Abstract:
The invention features a beverage container having a small and a large liquid dispensing opening. Each opening is operatively caused to be unsealed by the action of respective finger tabs. The two tabs act independently of each other despite being interleaved for the purpose of a compact design. The large opening features the unsealing of an entire lid portion of the container.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to beverage containers having a sealed opening which is ruptured by the pulling of a tab disposed upon the lid, and more particularly to a beverage container having two tab-rupturable openings for dispensing the beverage at different flow rates. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The aluminum beverage can in commercial use at the present time, features a small, elliptical, sealed opening that is ruptured when a tab is pulled upwardly from the lid. 
     Such a beverage container opening works well with the use of a straw, which is easily capable of withdrawing a sufficient amount of the beverage from the can. 
     However, the small elliptical opening does not provide for a smooth fluid flow, when the can is inverted in a pour-like mode. Because of its small size, the elliptical opening gives a surging or restricted flow, since the outside air which needs to enter the can during the outward flow of beverage, competes for the small space provided by the elliptical opening. 
     For those individuals who drink directly from the lid of the container, such flow is often accompanied by the effects of dribbling. 
     In addition, the small size of this type of opening makes it difficult to remove the last drops of fluid from the container. 
     Another undesirable feature of this type of can dispensing system is the tab, which easily breaks away from the lid. This break-away tab is a constant source of environmental pollution, since it is tossed away and has littered the country-side. Because the tabs are aluminum, they do not degrade, and have become a blighted eye-sore in the environment. 
     The present invention seeks to overcome the disadvantage of the current beverage container by providing an additional opening in the can, wherein the entire lid is removable. The additional opening acts independently of the small, elliptical aperture, and thus offers the user a choice of dispensing flow rates. 
     In addition, the current invention also features a recess in the bottom of the can for capturing a removed lid. In this way, when the can is discarded, there is no residual tabs which pollute the environment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention pertains to a beverage container having a hollow tubular member for storing and dispensing a beverage. 
     A generally flat-surfaced lid is disposed on top of the tubular member. 
     The lid is removable from the tubular member by means of tearing the lid along a scored line disposed about its periphery. 
     A first tab secured to the lid and attached to the scored line, causes a rupturing of the scored line upon an initial pulling thereof. The lid will be torn from the tubular member upon a further pulling of the tab. 
     The beverage can has a small, elliptical, sealed aperture as before, which is disposed eccentrically within the scored line of the lid. 
     A second tab attaches to the scored line of the aperture causes the seal to be broken upon a pull thereof. 
     Each tab works independently of the other, such that neither tab will interfere with the operation of the other, despite the fact that the tabs are structurally interleaved. 
     The two openings afford the user a choice between a partial or full flow dispensing of the liquid of the container. 
     One of the many advantages of the invention, is the aesthetic design wherein each tab nests within the other, but still maintains an independent functionality. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a beverage container that has a dual dispensing capability; 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a beverage can whose entire lid can be removed and stored in a bottom recess thereof; 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a beverage can that can be retained after dispensing its liquid as a container for household uses. 
     These and other objects of this invention will become clearer and more apparent with reference to the accompanying drawings and detailed discussion. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when taken in conjunction with the detailed description thereof and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of the beverage container of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the beverage container of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of an alternate embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the alternate embodiment of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of another alternate embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the beverage container invention depicted in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the beverage container illustrated in FIG. 6. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Generally speaking, the invention features a beverage container having two separate and distinct dispensing modes. The container has two interleaved or nested tabs for opening different portions of the lid, in order to provide a slow or fast beverage dispensing flow rate. Although the two tabs are interleaved, they function independently of each other. 
     For the purposes of brevity, like elements will bear the same designation throughout the figures. 
     Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a beverage container (arrow 10) is shown having a lid 11 which carries two opening tabs 12 and 14, respectively. 
     The opening tabs 12 and 14 are interleaved, as shown more clearly in FIG. 2, but function independently of each other, as will be explained in more detail, hereinafter. 
     The beverage container comprises a thin walled, hollow, aluminum tube 15 (FIG. 2) which stores and dispenses the beverage. 
     A small opening 16 in the lid 11 is defined by a scored line 17 in the shape of an ellipse. Tab 12 is secured to lid 11 by a rivet 18 attaching a lip 19 of tab 12 to the lid 11. 
     When the tab 12 is pulled upwardly (arrow 20), as depicted in FIG. 2, the tip 22 of the tab 12 is caused to press (arrow 24) against the top of opening 16, thus rupturing the seal provided by the scored line 17. The pressure caused by the tip 22 forces the scored line 17 to tear and depress portion 25, (shown in phantom) of the lid 11 into the interior cavity 13 of container 10. This allows fluid to be dispensed from the cavity 13 in container 10 through aperture 16. 
     A second opening in lid 11 is defined by the scored line 28 which encircles the periphery of lid 11. 
     When tab 14 is pulled upwardly (arrow 30), the tip 29 of tab 14 is caused to be depressed (arrow 32),thus rupturing the seal along score line 28, and forcing the tip 29 (shown in phantom) into interior cavity 13. 
     The downward movement of tip 29 is caused by the upward pull (arrow 30) of tab 14 by reason of the securing rivet 36. Securing rivet 36 attaches tab 14 to the lid 11, and acts as fulcrum. Therefore, tip 29 pivots downwardly about rivet 36 when the tab 14 is pulled upwardly (arrow 30). 
     When tab 14 is subsequently pulled further upwardly by gripping tab 14 with a finger through hole 37 (FIG. 1), the entire lid 11 is torn along the scored line 28 about the circumferential length, and upwardly removed from tube 15. 
     Thus, a large, smooth-edged opening is provided in can 11, such that can 11 has the flow rate characteristic of a drinking glass. 
     Each tab 12 or 14 can be pulled upwardly independently of the other, despite being interleaved. The interleaved design has as its purpose to provide a compact and aesthetically pleasing mechanism. 
     The end 39 of tab 14 is also designed so that it does not extend over, or interfere with, the opening 16. 
     In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the end 39&#39; of tab 14 extends to the periphery of lid 11, but aperture 16 is left unobstructed because of larger hole 37&#39;  in tab 14. The larger hole 37&#39; also has the advantage of making it easier to grip the tab 14 with the finger. 
     In still another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 5, the hole 16 is replaced by a spiral-shaped scored line 40, which allows for a small opening to be made in the center of container 10 for a straw. The bottom of the container 10, depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7 is exemplified by recess 41. 
     The recess 41 is placed in the bottom of the can 11 in order to provide storage disposal for the removed lid 11, illustrated in FIG. 7. 
     Four protuberances 42 are equally spaced about the peripheral of tube 15, creating holding fingers for lid 11, which is pressed into recess 41 (arrows 43), as shown. 
     Protuberances 42 provide a snap-action locking mechanism for lid storage. 
     Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented by the subsequently appended claims. 
     Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention.