Insect protection device for beverage cans

Abstract

Device for insect protection for beverage cans, which has at least one drinking opening, characterized in that the device is attached to the beverage can at the can tab.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for insect protection for beverage cans.

[0002] A beverage can comprises at least one can body, on the top of which are a can opening and a can tab. The can tab is the element intended for opening the can opening in the top of the can. It is usually designed as a lever or pull tab. Often, at least the top of the can is bordered by a rim that runs around the entire perimeter and is raised above the can's surface.

[0003] Open beverage cans, especially outdoors, pose a problem because insects, such as wasps, can enter through the opening. Due to limited visibility inside the can, these insects often go unnoticed. Furthermore, once inside, they are usually difficult to remove, which can create significant health risks. Therefore, there is a general need for devices that prevent insects from entering the can.

[0004] Furthermore, beverage cans are frequently consumed on the go. A suitable device that prevents insects from entering should therefore be easy to use, allowing for quick, intuitive, and tool-free attachment. Additionally, it must be compact enough to be carried in a bag or wallet, making it readily available even at short notice.

[0005] Since beverage cans can come in different sizes, it is advantageous if the appropriate protective device can be used for beverage cans of different sizes, so that one is not limited to one type of beverage can.

[0006] The task is therefore to provide a drinking protection for beverage cans that prevents insects from entering the can, allows for easy application and attachment to the beverage can, is universally applicable to beverage cans of various sizes and is space-saving for transport.

[0007] This problem is solved according to the invention by a device for insect protection for beverage cans, which has at least one drinking passage, wherein the device is attached to the beverage can at the can tab.

[0008] The device according to the invention allows the can opening to be at least partially covered, thereby protecting the can's interior from the ingress of insects such as wasps. The can tab of the beverage can serves as the attachment point for the device. Since can tabs have a defined attachment point on the can's top surface, this allows for a particularly simple yet secure fixation of the device to the beverage can.

[0009] The device has at least one drinking opening through which liquid can escape from the inside of the can. Preferably, the at least one drinking opening is dimensioned such that the liquid can pass through, but the penetration of insects into the beverage can is prevented.

[0010] In an advantageous embodiment, the device has a radial slot extending from the edge to essentially the center of the device. The slot is designed to allow the device to be slid under the can tab from the side. Preferably, the slot extends slightly beyond the center to facilitate insertion of the device around the can tab, which is usually located centrally, such that the point of attachment of the can tab lies at the center of the device after installation.

[0011] Advantageously, the slot is at least wide enough to correspond to the width of the can tab's attachment point. For secure fixation of the device to the can tab, the slot should be approximately the same width as the can tab's attachment point, particularly in the area of ​​the can tab. Preferably, the slot has a width of 6 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably approximately 8 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the slot has the same width along its entire length.

[0012] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the device can be slid under the can tab by elastic deformation. Elastic deformation is understood to mean a reversible change in shape in which the material temporarily deforms under the influence of an external force and essentially returns to its original shape after the force is removed. Elastic deformation of the device is particularly advantageous because it facilitates the lateral insertion of the device over the raised rim of the beverage can and under the can tab without causing any permanent deformation of the device. Due to its elasticity, the device returns to its original shape after insertion and can be securely positioned against the beverage can.

[0013] According to a further advantageous embodiment, several drinking openings are arranged side by side. An increased number of drinking openings allows for a greater flow rate of the beverage while still ensuring effective protection against the ingress of insects. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the drinking openings are arranged and spaced apart from one another in such a way that they encompass an area essentially corresponding to the size of the can opening, so that the various drinking openings can be aligned and used simultaneously with the can opening.

[0014] According to a further embodiment, the at least one drinking opening can be slotted. A slotted design offers the advantage that, on the one hand, the flow of beverages is released in a controlled manner, and on the other hand, effective protection against the ingress of insects is maintained. The slots of the drinking openings preferably have a width of 1 mm to 4 mm, more preferably 2 mm to 3 mm, and particularly preferably approximately 2.5 mm. This effectively prevents the ingress of insects with a size of 1.5 mm to 4.5 mm, more preferably 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm, and particularly preferably approximately 3 mm and larger.

[0015] When using multiple drinking spouts, these can have the same or different shapes. Preferably, all drinking spouts arranged side by side are slot-shaped. Since can openings are generally oval, it may be advantageous for the individual drinking spouts to have different lengths in order to cover the area of ​​the can opening in a shape-fitting manner.

[0016] In a further preferred embodiment, a recess can be provided in addition to the at least one drinking opening. By rotating the device, which is fixed to the top of the can, the recess can be aligned with the can opening. Preferably, the at least one drinking opening and the recess are positioned at an angle of between 80° and 100°, particularly preferably approximately 90°, relative to the center point of the device. If several drinking openings are present, the centrally positioned drinking opening must be taken into account for determining its position relative to the recess. In an advantageous embodiment, the recess is aligned with the radial slot.

[0017] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the recess is dimensioned such that insects are prevented from entering when a straw is inserted. The recess is preferably round or at least rounded. A square or rectangular shape is also conceivable. The recess preferably has a diameter of 6 mm to 10 mm, more preferably 7 mm to 9 mm, and most preferably approximately 8.5 mm. Alternatively, the recess can also provide a means of attachment, allowing the device to be hung on other objects, such as a key ring, when not in use.

[0018] In a further advantageous embodiment, the can opening can be completely covered by rotating the device. This is particularly advantageous in the case of longer breaks between drinks or during transport. Completely covering the can opening effectively prevents not only insects above a certain size from entering, but also the entry of various insect species or small foreign objects, such as airborne dirt.

