CAN LID WITH OPENING MEANS PROVIDING ENHANCED OPENING FUNCTION AND SANITARINESS

Abstract: A can lid (1), with an opening means providing enhanced opening function and sanitariness, is disclosed. The opening means consists of an opening piece (3) formed on the can lid (1) along a depressed seam (2). An opening tab (5), used for breaking the seal of the opening piece (3) along the depressed seam (2) when necessary, is exteriorly attached to the can lid (1). In the primary embodiment, the opening tab (5) is locked to the can lid (1) at its fixed end portion using a locking member (7) so as to lever the opening piece (3) down. The tab (5) also extends at its free end portion to reach a position inside the annular groove (6) formed along the outside rim (4) of the can lid (1). In the invention, the opening tab (5) may extend at the free end portion to reach a position around the center of the can lid (1). In the above opening means, a thumb-operable resilient bulge (8), having a circular dome shape, an elliptical dome shape or a truncated pyramid shape, may be formed on the tab body (5a) of the opening tab (5). Alternatively, a finger hole (10) may be formed on the tab body (5a). An upward projection (9), used for preventing the opening tab (5) from undesirably moving on the lid (1) and allowing the resilient bulge (8) to be more easily convexly inverted when the bulge (8) is pressed down, may be formed on the can lid (1) at a position under the resilient bulge (8) of the opening tab (5).

Description: CAN LID WITH OPENING MEANS PROVIDING ENHANCED OPENING FUNCTION AND SANITARINESS Technical Field The present invention relates, in general, to cans made of metal, such as aluminum or steel, and, more particularly, to a top lid for such cans with an opening means providing enhanced opening function and improved sanitariness, the opening means allowing a user to more easily, conveniently and sanitarily open the top lid. Background Art Cans are used for containing a variety of liquids, such as soft drinks, juices, etc. In order to allow a user to open and empty the conventional can, a lid opening means is provided on the top lid of the can. The lid opening means comprises an opening piece formed on the top lid of the can along a depressed seam with a flat opening tab being exteriorly attached to the top lid of the can using a locking member. In order to open and empty such a can, the opening tab is operated by a user's finger, thus breaking the seal of an opening piece of the lid along the depressed seam and forming a rounded opening on the lid. In the conventional can, the opening tab is closely positioned on the can lid without leaving a substantial gap between the tab and the can lid. The can thus forces a user, wanting to open and empty the can, to insert a fingernail between the tab and the can lid so as to slightly separate the free end portion of the tab from the top surface of the can lid. In an embodiment of the lid opening means with a lever tab, the user inserts a fingertip into the gap newly defined by the fingernail prior to fully levering up the tab, thus breaking the seal of the opening piece of the lid along the depressed seam. In another embodiment of the lid opening means with a pull tab, the user, wanting to open and empty the can, inserts a fingernail into the opening of the pull tab after initially and slightly separating the tab from the can lid by a fingernail. Thereafter, the user pulls upwardly the tab from the can lid, thus breaking the opening piece of the lid along the depressed seam. However, such conventional cans are very inconvenient to users while opening the can lid. That is, it is difficult for users, particularly persons having short or weak nails, to open the can lid by operating the opening tab. The conventional cans with the above- mentioned opening tabs sometimes undesirably break the nails of users or damage the fingers of users. In an effort to overcome the above-mentioned problems of the conventional can lid opening means, a depression may be formed on the can lid at a position around the free end portion of an opening tab, thus forming a gap between the free end portion of the opening tab and the top surface of the can lid and allowing a user to easily handle the opening tab. Alternatively, the opening tab, attached to the can lid, may be slightly bent upwardly at its free end portion, thus forming a gap between the free end portion of the tab and the top surface of the can lid. However, such opening means, with the depression or the bent tab, fails to form a desirably substantial gap between the tab and the can lid, and so the opening means cannot completely overcome the above- mentioned problems derived from the flat opening tabs. In the case of a can lid designed to allow the opening piece to be pushed into the can body when the seal of the opening piece is broken along the depressed seam by a lever tab, the contents of the can are contaminated by impurities on the opening piece, thus being unsanitary. Disclosure of the Invention Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a can lid with an opening means providing enhanced opening function and improved sanitariness . That is, the object of the present invention is to provide a can lid with an opening means consisting of an opening piece formed on the can lid along a depressed seam with an opening tab being exteriorly attached to the can lid using a locking member, the opening means being designed to allow a user to more easily, conveniently and sanitarily open the top lid of a can while alleviating any related problems in productivity and mass-production of cans. In order to accomplish the above object, the primary embodiment of the present invention provides a can lid, comprising an opening piece formed on the can lid along a depressed seam, and an opening tab exteriorly attached to the can lid and used for breaking the seal of the opening piece along the depressed seam when necessary, the opening tab being locked to the can lid at its fixed end portion using a locking member so as to lever the opening piece down by the fixed end portion and extending at its free end portion so as to reach a position inside an annular groove formed along an outside rim of the can lid, further comprising: a thumb-operable resilient bulge formed on a tab body of the opening tab while swelling upwardly, the resilient bulge having a circular dome shape, an elliptical dome shape, or a truncated pyramid shape. In accordance with the second embodiment of this invention, the can lid, comprises: an opening piece formed on the can lid along a depressed seam; an opening tab exteriorly attached to the can lid and used for breaking the seal of the opening piece along the depressed seam when necessary, the opening tab being locked to the can lid at its fixed end portion using a locking member so as to lever the opening piece down by the fixed end portion and extending at its free end portion so as to reach a position around a center of the can lid, with a finger hole being formed on a tab body of the opening tab. In a modification of the second embodiment, a thumb-operable resilient bulge, having a circular dome shape, an elliptical dome shape, or a truncated pyramid shape, is formed on the tab body of the opening tab while swelling upwardly. In the can lid of this invention, an upward projection may be formed on the opening piece at a position under the thumb-operable resilient bulge of the opening tab, the upward projection having a configuration meeting a part of a curved lower surface of the resilient bulge. The above projection prevents the opening tab from undesirably moving on the can lid and allows the resilient bulge of the tab to be more easily overturned when the bulge is pressed down. In another embodiment of this invention, the tab body, having the thumb-operable resilient bulge, is appropriately designed to allow a user to easily pull the opening tab upwardly with fingertips hooking the tab body at a position around the resilient bulge. In the can lid with the thumb-operable resilient bulge of this invention, an advertising or guiding pattern in the form of letters, symbols or figures may be provided on the resilient bulge. Brief Description of the Drawings The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs, la to Id are plan views of can lids with opening means in accordance with preferred modifications of the primary embodiment of the present invention, respectively; Fig. 2a is a sectional view of a can lid with opening means in accordance with another modification of the primary embodiment of this invention; Fig. 2b is an enlarged view of the portion 'A' of Fig. 2a; Fig. 3a is a plan view of a can lid with opening means in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention; Figs. 3b to 3e are sectional views of the can lid of Fig. 3a, showing the operational positions of the opening means when the can lid is opened by the opening means ; Fig. 4a is a plan view of a can lid with opening means in accordance with the third embodiment of this invention; Figs. 4b to 4f are sectional views of the can lid of Fig. 4a, showing the operational positions of the opening means when the can lid is opened by the opening means ; Figs. 5a to 5c are views of can lids with opening means in accordance with preferred modifications of the third embodiment of the present invention, respectively; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a can lid with opening means in accordance with another modification of the third embodiment of this invention; Figs. 7a and 7b are plan views of opening tabs in accordance with modifications of the third embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view, showing a can lid provided with opening means in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Figs, la to Id are plan views of can lids with opening means in accordance with preferred modifications of the primary embodiment of the present invention, respectively. With reference to Fig. la, the can lid 1 is provided with an opening means consisting of an opening piece 3 formed on the can lid 1 along a depressed seam 2 with an opening lever tab 5 being exteriorly attached to the can lid 1 using a locking member 7. The above opening lever tab 5 , used for breaking the seal of the opening piece 3 along the depressed seam 2 when necessary, comprises a tab body 5a, which is locked to the can lid 1 at its fixed end portion so as to lever the opening piece 3 down by the fixed end portion, and extends at its free end portion so as to reach a position inside an annular groove 6 formed along the outside rim 4 of the can lid 1. A thumb-operable resilient bulge 8, which swells upwardly, is formed on the tab body 5a at a position between the free end portion 5b and an arcuate slit 5c of the body 5a. In the modification of Fig. la, the thumb-operable resilient bulge 8 of the tab body 5a has a circular dome shape. Of course, the thumb-operable resilient bulge 8 of the tab body 5a may have an elliptical dome shape as shown in Fig. lb, a truncated quadrangular pyramid shape as shown in Fig. lc, or a truncated triangular pyramid shape as shown in Fig. Id. The thumb-operable resilient bulges 8 of Figs, la to Id yield the same operational effect without affecting the functioning of this invention regardless of the difference in their profiles. In order to open the can lid prior to emptying the can, the thumb-operable resilient bulge 8 of the opening lever tab 5 is pressed down by a finger so as to be resiliently convexly inverted. Therefore, the bulge 8 elastically raises the body 5a of the tab 5 above the can lid 1 while forming a substantial gap between the tab body 5a and the top surface of the can lid 1. The gap between the tab body 5a and the can lid 1 allows a user to easily lever up the opening tab 5 by a finger. When the user levers up the opening tab 5 as described above, the fixed end portion of the tab 5 presses down the opening piece 3, thus breaking the seal of the opening piece 3 along the depressed seam 2 and forming an opening on the can lid 1 in a conventional manner. In such a case, the opening piece 3 is inserted into the can. Fig. 2a is a sectional view of a can lid with opening means in accordance with another modification of the primary embodiment of this invention. In this modification, an upward projection 9 is formed on the can lid 1 at a position under the thumb-operable resilient bulge 8 of the opening lever tab 5. The above projection 9 has a configuration meeting a part of the curved lower surface of the bulge 8. Since the upward projection 9 is positioned around the inside end of the bulge 5, it prevents the opening tab 5 from undesirably moving on the can lid 1. In addition, the upward projection 9 acts as a pressure cone apex for the thumb- operable resilient bulge 8, thus allowing the bulge 8 to be more easily convexly inverted when the bulge 8 is pressed down by a finger. Fig. 2b is an enlarged view of the portion 'A' of Fig. 2a. Fig. 3a is a plan view of a can lid with opening means in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention. In the second embodiment, the can lid 1 is provided with an opening means consisting of an opening piece 3 formed on the can lid 1 along a depressed seam 2 with an opening pull tab 5 being exteriorly attached to the can lid 1 using a locking member 7. The above opening pull tab 5, used for breaking the seal of the opening piece 3 along the depressed seam 2 when necessary, comprises a tab body 5a, which is locked to the can lid 1 at its fixed end portion by the locking member 7 so as to lever the opening piece 3 down by the fixed end portion, and extends at its free end portion so as to reach a position around the center of the can lid 1. The tab body 5a is provided with a finger hole 10 at a position around the free end portion of the body 5a, thus forming a finger ring allowing a user to pull the tab 5 upwardly with a fingertip hooking the tab 5 at the finger ring. In this embodiment, it is preferable to partially bend the end of the finger ring upwardly, thus forming a gap between the finger ring and the top surface of the can lid 1. Figs. 3b to 3e are sectional views of the can lid 1 of Fig. 3a, showing the operational positions of the opening means when the can lid is 1 opened by the opening means. Fig. 3b shows the can lid 1 when it is not opened. When the free end portion of the opening pull tab 5 is raised up by a user with a fingertip holding the free end portion of the tab 5, the tab 5 is levered up with the locking member 7 acting as a point of application as shown in Fig. 3c. The fixed end portion of the tab 5 thus presses down the outside end portion of the opening piece 3 and primarily breaks the outside end portion of the piece 3 along the depressed seam 2. In such a case, the outside end portion of the opening piece 3 is inserted into the can. Thereafter, the opening tab 5 is fully pulled up and back by the user with the fingertip hooking the tab 5 at the finger ring, thus raising the opening piece 3 upwardly from the can lid 1 while finally breaking the seal of the piece 3 along the depressed seam 2 as shown in Fig. 3d. The opening tab 