FR2839950A1 - Plastic lid for opened drinks can has rim that grips edge of can, projection to seal opening and tongue to facilitate removal - Google Patents

Abstract

The plastic lid (1) to cover and seal the top of an opened can, such as a drinks can (6), has a rim (2) shaped to grip the upper edge (9) of the can, a projection (3) on its underside to seal the opening in the top (7) of the can left after removing a seal, and a tongue (5) to facilitate removal of the lid. The lid is made from a thermoplastic polymer material that is sufficiently rigid to stay in place and apply a pressure to the projection, which is of a supple elastomer material.

Description

putting these modules (1, 2) into orbit.

  The present invention relates to a device for closing metal cans of the "drink can" type, the lid of which

  has been removed for first use.

  Metal boots containing drinks, such as a soda can or other refreshing drink, have long had the disadvantage of not being closed after being opened for the first time. Indeed, these boxes are generally presented in a hollow cylindrical form comprising on one of its walls a cover precut in the metal to which is o relic a gripping lug, the cover occupying only a small surface of the wall who presents it. To open the box, simply pull the lug relic to the lid which then detaches from the metal wall, thus leaving an opening in the box. Once this cover is removed, it is impossible to replace it on the opening to

plug it again.

  There are currently devices of the "cover" type to be placed on the open wall of the can. Such devices are described for example in the public utility certificate document.

under the number 2 791 953.

  These "cover" type devices are presented in the form of a disc, surrounded by a flange, protruding beyond the face of the disc, to be clipped onto a flange presented by the box, this flange resulting from crimping. of the wall presenting the cover on the end of the cylinder which the box defines, at the level of a crimping collar. The disc has an opening to be placed in front of the opening of the metal box so that the liquid contained in the box can flow beyond the device so that the consumer can quench their mouth around the opening of the device. It is planned to place a plug in the opening so that the lid can be closed in order to

keep the liquid not consumed.

  Such a device has several drawbacks. First of all, it is made of plastic curing material which does not provide

  perfect tightness to liquids contained in the metal box.

  Indeed, hard plastic being an easily breakable and not very malleable material without heat supply, it is not uncommon for the liquid contained in the bottle to flow out of the bottle and this, despite the presence of the cap, when the boot is not arranged straight,

  for example when it is carried in a backpack.

  And even if the cap would close the opening in the device, the liquid is still drifting between the face of the box comprising the opening and the device. A user o opening the cap or removing the device from the box then spills on his clothes, or other, the liquid between the face of

the borte and the device.

  The present invention makes it possible to remedy these drawbacks. Wile relates to a closure device for metal cans of the beverage can type which have, in a transverse wall, an opening which is due to the withdrawal of a cover, the wall being fixed on one end of the metal can at level '' a crimping collar. The crimping collar forms a protruding rim relative to the wall of the

o I metal box.

  The device according to the invention comprises a cover covering the entire wall which has an internal face and an external face, opposite the internal face. The cover has on its periphery a hooking ring on the rim of the box and also a hermetic sealing protuberance of the opening of the box formed projecting from its internal face. The protuberance of the lid comes against the opening of the box in the

  position of the cover covering the wall of the box.

  The diameter of the cover is preferably close to or identical to that of the box to completely cover its transverse wall. The crown preferably includes a bead

  clip around the rim of the box.

  According to an advantageous embodiment which will be detailed later, the device according to the invention is made of sufficiently rigid thermoplastic polymer so that the crown of the cover is maintained around the rim of the box and so that the cover exerts pressure on the protuberance when put

  in place on the can (or metal box).

  As for the protuberance, it is preferably made of a sufficiently supple elastomer so that the protuberance perfectly matches the surface of the wall of the can, as well as the shape of the opening, when the cover is placed on the can and exerts pressure on the protuberance. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the thermoplastic polymer from which the cover is made is low density polyethylene, even better known under the abbreviation LDPE. The elastomer used to produce the protuberance is preferably a food-grade synthetic rubber, such as, for example, a butadiene copolymer. In the context of this preferred embodiment of the invention, the elastomer used for

  protuberance is a food SEBS.

