Abstract:
A beverage container sealing lid includes a pouring aperture with a hinged closure arranged to seal the aperture. An engagement assembly is located on an inside of the lid and has first and second engagement means. The first and second engagement means include first and second concentric recesses formed on an inside of the lid for engagement with beverage containers having can ends of corresponding first and second diameters. A skirt depends downward about the lid for a sufficient distance to provide an area for the skirt to bear markings such as logos, slogans, indicia and the like.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a lid for beverage cans. In a preferred embodiment the lid bears logos and/or marketing or advertising material. In particular, the lid may be used in situations where sports fans wish to display their loyalty to a particular club or team. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Beverage containers, such as coffee cups, including takeaway coffee cups and metal beer and soft drink cans are prone to spillage. This may occur when people are walking with the container or traveling in cars for example. 
         [0003]    As a particular example, supporters of sporting teams such as football, rugby, cricket and the like often imbibe canned beverages such as soft drinks and beers. 
         [0004]    Where the situation is crowded there is a risk that a container of beverage may fall over so that the beverage is spilt. 
         [0005]    Furthermore, from time to time supporters may wish to leave a can of beverage in the company of their fellows while they make a toilet break or purchase food. During that time it would be preferable if the beverage can could be conveniently resealed to prevent foreign objects such a flies, bugs, cigarette butts from contaminating the beverage 
         [0006]    Supporters of sporting clubs frequently dress in the colours of their teams and like to show support for their teams in other ways as well. 
         [0007]    It would be advantageous if an apparatus was provided that assisted in meeting one or more of the above objectives and which was suitable for use with more than one size of commonly available beverage can. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage container sealing lid including:
       a pouring aperture;   a hinged closure arranged to seal the aperture;   an engagement assembly on an inside of said lid for engagement with beverage containers having can ends of first and second diameters; and   a skirt for locating about the beverage container wherein the skirt depends downward for a distance so that an area is provided for the skirt to bear markings such as logos, slogans, indicia and the like.       
 
         [0013]    In a first embodiment the first and second engagement means include first and second concentric recesses formed on an inside of said lid for engagement with beverage containers having can ends of corresponding first and second diameters. 
         [0014]    Alternatively, in a further embodiment the engagement assembly may comprise a layer of soft plastic formed on the inside of said lid for sealing contact with the beverage container. 
         [0015]    Preferably the lid includes a platform stepped with an upper tier and a lower tier wherein the pouring aperture is formed through the lower tier. 
         [0016]    The hinged closure is preferably formed with a rim for snug reception within the aperture. 
         [0017]    An O-ring of elastomeric material may be retained around the rim for improved sealing. 
         [0018]    As mentioned, the hinged closure may be formed with a rim for snug reception with the aperture and the layer of soft plastic is preferably formed to extend into the aperture for sealing contact with an outside of the rim in a closed configuration. 
         [0019]    Preferably a shoulder extends downward and outward from the platform. 
         [0020]    The skirt preferably depends from the shoulder. 
         [0021]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention an outer side of the skirt bears indicia. 
         [0022]    A retaining arrangement may be provided for holding the hinged closure open. 
         [0023]    Preferably the retaining arrangement includes a first part formed on the hinged closure to cooperate with a second part of said arrangement formed upon an outside of said lid. 
         [0024]    For example, the retaining arrangement preferably includes diverging wings formed on the hinged closure or an outside of the lid and a complementary recess formed on the outside of the lid or the hinged closure. 
         [0025]    A beverage container sealing lid including at least one fastening formation about the skirt for engagement with a container for the beverage container. 
         [0026]    The beverage container sealing lid may be fastened to the container for the beverage container with a bayonet connection. 
         [0027]    The beverage container sealing lid may include a tamper indicator member having opposing portions fast with the container and having an intermediate portion taut over the hinged closure in a closed configuration. 
         [0028]    The beverage container sealing lid may be provided in combination with a tubular web holder of clear material for presenting a web bearing indicia located therein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]    Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows: 
           [0030]      FIG. 1 , is a perspective view of a beverage container lid in a closed configuration according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 2 , is a perspective view of the beverage container lid of  FIG. 1  in a partially open configuration. 
           [0032]      FIG. 3 , is a perspective view of the beverage container lid of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in a completely open configuration. 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  is a cross section through the lid of  FIG. 1  in a partially open configuration. 
