Field of the Invention.

The present invention relates generally to providing additional environmental protection to the exposed area of dispensing containers during the use that could accidentally be previously exposed to contamination, through the application of a sealed overcap along with fixing means, while remaining nonetheless easily removable.

The Related Art.

Novel products are usually offered to the market with the objective of getting a general improvement in the production process and at the same time to attend customer's main expectations such as low cost and high functionality.

Besides, there is another convenience commonly present in customer requirements which is related to the sanitary conditions of the exposed goods, in this case not only in the selling point but comprehensively during the whole industrial process up to the consumption moment.

One evident example of this situation can be given just by using canned beverages which contents are sometimes drunk by the buyer directly from the can's lid meaning so that the user's lips will be in direct contact with the can's structure that for the sake of sanitary care must be duly cleaned and harmless what is not totally guaranteed all time long especially after the removal of the cans from the transportation packs where they are at least partially protected by wrapping plastic film for being stored at the final selling points where the cans can be spoiled by chemical, environmental or animal hazardous contamination.

Description.

Disposable containers are usually offered to users in a ready-to-use version which is indeed one the best conveniences included.

It can be noted however that some of those items, and more specifically those containing edible goods might acquire undesirable sanitary conditions during the manufacturing and transportation process and before being consumed that eventually might exposed users to some sort of health problems if additional protection measure is not taken to avert it.

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26) On top of that, an unprotected dispensing valve might permit that, when the container is still at the selling point, small samples of its content be unduly extracted by a nearby passing customers which can cause degradation to the product.

Therefore it was considered that an inexpensive solution to get the top discharging side of the container and its dispensing valve protected against contamination, misuse and tampering could be introduced for the benefit of both manufacturers and customers adding an additional utility to transform the sealed overcap in a regular drinking cup that might be used to promote the brand of the packed product.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present patent the introduction of a hermetic and removable Sealed and Reversible Overcap to be used for the protection against the external contamination or tampering of all kind of pasty, gaseous and liquid products loaded into various kinds of dispensing containers.

It is also an object of the present patent the introduction of a removable Sealed and Reversible Overcap that can keep the areas of dispensing containers that might be in direct human contact during consumption clean and sanitized, as from the production point up to the consumption moment.

It is also an object of the present patent avoid undue attempt to use the container's content before it has been acquired by the final users.

It is also an object of the present patent the supplying to end user of a removable Sealed and Reversible Overcap that can be transformed in a regular cup after it has been detached from the dispensing container to which it was attached, avoiding so the storage of cups, especially inside the retailing points.

The way those objectives will be achieved are better explained through the following drawings.

BRIEF DISCRETION OF THE DRAWINGS.

Fig. 1 shows exemplary models of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap;

Fig. 2 shows a common beverage can commonly utilized by the market;

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26) Figs. 3A and 3B disclose a Sealed and Reversible Overcap being positioned over the beverage can;

Figs, from 4A to 4C show three types of adhesive strip.

Figs, from 5A to 5D show the kind of cut applied in an adhesive strip containing a central empty lane and the sequence for obtaining a section of an adhesive strip containing a central empty lane;

Figs. 6A and 6B disclose the sequence for obtaining a section of an adhesive strip containing periodic vertical empty spaces;

Fig. 7A and 7B shows another system to split the adhesive strip in two halves through auxiliary adhesive tear tape;

Figs. 8A, 8B and 80 explain the fixture of the adhesive strap around the Sealed and Reversible Overcap and both over the dispensing container;

Figs. 9A to 9D show the detachment of an adhesive strip fitted with two perforate cut lines to release the Sealed and Reversible Overcap from the dispensing container; Figs. 10A to 100 show the detachment of an adhesive strip fitted with one perforate cut line to release the Sealed and Reversible Overcap from the dispensing container;

Figs. 1 1A and 1 1 B disclose the method of fasten the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 by means of double coated tapes;

On figure 1 exemplary models of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 in two possible dimensions are disclosed, a Short Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1a, and a Long Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 b that can be used afterwards as a regular cup.

On figure 2, a common beverage can 2a, commonly utilized by the market to facilitate the broad distribution as well as the massive consumption of a large variety of edible goods such as soft drinks, juices, wines, beers and many others is shown.

