Resealable closure for beverage container

A resealable closure in combination with a beverage container having a bottom and a sidewall, comprising:

• the resealable closure including a lid having a dispensing port through which contents of the beverage container may discharge from the beverage container;
• a seal initiating means comprising an initial biasing force resulting from physical engagement of a first portion of the closure member and one of a portion of the lid and the beverage container, said initial biasing force biasing the first portion of the closure member toward said dispensing port of the lid;
• a seal enhancing means comprising a supplemental biasing force resulting from a pressure differential between an internal pressure of the beverage container and atmospheric pressure, said supplemental biasing force biasing the first portion of the resealable closure toward said dispensing port of the lid, whereby the first portion of the resealable closure and the dispensing port are in an initially sealed relationship with one another;
• the first portion of the resealable closure being moveable between a sealed position, in which the first portion of the resealable closure and the dispensing port are in the initially sealed relationship, and an unsealed position wherein contents of the beverage container may pass through the dispensing port;
• and wherein said initial biasing force dissipates as said first portion of the resealable closure is moved from the sealed position to the unsealed position.

A method for opening and resealing a pressurized beverage container having a resealable closure thereon, comprising the steps of:

• first, unsealing a pressure equalizing port provided in the resealable closure;
• next, opening a dispensing port provided in a lid of the resealable closure;
• followed by the steps of
• re-sealing said pressure equalization port;
• closing said dispensing port;
• wherein in said step of unsealing the pressure equalization port, said pressure equalization port is unsealed by moving an external drive means provided on said lid from a first closed and unvented position in which the dispensing port is closed by a sealing flap provided on an underside of the lid, and a portion of said external drive means is in a sealed relationship with the pressure equalization port, to a second closed and vented position in which said vent opening is unsealed and the dispensing port remains closed by the sealing flap.

A resealable closure for beverage containers comprising:

• a lid having a dispensing port through which fluid contained in a beverage container may be discharged;
• a moveable external drive means provided substantially on top of said lid;
• a sealing flap provided on an underside of said lid, said sealing flap being moveable between a sealed position in which the sealing flap is located directly under a perimeter of the dispensing port on the underside of the lid and is in sealed engagement therewith, thereby preventing fluid from passing through the dispensing port, and an unsealed position in which said sealing flap is out of alignment with the perimeter of the dispensing port;
• the lid having a hole therein through which said external drive means engages said sealing flap;
• a pressure equalization port provided in the sealing flap;
• a venting channel provided in the external drive means;
• movement of the external drive means bringing the venting channel into communication with the pressure equalization port to thereby vent an internal pressure of a beverage container, with which the resealable closure may be attached, to surrounding atmosphere;
• and
• a slack between initiation of movement of the external drive means and initiation of movement of the sealing flap, facilitating communication of the venting channel and the pressure equalization port prior to movement of the sealing flap.