Can lid
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- US · United States
- Patent Type
- Applications(United States)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-13
AI Technical Summary
It has namely been found that a nose contact at the closure unit, which often occurs when drinking from reclosable cans, is particularly annoying.
[0008]Beverage cans comprising such can ends can be easily opened and, if necessary, closed again by manually pivoting the closure unit. The contents of a beverage can can generally be poured out into a vessel through the drinking opening. However, people often drink directly from the can, wherein the can end is placed against the mouth in the region of the first boundary point and the can is then tilted upwards. The tilting movement generally takes place within the drinking movement plane since the person drinking strives to align the can end such that that boundary point of the opening region which is closest to the outer border of the end is located at the bottom for an easy pouring out of the liquid.
Smart Images
Figure US20260233891A1-D00000_ABST
Abstract
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of international application no. PCT / EP2024 / 055630, filed Mar. 4, 2024, which claims priority to German patent application no. 102023107869.0, filed Mar. 28, 2023. The contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.INTRODUCTION
[0002] The invention relates to a can end for a beverage can, said can end having a reclosable drinking opening and comprising a metallic end surface that has a geometric center and an outer border, wherein an opening region is formed in the metallic end surface;
[0003] a sealing frame composed of plastic material fixedly connected to the metallic end surface and surrounding the opening region; and
[0004] a closure unit composed of plastic material that is pivotably attached to the metallic end surface or to the sealing frame about a pivot axis and that is configured, in a closed position pivoted towards the sealing frame, to close the opening region directly and / or by means of a closure piece of the metallic end surface supported by the closure unit and, in an open position pivoted away from the sealing frame, to release the opening region for a drinking process,
[0005] wherein the opening region has at least one first boundary point that is closer to the outer border of the metallic end surface than at least one second boundary point of the opening region,
[0006] wherein a drinking movement plane extending at a right angle to the metallic end surface extends through the geometric center of the metallic end surface and through the first boundary point of the opening region,
[0007] and wherein the pivot plane extending at a right angle to the pivot axis extends at a right angle to the metallic end surface.
[0008] Beverage cans comprising such can ends can be easily opened and, if necessary, closed again by manually pivoting the closure unit. The contents of a beverage can can generally be poured out into a vessel through the drinking opening. However, people often drink directly from the can, wherein the can end is placed against the mouth in the region of the first boundary point and the can is then tilted upwards. The tilting movement generally takes place within the drinking movement plane since the person drinking strives to align the can end such that that boundary point of the opening region which is closest to the outer border of the end is located at the bottom for an easy pouring out of the liquid.
[0009] In the open state of the can end, the user may find the closure unit, which is pivoted away from the sealing frame, annoying because it interferes with drinking.
[0010] It is an object of the invention to provide a can end for a beverage can that facilitates the drinking process.
[0011] The object is satisfied by a can end having the features of claim 1.SUMMARY
[0012] According to the invention, the pivot plane is at an angle other than 0° to the drinking movement plane. It has namely been found that a nose contact at the closure unit, which often occurs when drinking from reclosable cans, is particularly annoying. Since, according to the invention, the drinking movement plane and the pivot plane do not coincide or extend in parallel, the closure unit moves out of the drinking movement plane during the opening of the can end and is thus not in the way of the nose of the user when the can is tilted. No annoying nose contact therefore occurs when drinking, which is favorable from an ergonomic point of view.
[0013] The opening region can have a geometric center, wherein the pivot plane extends through the geometric center of the opening region.
[0014] The pivot plane is preferably at an acute angle to the drinking movement plane.
[0015] According to an embodiment of the invention, the angle has a magnitude of at least 10° and at most 90°, preferably of at least 40° and at most 70°, and particularly preferably of approximately 60°. It has namely been found that such an arrangement of the pivot plane is sufficient to avoid a nose contact and to simultaneously ensure an ergonomic opening of the can by pivoting the closure unit away from the user in the usual way.
