Receptacles – Closures – Superposed closures for common opening
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-23
2002-10-01
Newhouse, Nathan J. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Superposed closures for common opening
C220S258500, C220S709000, C220S906000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06457597
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Heretofore, after opening a beverage can, there have been some problems. For example, turning over the beverage can would result in the spill of a beverage in the beverage can through a drinking aperture which has been opened in a top cover of the beverage can by pulling up a pull-tab to drink the beverage therethrough, and dusts entering through the drinking aperture into the beverage can possibly makes an undesirable insanitary condition. Further, a sharp edge of the drinking aperture potentially hurts user' slip or hands, and it would be undesirable from a hygienic point of view to drink with touching user's mouth directly to the beverage can. Some beverage can cap has been known for settling these problems caused after opening the beverage can, such as that described in Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3024479. This prior art beverage can cap includes a straw-inserting portion provided at a position corresponding to the drinking aperture, a straw-retaining portion provided on the top surface of the beverage can cap, and a closure plug member provided at an upper portion of the beverage can cap, wherein the beverage can cap is mounted on the opened beverage can so as to cover a top cover of the beverage can in its use. A user may insert a straw through the straw-insert portion of the beverage can cap to drink a beverage in the beverage can. When some amount of beverage is left in the beverage can, the straw may be taken out through the straw-inserting portion, and the taken-out straw may be fitted into the straw-retaining portion to keep it for reuse. The opening of the straw-inserting portion may be plugged with the closure plug member so that the beverage in the beverage can would never be spilled out even if the beverage can is turned over.
However, as to storing the straw when the beverage is left in the beverage can, the prior art beverage can cap has the following problems; it is troublesome to take the straw out of the beverage can, to fit it into the straw-retaining portion, and then to plug the opening of the straw-inserting portion with the closure plug member; since the straw is taken out of the beverage can and generally stored as it is, the beverage attached on the straw causes the contamination of hands or surroundings; it is insanitary to reuse the straw with the beverage on which dusts are easily to be attached after storing it under contacting with outside air; and the straw fitted into the straw-retaining portion is obstructive since it protrudes from the top cover of the beverage can to a large degree.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to settle the above-mentioned problems and to provide a combination of beverage can cap and straw, and a beverage can cap using in such the combination of beverage can cap and straw, which are capable of storing a straw conveniently, without any contamination of hands or surroundings, sanitarily, and unobstructively, when a beverage is left in the beverage can.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention provides a combination of beverage can cap and straw, comprising: a beverage can cap including a top plate portion and a peripheral rim portion which is to be fitted into a can edge of a beverage can, the beverage can cap being formed with a straw-inserting aperture at a position corresponding to a drinking aperture which is to be opened in a top cover of the beverage can, the beverage can cap being formed with a straw retaining portion on the outer surface of the peripheral rim portion as rising outward in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the top plate portion, the straw retaining portion having a fitting slot capable of retaining straw fitted thereinto; and a straw having a diameter capable of being fitted into the fitting slot formed in the straw-retaining portion, the straw being formed with a bendable accordion-like portion. The present invention also provides a beverage can cap using in such the combination of beverage can cap and straw.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the straw-retaining portion may be located on the opposite side of the straw-inserting aperture in a diametrical direction of the top plate portion so as to position a center of the top plate portion between the straw-retaining portion and the straw-inserting aperture.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a diameter of the straw-inserting aperture may be substantially equal to the diameter of the straw.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the straw-retaining portion may be adapted to use as a claw for pulling up a pull-tab of the beverage can.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2957614 (1960-10-01), Krajcovic
patent: 4080989 (1978-03-01), Chapelsky et al.
patent: 4917258 (1990-04-01), Boyd et al.
patent: 5018635 (1991-05-01), Whittaker
patent: 5071019 (1991-12-01), Sizemore
patent: 5109995 (1992-05-01), Lou
patent: 5203467 (1993-04-01), Tucker
patent: 5381924 (1995-01-01), Kiefel
patent: 2695910 (1994-03-01), None
patent: 2286584 (1995-08-01), None
patent: 3024479 (1996-02-01), None
patent: 97/26200 (1997-07-01), None
Fukuda Junji
Hirota Kashichi
Jacobson & Holman PLLC
Kyowa Electric and Chemical Co. Ltd.
Newhouse Nathan J.
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