Discs with opening aid for cans

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a plate with an opening aid for cans.

[0002] The coronavirus pandemic has shown how important hygiene is, especially when it comes to infections transmitted through contact and droplets. Beverage cans pass through many hands before reaching the end customer. When drinking, the customer's lips touch parts of the can. If these parts of the can were contaminated during transport, the end customer could become infected.

[0003] Various types of closures are known for beverage cans. They can be roughly divided into sliding, clip, twist, and lid closures.

[0004] A sliding closure is characterized by a closure element that is attached to the beverage can's tab to seal the can's opening. Such sliding closures for beverage cans are disclosed in US patents 57,851,999, 60,988,300, 67,225,18B1, and 53,518,853. In US patents 60,988,300, 67,225,18, and 53,518,853, the closure features rail elements that can accommodate the can's opening clip, thus stabilizing the closure. By placing the can's opening clip on the closure mechanism, the mechanism itself is pressed against the can, sealing the opening. In US patent 57,851,990, the closure is pulled through the tab of the opening clip and folded over, with a small plate provided to seal the can's opening.

[0005] In US patents 2009 00 01 092 A1, US 8 727 164 B1, US 75 00 577 B2, US 36 37 104, and US 38 50 334, various clip closure types for beverage cans are disclosed. These closures are characterized by the fact that the opening of a beverage can is sealed by a clip that is inserted into the can opening. In US patents 2009 00 01 092 A1, 75 00 577 B2, and 38 50 334, the clip itself is held in place by the rim of the can opening. In US patent 8 727 164 B1, the closure clip is connected to the opening clip, thus allowing the can to be resealed using the opening clip. US Patent 36 37 104 discloses a hook and a sealing plate, wherein the sealing plate is placed in the opening and the hook is clamped to the can rim, so that the sealing plate presses against the lid of the beverage can from below, thus closing the opening.

[0006] Various lid closures for beverage cans are disclosed in US patents 2013 016 8457 A1, EP 08 16 248 A1, WO 2010 / 109341 A1, US 63 21 927 B2, US 8 881 940 B2, US 5 199 591, US 49 13 304, US 488 0136, and US 52 85 924. These closures are characterized by the placement of a closure on a beverage can that at least partially covers the can's lid. The opening of the beverage can is also concealed.

[0007] Several rotary closures are disclosed in German patents DE 44 27 812 A1, DE 197 44 245 A1, DE 100 18 685 C2, DE 39 31 573 A1, US 47 17 039, and US 46 81 238. These patents are characterized by the closure being connected to a rivet in the center of the lid. This design allows the closure to rotate, closing the opening of the beverage can with a simple turn. The rivet connection necessitates this connection during the can's production. German patents DE 197 44 245 A1 and DE 100 18 685 C2 disclose two rotary locking hooks characterized by the fact that the closure can be slid onto the lid, thus enabling rotation around the rivet. The rivet in the center serves as an anchor point. The can's opening clip prevents the rotary closure from detaching.

[0008] From US patent 6,290,084 B1, a rotary closure is known which can be subsequently attached to the protruding, circumferential rim of a beverage can, so that this can rim forms a rotational guide for the rotary closure with the disadvantage that easy rotation facilitates the unintentional detachment of the rotary closure from the beverage can and the rotary closure protrudes beyond the can rim.

[0009] German patent DE 197 44 245 A1 discloses a rotary locking hook that can be slid onto the lid, allowing it to rotate around the rivet. US patent 2013 016 8457 A1 features a hook-shaped rim anchor element that secures the closure to the rim of the can, making it rotatable.

[0010] A plate with an opening aid for cans with a lever has already been proposed (DE 10 2020 121 789 A1), which is attached to the can by means of a rivet, wherein the metal plate has a top and a bottom, a central and a radial edge, and two lateral edges, each connecting an end of the central and radial edges, wherein a receptacle for the rivet is provided on the central edge, a groove anchor is formed on the radial edge, which forms an angled sliding rail directed away from the bottom, which engages in a groove of the can, at least one elongated projection is formed on the top, which is at least 5 mm long and is arranged in such a way that it can engage with the lever of the can and serves as an opening aid, and wherein at least one rotation aid is arranged on the top, which has at least one stud.However, difficulties may arise regarding a stable fit of the plate against the lid, which can allow dirt to get between the lid and the plate.

