CLOSING DEVICE FOR A BEVERAGE CAN

Abstract: Closing device for closing a beverage can (1) which has been opened, whereby this can (1) has a radially extending edge (2) on the perimeter of one end and whereby an opening is provided in this end, characterized in that it contains an elastic closing element (3) which can be placed over the opening, and a push element (4) containing hook elements (11) which can be hooked behing the edge (2) on the end of the can (1), such that, when the hook elements (11) hook behind said edge (2), the push element (4) pushes the closing element (3) against the end.

Description: Closing device for a beveraσe can. The invention concerns a closing device for closing a beverage can which has been opened, whereby this can has a radially extending edge on the perimeter of one end and whereby an opening is provided in this end. Beverage cans are not always emptied at once. The drinking opening is normally obtained by pulling off a lip with a ring. The system with the lip for opening the can is such, however, that this lip cannot be used to close the opening again. Consequently, the beverage can be spilled during transport or it can run out of the can as the latter topples. Dirt can enter the opening or insects can penetrate the can via the opening. Moreover, with cans with carbonated beverage, the carbonic acid gas can escape, so that the beverage does not taste good anymore after a while and is usually thrown away, which is a serious waste. The invention aims a closing device for a beverage can which can close off the can hermetically after it has been opened, so that no beverage can be spilled and any possible carbonic acid gas cannot escape, so that the above-mentioned and other disadvantages are remedied. This aim is reached according to the invention in that the closing device contains an elastic closing element which can be placed over the opening of a can, and a push element containing hook elements which can be hooked behind the edge on the end of the can, such that, when the hook elements hook behind said edge, the push element pushes the closing element against the above-mentioned end. Preferably, the push element contains a push part which is situated against the elastic closing element and to which the hook elements fit. According to a special embodiment of the invention, the hook elements consist of fingers which are provided with a protrusion on one end. Preferably, the closing device contains a cap which is situated over a part of the push element. In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiment of a closing device for a beverage can is described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: figure 1 shows a side view of a beverage can equipped with a closing device according to the invention; figure 2 shows a section of a part of the can and of the closing device according to figure 1; figure 3 shows a section analogous to that in figure 2, but for another position of the closing device; figure 4 shows a section of the closing device from figure 2, with the parts dismounted; figure 5 shows a top view of the closing device according to the invention. Figure 1 shows a beverage can 1 which has been opened and closed again by means of a closing device according to the invention. At the open end, the can 1 is provided in the usual manner with a topward but also radially protruding edge 2. As represented in detail in figures 2 to 4, the closing device consists of three separate parts, namely a closing element 3, a push element 4 and a cap 5. The closing element 3 is made of elastic plastic, for example polypropylene, and consists of a disc-shaped part 6 with almost the same diameter as the edge 2, on which is provided a rib 7 concentrically on the bottom side and a ring-shaped collar 8 on the top side. The push element 4 is made of ABS plastic and consists of a push part 9-10 which is made of a ring-shaped part 9 with a collar 10 fitting on the inner perimeter, and of six fingers 11 which form hook elements and which fit onto the outer perimeter of the ring-shaped part 9 between their ends, such that these fingers 11 can tilt in a slightly elastic way in relation to this part 9. The fingers 11 are provided with a protrusion 12 on one end on the side of the part 9 which forms a beard and is bevelled at the bottom. The cap 5 is made of a hard plastic, for example polypropylene, and consists of a cylindrical part 13 whose inner diameter coincides with the outer diameter of the collar 10 and of a lid 14 which is provided on one end of the part 13. The push element 4 is provided on the closing element 3, with the ring-shaped part 9 up against the part of the top side of the disc-shaped part 6 which is situated around the collar 8, whereby the collar 10 fits against the collar 8, and the push element 4 is fixed to the closing element 3 by means of the cap 5 whose cylindrical part 13 is clamped around the collars 8 and 10. In rest position, the fingers 11 extend almost parallel to the cylindrical part 13 of the cap 5, such almost up to the outer perimeter of the disc-shaped part 6. The lower end of each finger, which is provided with the protrusion 12, can topple elastically outward as of the rest position, until the other ends of the finger, upon which is exerted a suitable inwardly directed pressure to this end, strike against the lid 14 of the cap 5 as represented in figure 3. In order to apply the above-mentioned closing device on the can 1, one proceeds as follows. The closing device is placed with the protrusions 12 against the edge 2 on the end of the can 1 in which the opening to be closed is situated. By pushing on the cap 5 , the lower ends of the fingers 11, due to the presence of the protrusions 12, are separated, to the position as represented in figure 3, and these protrusions 12 click over the edge 2 as represented in figure 2. This hooking on of the protrusions 12 under the edge 2 can also be obtained by pushing the top ends of the fingers 11 against the cap 5 with one's hand, while the closing device is pushed against the above-mentioned end of the can 1, and by subsequently loosening the fingers li. After they have been loosened or during the clicking, the fingers 11 jump elastically in their position as represented in the figures 1 and 2, which coincides or almost coincides with their rest position. The push element 4 is fixed in this manner on the can 1 whereby the closing element 3, due to the push part 9-10, is pushed with its rib 7 around the opening against the end of the can 1, whereby the rib 7 is deformed slightly elastically, so that a hermetic sealing of the opening is obtained. In so far as the beverage is carbonated, this gas exerts an outward pressure on the rib 7 which is directed slantingly inward with its free end, so that this rib fits even stronger against the end of the can 1. The closing device can easily be pulled off the can 1 by hinging the top end of the six fingers 11 elastically against the cap 5, i.e. into the position as represented in figure 3. The closing device can be applied and removed in a very simple manner. This closing device is relatively cheap, it can be used several times and it allows for considerable savings as far as beverages are concerned. The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiment described above and represented in the accompanying drawing; on the contrary, such a closing device can be made in all sorts of variants while still remaining within the scope of the invention. In particular, the push element 4 and the closing element 3 must not necessarily be separate parts. The fingers 11 could for example be fixed directly on the disc-shaped part of this closing element 3. The closing element 3 and the push element 4 must not necessarily be attached to one another as the cap 5 is clamped over the collars 8 and 10. The collars 8 and 10 can be fixed to one another and possibly to the cylindrical part 13 of the cap 5 by means of gluing, screwing or in other manners. Neither must the number of hook elements be necessarily equal to six. Two hook elements are sufficient, but preferably there are at least three.

