US20080230544A1

US20080230544A1 - Hygiene Cap for Can

Info

Publication number: US20080230544A1
Application number: US10/598,358
Authority: US
Inventors: Eun-Ho Kim
Original assignee: CHOI WON-SOON
Current assignee: CHOI WON-SOON
Priority date: 2004-06-10
Filing date: 2005-06-10
Publication date: 2008-09-25
Also published as: DE112005001333T5; GB2429005B; KR100451995B1; GB2429005A; GB0624329D0; WO2005120966A1; CN1980836A; JP2008502553A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hygiene cap detachably provided for a can having a lid formed with an outlet and an opener for opening the outlet, the hygiene cap comprising a cap body interposed between an outer surface of the lid and the opener and rotating about the lid; and a cleaner attached under the cap body and cleaning the outer surface of the lid as the cap body rotates. Thus, the present invention provides a hygiene cap for a can, which minimizes contaminants of the can while it is produced, distributed and taken in custody, and allows a user to easily clean an outlet of the can and then drink a beverage from the can.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hygiene cap for a can, and more particularly, to a hygiene cap for a can, which allows a user to easily clean an outlet of the can and then drink a beverage from the can.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, various beverage or alcohol cans (hereinafter, referred to as a “can”) comprises a can body 101 to be filled with a beverage, and a lid 103 to seal up a top of the can body 101. Here, the lid 103 is formed with an outlet 105 through which the beverage can flow outward, and the outlet 105 is covered with an outlet cover 107 (refer to FIGS. 8 and 9).
Further, the lid 103 is provided with an opener 108 to open the outlet 105 by pushing the outlet cover 107 like leverage. As shown in FIG. 9, the opener 108 is spaced from a top surface of the lid 103 at a predetermined distance of “A”, thereby allowing a user to hold the tab 108 with his/her fingertip.
Meanwhile, such can 100 is exposed to contaminants such as dust, foreign material, bacteria, and the like while it is produced, packaged, and taken in custody for distribution.
In particular, the outlet 105 of the lid 103 and its circumference need strict hygienics because they come in direct contact with a user's mouth. However, such hygienics is not actually realized at all.
Therefore, a user is likely to drink a beverage along with contaminants such as dust, foreign material, bacteria and the like, which are adhered to the outlet 105 of the lid 103 and its circumference. In this case, a user may be struck by food poisoning or the like, which is very dangerous.
To solve this problem, a transparent hygiene cover for a beverage can and a hygiene cap for an aluminum can (hereinafter, referred to “a hygiene cap for a can”), which can cover a lid of the beverage can, have been disclosed in Korean Utility Model Nos. 20-0307944 and 20-032649.
However, the conventional hygiene cap for the can has a structure of just covering a lid top of the can, so that the outlet of the lid and its circumference are not prevented from being contaminated while being produced or before covering the lid.
Therefore, under low reliability of hygienic safety, a user has no choice but to drink a beverage along with contaminants such as dust, foreign material, bacteria and the like, which are adhered to the outlet of the lid and its circumference.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a hygiene cap for a can, which minimizes contaminants of the can while it is produced, distributed and taken in custody, and allows a user to easily clean an outlet of the can and then drink a beverage from the can.
The foregoing and other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a hygiene cap detachably provided for a can having a lid formed with an outlet and an opener for opening the outlet, the hygiene cap comprising a cap body interposed between an outer surface of the lid and the opener and rotating about the lid; and a cleaner attached under the cap body and cleaning the outer surface of the lid as the cap body rotates.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the cap body comprises a contact plate covering the lid and being thinner than a space between the opener and the lid; and an opener through portion formed in a predetermined region of the contact plate.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the cap body comprises a contact plate covering the lid and being thinner than a space between the opener and the lid; a contact maintaining portion formed in a circumferential region of the contact plate and fitted to a circumferential rim of the lid; and an opener through portion formed in a predetermined region of the contact plate.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the contact maintaining portion is at least partially formed with a grip pattern along a circumferential direction thereof.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the hygiene cap further comprises an extended part extended downward from the contact maintaining portion and surrounding an outer circumference of the can, wherein the cleaner is extended to an inner side of the extended part.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the contact plate is formed with at least one rotation grip rib.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the cap body is formed with at least one cap-removing tip projected from a predetermined region thereof.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the opener through portion is formed by penetrating a surface of the contact portion or partially cutting away the cap body to have a shape corresponding to the opener.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the cap body includes one of synthetic resin, a metal plate, and paper.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the cap body includes an advertisement design on at least one region thereof.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the cleaner includes one of a fabric material or paper.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the cleaner contains at least one of an antibacterial agent, a deodorizer and an aromatic agent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hygiene cap for a can according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the hygiene cap for the can, taken along line II-II in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3A through 3C are perspective views illustrating usage of the hygiene cap for the can of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hygiene cap for the can according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a hygiene cap for the can according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a hygiene cap for the can according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a hygiene cap for the can according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a typical can.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a lid region of the can, taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinbelow, preferable embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hygiene cap for a can according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the hygiene cap for the can, taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. As shown therein, a hygiene cap 1 for a can 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a cap body 10 rotatably covering a lid 103 of the can 100 between the lid 103 and an opener 108, and a cleaner 20 attached under the cap body 10 and cleaning the surface of the lid 103 as the cap body 10 rotates.
The cap body 10 includes a contact plate 11 covering a top surface of the lid 103, a contact maintaining portion 13 formed in a circumferential region of the contact plate 11 and fitted to a circumferential rim 109 of the lid 103, and an opener through portion 15 formed in a predetermined region of the contact plate 11.
The contact plate 11 is provided to be thinner than a space A between the opener 108 and the lid 103, so that the cap body 10 can rotates between the lid 103 and the opener 108 with respect to the lid 103.
The contact maintaining portion 13 has a “U”-shaped section to be fitted to the circumferential rim 109 of the lid 103 as shown in FIG. 2. The contact maintaining portion 13 maintains that the cap body 10 covers the lid 103 of the can 100, and at the same time allows a user to grip and rotate the cap body 10. Here, the contact maintaining portion 13 is at least partially formed with a grip pattern 17 on the outer surface thereof along a circumferential direction, thereby enhancing grip characteristics. The grip pattern 17 may be achieved by a structure repeatedly alternating between a concave and a convex.
The opener through portion 15 is formed by cutting it away from the contact portion 11 and has a shape corresponding to the opener 108, thereby allowing the opener 108 of the can 100 to pass therethrough. As shown in FIGS. 3A through 3C, the opener through portion 15 passes the opener 108 therethrough to be placed above the contact portion 11 when the lid 103 of the can 100 is covered with the cap body 10.
Preferably, the cap body 10 with this configuration is made of synthetic resin or paper, which is excellent in environment-friendly decomposition, unharmful to a human body, and shape maintenance. Alternatively, the cab body 10 may be made of a metal plate, which can be collected after use and recycled by cleaning and sterilizing it.
Further, the cap body 10 is preferably formed with a cap-removing tip 16 projected from the cap body 10 and allowing a user to easily remove the cap body 10 from the lid 103.
Also, the cap body 10 may be used for corporate public relations by printing it with various advertisement designs.
Meanwhile, the cleaner 20 is attached under the cap body 10 and cleans the surface of the lid 103 including the outlet 105 and its circumference as the cap body 10 rotates. At this time, the cleaner can be attached under the whole area of the cap body 10 except the opener through portion 15, or attached under an area from the center to one side of the cap body 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
Here, the cleaner 20 can be made of a fabric material or paper, which is excellent in environment-friendly decomposition, adsorptive characteristics for water and a foreign material so as to effectively remove contaminants such as dust, polluted water and the like adhered to the surface of the lid 103. Further, the cleaner 20 preferably contains at least one of an antibacterial agent, a deodorizer and an aromatic agent, which are unharmful to a human body, so as to remove various bacteria and a bad smell from the surface of the lid 103.
With this configuration, the hygiene cap 1 for the can according to an embodiment of the present invention is used as follows. First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the hygiene cap 1 is put on the lid 103 of the can 100, aligning the opener through portion 15 of the cap body 10 with the opener 108 of the can 100. At this time, the contact maintaining portion 13 is disposed corresponding to the circumferential rim 109 of the lid 103
Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the hygiene cap 1 is pressed toward the lid 103 of the can 100, the contact maintaining portion 13 is fitted into the circumferential rim 109 of the lid 103 of the can 100, and at the same time the opener 108 passes the opener through portion 15 of the cap body 10, so that the contact plate 11 is placed within the space “A” between the opener 108 and the lid 103. At this time, the cleaner 20 is in contact with the surface of the lid 103.
In this state, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the cap body 10 is rotated in one direction or two directions, the cleaner 20 cleans the surface of the lid 103 including the outlet 105 and its circumference.
After cleaning the surface of the lid 103 including the mouth 105 and its circumference, a user removes the hygiene cap 1 from the can 100 and opens the outlet 105 of the can 100 by pulling the opener 108 to drink a beverage.
Thus, a user can sanitarily drink a beverage from the can 100 because contaminants such as dust, foreign material, bacteria, and the like generated while the can 100 is produced, packaged, and taken in custody for distribution are cleanly removed from the can 100.
In the meantime, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hygiene cap for the can according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, a hygiene cap for a can 1 a according to the second embodiment of the present invention has a similar structure to the foregoing hygiene cap shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and further includes an extended part 18 extended from a contact maintaining portion 13 and surrounding the lateral surface of the can 100.
The extended part 18 surrounds the lateral surface of the can 100 to be touched by a hand of a user. Preferably, the cleaner 20 is attached along the inner side of the extended part 18.
Such extended part 18 removes contaminants adhered along the lateral surface of the can 100, thereby giving a user a pleasant feeling when a user touches the can 100 with his/her hand.
Here, the length of the extended part 18 can be varied as necessary.
Further, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a hygiene cap for the can according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, a hygiene cap 1 b for a can according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes an opener through portion 15 having an opened structure formed by partially cutting away the cap body 10, and the other configurations similar to those of the first embodiment.
Such opened opener through portion 15 allows the opener 108 to be easily placed above a contact plate 11 through its opened structure when a hygiene cap 1 b is fitted to the lid 103. Thus, contrary to the first embodiment, there is no necessity for complicatedly aligning the opener 18 with the opener through portion 15 and then passing the opener 18 through the opener through portion 15.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a hygiene cap for the can according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a hygiene cap for the can according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, in a hygiene cap 1 c, 1 d for the can according to the fourth and fifth embodiments, a contact plate 11 of a cap body 10 is formed with only an opener through portion 15 without the contact maintaining portion 13, and a cleaner 20 is attached under the contact plate 11.
In this structure, a rotation grip rib 17′ preferably protrudes from the surface of the contact plate 11. Thus, the hygiene cap 1 is rotated along with the rotation grip rib 17.
According to the fourth and fifth embodiments, the hygiene cap 1 c, 1 d has the simplest structure to clean the outlet 105 and the top surface of the lid 103 requiring the basic hygienics.
Thus, the hygiene cap includes the cap body interposed between the lid and the opener of the can and rotating relative to the lid, and the cleaner attached under the cap body and cleaning the outer surface of the lid as the cap body rotates, thereby preventing the can 100 from being exposed to contaminants such as dust, foreign material, bacteria, and the like while it is produced, packaged, and taken in custody for distribution.
Further, the outlet and its circumference of the can can be cleaned even though the can is contaminated, so that a user reassuredly drinks a beverage.
Also, high reliability of hygienic safety is given to a user, so that it will be expected that the sales in beverage business be increased.
The hygiene cap for the can is not limited to the foregoing embodiments, and may vary without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention.
As described above, the present invention provides a hygiene cap for a can, which minimizes contaminants of the can while it is produced, distributed and taken in custody, and allows a user to easily clean an outlet of the can and then drink a beverage from the can.

