Patent ID: 6443323
Filing Date: 2002-09-03
Classification: B65D,Y10S

Abstract:
A protective seal for a beverage can having a sidewall and a top, a pop tab stamped into the top defining a sealed opening, a pop tab pull ring, and a rivet connecting the pop tab pull ring to the top, the protective seal comprising:a thin, flexible, durable, impervious sheet of material, the sheet having a periphery and having a first portion for covering an area of the top over the pop tab and a second portion covering an area of the sidewall of the can so that the sheet covers an area of the top and the sidewall of the can contacted by a user's mouth; a seal extension extending from the first portion of said sheet, the seal extension being disposed between the pull tab ring and the top of the can in order to retain the seal on the can; means for sealing the periphery of said sheet to the can, provided that said seal extension is not sealed to the can; and bushing means disposed to each side of said seal extension and between the pop tab pull ring and the top of the can for providing clearance between the pop tab pull ring and the top of the can, the rivet extending through the bushing, said seal extension being movable between the pop tab pull ring and the top of the can, the seal being rotatable and pivoting horizontally about the rivet when said sealing means is broken in order to provide access to the opening in the top of the can.