[0011] The invention is based on the objective of providing a plate with an opening aid for cans, which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and protects the opening of the can from germs that get onto the surface of the can during transport and sale.

[0012] This problem is solved by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous further developments and preferred embodiments form the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0013] The invention relates to a plate with an opening aid for cans, comprising a lever that is attached to the can by means of a rivet. The plate has a top and a bottom surface, a central and a radial rim, and two lateral rims. The lateral rims each connect one end of the central and radial rims. The plate is slightly convex, and the center point of a sphere of curvature, which approximately describes the convexity, lies approximately on the longitudinal axis of the can and distal to the bottom surface. The radial rim extends over a partial circle with an angle of at least 150°, with a receptacle for the rivet provided at the central rim. A rim reinforcement is formed at each of the lateral rims, stiffening the plate. A grooved anchor is formed at the radial rim, forming an angled guide rail directed away from the bottom surface, which engages in a groove of the can.On the upper surface, at least one elongated, curved, approximately crescent-shaped projection is formed, arranged in such a way that it can engage with the can's lever and serve as an opening aid, with the projection having a gradually decreasing slope towards each end. The projection runs approximately concentrically to the rivet receptacle and is at least 5 mm long. At least one rotating aid is arranged on the upper surface, which has at least one stud. The corners of the lateral edges facing the radial edge form a radial projection, thus creating corner horns. The plate is made of metal.

[0014] The corner horns extend the radial rim, further stiffening the plate. Nevertheless, the drinking opening remains unobstructed if the plate is not perfectly aligned.

[0015] The curvature of the platelet, which can also be described as its curvature, is represented by a sphere of curvature. However, in contrast to a spherical shape, the curvature can also be egg-shaped or oval.

[0016] Because the plate is slightly curved or domed, it is stable and fits snugly against the can lid, minimizing the amount of dirt that gets between the plate and the lid. Despite its large surface area, the plate can be moved with minimal effort. This is further facilitated by its curved shape, which is adapted to the top of the can, ensuring that no part of the plate exerts high pressure against the can's surface. The sliding rail is preferably positioned in a groove on the can in such a way as to prevent excessive friction between the remaining area of ​​the plate and the lid's surface.

[0017] Furthermore, the curvature and the contact force transferred to the plate by the rivet press the groove anchor into the groove.

[0018] The raised section is also referred to as the opening aid. Because it slopes down on both sides, the direction of rotation of the plate to open the can is irrelevant.

[0019] Since the opening aid is longer and crescent-shaped compared to prior art opening aids, it can also be taller to generate greater leverage. The crescent shape allows the opening aid to slide easily under the lever. The length of the opening aid ensures that its inclination is so shallow that it can be slid under the lever with minimal force and does not cause the lever to swing out of position. The longer the opening aid, the shallower the incline for a given height. The shallower the incline, the easier it is to slide the opening aid under the lever.

[0020] The grooved anchor has a centering function, allowing the rivet receptacle at the central edge to have slightly more play. This makes the plate easier to rotate. The grooved anchor conforms to the groove and slides along it when the plate is rotated.

[0021] The reinforced edges stiffen the plate and provide a visual aid to see where the plate begins, in order to grasp it accurately and turn it.

[0022] Because the plate is made of metal, preferably aluminum, it can be manufactured very thin. The stiffeners described above ensure that it remains rigid and does not bend, for example, when the can is turned upside down. Furthermore, the stiffeners minimize friction, allowing the plate to be rotated more easily.

[0023] Because the plate is made of metal, specifically aluminum, it can be manufactured from the same material as the can itself. This simplifies the recycling process and protects the environment.

[0024] Due to its plate-like shape, it is easy to manufacture, e.g. by stamping processes in which the plates are punched out of sheets.

