Patent ID: 7089825

Claim:
A tab extending sleeve having a frontal end at one end and a distal end at an opposite end adapted for mounting on a ring-tab attached with a rivet to the top lid of a beverage container for easy opening and covering an opening in a pre-scored lid of a beverage container, said tab-extending sleeve comprising: an elongated body member having a frontal end; a distal end opposite said frontal end; a bottom surface extending from said frontal end to said distal end, said frontal end of said bottom surface having a notch centrally disposed therein; a top surface spaced a predetermined distance from said bottom surface, said top surface extending from said frontal end to said distal end, said distal end of said top surface having an extended lip portion extending in a direction opposite to said central notch in said bottom surface and overlaying a peripheral rim edge of said beverage container, said frontal end of said top surface extending over said centrally disposed notch; an internal channel located between said bottom surface and said top surface, said internal channel extending from said frontal end through said distal end of said elongated body, said internal channel being oriented in said elongated body member at an acute angle with respect to said bottom surface such that the lowest portion of said internal channel is at said frontal end of said elongated body and inclines upwards at said acute angle as said internal channel extends through said elongated body towards said distal end, whereby said internal channel is sized at least as high and at least as wide as the ring-tab of said beverage container, such that when said tab extending sleeve is mounted on said ring-tab of said top lid of said beverage container, said extended lip portion extends over said rim of said lip to enable a user to lift said extended lip portion and thereby open said pre-scored lid of said beverage container.