Patent Publication Number: US-2010108678-A1

Title: Easisly openable can and method of opening the can

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an easily openable can and a method of opening the same which enlarges the opening so as to facilitate dispensing content such as canned beer or canned juice. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Canned beer and juice have openings formed such that a peripheral edge portion of a lid plate is seamed and fixed around an upper edge portion of a can body made of aluminum or steel plate, a pull-tab is fixed in the center of an upper surface of the can lid with a rivet, and a score (cutting line) is press-formed on the periphery of the pull-tab portion. And by pulling the pull-tab up, the scored portion breaks and separates from the lid plate and is pushed into the can body, and through which a drinking mouth is formed (See Japanese patent application Kokai publication No. 2006-1586 or the like). 
     According to the patent document and other known arts, the opening portion opened by pulling the pull-tab up is formed in an arc in various shapes and sizes. 
     The size of the drinking mouth of such a can is determined with a relationship between strength and ease of opening to withstand a pressure inside the can and an external impact and to preserve the content normally. In the case of recent beer cans, the oval drinking mouth is formed with a width of approximately 40 to 43% and a height of approximately 35% of the diameter of a center panel constituting the lid plate. However, as a drinking mouth, it does not ensure a sufficient size (See Japanese patent application Kokai publication No. 2006-1586 or the like). 
     In the case of canned beer and juice, in particular canned beer, briskness when flowing down the throat is the most important, and hence, when people usually drink canned beer, they avoid repeated drinking small amounts from a small drinking mouth of it by transferring the content to a container such as a glass or a jug for more comfortable drinking. 
     However, in order to transfer the content of canned beer to a glass or the like before drinking it, a container such as a glass needs to have been prepared all the time and in the case of outdoor or large parties, such preparation can be impossible, and many people are forced to drink small amounts directly from the can. 
     When drinking canned beer or juice, it often results in a plurality of cans lying around, and the present invention was made in view of this point. That is, with beer cans that are restricted in that dispensing can only be done in small amounts such as with those currently available, a function to open a larger drinking mouth is provided, two cans are vertically stacked upon each other, and by fixing the lower can, for example, while rotating the upper can, an easily openable can is provided that can open the drinking mouth larger than those previously found. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to solve the above problem, a structure of an easily openable can and its opening method according to the present invention is that a function for assisting opening such as a break line at an upper part of a metal can and a can with means for opening another can at a lower part are provided, and one of the cans is opened by rotating and manipulating the two cans having the both functions in a connected state, which is configured as follows. 
     1) An opening method of an easily openable can according to the present invention is characterized in that a can with means for opening a sheet metal-made can at a lower part and a function for assisting opening at an upper part is used as a pair. 
     2) A structure of an easily openable can according to the present invention is characterized in that in a can which is to be opened in an arranged state of two sheet metal-made cans in series, means for opening a drinking mouth of another can is provided at a lower part of the can, and a function for assisting opening of the can itself is formed at an upper part. 
     3) A break line is formed in parallel with an inner surface of a ringed seaming portion formed on the periphery of a lid plate at an upper part of a sheet metal-made can or an inner surface of the seaming portion on the upper surface of the lid plate, and a projection for generating a pressing force for breaking the break line is formed on the surface of a reduced portion at the lower part of the can. 
     4) A chuck wall of a ringed seaming portion formed on the periphery of a lid plate at an upper part of a sheet metal-made can is slightly extended into the inside of the can, a break line is formed along the seaming portion in the extended portion, and a projection for generating a pressing force for breaking the break line is formed. 
     5) An inclined guide projection is formed on an inner surface of a ringed seaming portion formed on the periphery of a lid plate at an upper part of a sheet metal-made can, a guide projection to be fitted in the guide projection to bring the two cans into the connected state is formed on the surface of a reduced portion at a lower part of the can, a breaking projection is formed on the lower surface of the main body, and moreover, a break line constituting a part of a circle is formed at a position corresponding to the breaking projection on the periphery of the lid plate on the inner surface of the seaming portion of the can. 
