Patent Publication Number: US-2017355493-A1

Title: Sealed and reversible overcap

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to providing additional environmental protection to the exposed area of dispensing containers during the use that could accidentally be previously exposed to contamination, through the application of a sealed overcap along with fixing means, while remaining nonetheless easily removable. 
     The Related Art 
     Novel products are usually offered to the market with the objective of getting a general improvement in the production process and at the same time to attend customer&#39;s main expectations such as low cost and high functionality. 
     Besides, there is another convenience commonly present in customer requirements which is related to the sanitary conditions of the exposed goods, in this case not only in the selling point but comprehensively during the whole industrial process up to the consumption moment. 
     One evident example of this situation can be given just by using canned beverages which contents are sometimes drunk by the buyer directly from the can&#39;s lid meaning so that the user&#39;s lips will be in direct contact with the can&#39;s structure that for the sake of sanitary care must be duly cleaned and harmless what is not totally guaranteed all time long especially after the removal of the cans from the transportation packs where they are at least partially protected by wrapping plastic film for being stored at the final selling points where the cans can be spoiled by chemical, environmental or animal hazardous contamination. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     Disposable containers are usually offered to users in a ready-to-use version which is indeed one the best conveniences included. 
     It can be noted however that some of those items, and more specifically those containing edible goods might acquire undesirable sanitary conditions during the manufacturing and transportation process and before being consumed that eventually might exposed users to some sort of health problems if additional protection measure is not taken to avert it. 
     On top of that, an unprotected dispensing valve might permit that, when the container is still at the selling point, small samples of its content be unduly extracted by a nearby passing customers which can cause degradation to the product. 
     Therefore it was considered that an inexpensive solution to get the top discharging side of the container and its dispensing valve protected against contamination, misuse and tampering could be introduced for the benefit of both manufacturers and customers adding an additional utility to transform the sealed overcap in a regular drinking cup that might be used to promote the brand of the packed product. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present patent the introduction of a hermetic and removable Sealed and Reversible Overcap to be used for the protection against the external contamination or tampering of all kind of pasty, gaseous and liquid products loaded into various kinds of dispensing containers. 
     It is also an object of the present patent the introduction of a removable Sealed and Reversible Overcap that can keep the areas of dispensing containers that might be in direct human contact during consumption clean and sanitized, as from the production point up to the consumption moment. 
     It is also an object of the present patent avoid undue attempt to use the container&#39;s content before it has been acquired by the final users. 
     It is also an object of the present patent the supplying to end user of a removable Sealed and Reversible Overcap that can be transformed in a regular cup after it has been detached from the dispensing container to which it was attached, avoiding so the storage of cups, especially inside the retailing points. 
     The way those objectives will be achieved are better explained through the following drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows exemplary models of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap; 
         FIG. 2  shows a common beverage can commonly utilized by the market; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  disclose a Sealed and Reversible Overcap being positioned over the beverage can; 
       FIGS. from  4 A to  4 C show three types of adhesive strip. 
       FIGS. from  5 A to  5 D show the kind of cut applied in an adhesive strip containing a central empty lane and the sequence for obtaining a section of an adhesive strip containing a central empty lane; 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  disclose the sequence for obtaining a section of an adhesive strip containing periodic vertical empty spaces; 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  shows another system to split the adhesive strip in two halves through auxiliary adhesive tear tape; 
         FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C  explain the fixture of the adhesive strap around the Sealed and Reversible Overcap and both over the dispensing container; 
         FIGS. 9A to 9D  show the detachment of an adhesive strip fitted with two perforate cut lines to release the Sealed and Reversible Overcap from the dispensing container; 
         FIGS. 10A to 10C  show the detachment of an adhesive strip fitted with one perforate cut line to release the Sealed and Reversible Overcap from the dispensing container; 
         FIGS. 11A to 11D  disclose the method of fasten the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  by means of double coated tapes; 
     
    
    
     On  FIG. 1  exemplary models of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  in two possible dimensions are disclosed, a Short Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1   a , and a Long Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1   b  that can be used afterwards as a regular cup. 
     On  FIG. 2 , a common beverage can  2   a , commonly utilized by the market to facilitate the broad distribution as well as the massive consumption of a large variety of edible goods such as soft drinks, juices, wines, beers and many others is shown. 
     These cans are generally made up of thin-walled aluminum sheets, having aluminum covers  3  affixed through a seaming line  4  to the upper end of the cylindrical structures  5  where an outlet device  6  is added to facilitate the free outflow of its content. 
