Vendable Reclosable Beverage Container

The invention relates to containers, for example, sealed containers of the type used to vend beverages and foods, and more particularly to a rigid container having an opening in a lid thereof, a slidable cap recessed beneath the upper end of the container and movable into position over the opening, and a seal on the lid and cap to provide an easy-to-open sealed closure which can be reclosed. The cap cannot be removed from the lid or dropped into the container.

Containers having upstanding pouring spouts or necks sealed by caps threaded onto the necks or spouts have long been in widespread use. Containers of this type have limitations, inter alia, in that the tops and bottoms thereof are not of uniform shape and size and cannot be stacked. The more recent "flip-top" tab closures overcome this disadvantage of necked or spouted containers, but they have other disadvantages, such as sharp edges which can cut the skin, a difficult to lift ring that can damage fingernails and the danger that the closure tab will be dropped into the container and accidentally swallowed.

The container of the present invention overcomes these disadvantages and provides a vendable airtight container which can be stacked, easily opened without injury to the user and then resealed to store the unused contents. The recessed cap makes it possible for the shape and size of the top and bottom of the container to be made uniform so that the containers can be stacked, packaged and handled in the manner of conventional metal cans. In the preferred form of the container, the cap can be easily pulled or pushed across the lid away from the opening to dispense the contents from the container. After sliding the cap away from the opening, it remains on the lid and cannot be lost or dropped back into the container through the opening. Thus there is no debris apart from the container and there is no danger that the cap will be swallowed accidentally by the user. Moreover, the cap can be easily slipped back across the lid to reclose the opening for the storage of the unused container contents.

In accordance with the present invention, a guideway for guiding the cap on the lid can be formed by a pair of parallel channels which receive opposite sides of the cap. The channels may be affixed to the lid or formed integrally with the lid. The channels also function with the chime as two sides of a three-sided miniature spout which facilitates pouring of liquid from the container opening.

For a complete understanding of the present invention, reference can be made to the detailed description which follows and to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a container embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the upper end of the container taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the upper end of the container taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the upper end of the container similar to FIG. 3 but with the container open;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the upper end of the container similar to that of FIG. 3 with another sealing arrangement in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper portion of another container embodying the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a container embodying another form of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the upper end of the container along the line 8--8 of FIG. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a container embodying another form of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the upper end of the container along the line 10--10 of FIG. 9 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a discrete insert used in the container of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the underside of the sliding cap or tab used in the container of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a container embodying still another form of the present invention showing the slidable cap in sealed position;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 13 showing the slidable cap in open position;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the slidable cap of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 and 14; and

FIGS. 16 and 17 are sectional views along the lines 16--16 and 17--17, respectively, of FIG. 13 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The container of the present invention, as shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings, includes a cylindrical side wall 10, an upper lid 11 joined to the upper end of the side wall by a chime 12 and a bottom (not shown) of the same shape and diameter as the upper end to permit the containers to be stacked.

The lid 11 is recessed beneath the upper edge of the chime 12 and contains an opening 13 offset from the center of the lid. The keyhole shape of the opening as shown, facilitates pouring of liquid. The opening in the lid is closed by a cap 14 formed with a finger engaging ridge 15. A channel 16 having an inwardly extending bead 17, and a channel 18 having an inwardly extending bead 19, form a guideway on the lid 11 to hold the cap in position. The channels 16 and 18, shown formed integrally with the lid 11, can also be separate members affixed to the lid. Opposite sides of the cap 14 are contoured to fit and be held by the channel beads 17 and 19.

A seal 20 on the lid extends around the opening 13 and cooperates, when the container is closed, with a seal 21 projecting from the lower surface of the cap 14. The seal 21 can have a periphery slightly smaller than the periphery of the seal 20, as shown, or slightly larger, to provide for snap action of the cap 14 when it is moved into position over the opening 13, or the seals 20 and 21 can be of the same size to facilitate opening of the container. In addition, to provide a more effective seal, the underside of the lid and cap can be covered or sprayed with a thin, non-toxic resinous layer or liner 22 of the type sometimes utilized in flip-top tab closures used in conventional cans. If such an inner thin frangible seal is applied to the bottom of the lid and cap, the portion thereof which coincides with the opening will adhere to and remain with the cap.

