EDIBLE CAN HOLDER WITH FLAPS

Abstract

The utility model of the present invention relates to a modification in the configuration and structure of a can holder (10) produced from a biodegradable pulp paste, recycled, 100% biological, compostable and edible. This modification refers to a fin (13), protrusion, flange, tapered region or tongue of a thickness (E) between 0.75 mm. to 1.8 mm and whose radial (R1), in its widest region, is 20 mm of radius, placed in each of the corners of the can holder (10).

Claims

1. A can holder produced from a biodegradable pulp paste, recycled, 100% biological, compostable and edible, with multiple rings to pack 6 and/or 4 cans, characterized because it comprises an extension, in the form of a fin, from the body of the can holder to its outside, of a lower thickness than the rest of the can holder body.

2. The can holder, in accordance with claim 1, further characterised by the fact that the internal dimensions of the fin have a radial of 20 mm in its widest region.

3. The can holder, in accordance with claim 1, also characterized by the fact that the thickness of the fin is between 0.75 mm to 1.8 mm, always being less in relation to the thickness of the rest of the body of the can holder.

4. The can holder, in accordance with claim 1, further wherein the fin-shaped extension is arranged in each of the four corners of the can holder.

5. The can holder, in accordance with claim 1, also characterized by the fact that the fin-shaped extension facilitates the handling and maneuverability of the can holder, at the time of manual removal of each of the cans inserted in it.

6. The can holder, in accordance with claim 1, further wherein the fin-shaped extension allows the assembly machine to separate each of the can holders in a constant, orderly and sequential manner, when stacked, and then allow the can holder to be inserted into the group of 4 or 6 cans.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0016] The novel aspects that are considered characteristic of the present invention will be established with particularity in the annexed claims. However, the invention itself, both by its organization, as well as by its method of operation, together with other objects and advantages of it, will be better understood in the following detailed description of the modalities of the present invention, when read in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] FIGS. 1A and 1B correspond to an isometric view of the can holder (10) of six and four rings (11) where one of the four fins (13) that forms in each corner of the body of this one stands out.

[0018] FIG. 2 corresponds to an approach to one of the fins (13) where the radius (R1) and thickness (E) of said tapered region of the can holder is indicated.

[0019] FIG. 3 corresponds to an approach of one of the fins (13) from the body of the can holder (10), at a scale of 1:0.7, where the fin region (13) is formed from the body of the can holder (10), without being an additional structure or a structure extending beyond the original dimensions of the can holder (10).

[0020] FIG. 4 corresponds to a perspective view that outlines the mechanism of formation of the fins from a can holder (10), either of 6 or 4 rings (11), which pass through the assembly machine that, in its last stage, passes through 4 rollers (16) with knives (14 and 15), simultaneously, located in each corner of the can holder (10) of six cans (25).

[0021] FIG. 5 corresponds to a side view, where it is observed how from a pile of sheets holders (10), they are separated and one by one pass through the rollers (16) with knives (14 and 15) that lower each corner, forming the fins (13).

[0022] FIG. 6 corresponds to a perspective view with approach to one of the four rollers (16), where it is observed how the knife (14 and 15) contained in the roller (16), simultaneously lowers the corners of the can holder (10) decreasing the thickness thickness, with respect to the rest of the sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The specific structural and functional details described here should not be interpreted as limiting, but simply as a basis for claims and as a representative basis for teaching a technical expert how to employ innovation to the structure of the can holder (10).

[0024] Before novel modifications to the structure of the can holder are described (10), it should be understood that the terminology used in this document is intended to describe only particular embodiments and is not intended to be limiting. The terms “comprises”, “comprising” or any other variation thereof are intended to encompass a non-exclusive inclusion of the list of elements that make up the invention of interest. An element preceded by “comprises” should not be interpreted as precluding the existence of additional identical elements. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The terms “a” or “ones,” as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “plurality”, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “other,” as used in this document, is defined as at least one more. The description may use the terms “embodiments”, “embodiments” or “modalities”, which may refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments of the invention. The terms “fins” can refer to “bumps”, “flange”, “tapered region” or “tongue” of a thickness less than the rest of the body of the can holder (10), in the same way, the term “sheet” or “can holder body” should be understood as the body of the can holder (10) edible multi-ring, which is produced from a biodegradable pulp paste, recycled, 100% biological and compostable.