[0016] The pivot plane and the drinking movement plane preferably intersect in a line of intersection extending at a right angle to the metallic end surface.
[0017] Provision can be made that the metallic end surface and the opening region are rotationally symmetrical, in particular circular, and the respective centers of rotation lie in the drinking movement plane. The centers of rotation are preferably arranged at a distance from one another. The geometric center of the opening region preferably does not coincide with the geometric center of the metallic end surface. An off-center arrangement makes it easier for liquid to flow out when drinking.
[0018] The opening region is preferably completely released when the closure unit is in the open position. Thus, the entire opening region can be used to remove the liquid.
[0019] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the metallic end surface has a marking that identifies a region of the metallic end surface that is located opposite the first boundary point with respect to the geometric center. A user then immediately knows how to hold the can and in which direction to tilt the can when drinking.
[0020] The drinking movement plane can extend through the marking in this respect.
[0021] The marking can be embossed into the metallic end surface. This enables a particularly simple production and ensures a permanent identification of the tilting direction.
[0022] The closure unit can project obliquely from the sealing frame in the open position. An oblique projection is often unavoidable if the pivot bearing between the sealing frame and the closure unit is formed by a flexible connection section composed of plastic. The possibility of a nose contact at the closure unit in particular exists with an oblique projection.
[0023] Furthermore, the closure unit can project laterally beyond the outer border of the metallic end surface in the open position, which likewise increases the likelihood of an unwanted nose contact.
[0024] The pivot axis is preferably stationary, i.e. the closure unit preferably performs a pure pivoting about the pivot axis during the opening process without superposing other movement components. This ensures a particularly simple design.
[0025] A further embodiment of the invention provides that a pull handle is provided for opening the closure unit and is pivotably connected to the closure unit about a further pivot axis, with the pull handle being pivoted towards the closure unit in a base position and projecting obliquely or transversely from the closure unit in a pulling position, and with the further pivot axis extending at a right angle to the pivot plane. One person can actuate the pull handle to pivot the closure unit upwardly with the closure piece. The pull handle which is, for example, ring-shaped can be easily gripped.
[0026] Provision can be made that the pull handle and the closure unit are rotationally symmetrical and that the respective centers of rotation lie in the pivot plane. In the open state of the can, the pull handle is thus just as out of the way of the nose of the user as the closure unit.
[0027] According to a specific embodiment, at least one handling projection is arranged at an outer peripheral region of the pull handle and is arranged in the drinking movement plane when the pull handle is in the base position. Such a handling projection makes it easier to lift the pull handle from the base position. The arrangement of the handling projection in the drinking movement plane is favorable in an ergonomic aspect.
[0028] The sealing frame, the closure unit and the pull handle can be formed by a single-piece injection molded part. This enables a particularly simple and inexpensive production.
[0029] Further developments of the invention can also be seen from the dependent claims, from the description and from the enclosed drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the drawings.
[0031] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a can end according to the invention in a closed state;
[0032] FIG. 2 shows the can end in accordance with FIG. 1 in a transitional state with a raised pull handle;
[0033] FIG. 3 shows the can end in accordance with FIG. 1 in an open state;
[0034] FIG. 4 shows the opened can end in accordance with FIG. 3 in a sectional view along the line A-A in FIG. 3.DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] FIGS. 1 and 4 show a can end 11 which is intended for a beverage can and into whose metallic end surface 13 a reclosable drinking opening 13 is integrated. The can end 11 has a geometric center 15 and an outer border 17. In the embodiment shown, the can end 11 is circular in the plan view so that the geometric center 15 is the circle center here. Via the outer border 17, the can end 11 can be connected to an associated beverage container, not shown, for example by crimping. An opening region 19 (FIG. 3) is formed in the metallic end surface 12 and, in the closed state of the can end 11 shown in FIG. 1, is closed by a section of the metallic end surface 12 in the form of a closure piece 21.