     It happens however that the bowl shaped format  7  assumed by the sealing top  8  of the can  2   a  after it has been set ready for delivering to the final selling points is suitable for the reception and accumulation of any sort of waste and dust before the consumption of its content that somehow can be contaminated. 
     Moreover, the can&#39;s external upper end  9  and the sealing top  8  as well, which eventually may be in direct contact to the lips of some customers who may prefer to sip the beverages directly from the sealing top  8  of the cans instead of using a cup, might had been exposed to some sort of environmental contamination or mishandling during the transportation or storage process with the potential risk of threatens user&#39;s health. 
     In the sequence of figures from  3 A to  3 B it was shown how the positioning and sequential insertion of Sealed and Reversible Overcaps  1  around a beverage container  2  will preserve and even enhance the adequate sanitary condition of the external upside of the can  2 , and more especially, of the area  9  that will be touched by the lips of a customer whose preference is to sip the beverage directly from the container&#39;s sealing top  8 . 
     According to  FIG. 3A , a short Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1   a  that is especially aimed to protect the external upper portion of the container against contamination was applied whilst in  FIG. 3B  it has been inserted a Long Multi Use Sealed Overcap  1   b  that additionally can be used as a drinking cup after it has been separated from the can  2 . 
     It should be also remarked that after the encapsulation of the upper section of the dispensing container  2  by a Sealed and Reversible Overcaps  1 , there will be no further external human or animal contact with the outlet valve  6  unless by spoiling the Sealed and Reversible Overcaps  1 , meaning so that it will be nearly impossible the extraction of portions of the container&#39;s content, avoiding therefore tampering attempts and contamination risks. 
     To be considered reliable in sanitary terms, after the insertion of the dispensing container  2  in the Sealed and Reversible Overcaps  1 , they should be then hermetically tight one to the other by practical means not only in terms of production but also during the consumption process being this goal obtained through the present patent by using, for instance, seals made up from adhesive strips. 
     Conceived to keep surfaces together, regular pressure-sensitive tapes  10  that are coated with adhesive material  11  in one and sometimes in both of its sides and that will be from now on used as the exemplary model in the present patent that are represented by the possible types of coiled adhesive strip  12  shown in  FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C  without prejudice of the application of any other feasible method. 
     Consequently, the concept for getting an adhesive strip portion, namely a seal  10   a , conceived to complement the airtight attachment of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  to dispensing containers  2  of nearly any type is disclosed through the following figures. 
     Made up of any suitable material such as plastic, paper, fabrics or any other that can attend the desired purposes of fixing the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  on the dispensing containers  2 , the pressure-sensitive tapes  10  are coated by adhesive material  11  comprising in its longitudinal orientation, the adequate configuration in terms of number and dimension of adhesive lanes  10   b , as well as in the spatial distribution of adhesive material  11  across the lanes that must be fully compatible with the requirements of each application, such as disclosed by the  FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7  that show how the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  will be hermetically affixed in the dispensing container  2  and easily removed from it, as will better explained ahead. 
     As such, it can be seen in the  FIG. 4A , a coil  17  containing a regular type of pressure-sensitive tape coated with adhesive material  11  just in one of its side as from which another functional types of coiled adhesive strips  12  to attend the purposes of the present patent will derive such as the models on  FIGS. 4B and 4C  that will be depicted ahead. 
     On  FIG. 4B  it can be noted that some new elements were inserted in the pressure-sensitive tape  10  of  FIG. 4A  such as longitudinal periodic blank spaces  13  in the center of the strip that are separated also by periodic portions  14  of adhesive material both longitudinally and horizontally destined to keep the inner blank space  13  that will be isolated from the external environment and therefore protected from external contamination after it has been fixed to the set formed by the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  and the dispensing container  2 . 
     The creation of a longitudinal blank space  13  is justified by the fact that said portion  13  will not adhere to the clean area  13   a  created by the superposition area  13   b  formed when the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  and the dispensing container  2  are already connected in order to make its separation possible and easy, as better explained through  FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C . In this example, only the outer lateral portions  11   a  of the tape have adhesive material  11  as seen in the  FIG. 4B . 
     It can also be noted in  FIG. 4B  two perforated cut lines  15  located exactly at the opposite side of the pressure-sensitive tapes  10  where the longitudinal blank spaces  13  were positioned, allowing so the easy removal of this longitudinal blank space  13  in the separation process of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  and the dispensing container  2  as there will be no adherence in the superposition area  13   b  between the two, as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . 