           [0034]      FIG. 5  is a detail of a cross section through the lid of  FIG. 1  in a closed configuration. 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  is a further perspective view of the lid of  FIG. 1  in a partially open configuration. 
           [0036]      FIG. 7  is a further view of the lid as shown in  FIG. 6  from a reverse camera position. 
           [0037]      FIG. 8  is a further view of the lid of  FIG. 8  shown bearing an indicia. 
           [0038]      FIG. 9  is a cross sectional, and somewhat stylized, view of a beverage container lid according to a further embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0039]      FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of a mould during a first stage in the production of the container lid of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0040]      FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of a mould during a second stage in the production of the container lid of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0041]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a lid according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0042]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 12  in combination with a container for the lid and showing a tamper indicator according to an optional feature of the present invention. 
           [0043]      FIG. 14  is a close up detail of an engagement formation of the container of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0044]      FIG. 15  is a partially cutaway detail showing the internal configuration of a locking formation of the arrangement shown in  FIG. 13 . 
           [0045]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a tubular holder for a web of printed material. 
           [0046]      FIG. 17  is a top plan view of the web holder of  FIG. 16 . 
           [0047]      FIG. 18  depicts a web of printed material for insertion in the holder of  FIG. 16 . 
           [0048]      FIG. 19  is a side plan view of the holder installed on a lid with the web visible through a clear wall of the holder. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0049]      FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  are perspective views of a beverage can lid  1  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in each of a closed, partially open and completely open configuration, respectively. 
         [0050]    A cross section through the lid, in partially open configuration, is shown in  FIG. 4 . A detail through the lid in closed configuration is shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0051]    With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 4  the lid  1  includes a stepped central circular platform  3  comprised of a lower tier  5  and an upper tier  7 . A D-shaped pouring aperture  9  is formed through the lower tier  5 . A semicircular flap  11  is hinged along a join line  19  of lower tier  5  and upper tier  7  for closing over lower tier  5 . Flap  11  is formed with an outer thumb tab  10  to assist in opening and closing the flap. 
         [0052]    A D-shaped rim  13  extends from the underside of flap  11 . The D-shaped rim  13  makes a snug fit within the internal walls of D-shaped opening  9  upon the flap  11  being closed over lower tier  5 . A continuous wall  14  is formed about the outside of D-shaped rim  13  to form a gap therebetween into which is received an elastomeric O-ring  16  to thereby assist in sealing opening  9  upon closure of flap  11 . 
         [0053]    A plastic mesh may be formed under pouring aperture  9  to prevent contaminants from entering the can once the lid is in place and while flap  13  is opened. Furthermore vertical flow guides may be included that extend downward from around the pouring aperture  9  to improve the flow of beverage from the can through the pouring aperture. 
         [0054]    Referring now to Figures A recess  15  is formed into the outer surface of flap  11 . The recess  15  has opposed undercut sides  16 ,  18 , i.e. the sides diverge outward as they penetrate into the material of flap  11 . A complementary retaining formation  17  is located opposite on the periphery of the upper tier  7 . The retaining formation  17  includes a pair of opposed, outwardly and upwardly diverging wings  20  and  22 , which upon abutment with the outer edges of recess  15  flex inward so that they enter the recess  15  whereupon they flex outward and are engaged by the undercut sides  16 ,  18 . Accordingly, the wings hold the surface flap  11  in a fully opened position until overcome by sufficient disengaging force applied to thumb tab  10 . A protrusion extends upward between wings  20  and  22 , though to a lesser height than that of the two wings, to act as a stop to thereby prevent wings  20  and  22  being damaged in the event that too much user force is applied as they engage with recess  15 . 
         [0055]    In the fully opened configuration shown in  FIG. 3 , the socket  15  is retained by plug  17  in order to hold flap  11  in the completely opened configuration. 
         [0056]    Referring again to  FIG. 4 , it will be observed that a sloped concentric shoulder  21  extends outward and downward from the periphery of central platform  3 . A ring like skirt  23  depends from the outer edge of shoulder  21 . 
         [0057]    Beverage cans are formed of a cylinder of sheet metal, usually aluminium. The can is closed at the top with a can end that consists of a circular piece of metal bearing a tab for opening and pouring of the beverage contained in the can. The can end is connected to the can cylinder by crimping the sides of the can to the periphery of the can end to form a circular upstanding crimping ridge. A small, circular indentation is located between the bottom of the crimping ridge and the surrounding can. 