Claims

1. A hygiene cap detachably provided for a can having a lid formed with an outlet and an opener for opening the outlet, the hygiene cap comprising:

a cap body interposed between an outer surface of the lid and the opener and rotating about the lid; and

a cleaner attached under the cap body and cleaning the outer surface of the lid as the cap body rotates.

2. The hygiene cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap body comprises:

a contact plate covering the lid and being thinner than a space between the opener and the lid; and

an opener through portion formed in a predetermined region of the contact plate.

3. The hygiene cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap body comprises:

a contact plate covering the lid and being thinner than a space between the opener and the lid;

a contact maintaining portion formed in a circumferential region of the contact plate and fitted to a circumferential rim of the lid; and

4. The hygiene cap according to claim 3, wherein the contact maintaining portion is at least partially formed with a grip pattern along a circumferential direction thereof.

5. The hygiene cap according to claim 3, further comprising an extended part extended downward from the contact maintaining portion and surrounding an outer circumference of the can,

wherein the cleaner is extended to an inner side of the extended part.

6. The hygiene cap according to claim 2, wherein the contact plate is formed with at least one rotation grip rib.

7. The hygiene cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap body is formed with at least one cap-removing tip projected from a predetermined region thereof.

8. The hygiene cap according to claim 2, wherein the opener through portion is formed by penetrating a surface of the contact portion or partially cutting away the cap body to have a shape corresponding to the opener.

9. The hygiene cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap body includes one of synthetic resin, a metal plate, and paper.

10. The hygiene cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap body includes an advertisement design on at least one region thereof.

11. The hygiene cap according to claim 1, wherein the cleaner includes one of a fabric material or paper.

12. The hygiene cap according to claim 1, wherein the cleaner contains at least one of an antibacterial agent, a deodorizer and an aromatic agent.