Metal containers, friction coatings therefor, and related methods

Abstract

A can base is provided having a friction coating deposited thereon, the can base including a seating structure configured to cooperate with a resting surface when the can base is placed on the resting surface, the friction coating being configured to increase friction between the seating structure and the resting surface relative to friction that would occur if the seating structure were not coated with the friction coating.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 107,672, filed February 9, 2023, entitled "Metal Container, Friction Coating Therefor, And Associated Methods."

[0002] The disclosed concepts relate generally to metal containers such as beer / beverage cans and food cans, and more particularly to friction coatings for metal containers and related methods. [Background technology]

[0003] For example, metal containers (e.g., cans) for holding products such as liquids, beverages, or food typically have one end that serves as a base, which is configured to rest on a surface when not being held by a consumer.

[0004] The contents of a can are consumed in a variety of situations, and the surfaces on which the can rest may be uneven, smooth, vibrating, moving, or unstable. Common solutions to address the unpredictability of surfaces on which a can may rest include using external devices such as koozies or providing designated cup holders in certain environments, such as chairs, cars, and boats. However, consumers do not always have access to external devices such as koozies, or may not be in an environment with a cup holder when consuming the contents of a can. Thus, there is an unmet need for a way to stabilize a can under various conditions to avoid undesirable slipping or movement.

[0005] Thus, there is room for improvement in metal containers, such as beer / beverage cans and food cans, friction coatings therefor, and related methods. Summary of the Invention

[0006] These and other needs are met by embodiments of the disclosed concepts, which relate to friction coatings for metal containers such as, for example, beer / drink cans and food cans.

[0007] In one aspect of the disclosed concept, the base of the can includes a seating formation and a friction coating applied to the seating formation, the seating formation configured to cooperate with a resting surface when the base is placed on the resting surface, the friction coating configured to increase friction between the seating formation and the resting surface relative to friction that would occur if the seating formation were not coated with the friction coating.

[0008] In another aspect of the disclosed concept, a container includes a sidewall and a base. The base includes a seating structure and a frictional coating attached to the seating structure. The seating structure is configured to cooperate with a mounting surface when the base is placed on the mounting surface. The frictional coating is configured to increase friction between the seating structure and the mounting surface relative to friction that would occur if the seating structure were not coated with the frictional coating.

[0009] In a further aspect of the disclosed concept, a method of stabilizing a container includes providing a base on the container including a seating structure and applying a frictional coating to a portion of the seating structure, the seating structure configured to cooperate with a resting surface when the base is placed on the resting surface, the frictional coating configured to increase friction between the seating structure and the resting surface compared to friction when the seating structure is not coated with the frictional coating. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] A complete understanding of the present invention can be obtained from the following description of the preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0011] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a side view of a portion of a can body including a friction coating according to one embodiment of the disclosed concepts.

[0012] [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an inverted perspective view of the can body and friction coating of FIG. 1.

[0013] [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the can body and friction coating shown in FIG.

[0014] [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a side view of another can body and its friction coating according to another embodiment of the disclosed concepts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] For illustrative purposes, embodiments of the disclosed concepts are described as being applied to the base of a beer / drink can, but it will be apparent that they may also be employed in other containers, such as, but not limited to, cans for liquids other than beer and drinks.

[0016] It will be understood that the specific elements shown in the figures and described herein are provided as non-limiting examples for illustrative purposes only and are merely exemplary embodiments of the disclosed concepts, and therefore, specific dimensions, orientations, and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered as limiting the scope of the disclosed concepts.

[0017] Directional terms used in this specification, such as clockwise, counterclockwise, left, right, front, rear, up, down, above, below, and derivatives thereof, refer to the orientation of the elements as shown in the drawings and do not limit the scope of the claims unless expressly stated in the claims.

[0018] As used herein, the terms "can" and "container" are used substantially interchangeably to refer to any known or suitable container configured to contain contents (e.g., without limitation, liquid, food, or any other suitable substance), and expressly include, without limitation, food cans and beverage cans such as beer and soda cans.

[0019] As used herein, the term "can end" refers to a lid or closure configured to be joined to a can to seal the can.

[0020] As used herein, the term "several" means one or an integer greater than one (ie, a plurality).