[0025] The plate can rotate around the rivet. The movement of the plate is guided by the receptacle that rests against the rivet. This guidance at the rivet allows for easy rotation.

[0026] The plate is suitable for sealing the can opening, for example, to prevent insects or other dirt from entering the beverage can. Furthermore, carbonated drinks retain their flavor longer because the carbon dioxide cannot escape as quickly through the air.

[0027] When the plate is turned, the opening aid can slide under the can's lever and lift it slightly. This makes opening the can easier.

[0028] Due to its flat, plate-like design, it does not protrude beyond the rim of the can, thus allowing the can to remain stackable. The plate can also be applied to an otherwise closed can during its manufacture. Shipping cans grouped on multiple pallets is not hindered by the application of a closure to each individual can.

[0029] Preferably, the grooved anchor extends over the entire length of the radial edge of the plate. This ensures a uniform load distribution along the entire length of the radial edge of the plate.

[0030] The groove anchor is preferably adapted to the shape of the groove in the beverage can, both in terms of the groove's circularity and its cross-sectional shape. In particular, the groove anchor is designed to fit snugly against the inner boundary surface formed by the groove. Additionally, the groove anchor can also be designed to fit snugly against an outward-facing boundary surface of the groove.

[0031] The groove anchor can be adapted to the groove by bending the plate. Alternatively, the groove anchor can be a thicker body than the rest of the plate, extending into the groove.

[0032] Preferably, the plate has a thickness of at least 0.2 mm, at least 0.5 mm, at least 0.75 mm and at least 1 mm.

[0033] With this thickness of the plate, the plate has sufficient stability and not too much material is used, thus keeping costs low.

[0034] According to further training, the survey has a length of at least 7 mm, at least 10 mm and at least 20 mm.

[0035] With this length, the raised section can easily slide under the can's lever and still provide sufficient leverage. Shorter sections would either have an incline that is too steep, preventing the section from sliding under the lever, or they wouldn't be high enough, resulting in insufficient leverage to open the can.

[0036] In embodiments, the elevation can slope uniformly down over a distance of at least 1 mm, at least 3 mm and at least 5 mm on each of the two sides.

[0037] The described path allows the raised section to be gently slid under the lever without requiring excessive force. The lever is still raised high enough to then open the can.

[0038] Preferably, the raised areas have a height of at least 0.25 mm, at least 0.5 mm and at least 1 mm.

[0039] With such a raised position, the leverage is sufficient to raise the lever so that a piece of a user's finger can grip underneath it to easily lift the lever to open the can.

[0040] According to a further development, the radial edge is curved in such a way that it forms a partial circle with an angle of at least 200°, at least 250° and at least 300°.

[0041] With such a curvature, the plate is particularly stable and, in a corresponding position, the opening of the can is effectively closed, so that even if the can is tilted or rotated, no or only a few drops of the drink leave the can.

[0042] In embodiments, the corner horns can form a projection of at least 2 mm, at least 4 mm and at least 8 mm.

[0043] Corner horns of this length extend the radial rim, further increasing stability, yet a sufficiently large area of ​​the can surface remains so that the opening of the can is completely unobstructed when the plate has been positioned accordingly.

[0044] According to further training, the lateral edges have a curvature due to the extruded corner horns, and the edge reinforcement is arranged along this curvature.

[0045] Because the edge reinforcements are arranged along the curves, the edge reinforcements themselves are curved. This curvature gives the stiffening two directions, thus stabilizing the plate across its surface, as these two directions span such a surface.

[0046] Preferably, the edge reinforcement is designed as a thickening of the material at this point and preferably has at least 1.2 times, at least 1.5 times and at least 2.0 times the thickness of the other platelets.

[0047] Such a thickness of edge reinforcement is a good compromise between sufficient stiffening of the plate and saving material.

[0048] According to further training, the turning aid has at least 3 studs, at least 5 studs and at least 10 studs.

