Beverage can closure

Abstract

The beverage can closure comprises a can, a sliding cover, and a cover retainer. The sliding cover may be located on the top of the can. The sliding cover may slide along a cover retainer on a rim of the can such that the sliding cover may be moved over an opening of the can to prevent insects or debris from entering the can. The sliding cover may be moved away from the opening in order to drink from the can. As non-limiting examples, the cover retainer may be a track or a ridge on the rim of the can that retains the distal edge of the sliding cover. The proximal edge of the sliding cover may be retained by a tab and/or a rivet located at the center top of the can.

The inventor claims: 
     
         1 . A beverage can and closure comprising:
 a can, a sliding cover, a can top, and a cover retainer;   wherein the sliding cover is located on the can top;   wherein the sliding cover slides along the cover retainer on a rim of the can such that the sliding cover is moved over an opening of the can to prevent insects or debris from entering the can and is moved away from the opening in order to drink from the can;   wherein the can is a container for a beverage;   wherein the can comprises a cylindrical wall, a can bottom, and the can top;   wherein the cylindrical wall and the can bottom are stamped and drawn from a single blank of material;   wherein the can top is coupled to the top of the cylindrical wall after the beverage has been placed into the can;   wherein the can top comprises a scored edge and a stay tab held in place by a rivet located at the center of the can top;   wherein the opening is punctured by lifting a first end of the stay tab;   wherein lifting the first end of the stay tab causes the stay tab to pivot at the rivet thus pushing a second end of the stay tab down;   wherein downward pressure form the second end of the stay tab causes material within the scored edge to bend down, exposing the opening;   wherein a distal edge of the sliding cover is held in place by the cover retainer;   wherein the sliding cover comprises a first beveled edge and a second beveled edge connecting the distal edge to the proximal edge on each side of the sliding cover;   wherein the first beveled edge and the second beveled edge are beveled such that the first beveled edge and the second beveled edge are thinner than a central portion of the sliding cover.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The beverage can and closure according to  claim 1   wherein the material is aluminum.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The beverage can and closure according to  claim 4   wherein the can top is crimped to the cylindrical wall to form a double seal at a rim of the can top.   
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The beverage can and closure according to  claim 6   wherein the sliding cover is a slab of rigid or semi-rigid material.   
     
     
         10 . The beverage can and closure according to  claim 9   wherein the sliding cover is located on a top side of the can top.   
     
     
         11 . The beverage can and closure according to  claim 10   wherein a proximal edge of the sliding cover is held in place by the rivet and/or the stay tab.   
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The beverage can and closure according to  claim 11   wherein the distal edge forms an arc to match a curve of the cover retainer.   
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The beverage can and closure according to  claim 13   wherein the cover retainer prevents the distal edge of the sliding cover from lifting away from the can top.   
     
     
         16 . The beverage can and closure according to  claim 15   wherein the cover retainer is a track;   wherein the track is a groove on the interior of the rim that encircles at least 50 percent of the can top.   
     
     
         17 . The beverage can and closure according to  claim 15   wherein the cover retainer is a ridge;   wherein the ridge is a protrusion of the interior of a rim that encircles at least 50 percent of the can top.   
     
     
         18 . The beverage can and closure according to  claim 17   wherein the ends of the ridge turns down to prevent the sliding cover from sliding out of the cover retainer if the ridge does not completely encircle the rim.