WO2001015990A1

WO2001015990A1 - Protective cover for beverage tin

Info

Publication number: WO2001015990A1
Application number: PCT/IT2000/000121
Authority: WO
Inventors: Armando Splendorini; Manlio Bindi
Original assignee: Armando Splendorini; Manlio Bindi
Priority date: 1999-09-01
Filing date: 2000-04-05
Publication date: 2001-03-08
Also published as: ITPG990046A1; ITPG990046A0; AU4609500A; EP1268299A1

Abstract

A hermetically sealed protective cover (1) made from aluminium or another material adapted to hygienically protect the upper part of a can, its tearable opening and the alimentary drink contained within, with a profile the same as the can's cover on which it is placed. Courtesy of the canal (2) that functions as a fastening, the coupling of can and protective cover (1) can be maintained firm. Given moreover that the can has the same whether in its upper part or its lower part the cover (1) encapsulates and contains the aforementioned lower part of the can. Consequently the cover (1) is not dispersed into the environment when opened by the consumer and thus may be recycled with the can to which it is attached.

Description

DESCRIPTION

PROTECTIVE COVER FOR BEVERAGE TIN

TECHNICAL FIELD

The proposed solution is a hermetically sealed cover made in a flat-

press irom aluminium or other materials adapted to the task. It is

capable of hygienicaUy protecting the upper part of a can containing

an alimentary drink and its ring pull opening. In order to facilitate the

opening of the can the proposed cover must be removed, it can then be

upturned and the lower part of the can may be subsequently inserted

and embedded into the protective cover.

BACKGROUND ART

Cans used for the distribution of alimentary drinks are made from an

aluminium cylinder welded at each end to an aluminium disc, one

with a closed surface and the other with a surface that contains the

ring pull opening. On the upper extremity there is a ring pull, which must be lifted in order to open the can. When opening a ring pull of

the type that currently exist a situation is created whereby a part of the

ring pull enters the inside of the can. Such a system has practical

results, however it allows microbes or external agents that have been

deposited on the outer cover to enter and therefore contact the

contents of the can once the ring pull has been raised. The proposed

solution seeks therefore to eliminate the aforementioned

disadvantages.

DISCLOUSURE OF INVENTION

The primary scope but not the only role of the proposed solution, is to

completely cover the upper part of the can, where the ring pull is

located. Specifically to protect the part of the ring pull that will

subsequently enter the inside of the can and contact its contents. In

the proposed solution external microbes and agents will not contact

the upper part (or cover) of the can itself. This certainty that external

microbes and agents will never contact the contents of the can, may be

assured by the fact that the protective cover of the proposed solution will create a hermetic seal that can only be opened with deliberate but

simple manual pressure exerted upon the external side of the can.

Another aim of the proposed solution is to solve the technical problem

of creating a cover for a can with ring pull opening that is capable of

encapsulating the lower part of the can after it has been opened so as

not to be destroyed or thrown away. This therefore renders it more

easily recyclable, and of consequence more ecological.

The proposed solution is characterised by the following claims; that it

resolves the problem of supplying a protective cover for cans used in

alimentary drink distribution. The protective cover could be generally

considered to consist of an aluminium body or other material of

sufficient dimensions to embrace all of the outer extremities of the

can, but that is capable of being joined or coupled to the inner part of

the can once opened. In conclusion, the proposed protective cover

serves the

1. It is used like a hermetic seal in order to hygienically protect the

upper part of the can, during the period of time between manufacture

of the filled can and the final consumption of the drink by the

consumer (Fig. 5). 2. The flat structure of the cover and its dimensions allow two or more

cans to put end to end without creating some of the problems

associated with the storage and transportation of cans, be it for the

producer or retailer (Fig. 6).

3. The structure of the cover mirrors that of the upper and lower parts

of the can (Fig. 4.5), allowing it after use to encapsulate the lower part

of the can, encouraging the recovery and consequent recycling of both

parts that are made of the same material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The major characteristics and advantages of the proposed solution will

become evident primarily from the detailed descriptions that follow.

• Figure 1 illustrates the proposed solution for a protective cover

in plan view from below.

• Figure 2 illustrates the proposed protective cover of figure 1 in

plan view from above.

