great Britain June 1, 1933

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