     6) A break line not more than a half circumference is formed along a seaming portion slightly below the ringed seaming portion formed on the periphery of a lid plate at an upper part of a sheet metal-made can, a projecting guide portion is also formed opposing to the break line, and a projection fitted between the break line and the guide portion for breaking the break line is formed on the inner surface of a reduced portion at a lower part of the can. 
     7) A folding line is formed at a position substantially connecting both ends of the break line, and a pull-tab having a fixed portion is provided at a portion of a lid plate where the guide portion is provided. 
     By the configuration as above, in the present invention, means for generating a breaking force is provided at a reduced portion at a lower part of a sheet metal-made can as a beer can which can be stacked, and a break line is further formed inside a seaming portion at an upper part of the can so that a large drinking mouth as if it is a cup can be easily opened without using a special can-opening device by applying relative rotation between the two cans connected vertically. 
     Also, since a large drinking mouth is formed as compared with a conventional beer can, beer can be drunk with comfort of flowing down the throat favorably. 
     Moreover, only by slightly changing the structure of a conventional beer can using a simple assisting tool, a large drinking mouth can be opened. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partially broken perspective view of a beer can according to a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a front sectional view of the beer can shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a part with a seaming portion cut away in the beer can shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a beer can according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a front sectional view of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of an essential part illustrating an opened state of the beer can shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a partially broken perspective view of a beer can according to a third embodiment. 
         FIG. 8(   a ) is a front sectional view of the beer can shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 8(   b ) is a front sectional view illustrating a variation of a lower part of the beer can shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged sectional view illustrating an essential part of the beer can shown in  FIG. 7  in a broken manner. 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of the beer can shown in.  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 11  is an explanatory view illustrating a relationship between an assisting tool according to a fourth embodiment and a beer can to be opened. 
         FIG. 12  is a plan view of the beer can shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is an enlarged view of an essential part illustrating an opened state of the beer can shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Next, a technical idea of the present invention will be described by embodiments referring to the attached drawings but the present invention is not limited to them. 
     Embodiment 1 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a part of a beer can body, 
       FIG. 2  is a longitudinal sectional view and  FIG. 3  is an enlarged sectional view of opening means. 
     In the case of a beer can, a body  1  is formed capable of being stacked, but in this embodiment, utilizing the characteristics of this basic shape, a projection  3  as opening means is formed at a fitting portion  2  reduced at a lower part of the body  1 , a chuck wall  6  forming an annular seaming portion  5  for connecting the body  1  and a lid plate  4  at an upper part is slightly extended into the body  1 , an annular portion  7  is expanded at a half circumference portion inside, and a break line  8  is formed at its longitudinal piece portion. 
     Though not shown, a pull-tab is fixed by a rivet in the center portion of the lid plate  4  as in a usual can so that when the score  8  is broken, a portion where the break line  8  is not formed is connected to the body  1 , while a lid body (opening piece)  4   a  (lid plate portion broken or to be broken) formed of a broken portion can be manipulated to push into the body  1  so as to open (or close as necessary) a drinking mouth. 
     As the opening means, a single piece (or a plurality of pieces depending on the case) of the projection  3  is formed on the surface of the fitting portion  2  which is reduced and tapered. Also, the break line  8  is formed in a dimensional relationship that the projection  3  is just located at the end of an annular portion  7  when the fitting portion  2  of another can is fitted on the seaming portion  5  of a lower can of two cans. 
     The break line  8  has a limited thickness to be carved so that it withstands pressure inside the can body  1  and an impact at transportation and handling and has a strength to be broken only after pressed by the projection  3 . And a space portion k is formed in the state where its back surface can be freely expanded when the break line  8  is pressed by the projection  3 . 
