IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BEVERAGE CONTAINERS

Abstract: A beverage container (1) in the form of an aluminium can has a top plate (3) in which a dispensing aperture (5) is formed by pulling a tab (6) so as to inwardly displace a tongue portion (11). A filtering means (16) is resiliently mounted within the container so as to be deployed at a location traversing the dispensing aperture after the tongue portion has been inwardly displaced. The filtering means may be a perforate plate and may have perforations defining a competition token (72) whereby the token becomes visible only after the container is opened.

Description: Improvements in or Relating to Beverage Containers This invention relates to a container and in particular but not exclusively to a beverage container in the form of a can. It is known to provide a top for such containers comprising a plate of thin aluminium sheet material in which a tear line is pre-formed, thereby allowing a dispensing aperture to be formed using a manually operable actuating means mounted on the plate such as a ring pull tab. It is also known for such dispensing apertures to be formed by displacing a tongue portion defined by the tear line so as to be bent inwardly of the container. A problem with such containers is that insects or other debris may enter the dispensing aperture and may subsequently be dispensed. This is particularly a problem with soft drinks which are consumed directly from the container by placing the top to the user's lips and without first decanting the contents into a receptacle. It is known from WO93/08087 to provide a filter mounted on the external surface of the top of the container and moveable into a position in which it overlays the dispensing aperture to prevent the ingress of insects. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the filter is exposed during handling of the container and is therefore susceptible to contamination and the accumulation of debris and is also susceptible to damage. It is also known from US5379914 to provide a filtering device for a container, the filtering device comprising a concave net filter in the shape of one half of an egg which is placed underneath the dispensing aperture. A disadvantage of this device is that the filter defines a finite volume within the net into which debris or insects may enter so that it is still possible for such insects and debris to pose a hazard . It is also not possible to insert a drinking straw into the container beyond the depth of the net filter. According to the present invention there is disclosed a container having a top comprising a plate which is disruptable at a zone of weakness constituted by a tear line defining in outline a tongue portion, the top further comprising actuating means mounted on an outer face of the plate and operable to cause tearing of the plate along the tear line and to displace the tongue portion relative to the plate to define a dispensing aperture; and filtering means mounted internally of the container and comprising a filter and operable to support the filter at a deployed position adjacent or in contact with the plate at a location traversing the dispensing aperture. The filter thereby acts as a screen to prevent the ingress of insects or debris via the aperture and also acts as a filter to prevent the egress of foreign bodies which may have entered the container during filling. It should be noted that, throughout the present description and claims, the terms filter and filtering means are to be construed as including the alternative description of screen and screening means where appropriate. By mounting the filter within the container, contamination and damage of the filter is avoided during handling and distribution of the container. Deployment of the filter at a location traversing the dispensing aperture avoids the formation of a recess beneath the aperture into which debris or insects may enter. Preferably the actuating means is operable to inwardly displace the tongue portion relative to the container and the filtering means is operable to support the filter in an initial position in which it overlays an inner face of the tongue portion prior to actuation of the actuating means, the filter being displaceable to an intermediate position at which it is spaced from an inner face of the plate to accommodate inward movement of the tongue portion and being displaceable thereafter to the deployed position Displacement of the filter to the intermediate position and subsequently to the deployed position enables a filter to be provided sufficiently close to the plate to completely traverse the dispensing aperture, notwithstanding the need for the tongue portion to extend into the container. Preferably the filtering means comprises a mounting portion fixedly mounted to the plate and supporting the filter so as to be deflectable relative to the mounting portion, and biasing means operable to bias the filter into contact with the plate in the deployed position. By securing the filtering means to the plate, the filtering means and the plate thereby form a subassembly which can be handled as a single unit when assembling the container. The subassembly will then be presented to a body of the container and the plate peripherally sealed to the body in a conventional manner after filling the body with the liquid contents to be dispensed . Since the filter is biased into contact with the plate in the deployed position, it remains possible to deflect the filter for example by the insertion of a straw in order to directiy gain access to the interior of the container. It is therefore possible to utilise a drinking straw to dispense