Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a cover for resealing a beverage container after the cover has been opened. In particular, the cover of the present invention allows for retention of carbonation and protection against extraneous elements being introduced in a beverage during storage following initial opening.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/045,351, filed on Sep. 3, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many containerized beverages are carbonated and retaining the level of carbonation after the container is opened is important to the beverage&#39;s taste and use. In addition, the carbonation may have beneficial health properties to a drinker of the beverage. When the carbonation is eliminated or reduced from a beverage, such as when the pressure of the contents is reduced, such as by unsealing a seal or by allowing the contents to be exposed to the ambient air, consumers often note that they perceive that the taste of the remaining beverage changed. Over time, if the container housing the carbonated beverage is opened and some of the beverage remains in the container and the container is not sealed, the carbonation can also escape, and the remaining beverage can escape by spilling. As a result, it is preferable to have a resealable container which can keep the contents with embedded carbonation and serve as an aid to avoid spillage. 
         [0003]    To overcome this issue of carbonation escape, some beverages are stored in bottles with sealable covers. Some drink manufacturers use tapered bottled with smaller resealable tops. The tapered opening helps in that it permits the container to lose carbonation at a slower rate and it permits the container to be easily resealable, such as by screw-on cap. But these containers have other issues. Often they are made of plastic, which is not readily degradable or reusable. Alternatively, they are made of glass, which may be costly to use and which may self-deform a bit over time, precluding a solid seal. Also, although there are benefits to a small spout, a detriment is that flow is reduced by the limited ability for air to enter to replace poured fluid. 
         [0004]    Some consumers prefer other types of containers, including aluminum cans, for reasons such as ease of storage or transport or recyclability. Some beverages which are kept in aluminum cans (or other containers) are not presently re-sealable. It would be beneficial for there to be a device which seals an open aluminum or other metal container so that the housed beverage retains its carbonation, even when temperature changes. 
         [0005]    Some people have attempted to solve this problem in various ways. U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,375 to Klein, for example, wraps a cover around the top and the sides of the container, such as in the form of a bonnet. However, Klein discloses a beaded cover which does not afford a fixed airtight seal, and Klein&#39;s apparatus is susceptible to changing temperature conditions, such as when the beverage is refrigerated. As such, there remains a need for a form fitting cover which is easy to use and seals in the carbonation in beverage remaining in a container after only some of the beverage is consumed or poured out. 
         [0006]    Further, it would be preferable to have a container inclusive of an attached cover for re-sealing the container and confining the carbonation in the beverage. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention is directed to a cover for a beverage container and alternatively to a beverage container inclusive of a cover whereby the cover can be used to reseal the container after the container is initially opened. The resealing is such that any carbonated beverage inside retains its carbonation even when the container is stored in varying atmospheric conditions, such as different temperatures. 
         [0008]    In an embodiment of the present invention, a cover is used to seal an open beverage container, such as an aluminum can. In the embodiments of the present invention, the cover of the present invention fits over the entire top of the can or a portion of the top of the can and attaches to the can by extending over an opening and/or an encircling the rim. In at least one embodiment, the cover is at least initially connected to the can. 
         [0009]    The benefits of the present invention not only include preservation of embedded carbonation, but also the ability to retard the possibility of spillage. Further, because of the stretchiness of the present invention and its tautness at and below the can rim, the overlay cover remains taut and retains an air tight seal, even as the can changes size and shape, such as contraction in a cold environment. 
         [0010]    Further, the present invention is easy to use, inexpensive, and potentially reusable. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  depicts a typical can in the unopened configuration, such as a can which could be used for the cover of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  depicts a typical can in the opened configuration, such as a can which could be used for the cover of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  depicts one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  depicts one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  depicts a line drawing of a cover of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  depicts an embodiment of the present invention in which the cover attaches to and encircles the top of the can. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  depicts an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the original sealing cover may be used for resealing and may also be attached to a clip on the can. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  depict another alternate embodiment whereby an extra cover covers a protrusion or intrusion on a can. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The present invention is directed to a container, such as an aluminum beverage container or can, with a form-fitting cover for resealing the container. In some embodiments the form-fitting cover always remains attached to the container. In other embodiments, the cover may be separable from the container. Although other containers are applicable to the various embodiments of the present invention described herein, for the purpose of this application the term “can” or “container” is intended to apply to any such container, including but not limited to an aluminum can. 
         [0020]    The present invention is available in numerous embodiments in a variety of forms, all of which serve purposes including retaining carbonation in a beverage after the container has been opened. In general, the present invention is directed to a covering for a container which is usable for re-sealing the opening of a previously sealed container after it has been opened. The present invention is usable to form an air tight and leak proof seal. In at least some embodiments, the present invention includes one or more elements which have elastomeric properties such that the element or elements can easily be stretched over an opening and/or a rim to create an air tight seal. In at least some embodiments, the present invention includes a material on the underside of the border of a cover which is compressible so as to form an air tight seal with the container. 
         [0021]    Traditional aluminum beverage containers are opened using a flip top opener or “tab”. See  FIG. 1 . Once open, a portion of the metal top becomes angled inwardly and the opening created remains open and cannot be closed. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  depicts the top of a beverage can before the can has been opened. As seen in  FIG. 1 , a can  100  has a top portion or cover  110 . Cover  110  is surrounded by can rim  200  and includes pull tab  120  and opening portion  130 . Can rim  200  generally includes a protrusion or bead  140  as shown. In the closed state shown in  FIG. 1 , opening portion  130  remains closed. The can is operated by a consumer, who opens the can by pulling up on pull tab  120 . Pull tab  120  is in communication with opening portion  130  and when the consumer pulls up on pull tab  120 , a seal between opening portion  130  and cover  110  is broken and the can is opened. Of course, once the can is open, carbonation within the contents becomes releasable to the environment. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  depicts a traditional beverage can in an open state, where opening  130  is open. 
         [0024]    The present invention is directed to, at least in part, an apparatus which fits over an open can and create an air tight seal. Further, the present invention is not limited to a traditional cylindrical can. The top of the beverage container applicable to the present invention may be round or some other shape such as square, elliptical, rectangular, or some irregular shape. 
         [0025]    In one embodiment of the present invention, a can comes equipped with a portion which is usable to re-seal the can when the can is opened. Any of several alternate approaches may be used to meet the purpose of a container with an element for sealing the container after opening. 
         [0026]    In one embodiment of the present invention, shown in  FIG. 3 , the container cover may have two possible covers—the traditional cover described above and an “extra” or second cover. To open such a container, a consumer may lift an extra cover  500 , which may be hinged or otherwise attached to the can. Extra cover  500  may be permanently attached or removable from the can. Extra cover  500  may engage with the can through a consumer putting extra cover  500  in position over the opening and forcing extra cover  500  to form a seal. 
         [0027]    Extra cover  500  may be permanently or temporarily attached to can  100 . That is, the cover may be permanently attached, such as by rivet, and its position may be adjusted for use in re-sealing the can, such as by rotation. Alternatively, extra cover  500  may initially be stored on or with the can, such as affixed to the tab or the side of the can and removed and repositioned for use in re-sealing. 
         [0028]    In the method of an embodiment, the consumer would open the can in the traditional way, by lifting the pull tab to force a portion of the can cover into the can. To reseal, the consumer can position extra cover  500  in place, which can be form fit to seal. Extra cover  500  may be formed entirely of aluminum, may be formed of aluminum which is bordered on its underside by a plastic or rubber (or a combination of plastic and rubber) member to allow for a form fit seal, or may entirely be formed of a plastic, rubber or other pliable material. That is, the plastic or rubber member may be more pliable than aluminum alone and forms an air tight seal with the can, either by bordering (and potentially partially being inserted in) the opening or surrounding the opening. 
         [0029]    In a variation of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the extra cover can initially be stored on the bottom of the container and the consumer can move the extra cover to the top when ready to reseal. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention whereby an extra cover  500  is attached to a pull tab of the container. As shown, the cover may be adhered, at least initially, to the underside of the pull tab and may be usable as a seal by rotating the tab. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the device may have an inner segment which rests in or near the opening and an outer section for further sealing. After opening a can in the traditional way, by lifting the pull tab to force a portion of the can cover into the can, a consumer may rotate the pull tab. The extra cover can then be used to reseal the can such as by rotating it to position and pushing down. Preferably, this extra cover is formed of the same material as the overall cover, such as aluminum, and is bordered on the bottom side by a plastic or rubber (or a combination of plastic and rubber) member to allow for a form fit seal. Alternate known materials serving the purpose of forming a seal could alternatively be used. To unseal the extra cover, the consumer could lift or depress and then rotate the tab. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the extra cover is initially positioned 180 degrees away from the opening. Alternatively, the extra cover could rest fewer degrees from the opening, such as 90 degrees, and be rotated over the opening. It may be necessary to press down to seal. The tab can be used as a device to “lock down” the extra cover and also can be used to “unlock” the extra cover when the consumer wants to reopen the can. 
         [0031]    In at least some of the embodiments, the tab of the can needs to be attached to the cover using known techniques such that the tab is rotatable without breaking. 
         [0032]    In still another embodiment, the tab and cover arrangement differ from that commonly used today. In this embodiment, the cover includes a different form of a tab, referred to herein as a “puller”. The puller and the can cover are formed at least in part of aluminum or other similar metals or other material. A consumer can lift the puller, which is attached to the cover and which opens some or all of the cover to allow the consumer to safely drink some of the beverage. The cover may only partially open or fully open and may be hinged. The puller can then be pushed down to put the original cover back in its original position, thereby re-forming the air tight seal. The cover may be made entirely of aluminum or may have some border which can act as a gasket and form the seal upon closure. 
         [0033]    Other embodiments relate to a cover which is not affixed to the can or rim, and are described below. 
         [0034]    In other embodiments, the cover can be included with the can but not affixed to the can in any permanent or semi-permanent way. In some embodiments, the cover may be stored on the can&#39;s side when not in use.  FIG. 5  depicts one such embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment, cover  300  is a single device which is formed at least in part of an air tight material, such as rubber or a compound inclusive of rubber, generally circular with limited thickness, and with a rim on the outer edge. Cover  300  is generally at least somewhat pliable so as to overlay the can&#39;s rim. The material itself has stretchable qualities but also retracts, or self-attempts to retract, to its original size. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  shows cover  300 , generally conformant with the shape of the can, with center  310  and device rim  320 . A consumer covers the can by placing one portion of cover rim  320  over the rim of can  100  and pulling cover  300  such that it surrounds can rim  200 , thereby forming the requisite seal. Cover rim  320  is slotted to encompass can rim  100 . The desire of cover  300  to retract, together with its own rim locked in place by inability to expand over or around can rim  200  keep the seal in place. 
         [0036]    Cover  200  may have a shape to be conformant with the can cover, including the pull tab and opening, and can have adequate flexibility for a consumer to push a portion into the can to create a seal with the edges of the opening (in addition to the seal with the can&#39;s rim). 
         [0037]    In another variation of the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 5 , although cover  300  is itself formed of a stretchy material, the apparatus includes an embedded shape such that it forms a seal with both the rim and the opening. That is, in this embodiment a portion of apparatus  200  seals the opening itself. A consumer can push on the apparatus so that it seals the opening. Further, the material used preferably has adherence properties such that its outer portion adheres to the top of the can. By a consumer pushing the device into the opening of the can, an air tight seal is formed and maintained through the device&#39;s adherence to the can. The device also can be sized to form a second seal with the rim of the can. The consumer can seal the opening itself by pushing a portion of cover  300  into the opening, further reducing the possibility of carbonation discharge. Outer portion  420  affixes to the can top. In a further variation of this embodiment, the apparatus is sized to the opening but also covers the entirety of the can top inclusive of the rim, but a rubber band is used to seal around the rim. 
         [0038]    In yet another embodiment of the present invention a plastic cover is used which is sized to the rim and snaps onto and around the rim. 
         [0039]    In still a further embodiment of the present invention, any of the described apparatus includes a tab along an outer edge to be used by a consumer for aiding in forming a seal or undoing a seal. Further, with the presence of a tab, the apparatus may be “burped” to let air out thereby forming an even tighter seal. 
         [0040]    In a further embodiment of the present invention, the cover may be entirely circumferential and form fitting around the entire can cover. In another embodiment, a portion of the cover may be physically and permanently attached to a portion of the cover and the remainder may cover the opening. See  FIG. 6 . That same portion may have at least two states—a resting state, whereby the cover is stored by being, for example, folded back, and a closing state for sealing the can. In this embodiment, cover  300  can include a slotted opening where the slot is formed to fit the top of the can. In this embodiment, the cover can be formed of a pliable material which seals to the rim of the can. In a variation of the embodiment, the slot can itself include a pliable material, such as a rubberized plastic, to aid in forming the seal. 
         [0041]    In at least one variation, the cover can include an embedded handle for lifting a portion of the cover. 
         [0042]    In another embodiment, the can&#39;s opening may also act as the resealing cover. See  FIG. 7  for one embodiment. In this preferred embodiment, a tab or some comparable device is usable to lift an opening unit up (instead of causing the opening to go downward into the can). Such an approach has several benefits. First, such an approach serves to limit undesirable material (such as dirt) which is on the top of the opening from entering the can and the beverage. Second, once the tab is used to pull the opening up, that opening can be used, together with a clasp or hook  700  located on the distal end of the rim to hold the opening in place. Clasp or hook  700  is shown away from the can for emphasis, but would be attached to the can. The dotted lines shown indicate the path of the cover. Finally, the opening unit may be re-used for resealing the can. The opening unit may be pinned to the can cover at the center or a border of the cover. 
         [0043]    In this case, a consumer opens a can by lifting a covering top, such as with a tab. To do so, the orientation of the tab may need to be reversed from the orientation should in  FIG. 7 . The opening unit may include at least two layers—an outside metal layer (such as seen in  FIG. 7 ) which forms, at least in part, the initial seal with the can, and an inner layer which may be plastic or another pliable material or may alternatively be aluminum (with or without a separate sealing ring, such as one formed of plastic, rubber, or equivalent) and which is used to form a subsequent seal. That is, the opening unit is reusable to form a reseal. This subsequent seal is formed by the consumer pushing the opening unit in place, where the flexible material forms a seal with the remainder of the can cover. 
         [0044]    In yet another embodiment, the cover of the present invention includes both a handle attached to the exterior of the opening unit, such as the handle formed as or as a part of the tab assembly, and a hook or hooking device  700 . The handle of the opening unit can be secured to the can when the can is opened using hook  700 . In one such use, the hook can also serve as the traditional tab in that the tab may have a device to “lock” to the can&#39;s rim, and the handle can be formed of a pliable material and secured to the hook (such as by folding or rolling) when not in use. 
         [0045]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  depict another embodiment. In this embodiment the cover of the metal can has an extended portion  900  which is elevated from and extends over the location of the traditional opening. Extended portion  900  includes a base portion  920  and a lip portion  930 . In the version shown in  FIG. 8A , the extended portion is preferably formed of plastic and is adhered to the can cover, such as by a glue or other adherence. As shown, it is formed to fit a portion of can cover  110  surrounding its opening so as to form an air tight seal around the position of the opening. Also as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , extended portion  900  can have an exterior threading for fitting an extended portion cover  910  which, through screwing or other known ways forms a seal with extended portion  900 . That is, extended portion  900  forms a first air seal with the can cover and a second air seal with extended portion cover  910 . In a variation of the embodiment, extended portion cover  910  can itself include a slot to aid in forming the seal (so that extended portion can fit within it) and may further include a pliable material, such as a rubberized plastic, to aid in forming the seal. 
         [0046]    As shown in  FIG. 8A , extended cover  900  can be formed of a separate material, such as plastic which is adhered to the can cover, or alternatively, the can cover can be formed with an extended element. That is, extended cover  900  and cover  110  can be formed as a single element, preferably made of aluminum, but other materials such as metals or plastics could be used. In this embodiment, the opening may appear at the top of the extended cover (away from the body of the can) and the user may open the can in a known manner (such as an embedded pull tab on the top). The unit may be threaded to fit the cap, such as the one shown in  FIG. 8B , for further resealing. 
         [0047]    In an alternative embodiment to that shown in  FIG. 8A , the can cover may remain a traditional can cover, and extended cover  900  may be later attachable to can cover  110 . In another embodiment, a type of peal-and-stick device may be attached to extended cover  900  and be adhered to can cover  110 . In yet another alternative embodiment, the can cover may itself include a spout (as original equipment and not later attachable), where the spout includes elevation from the surface of the can cover. The spout may be threaded and a matably threaded top may be used to form both an initial seal and be reusable to form a second seal. The spout preferably includes a rim and the matably threaded cover may include a slot for the rim. The slot may also include embedded material, preferably flexible, to aid in forming a seal or a re-seal. 
         [0048]    It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.