• Figure 3 illustrates the proposed protective cover of figure 1 as

viewed from the side. • Figure 4 illustrates a section of one can from the side.

• Figure 5 illustrates the proposed protective cover when placed

upon a can as seen from the side.

• Figure 6 illustrates two cans both with protective covers placed

one on top of the other as seen from the side.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Complying with the can of today, the protective cover for the can

is constructed from an aluminium (or other material) body, of

circular shape (fig. 1,1).

The body (fig. 3,1) proposes the use of a channel (fig. 3.2) that

covers the entire lower circumference of said cover (fig. 1.2) in

such a way that it embraces and encapsulates the upper circular

edge of the can (Fig. 4.4).

The body (fig. 3,1) proposes the use of another channel (fig. 3.3)

that covers the entire upper circumference of the cover (fig. 2.3) so

as to embrace and encapsulate the lower circular edge of the can

(fig. 4.5). The body (fig. 1,1) proposes the use of a flat surface (fig. 3.6) that

is parallel to the can (fig. 4.7) when the cover is positioned over its

upper part, in order to protect the ring pull and its part that will

enter the inside of the can once opened. It is also parallel to the

can (fig. 4.8) when the cover encapsulates the lower part of the

can, once it has been opened and set in said cover.

The proposed solution is removed from the upper part of the can

and then subsequently the lower part of the can is reinserted into

the cover. It is then fixed in place by means of light manual

pressure applied to the outside of the cover (Fig. 3.9).

When the cover is positioned on the upper part of the can in order

to fulfil the desired functions already stated, (Fig. 5) it does so in a

way that cannot block or obstruct adjacent objects, therefore

permitting the stacking of one can on top of another (Fig.6).

In practice there is obviously room for modifications and/or

improvements within the following claims.

Claims

l. The proposed solution concerns the realisation of a hermetic

cover for the protection of cans containing drinks that are opened

by means of a ring pull. Its aim is to avoid the possibility that the

contents of the can whence opened, could be altered or

contaminated in any way by microbes or external agents present

on the external surface of the can. In particular to avoid the

problems created by the part of the ring pull that enters directly

into the liquid contents of the opened can.

The protective cover is made up of a circular shaped alummium

body or other material (Fig. 1.1). The said body proposes a

channel (Fig. 3.2) that covers the entire inner circumference of the

cover Fig. 1, 2 so as to encapsulate the upper circular edge

(Fig.4.4) on which it is placed. Given the fact that a can has the

same dimensions (circumference) whether in its upper or lower

part, the proposed solution can also encapsulate the lower circular

edge of the can (Fig. 4.5.) The proposed protective cover can

consequently be removed through the manual application of light pressure to the outside of the cover (Fig. 3.9.), and then the lower

part of the can may then be reinserted into the cover.

2. The cover of the proposed solution is made by means of flat-

pressing an aluminium disc (or other material adapted to the

function)_ Fig. 1.2) like the can itself, however with a peripheral

channel (Fig. 3.3) that functions like a fastening that enables the

encasement of the can (via its external upper edge), to be

maintained firm (Fig. 4.4).

3. The cover will be used mainly as a hermetically sealed

hygienic protector of the upper part of the can (Fig.5).

4. The conceived cover as it exists, thanks to its canal that

functions as a fastening, allows for its easy detachment from the

can by simple means of manual application of pressure to the

outside of the can, exerting pressure on the aforementioned

'fastening' (Fig. 3.9).

5. The proposed solution allows cans to be placed one on top of

another without creating some of the problems associated with the

storage and transport of cans, be it for the producer or retailer (Fig. 6). This is because the cover does not create any additional volume

to that of the can's.

6. After the protective cover has been raised from the upper part of

the can that supports it, it may then be used to encapsulate the

lower part of said can therefore avoiding its subsequent disposal in

the environment. (Fig 4.5).

7. After the cover has been raised from the upper part of the can

that supports it, it may then be used to encapsulate the lower part

of the can and thus may be recovered and recycled together with

the can (Fig.4,5).

8. The cover of the proposed solution is extremely light and thus

its use is especially advantageous.

9. It is possible to use the outer surface of the cover as advertising

space for insertions of various types (Fig.3.1).