Vent opening mechanism

Abstract

An improved drink can is disclosed wherein the drink can has a drink opening and a vent opening which are positioned opposite from each other with respect to a central portion of a top end of a drink can. The tab is attached to the central portion and can be pulled upward to open the drink opening then pushed back downward to open the vent opening. To aid in opening the vent opening with the tab, the vent opening may have a ridge to provide additional leverage when the tab pushes downward on a score line that defines the vent opening. The tab may be enlarged so that upon breakage of the score line to the vent opening, the tab contacts the top end of the can and does not allow the user's finger to proceed into the vent opening and possibly cut the user's finger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A can for containing fluid therein, the can comprising:
 a bottom end;   a cylindrical sidewall with the bottom end attached to a first side of the cylindrical sidewall;   a top end attached to the sidewall on an opposed second side of the cylindrical wall to form an enclosed volume in which the fluid is containable, the top end having a first score line defining a drinking periphery formed in the top end and a second score line defining a vent opening, the first score line angularly displaced from the second score line with respect to a center portion of the top end, the top end having a protrusion juxtaposed to the second score line;   a tab defining a drink opening portion and a vent opening portion, the drink and vent opening portions joined to each other at an intermediate portion, the intermediate portion pivotally attached to the center portion of the top end, the drink opening portion disposed over the top end on an interior side of the first score line, the vent opening portion disposed over the top end with a solid portion of the vent opening portion disposable over the protrusion to provide leverage so that a user can press the vent opening portion of the tab into the top end to break the second score line.   
     
     
         2 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the vent opening portion is disposed over the second score line to protect the user's finger from being cut with a sharp edge formed at the second score line after rupturing the second score line with the vent opening portion. 
     
     
         3 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the vent opening portion covers the second score line to prevent insertion of the vent opening portion and the user's finger when the user depresses the protrusion to break the score line. 
     
     
         4 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the protrusion is stamped into the top end. 
     
     
         5 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the protrusion has opposed sloping sides that are joined to each other at a raised central ridge line. 
     
     
         6 . The can of  claim 1  wherein a distal end of the drink opening portion of the tab is closer to the center portion of the top end than the first score line so as to provide leverage when the user lifts the vent opening portion to break the first score line and provide for the drink opening. 
     
     
         7 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the protrusion is closer to the second score line compared to the center portion of the top end. 
     
     
         8 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the first score line is positioned opposite from the second score line with respect to the center portion of the top end. 
     
     
         9 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the tab is rotatable about the center portion to dispose the vent opening portion over the raised ridge. 
     
     
         10 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the protrusion is a raised ridge. 
     
     
         11 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the protrusion is a raised surface that extends above an upper surface of the top end of the can. 
     
     
         12 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the protrusion is interposed between the center portion of the top end and the second score line. 
     
     
         13 . The can of  claim 1  wherein the second score line is between the protrusion and the center portion of the top end. 
     
     
         14 . A can for containing fluid therein, the can comprising:
 a bottom end;   a cylindrical sidewall with the bottom end attached to a first side of the cylindrical sidewall;   a top end attached to the sidewall on an opposed second side of the cylindrical wall to form an enclosed volume in which the fluid is containable, the top end having a first score line defining a drinking periphery formed in the top end and a second score line defining a vent opening, the first score line angularly displaced from the second score line with respect to a center portion of the top end;   a tab defining a drink opening portion and a vent opening portion, the drink and vent opening portions joined to each other at an intermediate portion, the intermediate portion pivotally attached to the center portion of the top end, the drink opening portion disposed over the top end on an interior side of the first score line, the vent opening portion disposed over the top end with a solid portion of the vent opening portion disposed over the second score line, an underside of the vent opening portion having a protrusion, the protrusion juxtaposed to the second score line to provide leverage so that a user can press the vent opening portion of the tab into the top end to break the second score line.   
     
     
         15 . The can of  claim 14  wherein the vent opening portion is disposed over the second score line to protect the user's finger from being cut with a sharp edge formed at the second score line after rupturing the second score line with the vent opening portion. 
     
     
         16 . The can of  claim 14  wherein the vent opening portion covers the second score line to prevent insertion of the vent opening portion and the user's finger when the user depresses the vent opening portion to break the score line. 
     
     
         17 . The can of  claim 14  wherein the protrusion is aligned between the center portion of the top end and the second score line. 
     
     
         18 . A method of opening a fluid containable can, the method comprising the steps of:
 lifting a vent opening portion of a tab to pivot the tab about an intermediate portion of the tab so as to provide leverage to a drink opening portion of the tab;   pressing the drink opening portion into the top end to break a first score line on a top end of the can;   breaking the first score line on the top end of the can;   contacting the vent opening portion into a protrusion formed in the top end of the can;   pushing the vent opening portion into the protrusion formed in the top end of the can to break a second score line on the top end of the can; and   breaking the second score line on the top end of the can.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of limiting the movement of the vent opening portion to stay above the top end to prevent sharp edges of a vent opening from cutting the user's finger. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of rotating the tab to align the drink opening portion to the raised ridge before the contacting step. 
     
     
         21 . A method of opening a can containing a fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
 lifting a vent opening portion of a tab to pivot the tab about an intermediate portion of the tab so as to provide leverage to a drink opening portion of the tab;   pressing the drink opening portion into the top end to break a first score line on a top end of the can;   breaking the first score line on the top end of the can;   contacting a protrusion of the vent opening portion into the top end of the can;   pushing the vent opening portion so that the protrusion of the vent opening portion breaks a second score line on the top end of the can; and   breaking the second score line on the top end of the can.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the step of rotating the tab to align the protrusion of the vent opening portion to the second score line. 
     
     
         23 . A method of opening a fluid containable can, the method comprising the steps of:
 pressing downward on a vent opening portion of a tab;   breaking a second score line to open the vent opening;   lifting a vent opening portion of a tab to pivot the tab about an intermediate portion of the tab so as to provide leverage to a drink opening portion of the tab;   pressing the drink opening portion into the top end to break a first score line on a top end of the can;   breaking the first score line on the top end of the can.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of pressing a protrusion formed on an underside of the tab into the top end of the can. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of contacting an underside surface of the tab into a protrusion formed in the top end of the can.