[0025] The terms “integrated” can be used, along with their derivatives. It should be understood that these terms are not intended to be synonymous with each other. Rather, in particular embodiments, “integrated” can be used to indicate that two or more elements are in physical contact with each other. “Coupled” can mean that two or more elements are in physical contact. However, “coupled” as used in the present invention refers to an element that derives from the same body of the main structure, such as knives integrated into the rollers.

[0026] The invention is constructed of the same composition as the can holder (10) described in patent application MX/a/2019/000557 “EDIBLE CAN HOLDER AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING EDIBLE CAN HOLDERS”. The sheet that serves to form the structure of the can holder (10), has been modified at its ends to give configuration to the structure of each of the fins.

[0027] Therefore, a main object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement in the configuration and structure of the sheet of the biodegradable can holder (10) for unified transport of a group of beverage cans in a single package, where said new modification of the can holder (10) is distinguished by comprising in each corner a protrusion, tab, tapered region or tongue of a thickness (E), between 0.75 mm to 1.8 mm, from the sheet of can holders (10) whose thickness is between 2.0-2.5 mm. This protrusion, tab, tapered region or tongue, for reference of the present invention, will be considered as fin (13).

[0028] It is another object of the invention, to provide a novel arrangement in the configuration and structure of the sheet of the biodegradable can holder (10), which allows the user/consumer, to be able to detach more easily and efficiently the can, from the can holder (10), without generating damage to the rigid structure of the can holder (10).

[0029] It is still another object of this invention to provide an accessory, whose dimensions by the design of its fins (13) in its structure, does not alter the transport and storage capacity, allowing to stack horizontally and vertically the same number of can holders that derives from the patent application MX/a/2019/000557 “EDIBLE CAN HOLDERS AND METHODS TO MANUFACTURE EDIBLE CAN HOLDERS”, as well as not compromising the rigidity and stability of the can holder with other cans when a can is released.

[0030] Similarly, it is another object of the invention, that the incorporation of the fins (13) in the structure of the can holder (10) referred to in the patent application MX/a/2019/000557 “EDIBLE CAN HOLDER-CANS AND METHODS TO MANUFACTURE EDIBLE CAN HOLDERS”, contains the appropriate thickness and surface so as not to require modifying the mechanical structure of the can holder assembly machine, referred to in utility model MX/u/2019/000154 “UTILITY MODEL OF A SYSTEM FOR ASSEMBLING A MULTI-RING EDIBLEATAS PORTAL. On the contrary, the addition of the fins in each of the corners of the can holder, with the surface and radial at its widest point, facilitates the way to separate each of the can holders in the distribution area so that these can be placed in the group of 4 or 6 cans, respectively, improving the times in the distribution and assembly of each of the can holders in the assembly machine.

[0031] The advantages of providing an edible and biodegradable can holder (10), made of vegetable pulp, are multiple, however given its origin, consistency and structural nature, it is a rigid sheet, since the point of support for the user is at the time of detaching a can is the same can holder (10), there is a risk of bending or mistreating the rings neighboring the detached can, so the generation of a tab in each corner of the can holder, of less thickness than the rest of the can holder body, greatly facilitates this maneuver, this advantage in the arrangement of the sheet arises from the fact that, these protrusions in the corners are used by the assembly machine to be able to separate the can holders (10) when they are stacked and then allow them to be applied to the cans; accelerates and facilitates the separation of the can holders (10) when they are glued since the assembly machine has different types of mechanisms that use the protrusions of the corners to pull them. These mechanisms manage to range from low speeds of 6 can holders per minute to 400 can holders per minute depending on the speed required.

[0032] According to the present invention the fins (13) formed from the body of the can holder, does not significantly alter the dimensions of the original sheet, which allows the machine to assemble the sheet (10) to the cans with the same mechanism for a can holder without fins as for the can holder with fins, in this way, when stacking the packages, it does not require a surface greater than that required for a surface necessary to pack 6 and/or 4 cans.

[0033] More preferably, the fins or protrusions of the can holder, do not have a thickness (E) greater than 1.2 mm, in relation to the rest of the body of the can holder whose thickness goes from 2.0 to 3.0 mm, and the radial of the fin goes from a radius of 35 mm (R2) to 20 mm (R1), where in its widest region the radial is a radius of 20 mm (R1), as shown in FIG. 2. This thickness and amplitude in the fin allows excellent maneuverability when separating the can holders when they are stacked and also allows to improve the distribution of the can holders in the assembly machine, since the assembly machine finds a greater protrusion at each of the ends, whose surface is smaller than the rest of the body of the can holder, thus allowing the rollers or mechanisms intended to separate each of the stacked bodies from the can holder, to be easily held by the rollers for removal from the stacked can holder body and then the can holder can be inserted into the can body.

[0034] According to the present invention, the fin (13) is not an additional element, coupled to the body of the can holder (10), but is a small extension from the body of the can holder (10), the result of a modification as to the structure of the pot-cans (10), that is, the fins (13) are formed from the same edible and biodegradable material of the rest of the body of the can holder (10), as shown in FIG. 3, which only highlights in the dark the region that makes up the fin (13), and can be more clearly evidenced in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0035] The shape of the fin (13) gives a rather oval silhouette to the final structure of the can holder (10), as shown in FIGS. 1a and b, which provides practicality in handling and reduces the risk of damage during its maneuverability, since, in many packages, of various products comprising a fin (13), they form a peak or corner at 90°, which, being a rigid structure could, from mistreating neighboring material as some damage during handling. Therefore, each of the fins (13), being of a lower surface than the rest of the body of the can holder (10), gives flexibility when used as a point of support, absorbing the torsional force at the moment when the can holder can is removed manually (10).

[0036] Preferably, the formation of the fins (13) is carried out at the time of forming the entire structure of the body of the can holder (10), which as referred to in the utility model MX/u/2019/000154 “UTILITY MODEL OF A SYSTEM TO ASSEMBLE AN EDIBLE MULTI-RINGATAS PORTAL, are stacked in the assembly machine, where rollers (16) or in its generality, the mechanism that allows the removal of each of the can holders (10) stacked, which is illustrated as a roller (16) for easy reference, but is not exclusive of other types of removal mechanisms, uses the fins (13) as a clamping shaft to be able to detach, more easily, each of the can holders (10). This advantage is obtained at the moment when each of the fins (13), has a thickness (E) less than the thickness that comprises the rest of each of the can holders, which means that the distribution mechanism can take each of the fins and separate it efficiently, thus preventing the can holders from sticking together or that two or more can holders can detach together. Thus, any error in the distribution machine is avoided, since it can separate in a constant, orderly and sequential way, each of the stacked can holders (10).

[0037] According to the present invention and as observed in FIG. 6, the present modification to the structure of the can holder (10), that is, the addition of the fins (13) at each end of the can holder (10), allow the constant, orderly and sequential separation of 6 to 400 can holders per minute.

[0038] Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred modality or modalities, equivalent alterations and modifications are incorporated as non-limiting modalities to the scope of protection of this invention.

[0039] Therefore, it is contemplated that the claims will cover any of these modifications or modalities that fall within the true scope of the invention.

[0040] It is noted that in relation to this date the best method known to the applicant to put the said invention into practice is the one that is clear from the present description of the invention.