Can resealer

• US 5,209,362 A
• Filed: 01/24/1992
• Issued: 05/11/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lutzker, Robert S.
• Original Assignee: Lutzker, Robert S.
• Inventors: Lutzker, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STUCKER, NOVA E
• Application Number:
  US07/825,388
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 215/225, 215/274, 215/277, 215/280, 215/221, 220/694, 220/729
• US Class Current: 215/225
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0028 of the 51-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0071 of the 17-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/145 by means of an additional element connected directly to the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/20 Caps, lids, or covers co-operating with an inner closure arranged to be opened by piercing, cutting, or tearing B65D51/185 takes precedence; co-operating with an auxiliary container for additional articles or materials B65D51/28

Abstract

A can top resealer includes a locking member with built in camming means and an inner latching cap member having downwardly depending fingers having inwardly extending lugs that engage with the can top to assume a latched position when the locking member is lowered. When the locking member is lowered the camming means urge the fingers inwardly to releasably lock the lugs about the can top. A gasket is included for purposes of completing a hermetic seal.

Claims

1. A closure for resealing the partially consumed contents of a can having a vertical axis and a top rim comprising:

an outer vertically and linearly shiftable locking member shiftable axially between an upper position and a lower position and having an inner face and inner circumferentially extending camming means;

an inner vertically and linearly shiftable latching cap member shiftable axially between an upper position and lower position disposed interiorly of the outer locking member having a closed top and adapted to be linearly and vertically depressed and raised relative to said outer locking member, the inner latching cap member having a plurality of downwardly depending fingers that are adapted to flex radially outwardly when the outer locking member is raised vertically relative to the inner latching cap member, radially inwardly extending lugs on the fingers adapted to ride over the can top rim as the inner latching cap member is forced downwardly about the can top to assume a latched position, the inner latching cap member and outer locking member having interengaging surfaces that cause the inner latching cap to be raised vertically when the outer locking member is raised vertically,

sealing means associated with the inner latching cap member for engaging with the can top rim to seal the can contents when the inner latching cap member is in the latched position,

the closure being placed in a releasable locked sealed position upon vertically depressing the outer locking member relative to the inner latching cap member when it is in the latched position, the vertical depressing of the outer locking member causing the camming means to engage with the fingers to urge then inwardly for releasable locking the lugs about the can top rim,

the closure is adapted to be removed from the can top upon raising vertically the outer locking member to permit the inner latching cap member to assume an unlatched position by the fingers flexing outwardly and the lugs disengaging from the can top rim as the inner latching cap member is raised by raising vertically the outer locking member, and

guide means comprising vertically extending lugs on said inner face of said outer locking member which engage in slots between pairs of said fingers on said inner latching cap member for linearly and vertically guiding the outer locking member relative to said inner cap member.

2. The closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein rotation preventing means are provided for preventing the outer locking member and inner latching cap member from rotating relative to one another when the outer member is raised and the lower member is raised.

3. The closure in accordance with claim 2 wherein the rotation preventing means includes lugs on the inner face of the outer member and accommodating slots on the inner latching cap member.

4. The closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein raising means are provided for permitting the inner latching cap member to move with the outer locking member when the closure is removed from the can top upon raising of the outer member, the raising means preventing inadvertent disassociation of the outer and inner members.

5. The closure in accordance with claim 4 wherein the raising means includes a plurality of inwardly extending lugs on the inner face of the outer locking member that engage with surfaces of the inner latching cap member when the outer member is raised relative to ,the inner member.

6. The closure in accordance with claim 5 wherein the inner latching cap member is provided with accommodating slots for receiving the lugs on the inner face of the outer member when the inner member is in the unlatched position and the outer member is raised relative to the inner member.

7. The closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein the inner latching cap member has a closed top having a raised central portion, the outer locking member having a top with a central opening for accommodating the raised portion and for being flush therewith when the members are both depressed and the closure is in its locked sealed position, the central opening permitting digital access to the inner latching cap member so that the inner member can be depressed to its latched position.

8. The closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sealing means is a annular gasket disposed interiorly of the inner latching cap member between the top of the inner member and the inwardly extending lugs of the fingers.

9. The closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein the inner member, and outer member and sealing means are annularly shaped.

10. The closure in accordance with claim 9 wherein the fingers extend circumferently about and depend downwardly from the top of the inner latching cap member.