WO1999028202A1

WO1999028202A1 - Can with acoustic signal

Info

Publication number: WO1999028202A1
Application number: PCT/NL1998/000685
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Pierre André WESTERVELD
Original assignee: Hoogovens Corporate Services B.V.
Priority date: 1997-12-03
Filing date: 1998-12-02
Publication date: 1999-06-10
Also published as: AU1445999A

Abstract

The invention relates to a can (1) for packaging a pourable medium, such as a liquid, more particularly a soft drink or an alcoholic drink, provided with at least one closed, closable or reclosable pouring opening (4), characterized in that the can (1) is provided with means which are suitable for generating an acoustic signal while the pourable medium (6) is being poured out of the can (1).

Description

CAN WITH ACOUSTIC SIGNAL

The invention relates to a can for packaging a pourable medium, such as a liquid, more particularly a soft drink or an alcoholic drink, provided with at least one closed, closable or reclosable pouring opening. In practice, cans are known which, in addition to a pouring opening of this nature, also have a closed, closable or reclosable vent opening. In general, the pouring opening and the vent opening will be arranged in an end wall, the lid.

The present invention now consists in the fact that the can is provided with means which are suitable for generating an acoustic signal and causing an acoustic signal to be generated while the pourable medium is being poured out of the can.

Where the present text refers to a can, in the context of the present invention this is also understood to include any packaging container for a pourable medium.

The invention makes use in particular of the fact that when pourable medium is being poured it disappears from the can and is at least partly replaced by the gas which surrounds the can and flows into the can through or past the means. The gas flowing in, which is generally atmospheric air, is incident on the means, which consequently generate an acoustic signal or cause an acoustic signal to be generated. It is also possible to design the means in such a manner that the pourable medium flowing out is incident on them.

The means may comprise control means which respond to the gas flowing in or the stream of pourable medium flowing out and, in so doing, switch on a power source, for example a battery, which power source energizes a sound generator, such as a loudspeaker or piezo-resonator of a design which is known per se. This provides the advantage that relatively large acoustic outputs become available.

It is also possible for the means to comprise vibration means which are affected by the flow of the gas flowing in or pourable medium flowing out and, as a result, are themselves made to vibrate and/or make a volume of gas vibrate. In this case, consideration may be given to vibration means such as those which are used to generate sound vibrations in acoustic equipment such as acoustic musical instruments like the bassoon, oboe, saxophone, flute, trumpet and organ pipe, as well as acoustic generators such as sirens. These embodiments have the advantage that there is no need for an external power source and that a very wide variety of embodiments are available, which can be selected as a function of the gas flow available, the sound desired, the volume and space available and the type of material which is desired. The means may be arranged in the pouring opening and/or the vent opening, resulting in the advantage that there is no need, or only a slight need, for additional features to be arranged on the can. They may be directly, which is also understood to mean via an air line, or indirectly, via the pourable medium, in communication with the gas-filled chamber which during pouring is present behind or above the pourable medium and increases in volume. A combination of the two is also possible.

It is also possible for the means to be in direct communication with the chamber which is filled with gas during pouring, for example if the means are positioned in or in the vicinity of the base of the can and the pouring opening is arranged in the lid. This design is simple in terms of the construction of the means, due to the fact that these are positioned separately from and independently of the pouring opening.

The can according to the invention provides the advantage that it is possible to detect audibly whether undesired or unauthorized pouring is taking place. Another advantage is that selecting the acoustic signal as a function of the nature of the contents of the can allows the contents to be identified acoustically. Yet another advantage of the can according to the invention is that the acoustic signal generated during pouring is able to influence the mood of the person pouring or changing the environment of the medium and may contribute to a good atmosphere in the area in which the contents are consumed. This contrasts with the known, soundless cans in which there is no atmosphere-enhancing and atmosphere-improving effect during pouring. The invention will be explained below with reference to the drawing, which shows a number of non-limiting embodiments of a can according to the invention.

Fig. 1 diagrammatically shows a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of the can according to the invention.

Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows a longitudinal section through another embodiment of the can according to the invention. Fig. 3 diagrammatically shows a longitudinal section through a third embodiment of the can according to the invention.

Fig. 4 diagrammatically shows a longitudinal section through yet another embodiment of the can according to the invention. Identical reference numerals in the figures denote components with identical or equivalent functions.

