Ring pull can cap

Abstract

The present innovation is a dual purpose “ring-pull/can cap”, which performs as both a sealing cap for metal beverage cans in addition to its traditional usage as a can opener. The design is a modification of the U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,752 “easy open wall”, which is the current opening mechanism on most consumer beverage cans, also known in the industry as an “easy open end”. The “ring-pull/can cap” is an improvement of the well known ring-pull design found on most metal cans today, but also allows consumers to close and seal off the can when not in use. There are two popular opening methods that have been used for opening metal cans to date: The “full open” mechanism and the more recent “half open” mechanism, as described below. The present invention deals with the improvement of the popular “half open” method, which currently does not allow the beverage can to be resealed after opening.

1 . Dual purpose ring pull can cap [complexity part  15 ] assembled of: (a) Wherein said metal structure which is a new breed of ring pull made by press process [complexity part  1 ] perform as metal skeleton for molded silicone sealing device [complexity part  10 ], built as shown at  FIGS. 1 ;  2 ;  3 . (b) Wherein said metal structure and silicone, integrated together [complexity part  15 ] during polymer molding process. The metal structure will be placed inside a casting mold, then, liquid polymer will pour through special holes [part  4 ] which located at the bottom of part  2  [which is a part of complexity part  1 ], in order to create one solid bonded body, as shown at  FIGS. 4 ;  5 ;  6 ;  7 ;  8 ;  10 . (c) Wherein said silicone embossment [part  12 ] located in the interior side of the metal structure [complexity part  1 ], faces towards the flat lid top wall [part  19 ], designed at the same shape and measurements as the partial open pouring drinking hole [part  16 ]. (d) Wherein said minimum two silicone sealing pressure o-rings [part  11 ], located around the silicone embossment [part  12 ], at formation of upper and lower silicone sealing pressure o-rings, one at the top of each other, designed to be wider then the partial open pouring drinking hole measurements. (e) Wherein said guiding slope [part  13 ] leading the “male” silicone sealing devices [parts  11 ;  12 ] inward to the partial open pouring drinking hole [part  16 ], until it locks in a sealing positions [at first part  12  will insert inward part  16 , and part  17  will insert between part  11 ]. (f) Wherein said metal beak [part  7 ], performs as a can opener, builds as small and strong structure at the lower part of the ring pull can cap. (g) Wherein said elasticity hole [part  5 ] which gives the ring pull can cap the ability to move upward and downward, with the assistance of flat metal spring [part  6 ], also designed to contain a rivet. (h) Wherein said rivet [part  18 ], attached the ring pull can cap [complexity part  15 ], to the flat lid top wall [complexity part  19 ], and in addition performs as an axle which around him the ring pull can cap could turns. 
     
     
         2 . As disclosed at  claim 1 , wherein said silicone sealing device [complexity part  10 ], will consider as “male” organ, and the partial open pouring drinking hole [part  16 ] and the parametrical open pouring drinking hole margins [part  17 ] which located on the flat lid top wall [complexity part  19 ] will considered as “female” organ. By pressing the ring pull can cap [complexity part  15 ] downward inward the partial open pouring drinking hole, the “male” silicone sealing organs [parts  11 ;  12 ] will enter into the “female” organs [part  16 ], until it will lock in the sealing positions [at first part  12  will insert inward part  16 , and part  17  will insert between part  11 ] in a perfect matching. The friction between the “male” silicone sealing organs and the “female” organs will fixate and reinforce the ring pull can cap to its place. The “male” sealing parts will always design according to the “female” parts shape. 
     
     
         3 . As disclosed at  claim 1 , wherein said sealing device made from silicone and/or rubber and/or any other polymer, integrated with the metal ring pull [complexity part  1 ] during the molding process, as one solid body, bonded on the interior and the exterior sides of the ring pull [complexity part  15 ]. The metal skeleton [complexity part  1 ] provides structural strengths to the molded silicone sealing device [complexity part  10 ]. The integration between complexity part  1  and complexity part  10 , creates the ring pull can cap [complexity part  15 ], as shown at  FIGS. 4 ;  5 ;  6 ;  7 ;  8 ;  10 . 
     
     
         4 . Wherein said plastic skeleton. Instead of metal skeleton, as disclosed at  claim 1 ;  3 , the sealing device [complexity part  10 ] which made from silicone and/or rubber and/or any other polymer, will be molded with a polymer ring pull, during the molding process, as one solid body, bonded on the interior and the exterior sides of the plastic ring pull. The polymer skeleton provides structural strengths to the molded silicone sealing device [complexity part  10 ]. The integration between strong plastic skeleton and complexity part  10 , creates the ring pull can cap [complexity part  15 ]. 
     
     
         5 . Wherein said sealing device made from silicone and/or rubber and/or any other polymer, which will be molded as one piece, separately from the ring pull, and will be attached by gluing and/or press process to the interior side of the ring pull, which faces towards the flat lid top wall. 
     
     
         6 . Wherein said “male” and “female” parts, as disclosed at  claims 1 ;  2 , instead of “male” polymer sealing device, the “male” sealing device and the “female” part will be made only from metal, at penny lever lid formation, made by press process. The ring pull can cap will consider as “male” part and the flat lid top wall will consider as “female” part. 
     
     
         7 . Wherein said “male” silicone sealing device and “female” part made from polymer and/or metal and/or a combination between them, such as “male” sealing device made from metal, created by press process, and “female” part made from polymer, created by molding process, as disclosed at  claims 1 ;  2 ;  6 . 
     
     
         8 . As disclosed at  claims 1 ;  2 ;  6 ;  7 , wherein said “male” sealing device and “female” part location formation: (a) “male” sealing device located on the metal ring pull [complexity part  1 ], (b) “female” part located on the flat lid top wall [complexity part  19 ]. 
     
     
         9 . As disclosed at  claims 1 ;  3 ;  4 , wherein said the silicone and/or rubber and/or any other polymer sealing parts [complexity part  10 ], made with different colors, during the molding process, in order to perform as a promotional apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . As disclosed at  claims 1 ;  3 ;  9 , wherein said the silicone and/or rubber and/or any other polymer sealing parts, will be made with different brands logo, which will be made during the molding process, in order to perform as a promotional apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . As disclosed at  claims 1 ;  2 ;  3 ,  9 ;  10 , wherein said the silicone and/or rubber and/or any other polymer sealing parts, will be made with different shapes on the exterior side of the ring pull, such as lifting handle, and/or abrasive texture such as prominent logo which will be made during the molding process, in order to perform as an advertisement also as an anti slippery surface in order to assist turning the ring pull can cap. 
     
     
         12 . Wherein said suction sealing cap, made from silicone polymer, located in the interior side of the ring pull [complexity part  1 ], faces towards the flat lid top wall [complexity part  19 ], which designed to be wider then the partial open pouring drinking hole [part  16 ]. By pressing the suction can cap ring pull downward toward the partial open pouring drinking hole, the suction will reinforce the suction cap ring pull to the flat lid top wall, around the partial open pouring drinking hole, in order to cover and seal the beverage can. 
     
     
         13 . Wherein said metal ring pull [complexity part  1 ], perform as can opener and as metal skeleton for the molded silicone sealing device, built as shown at  FIGS. 1 ;  2 ;  3 ; and functions as described at the complexity part  1 , as disclosed at  claims 1 ;  2 ;  3 . 
     
     
         14 . Wherein said “male” silicone sealing device [complexity part  10 ], built from the parts  11 ;  12 ;  13 ;  14 , as shown at  FIGS. 4 ;  5 ;  6 ;  9 ;  10  as disclosed at  claims 1 ;  2 ;  3 ;  4 ;  8 ;  10 ;  11 ;  15 . 
     
     
         15 . Wherein said numerous sealing pressure o-ring as shown at  FIGS. 5 ;  6 ;  9 ;  10 , and as described at part  11 , located around the silicone embossment [part  12 ], at upper and lower formation, designed to be wider then the partial open pouring drinking hole measurements [part  16 ], in order to activate upward pointed pressure on the parametrical margins interior surface [part  17 ]. Numerous o-rings will backup each other in order to maintain continually sealing, and if the upper o-ring will loose grip and will come out from part  17 , the lower o-ring will take its place and so forth, for continuity sealing, as disclosed at  claims 1 ;  2 ;  3 . 
     
     
         16 . Wherein said metal structure [ring pull] made by press process and molded silicone sealing device integrated together, as disclosed at  claims 1 ;  2 ;  3 , the ring pull metal structure [complexity part  1 ], and the silicone polymer [complexity part  10 ] integrated together during the molding process. The metal structure [complexity part  1 ] will be placed inside a casting mold; liquid polymer will pour through part  4  in order to create one solid bonded body, as shown at  FIGS. 4 ;  5 ;  6 ;  7 ;  8 ;  10 . Combinations of the parts  1 ;  10 , creates integrated complex structure, numbered and market as complexity part  15  in the drawings, which is the molded silicone sealing device named under the title “ring pull can cap”. 
     
     
         17 . Wherein said the method to connect the molded silicone sealing device [complexity part  10 ] and the metal ring pull [complexity part  1 ] in order to create the ring pull can cap [complexity part  15 ] is via molding process, as disclosed at  claims 1 ;  3 ;  16 . 
     
     
         18 . Wherein said the method to connect the molded silicone sealing device [complexity part  10 ] and the metal ring pull [complexity part  1 ] in order to create the ring pull can cap [complexity part  15 ] is via gluing process, as disclosed at  claim 5 . 
     
     
         19 . Wherein said the method to connect the molded silicone sealing device [complexity part  10 ] and the metal ring pull [complexity part  1 ] in order to create the ring pull can cap [complexity part  15 ] is via press process, as disclosed at  claim 5 . During the press process the curved margin [part  9 ] will be squashed into complexity part  10  in order to reinforce the molded silicone sealing device to the ring pull.