WO2003013977A1

WO2003013977A1 - Drink can lid with straw folded therein

Info

Publication number: WO2003013977A1
Application number: PCT/IT2001/000434
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sergio Restelli; Nardino Righi; Roberto Rossi
Original assignee: Sergio Restelli; Nardino Righi; Roberto Rossi
Priority date: 2001-08-06
Filing date: 2001-08-06
Publication date: 2003-02-20

Abstract

A lid (10) which can be fitted to the top can end of drink cans to ensure hygiene, comprises a straw (20) to sip drinks, disposed folded and fitted inside a space defined by the lid.

Description

DRINK CAN LID WITH STRAW FOLDED THEREIN

DESCRIPTION

The invention refers to the field of packaging of drinks in cans such as are widely used. Said cans normally comprise a substantially cylindrical body, closed at the bottom, and a top can end with opening means, which generally consist in a portion delimited by a weakening line or score line, together with a pull-ring. The delimited portion is broken by the user along the weakening line and rotated, around a hinge line, to the inside of said can. Objections have recently been made to this type of opening, in that it does not ensure sufficient hygiene. In fact the delimited portion, before being turned to the inside, is normally exposed to contact and possibly to dust and contaminants from the environment in which the can is stored.

A hygienic drink can lid of plastic material has been proposed, comprising a lid base and side coupling means so as to be able to be clipped over the top can end to protect it from any dirt. Moreover said lid can be used to protect the contents of the can, after opening thereof.

As regards the cans, it has been noted that there is difficulty in drinking from the can when a glass is not available. On the other hand, cans are often used in circumstances in which a glass is not available. It is possible to use a straw brought or provided separately from the can, but often the straw is not available.

An object of this invention is to facilitate consumption of a drink contained in a can.

Another object is to achieve this in complete observance of hygiene standards.

These objects are achieved with a lid as stated in claim 1. Further characteristics of the lid are set forth in the subsequent claims.

In other words a new lid, preferably of plastic material, comprises a lid base, a side wall and an elastic coupling edge and has on its inner side engagement means for retaining a straw; it preferably has a folded straw removably retained on the inside wall thereof. The straw is of the plastic type comprising flexible wall portions with bellows folds. The wall portions and, consequently, the shape that the straw can assume inside the lid, can be several, for example circular or S-shaped. The straw can be fitted inside the lid in any suitable manner.

Exemplary unrestrictive embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the appended figures, in which:

Figure 1 is a view ofthe inner side of a lid according to the invention;

Figure 2 is sectional view along a plane denoted by 2-2 in Figure 1 and illustrates the lid fitted to a can, drawn with a dotted line;

Figure 3 is a side view ofthe straw ofthe lid, in its straightened, retracted form;

Figure 4 is a side view ofthe lid straw, in its straightened, extended form;

Figure 5 is a view of a variant ofthe lid, seen from the inner side thereof;

Figure 6 is a section along the plane denoted by 6-6 in Figure 5; the lid is illustrated fitted to a can, drawn with a dashed line;

Figure 7 illustrates the lid straw of Figure 5, in its straightened, retracted condition;

Figure 8 illustrates the lid straw of figure 5, in its straightened, extended condition.

With reference to Figures 1-4, a lid according to the invention is designated with reference numeral 10.

The lid 10 comprises a lid base 12, generally circular in shape, from which extends a side wall 14 which ends in a per se known relatively elastic gripping edge 16, for fitting on an upper rim of the top of a can L. The lid 12 further comprises engagement means referenced 18 as a whole, for a straw or the like. Said engagement means can be in any form in the reach of a person skilled in the art. In the embodiment in the figure they are indicated as a pair of protruding fingers 18, each pair of fingers defining therebetween a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a straw to be retained. Other engagement means or retention means, such as, for example, an adhesive that allows easy detachment nevertheless come within the scope of the invention. The side wall and the edge 16 preferably form a lid inner space, the depth of which is not smaller and preferably somewhat larger than the diameter of a straw. In this manner the lid can be completed with a foldable straw, indicated with reference numeral 20. Foldable straws are per se known and comprise one or more straw sections with bellows folds, so as to be able to be deformed or bent at said sections.

In particular the straw 20 has four relatively rigid portions 20', spaced apart by three portions 20" with bellows folds, so that it can be folded snake-like inside the lid, as can be seen in Figure 1. The lid can then be fitted to a can L; in this manner it protects the openable top can end from dirt and moreover, once the can has been opened, it provides the convenience of having a means available for sipping the drink contained in the can.

A second embodiment is illustrated in Figures 5 to 8. The lid of Figure 5 is indicated as a whole with reference numeral 100 and comprises a lid base 112 with a side edge 114 and an engagement or gripping edge 116. The lid 100 has engagement means 118 which, in the particular case illustrated, comprise fingers spaced apart in a circle around the centre of the lid, at a distance from the side wall 114 more or less equal to the diameter of a straw. A straw 120 in this case comprises two substantially rigid terminal portions 120', and a long central portion 120" with bellows folds.

In this case also the straw can easily be extracted, straightened and extended to the desired length.

The straw could be disposed inside the lid according to other configurations, which can easily be deduced from those described.

Claims

1. A protective can lid comprising a lid base (12; 112), a side wall (14; 114) integral with the lid base and ending in an edge (16; 116) for fitting to a can characterized in that it further comprises engagement means (18; 1 18) for removably engaging a straw for sipping liquids.

2. A lid according to claim 1, characterized in that the lid base, said side wall and said edge define a lid inner space with a depth no smaller than the diameter of a straw.

3. A lid according to claim 1 , characterized in that said engagement means comprise fingers (18, 118) protruding from the lid base on the inside thereof.

4. A lid according to claim 1 , characterized in that said engagement means are adhesive means.

5. A lid according to claim 3, characterized in that said engagement fingers (18) are disposed substantially in pairs, the fingers in each pair being spaced apart from each other by a distance substantially corresponding to the diameter of a straw, said lid further comprising a straw (20) retained by said engagement fingers and disposed folded snakelike.

6. A lid according to claim 3, characterized in that said engagement means are fingers (118) spaced from an inner surface of the side wall of the lid by a distance substantially corresponding to the outside diameter of said straw, and in that said lid further comprises a straw (120) disposed in an arc of a circle against said side wall.

7. A lid according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said straw comprises at least one bendable and extendable part with bellows folds.