the contents of the container Upon withdrawal of the drinking straw, the biasing means will be operable to return the filter into the deployed position, thereby maintaining the filtering function of the filter. Advantageously the mounting portion and the filter are constituted by a resilient filter member of unitary construction having a shape memory tending to bias the filter into contact with the inner face of the plate This arrangement has the advantage of avoiding the need for a separate spring member to bias the filter. Conveniently the mounting portion is adhesively mounted to the inner face of the plate The filtering means may alternatively have a mounting portion which is mounted to the plate by means of co-operating connecting formations. Conveniently such connecting formations comprise a projection formed integrally with the plate and received in a connecting aperture defined in the mounting portion. Such a projection may for example be a rivet formed unitaπly with the top plate of the container. The filter and the mounting plate when so connected may be formed of the same material as the plate. The filtering means may comprise an elongate strip in sheet form having a first flat portion constituting the mounting portion, a perforate second flat portion constituting the filter and an intermediate portion intermediate the first and second flat portions having a shape memory, the intermediate portion thereby constituting the biasing means. The intermediate portion may comprise a bowed portion which overlays the mounting portion in spaced relationship thereto and defines an access aperture facilitating access to the mounting portion during assembly. Alternatively the intermediate portion may be constituted by a third flat portion of the elongate strip which in the deployed position is co-planar with the first and second flat portions. Such an elongate strip may then be of arcuate profile when viewed in projection orthogonally to the first flat portion so as to define a cut out accommodating inward movement of the actuating means relative to the plate. An advantage of such an arcuate strip is to achieve greater length of the intermediate portion in order to minimise the acuteness with which the intermediate portion needs to be bent when flexing to accommodate inward motion of the tongue portion. This is particularly important when it is desirable to use materials such as aluminium which exhibit less resilience to bending than conventional spring materials such as steel. In a preferred embodiment the filter comprises an array of apertures with a size in the range 2 to 5mm. The filter may comprise a sieve formed as a grid in which a first set of mutually parallel linear members is intersected by a second set of mutually parallel members and wherein the second hinge line is substantially parallel to the first members. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a subassembly comprising a top and a filtering means as above defined. The filter may comprise visible indicating means which are visible via the dispensing aperture in the deployed position but which remain concealed until the point at which the container is opened. The visible indicating means may thereby comprise a token for use in a competition or game in which an individual container is to be identified or distinguished from other containers by means of the token in order to indicate that the purchaser has won the competition or game. The visible indicating means may be constituted by the disposition or shape of perforations provided in the filter or alternatively by any other suitable visible marking, surface finish or pictorial representation According to a further aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of dispensing liquid from a container comprising the steps of; operating an actuating means to disrupt a plate forming a top of a container by tearing of the plate aiong a pre-formed tear line and displacing a tongue portion defined in outline by the tear line to form a dispensing aperture, deflecting a filter mounted in an initial position adjacent an inner face of the plate to an intermediate position at which it is spaced from the inner face by displacement of the tongue portion, further displacing the tongue portion to a position in which the filter is free to relax to a deployed position in which it extends in contact with or in proximity to the inner face of the plate to thereby traverse the dispensing aperture, and dispensing liquid via the dispensing aperture through the filter Optionally, the method may include the step of arresting movement of the actuating means at a location such that the filter is held in the intermediate position so as to be held clear of the inner face by the tongue portion, liquid then being dispensed via the dispensing aperture in a manner which allows the filter to be bypassed. This optional aspect of the method may be useful when it is desired to dispense liquid into a receptacle prior to consumption, as opposed to drinking the liquid directly from the container, since the presence of the filter in the deployed position may in general slow the rate at which liquid flows through the dispensing aperture. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of assembling a container as hereinbefore disclosed and comprising the steps of mounting the filtering means onto the inner face of the plate and subsequently joining the plate to the body of the container. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of dispensing liquid from a container comprising the steps of, operating an actuating means to disrupt a plate forming a top of a container by tearing of the plate along a pre-formed tear line and displacing a tongue portion defined in outline by the tear line to form a dispensing aperture; deflecting a visible indicating means mounted in an initial position adjacent an inner face of the plate to an intermediate position at which it is spaced from the inner face by displacement of the tongue portion; further displacing the tongue portion to a position in which the visible indicating means is free to relax to a deployed position in which it extends in contact with or in proximity to the inner face of the plate to thereby traverse the dispensing aperture, thereby revealing the visible indicating means so as to be visible via the dispensing aperture; and dispensing liquid via the dispensing aperture A preferred embodiment of the present inventton will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which; Figure 1 is a plan view of a top of a container in accordance with the present invention prior to use; Figure 2 is a plan view of the top of Figure 1 after opening the dispensing aperture; Figure 3 is a schematic plan view, partly sectioned, to reveal the location of the filter prior to opening; Figure 4 is a schematic side elevation illustrating the relative positions of the tab, tongue and filter during an initial phase of opening, Figures 5 to 8 are schematic side elevations showing the relative positions of the components of Figure 4 at subsequent stages of opening., Figure 9 is a schematic plan view of an alternative container in which a plan view of the filtering means is superimposed to indicate its position relative to the tear line and the tab; Figure 1 0 is a schematic sectional side elevation of the container of Figure 9, Figure 1 1 is a schematic plan view of the container of Figures 9 and 10 indicating the location of a connecting formation between the plate and the filtering means; Figure 1 2 is a plan view of an alternative filtering means; Figure 1 3 is a plan view of a further alternative filteπng means; Figure 14 is a schematic side elevation of the filteπng means of Figure 1 3 and having a bowed portion; Figure 1 5 is a perspective view of a modified version of the filtering means of Figures 1 3 and 14; Figure 1 6 is a plan view of a container having a further alternative filtering means, Figure 1 7 is an underneath view of the top plate of the container of Figure 1 6; Figure 18 is a partly sectioned elevation showing schematically the initial stage of opening of the container of Figures 1 6 and 1 7, Figures 1 9 to 22 are schematic partly sectioned side elevations of the container of Figures 1 6 to 18 showing progressively different stages of opening; and Figure 23 is a plan view of a container having a further alternative filtering means In Figure 1 a container 1 consists of an aluminium can for dispensing a carbonated soft drink The container 1 has a top 2 comprising a plate 3 of aluminium sheet material which is peripherally crimped to a cylindrical body 25 of the container The plate 3 is pre-formed with a tear line in the form of a groove 4 which creates a zone of weakness along which tearing of the plate 3 will result in the formation of a dispensing aperture 5 as shown in Figure 2. The top 2 is opened by means of an actuating tab 6 which is secured to the plate 3 by means of a rivet formation 7 formed integrally with the plate The tab 6 is also formed of aluminium but is formed with sufficient rigidity to act as a lever during the opening operation The tab 6 has at one end a handle portion 8 and at its other end a tapered nose 9, the rivet formation 7 acting as a fulcrum intermediate the handle portion and the nose such that by pulling upwardly on the handle portion a user causes the nose to be depressed towards an upper surface 1 0 of the plate 3 The groove 4 is partly circular in shape to define in outline a tongue portion 1 1 of the plate 3, the groove having end portions 1 2 and 1 3 which define therebetween a hinge portion of the tongue portion which remains intact subsequent to the tearing operation and defines a first bend line 1 5 shown in Figure 3 about which the tongue portion 1 1 effectively pivots A filter member 1 6 is mounted on an inner face 1 7 of the plate 3. The filter member 1 6 consists of a filter 22 of plastics material in the form of a rectilinear grid in which a parallel array of first linear members 1 8 intersects a parallel array of second linear members 19 to define an array of square filter apertures 20 therebetween The size of the filter apertures 20 is 3mm 2 As shown in Figure 3, the filter 22 extends over an area of the inner face 1 7 which includes the tongue portion 1 1 , the filter 22 being supported by a mounting portion 21 which is adhesively secured to the inner face 1 7 such that the filter 22 is supported in proximity or in contact with the inner face 1 7 by virtue of the shape memory of the plastics material forming the filter member 16 The mounting portion 21 is adhesively secured to the inner face 17 at a location lying approximately on a datum line 23 which extends at 90° to the first bend line 1 5 and intersects with the first bend line at the position of the rivet formation 7 The filter member 1 6 is oriented such that second linear members 19 are also aligned parallel to the datum line 23 The filter member 1 6 is more easily flexible about bend lines parallel to the linear members 1 8 or 1 9 so that the effect of this orientation is that the datum line 23 tends to act as a second hinge line when the filter 22 is inwardly depressed by action of the tongue portion 1 1 . As shown in Figure 4, actuation of the tab 6 in order to open the container 1 is effected by raising the tab such that it pivots about the rivet