Arrangement for resealing carbonated beverage containers

Receptacles – Container attachment or adjunct – Container holder

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C220S711000, C220S713000, C220S737000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06311865

ABSTRACT:

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to beverage containers, and in particular to a new and useful arrangement for resealing a beverage container such as a carbonated soda can.
Aluminum cans have been used to contain carbonated, pressurized soda, beer or other pressurized beverages as well as non-carbonated drinks for many years. Initially, the cans were opened using a can opener which cut a triangular hole into the upper surface of the can near its rim. Later, tab openers were developed which included a tab connected to a portion of the can cover, surrounded by a weakening. The tab was pulled to dislodge the portion, thus exposing an opening. Tabs were discarded and posed a litter problem. The technology developed further to produce attached tabs which were used as levers to rupture a peripheral weakening and push a section of the can top down into the can. The tab ripped away a portion of the can top and permanently attached itself to the can so that the can with its tab and top could be discarded or recycled as a unit.
Although such cans are normally thought of as single-use products, various devices have been developed to re-close the can to allow it to be re-used at some future time. These devices generally failed to reseal the can and preserve carbonization. Some merely re-close the can opening to avoid contamination. A typical example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,525 to Tucker.
One other example of the prior art is illustrated in FIG.
11
. As shown in
FIG. 11
, an aluminum can
100
includes an aluminum top
102
which is connected to a sidewall of the can through an upstanding rim
108
, having an inner surface
110
and an outer bead
112
. The prior art re-closing device comprises a main cap
120
made of durable plastic and having a central opening
122
with a thread
124
that can receive a secondary cap (not shown). Main cap
120
includes, at one side thereof, a fixed hook
126
which engages under the bead
112
. A rotatable hook member
128
has a central opening
130
mounted for rotation around a central stem in the main cap
120
which contains the central opening
122
. Hook member
128
includes a hook portion
132
which engages under bead
112
at a location opposite from the hook portion
126
. To engage the prior art device, hook member
128
is pivoted around the axis of the cap as shown by the curved arrow X, to bring the hook portion
132
of the hook member
128
around and close to the hook portion
126
of the main cap
120
. This permits both hooks to engage under the bead
112
. The hook member
128
is then rotated to swing hook member
132
to the opposite side of the can, thus engaging the opposite sides of the bead
112
and fixing the main cap to the can. To help preserve the pressure in the can, a resilient seal
136
, having an L-shaped cross section was fixed below main cap
120
and pressed down against the upper surface of can top
102
.
Several problems were experienced by the prior art structure. Firstly, the hooks
126
,
132
tended to disengage from the rim after some pressure had built up, thus raising the cap off the can. Secondly, if the hook did not disengage rapidly as in the first case, the pressure in the can tended to leak past the seal
136
anyway. The construction and position of the main cap and seal tended to “fight” the gas pressure in the can and generally lost the battle.
In addition, although the mechanism is clever, the way to use hook number
128
is not visually obvious, thus requiring specific instructions to operate the device.
A need remains for a simple and effective mechanism for resealing a carbonated beverage container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for resealing a beverage container having a top with an aperture that can be opened to discharge the beverage and a rim with an inner surface around the top, in particular, carbonated soda container. The arrangement has a main cap for engagement over and for covering the beverage container top, a seal member connected to the main cap and extending toward the beverage container top and a locking mechanism connected to the main cap for fixing the main cap to the beverage container with sufficient force to resist pressure from, and to maintain pressure in the beverage container. The seal member has an annular pressure sealing portion adapted to engage against, and hermetical seal with the inner surface of the beverage container rim.
Another object of the invention is to provide an enclosure for receiving the beverage container. The enclosure may be insulated and form part of the locking mechanism which may be screw threads between the main cap and the enclosure.
Another object of the invention is to form the locking mechanism as latch means on the main cap for engaging the bead around the beverage container rim.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4054205 (1977-10-01), Blow, Jr. et al.
patent: 4600111 (1986-07-01), Brown
patent: 4790444 (1988-12-01), Terzi
patent: 4883192 (1989-11-01), Krugman
patent: 5071042 (1991-12-01), Esposito
patent: 5176278 (1993-01-01), Quarberg
patent: 5261554 (1993-11-01), Forbes
patent: 5947324 (1999-09-01), Palinchak
patent: 6155452 (2000-12-01), Laurent

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