Rupture Type Openable Beverage Container Lid

Abstract

A rupture type openable beverage container lid in the form of a beverage can lid ( 10 ) comprises an opening tab ( 12 ) mounted to a centrally positioned rivet ( 14 ) and a shield ( 16 ) lying against the inside surface ( 18 ) of the wall ( 20 ) of the lid ( 10 ). The tab ( 12 ) is also mounted to be swivelled about the rivet ( 14 ). The shield ( 16 ) is secured to the tab ( 12 ) via a shaft ( 38 ) passing snugly though a bore along the rivet ( 14 ). The shaft ( 38 ) is secured against release of gas at its inner end ( 38.4 ). The tab ( 12 ) and the shield ( 16 ) lie in alignment with one another with the shield ( 16 ) being swivellable in conjunction with the tab ( 12 ) to close off an opening formed in the lid ( 10 ) as conventionally formed by way of a rupture type action.

1 ) A rupture type openable beverage container lid ( 10 ) securable to a container body into forming a container ( 36 ) and arranged for at least shielding the contents of such container, once in conventional use and after having been opened, against unwanted object ingress, comprising
 an opening tab ( 12 ) mounted to an appropriately positioned rivet ( 14 ) while being conventionally formed with a lip ( 28 ) extending leadingly from a tab lifting portion ( 30 ) for rupturing the wall ( 20 ) of the lid ( 10 ) along a rupturable score line ( 26 ) in response to the manual lifting of the tab lifting portion ( 30 ) in forming an opening ( 44 ) into a container fitted with the lid ( 10 ), and   a shield ( 16 ) that is mounted to swivel about the axis ( 24 ) of the rivet ( 14 ) in lying against the wall of the lid ( 10 ) and that is dimensioned to cover the opening ( 44 ) in the lid ( 10 ), once formed and once the shield ( 16 ) is swivelled to such condition while lying against the non-openable area of the lid prior to being swivelled into a shielding condition;   characterised in that the shield ( 16 ) lies against the inside surface ( 18 ) of the lid ( 10 ) while being mounted to be swivelled from the tab presenting side of the lid ( 10 ) between its lid opening covering and uncovering conditions and in a way that maintains the sealing integrity of the lid ( 10 ) at least for so long as the shield ( 16 ) has not yet been swivellably displaced from its original position with the rupturing action of the rupturable portion of the lid accommodating the shield into swivelling between its various conditions.   
   
   
       2 ) A rupture type openable beverage container lid as claimed in  claim 1  in which the rupturing action of the rupturable portion of the lid ( 10 ) accommodates the shield ( 16 ) owing to the rupturable score line ( 26 ) along the lid extending conventionally to the effect of breaking the rupturable portion of the lid to the one side into forming an inward extending flap ( 45 ) thus enabling the swivellable displacement of the shield ( 16 ) into its lid opening closing off condition from the side at which the rupturable portion of the lid has become fully broken away from the remainder of the lid once exposed to a rupturing action exerted by the tab ( 12 ). 
   
   
       3 ) A rupture type openable beverage container lid as claimed in  claim 1  in which the opening tab ( 12 ) is mounted to swivel about the rivet ( 14 ) as stationarily secured to the upper wall of the lid ( 10 ), swivelling of the shield ( 16 ) being achieved via a shaft ( 38 ) extending through the rivet ( 14 ), as formed with a matching bore, between the tab ( 12 ) and the shield ( 16 ) and passing along the bore against release of container contents inclusive, in the appropriate case, of gas, at least prior to performing a shield swivelling action. 
   
   
       4 ) A rupture type openable beverage container lid as claimed in  claim 3  in which the shaft ( 38 ) is sealably secured to the inner surface ( 18 ) of the lid at the position of egress in coupling with the shield ( 16 ). 
   
   
       5 ) A rupture type openable beverage container lid as claimed in  claim 1  in which the shield ( 16 ) is in the form of a sheet of flexible but firm material urged to lie against swivellable restriction against the inner surface ( 18 ) of the wall of the lid, as promoted by the surface ( 18 ) extending conventionally slightly shallowly dome shaped. 
   
   
       6 ) A rupture type openable beverage container lid as claimed in  claim 1  in which the central line ( 40 ) of the shield ( 16 ) is substantially parallel to the central line ( 42 ) of the tab ( 12 ) relative to the axis ( 24 ) of the rivet ( 14 ) resulting in the positioning of the shield ( 16 ) and the tab ( 12 ) being in alignment with one another on opposite sides of the wall ( 20 ) of the lid. 
   
   
       7 ) (canceled)