In Fig. 1 , 1 denotes the side wall of a can. Reference numeral 2 refers to the base of the can. Reference numeral 3 refers to the lid of the can. In the position shown, the axis 20 of the can forms an angle a with the horizontal plane in the drawing. The angle a can be varied while the pourable medium is being poured out of the can. Lid 3 is provided with a pouring opening 4, which is open in the position shown. Furthermore, lid 3 is provided with a vent opening 5, which is also open in the position shown. In Fig. 1, 8 diagrammatically depicts the stream of pourable medium flowing out. While the pourable medium 6 is being poured out of the can, a gas-filled chamber 7 forms in the can. This gas-filled chamber is present in most cans which are filled with a pourable medium and are still closed, because for practical reasons a can is seldom completely filled. During pouring, the volume of the chamber increases. Gas which flows into the chamber flows into the can via vent opening 5 and, if appropriate, to some extent also via pouring opening 4. Vent opening 5 is provided with means 9 which are suitable for generating an acoustic signal or causing an acoustic signal to be generated as a result of gas which flows in towards chamber 7 via the vent opening. In the embodiment shown, the means 9 are in direct communication with chamber 7. The means may be positioned inside or outside the can or may be incorporated in the surface of the wall, lid or base, depending on whether they are fragile, the space which they take up, hygiene, toxicity or appearance. If desired, the means may be provided with a screen or closure in order to prevent unintentional damage or operation.

Fig. 1 shows the situation in which the level of the pourable medium lies below the location where means 9 are situated. Clearly, the pourable medium may also completely or partially cover the means 9, depending on the construction of the means 9. The means may assume the forms indicated in the preamble. Suitable forms are, more specifically: throats, tongues and reeds for the direct generation of sound waves, or switching means, such as a pressure switch or flow switch, for activating a loudspeaker or piezoelectric transducer which is activated by, for example, a battery. Fig. 2 shows an embodiment in which a gas line 11 is arranged between the vent opening 5 and the chamber 7 for the purpose of conveying gas which flows in from the vent opening towards the chamber 7 in the direction indicated by arrow 10. This results in the advantage that there is greater freedom in the position of the can during pouring and that the flow resistance to which the entering gas is subjected en route from vent opening 5 to chamber 7 is reduced if there is an indirect connection, and consequently there is a greater level of energy available for generating an acoustic signal. Fig. 3 shows an embodiment in which the vent opening is no longer present and the means are arranged at the location of the pouring opening. The gas flowing in flows into the can in countercurrent to the pourable medium which is being poured out. In the embodiment shown, a gas line 11 is arranged between the pouring opening 4 and the chamber 7 which is being formed, resulting in the same advantage given in the description of Fig. 2. The acoustic means 9, which are suitable for generating an acoustic signal, are situated in the vicinity of the pouring opening. Of course, it is also possible to omit the air line 11 and to allow the gas flowing in from outside the can to flow past or through the means 9, through the pourable medium 6, towards chamber 7. Clearly, in Figures 2 and 3 the means may also be accommodated anywhere in the gas line 11.

Fig. 4 shows yet another embodiment in which the means 9 are arranged in the base 2 or in that part of the wall 6 which lies close to the base 2. This embodiment has the advantage that the distance which the gas flowing in has to cover through or past the means 9 can be kept very short. It is also possible to accommodate the means 9 in the side wall 1. If desired, the means 9 may be connected to the chamber 7 by means of an air line 11. Instead of being arranged in the side wall, the means 9 may also be accommodated in a gas line 11 which is connected to a wall and ends in chamber 7. An advantage of this embodiment is an increased range of possibilities depending on the nature of the pourable medium and the nature of the can. Clearly, in all the cases which have been described or shown it is also possible to use a shorter gas line which does not extend as far as the chamber 7, but rather is shorter. Clearly, also, the statements made in the description of Fig. 1 relating to the means 9 may also be applied to the means in the other embodiments of the can according to the invention.

Claims

- o -CLAIMS

1. Can for packaging a pourable medium, such as a liquid, more particularly a soft drink or an alcoholic drink, provided with at least one closed, closable or reclosable pouring opening, characterized in that the can is provided with means which are suitable for generating an acoustic signal while the pourable medium is being poured out of the can.

2. Can according to Claim 1, characterized in that an acoustic signal is generated due to the medium leaving the can and being at least partly replaced by the gas which surrounds the can and flows into the can through or past the means.

3. Can according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an acoustic signal is generated due to the medium leaving the can and, in the process, flowing through or past the means.

4. Can according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means comprise control means which respond to gas flowing in or medium flowing out and, in so doing, switch on a power source, for example a battery, which power source energizes a sound generator, such as a loudspeaker or a piezo-resonator.

5. Can according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means comprise vibration means which are affected by the flow of the gas flowing in or medium flowing out and, as a result, are themselves made to vibrate and/or make a volume of gas vibrate.

6. Can according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means are arranged, during operation, in or against the pouring opening and/or a vent opening.

7. Can according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means are in direct communication, which is also understood to mean via an air line, with the gas-filled chamber which during pouring is present behind or above the medium and increases in volume.

8. Can according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means are in indirect communication, via the pourable medium, with the gas-filled chamber which during pouring is present behind or above the pourable medium and increases in volume.

9. Can according to one of the preceding claims, the can comprising a base and a lid on the side remote from the base, which lid, at least during operation, is provided with a pouring opening, characterized in that the means are positioned in or in the vicinity of the base of the can.