GB2185613A

GB2185613A - Decorated closures usable as badges or clips

Info

Publication number: GB2185613A
Application number: GB08600937A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Philip Pavely; Robert Anthony Owen; Stephen Frederick Kelsey
Original assignee: Metal Box PLC
Current assignee: Crown Packaging UK Ltd
Priority date: 1986-01-15
Filing date: 1986-01-15
Publication date: 1987-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 2006-01-15
Also published as: GB8600937D0; GB2185613B

Abstract

A closure 4 moulded from a plastics material has a pull tab 6 and a plug portion 5 for obturating an aperture in a can end 1. The closure has a decoration in the form of a low relief moulding and means 7, 6 to permit use of the closure as a badge or clip after removal from the can end. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Decorated closures usable as badges or clips This invention relates to closures having a decoration thereon which after use as a closure on a container may thereafter be used as a badge or clip.

Our British Patent Publication No. 2,073,646 describes a metal can end closed by a moulding of a plastics material which has a plug portion obturating an aperture in the can end and a pull tab in theform of a ring attached to the plug. In one embodiment described the ring surrounds the plug portion. In orderto open the can end the user lifts the pull ring and tears the plug portion out of the aperture. The loose plug portion and ring are then at risk of becoming an untidy nuisance.

One objective of this invention is to make the torn off pull tab and plug something worth keeping at least long enough for itto be disposed of tidily or usefully.

Anotherobjective isto makethetorn offpulltab and plug useful so that again the potential litter nuisance is abated.

Accordingly, this invention provides a closure moulded from a plastics material having a pull tab and a plug portion for obturating an aperture in a containerwall, characterised in thatthe closure has a decoration thereon, and means to permit use of the closure as a badge orclip after removal fromthe container wall.

The decoration may be in the form of a low relief moulding such as a decorative subject or an instruction or a trade mark.

The means to permit use as a badge or clip may be co-operative surface features of the plug portion and a pull ring surrounding the plug portion.

Alternatively the means to permit use as a badge or clip may be a lug within a pull ring arranged laterally ofthe plug portion.

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described byway of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure lisa plan view of a can end having a first embodiment of a closure decorated with a word; Figure2 is a plan view of the can end having second embodiment of the closure decorated with a flower; Figure 3 is a plan view ofthe can end having a third embodiment of the closure decorated with an instruction; Figure 4 is a plan view of a can end having a fourth embodiment of the closure decorated with a fictitious trade mark; Figure 5is a sketch showing the closure of Figure 1 in use as a tie clip; Figure 6is a sketch showing the closure of Figure 2 in use as a lapel badge; Figure 7is a sketch of the closure of Figure 3 in use as a paper clip; and Figure 8is a sketch ofthe closure of Figure 4 in use as a hair clip.

Figure 1 shows the can end 10 having the customary peripheral flange 1, an antipeaking bead 2 and a central panel 3. The back surface (notvisible) is coated with a iacquerto prevent corosion when in contact with the contents of a can. The visible exterior surface of central panel 3 may be coated with a coloured coating. An aperture in the can end 10 is closed bya closure4 in the form of a moulding of plastics material which comprises a plug portion 5 and a pull ring 6. The plastics moulding may if desired by of a pleasing contrasting colour to the central panel 3.

The closure 4 is dominated by the word "Cola" moulded in low relief on the functional closure components of pull ring and plug. The letter 'C' serves to thicken the pull ring 6for more comfortable grip and the letters 'o',' I', 'a', span the plug portion 5 to complete the word COLA. Therefore the closure is able to act as a useful means to identify the product in a can.

It will be noticed that a circular lug 7, connecting with the ring pull art a narrow ridge lies within the pull ring 6. This lug not only enhances the comfort of the grip on the pull ring during tearing open ofthe plug portion from the can end but also permits the closure, once removed from the can end, to be used as atie clip as shown in Figure 5. The lug 7extends behind the tie 48 where it co-operates via the bridge with the decorated ring and plug portion, in a cliplike mode to serve as a decorative clip. The bridge is used as spring so a sufficiently stiff section and a suitable plastics material is used, for example, polypropylene or nylon.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the closure 14in situ on a slightly smaller can end 11 than the can end 10 of Figure 1. The closure 14 comprises a plug portion 15 having sides which flare into the periphery of a ring pull 16.Acircularlug 17 integral with the ring pull 16 lies inside the ring pull.