[0049] This number of nubs strikes a good balance between the grip of the plate and the amount of material required for the nubs. Too many nubs can be confusing for the user, and dirt can easily get trapped in them. Too few nubs, on the other hand, don't provide enough friction for the user to interact with them with their finger in a way that makes the plate rotate.

[0050] In embodiments, the knobs of the turning aid can be designed in top view as a rectangle with strongly rounded corners, wherein the rectangle has an aspect ratio of at least 1:1, at least 1:2 and at least 1:4.

[0051] Nubs with this aspect ratio in top view are stable so that they do not break off when interacted with a user's finger, and they also provide good haptic feedback for the user, who then recognizes the radius in which they have to rotate the tile.

[0052] Preferably, the underside is coated with a plastic.

[0053] The coating is typically made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), or linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). These materials are inert to most can contents, preventing any loss of flavor. Furthermore, they reduce friction between the lid and the beverage can, thus facilitating rotation.

[0054] According to a training course, the top side is printed.

[0055] For example, a printed surface can be designed in such a way that features are applied to it which are integrated with a visual recognition system, for example to transport the cans using a transporter.

[0056] However, these tiles may also contain instructions, motifs, logos or other elements.

[0057] A can system comprises a can and a can-opening plate as previously described, wherein the can-opening plate is attached to the can.

[0058] A method for manufacturing a previously described can system is characterized in that first the can is manufactured, then the plate is placed on the groove, then the lever is placed on the groove, and in the last step the groove is closed.

[0059] The invention is explained in more detail below by way of example with reference to the drawing. The drawings show: Fig. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a plate in an oblique top view, Fig. 2 schematically shows the plate of the same embodiment in an oblique bottom view, Fig. 3 schematically shows the plate of the same embodiment in a flat top view, Fig. 4 schematically shows the plate of the same embodiment in a side view, Fig. 5 schematically shows the plate of the same embodiment in a top view and Figs. 6a-h each schematically show an embodiment of a plate and a beverage can in a side view.

[0060] A plate 1 for a can 2, in particular a beverage can, is described below ( Fig. 1-6 ).

[0061] The can 2 has a substantially cylindrical shape. One side of the cylinder, referred to as the head plate 22, has an opening 3 in the can 2. Next to the opening 3 is a rivet 4, to which a lever 11 is attached. This lever is designed to press in part of the lid of the can 2. A pressed-in lid section 12 is then located inside the can 2. A rivet head 14 is formed at the end of the rivet 4.

[0062] The rivet head 14 is a flat, usually round plate, which is arranged at the end of the rivet 4 and has a larger radius than the rivet 4. The rivet head 14 prevents the lever 11 from being unintentionally released. The can 2 has a groove 5 and a raised rim 6 at its edge.

[0063] The plate 1 has a central rim 7, a radial rim 8 and two lateral rims 18.

[0064] The plate 1 has corner squirrels 13 which form a radial projection at the corners of the lateral edges 18 towards the radial edge 8.

[0065] The plate 1 has an edge reinforcement 21, which is formed on the side edges 18 and stiffens the plate 1.

[0066] The plate 1 has a slight curvature and the center point of a curvature sphere, which describes the curvature, lies approximately on the longitudinal axis of the can 2 and is arranged distally to the underside of the plate 1.

[0067] In top view, plate 1 has approximately the shape of a circular sector with a radius r and a central angle α around a circle center M ( Fig. 1 ). The shape of plate 1 is chosen such that the central angle α is approximately 200°.

[0068] In this embodiment, plate 1 is designed as a protective cover and will also be referred to as such in the following.

[0069] The center of the circle M lies on a central edge 7 of the protective cover 1 and is arranged such that it is congruent with the center of the rivet 4 of the beverage can 2 when the protective cover 1 is placed on the beverage can 2.

[0070] In plan view, the central edge 7 forms a circular segment-shaped recess 9 for the rivet 4. The radius of the circular segment-shaped recess 9 corresponds at least to the radius of the rivet 4.

[0071] Another possibility, not shown here, is that the receptacle 9 is completely enclosed by the metal of the plate 1.