To insure the integrity of the container when subjected to internal pressures on the order of 95 pounds per square inch, or when subjected to atmospheric pressure with the contents of the container under vacuum, the seals 20, 21 and 22 are formed of suitable plastic materials with approximate resilience to perform their function.

Camming surfaces 17a and 19a, formed by sloping the beads 17 and 19 downwardly toward the opening, as shown in FIG. 3, cooperate with the cap, as it is moved into position overlying the opening, to force the seals 20 and 21 into tight engagement.

When the container is to be opened, the user pulls or pushes the cap 14 along the guideway by finger pressure on the ridge 15. This breaks the seal around the opening 13, and when the cap is positioned across the lid from the opening, the container contents can be poured out. The cap, however, remains on the container.

The position of the channels along opposite sides of the opening, together with the upstanding chime, provide a natural pouring spout for the container. This arrangement also facilitates drinking of the contents directly from the container. If less than the entire container contents are used, the cap 14 is moved along the guideway and is cammed by beads 17 and 19 into its original sealed position, thereby reclosing the container.

Referring to FIG. 5, if it is unnecessary to have a fully effective seal when the container is reclosed, the seals 20 and 21 may be omitted. A cap 14' is shown overlying the opening 13 and the container is sealed by a thin, non-toxic resinous layer or liner 22' of the type sometimes utilized in the flip-top tab closures used in conventional cans. Movement of the cap 14' along the guideway breaks the seal 22' and opens the container. The cap can then be returned to its original position to reclose the container.

As shown in FIG. 6, it is sometimes desirable to provide a container 10' with an interior partition 23 for holding two different liquids. For example, gin and tonic. To empty both liquids, two openings 13a and 13b, preferably staggered as shown, are provided in the lid 11. Each opening can have seals interfacing with complementary seals on the underside of the cap 14" in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, or be sealed as shown in FIG. 5. Thus with the cap 14" held in position by the channels 16 and 18, both openings are sealed, and when the cap is moved partially across the lid, the opening 13a can be used for pouring a portion of the container contents. When the cap is moved to the other side of the lid, the remaining contents can be poured through the second opening 13b.

While the cap 14 has been shown as formed of plastic, any suitable material such as metal may also be used. The cap may be snapped into position in the channels 16 and 18 or, if desired, it may be placed in position during the lid forming operation. Also, a seal or stamp can be affixed across the closed slidable cap and container which will be broken when the cap is opened to show that the contents have not been consumed or contaminated.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of a container in which the slidable cap 25 is guided on the lid and between rails 26 for movement relative to an opening 27 in the lid of the container between the rails. Although the rails can extend across the lid of the container as shown in the other embodiments, in this embodiment the rails are shown extending part-way across the lid so that the guideway is terminated by an end rail or stop 26a.

The seal in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 is formed by a depending configuration 28 of complementary shape to the opening in the lid so that when the cap is in sealed position the depending configuration is seated and recessed within the complementary shaped opening. As in the other embodiments, an inner frangible seal 29 can be applied to the under surfaces of the lid and cap across the interface therebetween. The outer periphery of the depending configuration is gently curved at 28a so that as the cap is moved to open position the edge defining the opening will cam the recessed portion of the cap upwardly to lift it from its seated, recessed position within the opening.

To facilitate the sliding of the cap between closed and open positions, the upper surface of the cap is formed with a plurality of transverse ribs or serrations 30 to permit the slidable cap to be thumb actuated to open or closed position while held by the same hand. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the cap is also shown formed with a raised surface 31 of generally the same shape as the recessed surface 28 and the shape of the opening so as to form a thicker button-shaped portion in the slide cap which can either be solid or hollow, the latter facilitating the lifting action when the recessed portion is cammed upwardly by the edge of the opening in sliding it from closed to open positions.

FIGS. 9 through 12 show another embodiment of a container in which a slidable cap 35, formed with finger engageable ridges 35a, is guided by channels or rails 36 for movement relative to an opening 37 in a lid 11' of the container. The cap can be formed of metal or a suitable plastic. As in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, the rails extend partway across the lid and the guideway is terminated by an end stop 38. The guideway comprising the rails and stop is shown formed when the lid is stamped out. However, it may also be secured in an appropriate manner to the lid.