     When a beer can is to be opened, the projection  3  of the fitting portion  2  at the lower end of another beer can  1  (manipulating can) is brought into contact with the seaming portion  5  of the lid body  4  of the beer can  1  on the opening side (opening-side can) at the end of the annular portion  7  to accomplish an opening preparation state. This state can be realized merely by dropping the fitting portion  2  into the seaming portion  5  and rotating it so that the projection  3  matches the guide portion  7 . When the two beer cans are prepared in this way, the beer can  1 M, which is the manipulating can (upper can) is rotated and the projection  3  is gently rotated and moved along the break line  8  formed in the center of the annular portion  7  of the lower beer can  1  for breaking manipulation so as to separate a part of the lid plate  4  to have a lid-body portion supported by a hinge, and a pull-tab, not shown, is manipulated so as to form a large drinking mouth. 
     It is only necessary that the break line  8  is provided in a range of approximately ½ to ⅗ of the periphery of the lid plate  4 , and a single projection  3  is enough for breaking manipulation of the break line  8  in this range. 
     When approximately a half of the periphery of the lid plate  4  is separated from the body by the manipulation as above and the broken lid-plate portion is dropped into the can by a necessary depth, a large drinking mouth is opened. And beer, which is content, can be dispensed through the drinking mouth in a short time. As a result, beer can be drunk more favorably as flowing down than conventional can beer. 
     Embodiment 2 
     In this embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 4 to 6 , screwing type opening means is provided, in which two types of projections, that is, a plurality of guide projections  3   a  and breaking projections  3   b  as opening means on the periphery of the fitting portion  2  at the lower part of the beer can  1  are formed. And at the chuck wall  6  forming the annular seaming portion  5  at the upper part of the beer can  1 , a diagonal guide projecting streaks  3 X forming a part of a right screw as opening means are formed at a plurality (four in this example) of spots. 
     The breaking portion in this example is the score  8  formed by press into the c-shape on the lid plate  4 . In the first embodiment, it is formed at the lower part where the chuck wall  6  is extended, while in this embodiment, it is formed on the periphery of the lid body  4 , which is a difference. In this embodiment too, a pull-tab provided in the center of the lid body  4  is not shown. 
     The guide projecting streaks  3 X and the four guide projections  3   a  guided by them are provided with a. predetermined interval. It is only necessary for the inclination angle of the guide projecting streak  3 X to correspond to a pressing-down amount of the can on the manipulation side which can break by pressing the break line  8  with the breaking projection  3   b.  Also, the breaking projection  3   b  may be formed in the annular state, but in this case, breaking manipulation might not be carried out efficiently, and thus, the projection is formed in the shape which can be broken with an interval shorter than the interval of the guide projecting streaks  3 X. 
     Though rotation manipulation of the can on the manipulation side is used as can-opening manipulation in the first embodiment, in this embodiment, on the other hand, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the manipulation is carried out by pressing-down by the guide projecting streak  3 X and breaking at a plurality of breaking projections  3   b  at the same time, which is a difference. In this embodiment, since the break line  8  can be formed in the circumferential direction of the flat-plane state lid plate  4 , manipulation to form the break line  8  is easy, and a die can be manufactured inexpensively. 
     Embodiment 3 
     This embodiment is to open approximately a half of the lid body  4 , and as shown in  FIGS. 7 to 10 , the chuck wall  6  on the inner surface of the seaming portion  5  and the lid plate  4  are devised. 
     In this embodiment, the break line  8  is formed substantially over a half circumference of a portion extended below the chuck wall  6  forming the seaming portion  5  on the left half of the lid plate  4  shown in  FIGS. 7 and 10 . And a guide portion  4   b  with an angular section is formed at a portion opposing to the chuck wall  6 . And a straight folding line  4   c  is formed at a boundary portion between the lid plate  4  and the broken lid plate  4   a.    
       FIG. 8(   a ) shows an example in which a projection  3   c  forming one of opening means at the fitting portion  2  at the lower part of the beer can  1  is formed inward, and when the projection  3   c  is brought into contact with the guide portion  4   b  and pushed into a narrow portion of a trough part, the fitting portion  2  is brought into contact with the chuck wall  6  side, and the projection  3   c  is brought into contact with the guide portion  4   b  at the same time so that the break line  8  between the guide portion  4   b  and the chuck wall  6  is broken. 