     In this specific example the central lane  16  of the adhesive strip which is periodically exempted of adhesive material  11  is destined to stay exactly over, and in contact with the area  13   a  where the edge of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  will get in touch with the structural walls  5  of the dispensing container  2 , in order to allow the easy separation of the two after the detachment of the central lane  16  of the adhesive strip. 
     However and in order to avoid the eventual contamination of the clean area  13   a  aimed to be protected by the seal  10   a , as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , a portion of adhesive material  14  is periodically coated with glue that will impede any spill and hazardous leakage through this point into the protected area  13   a.    
     Preferably supplied in coils  17  for the manufacturers of dispensing containers  2 , during the assembling process, the coiled adhesive strips  12  will be firstly submitted to an appropriated cut not only to separate from the coil the desired piece suitable to enfold the entire periphery of the dispensing container where the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  will be fixed, according to any specific need, but also to produce a small portion of material exempted of glue that will serve customers as the pull tab  18  to strip out the central lane  16  of the adhesive strip. 
     The cutting sequence to obtain the desired seal  10   a  that will enfold the entire periphery of the dispensing container is exhibited through figures from  5 A to  5 D. 
     On  FIG. 5A , the cutter  19  that is going to give the right shape to the seal  10   a  (shown in  FIG. 5C ) and that will enfold the entire periphery of the dispensing container  2  is disclosed in a hanging position  20  over a coiled adhesive strip  12  containing longitudinal periodic blank spaces  13  against which it is pressed, as shown in  FIG. 5B , in order to separate it from the coiled strip and produce the single and individual piece of adhesive strip, namely the seal  10   a  as shown in  FIG. 5C , that is going to be fixed over the superposition area  13   b  between the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  and the dispensing container  2 , as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . 
     On  FIG. 5D  it can be seen the reverse side of the single and individual piece of adhesive strip, namely the seal  10   a , where the perforated cut line  15  and the pull tab  18 , both created to allow users the easy detachment of this portion of material that will result in the separation of the adhesive strip in two halves, releasing so the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  from the dispensing container  2 . 
     Another workable model of adhesive strip is shown by  FIG. 6A  where the whole longitudinal available space  21  was coated with adhesive material, excepted by a periodic blank space  22  not coated by glue that is intended to serve as the limit for the cutting point of each individual piece of adhesive strip, namely the seal  10   a , capable to cover the whole periphery of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  to fasten it to the dispensing container  2 . 
     The result of this cut, as shown in  FIG. 6B , is the seal  10   a , a section of the adhesive strip which is coated by adhesive material in almost all the available surface  23  of the strip, except for a periodic blank portion  22  not covered by glue that will serve as the pull tab  18  through which users will remove the entire seal  10   a , allowing so the easy separation of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  from the dispensing container  2 . Still another alternative model of adhesive strip is disclosed in  FIGS. 7A and 7B  in which a section of thin auxiliary adhesive tear strip  10   c , is fixed over the central area  16  of a seal  10   a  which, when pulled up by the user, it will tear off the seal  10   a  consequently causing the seal  10   a  to be divided in two halves  24  allowing so the easy separation of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  from the dispensing container  2 . Seals  10   a  were conceived to keep tightly connection between the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  and the dispensing container  2  as from the production stage up to the final consumption of the product aiming to avoid contamination and tampering. At the production stage, the seals  10   a  should be inserted in the assembling lines by means of automatic machines well known by the state of the art in the field of automatization reason why this solution will not be presented in this present patent. 
     Notwithstanding, the application process of the seals  10   a  around the final set already formed is exposed through  FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C . 
     Thus, in  FIG. 8A  the insertion of the dispensing container  2  inside the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  is reproduced to show the creation of a superposition area  13   b  between the two and the perforate cutting lines  15  as well. 
     In  FIG. 8 b   , it can be seen that the application of the seal  10   a  has already been started over the superposition area  13   b  while the final end of the seal  10   a  which contains the pull tab  18  will be the last section of the seal  10   a  to be affixed. 
     In  FIG. 8B , the seal  10   a  was entirely affixed in order to cover the lower portion of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1 , as well as a portion of the dispensing container  2 , forming so the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  and the dispensing container  2  together just one piece firmly linked by the seal  10   a  keeping its pull tab  18  anyway exposed for user&#39;s utilization. 
     FIGS. from  9 A up to  9 D expose the sequence to undock an elongated Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  from a Reversible Overcap  1  from the dispensing container  2  which will result in the creation of a regular clean drinking cup  30 . 