[0021] 1, 2, and 3 each illustrate a portion of a can body 2 including a friction coating 4 (shown in stippled form in the figures for ease of illustration) according to one non-limiting embodiment of the disclosed and claimed concepts. Note that the exact location and appearance of the friction coating 4 may differ from that shown in the figures without departing from the scope of the disclosed concepts. The can body 2 is part of a can 100 (partially shown in simplified form with dashed lines in FIGS. 1 and 2). It will be understood that for ease of illustration, only a portion of the can 100 is shown in the figures. The can body 2 includes a sidewall 5 and a base 6. It is understood that the can 100 also includes a can end (not shown) disposed opposite the can base 6 such that the sidewall 5 extends between the can base 6 and the can end (not shown), and it is further understood that the can end may optionally include a mechanism such as a pull tab (not shown) for accessing the contents of the can.

[0022] In the illustrated example, the can body 2 is a unitary structure, with the can base 6 formed from the same piece of material from which the sidewall 5 is formed. However, it will be understood that in other embodiments of the disclosed concepts, the base may alternatively be comprised of a separate member or component (e.g., an end panel) that is formed separately and joined (e.g., seamed) to the sidewall, as is the case for example with some three-piece food cans. The base 6 includes a ridge 8 typically found on beverage cans, which is formed as a result of forming a dome on the base 6 for the purpose of increasing the pressure that the base 6 and can body 2 can withstand. The dome 10 of the can base 6 is best seen in Figures 2 and 3.

[0023] The dome portion 10 of the can base 6 is formed so that when the can 100 is placed (e.g., seated) on a resting surface 200 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1 ), the concave outer surface 12 of the dome portion 10 faces the resting surface 200 on which the can 100 rests, and the convex inner surface (not visible or labeled in the figures) of the dome portion 10 faces the interior of the can body 2. The ridge portion 8 of the can base 6 forms the outer periphery of the dome portion 10. The ridge portion 8 is the only portion of the can 100 that contacts the resting surface 200 when a user places the can 100 on the resting surface 200. Therefore, because the ridge portion 8 is the only portion of the can 100 that rests on the resting surface 200 when the can 100 is placed on the resting surface 200, the ridge portion 8 is also referred to as the resting structure 8 of the can 100.

[0024] The friction coating 4 is applied to the ridges 8 of the can base 6 and includes a material configured to increase friction between the ridges 8 and the resting surface 200 on which the can 100 rests. The increase is relative to the friction if the ridges 8 were not coated with the friction coating 4. The friction coating 4 can include any known or suitable material that increases friction between the ridges 8 and the resting surface 200. Furthermore, the material used for the friction coating 4 can be applied to the ridges 8 using any known or suitable method suitable for properly adhering the material to the desired portion of the exterior surface of the can 100 (e.g., without limitation, the ridges 8). Non-limiting examples of materials that may comprise the friction coating 4 include rubber, silicone, polymer coatings, or other materials that increase surface friction. In other words, the friction coating 4 has an associated coefficient of friction. The coefficient of friction of the friction coating 4 is greater than the coefficient of friction of the exterior surface of the can 100 itself. By one non-limiting example, the coefficient of friction of the friction coating 4 is preferably between 0.5 and 1.3, more preferably between 0.7 and 1.0. It will be understood that these values ​​are provided in terms of static friction and are provided solely for purposes of illustrating certain exemplary embodiments according to the disclosed concepts. Other coefficients of friction, both static and dynamic, are also within the scope of the disclosed concepts. Non-limiting examples of methods that can be used to apply the friction coating 4 material to the desired portion of the can 100 (e.g., ridges 8) include dipping, spraying, brushing, and pad transfer.

[0025] Most beer / beverage cans (e.g., can 100) are designed so that when can 100 is placed on a resting surface (e.g., resting surface 200 in FIG. 1 ), only a relatively small portion of the can (e.g., ridges 8 on can base 6) contacts the resting surface. For example, FIG. 4 shows another can 100′ according to another non-limiting embodiment of the disclosed concepts, which is of a different proportion than can 100 shown in FIGS. 1-3 but includes sidewalls 5′, base 6′, and ridges 8′ corresponding to walls 5, base 6, and ridges 8, respectively, described above. In the example of FIG. 4 , friction coating 4′ is applied to ridges 8′ in the same manner as friction coating 4 is applied to ridges 8. Note that, like friction coating 4, friction coating 4′ is shown in FIG. 4 as stippled for ease of illustration, and the exact location and appearance of friction coating 4′ may differ from that shown in FIG. 4 without departing from the scope of the disclosed concepts. Ridge 8', like ridge 8, is the only portion of can 100' that contacts resting surface 200' when a user places can 100' on resting surface 200'.

