WO2006136766A1

WO2006136766A1 - Closure arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2006136766A1
Application number: PCT/GB2006/000279
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ian Leslie Whieldon
Original assignee: EKOTECH Ltd
Current assignee: EKOTECH Ltd
Priority date: 2005-06-21
Filing date: 2006-01-27
Publication date: 2006-12-28
Anticipated expiration: 2007-12-21
Also published as: GB0512648D0

Abstract

A closure arrangement (12) for a beverage container (10). The arrangement (12) including a manually operable tab which can cause an operable area (16) to break around the majority of its perimeter and fold into the container (10). The tab (20) is mounted to a central rivet (22) which also mounts a filter member (26) located in the can, which filter member (26) can be rotated to cover the opening (30) formed by the breaking and pivoting of the area (16). The filter member (26) is rotatable by rotation of the tab (20) and hence rivet (22).

Description

Closure Arrangement

This invention concerns closure arrangements, and particularly but not exclusively ring pull type closure arrangements, and also containers including such arrangements.

A very large number of ring pull beverage cans are produced in the world each year. Such cans can be left open for a significant time after opening before the contents are fully drunk. During this period it may be that something is added to the drink, i.e. the drink is spiked. Also, during this time there is the possibility of foreign items entering the can including for instance insects. This can be particularly dangerous for example with insects such as wasps which sting and which potentially could cause an anaphylactic shock which might prove fatal

According to the present invention there is provided a closure arrangement, the arrangement including an openable area defined at least in part by a line of weakness, a manually operable control means to cause breakage around the area to open same to provide an inlet, and a filter member beatable across the inlet following opening.

The filter member is preferably provided on an internal side of the arrangement, with the control means on an external side.

In one embodiment the control means can cause the openable area to be totally removed from the remainder of the arrangement.

The filter member may be mounted extending across the internal side of the openable area, and the filter member could be mounted to the remainder of the arrangement by rivets. In a further embodiment the control means can cause the openable area to pivot inwardly about a part of the perimeter thereof .

The arrangement may be configured such that following opening the filter member may be selectively moved to extend across the inlet.

The arrangement may be configured such that the filter member automatically locks in position when moved to extend across the inlet.

The filter member may be rotatable to extend across the inlet. The filter member may be linked to the control means such that rotation of the control means causes rotation of the filter member. The filter member and control means may be mounted to a support member which following opening can be rotated relative to the remainder of the arrangement. The support member may be in the form of a rivet. The filter member may be made of aluminium or a plastics material, and may be in the form of mesh. Alternatively the filter member may be made of a permeable material.

The closure arrangement may be in the form of a ring pull opening for a beverage can.

The invention also provides a container incorporating a closure arrangement according to any of the preceding nine paragraphs.

The container may be a beverage can.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic partially exploded perspective side view of a container incorporating a first closure arrangement according to the invention in an open condition; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic cross sectional side view of an upper part of the container of Fig. 1 in a closed condition;

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but in an open condition;

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a plan view and view from beneath of the arrangement in a closed condition;

Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views to Figs. 4 and 5 but in an open condition;

. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a container with a second closure arrangement in a closed condition;

Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively diagrammatic cross sectional views of an upper part of the container of Fig. 8 in a closed and an open condition; and

Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively plan views of the closure arrangement of Fig. 8 in open and closed conditions.

Figs. 1 to 3 show a beverage container 10 suitable for holding for instance a soft drink. The container 10 is in the form of an aluminium can and has mounted across its open top a first closure arrangement 12 according to the invention. The arrangement 12 is also principally made of aluminium and is mounted by crimping an external rim 14 to the container 10 in a conventional manner.

The arrangement 12 has a generally tear drop shape openable area 16 defined by a line of weakness 18 which extends around the majority of the perimeter of the area 16. A control means in the form of a manually operable tab 20 is provided on the exterior side of the arrangement 12, and is rigidly mounted to a central rivet 22. A main part 21 of the tab 20 diverges away from the rivet 22 and is engageable by a person's finger. A narrow part 24 of the tab 20 extends on the opposite side of the rivet 22 to the part 21.

The rivet 22 also mounts a filter member 26 beatable within the container 12. When the arrangement 12 is closed (Fig. 5), the filter member 26 is offset anticlockwise at substantially 90° to the openable area 16.

In use, to open the arrangement 12, the main part 21 of the tab 20 is lifted causing pivoting about the rivet 22 and the narrow part 24 of the tab 20 presses against the openable area 16 causing it to break along the line of weakness 18 and to pivot about a non weakened part 28 into the interior of the container 10 as shown in Figs. 1 , 3 and 7.

At this point there will be an opening 30 into the container 10. If the tab

20 is rotated through around 90° in a clockwise direction this will cause rotation of the the filter member 26 until it locates in the opening 30. The filter member 26 is of a size to substantially fit in the opening 30, and will pop upwardly into the opening 30 when aligned therewith, thereby substantially preventing further rotation of the tab 20 and filter member 26. Fig. 1 shows three positions of the tab 20 during rotation thereof.

A filter is therefore provided across the opening 30 to prevent material being pushed into, or material, objects or insects entering the container 10 following opening. The arrangement 12 can be opened in a usual manner, and if not required the filter member 24 need not be moved across the opening 30.

Figs. 8 to 12 show a second closure arrangement 40. Again this is mounted in a conventional manner by crimping the rim on a container 42 suitable for holding a beverage. A generally tear drop shape openable area

• 44 is provided defined by a line of weakness 46 except at its narrow end towards the centre of the can which is joined to a tab 48. A filter member 52 is mounted by two rivets 54 on the inner side of the arrangement 40 beneath the openable area 44.

In this instance the arrangement 40 can be opened as follows. The tab 48 is lifted by its outer end and pulled across the top of the arrangement 42 to fully pull off the openable area 44 to leave an opening 50. The provision of the filter member 52 beneath the openable area 44 means that a filter is provided on the inside of the opening 50, to provide the safeguards outlined above.

The filter members 24, 50 may be made for example of aluminium mesh, or could be made of a permeable material which may be aluminium, plastics material or otherwise. The arrangement 40 provides a simple enough inexpensive way of providing a filter to a beverage container, again thereby preventing foreign material from entering the container 42.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, the opening arrangements couid be used with different types of containers.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A closure arrangement, the arrangement including an openable area defined at least in part by a line of weakness, a manually operable control means to cause breakage around the area to open same to provide an inlet, characterised in that the arrangement also includes a filter member beatable across the inlet following opening.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 , characterised in that the filter member is provided on an internal side of the arrangement, with the control means on an external side.

3. An arrangement according to claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the control means can cause the openable area to be totally removed from the remainder of the arrangement.

4. An arrangement according to claim 3, characterised in that the filter member is mounted extending across the internal side of the openable area.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, characterised in that the filter member is mounted to the remainder of the arrangement by rivets.

6. An arrangement according to claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the control means can cause the openable area to pivot inwardly about a part of the perimeter thereof.

7. An arrangement according to claim 6, characterised in that the arrangement is configured such that following opening the filter member may be selectively moved to extend across the inlet. ^""

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, characterised in that the arrangement is configured such that the filter member automatically locks in position when moved to extend across the inlet.

9. An arrangement according to claims 7 or 8, characterised in that the filter member is rotatable to extend across the inlet.

10. An arrangement according to claim 9, characterised in that the filter member is linked to the control means such that rotation of the control means causes rotation of the filter member.

11. An arrangement according to claim 10, characterised in that the filter member and control means are mounted to a support member which following opening can be rotated relative to the remainder of the arrangement.

12. An arrangement according to claim 11, characterised in that the support member is in the form of a rivet.

13. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in .that the filter member is made of aluminium or a plastics material.

14. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filter member is in the form of mesh.

15. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that the filter member is made of a permeable material.

16. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the closure arrangement is in the form of a ring pull opening for a beverage can.

17. A container incorporating a closure arrangement according to any of the preceding claims.

18. A container according to claim 17, characterised in that the container is a beverage can.