Patent Publication Number: US-2011062159-A1

Title: Beverage container closure with pressure release

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     The present disclosure relates generally to beverage container closures and in particular, to beverage container closures with pressure release. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Beverage containers are generally formed from cylindrical aluminum cans which contain a soft drink, beer or other liquid beverage. Such containers are usually available in 12-ounce and 16-ounce volumes, although various volumes of beverage containers may be available. A conventional beverage container includes a pull tab which initially seals an opening in the top of the container and can be pulled to expose the opening and facilitate access to the beverage contents of the container. However, one of the limitations of conventional can-type beverage containers is that once the pull tab has been used to open the container, the container cannot be re-sealed in the event that some of the beverage in the container is not consumed. This causes carbonated beverages to become flat due to the escape of carbon dioxide from the beverage container and allows insects or other debris to enter the container. 
     Various types of covers exist for preventing carbonated beverages in opened containers from becoming flat and for preventing insects from entering the container. Examples of covers that fit onto the top of containers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,947,324, 5,071,042 and 4,883,192. These covers snap onto the top of the container and include caps that allow the container to be opened and closed as desired. 
     These patents are only exemplary of the many devices disclosed in the art. No representation is made that these are the only or most relevant patents to the present disclosure. Although such snap-fit covers provide a convenient and easy way of resealing an opened container, it has been found that a very serious problem exists with their use. As a carbonated beverage warms or the container is shaken or otherwise disturbed, carbon dioxide is released from the carbonated beverage which causes a buildup of pressure within the now sealed container. When the pressure builds to a certain psi (pounds per square inch), the snap fit covers are forcefully ejected from the top of the container. Applicant has found that snap fit covers when ejected, can reach speeds close to roughly twice the speed of a cork being ejected from a bottle of champagne. The thus ejected snap fit cover can cause serious injury to person or property. 
     SUMMARY 
     A beverage container closure with pressure release, includes a generally funnel-shaped device body having an upper portion and a lower portion, a snap ring extending around an inner periphery of said lower portion, wherein the snap ring can be releasably attached to a beverage container for maintaining a leak-proof and airtight seal with an edge of the beverage container and a snap cover releasably attached to the upper portion of the device body, wherein the snap cover is designed to detach from the upper portion of the device body prior to the device body detaching from the beverage container when pressure builds up within the beverage container. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a view of a perspective view of container closure with pressure release, with a cap assembly detached from the device with a portion of a beverage container shown in phantom, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the container closure with pressure release according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view, taken along section lines  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1  of the cap assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of a snap cover portion of the cap assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  5 - 5  in  FIG. 2 , with the device attached to a beverage container (shown in phantom); 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged sectional view of an illustrative embodiment of the container closure and dispensing device, taken along section line  6  in  FIG. 5  with a portion of a beverage container shown in phantom; and 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the cap assembly attached to a neck portion of the beverage container closure with pressure release according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In describing preferred embodiments of the present disclosure illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for sake of clarity. However, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a beverage container closure with pressure release according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown and is generally referred to herein as device  1 . Device  1  includes a body  2  which is adapted to detachably and sealingly engage the top of a beverage container  36  (shown in phantom). A cap assembly  20  mounts onto body  2  of device  1  via mounting loop  22  and includes a snap cover  24 . Snap cover  24  is attached to mounting loop  22  via tether  26 . Snap cover  24  snap fits onto a top edge  42  of body  2  of device  1 , to facilitate selective closure and sealing of the beverage container  36  and/or dispensing of a beverage from the beverage container  36 . The beverage container  36  may be a conventional can-type beverage container, for example, that generally includes an outwardly-rolled container rim  37  (See  FIG. 5 ) and a pull tab (not shown). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to avoid device  1  from forcefully ejecting from the beverage container  36  when pressure builds up within the container and possibly causing injury, the device is designed so that snap cover  24  will release from top edge  42  (“burp”) prior thereto, thus safely releasing the pressure. The user can then press snap cover  24  back onto device  1  if desired. 
     Device  1  prevents insects, dirt, debris and other contaminants from entering the beverage container  36  and preserves the freshness and integrity of the beverage remaining in the beverage container  36  after initial opening of the beverage container. The device  1  is re-usable and can be readily detached from one beverage container  36 , washed and/or rinsed and attached to another beverage container  36  for example, after the contents of the first beverage container  36  have been consumed. 