[0072] The protective cover 1, when viewed from above, is only as large as is necessary for the function of the closure, to cover the opening 3 of the beverage can 2, and to provide sufficient stability. The protective cover 1 is a mass-produced item. The smaller it is, the cheaper it is to manufacture.

[0073] The radius r of the circular sector corresponds essentially to the usual distance between the rivet 4 and the groove 5 of the beverage can 2.

[0074] The radius r of the circular sector is smaller than the usual distance between the rivet 4 and the raised rim 6 of the beverage can 2.

[0075] The protective cover 1 has an opening aid 15. The opening aid 15 is a raised section pointing upwards, away from the can 2. It is located approximately halfway between the central edge 7 and the radial edge 8 of the closure.

[0076] The opening aid 15 is designed as a raised section which, as in the embodiments described above, has two edges 17, each running approximately tangentially, i.e., approximately parallel to the radial edge 8. This gives the opening aid 15 a slightly curved, crescent shape. Each edge 17 of the opening aid 15 has a substantially uniform inclination that slopes downwards from the center of the opening aid in the direction of the lateral edge 18 until the edge 17 reaches the level of the surface of the plate 1. The angle 19 that the edge 17 forms with the surface of the plate 1 is preferably at least 3°, more preferably at least 5°, and most preferably at least 8°. Fig. 3 The maximum angle 19 is less than 30° and preferably less than 20°. Due to the gradual slope of the edge 17, the opening aid 15 can be pushed under the lever 11 of the can 2 with little effort, whereby the lever 11 is lifted upwards by the opening aid 15. The opening aid 15 wedges itself between the surface of the can 2 and the lever 11.

[0077] In principle, other geometries of the opening aid 15 are also conceivable, provided they have at least one inclined side that is formed perpendicular to the radial direction of the can 2.

[0078] In this embodiment, the opening aid 15 is stamped.

[0079] The protective cover 1 is formed at its radial edge 8 with a groove anchor 10, which can engage in the groove 5. In this embodiment, this groove anchor 10 is formed by a bend in the radial edge 8, wherein the radial edge 8 is bent downwards in such a way that it engages in the groove 5 of the can 2 ( Fig. 1-5 , Fig. 6e, 6h ). The width of the curved section corresponds approximately to the depth of groove 5.

[0080] Alternatively, the radial edge 8 can also be doubly curved and form a V-shape in side view. The groove anchor 10 here also has a projection extending towards the raised edge 6 ( Fig. 6f ).

[0081] Another possibility is that the groove anchor 10 is bent in three places ( Fig. 6g ). In comparison to the previous alternative, the groove anchor 10 here has an additional projection pointing towards the central edge 7 ( Fig. 6a ).

[0082] The groove anchor 10 can alternatively adapt to the shape of the groove 5 ( Fig. 6a-6d und 6g ).

[0083] One possibility is that the groove anchor 10 protrudes from the underside of the protective cover 1 due to additional material. In side view, the protective cover 1 has a thickening at this point. This thickening can be made of the same material as the rest of the protective cover 1 or of a different material.

[0084] The plate 1 has a grip area which is arranged on the adjacent other lateral edge 18 ( Fig. 1-5 In the present embodiment, this gripping area is formed by a number of slightly upwardly projecting, embossed knobs 20. These thus form a corrugated surface, so that a sliding torque can be easily transferred to the plate 1 with a finger at the gripping area in order to rotate it and push it under the lever 11 with the opening aid 15.

[0085] The grip area can also be roughened in a different way, such as by sandblasting this section. The grip area is preferably significantly less raised than the opening aid 15, making it possible to insert the plate 1 under a lever 11 in such a way that the grip area is first pushed under the lever 11 until the plate 1 is positioned so that the lever 11 is located in the area between the grip area and the opening aid 15.

[0086] A method for manufacturing a previously described can system is characterized in that first the can 2 is manufactured, then the plate 1 is placed on the rivet 4 and subsequently the lever is placed on the rivet before the rivet 4 is closed in the last step.

[0087] The opening aid 15 can also be designed in a wedge shape.

