Field of the Invention

[001] The present utility model innovation refers to a new constructive arrangement applied to a beverage can, for allowing said can to be quickly and easily opened, providing simultaneously a pouring opening and a vent opening in an end wall of the can, usually the upper wall or lid, through the manual actuation of a user/consumer over a single actuation tab, allowing said tab to be easily and quickly detached from the end wall of the can, immediately after the opening tereof .

Prior Art

[002] It is well known from the art the use of beverage cans having an end wall, usually the upper wall or lid, said cans being provided with a first and with a second panel, which are broken to form a pouring opening and a vent opening, respectively, the vent opening being diametrically spaced from the pouring opening, in order to assume an upper position in relation thereto, when the can is inclined to a horizontal position, in order to allow for a continuous admission of air in the interior of the can, through the vent opening, while the beverage is poured out from the can through the pouring opening. The provision of the vent opening allows that the beverage be released from the can in a more quickly and uniform flow.

[003] In a known solution, disclosed in Brazilian patent

PI0403324-8, the rupture of the first breakable panel, which forms the pouring opening, is obtained by actuation of the user/consumer over a first actuation tab, whereas the rupture of the second breakable panel, which forms the vent opening, is obtained by actuation of the user/consumer over a second actuation tab.

[004] This previous construction demands the provision of two actuation tabs, requiring the user/consumer to actuate over the second actuation tab, detaching it from the end wall or lid of the can jointly with the second breakable panel and forming the vent opening, for making the first actuation tab to be accessible to the user/consumer, so that he may actuate the latter and break the first breakable panel, thus forming the pouring opening.

[005] This PI 0403324-8 solution allows the user/consumer to form only the vent opening, by acting only over the second actuation tab. In such case, the vent opening ceases to have the ventilation function, operating only as an opening for the introduction of a usual straw for sipping the beverage from the interior of the can, minimizing the risks of spilling liquid.

[006] However, said prior solution (PI 0403324-8) requires, not only the provision of two actuation tabs, increasing the production cost of the can, but also requires the user/consumer to make two distinct operations for opening the can when he wishes to sorb the beverage through the pouring opening. The user/consumer has to mandatorily actuate on the second actuation tab to form the vent opening, to then actuate on the first actuation tab, so as to subsequently form the pouring opening. Besides requiring two operations from the user/consumer, in order to provide the pouring opening, by obliging him to primarily form the vent opening, the prior solution mentioned above reduces the speed needed by a salesman, for example, to extract the beverage from the can for a large number of end consumers in a short period of time, such as in certain sports events.

[007] Another known solution is disclosed in patent US

2014/0263320 Al, which comprises the provision of both a pouring opening and a vent opening which are opened by the user/consumer upon acting over a single actuation tab, in two distinct moments and by means of two non-simultaneous operations .

[008] Although describing the use of a single actuation tab, this other prior solution (US 2014/0263320 Al) requires the user/consumer to make two distinct operations to provide the pouring opening and the vent opening, by using the same actuation tab, which, after being used to form one of the two openings, usually the pouring opening, must be rotated to a second position, in which it may be actuated to form the other of said openings in the end wall or lid of the can.

[009] Experiences carried out with this type of solution proved that the accomplishment of two distinct operations by the user/consumer, in order to provide, besides the pouring opening, the vent opening, is invariably abandoned by the final consumer, which provides only the operation necessary to form the pouring opening, failing to carry out the operation for forming the vent opening. Besides the operational drawbacks mentioned above, this known technical solution is complex to produce and has a high manufacture cost .

[0010] Still another known construction is disclosed in patent US 5,819,973, which comprises the provision of a single actuation tab, medianly affixed in the end wall or lid of the can and having a first end to be pressed against a first breakable panel, in order to form the pouring opening, a median region coupled to a second breakable panel, in order to form a vent opening, and a second end, opposite to the first one and which defines a grip portion, to be pulled by the user away from the end wall or lid of the can, in order to provide, practically simultaneously, the rupture of the second breakable panel, thus forming the vent opening, as well as the rupture of the first breakable panel, for forming the pouring opening.

[0011] In this this prior art solution, the user promotes, by means of a single operation effected over an also single actuation tab, the practically simultaneous and compulsory rupture of the first and of the second breakable panels, that is, the formation of both the vent opening and the pouring opening .

[0012] Although using only one actuation tab and requiring only one operation from the user/consumer to provide the two openings in the end wall or lid of the can, this third known solution presents the drawback of having the actuation tab with an inadequately short grip portion, so as to be entirely contained in the interior of the contour of the upper curl

(or upper edge) of the can, and also between said end wall of the latter and the plane of the upper curl, in order not to interfere in the stacking of the cans.

[0013] In this third known solution, the opposite gripping end of the actuation tab is positioned between the second breakable panel and the upper curl of the can, in a condition which is difficult for the user/consumer to access by using his fingers, making uncomfortable to hold the actuation tab and demanding the use of an additional tool for allowing the user/consumer to raise the opposite gripping end, at least in an initial angular travel, without the risk of hurting his fingers or breaking his nails when he starts to raise the gripping end of the actuation tab.