     According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, device body  2  is resilient plastic. Cap assembly  20  is also resilient plastic, although a material generally softer and more flexible than that forming device body  2  is desirable. It should be understood that device  1  may be formed of any suitable alternative resilient material(s). Device  1  may be a dishwasher-safe material, for example. Examples of materials which are suitable for fabrication of device  1  include, without limitation, polyethylene, rubber, etc. However, some characteristics of the particular material(s) used to fabricate device  1  may vary depending on the specific nature of the application of device  1 . For example, characteristics which affect seal ability; resiliency; stretch; rigidity; elasticity; application force; translucence; and luminescence may determine selection of the material(s) used. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , device body  2  is generally funnel shaped and includes a neck portion  3 . Neck portion  3  includes a top edge  42 , neck ring  40 , ring  58  and flange  41 . A middle wall portion  8  extends outwardly from the neck portion  3 . A lower wall portion  10  extends from the middle wall portion  8  and includes a lip  12  extending therefrom which flares outwardly, as shown. The neck portion  3 , the middle wall portion  8  and the lower wall portion  10  define a device body interior  14  as shown in  FIG. 5 . A snap ring  16  circumscribes the interior  14  of device body  2  and generally delineates the middle wall portion  8  from lower wall portion  10 , as shown in close-up in  FIG. 6 . One or more rings  63  may extend around the inner periphery of lip  12 . As used herein, relative terms such as “upper”, “middle” and “lower” are intended to be descriptive non-limiting terms since they are not necessarily intended to denote the positions of the indicated components during use of the device  1 . 
     Cap assembly  20  mounts to neck portion  3 , allowing the device  1  to be selectively opened and closed. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , cap assembly  20  includes mounting loop  22  with snap ring  61  which allows mounting loop  22  to be mounted to neck portion  3  of device  1 . Snap cover  24  is attached to mounting loop  22  via tether  26 . Snap cover  24  includes a generally flat or planar cap top  30  with a raised portion  28  (see  FIG. 1 ) extending therefrom for providing structural support to cap top  30  as well as a decorative quality to the cap. Cylindrical flat sides  32  extend from cap top  30 . Snap ring  50  extends around an inner periphery of cylindrical flat sides  32  as shown. Flexible seal ring  60  extends from cap top  30 . Flip tab  29  extends from a portion of the cylindrical flat side  32  providing an easy and efficient way of flipping open snap cover  24 . 
     Mounting loop  22  is dimensioned to press fit onto neck portion  3  into the area between neck ring  40  and flange  41 . Snap cover  24  can then be pressed down onto top edge  42  of neck portion  3 , so that snap cover  24  is detachably attached to neck portion  3  of device body  2 . As shown in closeup in  FIG. 7 , a lock slot  52  is formed on neck portion  3  between neck ring  40  and retaining ring  58 , for receiving lock ring  56  of mounting loop  22 . Snap ring  61  fits snugly into lock slot  52  of neck portion  3  so that cap assembly  20  is attached firmly to device body  2 . A snap lock slot  48  is formed between the lower portion of outside beveled edge  46  and neck ring  40 . Snap lock slot  48  is dimensioned for receiving snap ring  50  of snap cover  24  as shown, when cap assembly  20  is mounted to neck portion  3 . Snap ring  50  and snap lock slot  48  are designed so that snap cover  24  will release from the neck portion  3  when the pressure within device body  2  reaches between 7.5 psi-12.5 psi (approximately 9.75 psi on average) and more preferably approximately 12 psi. In general, this provides sufficient holding force so that even if a container sealed with device  1  is accidentally tipped over, the force of the liquid in the container will not inadvertently force the snap cover  24  open. However, should sufficient pressure build up in the interior  14  of device body  2 , the snap cover  24  will pop off of the neck portion  3  prior to device body  2  being forcefully ejected from the top of container  36 . 