[0088] In an alternative embodiment, the studs 20 are stamped into the plate as negative studs.

[0089] Another possibility is that the 20 studs correspond to a structure, for example a letter, a number or a symbol in Braille. Bezugszeichen

[0090] 1 Protective cover / plate 2 Can 3 Opening of the beverage can 4 Rivet 5 Groove 6 Raised rim 7 Central rim 8 Radial rim 9 Receptacle 10 Grooved anchor 11 Lever 12 Indented lid part 13 Corner lug 14 Rivet head 15 Opening aid 16 Can protrusion 17 Edge of the opening aid 18 Side rim 19 Angle 20 Knob 21 Edge reinforcement 22 Top plate r Radius α Center angle M Center of circle

Claims

1. Plate (1) with opening aid (15) for cans (2) with a lever (11) which is attached to the can (2) by means of a rivet (4), wherein the plate (1), which is made of metal, has an upper and a lower side, a central and a radial edge (7, 8) as well as two lateral edges (18) which each connect one end of the central and radial edges (7, 8), wherein a receptacle (9) for the rivet (4) is provided on the central edge (7), a grooved anchor (10) is formed on the radial edge (8), which forms an angled slide rail directed away from the lower side, which engages in a groove (5) of the can (2), at least one elongated elevation is formed on the upper side, which is at least 5 mm long and arranged in such a way that it can engage with the lever (11) of the can (2) and serves as an opening aid (15), and wherein at least one turning aid is arranged on the upper side, which has at least one knob (20), characterized in that the plate (1) is slightly curved and the curvature center of a curvature sphere, which approximately describes the curvature, lies approximately on the longitudinal axis of the can (2) and in the distal direction of the lower side, that the radial edge (8) extends over a partial circle with an angle of at least 150°, that an edge reinforcement (21) is formed on each of the lateral edges (18), which stiffens the plate (1), that the crescent-shaped elevation has a gradually decreasing inclination towards its ends and runs approximately concentrically to the rivet receptacle (9), and that the corners of the lateral edges (18) form a projection towards the radial edge (8) in the radial direction and thus corner horns (13).

2. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (1) has a thickness of at least 0.2 mm, at least 0.5 mm, at least 0.75 mm and at least 1 mm.

3. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the elevation has a length of at least 7 mm, at least 10 mm and at least 20 mm.

4. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the elevations on each of the two sides slope evenly over a distance of at least 1 mm, at least 3 mm and at least 5 mm.

5. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the elevations have a height of at least 0.25 mm, at least 0.5 mm and at least 1 mm and in that the elevations have a height of at most 0.25 mm, at most 0.5 mm and at most 1 mm.

6. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the radial edge (8) is curved in such a way that it forms a partial circle with an angle of at least 200°, at least 250° and at least 300°.

7. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the corner horns (13) are extruded at least 2 mm, at least 4 mm and at least 8 mm.

8. Plate (1) with an opening (15) aid for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the lateral edges (18) have a curvature due to the extruded corner horns (13) and the edge reinforcement (21) is arranged along this curvature.

9. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the edge reinforcement (21) is formed as a thickening of the material at this point and preferably has at least 1.2 times, at least 1.5 times and at least 2.0 times the other plate thickness.

10. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the sliding aid has at least 3 knobs (20), at least 5 knobs (20) and at least 10 knobs (20).

11. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the knobs (20) of the sliding aid are constructed in plan view as a rectangle with strongly rounded corners, the rectangle having an aspect ratio of at least 1:1, at least 1:2 and at least 1:4.

12. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the lower side is coated with a plastic.

13. Plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the upper side is printed.

14. Can system comprising a can (2) and a small plate (1) with opening aid (15) for cans (2) according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the small plate (1) with an opening aid (15) for cans (2) is attached to the can (2).

15. Method for producing a can system according to claim 14, characterized in that first the can (2) is produced, then the small plate (1) is placed on the rivet (4) and then the lever (11) is placed on the rivet (4) and in the last step the rivet (4) is closed.