formation 7 and forces downwardly the nose 9, thereby resulting in tearing of the plate 3, commencing at the end portion 1 3 of the groove 4 Figures 4 to 8 are highly schematic and do not reflect the fact that the tab, filter and tongue pivot about bend lines which are mutually inclined as seen from Figure 3. The tongue 1 1 begins to become partially detached from the plate 3 and moves downwardly A tear rapidly progresses around a tear line defined by the groove 4 and continued downward movement of the tongue portion 1 1 is accompanied by bending about the first bend line 1 5. Downward motion of the tongue 1 1 urges the filter 22 downwardly into an intermediate position shown in Figure 5, this downward motion being accommodated by bending of the plastics material forming the filter member 1 6 while the mounting portion 21 remains adhesively secured to the inner face 1 7 Continued pivotal motion of the tab 6 results in the tongue portion 1 1 being bent through more than 90 degrees to reach a position as shown in Figure 7 in which the filter member 1 6 is able to relax to its initial position in which the filter 22 underlays the inner face 1 7 and traverses the dispensing aperture 5 Finally, the tab 6 is returned to a position corresponding to its initial location by reverse bending the tab, the tongue portion 1 1 tending to remain in its deformed position leaving the dispensing aperture 5 unimpeded for the subsequent dispensing of the contents of the container 1 . During such dispensing, the filter 22 traverses the dispensing aperture and filters the contents as they are dispensed. The effect of the flow of liquid through the filter 22 also further urges the filter against the plate 3 thereby ensuring good contact with the inner face 17. After partly dispensing the contents of the container 1 , the container may then stand for some time before further dispensing. During this time, the filter 22 prevents the ingress of foreign bodies into the container via the dispensing aperture 5 and in particular excludes insects such as wasps. It has been found that using a relatively coarse sieve as the filter 22, carbonated drinks can be dispensed without significantly disrupting the pouring qualities of the beverage. It may however in some instances be desirable to dispense the contents of the container 1 while bypassing the filter 22. This can be achieved by interrupting the actuating motion of the tab 6 at the intermediate position as shown in Figures 5 or 6 at which the dispensing aperture 5 is adequately defined for the purpose of dispensing but at which the filter 22 is held at a stand off distance from the inner face 1 7. In this intermediate position, the contents can be poured without filtering action, this being perhaps preferable when it is desired to decant the contents into a receptacle before drinking. If the liquid contents are only partially decanted , the tab 6 may then be fully actuated to allow the filter 22 to reach its deployed position to thereby protect the remaining contents from contamination prior to further pouring. The adhesive utilised for bonding the mounting portion 21 to the plate 3 is selected to have non-toxic properties Adhesives such as those utilised in dentistry for example would be suitable Alternatively, ultrasonic welding techniques may be utilised In this instance it may be necessary to add a layer of a plastics material to the inner face 1 7 of the plate 3. Where adhesive is utilised, a single spot of adhesive may be sufficient or alternatively a crescent-shaped area of adhesive extending peripherally of the groove 4 may be utilised An alternative container will now be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10 using corresponding references to those of preceding Figures where appropriate for corresponding elements In Figure 9 a container 1 has a top 2 comprising a plate 3 in which a groove 4 provides a zone of weakness for the formation of a dispensing aperture as described above with reference to Figure 1 A filtering means 30 is mounted within the container and, although hidden from view before opening the container, is shown schematically superimposed on the plan view of the plate 3 in order to illustrate the location of the filtering means The filtering means 30 comprises a mounting portion 31 formed of resilient metal sheet which is secured at one end to the inner face 1 7 of the plate 3 by means of a rivet 32 The rivet 32 is formed integrally with the material of the plate 3, being constituted by a downwardly extending projection which extends through a connecting aperture in the mounting portion 31 , the rivet thereafter being flattened by a suitable tool during the assembly process. A free end portion 33 of the metal sheet is resiliently bendable away from the inner face 1 7 and has a shape memory retaining the free end portion in contact with the inner face as shown in Figure 10 The free end portion 33 is connected to a filter 1 6 by a further rivet 34 formed integrally with the free end portion 33 as a projection extending through a connecting aperture in the filter The filter 1 6 is thereby held in an initial position adjacent to the inner face 1 7 During opening of the container 1 , the filter 1 6 is moveable in a similar manner to that described above with reference to Figures 4 to 8, the resilience of the free end portion 33 acting as a biasing means returning the filter to its deployed position after formation of the aperture The location of the rivet 32 is further illustrated in Figure 1 1 in which datum lines 35 indicate generally the location of the point of attachment between the mounting portion 31 and the plate 3 A further datum line 23 indicates the bend line about which the filtering means 30 bends in response to movement of the tongue portion 1 1 , the filtering means 30 being mounted such that this bend line is orthogonal to the bend line 1 5 of the tongue portion 1 1 The rivet 32 may alternatively be located at any other position on the inner face which may be appropriate for adequate deployment of the filtering means 30 The filter 22 of the container of Figures 9 and 10 may alternatively be formed of metal, thereby enabling the metallic materials of the mounting portion 31 and the filter 22 to be selected according to their required properties of resilience and suitability for filtering respectively Alternatively, a filtering means 40 may be of unitary construction as shown in Figure 1 2 and formed of a single metallic material. The filtering means 40 is formed as an elongate strip of the same metallic material as the plate 3 of the container 1 , a connecting aperture 41 being provided at one end for receiving rivet 32 and a series of filter apertures 20 being provided at the other end to define the filter 22. The use of a common material for the filtering means 40 and the plate 3 has the advantage of simplifying recycling of the container 1 . A further advantage is that the filtering means 40 can be secured to the plate using connecting formations of the same type as those used to connect the tab 6 to the upper surface of the plate 3, thereby simplifying the assembly process by using common techniques. A further alternative filtering means 50 is shown in Figure 13 and 14. The filtering means 50 comprises a single elongate strip of metallic material in sheet form having a first flat portion 51 constituting a mounting portion, a second flat portion 52 which is perforate to define a series of filter apertures 20, and a bowed portion 53 intermediate the first and second flat portions having a shape memory tending to retain the first and second flat portions in co-planar relationship. The bowed portion 53 thereby provides biasing means for returning the filter 22 constituted by the second flat portion 52 to a deployed position as shown in Figure 14 For compactness, the first flat portion 51 is formed by being bent through an obtuse angle relative to the bowed portion 53 so that the bowed portion overlays the first flat portion in spaced relationship thereto In order to gain access during assembly to a rivet 32 extending through a connecting aperture 41 formed in the first flat portion 51 , an access aperture 54 may be provided in the bowed portion 53 as shown in the alternative configuration of Figure 1 5. The filtering means 40, 50 of Figures 1 3 to 1 5 are particularly useful when using a material such as aluminium which exhibits relatively poor resilience, the effect of the bowed portion being to longitudinally distribute bending of the material in order to avoid the onset of plastic deformation. A further alternative will now be described using corresponding reference numerals to those of preceding Figures where appropriate for corresponding elements Figures 1 6 to 22 illustrate a further alternative filtering means 60 in the form of an elongate strip of metallic mateπal, selected to be the same material as that constituting the plate 3 and the body 25 of the container 1 . Typically this material is aluminium, thereby enabling the entire container including the filtering means 60 to be recyclable In the plan view of Figure 1 6, the outline of the filtering means 60 is indicated in broken lines, except where revealed via the dispensing aperture 5, the container 1 being illustrated in Figure 1 6 after completion of an actuating cycle in which the dispensing aperture 5 is fully opened and the tab 6 returned to its initial position As seen in underneath view in Figure 1 7 before actuation, the filtering means 60 extends as a flat strip in contact with the underside of the plate 3 and, when viewed orthogonally to the plane of the strip, is seen to have an arcuate outline so as to extend curvilinearly between a first flat portion 51 fixedly mounted to the plate by means of a rivet formation 61 and a second flat portion 52 which is perforated to provide a number of filter apertures 20 enabling the second flat portion to serve as a filter An intermediate portion 62 of flat stπp has an outer edge 63 extending in proximity to the circumference of the plate 3 and an inner edge 64 which is curved to define a cut out 65 which underlays the location of the nose 9 of the tab 6 The cut out 65 also provides clearance beneath the rivet formation 7 to allow access for a tool during assembly The filtering means 60 is secured to the underside of the plate 3 in a process in which a hole provided in the first flat portion 51 receives a projection formed integrally with the plate 3, the projection then being flattened in a press so as to fixedly retain the first flat portion to serve as a mounting portion of the filtering means. As shown in Figure 1 8, actuation of the tab 6 in order to open the container 1 is effected by raising the tab such that it pivots about rivet formation 7 to downwardly force the nose 9, thereby resulting in tearing of the plate 3 The tongue 1 1 begins to become partially detached from the plate 3 and moves downwardly as a tear rapidly progresses around a tear line defined by groove 4 as described above Downward motion of the tongue 1 1 displaces the second flat portion 52 out of contact with the plate 3 by resilient deformation of the intermediate portion 62 Further actuation of the tab 6 is accompanied by further movement of the tongue 1 1 and further resilient deformation of the filtering means 60 as shown in Figure 1 9 where the filtering means