These cans are generally made up of thin-walled aluminum sheets, having aluminum covers 3 affixed through a seaming line 4 to the upper end of the cylindrical structures 5 where an outlet device 6 is added to facilitate the free outflow of its content.

It happens however that the bowl shaped format 7 assumed by the sealing top 8 of the can 2a after it has been set ready for delivering to the final selling points is suitable for

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26) the reception and accumulation of any sort of waste and dust before the consumption of its content that somehow can be contaminated.

Moreover, the can's external upper end 9 and the sealing top 8 as well, which eventually may be in direct contact to the lips of some customers who may prefer to sip the beverages directly from the sealing top 8 of the cans instead of using a cup, might had been exposed to some sort of environmental contamination or mishandling during the transportation or storage process with the potential risk of threatens user's health.

In the sequence of figures from 3A to 3B it was shown how the positioning and sequential insertion of Sealed and Reversible Overcaps 1 around a beverage container 2 will preserve and even enhance the adequate sanitary condition of the external upside of the can 2, and more especially, of the area 9 that will be touched by the lips of a customer whose preference is to sip the beverage directly from the container's sealing top 8.

According to figure 3A, a short Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1a that is especially aimed to protect the external upper portion of the container against contamination was applied whilst in figure 3B it has been inserted a Long Multi Use Sealed Overcap 1 b that additionally can be used as a drinking cup after it has been separated from the can 2.

It should be also remarked that after the encapsulation of the upper section of the dispensing container 2 by a Sealed and Reversible Overcaps 1 , there will be no further external human or animal contact with the outlet valve 6 unless by spoiling the Sealed and Reversible Overcaps 1 , meaning so that it will be nearly impossible the extraction of portions of the container's content, avoiding therefore tampering attempts and contamination risks.

To be considered reliable in sanitary terms, after the insertion of the dispensing container 2 in the Sealed and Reversible Overcaps 1 , they should be then hermetically tight one to the other by practical means not only in terms of production but also during the consumption process being this goal obtained through the present patent by using, for instance, seals made up from adhesive strips.

Conceived to keep surfaces together, regular pressure-sensitive tapes 10 that are

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26) coated with adhesive material 1 1 in one and sometimes in both of its sides and that will be from now on used as the exemplary model in the present patent that are represented by the possible types of coiled adhesive strip 12 shown in figures 4A, 4B and 4C without prejudice of the application of any other feasible method. Consequently, the concept for getting an adhesive strip portion, namely a seal 10a, conceived to complement the airtight attachment of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 to dispensing containers 2 of nearly any type is disclosed through the following figures.

Made up of any suitable material such as plastic, paper, fabrics or any other that can attend the desired purposes of fixing the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 on the dispensing containers 2, the pressure-sensitive tapes 10 are coated by adhesive material 1 1 comprising in its longitudinal orientation, the adequate configuration in terms of number and dimension of adhesive lanes 10b, as well as in the spatial distribution of adhesive material 11 across the lanes that must be fully compatible with the requirements of each application, such as disclosed by the figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 that show how the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 will be hermetically affixed in the dispensing container 2 and easily removed from it, as will better explained ahead.

As such, it can be seen in the figure 4A, a coil 17 containing a regular type of pressure-sensitive tape coated with adhesive material 1 1 just in one of its side as from which another functional types of coiled adhesive strips 12 to attend the purposes of the present patent will derive such as the models on figure 4B and 4C that will be depicted ahead.

On figure 4B it can be noted that some new elements were inserted in the pressure-sensitive tape 10 of figure 4A such as longitudinal periodic blank spaces 13 in the center of the strip that are separated also by periodic portions 14 of adhesive material both longitudinally and horizontally destined to keep the inner blank space 13 that will be isolated from the external environment and therefore protected from external contamination after it has been fixed to the set formed by the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 and the dispensing container 2. The creation of a longitudinal blank space 13 is justified by the fact that said portion 13

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26) will not adhere to the clean area 13a created by the superposition area 13b formed when the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 and the dispensing container 2 are already connected in order to make its separation possible and easy, as better explained through figures 8A, 8B and 8C. In this example, only the outer lateral portions 1 1 a of the tape have adhesive material 1 1 as seen in the figure 4B.

It can also be noted in figure 4B two perforated cut lines 15 located exactly at the opposite side of the pressure-sensitive tapes 10 where the longitudinal blank spaces 13 were positioned, allowing so the easy removal of this longitudinal blank space 13 in the separation process of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 and the dispensing container 2 as there will be no adherence in the superposition area 13b between the two, as shown in figures 8A and 8B.