     Top edge  42  of the neck portion  3  includes an inside beveled edge  44  and an outside beveled edge  46 . Flexible seal ring  60  of snap cover  24  is shaped to complement the inside beveled edge  44  and is positioned to provide a snug leak-proof seal along inside beveled edge  44  of top edge  42  of neck portion  3  when snap cover  24  is pressed closed. As snap cover  24  is being pressed down onto top edge  42  of neck portion  3 , snap ring  50  engages outside beveled edge  46  and forces cylindrical flat sides  32  outward until snap ring  50  snaps into snap lock slot  48 , thereby securing snap cover  24  in its closed position. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  6 , in use of device  1 , the device  1  is snap-fit onto the beverage container  36 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the interior surface of flared lip  12  of device body  2  guides the rolled upper container rim  37  of the beverage container  36  (shown in phantom) beyond and into engagement with the catch ring  16 , which snugly engages the container rim  37 . Container rim  37  is thus snap-fit into engagement with catch ring  16  and provides an airtight seal between the interior of the device  1  and the beverage container  36 . The snap-fit airtight seal between the device  1  and container  36  is designed so that it can withstand pressure buildups within interior  14  of device body  2  between 17 psi-21 psi and more preferably approximately 20 psi. As noted above, the snap-fit between snap cover  24  and top edge  42  of neck portion  3  of device  1  is designed to withstand pressures no more than approximately 12.3 psi. Accordingly, snap cover  24  will pop off of neck portion  3  prior to sufficient pressure building up and forcefully ejecting device  1  from container  36  in a dangerous manner. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  7 , in typical application of the device  1 , the beverage container  36  is initially opened by pulling the pull tab (not illustrated), in the conventional manner. The device body  2  of the device  1  is attached to the beverage container  36  by lowering the device body  2  over the beverage container  36  and pressing down on device  1  until container rim  37  of the beverage container  36  snaps past catch ring  16 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the interior surface of flared lip  12  guides the container rim  37  into engagement with the catch ring  16 . Because of the resiliency of flared lip  12 , the catch ring  16  stretches to accommodate the diameter of the container rim  37  and then recoils against the container rim  37  to achieve a snug, airtight fit between the catch ring  16  and the container rim  37 . 
     For temporary storage of the beverage container  36  prior to dispensing of the beverage (not illustrated) from the beverage container  36 , snap cover  24  is pressed onto top edge  42  of neck portion  3  until snap ring  50  engages snap lock slot  48  and snaps into place. If beverage in the beverage container  36  is a carbonated beverage, carbon dioxide gas from the beverage is initially unable to escape from the device body interior  14  through the capped neck portion  3  or from the lip portion  16  of the device body  2  due to the airtight seals provided. This prevents the carbon dioxide from escaping from the device  1  and maintains the carbonation integrity and freshness of the beverage. Furthermore, the snap cover  24  prevents insects, dirt, debris and other contaminants from entering the device body interior  14  and the beverage container  36  through neck portion  3  of device  1 . However, if too much pressure builds up in the device body interior  14 , the snap cover  24  will gently open or “burp” thus preventing the device  1  from being forcefully ejected from the container  36 . 
     When dispensing of the beverage from the beverage container  36  is desired, snap cover  24  is removed from the neck portion  3  of the device body  2  by pressing flip tab  29  in an upward direction. Accordingly, the beverage can be selectively dispensed from the beverage container  36  through device body interior  14  ( FIG. 5 ) of device body  2 . 
     When additional beverage remains in beverage container  36  after the desired quantity of beverage has been dispensed from beverage container  36 , snap cover  24  can again be attached to neck portion  3  to seal interior  14  of device body  2  by firmly pressing down on snap cover  24  until snap ring  50  engages snap lock slot  48 . After the beverage has been completely dispensed from the beverage container  36 , device  1  can be removed from the beverage container  36  and attached to another beverage container  36  for further use. 
     The device body  2  and/or cap assembly  20  may be in any of various colors to differentiate multiple devices  1  from each other to aid in container identification when multiple devices  1  are attached to multiple respective beverage containers  36  simultaneously. In addition, although the cap assembly  20  has been described as being press fit into neck portion  3 , it could of course be attached in other ways. For example, mounting loop  22  and neck portion  3  of device  1  can be provided with threads, allowing cap assembly  20  to be screwed onto neck portion  3 . In this case, snap cover  24  would still snap onto the top edge of neck portion  3  as described above. 
     While the illustrative embodiments of the disclosure have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. 
     Numerous additional modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in view of the above-teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.