is held in an intermediate position in which it is held clear of the dispensing aperture As shown in Figure 20, further motion of the tab and tongue releases the filtering means which then relaxes due to the shape memory of the intermediate portion 62 into the deployed position in which it extends in contact with the plate 3 and traverses the dispensing aperture 5 Further motion of the tab continues as shown in Figure 21 , followed by reverse motion of the tab into the configuration shown in Figure 22 in which the tongue 1 1 remains in its deformed position leaving the dispensing aperture 5 unimpeded by the tongue for the subsequent dispensing of the contents of the container 1 In this final position, a filter 22 constituted by the second flat portion 52 and the apertures 20 provides filtering action to prevent the ingress of contaminants and the egress of any solids within the container 1 The provision of the cut out 65 allows the nose 9 to return to its rest position as shown in Figure 2, the inner edge 64 being configured to provide a small clearance 66 relative to the nose, the clearance having a size comparable with the aperture size of the filter 22 The disposition of the apertures 20 in the filtering means 60 is a regular array of circular holes This pattern of holes or perforations may be varied in order to provide a means of identifying a selected container, or each one of a set of containers from a larger set of containers, if it is required to provide a visible indicating means which becomes visible only after opening the container such that the visible indicating means is visible via the dispensing aperture 5 A further alternative filtering means 70 as shown in Figure 23 has apertures 71 which are disposed in a different pattern which is readily distinguishable from that of the filtering means 60 as seen in Figure 1 6 The filtering means 70 has elongate apertures 71 arranged in a pattern such that they appear to radiate from a central location The visual pattern defined by the apertures 71 may be utilised for example in a competition in which an exposed portion 72, as viewed by the dispensing aperture 5, of the second flat portion 52 constitutes a visible indicating means In an example, a batch of containers are formed with visible indicating means of the type illustrated in Figure 1 6 as comprising a regular array of circular apertures 20 and a single container as shown in Figure 23 is provided with a different visible indicating means 72 serving as a token indicating that a purchaser of the container is a winner of the competition Alternative forms of visible indicating means include the application of colouring to the exposed portion 72 or any suitable form of visible marking, surface finish, pictorial representation, hologram or writing, whether alphanumeπcal or otherwise The visible indicating means may alternatively be constituted by a member resiliently biased into the deployed position but which does not provide any filtering means, solely for the purpose of providing visible indicia which are concealed prior to opening the container and which are subsequently visible via the dispensing aperture The embodiments of Figures 1 6 to 23 may be assembled entirely from aluminium components and in a process which the plate is connected to both the tab and to the filtering means in a single stamping or crimping operation in which the rivet formation 7 and the rivet formation 61 are deformed simultaneously (In particular the filtering means 60 may be re-configured to be attached to the top 2 at a location corresponding to the rivet formation 7, use being made of an indentation formed in stamping the rivet formation 7 to secure a co-operating securing formation of the filtering means This could be accomplished in a single stamping operation. ) The sub-assembly comprising the plate, tab 6 and filtering means 60 or 70 may then be subsequently assembled with the body 25 of the container 1 . Although forming all components of the container in this way from a single material such as aluminium is advantageous from the point of view of recycling, alternative embodiments are envisaged in which for example the filtering means is formed of steel sheet or plastics materials such as polypropylene. Alternative embodiments are envisaged which encompass the use of plastics or metal materials either unitaπly or in various combinations to form a filtering means and/or visible indicating means which may be either generally planar or include a bow or twist to achieve enhanced resilience. Various means of attachment are envisaged including adhesive or mechanical connecting formations, ultrasonic bonding or other forms of attachment and are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention. The filtering means may have alternative configurations such as for example a generally circular member extending fully across the inner face of the plate and secured either to the plate or to the inner wall of the body of the container. Such a filtering means may for example include a partially cut out flap corresponding in shape to the filter of the above described preferred embodiment and which is resiliently deformable so as to be biased into the deployed position. Alternative arrangements are envisaged in which a separate biasing means such as a spring is utilised to resiliently bias the filter into the deployed position. The biasing member may be a leaf spring or other form of spring and may be mounted on the plate or container body. The filter means and/or visible indicating means of the present invention may also be used in containers having ring pull tab opening devices in which the tongue is removed and discarded.