[0036] The metallic end surface 12 is preferably formed from a sheet metal layer composed of aluminum or tinplate, wherein a coating composed of plastic material can be applied to an inner flat side of the metallic end surface 12.
[0037] The can end 11 can be opened by moving the closure piece 21 out of the end plane 24 (FIG. 4) defined by the opening region 19. For this purpose, the can end 11 comprises a sealing frame 22 composed of plastic material that surrounds the opening region 19 and that is fixedly connected to the metallic end surface 12. A closure unit 23 composed of plastic material and supporting the closure piece 21 is further provided and is pivotably connected to the sealing frame 22 about a pivot axis 25. A releasable fluid-tight connection between the sealing frame 22 and the closure unit 23 is made possible by means of a latch device that is not recognizable in detail and that is formed by sealing and latching ribs and associated reception grooves.
[0038] A ring-shaped pull handle 27 is pivotably connected to the closure unit 23 about a further pivot axis 29. In the embodiment shown, the sealing frame 22, the closure unit 23 and the pull handle 27 are formed by a single-piece injection molded part.
[0039] In the closed state of the can end 11 shown in FIG. 1, the two pivot axes 25, 29 are arranged diametrically oppositely disposed with respect to the sealing frame 22. As shown, a handling projection 33 is arranged at an outer peripheral region 31 of the pull handle 27.
[0040] By means of the handling projection 33, a person can lift the pull handle 27 and, as shown in FIG. 2, can pivot it away from the closure unit 23. By pulling at the pull handle 27, the closure piece 21 can then be upwardly pivoted out of the end plane 24 to completely release the opening region 19 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0041] To make it easier to drink directly from the beverage can after opening the drinking opening 13, the opening region 19 is arranged off-center in the metallic end surface 12. This means that the opening region 19 has a geometric center 35 that is arranged at a distance from the geometric center 15 of the metallic end surface 12. This results in a first boundary point 39 of the opening region 19 that is closer to the outer border 17 of the metallic end surface 12 than at least one second boundary point 49 of the opening region 19. In the embodiment shown, the first boundary point 39 is closer to the outer border 17 than all the other boundary points of the opening region 19, i.e. the first boundary point 39 is that point which is located at the boundary of the opening region 19 and which is closest to the outer border 17 of the metallic end surface 12.
[0042] A drinking movement plane 40 extends at a right angle to the metallic end surface 12, i.e. to the end plane 24, and extends through the geometric center 15 of the metallic end surface 12 and through the first boundary point 39. A tilting movement of the beverage can for the purpose of drinking usually takes place within the drinking movement plane 40.
[0043] The handling of the can during drinking is assisted by a marking 44 that is embossed into the metallic end surface 12 and that identifies a region of the metallic end surface 12 that is located opposite the first boundary point 39 with respect to the geometric center 15 of the metallic end surface 12. The drinking movement plane 40 extends through the marking 44. When the pull handle 27 is in the base position in accordance with FIG. 1, the drinking movement plane 40 also extends through the handling projection 33.
[0044] During the opening and closing process, the closure unit 23 and the pull handle 27 are moved in a pivot plane 45 that extends at a right angle to the two pivot axes 25, 29 and also at a right angle to the metallic end surface 12, i.e. to the end plane 24.
[0045] As can in particular be seen in FIG. 3, the pivot plane 45 does not coincide with the drinking movement plane 40, but is arranged at an angular offset therefrom. Specifically, the pivot plane 45 and the drinking movement plane 40 intersect at an angle 47 other than 0° in a line of intersection that extends at a right angle to the metallic end surface 12, i.e. to the end plane 24, and that here extends through the geometric center 35 of the opening region 19. Depending on the application, the angle 47 between the pivot plane 45 and the drinking movement plane 40 can have a magnitude between 10° and 90°. In the embodiment shown, the angle amounts to sixty degrees.