In this specific example the central lane 16 of the adhesive strip which is periodically exempted of adhesive material 1 1 is destined to stay exactly over, and in contact with the area 13a where the edge of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 will get in touch with the structural walls 5 of the dispensing container 2, in order to allow the easy separation of the two after the detachment of the central lane 16 of the adhesive strip.

However and in order to avoid the eventual contamination of the clean area 13a aimed to be protected by the seal 10a, as shown in figures 8A and 8B, a portion of adhesive material 14 is periodically coated with glue that will impede any spill and hazardous leakage through this point into the protected area 13a.

Preferably supplied in coils 17 for the manufacturers of dispensing containers 2, during the assembling process, the coiled adhesive strips 12 will be firstly submitted to an appropriated cut not only to separate from the coil the desired piece suitable to enfold the entire periphery of the dispensing container where the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 will be fixed, according to any specific need, but also to produce a small portion of material exempted of glue that will serve customers as the pull tab 18 to strip out the central lane 16 of the adhesive strip.

The cutting sequence to obtain the desired seal 10a that will enfold the entire periphery of the dispensing container is exhibited through figures from 5A to 5D.

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26) On figure 5A, the cutter 19 that is going to give the right shape to the seal 10a (shown in figure 50) and that will enfold the entire periphery of the dispensing container 2 is disclosed in a hanging position 20 over a coiled adhesive strip 12 containing longitudinal periodic blank spaces 13 against which it is pressed, as shown in figure 5B, in order to separate it from the coiled strip and produce the single and individual piece of adhesive strip, namely the seal 10a as shown in figure 50, that is going to be fixed over the superposition area 13b between the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 and the dispensing container 2, as shown in figures 8A and 8B.

On figure 5D it can be seen the reverse side of the single and individual piece of adhesive strip, namely the seal 10a, where the perforated cut line 15 and the pull tab 18, both created to allow users the easy detachment of this portion of material that will result in the separation of the adhesive strip in two halves, releasing so the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 from the dispensing container 2.

Another workable model of adhesive strip is shown by figure 6A where the whole longitudinal available space 21 was coated with adhesive material, excepted by a periodic blank space 22 not coated by glue that is intended to serve as the limit for the cutting point of each individual piece of adhesive strip, namely the seal 10a, capable to cover the whole periphery of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 to fasten it to the dispensing container 2.

The result of this cut, as shown in figure 6B, is the seal 10a, a section of the adhesive strip which is coated by adhesive material in almost all the available surface 23 of the strip, except for a periodic blank portion 22 not covered by glue that will serve as the pull tab 18 through which users will remove the entire seal 10a, allowing so the easy separation of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 from the dispensing container 2. Still another alternative model of adhesive strip is disclosed in figures 7A and 7B in which a section of thin auxiliary adhesive tear strip 10c, is fixed over the central area 16 of a seal 10a which, when pulled up by the user, it will tear off the seal 10a consequently causing the seal 10a to be divided in two halves 24 allowing so the easy separation of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 from the dispensing container 2. Seals 10a were conceived to keep tightly connection between the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 and the dispensing container 2 as from the production stage up

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26) to the final consumption of the product aiming to avoid contamination and tampering. At the production stage, the seals 10a should be inserted in the assembling lines by means of automatic machines well known by the state of the art in the field of automatization reason why this solution will not be presented in this present patent. Notwithstanding, the application process of the seals 10a around the final set already formed is exposed through figures 8A, 8B and 8C.

Thus, in figure 8A the insertion of the dispensing container 2 inside the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 is reproduced to show the creation of a superposition area 13b between the two and the perforate cutting lines 15 as well.

In Fig 8b, it can be seen that the application of the seal 10a has already been started over the superposition area 13b while the final end of the seal 10a which contains the pull tab 18 will be the last section of the seal 10a to be affixed.

In figure 8B, the seal 10a was entirely affixed in order to cover the lower portion of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 , as well as a portion of the dispensing container 2, forming so the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 and the dispensing container 2 together just one piece firmly linked by the seal 10a keeping its pull tab 18 anyway exposed for user's utilization.

