Abstract:
A tab top beverage can has a compressible drinking straw held between the can bottom and an upwardly extending detachable closed cavity formed in the can top. Detachment of the cavity by a pivoting tab top uncovers a straw access orifice through which the straw is projected by the force of a previously compressed corrugated spring section formed in the straw wall. A bulge located on the straw prevents passage of the straw from the can and facilitates extension of the straw. The tab is attached to the can top by outwardly projecting lips formed on upwardly projecting closed cavities defined in the can top. The cavities extend through openings in the tab and the lips extend beyond the opening perimeters to secure the tab to the cavities and top.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to tab top beverage cans and, more particularly, to a self-contained self-presenting drinking straw for use in beverage cans.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Beverage cans have been used for decades with more recent developments including the pull tab opening that removably tears away from the can top to provide access, replacing the need for a separate opener; and more recently, in response to environmental concerns, the access tab that is bent down into the can by a pivot, with both the tab and pivot remaining attached to the can to reduce the debris and pollution and to minimize hazards to wildlife.  
           [0005]    Throughout this design evolution, the shape of the can top has remained generally unchanged, with an annular groove formed by a raised flange around the can top perimeter acting, unfortunately, as a dirt, dust and residue trap. As a result, drinking directly from such a can is unsanitary and distasteful and results in a situation where the choices left to the consumer are to inconveniently obtain a sanitary packaged straw, with the accompanying costs to the economy and the ecology, or risk the potential health consequences.  
           [0006]    In response to this dilemma, a number of inventions have been directed toward the design of a completely self-contained straw that would be stored within the can until use and would reliably present itself to the user upon opening of the tab top.  
           [0007]    A number of approaches were suggested in the 1970&#39;s and early 1980&#39;s when tab tops were completely removed from the can top upon opening which have been replaced with other alternatives by most can manufacturers due to environmental concerns over the discarding of the separated tab tops. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,654 (Brinkley), 4,078,692 (Stein), 4,109,817 (Payne et al), 4,226,356 (Lemalson) and 4,228,913 (Mack et al) are representative of such devices.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,927 (Cooper et al) shows a resiliently bent straw held in position in the bottom of the can in a concave slot and at the top by a dimple projecting downward from the tab. The straw is weakly positioned at the top and not secured; moreover, the radical redesign of the pressure-resisting can bottom is undesirable.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,702 (Ayabe et al) discloses a self-contained straw that must be manually removed from the tab after opening, compromising the desired improvements in sanitation and convenience.  
           [0010]    Various other methods have been developed relating to the presentation of the straw held in a can requiring expensive alterations in the manufacturing process. U.S. Pat. No. 5,054, 639 (Ahn) teaches a floating straw requiring a straw holder and guide to be attached to the interior of the beverage can. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,827 (Clang et al) a complex mechanism to pivot a compound curved straw through a pair of adjacent can top tab panels is shown. U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,729 (Lee) presents a resilient telescoping straw requiring a can top surface sloping upward to the top opening.  
           [0011]    Despite these efforts, no viable reliable solution has heretofore been presented to provide the consumer with the option of drinking from a sanitary self-contained and convenient beverage can straw or traditional pour spout at a production cost acceptable to the marketplace.  
         OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a beverage can having a self-contained self-presenting drinking straw that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.  
           [0013]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a self-contained beverage can straw that accessibly presents itself to the consumer upon opening of the can tab top without requiring the consumer to handle the straw.  
           [0014]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a beverage can assembly with a self-presenting drinking straw that pops-up from a beverage can but is retained partially within the can to prevent loss.  
           [0015]    Yet another object of the present invention is to reduce the likelihood of transmitting unsanitary materials from beverage can tops to consumers.  
           [0016]    It is also an object to provide an improved beverage can while retaining the essential design elements, fabrication methods, and tooling requirements of the traditional tab top beverage can and the existing techniques for the manufacture of pleated plastic straws without increasing metal material costs.  
           [0017]    A supplemental object of the present invention is to provide a method for making a beverage can by simultaneously forming a tab rivet post in the can top during formation of the scored removable cylinder in the can top.  
           [0018]    A still further objective of the present invention is to reduce the waste paper and plastic pollution associated with the handling and packaging of individually wrapped straws.  
           [0019]    The aforesaid objects are achieved individually and in combination and it is not intended that the invention be construed as requiring that two or more of said objects be combined.  
           [0020]    In accordance with the present invention, a telescoping drinking straw is secured in resilient compression between the top and bottom of a beverage can. The top of the straw is releasably retained in a cylindrical chamber formed in a pivoting pull tab at the center of the can top. A bulge or bubble, having a cross-sectional area slightly larger than the tab-formed drinking orifice in the can top, is formed in the straw to prevent inadvertent loss or removal of the straw from the opened can. A centering concave dimple is preferably formed in the can floor to guide and constrain the straw during filling and handling.  
           [0021]    The present invention provides an inexpensive, user-friendly and effective means for providing the consumer with a sanitary and convenient alternative to current non-hygienic beverage cans without imposing economically unfeasible demands on current manufacturing procedures.  
           [0022]    The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon considering the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, particularly when viewed in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals in various figures are utilized to designate like components. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is an elevation view in cross-section of an unopened beverage can with a self-contained self-presenting drinking straw according to the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a top view in plan of the beverage can of FIG. 1.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is an elevation view in cross-section of the beverage can of FIG. 1 after the tab has been opened.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a top view in plan of the open beverage can of FIG. 3.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a detailed partial side view in cross-section of the top of the beverage can and affixed tab of FIG. 1.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 is a view in section taken through lines  6 - 6  of FIG. 5.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 7 is an elevation view in cross-section of an unopened beverage can according to a second embodiment of the present invention, whereby the consumer can choose to sip from a) a self-presenting straw and/or b) a traditional pour spout opening.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 8 is a top view in plan of the unopened beverage can of FIG. 7.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 9 is an elevation view in cross-section of the beverage can of FIG. 7 after the tab has been fully pivoted for straw access.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 10 is a top view in plan of the beverage can of FIG. 9.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 11 is an elevation view in cross-section of the beverage can of FIG. 9 after the tab has been pushed back to expose the pour spout and crimp the straw.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 12 is a top view in plan of the beverage can of FIG. 11.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 13 is an elevation view in cross-section of a beverage can having separate pour and straw tabs according to a third embodiment of the present invention, whereby the consumer may choose between a straw or a traditional pour spout or both.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 14 is a top view in plan of the beverage can of FIG. 13.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 15 is a side view in cross-section of the beverage can of FIG. 13 after the straw tab is opened.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 16 is a top view in plan of the beverage can of FIG. 15.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 17 is an elevation view in cross-section of the beverage can of FIG. 13 after the pour tab is opened.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 18 is a top view in plan of the beverage can of FIG. 17.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 19 is a sequence of steps in assembly of a tab top beverage can using a clamp to position and hold the straw.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 20 is a sequence of steps in assembly of a tab top beverage can using dimples in the can top cylinder to position and hold the straw.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 21 is a top view of beverage can in claim  1  using an elongated tear-away seam extending around a projection oriented under the tab top.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 22 is a detailed partial side view in cross-section of the top of the beverage can, affixed tab of FIG. 1, and a projection extending from the top of the beverage can and oriented under the tab top. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0045]    The terms upwardly, downwardly, top, bottom, etc. are used herein to facilitate the following description and are not intended to be limitations on the structure or orientation of the present invention.  
         [0046]    As illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 6 , a drinking straw  10  is retained at its respective ends within an unopened beverage can  12  between a positioning depression  14  formed at the center of can bottom  16  and the interior of an upwardly extending short hollow cylindrical projection  18 , defined in the can top  20 . Projection  18  is closed at its upper end and open at its lower end to receive the upper end of the straw. Projection  18  is preferably coaxial with can  12 . Circumscribing side wall  19  extends from can bottom  16  to can top  20  to define the can periphery.  
         [0047]    An upwardly extending cylindrical rivet projection  22  is also formed in can top  20  by means, for example, of a stamping process. A tab top  24  having an aperture or opening  25  defined therein is sized to fit snugly over projection  18 . A second aperture or opening  26  defined through tab top  24  is sized to fit over projection  22 . During fabrication of the can top, tab top  24  is positioned such that projections  18  and  22  extend through respective apertures  25  and  26 . The tab top is then secured in place by a stamping process, or the like, whereby radially projecting annular lips  27  and  28  are formed at prospective upper edges of projections  18  and  22 , respectively, to extend beyond the boundaries of apertures  25  and  26  of tab  24 . Lips  27  and  28  engage tab  24  to the two projections and, thereby, to the can top. One or more inwardly extending dimples  29  are formed on the interior peripheral wall of cylindrical projection  18  and a tear-away seam or score line  30  is defined on the can top  20  around the perimeter of projection  18 . One or more flared extensions  31  aligned in registry with protruding angles or corners  32  formed on each side of tab  24  between cylinder  18  and cylinder  22 , defining an access orifice  33 . Dimples  29  are sized to lightly grasp the outer wall of the top of straw  10  during assembly and filling as will be described hereinafter.  
         [0048]    Alternatively, tab  24  can be affixed to can top  20  by a conventional rivet mechanism in lieu of cylinder  22  and projection  28 .  
         [0049]    A retention bulge  34  formed near the midlength of straw  10  is sized to prevent passage of the straw from the beverage can through access orifice  33  and to facilitate extension and use of the straw by a consumer.  
         [0050]    A pleated extension zone  36  is formed of small crimps in the upper portion of the straw, to permit the straw to be bent easily toward the consumer, and to allow some lengthening of the straw as the pleated crimps are pulled straight. A bellows spring section  38 , formed of relatively large resilient accordion pleats or corrugations in the lower portion of the straw sidewall, is held in longitudinal compression between the can top  20  and the depression  14 . This compression serves to position and stabilize the straw between cylinder  18  and depression  14  in the unopened beverage can during transportation and handling.  