[0014] Thus, although using only one actuation tab and requiring, theoretically, a single operation for the simultaneous formation of the two openings (pouring opening and vent opening) , this solution is not capable of providing an easy and ergonomic operation for opening the can, without the help of an auxiliary tool and of an initial opening operation using said tool.

Summary of the Innovation

[0015] Due to the drawbacks cited above and related to the known solutions for providing the opening of a beverage can, having an end wall or lid provided with breakable wall portions for the formation of a pouring opening and of a vent opening, respectively, it is the object of the present innovation to provide an improved constructive arrangement, which is relatively simple to construct with a reduced cost, comprising a single actuation tab, which is ergonomic and easy to be operated by the user/consumer, without requiring the use of additional tools, without interfering in the stacking of the cans and provoking the rupture of the first and of the second wall portions and the consequent formation of the pouring and vent openings, through only one displacement of the actuation tab made by the user/consumer .

[0016] It is an additional object of the invention to provide an improved constructive arrangement as disclosed above and which allows the user/consumer to detach the actuation tab from the end wall of the can in an easy and complete manner, by means of a simple and quick operation, without requiring that, after forming the two openings, the user/consumer is forced to submit the actuation tab to several angular and alternative displacements to provide its rupture at the adequate region.

[0017] The present constructive arrangement is applied to a beverage can, comprising: an end wall surrounded by a peripheral edge of the can and incorporating a first wall portion and a second wall portion, which are spaced from each other and breakable for the formation of a pouring opening and of a vent opening, respectively; and an actuation tab affixed onto the end wall and having a pressing end portion, and an extracting end portion, which is affixed to the second wall portion, so that these pressing and extracting end portions may break the first and the second wall portions, respectively, upon the angular displacement of the actuation tab by applying an upward manual force to its extracting end portion .

[0018] According to the present innovation, the actuation tab further comprises a grip portion having a hinge end affixed to the extracting end portion and a free end, the grip portion being angularly and upwardly displaced, around the hinge end thereof and by applying a manual force to its free end, from a retracted inoperative condition, in which it remains contained within the contour of the end wall, between the latter and the plane of the adjacent peripheral edge of the can, and an operative condition, of manual gripping, for applying the upward force for pivoting the actuation tab and in which it has its free end projecting upwardly from the plane of said peripheral edge (21) of the can (L) . [0019] The constructive arrangement defined above provides a single actuation tab, which can be easily handled by the user/consumer, without requiring additional tools and not interfering in the stacking of the cans, and which promotes the rupture of the first and of the second wall portions and the consequent formation of the pouring and vent openings, by the user/consumer making only one operation for displacing the actuation tab.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] The innovation will be described below, with reference being made to the appended drawings, given by way of example of a possible embodiment for the present constructive arrangement, and in which:

[0021] Figure 1 represents an upper plan view of a beverage can of the type considered herein, in its closed condition and provided with the actuation tab proposed in the present innovation;

[0022] Figure 2 represents a diametrical sectional view of the upper portion of the can of figure 1 and of the lower portion of an identical can stacked over the first one, with the grip portion of the actuation tab being in the retracted inoperative condition;

[0023] Figure 3 represents a diametrical sectional view of the upper portion of the can of figure 1, when still in the closed condition, but in which the grip portion of the actuation tab is angularly and upwardly displaced to the operative condition;

[0024] Figure 4 represents a diametrical sectional view of the upper end of the can of figures 1 and 3, but presenting the first and the second wall portions already ruptured, respectively, by the pressing end portion and by the extracting end portion of the actuation tab, when the user/consumer moves the latter;

[0025] Figure 5 represents a view with a section similar to that of figure 4, but with the actuation tab removed from the can; and

[0026] Figure 6 represents an upper plan view of the can of figure 5, already deprived of the actuation tab and illustrating the first and the second wall portions already ruptured and defining the pouring opening and the vent opening .

Description of the Innovation

[0027] As illustrated in the appended drawings and as commented above, the present constructive arrangement is applied to a beverage can L of the type which comprises an end wall 10, usually in the form of an upper lid and surrounded by an adjacent peripheral edge 21 defined in one of the ends of a usually cylindrical lateral wall 20 of the can L, said end wall 10 incorporating a first and a second wall portion 11,12, which are spaced from each other, generally in an opposite diametrical arrangement, which wall portions are broken along respective weakened lines 11a, 12a, so as to form a pouring opening Al and a vent opening A2 , respectively, as better illustrated in figure 6. This type of can may be constructed in different well known prior art techniques which are not part of the present innovation.

[0028] The can L further comprises an actuation tab 30, constructed in a single piece and in any metallic alloy adequate to the present application, and which is medianly affixed in an external central region 13 of the end wall 10 through a retaining element 40, having any known construction and which, for example, may take the form of a rivet 41, hermetically incorporated to the end wall 10, in order to allow the actuation tab 30 to be angularly and manually displaced, in a vertical plane, upon the opening of the can L, as described hereinafter.