The plug portion has a sunken display panel 18 onto which is moulded the low relief picture of a daisy.

Whilst a simple flower may give pleasure, the sale of cans with a variety of flowers would open the opportunity for a sales promotion scheme whereby, for example, the collection of say five daisies would qualifyfor a free can of product.

However, Figure 6 shows how the closure of Figure 2 may be used as a lapel badge by positioning the lug 17 behind the lapel 29 and the ring pull 16and plug portion 15 in front ofthe lapel. Ifthe panel 18 is covered byatypewritten name the closures may provide a cheap source of Conference badges.

In Figure3theclosure24hasa plug portion 25and a ring pull 26 at one end which surrounds a lug 17.

The plug portion 25 has a somewhat formal rectangular display panel bearing a useful instruction such as "ACT NOW". When removed from the can the closure 28 might usefully be used as a paper clip or bookmark by locating the lug 27 behind the papers 50 and the plug portion 25 with display panel 28 on top of the papers as shown in Figure 7. Other instructions that might be put in the display panel 28 include "THINK" or "URGENT" or "PENDING" but no doubtthe readerwillthinkof others.

Figure 4 serves to show how a closure having a plug portion 35 surrounded by a pull ring 36 is arranged to achieve not only a functional closure but also a clip function.

In Figu re 4 the closure has a substantially rectangular plug portion 35 which defines a display panel 38 on which is moulded in low relief a trade mark "COLA".The pull ring 36 has a circularoutline and an inner aperture of substantially rectangular shape extending a distance apart from the periphery ofthe plug portion 35. If desired, adjacent edges of the aperture in the ring pull 36 and the periphery of the plug portion 35 may be profiled as shown in Figure 4 by the wavy edges 37. By way of example, the ring pull is decorated with a low relief comprising a circle 38 and a plurality of concentric arcs; however,the unembellished circular shape would have had a pleasing simplicity.

Figure 8 shows the closure of Figure 4 in use as a hair grip. The plug portion 35 is located behind the hairandthe ring pull 36 extends in front so thatthe decorated ring pull 36 is visible. The wavy edges of plug portion and ring pull aperture serve to enhance the gripping action on the hair.

Whereas the closure of Figures 1 to 4 relyfortheir clipping action on resilient action of the materialsto be clipped at the bridge between the circular lug and ring pull the closure of Figure 4 lacks the interlock and so it is believed that meansforgripping, such as the wavy edges 37, maybe needed.

The closure is preferably moulded from a plastics material suitableforthe purpose which the closure has to perform. For instance, a beverage can closure is likely to be moulded from nylon or polypropylene but a less exacting product requirement may tolerate use of polyethylene. All these materials permit manufacture of mouldings in colours which may be chosen to contrast pleasinglywith the surface ofthe can end.The can end may if desired be coated or even printed to enhance the image.

Other design shapes than those depicted byway of example may be deduced from the forgoing descripton without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. For example, the low relief design on each ofthe closures may if desired by applied to any other of the closures.

Claims

1. A closure, moulded from a plastics material having a pull tab and a plug portion for obturating an aperture in a containerwall characterised in that the closure has a decoration thereon, and means to permit use ofthe closure as a badge orclip after removal from the containerwall.

2. Aclosure according to claim 2 characterised in that the decoration is in the form of a low relief moulding such as a decorative subject, oran instruction or a trade mark.

3. Aclosureaccording to claim 1 orclaim2 characterised in thatthe means to permit use as a badge orclip comprise co-operating features of the plug portion and a pull ring surrounding the plug portion.

4. Aclosureaccordingtoclaim 1 orclaim2 characterised in that the means to permit use as a badge or clip comprise a pull ring arranged laterally ofthe plug portion and a lug within the pull ring.

5. A closure according to any preceding claim characterised in that the closure is moulded from a coloured plastics material.

6. A closu re according to any preceding claim characterised in that the plastics material is chosen from polypropylene, nylon or polyethylene.

7. A closure according to any preceding claim when fitted in a can end.

8. A can end and closure according to claim 7 wherein can end and closure are in contrasting colours.

9. Aclosure substantialloy as hereinbefore described and shown in any of Figures 1 and 5; 2 and 6; 3 and 7 or Figures 4 and 8.

10. A can end substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in any one of Figure 1 to 4.