     In  FIG. 9A  it can be seen that, this time, it was applied a larger seal  10   d  to fix the elongated Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  in a beverage can  2   a , having however a different configuration that comprises double perforated eccentric cut lines  15   a , i.e., they are not situated in the center of the longitudinal orientation of the adhesive strip, in order to create a larger protected, clean and contamination free region  30   a  in the detachable drinking cup  30 . 
     The first step represented in  FIG. 9A  is to pull out the pull tab  18  in order to start stripping out the whole peripheral segment of the detachable portion  25  delimited by double eccentric perforated cutting lines  15   a.    
     Once the detachable portion  25  delimited by the double eccentric perforated cut lines  15   a  has been completely removed, as shown in  FIG. 9B , the two halves  24  of the set previously formed are free to be easily separated giving users therefore access to the content of the beverage can  2   a , as shown in  FIG. 9C . 
       FIG. 9C  also shows the two remaining halves  24  of the seal  10   a , a larger one  24   a  attached to the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  that afterwards will become a regular drinking cup  30 , and the other one, thinner  24   b , attached to the dispensing container  2 , after the detachment of the portion delimited by the double eccentric perforated cut lines  15   a.    
     After the detachment, the next step taken by the user is to remove the larger half  24   a  of the larger seal  10   d  that remained attached to the drinking cup  30 , exposing so the larger protected region  30   a  that can be securely touched by the user&#39;s lips, as shown in  FIG. 9D . 
     Through the sequence of figures from  10 A to  10 C, the undocking of an elongated Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  from the dispensing container  2  will result again in the creation of a regular clean drinking cup  30  is shown, however using this time a larger seal  10   d  fitted with just a single perforate eccentric cut line  15   b  which divides the larger seal  10   d  in two different halves  24 , the larger half  24   a , and the thinner half  24   b . In  FIG. 10A  it can be seen that a larger seal  10   d  was applied to fix the elongated Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  in a beverage can  2   a , having now just a single perforated eccentric cut line  15   b.    
     The first step to open the can  2   a , as represented in  FIG. 10A , is to pull out the pull tab  18  which in the present example is attached only to the larger half  24   a  of the larger seal  10   d , in order to start stripping out and remove the whole peripheral segment of the larger half  24   a  delimited by the single eccentric perforated cutting line  15   b.    
     Once the larger half  24   a  delimited by eccentric perforated cut line  15   b  has been completely removed, as shown in  FIG. 10B , the two halves  24  of the set previously formed are free to be easily separated giving users therefore access to the content of the beverage can  2   a , as shown in  FIGS. 10B and 10C . 
       FIG. 10C  also shows that the larger half  24   a  that was previously attached to the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  does not exist anymore, unveiling so at the same time a clean area  13   a  at the region close to the open end of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  which has become a drinking cup  30 , while the thinner half  24   b  was kept attached to the dispensing container  2 , after the detachment of the portion delimited by the eccentric perforated cut line  15   b.    
     After the detachment and removal of the larger half  24   a , the larger protected region  30   a  that can be securely touched by the user&#39;s lips was exposed, as shown in  FIG. 10C . 
     Through the figures from  11 A till  11 D, another feasible alternative to fix the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  on the dispensing container  2  by means of a double coated tape  26  is unveiled. 
     In  FIG. 11A , a double coated tape  26  was affixed around the periphery, close to the lower end  27  of a regular beverage can  2   a  whilst a Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  is positioned right over it just waiting to be inserted. 
     It can also be noted in  FIG. 11A  that the hanging overcap  28  has a portion  28   a  allocated close to its open end  29  delimited by a perforated cut line  15  and a pull tab  18  positioned at its end that will permit users to entirely detach it from Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1 , creating so a drinking cup  30  shown in  FIG. 11D  that will be used to drink the content of the can. 
     The inner area  31  existing between the portion  28   a  allocated close to the open end  29  of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  and the edge  32  of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  will be preserved free and used to be in contact, as shown in  FIG. 11B , with the double coated tape  26  previously affixed to the dispensing container  2 , as shown in  FIG. 11A . 
     In  FIG. 11C  it is possible to see how the portion  28   a  existing in the inner area  31  between the edge  32  of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  and the closest perforated cut line  15   a  were left attached to the double coated tape  26  which was previously affixed to the beverage can  2   a , after the central lane of the seal  10   a  has been detached through the perforate cut line  15 , and how the Sealed and Reversible Overcap  1  became a regular drinking cup  30  as shown in  FIG. 11D . 
     It will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements.