Abstract:
A resealable tab mechanism for a beverage container having a tab handle with divergent arms with a bar extending therebetween having a gas release pin valve fixedly attached to the tab handle bar. The tab handle is pivoted from a closed position in arc-like fashion that will bend the tab plate downward then the tab handle is rotated in circular fashion providing full access to the beverage container&#39;s contents. To close the process is reversed by rotating the tab handle over the beverage container&#39;s aperture then pivoted back to its seated position compressing a pair of gaskets that hermetically seals the beverage container&#39;s contents.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to pop-top cans and, more specifically, to a gas release tab mechanism for a beverage container having a tab handle extending to divergent arms with a bar fixed therebetween having a pin valve extending from the tab plate bar through the tab plate with a pin valve gasket seated about the base of the pin valve. Further providing a tab plate gasket that in combination with the pin value gasket seals the tab opening when moved to a closed state. 
     To open, the tab handle is raised causing the tab handle bar to move the pin valve to an open state releasing gas pressure while also moving the tab plate from the end cap aperture where then the tab handle is manipulated to position the tab arms into the end cap aperture then rotating the tab handle until the tab arms are positioned under the end cap. The tab handle is then returned to its seated position thereby pushing the tab plate downward into to a fully open state. To close the tap plate, the tab handle is raised and rotated thereby moving the arms from under the end cap and rotating the tab until the tab arms are positioned on top of the end cap wherethen the tab handle is returned to its seated position thereby holding the tab plate securely against the end cap aperture therein sealing the beverage container. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There are other opening devices designed for beverage containers. While these opening devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they where designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
     It is thus desirable to provide a beverage container opener comprising a tab mechanism incorporating a gas release valve to release gas pressure prior to opening the beverage container aperture. 
     It is further desirable to provide a beverage container having a tab handle that is subjacently positioned to the beverage container aperture. 
     It is additionally desirable to provide a tab handle having tab arms that can be manipulated to keep the tab plate in an open or closed position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a beverage container having an end cap spaced away from a bottom end with a wall extending between said end cap and said bottom end with a tab mechanism fastened to said end cap that can be moved from a closed state to an open state back to a closed state providing access to a beverage within said beverage container. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide the end cap with an aperture so that a beverage can be selectively removed from said beverage container through said container aperture by manipulating the tab mechanism to an open state. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage container that once a portion of the contents are removed the remainder of the container&#39;s contents can be hermetically sealed within said container by manipulating the tab mechanism to a closed position. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an exteriorly extending ridge about said end cap aperture thereby forming a channel on the underside of said end cap encompassing the end cap aperture. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a tab mechanism comprising an end cap gasket, tab handle, tab plate and pin valve incorporating a base flange. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide the end cap with a fastener aperture and the tab plate with a tab plate fastener aperture that when co-aligned provides for an end-cap tab-plate fastener inserted therethrough securing said the tab plate portion of the tab mechanism to said end cap. 
     Another object of the present invention is to have said end cap gasket positioned within the end cap channel of the beverage container end cap that circumferentially encompasses the end cap aperture. 
     Another object of the present invention is to have the tab plate ridge co-aligned with the underside of the beverage container end cap channel having the gasket therein so that the tab plate ridge engages the end cap gasket thereby forming closure of the end cap aperture. 
     Another object of the present invention is to have said tab plate gasket positioned within the channel on the underside of the beverage container end cap that circumferentially encompasses the end cap aperture. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide said tab plate with a pin aperture having a ridge circumferentially encompassing said tab plate pin aperture thereby forming a channel on the underside of said tab plate encompassing the tab plate pin aperture. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a tab handle frame having a finger aperture for ease of opening with the frame having divergent arms on the distal end with a bar extending between the arms. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a tab handle wherein said arms extend downwardly from said tab handle positioned on opposing sides of the end cap aperture. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a valve pin having a notch forming receptacle for mounting to the bar extending between the tab arms. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a valve pin body having a curvilinear indentation. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide said valve pin with a base positioned flange. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a gasket positioned on the pin base flange. 
     Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
     The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a resealable pop-top type opener for a can having a curvilinear tab handle extending to divergent arms having a post fixed therebetween. A tab hinge is mounted to the tab plate with the hinge knuckle encompassing the hinge post so that the curvilinear tab handle can be pivoted from a substantially horizontal direction to a vertical direction whereupon the tab arms are used to manipulate the tab to either an open position or if open to a closed position. 
     The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of the resealable tab mechanism for a beverage container. 
         FIG. 2  is the end cap tab mechanism for a beverage container. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the resealable tab mechanism for an end cap for a beverage container. 
         FIGS. 4 through 6  are cutaway progression views of the tab mechanism of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 7 through 15  are stepwise views of the opening procedures to gain access to the beverage container contents and closing procedures to hermetically seal a previously opened beverage container having the tab mechanism of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the figures illustrate the Resealable Pop-Top Style Tab Opener for Containers of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures.
           10  Resealable Tab Mechanism for Beverage Containers of the present invention     12  beverage container     14  beverage     16  carbonation     18  end cap     20  bottom side     22  wall     24  end cap aperture     26  end cap ridge     28  end cap channel     30  end cap channel gasket     32  end cap fastener aperture     34  tab handle     36  tab handle arms     38  tab handle bar     40  pin     42  bar catch     44  pin indentation     46  pin flange     48  tab plate gasket     50  tab plate     52  tab plate fastener aperture     54  tab plate pin aperture     56  tap plate pin ridge     58  tab plate ridge     60  tab plate pin channel     62  end-cap tab-plate fastener       

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention (and several variations of that embodiment). This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments, practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For definition of the complete scope of the invention, the reader is directed to appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , shown is an illustrative view of the resealable tab mechanism  10  for a beverage container  12 . The present invention provides a resealable tab mechanism  10  for a beverage container  12  incorporating a gas release pin valve  40 . The tab mechanism  10  comprises a tab handle  34  longitudinally extending to a pair of transverse arms  36  having a tab handle bar  38  extending therebetween that forms anchor for the aforementioned gas release pin valve  40 . The tab mechanism further incorporates a tab plate  50  subjacently fixed to the beverage end cap  18  through tab plate fastener aperture  52  by end-cap tab-plate fastener  62 . End cap  18  also has aperture  24  passing therethrough, which provides access to the beverage container contents and provides a peripherally positioned ridge  26  that forms channel  28  on the underside of beverage container  12  end cap  18  for placement therein of end cap channel gasket  30 . Tab plate  50  also has a substantially correspondingly shaped ridge  56  as ridge  26  that compresses channel gasket  30  within end cap channel  28  when the tab handle  34  is in the closed state. Tab plate  50  provides another ridge  56  encompassing tab plate pin aperture  54  with the ridge forming tab plate channel  60  on the bottom side of the tab plate forming receptacle for a tab plate gasket  48 . Pin valve  40  has bar catch  42  for securing pin valve  40  to the tab handle bar  38  with the pin valve having a shaft terminating at a pin flange  46 , which forms support for tab plate gasket  48  and compresses tab plate gasket  48  within tab plate channel  60  thereby sealing tab plate pin aperture  54 . 