[0046] Due to the design according to the invention of the can end 11, when drinking from the associated beverage can, there is no risk of the nose coming into contact with the closure unit 23, which projects obliquely from the sealing frame 22 and projects laterally beyond the outer border 17 of the metallic end surface 12, or with the pull handle 27 since said closure unit and pull handle are located outside the drinking movement plane 40 when the drinking opening 13 is open. The invention thus enables a particularly convenient drinking from reclosable beverage cans.Reference numeral list:11can end12metallic end surface13reclosable drinking opening15geometric center17outer border19opening region21closure piece22sealing frame23closure unit24end plane25pivot axis27pull handle29further pivot axis31peripheral region33handling projection35geometric center39first boundary point40drinking movement plane44marking45pivot plane47angle49second boundary point
Claims
1. A can end for a beverage can, said can end having a reclosable drinking opening and comprising:a metallic end surface that has a geometric center and an outer border, wherein an opening region is formed in the metallic end surface;a sealing frame composed of plastic material fixedly connected to the metallic end surface and surrounding the opening region; anda closure unit composed of plastic material that is pivotably attached to the metallic end surface or to the sealing frame about a pivot axis and that is configured, in a closed position pivoted towards the sealing frame, to close the opening region directly and / or by means of a closure piece of the metallic end surface supported by the closure unit and, in an open position pivoted away from the sealing frame, to release the opening region for a drinking process,wherein the opening region has at least one first boundary point that is closer to the outer border of the metallic end surface than at least one second boundary point of the opening region, wherein a drinking movement plane extending at a right angle to the metallic end surface extends through the geometric center of the metallic end surface and through the first boundary point of the opening region,wherein a pivot plane extending at a right angle to the pivot axis extends at a right angle to the metallic end surface,and wherein the pivot plane is at an angle other than 0° to the drinking movement plane.
2. A can end according to claim 1, wherein:the angle has a magnitude of at least 10° and at most 90°, preferably of at least 40° and at most 70°, and particularly preferably of approximately 60°.
3. A can end according to claim 1, wherein:the pivot plane and the drinking movement plane intersect in a line of intersection extending at a right angle to the metallic end surface.
4. A can end according to claim 1, wherein:the metallic end surface and / or the opening region is / are rotationally symmetrical, in particular circular, and the respective centers of rotation lie in the drinking movement plane.
5. A can end according to claim 1, wherein:the opening region is completely released when the closure unit is in the open position.
6. A can end according to claim 1, wherein:the metallic end surface has a marking that identifies a region of the metallic end surface that is located opposite the first boundary point with respect to the geometric center.
7. A can end according to claim 6, wherein:the drinking movement plane extends through the marking.
8. A can end according to claim 6 or 7, wherein:the marking is embossed into the metallic end surface.
9. A can end according to claim 1, wherein:the closure unit projects obliquely from the sealing frame in the open position.
10. A can end according to claim 9, wherein:the closure unit projects laterally beyond the outer border of the metallic end surface in the open position.
11. A can end according to claim 1, wherein:a pull handle is provided for opening the closure unit and is pivotably connected to the closure unit about a further pivot axis, with the pull handle being pivoted towards the closure unit in a base position and projecting obliquely or transversely from the closure unit in a pulling position, and with the further pivot axis extending at a right angle to the pivot plane.
12. A can end according to claim 11, wherein:at least one handling projection is arranged at an outer peripheral region of the pull handle and is arranged in the drinking movement plane-when the pull handle is in the base position.
13. A can end according to claim 11, wherein:the sealing frame, the closure unit and the pull handle are formed by a single-piece injection molded part.
14. A can end according to claim 2, wherein:the pivot plane and the drinking movement plane intersect in a line of intersection extending at a right angle to the metallic end surface.
15. A can end according to claim 7, wherein:the marking is embossed into the metallic end surface.
16. A can end according to claim 12, wherein:the sealing frame, the closure unit and the pull handle are formed by a single-piece injection molded part.