  In the context of this embodiment of the device in which two separate polymers having different properties for different functions, they preferably have the same polymerization monomer for bonding the cover and the

protuberance by chemical reaction.

  Advantageously, to close off the totality of the opening independently of its shape, the dimensions of the section of the protuberance are greater than those of the opening of the wall so that, in the position of the cover overlapping the box , the protuberance covers a larger area than that of the opening. In this way, the device ensures sealing against o liquids between the protuberance and the periphery of the opening. In fact, when the cover is placed on the can, it exerts pressure on the protuberance which is crushed against the wall of the can. Thanks to the elastic properties of the polymer from which eke is made, it hugs the walls of the opening and penetrates slightly behind it. Liquid tightness

in the can is thus ensured.

  According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cover comprises a tongue which is preferably made integral with the crown. The tongue makes it easier to unclip the crown from the edge of ia

  can and thus removes the cover of the borte.

  In the context of another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the external face which the cover has has an element for signaling the position of the protuberance. This element helps the user of the device to correctly position the cover on the can in pla, cant protuberance against the opening of the can, before clipping the crown of the cover on the rim of the can. The element for signaling the position of the protuberance is preferably produced in the form of a rib projecting from the external face which delimits the contour of the protuberance. By its various characteristics, such as they have been above or that they will be further defined, described and illustrated, and such that they can be advantageously applied in industrial practice, the invention makes it possible to hermetically seal a metal can of the "can" type of soda or other refreshing drinks, after the opening cap has been removed, ensuring the seal between its protuberance for closing the opening of the box and the periphery of the opening, thanks in particular to the elastomer from which it is designed. The elastomer gives the protuberance the elasticity necessary for it to perfectly fit the edge of the opening, and the liquid contained in the box cannot be introduced between the cover and the upper wall of the box. By the way, the device offers a surface that can be used as an advertising medium. This surface is ceile of the

outer side of the hatchery.

  The invention will now be more fully described in the context of preferred characteristics and their advantages, with reference to Figures 1 to 5 in which: - Figure 1 shows a metal can of the "soda can" type on which has been placed in place the device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention for cutting; - Figure 2 illustrates the device according to the invention shown in Figure 1 from below; - Figure 3 is a sectional view of the device shown in Figure 2 along the plane (I - I); - Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device according to [the invention; o - and Figure 5 is an enlargement of area A of the

figure 1.

  For the sake of clarity of the present description, the face

  internal 11 of the device according to the invention designates the face of a cover 1 whose role is to cover an entire upper wall 7 of the can, the internal face 11 being the face to be placed opposite the wall. The external face 12 of the cover 1 of the device will be that opposite the internal face 11. The upper wall 7 of a box 6 designates the face presenting the cover to open the box 6, or else the opening after removal of the cover , this face being opposite to the bottom of the box 6 by which the box 6 is placed flat,

  for example on a table or in a cupboard.

  According to the preferred embodiment of the invention which will

  now to be exposed, the device is made of two materials.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the device of the invention is: 5 to be placed on a metal box 6 which may contain a liquid 8, of the "can" type of soda or other refreshing drinks. The metal box 6, or can, has an overall cylindrical shape, offering an upper transverse wall 7 of which

  so the cover until the first use has been removed.

  The wall 7 thus leaves appear an opening resulting from the withdrawal of the cover, an end 72 of a gripping lug which was used to remove the cover and which was also partially withdrawn, as well as a rivet 73 for holding the 'extremite de [' ergot. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the upper wall 7 is crimped on one of the ends of the cylinder that the box 6 comprises by a crimping collar 71. The crimping collar 71, projecting from the wall 7, is formed a rim 9 of the box 6. The other end of the cylinder that comprises the box 6 constitutes the bottom of the box 6, on which it is

  rests, for example, on a table.