5, with the opening piece 3, is, thereafter, fully pulled back until the junction between the tab 5 and the piece 3 is caught by the rim 4 of the can as shown in Fig. 3e. The opening piece 3 thus forms an opening at the can lid 1 and allows the user to empty the can. In the can lid 1 according to the second embodiment, the fixed end portion of the opening tab 5 is positioned on the center of the depressed seam 2, and so it is possible to more easily break the seal of the opening piece 3 and to more freely design the size of the opening piece 3. In addition, since the opening piece 3 of the above can lid 1, which may be contaminated by impurities, such as dust, is not inserted into the can, but is positioned outside the can lid 1 when the seal of the opening piece 3 is broken, the can lid 1 of this embodiment accomplishes a desired sanitariness . Fig. 4a is a plan view of a can lid with opening means in accordance with the third embodiment of this invention. In the third embodiment, the can lid 1 is provided with an opening means consisting of an opening piece 3 formed on the can lid 1 along a depressed seam 2 with an opening pull tab 5 being exteriorly attached to the can lid 1 using a locking member 7. The above opening pull tab 5, used for breaking the seal of the opening piece 3 along the depressed seam 2 when necessary, comprises a tab body 5a, which is locked to the can lid 1 at its fixed end portion by the locking member 7 so as to lever the opening piece 3 down by the fixed end portion, and extends at its free end portion so as to reach a position around the center of the can lid 1. A thumb-operable resilient bulge 8, which swells upwardly, is formed on the tab body 5a at a position between the free end 5b and an arcuate slit 5c of the body 5a. Figs. 4b to 4f are sectional views of the can lid 1 of Fig. 4a, showing the operational positions of the opening means when the can lid 1 is opened by the opening means. Fig. 4b shows the can lid 1 when it is not opened. When the thumb-operable resilient bulge 8 of the opening pull tab 5 is slightly pressed down by a finger, the bulge 8 is resiliently convexly inverted and elastically raises the body 5a of the tab 5 above the can lid 1 while forming a substantial gap between the tab body 5a and the top surface of the can lid 1 as shown in Fig. 4c. The gap between the tab body 5a and the can lid 1 allows a user to easily handle the opening tab 5 by fingers. When the free end portion of the opening pull tab 5 is raised up by a user with a fingertip holding the free end portion of the tab 5, the tab 5 is levered up with the locking member 7 acting as a point of application as shown in Fig. 4d. The fixed end portion of the tab 5 thus presses down the outside end portion of the opening piece 3 and primarily breaks the outside end portion of the piece 3 along the depressed seam 2. In such a case, the outside end portion of the opening piece 3 is inserted into the can. Thereafter, the opening tab 5 is fully pulled up by the user with fingers holding the tab 5 at the free end portion, thus raising the opening piece 3 upwardly from the can lid 1 while finally breaking the seal of the piece 3 along the depressed seam 2 as shown in Fig. 4e. The opening tab 5, with the opening piece 3, is, thereafter, fully pulled back until the junction between the tab 5 and the piece 3 is caught by the rim 4 of the can as shown in Fig. 4f . The opening piece 3 thus forms an opening at the can lid 1 and allows the user to empty the can. In the can lid 1 according to the third embodiment, it is possible to more easily and more simply handle the opening pull tab 5 while accomplishing a desirable sanitariness. In the third embodiment of Fig. 4a, the thumb- operable resilient bulge 8 of the tab body 5a has a circular dome shape. Of course, the thumb-operable resilient bulge 8 of the tab body 5a may have an elliptical dome shape as shown in Fig. 5a, a truncated quadrangular pyramid shape as shown in Fig. 5b, or a truncated triangular pyramid shape as shown in Fig. 5c. The thumb-operable resilient bulges 8 of Figs. 5a to 5c yield the same operational effect without affecting the functioning of this invention regardless of the difference in their profiles. In the embodiments of Figs. 3a, 4a, 5a, 5b and 5c, the opening piece 3 is designed so that the length of -lithe opening piece 3 from the locking member 7 to the end of the piece 3 equals the radial dimension from the end of the opening piece 3 to a position of the rim 4 diametrically opposite to the locking member 7. It is thus possible to allow the opening piece 3 with the opening tab 5 to be caught by the rim 4 at the junction between the tab 5 and the piece 3 when the tab 5 is fully pulled back. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a can lid with opening means in accordance with another modification of the third embodiment of this invention. In this modification, an upward projection 9 is formed on the opening piece 3 of the can lid 1 at a position under the thumb-operable resilient bulge 8 of the opening pull tab 5. The above projection 9 has a configuration meeting a part of the curved lower surface of the bulge 8. In the same manner as that described for the can lid of Fig. 2a, the upward projection 9 prevents the opening tab 5 from undesirably moving on the can lid 1. The upward projection 9 also acts as a pressure cone apex for the thumb-operable resilient bulge 8, thus allowing the bulge 8 to be more easily convexly inverted when the bulge 8 is pressed down by a finger. Figs . 7a and 7b are plan views of opening tabs 5 in accordance with modifications of the third embodiment of the invention. In these modifications, the tab body 5a having the thumb-operable resilient bulge 8 is appropriately enlarged in width at a position around the bulge 8, thus allowing a user to more easily handle the tab body 5a while opening the can lid 1. That is, it is possible for a user to more easily pull the above tab body 5a upwardly with two fingertips, for example, the first and second fingertips hooking the enlarged portions of the tab body 5a. Fig. 8 is a perspective view, showing a can lid provided with opening means in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a desired advertising or tab opening instructional pattern 11 in the form of letters, symbols or figures is provided on the thumb-operable resilient bulge 8 of the tab body 5a. Industrial Applicability As described above, the present invention provides a can lid for cans with an opening means providing enhanced opening function and improved sanitariness . The opening means of this invention allows a user to easily, simply and sanitarily open and empty a can. Another advantage of the above opening means resides in that it alleviates any related problems in productivity and mass- production of cans. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims: Claims : 1. A can lid, comprising an opening piece formed on the can lid along a depressed seam, and an opening tab exteriorly attached to the can lid and used for breaking the seal of the opening piece along the depressed seam when necessary, said opening tab being locked to the can lid at its fixed end portion using a locking member so as to lever the opening piece down by said fixed end portion and extending at its free end portion so as to reach a position inside an annular groove formed along an outside rim of the can lid, further comprising: a thumb-operable resilient bulge formed on a tab body of the opening tab while swelling upwardly, said resilient bulge having a circular dome shape, an elliptical dome shape, or a truncated pyramid shape. 2. The can lid according to claim 1, wherein an upward projection is formed on said can lid at a position under the thumb-operable resilient bulge of the opening tab, said upward projection having a configuration meeting a part of a curved lower surface of said resilient bulge. 3. A can lid, comprising: an opening piece formed on the can lid along a depressed seam; an opening tab exteriorly attached to the can lid and used for breaking the seal of the opening piece along the depressed seam when necessary, said opening tab being locked to the can lid at its fixed end portion using a locking member so as to lever the opening piece down by said fixed end portion and extending at its free end portion so as to reach a position around a center of said can lid, with a finger hole being formed on a tab body of said opening tab. 4. The can lid according to claim 3, wherein a thumb-operable resilient bulge is formed on said tab body of the opening tab while swelling upwardly, said resilient bulge having a circular dome shape, an elliptical dome shape, or a truncated pyramid shape. 5. The can lid according to claim 4, wherein an upward projection is formed on said opening piece at a position under the thumb-operable resilient bulge of the opening tab, said upward projection having a configuration meeting a part of a curved lower surface of said resilient bulge. 6. The can lid according to any one of claims 1, 4 and 5, wherein said tab body having the thumb-operable resilient bulge is partially enlarged in width at a position around said resilient bulge. 7. The can lid according to claim 1 or 4 , wherein an advertising or tab opening instructional pattern in the form of letters, symbols or figures is provided on said thumb-operable resilient bulge of the opening tab. 8. The can lid according to claim 3 or 4 , wherein a length of the opening piece from said locking member to an end of said opening piece is equal to a radial dimension from said end of the opening piece to a position of an outside rim of the can lid diametrically opposite to said locking member, thus allowing the opening tab with the opening piece to be caught by said rim at a junction between the opening tab and the opening piece when the tab is fully pulled back.

Inventors: CHO SUNG HO, CHO, SUNG, HO.
Applicants: BONG JEONG IND CO LTD, CHO SUNG HO, BONG-JEONG INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., CHO, SUNG, HO.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B65D17
IPC codes: B65D17