Claims: Claims 1 . A container (1 ) having a top (2) comprising a plate (3) which is disruptable at a zone of weakness (4) constituted by a tear line (4) defining in outline a tongue portion ( 1 1 ), the top further comprising actuating means (6) mounted on an outer face ( 1 0) of the plate and operable to cause tearing of the plate along the tear line and to displace the tongue portion relative to the plate to define a dispensing aperture (5); and filtering means ( 1 6; 30; 40; 50; 60;) mounted internally of the container and comprising a filter ( 1 6) and operable to support the filter at a deployed position adjacent or in contact with the plate at a location traversing the dispensing aperture. 2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the actuating means is operable to inwardly displace the tongue portion relative to the container and wherein the filtering means is operable to support the filter in an initial position in which it overlays an inner face of the tongue portion prior to actuation of the actuating means, the filter being displaceable to an intermediate position at which it is spaced from an inner face ( 1 7) of the plate to accommodate inward movement of the tongue portion and being displaceable thereafter to the deployed position . 3. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the filtering means comprises a mounting portion (21 ; 31 ) fixedly mounted to the plate and supporting the filter so as to be deflectable relative to the mounting portion, and biasing means (53; 62) operable to bias the filter into contact with the plate in the deployed position. 4. A container as claimed in claim 3 wherein the mounting portion and the filter are constituted by a resilient filter member (60; 70) of unitary construction having a shape memory tending to bias the filter into contact with the inner face of the plate. 5 A container as claimed in claim 4 wherein the mounting portion is adhesively mounted to the inner face of the plate. 6. A container as claimed in any of claims 3 and 4 wherein the mounting portion is mounted to the plate by means of co-operating connecting formations (32; 41 ; 61 ). 7. A container as claimed in claim 6 wherein the connecting formations comprise a projection (32) formed integrally with the plate and received in a connecting aperture (41 ) defined in the mounting portion. 8. A container as claimed in any of claims 3 to 7 wherein the filter and the mounting portion are formed of the same material as the plate. 9. A container as claimed in claim 8 wherein the filter and the mounting portion are formed of aluminium. 10. A container as claimed in any of claims 3 to 9 wherein the filtering means comprises an elongate strip in sheet form having a first flat portion (51 ) constituting the mounting portion, a perforate second flat portion (52) constituting the filter and an intermediate portion (53) intermediate the first and second flat portions constituting the biasing means. 1 1 A container as claimed in claim 10 wherein the intermediate portion comprises a bowed portion (53) which overlays the mounting portion in spaced relationship thereto and wherein the bowed portion defines an access aperture (54) for facilitating access to the mounting portion during assembly 1 2 A container as claimed in claim 10 wherein the intermediate portion is constituted by a third flat portion (62) of the elongate strip which in the deployed position is co-planar with the first and second flat portions 13 A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein the elongate strip is arcuate in profile when viewed in projection orthogonally to the first flat portion so as to define a cut out (65) accommodating inward and outward movement of the actuating means relative to the plate. 14 A container as claimed in any of claims 2 to 1 1 wherein the tear line is discontinuous to thereby define a first bend line ( 1 5) about which the tongue portion is inwardly pivoted in use, and wherein the filter is deflectable about a second bend (23) line substantially at right angles to the first bend line. 1 5 A container as claimed in claim 14 wherein the first and second bend lines intersect at a fulcrum of the actuating means 1 6. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the filter comprises a sieve of plastics material 1 7 A container as claimed in claim 1 6 wherein the sieve has a hole size in the range 2 to 5mm. 1 8 A container as claimed in any of claims 1 6 and 1 7 wherein the sieve comprises a grid in which a first set ( 1 8) of mutually parallel linear members is intersected by a second set ( 1 9) of mutually parallel members, and wherein the second hinge line is substantially parallel to the first members. 