Beverage can marketing device with removable center cover

Abstract

A device that secures to a beverage can top includes a rim section that includes an inner edge that resides adjacent to the central panel of the can top. A central cover is secured to the can top at the inner edge of the rim section. The central cover extends over the top of a central panel of the can top and covers a tab and openable section of the can top. The central cover is removable from the rim section at a releasable boundary defined at the inner edge of the rim section. The underside of the central cover supports under-the-cover promotions that are not visible until removal of the central cover when the can is opened. When scannable codes are used, a computerized device can provide the GPS location of where the scan occurred to track GPS location of beverage can consumption by consumers and social media engagement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device that secures to a beverage can top, the device comprising:
 a rim section having an upper surface that slopes downwards and radially inwards from an upper region of a rim of the can top towards a central panel of the can top, the upper surface of the rim section extending above and across at least a portion of a countersink groove defined by the can top, the rim section including an inner edge that resides adjacent to the central panel of the can top; and   a central cover secured to the can top at the inner edge of the rim section, the central cover extending over the top of a central panel of the can top and covering a tab and openable section of the can top; the central cover being removable from the rim section at a releasable boundary defined at the inner edge of the rim section.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the releasable boundary defined at the inner edge of the rim section is a tear away seam defined between the rim section and the central cover. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the tear away seam is defined as a thin continuous connection joining the central cover to the inner edge of the rim section. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the tear away seam is defined as at least one of:
 a perforated seam joining the central cover to the inner edge of the rim section; 
 a series of periodic connections that each joining the central cover to the inner edge of the rim section seam; and 
 an adhesive that secures the central cover to the inner edge of the rim section. 
 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the central cover includes visible branding content on a top side of the central cover. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the central cover includes visible information on an underside of the central cover, the visible information not being viewable when the device is secured to the can top until removal of the central cover. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the visible information on the underside of the central cover is a scannable code that is operable to be scanned by a computerized device for transmission along with location information of the computerized device at a time of the scan to a remote computer system. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein an upper surface of the rim section includes a visible branding message. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the visible information on the underside of the central cover is at least one of:
 a coupon providing a discount; 
 Information to allow a consumer to participate in a contest, promotion, or customer loyalty program; and 
 a code to allow a consumer to obtain digital content. 
 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the central cover includes a grasping element that extends from the central cover to allow a user to pull on the central cover to remove the central cover from the can top while leaving the rim section secured to the can top. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the grasping element is at least one of a tab, a ring, a tape-like material, and a cutaway in the central cover allowing grasping of the central cover for removal from the can top. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the rim section and the central cover are separate disconnected pieces of the device, and wherein the central cover is secured to the can top by a physical fit between the inner edge of the rim section and an outer edge of the central cover prior to removal of the central panel from the can top. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein an outer edge of the central cover has a diameter that is slightly larger at at least one location that an inner diameter of an opening defined by the inner edge of the rim section, the outer edge of the central cover to residing under the inner edge of the rim section prior to removal of the central cover from the can top, the central cover being deformable during removal to allow the outer edge of the central cover to pass through an opening defined by the inner edge of the rim section. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12  wherein an outer edge of the central cover snaps onto the inner edge of the rim section to create the releasable boundary that between the rim section and the central cover that unsnaps to allow removal of the central cover from the rim section. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the central cover, after removal from the can top, can be snapped back onto the can top to rejoin the central cover and the rim section. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the central cover includes a tab connecting mechanism that temporality secures to a tab on the central panel of the can top when the central panel is placed on the can top, the tab connecting mechanism causing the tab on the can top to lift upwards from the central panel of the can top to open at least a portion of the openable section of the can top upon removal of the central cover from the device. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the rim section secures to the can top by snapping onto an outside lower edge of the rim of the can top, the outside lower edge being formed on the can top during couple seaming of the can top to a can housing of the beverage can. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the rim section secures to the can top along an upper inner edge of the rim of the can top and does not extend over the rim of the can top. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the rim section and central cover are secured to the can top prior to double seaming the can top to a beverage can housing. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the rim section and central cover are thermoformed to the can top. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1  wherein rim section and central cover are injection molded to the can top. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the central cover is dome shaped and defines an area underneath the central cover the covers a tab and openable section of the central panel of the beverage can top. 
     
     
         23 . A device the secures to a beverage can top, the device comprising: a rim section that secures to a rim area of a beverage can; a central cover coupled to the rim section along an inside edge of the rim section, the central cover covering an openable section and tab area of the beverage can top, the central cover being removable from the beverage can to allow opening of the openable section of the beverage can while the rim section remains in place on the can top after removal of the central cover, the central cover including visible information on an underside of the central cover, the visible information not being viewable when the device is secured to the can top until removal of the central cover.