  As is more particularly represented in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the device according to the invention consists of an integral cover 1, in other words in which no opening has been made. The cover 1 is a disc with a circular outline,

  fitted with a peripheral crown 2 and a protuberance 3.

  As can be seen in FIG. 3, the crown 2 is in the form of a shoulder, the end of which is curved towards the interior of the cover 1, to form a bead 4. The bead 4 of the crown 2 makes it possible to clip the crown 2 around the rim 9 of the box 6 and thus hold the cover 1 in place

  position on the upper wall 7 of the box 6.

  As is more particularly illustrated in FIG. 1, where the protuberance 3 makes it possible to close the opening of the wall 7 of the box 6. The protuberance 3 is carried by the internal face 11 of the cover 1. The means for fixing the protuberance 3 at the lid

will be detailed later.

  In the context of this preferred embodiment, the protuberance 3 has a section of dimensions much greater than the dimensions of the opening to seal the liquid 8 contained in the bottle not only between it and the periphery of the opening, but also on an area of the wall 7

near the opening.

  so The cover 1 is real i in sufficiently rigid matter i to exert pressure on the protuberance 3 when it is in abutment against the wall 7 of the box 6, but sufficiently

  flexible to place the crown 2 around the rim 9 of the box 6.

  The protuberance 3 is made of a sufficiently elastic material to crush against the wall 7 and marry the surface of the wall 7 as well as the periphery of the opening of the wall 7. The material from which the cover 1 is made is therefore also rigid enough to hold the crown 2 around the rim 9 of the box 6 despite the elastic restoring force of the protuberance 3 which, crushed against the wall 7, tends to resume the volume and the shape it presented

  before fitting the cover 1 on the box 6.

  To respond to all these particularities, the cover 1 is made of thermoplastic polymer which gives it not only the rigidity which is necessary for it to properly hold in place on the box 6 and press on the protuberance 3, but also the flexibility which is essential for its positioning on box 6. The thermoplastic polymer used is. in the context of this preferred embodiment, a low density polyethylene, or LDPE. LDPE has the advantage of being flexible under a small thickness, but always flexible under a greater thickness. It is also tasteless, odorless and non-toxic, which allows it not to be dangerous, for example, for a child in

teas age bring it to the mouth.

  o As for the protuberance 3, in the context of this preferred embodiment of the invention, it is made of food-type elastomer. In other words, the elastomer of which the protuberance 3 is designed does not affect the preservation of food and it is not toxic. The elastomer is also liquid tight and

  s hermetic to gases contained in liquids such as sodas.

  Advantageously, the protuberance 3 is made of rubber

  synthetic, and more particularly in S ED S food.

  Thus, thanks to the elastic properties of the polymer of which the protuberance 3 is designed, it perfectly matches the periphery of the opening made in the wall of the box 6 when it is subjected to the pressure of the cover 1 placed on the box 6. Wile thus ensures maximum tightness of the liquid 8 contained in the box 6,

  between it and the periphery of the opening of the wall 7.

  The polymers which respectively constitute the

  ss cover 1 and the protuberance 3 have a common monomer.

  In other words, in each of the macromolecules of the cover 1 ewt of the protuberance 3, there is a same sequence of atoms which is repeated several times. This makes it possible to chemically link the cover 1 and the protuberance 3 by reaction between the common monomer that the polymer of which the cover 1 is made and another monomer present in the elastomer of which the protuberance is made and of which it is known that it reacts with the monomer

  which is also present in the elastomer.

  To make the device according to this embodiment

  o preferred, LDPE is injection molded to form cover 1.

  The cover 1 thus produced is subsequently placed against a second mold into which SEBS is injected to form the protuberance 3. During this second injection, the SEBS coming into contact with the LDPE reacts chemically with it. In this way, the

  protuberance 3 is fixed to cover 1.