     To open, tab handle  34  is raised from its closed state causing pin  40  fastened to tab handle bar  38  to move downwardly thereby initially releasing any gas. As the tab handle is further moved to its fully open state, tab plate  50  bends into the beverage container  12  wherethen the tab handle is rotated away from end cap  18  aperture  24  providing access to the contents of beverage container  12 . To hermetically seal the beverage container  12  having any unused beverage therein the tab handle is again rotated back over aperture  24  wherethen tab handle  34  is pivoted back to its closed state causing pin  40  to compress gasket  40  into tab plate channel  60  by virtue of pin flange ridge  58  and gasket  30  to be compressed within end cap channel  28  by virtue of tab plate ridge  58  thereby providing a hermetic seal for the beverage container  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , shown is the end cap tab mechanism for a beverage container. Depicted is the tab mechanism for end cap  18  comprising tab handle  34  extending into arms  36  with bar  38  therebetween serving as pivot point for bar catch  42  of pin  40 . End cap  18  has aperture  24  for removal of the beverage once opened. Tab plate  50 , which subjacently covers aperture  24 , is fastened to the end cap through co-aligned aperture  32 ,  52  by end-cap tab-plate fastener  62  and is displaceable through pin  40 . The tab plate is manufactured with a peripheral ridge  58  that substantially corresponds in shape to the end cap channel  28  created by end cap ridge  26  with gasket  30  positioned within channel  28  and deformable by tap plate ridge  58  when the tab plate is closed. Pin  40  passes through tab plate aperture  54  in tab plate  50  terminating in pin flange  46 , which supports tab plate gasket  48  within tab plate pin channel  60  formed by tab plate ridge  58 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , shown is an exploded view of the resealable tab mechanism for an end cap for a beverage container. The present invention is a resealable tab mechanism  10  for a beverage container, such as pop-top type beverage container  12  having a tab handle  34  that extends to a pair of divergent arms  36  having a tab handle bar  38  therebetween pivotally attached to pin  40 . End cap  18  provides aperture  24  as port to a beverage content that typically would have to be consumed once the scored opening had been made. The present invention provides that the opening can be resealed to preserve the beverage contents until desired. Pin  40  is attached to tab plate  50  subjacently covering end cap  18  aperture  24 . Tab plate  50  provides ridge  58  that applies a closed state force to gasket  30  positioned within channel  28  of end cap ridge  26  thereby sealing end cap aperture  24 . Tab plate  50  provides a second aperture  54  for passage of pin  40  with ridge  56  encompassing aperture  54  and forming tab plate pin channel  64  for receiving tab plate gasket  60 . Tab plate gasket  60  seals aperture  52  through force applied by tab pin flange  46  at the base of pin  40 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 through 6 , shown are cutaway progression views of the tab mechanism of the present invention.  FIG. 4  depicts the tab mechanism  10  in its closed state secured to end cap  18  that is fastened to wall  22  of beverage container  12 . End cap  18  has beverage access aperture  24  that is hermetically sealed by gasket  30  that is in a compressed state between end cap  18  and tab plate  50 , and gasket  48 , which is also in a compressed state within tap plate pin channel  60  by virtue of tab pin flange  46 .  FIG. 5  shows tab handle  34  in a partially raised position moving pin  40  downward that initially releases gas  16  through tab plate pin aperture  54 .  FIG. 6  shows the tab plate in its open position providing access to the beverage container contents. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 through 15 , shown are stepwise views of the opening procedures to gain access to the beverage container contents and closing procedures to hermetically seal a previously opened beverage container having the tab mechanism of the present invention.  FIG. 7  shows the tab mechanism  10  for an end cap  18  comprising a tab handle  34  having arms  36  located on opposing sides end cap aperture  24  with bar  38  forming pivot point for pin  40 . Also shown is end-cap tab-plate fastener  62 , which fastens tap plate  50  to end cap  18 .  FIGS. 8 and 9  depict the opening of end cap aperture  24  through pivoting the tab handle  34  in arc-like fashion forcing pin  40  downward thereby pushing tab plate  50  downward. Once opened, the tab handle is rotated, as shown in  FIG. 10 , away from aperture  24  until positioned opposing aperture  24  as shown in  FIG. 11  thereby providing access to the beverage. To reseal the beverage container, the opening process is reversed as shown in  FIG. 12 , where the tab is rotated until superjacently positioned over aperture  24  then pivoted back to its closed position, as shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , whereupon the aforementioned gaskets  30 ,  48  hermetically seal the tab plate  50  to end cap aperture  18 . 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.