         [0051]    Pivoting of pull tab  24  around cylinder  18 , leveraging tab top  24  against the can top  20  generates sufficient force on the scoring around access orifice  33  to fully separate or detach cylinder  18  and rim or lip  27  from can top  20  at tear away seam or score line  30 , exposing straw access orifice  33 , and lifting straw  10  due to the grasping effect of cylinder dimples  29 . The release of compressive force on the straw allows the resilient bellows spring section  38  to expand and lengthen as the accordion sections relax. The straw, previously constrained to a length dictated by the can height, about 4.50 inches, extends to a relaxed length of approximately 5.00 inches, and projects upward through access orifice  33  and subsequently separates from cylinder  18  and dimples  29  thereby presenting itself in a position convenient to the consumer for grasping, for pulling to further stretch the straw by elongating the pleated extension zone  36 , and for bending and positioning the straw top for easy use.  
         [0052]    In another embodiment, illustrated in FIGS.  7 - 12 , a second scored panel  40  located in the can top on the rivet cylinder side of pull tab  24 , has a hinge  42  located under the rivet end of tab  24 . In other respects, the features of the embodiment shown in FIGS.  1 - 6  are unchanged. Pivoting of tab  24  against can top  20  around cylinder  18  in this embodiment simultaneously separates cylinder  18  from the can top around tear-away seam or score line  30  to expose straw access orifice  33  and release the upwardly extending straw  10  while the rivet end of tab  24  exerts leverage on the scoring around panel  40 . The scored panel  40  pivots downward around hinge  42  exposing a separate pouring orifice  44  in the top. The tab can then be rotated back toward the unopened position to compress and effectively disable the outwardly extending portion of the straw. This embodiment allows the consumer to selectively sip the beverage through the straw or, alternatively, pour or drink directly from the can.  
         [0053]    In a third embodiment, shown in FIGS.  13 - 18 , two separate nested tabs,  24  and  50 , are each pivotably attached to the beverage can top by rivet cylinder  22 . Pivoting of tab  24  disengages cylinder  18  from the can top releasing straw  10  through straw access orifice  33 , but the short shank  52  of tab  24  does not extend to scored access panel  40  and thus does not deflect panel  40  to expose pouring orifice  44 . Tab  50  is formed with a cut-out  54  sized to allow tab  50  to be pivoted around rivet cylinder  22  without interfering with straw access tab  24 , but with a shank section  56  extending to the hinge  42  of pour access orifice  44 . Thus, either tab can be pivoted independently of the other to allow the consumer to select the mode of consumption.  
         [0054]    In yet another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the amount of force required to tear-away cylinder  18  at seam or score line  30  may be reduced through utilization of one or more projections  60  positioned between tab  24  and the can top. In other respects, the features of the embodiment shown in FIGS.  1 - 6  are unchanged. The projections  60  extend from either the body of can top  20  toward tab  24  or from the body of tab  24  toward can top  20 . The projections  60  may be located outside of the tear-away seam or score line  30  or within an extended tear-away seam or score line  62 . The projections  60  serve as fulcrums as one end of tab  24  is lifted causing the force to be applied directly to the tear-away seam or score line  30  at the opposing end of tab  24 . Direction of the force applied eases the removal of cylinder  18  at tear-away seam  30 , exposing the straw access orifice  33 , and lifting straw  10  due to the grasping effect of cylinder dimples  29  as in the previous embodiments.  
         [0055]    Assembly of the beverage can is accomplished, as shown in FIG. 19, by positioning straw  10  over indentation  14  in can bottom  16  and positioning cylinder  18  of can top  20  over the clamped straw, then lowering the can top onto the top of straw, then the top and the straw  10 , now grasped by dimples  29  in cylinder  18 , is lowered onto the can  12 . The top descends until the bellows spring section  38  begins to compress against the resistance of the can bottom at which point the clamp releases the straw and is withdrawn, and the can top descends to the can and is sealed to the can wall. In an alternative mode of assembly, shown in FIG. 20, the straw top is inserted into cylinder or cavity  18  and held therein by the resilient compression of the straw wall by dimples  29  formed in the cavity peripheral wall shown in FIG. 6. The clamp means is removed and the top with the engaged straw is lowered onto the can with the straw bottom positioned in indentation  14  and bellows spring section  38  held in compression as the top is lowered and sealed.  
         [0056]    From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the invention makes available a novel method and apparatus for providing a practical sanitary self-contained self-presenting straw integrally included with tab top beverage cans as well as a new fabrication technique for tab top beverage cans.  
         [0057]    Having described preferred embodiments of the beverage can and straw assembly and methods of fabrication, it is believed that other modifications, variations and changes will be suggested to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings set forth herein. It is therefore to be understood that all such variations, modifications and changes are properly within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.