[0026] Among other advantages, friction coatings according to the disclosed concepts (e.g., coating 4 (FIGS. 1-3), coating 4' (FIG. 4)) are highly effective in increasing surface friction, for example, by reducing undesirable sliding or movement of a can (e.g., can 100 (FIGS. 1 and 2), can 100' (FIG. 4)) relative to an associated surface on which the can is placed (e.g., resting surface 200 (FIG. 1), resting surface 200' (FIG. 4)), thereby increasing stability, while requiring a relatively small amount (e.g., volume) of friction coating material applied only to selected, predetermined, desired portions of an existing can (e.g., ridges 8 (FIGS. 1-3), ridges 8' (FIG. 4)). Furthermore, the above-described methods for applying the friction coating are relatively simple. The relatively small amount of material and minimal time required to apply the friction coating, and the relative ease with which the friction coating can be applied, make the disclosed concepts a highly efficient solution to known problems associated with prior art cans.

[0027] Furthermore, existing attempts to address the problem of stabilizing cans on a resting surface rely on the use of additional devices, such as koozies, or the presence of dedicated cup holders provided where a user may wish to set the can down. The disclosed and claimed concepts reduce and in some cases eliminate the need for such additional devices or cup holders, as the application of a friction coating in accordance with the present invention increases the frictional characteristics and therefore the stability of the metal container itself, eliminating the need for external parts, structures, or devices to interact with and secure the container. While the friction coating is described herein as being applied to (e.g., attached to) a ridge on the base of a typical dome-shaped beverage / beer can, it will be understood that the friction coating may not include such ridges and may be included on other beverage or food containers where additional stability is desired, and that the friction coating may simply be applied to any portion of the can or container that is used to rest the can or container on a resting surface without departing from the scope of the disclosed concepts.

[0028] While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and substitutions to those details may be made in light of the overall teachings of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the particular configurations disclosed are illustrative only and do not limit the scope of the disclosed concepts, which are to be given the full scope of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A base portion of a can, comprising: a seating structure configured to cooperate with a resting surface when the base is placed on the resting surface; a friction coating adhered to the seating structure; It is equipped with The frictional coating is configured to increase friction between the seating structure and the resting surface relative to friction that would occur if the seating structure were not coated with the frictional coating.

2. the base portion has an outer surface having a first coefficient of friction; the friction coating has a second coefficient of friction; The base of claim 1 , wherein the second coefficient of friction is greater than the first coefficient of friction.

3. The base portion according to claim 1 , wherein the base portion is configured so that when the base portion is placed on the placement surface, no part of the base portion other than the seating structure portion comes into contact with the placement surface.

4. the seating structure comprises a ridge; the ridge defines an outer periphery of the dome; The base portion according to claim 1 , wherein the dome portion is formed so that when the base portion is placed on the placement surface, only the ridge portion of the base portion engages with the placement surface.

5. The base of claim 1 , wherein the friction coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a rubber coating, a silicone coating, and a polymer coating.

6. A side wall; A base portion; a seating structure configured to cooperate with a resting surface when the base is placed on the resting surface; a friction coating adhered to the seating structure; It is equipped with The container, wherein the frictional coating is configured to increase friction between the seating structure and the resting surface relative to friction that would occur if the seating structure were not coated with the frictional coating.

7. the base portion has an outer surface having a first coefficient of friction; the friction coating has a second coefficient of friction; 7. The container of claim 6, wherein the second coefficient of friction is greater than the first coefficient of friction.

8. 7. The container of claim 6, wherein the base is configured such that when the base is placed on the surface, no part of the base other than the seating structure contacts the surface.

9. the seating structure comprises a ridge; the ridge defines an outer periphery of the dome; The container of claim 6 , wherein the dome portion is formed such that when the base portion is placed on the mounting surface, only the ridge portion of the base portion engages with the mounting surface.

10. 7. The container of claim 6, wherein the friction coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a rubber coating, a silicone coating, and a polymer coating.

11. 1. A method for stabilizing a container, comprising: Providing a container having a base with a seating structure; applying a friction coating to a portion of the seating structure; It contains the seating structure is configured to cooperate with a support surface when the base is placed on the support surface; The method, wherein the friction coating is configured to increase friction between the seating structure and the resting surface relative to friction when the seating structure is not coated with the friction coating.

12. the seating structure comprises a ridge; the ridge defines an outer periphery of the dome; The method of claim 11 , wherein the dome portion is shaped such that when the base portion is placed on the surface, only the ridge portion of the base portion engages the surface.

13. applying the friction coating to the portion of the seating structure comprises:

12. The method of claim 11, comprising one of dipping the portion of the seating structure into the friction coating, spraying the portion of the seating structure with the friction coating, brushing the portion of the seating structure with the friction coating, or pad-transferring the friction coating to the portion of the seating structure.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the friction coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a rubber coating, a silicone coating, and a polymer coating.

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