  As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the cover 1 has a tongue 5. The tongue 5 is advantageously made integral with the crown 2 and diametrically opposite the protuberance 3. The tongue 5 facilitates the removal of the

cover 1 of box 6.

  To guide the user of the device in the installation of the cover 1 on the box 6, a signaling element 13 of the position of the protuberance 3 is present on the external face 12 of the cover 1, above the protuberance 3 The signaling element 13 is produced in the form of a rib projecting from the external face 12 of the cover 1. The rib is produced in projection of the contour of the protuberance 3. In this way, the user easily positions the protuberance 3 opposite the opening of the box 6 before clipping the cover 1 around

rim 9 of ia box 6.

  The above description clearly explains how

  [The invention achieves the goals that I set. In particular, it is clear from what has been stated that the device according to the invention is in particular perfectly sealed against the liquid 8 contained in the box 6, thanks to the combination of the cover and the protuberance, the cover pressing on the protuberance crushing against the opening of the box 6, and thanks to the chemical properties of polymers including the cover and the wind protection

respectively constituted.

  it appears nevertheless from the above that the invention is not

  not limited to the embodiments which have been specifically

  described and represented in the figures. For example, in the context of a different embodiment of the invention, the cover and the

  protuberance could be bonded together.

  o Similarly, one could provide another means equivalent to the rib made projecting from the outer face of the cover to signal the position of the protuberance. The signaling element could be a fingerprint made in the cover, above the protuberance. Likewise, the signaling element of the

  protuberance could be an arrow or some other inscription.

  Finally, the protuberance and the cover could be

  real i ses in other polymers than those mentioned above.

Claims (8)

  1. Closing device for metal cans (6) of the beverage "can" type (8), having in an transverse wall (7) an opening due to the removal of a cover, said wall (7) being fixed on a end of said box (6) at the level of a crimping collar (71), forming a rim (9), characterized in that it comprises a cover (1) for total covering of said wall, said cover having a face internal (11) and comprising on its periphery a crown (2) to hook to said cover (1) on said flange (9) of said box (6), as well as a protuberance (3) for hermetic sealing of said opening projecting from said internal face (11) to said cover (1) which bears against said opening of said box (6) in the position to said cover (1) in s covering of said wall.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said cover (1) is made of sufficiently rigid thermoplastic polymer so that it is maintained around said flange (9) of said box (6) and so that said cover (1) exerts a pressure on said protuberance (3) in the position at said cover (1) covering said wall, and in that said protuberance (3) is made of elastomer sufficiently flexible so that said protuberance (3) perfectly matches the surface of said wall (7) as well as the shape of said opening when s said cover (1) exerts pressure on said protuberance (3)   in the position at said cover overlapping said wall.   3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said said thermoplastic polymer is polyethylene low density (LDPE).   n 4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said elastomer is a synthetic food rubber, preferably a copolymer of butadiene, and   more particularly the food SEBS.   5. Device according to any one of claims 2   s to 4, characterized in that said thermoplastic polymer and said elastomer have the same polymerization monomer for bonding said cover (1) and said protuberance (3) by chemical reaction.   6. Device according to any one of the claims   o previous, characterized in that the section of said protuberance (3) has larger dimensions than those of said opening in said wall (7), to close off the whole of said opening independently of its shape, by pressing on said cover (1 ) on said protuberance (3) and thus ensure liquid tightness between said protuberance (3) bearing against said opening and the edge of said opening in the position at said cover (1) in total covering of said wall (7)   7. Device according to any one of the claims   o previous, characterized in that said cover (1) comprises a tongue (5), preferably made integral with said crown (2), to facilitate unclipping of said crown (2) on said flange (9) and thus removing said cover (1) of said box (6).   s 8. Device according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that said cover has an outer face (12), opposite to said inner face, which has a signaling element (13) of the position of said protuberance (3) to assist in positioning said protuberance against said opening.