Reclosing can for food product
AssigneeE.V.D.S. Bvba
InventorErwin Vanderstraeten
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A can end (2) is described for a metal beverage can, optionally for carbonated drinks, the can end including a cap top (3), arranged in connection to a pull tab (4) configured to remove the cap top along a pre-defined groove (9), to thereby create a drinking or pouring aperture; an elastic resilient element (10) attached to the can end; and a resiliently operated shut-off valve (6) that is part of or is connected to the elastic resilient element (10) and that is configured to seal the drinking or pouring aperture after drinking or pouring; wherein the cap top (3) is configured to remain located, after the removal, on top of the shut-off valve (6). Further, a can including such a can end, and a method for opening and reclosing such a can are described, as well as a method for producing such a can.
Claims16
A can end for a metal beverage can, said can end comprising:
- a cap top, arranged with a connection to a pull tab configured to remove said cap top from a top portion of said can end along a pre-defined groove on the top portion, to thereby create a drinking or pouring aperture;
- an elastic resilient element attached to the can end;
- and
- a resiliently operated shut-off valve that is part of or is connected to said elastic resilient element and that is configured to close and seal the drinking or pouring aperture after drinking or pouring, by an action of said elastic resilient element;
- wherein said cap top is configured to remain located, after said removal, on top of said shut-off valve, and
- wherein said elastic resilient element has a holding element configured to hold said shut-off valve in an opened position upon moving said cap top.
A method for producing a metal beverage can comprising a can body and a can end, the method comprising:
- producing the can end for the metal beverage can, said can end comprising:
- a cap top, arranged with a connection to a pull tab configured to remove said cap top from said can end along a pre-defined groove, to thereby create a drinking or pouring aperture;
- an elastic resilient element attached to the can end;
- and a resiliently operated shut-off valve that is part of or is connected to said elastic resilient element and that is configured to close and seal the drinking or pouring aperture after drinking or pouring, by an action of said elastic resilient element;
- wherein said cap top is configured to remain located, after said removal, on top of said shut-off valve and wherein said elastic resilient element has a holding element configured to hold said shut-off valve in an opened position upon moving said cap top;
- producing the can body;
- attaching the can end to the can body.
A method for using a reclosing metal beverage can, said can comprising a can body and a can end, the method comprising:
- actuating a pull tab of said can end, thus removing a cap top of said can end along a predetermined groove of said can end, thus creating a drinking or pouring aperture;
- resiliently opening, by said actuating of said pull tab, a shut-off valve that is connected to an elastic resilient element of said can end and that is configured to close and seal said drinking or pouring aperture after drinking or pouring, by an action of said elastic resilient element, wherein said removed cap top remains located on top of said shut-off valve;
- and
- holding said shut-off valve in an opened position by said elastic resilient element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.