[0019] In another preferred embodiment, the device is a single piece and essentially plate-shaped. A one-piece embodiment is particularly advantageous because it eliminates the need to assemble the device or the potential loss of individual parts.

[0020] The device preferably has a thickness of less than 3 mm, more preferably less than 2 mm, and more preferably less than 1 mm. To maintain a certain degree of flexibility while also ensuring functional stability, a thickness of at least 0.4 mm, more preferably at least 0.6 mm, and more preferably approximately 0.8 mm, is preferred. Furthermore, such a device is particularly compact and lightweight, allowing it to be carried, for example in a wallet or pocket, without requiring significant space.

[0021] According to an advantageous embodiment, the device rests flat on the top of the can without enclosing the outer edge of the beverage can. This flat contact of the device with the can's top surface provides protection against the lateral penetration of insects or other foreign objects. Furthermore, a tight seal between the can opening and the at least one drinking opening is particularly preferred, as otherwise liquid could leak out laterally through any resulting gap.

[0022] The device's ability to rest flat against the can's surface is facilitated by the fact that it does not enclose the raised outer rim of the beverage can, but instead rests exclusively on the flat can surface and is attached to its only raised section, the can tab. Furthermore, this flat contact without including the rim prevents the presence of any protruding edges on the device. With this design, the beverage can can be used for drinking as usual, without requiring any special precautions due to potential edges or creating a risk of injury. Moreover, this positioning provides additional security for the device, as the raised rim further hinders or completely prevents the device from unintentionally slipping sideways off the can's surface.

[0023] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the device is compatible with beverage cans of various sizes. Attaching the device via the can tab allows for some flexibility regarding the size and diameter of the can's top. While devices that rely on the outer, raised rim of the beverage can for fixation require complete coverage of the respective beverage can size and are therefore limited to a specific beverage can standard, this is not necessary in the present embodiment. Consequently, size differences among various beverage can variants have less of an impact on the device's usability.

[0024] However, even with this type of mounting, there are certain limits to size flexibility. Preferably, the device should be dimensioned so that it fits easily even on smaller can surfaces, but also be large enough to ensure complete coverage of the can opening even on larger can surfaces. Advantageously, the device has a round shape. The device has a diameter of preferably 40 mm to 55 mm, particularly preferably 45 mm to 50 mm, and most preferably approximately 47 mm.

[0025] Preferably, the device is reusable. The reusability of the device is particularly important from the perspective of sustainability and user-friendliness. Compared to disposable products, this not only reduces waste generation but also eliminates the ongoing need to constantly have or procure new disposable devices.

[0026] The device can be manufactured from various materials. Suitable material classes include metals, plastics, and suitable composite materials. Preferably, materials are used that exhibit sufficient strength, flexibility, and food-grade suitability. In a preferred embodiment, the device consists at least partially of metal.

[0027] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the device is made of stainless steel. Stainless steel is especially advantageous for use as a drinking guard on beverage cans because it is corrosion-resistant, easy to clean, and tasteless. Furthermore, stainless steel is durable and mechanically robust.

[0028] It should be noted that singular or plural forms are used generically in the description of the various elements and do not aim to limit the invention unless a specific number of certain elements is explicitly stated.

[0029] The invention is explained in more detail using the attached figures as examples. They show: Fig. 1 Top view of a device according to the invention; Fig. 2 Oblique view of a device according to the invention; and Fig. 3 Top view of a device according to the invention on a beverage can.

[0030] Fig. Figure 1 shows a top view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention for insect protection of beverage cans. The device has a substantially round basic shape. In the lower area, five slot-shaped drinking openings are arranged side by side, with the two outer openings being shorter than the three middle openings. A radially extending slot begins at the left outer edge and extends to slightly beyond the center of the device. To the right of this is a separate, circular recess. The upper area of ​​the device is continuous. All visible edges are rounded.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows an oblique view of the device according to Fig. 1. It can also be seen that the device is designed in the form of a flat, plate-shaped structure.

[0032] Fig. Figure 3 shows a top view of the device positioned on a beverage can. The device rests on the top of the beverage can without enclosing the outer edge. To attach the device to the can tab, the inner end of the radially extending slot within the device is used by positioning the inner end of the radial slot around the tab. The tab is located at the center of both the device and the beverage can. This differs from the embodiments according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 indicates the in Fig. The device shown in Figure 3 does not have a separate recess next to the radial slot and the drinking passages. Reference symbol list 10 Device 11 Drinking passage 12 mounting slots 13 recess 20 beverage cans 21 can tab 22 Starting point of the can tab

Claims

[1] Device for insect protection for beverage cans, which has at least one drinking opening, characterized by that the device is attached to the beverage can at the can tab. [2] Device according to claim 1, characterized by , that at least one drinking opening is dimensioned in such a way that liquid can pass through, but the penetration of insects into the beverage can is prevented. [3] Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that it has a radial slot extending from the edge to essentially the center of the device. [4] Device according to claim 3, characterized by that it can be slid under the can tab under elastic deformation. [5] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that there are several drinking spouts arranged next to each other. [6] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat at least one drinking opening is slit-shaped. [7] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that in addition to at least one drinking opening, there is a recess. [8] Device according to claim 7, characterized by , that the recess is dimensioned in such a way that the penetration of insects is prevented when a straw is inserted. [9] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that by rotating the device the can opening can be completely covered. [10] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it is a single piece and essentially plate-shaped. [11] Device according to claim 10, characterized by that it has a thickness of less than 1 mm. [12] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat it lies flat on the top of the can without enclosing the outer edge of the beverage can. [13] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it is compatible with beverage cans of various sizes. [14] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it is reusable. [15] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the material includes stainless steel.

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