     In this embodiment, the beer can  1  to be opened is placed at a lower side, the fitting portion  3  of another beer can  1 M is fitted in the seaming portion  5 , the projection  3   c  is brought into contact with the guide portion  4   b,  and moreover, the beer can  1  is rotated while a peripheral edge portion at the tip of the fitting portion  2  is pushed into a narrow trough portion between the guide portion  4   b  and the seaming portion  5  so that the score  8  can be broken. 
     The length of this break line  8  is formed, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 10 , in a range of approximately 180 degrees between the folding line  4   c,  and after the break line  8  is broken by rotation of the beer can  1 M, which is a can on the manipulating side, by lifting up a free end of the pull-tab  10 , the breaking lid plate  4   a  is pushed down into the can with the folding line  4   c  as a hinge so that a drinking mouth formed by a half circle portion between the folding line  4   c  can be opened large. 
     Also,  FIG. 8(   b ) shows a case where the projection  3   c  is formed on the outer surface of the fitting portion  2 , and in the case of this example. since the projection  3   c  directly presses and breaks the portion of the break line  8 , a force required for breaking may be small and the breaking can be done easily. And this example is characterized in that the projection  3   c  is formed on the outer surface of the reduced portion. 
     Embodiment 4 
     In this embodiment, the shape of the conventional beer can  1  is not largely changed as shown in  FIGS. 11 to 13 , but a simple assisting tool is used and one can  1 M opens the other can  1  as the “opening-side can  1 M and the manipulating-side can  1  of beer cans”, which is the basic idea of the present invention. 
     An assisting tool  15  is formed in a dish state by a circumferential wall and a bottom plate, a single or a plurality of projections  16  are formed on the bottom plate  15   a,  projecting from the inner surface to the outer surface, and moreover, a rubber layer  17  is formed on the entire surface or a part (in points or lines) of the inner surface of the assisting tool  15  ( FIGS. 12 ,  13 ). 
     On the lid plate  4  on the upper surface of the can body  1 , a folding line  18  is formed in the diameter direction, the break line  8  is formed in the arc state from its both ends, and the pull-tab  10  is fixed in the center of the lid plate  4  ( FIG. 12 ). Also, the reduced portion connecting the circumferential wall to the bottom plate  15   a  is formed with the dimension and shape to be guided by the seaming portion  5  of the beer can  1  ( FIG. 13 ). 
     When this beer can  1  is to be opened, as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 13 , the assisting tool  15  is fitted in the lower part of the manipulating-side can  1 M on the upper side, the reduced portion of the assisting tool  15  and the bottom plate  15   a  are positioned inside the seaming portion  5  of the opening-side can  1  on the lower side, the projection  16  is brought into contact with the break line  8 , and by rotating the manipulating-side beer can  1 M to the half, the lid plate  4  is broken in the half moon state. After that, by lifting up the pull-tab  10 , the broken lid plate  4   a  is pushed into the can body and the drinking mouth is opened almost to the full extent. 
     In this embodiment, the break line  8  is formed for 180 degrees, but it is needless to say that the line may be in a range smaller than that. In this case, only a portion to start breaking is broken by the projection  16  and then, the pull-tab  10  is manipulated so as to carry out necessary opening for required breaking. Also, when the pull-tab  10  is used at the same time for opening, the break line  8  is not necessarily in an arc, but a part of it may be formed in the arc state. 
     Embodiment 5 
     In this embodiment, the technical idea of the present invention may be applied to a can lid using a screw plug, though not shown. That is, a grip portion capable of engagement with the screw plug (portion having a claw generating a twisting force in a recess portion in which a screw plug is fitted or the screw plug) is formed on the bottom surface of a sheet metal-made can, the grip portion formed on the manipulating-side can is engaged with the screw plug on the opening-side can by twisting the screw plug, and by relatively rotating the two cans, the screw plug can be opened.