Claims: Claims. 1. Closing device for closing a beverage can (1) which has been opened, whereby this can (1) has a radially extending edge (2) on the perimeter of one end and whereby an opening is provided in this end, characterized in that it contains an elastic closing element (3) which can be placed over the opening, and a push element (4) containing hook elements (11) which can be hooked behind the edge (2) on the end of the can (1), such that, when the hook elements (11) hook behind said edge (2), the push element (4) pushes the closing element (3) against the end. 2. Closing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the push element (4) contains a push part (9-10) which is situated against the elastic closing element (3) and to which the hook elements (11) fit. 3. Closing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the hook elements (11) can rotate in a slightly elastic way in relation to the push part (9-10). 4. Closing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hook elements (11) are fingers which are provided with protrusions (12) on one end. 5. Closing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains six hook elements (11). 6. Closing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains a cap (5) which is situated over a part of the push element (4). 7. Closing device according to claim 6, characterized in that the cap (5) is clamped over a collar (10) of the push element (4). 8. Closing device according to claims 2 and 1 , characterized in that the push part (9-10) contains a ring-shaped part (9) which is situated against the closing element (3), whereby the standing collar (10) is provided on the inner perimeter of this part (9) over which the cap (5) is clamped and whereby the fingers (11) fit on the outer perimeter of this part (9). 9. Closing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closing element (3) contains a disc-shaped part (6) upon which is provided an elastically defor able rib (7) on the bottom side and upon which is provided a collar (8) on the top side which is surrounded by the push element (4). 10. Closing device according to claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the collar (10) of the push part (9-10) fits against the outside of the collar (8) of the closing element (3).

Inventors: CRAEYNEST LIONEL, CRAEYNEST, LIONEL
Applicants: CRAEYNEST LIONEL, GARAGE GHISTELINCK WAREGEM NAA, CRAEYNEST, LIONEL, GARAGE GHISTELINCK WAREGEM, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65D51
IPC codes: B65D51