Figures from 9A up to 9D expose the sequence to undock an elongated Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 from a Reversible Overcap 1 from the dispensing container 2 which will result in the creation of a regular clean drinking cup 30.

In figure 9A it can be seen that, this time, it was applied a larger seal 10d to fix the elongated Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 in a beverage can 2a, having however a different configuration that comprises double perforated eccentric cut lines 15a, i.e., they are not situated in the center of the longitudinal orientation of the adhesive strip, in order to create a larger protected, clean and contamination free region 30a in the detachable drinking cup 30.

The first step represented in figure 9A is to pull out the pull tab 18 in order to start stripping out the whole peripheral segment of the detachable portion 25 delimited by double eccentric perforated cutting lines 15a.

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26) Once the detachable portion 25 delimited by the double eccentric perforated cut lines 15a has been completely removed, as shown in figure 9B, the two halves 24 of the set previously formed are free to be easily separated giving users therefore access to the content of the beverage can 2a, as shown in figure 9C.

Figure 9C also shows the two remaining halves 24 of the seal 10a, a larger one 24a attached to the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 that afterwards will become a regular drinking cup 30, and the other one, thinner 24b, attached to the dispensing container 2, after the detachment of the portion delimited by the double eccentric perforated cut lines 15a.

After the detachment, the next step taken by the user is to remove the larger half 24a of the larger seal 10d that remained attached to the drinking cup 30, exposing so the larger protected region 30a that can be securely touched by the user's lips , as shown in figure 9D.

Through the sequence of figures from 10A to 10C, the undocking of an elongated Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 from the dispensing container 2 will result again in the creation of a regular clean drinking cup 30 is shown, however using this time a larger seal 10d fitted with just a single perforate eccentric cut line 15b which divides the larger seal 10d in two different halves 24, the larger half 24a, and the thinner half 24b. In figure 10A it can be seen that a larger seal 10d was applied to fix the elongated Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 in a beverage can 2a, having now just a single perforated eccentric cut line 15b.

The first step to open the can 2a, as represented in figure 10A, is to pull out the pull tab 18 which in the present example is attached only to the larger half 24a of the larger seal 10d, in order to start stripping out and remove the whole peripheral segment of the larger half 24a delimited by the single eccentric perforated cutting line 15b.

Once the larger half 24a delimited by eccentric perforated cut line 15b has been completely removed, as shown in figure 10B, the two halves 24 of the set previously formed are free to be easily separated giving users therefore access to the content of the beverage can 2a, as shown in figure 10 B and 10C.

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26) Figure 10C also shows that the larger half 24a that was previously attached to the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 does not exist anymore, unveiling so at the same time a clean area 13a at the region close to the open end of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 which has become a drinking cup 30, while the thinner half 24b was kept attached to the dispensing container 2, after the detachment of the portion delimited by the eccentric perforated cut line 15b.

After the detachment and removal of the larger half 24a, the larger protected region 30a that can be securely touched by the user's lips was exposed, as shown in figure 10C.

Through the figures from 1 1 A till 1 1 D, another feasible alternative to fix the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 on the dispensing container 2 by means of a double coated tape 26 is unveiled.

In figure 1 1 A, a double coated tape 26 was affixed around the periphery, close to the lower end 27 of a regular beverage can 2a whilst a Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 is positioned right over it just waiting to be inserted.

It can also be noted in figure 1 1A that the hanging overcap 28 has a portion 28a allocated close to its open end 29 delimited by a perforated cut line 15 and a pull tab 18 positioned at its end that will permit users to entirely detach it from Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 , creating so a drinking cup 30 shown in figure 1 1 D that will be used to drink the content of the can.

The inner area 31 existing between the portion 28a allocated close to the open end 29 of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 and the edge 32 of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 will be preserved free and used to be in contact, as shown in figure 1 1 B, with the double coated tape 26 previously affixed to the dispensing container 2, as shown in figure 1 1A.

In figure 1 1 C it is possible to see how the portion 28a existing in the inner area 31 between the edge 32 of the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 and the closest perforated cut line 15a were left attached to the double coated tape 26 which was previously affixed to the beverage can 2a, after the central lane of the seal 10a has been detached through the perforate cut line 15, and how the Sealed and Reversible Overcap 1 became a regular drinking cup 30 as shown in figure 1 1 D.

It will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26) is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements.

SUBSTITUTE SHEETS (RULE 26)