1 9. A container as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a beverage can 20 A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the filter comprises visible indicating means (72) visible via the dispensing aperture in the deployed position. 21 A container as claimed in claim 20 wherein the visible indicating means comprises a token for a competition 22. A container as claimed in any of claims 20 and 21 wherein the visible indicating means is constituted by the disposition of perforations provided in the filter. 23. A subassembly comprising a top and a filtering means as defined in any preceding claim. 24. A filtering means as defined in any preceding claim 25 A container having a top comprising a plate which is disruptable at a zone of weakness constituted by a tear line defining in outline a tongue portion, the top further comprising actuating means mounted on an outer face of the plate and operable to cause tearing of the plate along the tear line and to displace the tongue portion relative to the plate to define a dispensing aperture, and visible indicating means mounted internally of the container and comprising a token and means operable to support the token at a deployed position adjacent or in contact with the plate at a location traversing the dispensing aperture. 26 A method of dispensing liquid from a container comprising the steps of; operating an actuating means to disrupt a plate forming a top of a container by tearing of the plate aiong a pre-formed tear line and inwardly displacing a tongue portion defined in outline by the tear line to form a dispensing aperture, deflecting a filter mounted in an initial position adjacent an inner face of the plate to an intermediate position at which it is spaced from the inner face by displacement of the tongue portion; further displacing the tongue portion to a position in which the filter is free to relax to a deployed position in which it extends in contact with or in proximity to the inner face of the plate to thereby traverse the dispensing aperture, and dispensing liquid via the dispensing aperture. 27 A method as claimed in claim 26 including the step of displaying visible indicating means constituted by the filter so as to be concealed prior to operating the actuating means and to be subsequently revealed and visible via the dispensing aperture after the filter relaxes to the deployed position 28. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the visible indicating means comprises a token for a competition 29 A method as claimed in any of claims 26 to 28 including the step of arresting movement of the actuating means at a location such that the filter is held by the tongue portion at the intermediate position so as to be held clear of the inner face by the tongue portion; and dispensing liquid via the dispensing aperture. 30. A method of dispensing liquid from a container comprising the steps of; operating an actuating means to disrupt a plate forming a top of a container by tearing of the plate along a pre-formed tear line and displacing a tongue portion defined in outline by the tear line to form a dispensing aperture; deflecting a visible indicating means mounted in an initial position adjacent an inner face of the plate to an intermediate position at which it is spaced from the inner face by displacement of the tongue portion; further displacing the tongue portion to a position in which the visible indicating means is free to relax to a deployed position in which it extends in contact with or in proximity to the inner face of the plate to thereby traverse the dispensing aperture, thereby revealing the visible indicating means so as to be visible via the dispensing aperture; and dispensing liquid via the dispensing aperture. 31 . A method of assembling a container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 1 9 comprising the steps of mounting a filtering means onto the inner face of the plate and subsequently joining the top to a body of the container. 32. A method as claimed in claim 31 wherein the filtering means is adhesively bonded to the plate. 33. A method as claimed in claim 31 wherein the filtering means is mounted to the plate by crimping or otherwise deforming a connecting formation. 34. A container substantially as hereinbefore disclosed with reference to and shown in any of the accompanying drawings. 35. A method of dispensing liquid from a container substantially as hereinbefore disclosed with reference to and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: MATTHEWS DENIS, WEBB MICHAEL REGINALD, MATTHEWS, DENIS, WEBB, MICHAEL, REGINALD
Applicants: MATTHEWS DENIS, WEBB MICHAEL REGINALD, MATTHEWS, DENIS, WEBB, MICHAEL, REGINALD
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65D17
IPC codes: B65D17