To facilitate using the invention with conventional type cans having conventional thin metal lids, a discrete insert 39 (FIG. 10) is suitably secured and sealed in the keyhole shaped opening 37 in the lid 11'. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the insert 39 is formed with an upper lip or flange 40 circumferentially extending around the opening 37. The insert can be welded, brazed or otherwise suitably fastened to the lid to provide an effective seal between the lid and the insert. The insert 39 is formed to facilitate its insertion into lids of conventional type containers without altering the thickness of the lid.

When the sliding cap or tab 35 is in position over the opening 37, as shown in FIG. 9, it sealably engages the keyhole shaped flange 40. To provide a more effective seal, the insert and cap are covered or sprayed with a thin, non-toxic resinous and frangible layer or binder 41 of the type sometimes utilized in flip-top tab closures used in conventional cans. The portion of the thin seal, which coincides with the opening, will adhere to and remain on the underside of the cap after it is moved across the lid. With this arrangement, the integrity of the container will be assured with internal pressures on the order of 95 pounds per square inch, or when subjected to atmospheric pressure with the contents of the container under vacuum.

When the container is to be opened, the user pulls or pushes the slidable cap or tab 35 along the rails 36 by finger pressure on the ridges 35a to break the frangible seal 41 between the insert 39 and the cap. The cap, however, remains on the container. If less than the entire container contents are used, the cap 39 is moved along the guideway to its original sealed position, thereby reclosing the container.

FIGS. 13 through 17 show still another embodiment of a container in which a slidable cap 42 having finger engaging ridges 43 formed on the upper surface thereof is guided by channels or rails 44 for movement relative to an opening 45 in the lid of the container. As in the other embodiments of the invention, the slidable cap and guide rails are recessed below the upper edge of the upstanding chime 12 of the container.

The opening 45 is defined in this embodiment by a circular depending wall 46 which forms a seat for the slidable closure. A complementary seat 47 is formed on the underside of the slidable closure to enable the slidable cap to recess slightly within the lid when the slidable cap is properly aligned with the opening.

The rails 44 are formed with parallel longitudinally extending recesses 48, the inner ends of which are defined by the upright walls 44a of the guide rails. The slidable cap is formed with a pair of wings 43a extending outwardly in opposite directions from the slidable closure to engage the recesses 48, and the longitudinally extending edges 43b forming the ends of the wings are in proximity to and guided by the upright walls 44a of the rails to guide the slidable cap for movement between the guide rails and to prevent rotation of the slidable cap which would tend to disengage the wings from the recesses.

A seal 49 bridging the under surfaces of the lid and the slidable cap across the opening 45 hermetically seals the container. This inner thin seal, a nontoxic resinous material sprayed or otherwise applied to the bottom of the lid and slide closure, adheres to the under surfaces of the lid and slidable cap and forms an effective seal which can be easily broken when the slide closure is displaced from closed to open position. As best shown in FIG. 17, the interfacing surfaces 46 and 47 will tend to lift the slidable cap and break the seal 49 as the slidable cap is lifted onto the upper surface of the lid as it moves toward the open position.

The cammed surfaces 44b of the rails 44 which engage the upper surfaces of the wings 43a, as best shown in FIG. 17, are lower at one end of the guideway than at the other end of the guideway to force the slidable cap into closed seated position relative to the opening 45 and to permit the slidable cap to lift out of seated position and to slide along the upper surface of the lid as the slidable cap is displaced toward open position. The rails 44 converge inwardly at the ends 44c thereof to provide a stop for the slidable cap in open position.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred forms and by way of example only, and different variations and modifications can be made therein within the spirit of the invention. For example, the invention has been shown utilizing separate seals but effective seals can be obtained by applying resilient sealing materials in situ on the cap and/or opening in the manufacture thereof, such as by coating or spraying them with a non-toxic sealing material. The invention, therefore, is not intended to be limited to any particular form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are expressly set forth in the claims.