         [0058]    Can ends typically come in two sizes a large size and a small size so that the crimping ridge of the can will correspondingly either be of a larger diameter or a smaller diameter. 
         [0059]    Referring again to  FIG. 4  and also to  FIG. 5 , internally, three concentric rims  25 ,  27 ,  29  are formed about the inside of shoulder  21 . Rims  25  and  27  define a small can end recess  31  therebetween to receive a small can end crimping ridge. A large can end recess  33  is provided between rims  27  and  29 . The recesses  31  and  33  accommodate crimping ridges of small can ends and large can ends respectively. Lateral lips  35  and  37  extend inward from concentric rims  27  and  29  into recesses  31  and  33  respectively. The lips  35  and  37  engage the circular indentation that runs around the outside base of the crimping ridges of the can ends to thereby hold the beverage can to the sealing lid. 
         [0060]    It will be realised that in the presently described preferred embodiment, concentric rims  25 ,  27  and lateral lip  35  comprise a first engagement means for a beverage can having a lid end of a smaller diameter. Similarly, concentric rims  27 ,  29  and lateral lip  37  comprises a second engagement means. 
         [0061]    Upon a can end crimping ridge being received into either the smaller recess  31  or the larger recess  33 , outer skirt  23  locates about the outside of the top portion of the can. Care needs to be taken during this operation that the tab of the can has been opened and is lined up with pouring aperture  9  of the can lid. 
         [0062]    The skirt  23  has an inner diameter sized to snugly fit over a standard beverage can so that it comes to rest over the top quarter or so of the beverage can. 
         [0063]    As shown in  FIG. 8  the outside of the skirt  23  may be decorated with an indicia  24  such as an advertising slogan or the name, colours and/or logo of a particular sporting club or with other marketing or advertising markings as desired. 
         [0064]    Referring now to  FIG. 9  there is depicted a cross section of a further embodiment of a beverage container lid  39  according to the present invention. 
         [0065]    The container lid  39  is formed of a hard plastic material as before. However, it does not have the ridges  25  and  27  and  29  of the previously described embodiment. Instead an inner lining of soft plastic  45  is coated on the inside surface of the lid  39 . 
         [0066]    As will be explained, the container lid  39  is produced in one piece thereby eliminating the manual process of fitting the O-ring  16 , which was required for the previously described embodiment. Instead, in the further embodiment, upon closure the D-shaped rim  13  passes though the pouring aperture  9  and then passes through a correspondingly shaped wiper  41  that is integrally formed with the inner lining of soft plastic  45 . 
         [0067]    Furthermore, during fitting to a can, the lower limit  43  of the soft plastic  45  makes contact with the shoulder of the can and thereby provides a sealing point of contact with the can. Consequently the lid  39  is able to seal with cans of both small and larger diameter rims since sealing occurs around the upper shoulder of the can as well as against the top of the rims of the can. It will be understood that the lid  39 , due to inclusion of the soft plastic inner liner  45  is able to accommodate minor manufacturing tolerances in can rim sizes. 
         [0068]    Referring now to  FIGS. 10 and 11  a sequence for moulding the lid of  FIG. 9  will be described. 
         [0069]    With reference to  FIG. 10 , initially a suitably shaped mould outer casing  47  and complementary core  49  are brought adjacent to each other as shown in the Figure. Hard plastic is then injected between core  49  and outer casing  47  in order to form the hard plastic outer layer  51  of lid  39 . 
         [0070]    Referring now to  FIG. 11 , after the hard plastic has sufficiently cooled, core  49  is retracted away from the hard plastic layer  51  a distance corresponding to the thickness of the desired layer of the soft plastic inner lining  45 . Soft plastic is then injected into the space between the hard plastic layer  51  and the core  49  in order to form the inner lining  45 . 
         [0071]    The core  49  is then sufficiently displaced in order to allow for the finished lid  39  to be discharged from the mould. 
         [0072]    Referring now to  FIG. 12 , a beverage container lid  53  is depicted. The lid  53  is the same as the embodiment that was previously described in relation to  FIGS. 1 to 8  except that it includes four locking pins  55 , of which two are visible in the Figure. The four locking pins  55  are equispaced around the lid and extend downward from the lower limit of skirt  23 . Each locking pin  55  comprises a vertical stem portion  58  which terminates at its lower end in a right angled stub  57  that extends radially outward. 