[0029] The actuation tab 30 has a pressing end portion 31, positioned onto the first wall portion 11, and an extracting end portion 32, positioned onto the second wall portion 12 and affixed to the latter by means of a connecting element 50, which in the illustrated construction takes the form of an extracting pin 51, having one end hermetically and solidly affixed to the second wall portion 12 and with the opposite end incorporated or otherwise affixed to the extracting end portion 32.

[0030] The first and the second wall portions 11, 12 are ruptured, respectively, by the pressing end portion 31 and by the extracting end portion 32, upon the angular displacement of the actuation tab 30, in a vertical plane and around its median region for fixation to the end wall 10, by applying an upward manual force to its extracting end portion 32, as illustrated in figure 4.

[0031] According to the innovation, the actuation tab 30 further comprises a grip portion 33 having a hinge end 33a affixed to the extracting end portion 32, and a free end 33b. In the illustrated construction, the grip portion 33 takes the form of a preferably axial extension of the extracting end portion 32 of the actuation tab 30.

[0032] The grip portion 33 of the actuation tab 30 may be constructed in different manners, being preferably formed in a single piece with the pressing end portion 31 and the extracting end portion 32 of the actuation tab 30.

[0033] As illustrated in the sequence of figures 2, 3 and 4, the grip portion 33 is angularly and upwardly displaced, around the hinge end 33a thereof and by application of a manual force to its free end 33b, from a retracted inoperative condition (figure 2 and figure 3 in full lines), in which it remains contained within the contour of the end wall 10, between the latter and the plane of the adjacent peripheral edge 21 of the can L, and an operative condition

(figure 3 - dashed line) , of manual grasp, in order to apply the upward force for pivoting the actuation tab 30 and in which it its free end 33b projects upwardly from the plane of said peripheral edge (21) of the can (L) .

[0034] In the illustrated construction, the grip portion

33 of the actuation tab 30, in the form of an axial extension of the extracting end portion 32, remains positioned on both the extracting end portion 32 and the pressing end portion 31, when in its retracted inoperative condition, as illustrated in figure 2 and in full lines in figure 3.

[0035] As illustrated in figure 2, when in its retracted inoperative condition, the grip portion 33 of the actuation tab 30 remains positioned between the end wall 10 of the can L and the plane of the peripheral edge 21 of the latter, not interfering in the bottom of an identical can L stacked over the first one.

[0036] Figure 3 illustrates the angular upward displacement of the grip portion 33 of the actuation tab 10, from its retracted inoperative condition, to its operative condition, illustrated in dashed lines and in which it can be easily grasped by the user/consumer, who thus may exert an additional upward force capable of causing the angular displacement of the pressing end portion 31 and of the extracting end portion 32 of the actuation tab 30, around its median point for fixation to the end wall 10 and, consequently, break the first wall portion 11 and the second wall portion 12, forming the pouring opening Al and the vent opening A2 , as illustrated in figure 4.

[0037] After the opening of the can L, the actuation tab 30, incorporating its grip portion 33, must be completely detached from the end wall 10, as illustrated in figures 5 and 6, in which it may be noted that only a fixing median portion 30a, of the actuation tab 30, which surrounds the retaining element 40, remains retained, with the latter, in the end wall 10. The remaining part of the actuation tab 30 is detached from the can L and may be discarded, the rupture of the actuation tab 30 being made so as not to leave a cutting burr in the region of the pouring opening Al .

[0038] In order to facilitate and to make faster the detaching of the actuation tab 30 from the end wall 10 of the can L, allowing the user/consumer to drink the liquid directly from the pouring opening Al, in an adequate and without the risk of being injured, the fixing median portion 30a is incorporated to the pressing end portion 31 of the actuation tab 30 by a rupture region R.

[0039] With the construction above cited, the fixing median portion 30a and the retention element 40 remain retained to the end wall 10 of the can L after the rupture region R is ruptured by a continued manual displacement of the actuation tab 30, with a reduced number of oscillations thereof, after the formation of the pouring and vent openings Al, A2.

[0040] In the preferred construction illustrated in the drawings, the rupture region R has a thickness which is reduced in relation to the thickness of the pressing end portion 31 and of the fixing median portion, allowing the rupture region R to collapse by fatigue, upon few alternatve oscillating displacements of the actuation tab around R and in a plane orthogonal to that one of the end wall 10.

[0041] It should be understood that the rupture region R can be formed by other constructions different from that one defined by a joining line presenting a continuous reduced thickness .

[0042] Thus, constructive solution proposed herein allows the single actuation tab, which is extremely simple to grasp and which, when submitted to an opening operation, promotes the simultaneous or practically simultaneous formation of the pouring opening Al and of the vent opening A2 , to be easily and quickly detached from the can upon a few displacements of the actuation tab by the user/consumer.

[0043] Regarding the description above, it should be understood that the ideal dimensional relationships for the component parts of the innovation, in order to include variations as to size, materials, geometric forms, functions and mode of operation, assembly and usage, are promptly considered as apparent and obvious for a skilled person, and all the relationships, which are equivalent to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, should be understood as encompassed by the present innovation. [0044] Thus, while only one way of carrying out the present innovation has been illustrated herein, it should be understood that changes as to the shape and formation of the component parts may be made, without departing from the scope of protection as defined in the claims that accompany the present specification.