Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
5 The present invention relates to a protective device for drink
cans.
As stated in the title, there is provided an element applicable to
a can of the type used for containing soft drinks and the tike, for protecting
it
against external agents.
io
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As is known, cans of the above type are exposed, while stored,
to various agents such as dust, dirt, and other materials, which may
15 contaminate the outer surface of those cans, just at the region that
remains in
contact with a person's lips when the liquid contained is consumed, as is
common practice, by sucking directly from the can.
Until recently, apart from a simple lid in the form of a
cyliridrical disk of a very short height relative to its diameter, and Spanish
2 o Utility Model U~1991209, no practical and cost effective device was known
that
prevents dirt from being formed on a drink can.
A cylindrical lid of the above type has many disadvantages: it
must be applied to the outside of the can top rim, so that it may be easily
released, and therefore its protective feature may get lost, and in addition
it
25 has to be made from a material such as plastic whereby its cost has to be
taken into consideration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The device which will be now described allows overcoming the
3o above mentioned disadvantages. 1t consists of a discoidal member which is
applied to the top of a can for soft drinks or the tike, and is temporarily
retained thereto, covering said portion and thus preventing dust and other
materials from being farmed thereon.
When the user is going to drink from the can the protective
35 member is first detached, this operation being carried out with hardly any
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effort, Leaving the can top and the closure member thereof accessible; these
will be clean precisely due to the insulating function of the protective
device.
For ease of disclosure, the present description is accompanied by
drawings in which one case of embodiment of a protective device for drink
s cans is shown by way of an illustrative and non-limitative example according
to the principles of the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a top plan and side elevational view of the new
to protective device for drink cans.
Fig.2 shows, in an enlarged, fragmentary view, the position of
the protective device on a can of the above mentioned type.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
~s The elements indicated by the reference numerals in the
drawings correspond to the parts referenced herein below.
The protective device of this patent consists of a thin body 1
which is preferably circular in shape (even though it could also take other
forms, made from an easily deformable material, such as, for example,
2 o cardboard, plastic or metal.
The body 1 has, on its periphery, a number of radial notches 2
which are advantageously angular in shape, with their vertexes facing the
center of the piece.
Likewise, the body 1 has curvilinear cuts 3, concentric with the
2s edges of the body itself and at a distance from them similar to the length
of
the radial notches 2.
The can 4 is of the known type having at the top of its cylindrical
body a frustoconical portion 5 and a concentric rim 6.
3 a POSITIONING AND USE OF THE DEVICE
follows:
The described protective device is positioned on a drink can as
The disk 1 is positioned overlapping and centred on the rim 6
35 (whereby it will protect the central portion of the upper base of the body
4),
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and thus the peripheral areas 7 defined by the cuts 3 project from the rim
itself. Subsequently, a slight force is applied to said areas 7 resulting in
their
downward flexion which is facilitated by the radial notches 2. The cuts 3 are
positioned with their lower sides located below the rim 6, resulting in that
the
S disk 1 remains attached to the body 4 of the can.
The frustoconical portion 5, which will also be in contact with
the uses lips, is protected by the protruding areas 7 and it is sheltered from
dust and other materials.
When the contents of the can is going to be consumed, the
to described device is easily detached by applying a slight force in the
direction
of lifting the flanges formed by the peripheral areas 7.
Furthermore, the device itself may form an excellent advertising
carrier, since logos and inscriptions regarding the product contained therein
or
other products and services may be included on one or both of its two faces.
1s The number of notches 2 and cuts 3 may be varied in accordance
with the size of the disk 1 and the can 4.