         [0073]    With reference to  FIG. 13  the locking pins  55  are provided to make a bayonet type attachment between the lid  53  and a container  59 . The container  59  is shaped to snugly receive the lower portion of a beverage can. Together with the lid  53  the container encapsulates the beverage can. Each locking pin  55  is engaged by a complementary locking formation  61  formed into the periphery of the container&#39;s mouth. 
         [0074]      FIG. 14  is a perspective detail view of the locking formation  61 . It includes a vertical channel  63  for receiving the locking pin  55 , including the stem  58  and stub  57 . The lid is rotated relative to the container  59  so that the stem  58  is pushed sufficiently inward against curved wall  65  to allow for the stub  57  to be received into recess. 
         [0075]    At the bottom of the container  59  there is located a resilient pad  69 , for example of spongy foam. The pad  69  is provided to press a can located within the container  59  upward so that it in turn presses against the lid  53  thereby ensuring that stubs  57  press upward against the ceiling of locking recess  67  in order that play between lid  53  and container  59  is reduced. 
         [0076]    It will be realised that other methods for securing the lid  53  to the container  59  are possible. For example a threaded connection between the two might also be used as a fastening mechanism. 
         [0077]    Referring again to  FIG. 13 , a tamperproof arrangement is provided in the form of a band  71  having a line of weakness  73  formed across it. The band  71  is captured at either end by anchor formations  77 . The anchor formations in the presently described embodiment comprise blocks formed outwardly on the outside of container  59  with vertical slots therethrough for the passage of the band. As best seen in the partially cutaway detail of anchor formation  77 , shown in  FIG. 15 , a catch  78  extends downwardly from an internal wall of formation  77  and into the slot  80 . The catch  78  cooperates with sawtooth profile ribs  82  formed across the band so that the band may enter, but not leave anchor formation  77 . An oversized stop  79  is integrally formed at the opposite end of band  71  to prevent the band being pulled through the slot of engagement formation  75 . A protrusion  81  on the top of tab  10  is provided to retain the band on the tab. 
         [0078]    In use, a user of the container  59  and lid  53  shown in  FIG. 13  firstly opens a can of beverage and then inserts it into the container  59  so that the base of the can of beverage rests upon pad  69 . The user then places the lid  53  over the top of the can and locates locking pins  58  over vertical channel  63  of the container&#39;s locking formations  61 . The lid is then pressed down on the top of the can, thereby overcoming the upward force due to the pad  69  on the bottom of the can and rotated so that the stubs  57  of the locking pins  55  are received into locking recesses  67 . 
         [0079]    The band  71  is then threaded through the slot of anchor formation  75 , over thumb tab  10  and inside guide  81  and then through the slot of anchor formation  77  wherein the catch that is located therein locks against the ribs formed across the band  71  to thereby hold it in place. 
         [0080]    In the event of another person tampering with the lid by forcing the thumb tab  10  upward, the band  71  will break across its line of weakness  73 , which will be immediately apparent to the legitimate user. 
         [0081]    The bands are preferably supplied with a multiplicity of different identifiers printed upon them so that they cannot be easily substituted by an unauthorised person. Obviously other frangible members might be used instead of the bands that have been described. 
         [0082]    In order that users of the lids be able to readily customise them, in one embodiment the lid may be produced in clear plastic with a slot or recess formed in the skirt wall for a printed substrate to be inserted therein. However, polypropylene, which is a preferred material for making the lid, is not transparent enough to allow a quality image to be seen through it. Accordingly, as shown in  FIGS. 18 and 17 , a clear tubular plastic holder may be provided that slides snugly over the skirt  23 . The holder has an inward rim around its inner top periphery which comes to rest on the shoulder  21  of the lid. 
         [0083]    Prior to placing the plastic holder over the lid a web of printed material, as shown in  FIG. 18 , is inserted into a recess formed around the inner wall of the holder. Accordingly, the printed material can then be seen through the wall of the tubular holder subsequent to its installation over the lid, as shown in  FIG. 19 . 
         [0084]    While the invention has been primarily described in relation to beverage cans it also finds application with other types of beverage containers. For example, embodiments of the invention may be applied to coffee cups and the like. 
         [0085]    In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. The term “comprises” and its variations, such as “comprising” and “comprised of” is used throughout in an inclusive sense and not to the exclusion of any additional features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.