This invention relates generally to returnable beverage can containers.
In order to help with the problem of waste disposal, many states have made laws requiring retail stores to receive empty cans and bottles and to refund the deposit on each. The most common type of cans returned are 16 ounce cylindrical cans having substantially the same general diameters and lengths.
Containers have been devised to store and hold the cans. A problem of these containers is that a number of the empty cans are accumulated and stored prior to transporting them to a retail store for the return of the deposit. Empty beverage cans generally have small top openings and are therefore difficult to clean well and so tend to attract vermin, primarily various types of insects.
A number of U.S. patents that have been issued that describe various types of empty beverage can containers are as follows:
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,660 issued to Hunt on July 29, 1980. Hunt describes an empty can container that is analogous to the packages for holding full cans on sale such as the six or twelve pack container. Inspection holes are positioned over each can.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,525 issued to Sisson on Sept. 22, 1981. Sisson describes a transparent carrier for empty beverage cans that is constructed so as to show some of the cans for inspection and allows quick counting of all of them. This invention seems to be primarily directed to the container having a base stiffener panel and pleated end panels to allow the container to be folded around the base panel for storage of the container.
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,324 issued to Dickens on on Nov. 10, 1981. Dickens describes a collapsible compartmented container made of sheet plastic for returnable beverage cans.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,657 issued to Thibodeau on Nov. 29, 1983. Thibodeau describes an open top container that has chambers for holding the can in vertical stacks.
(5) U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,826 issued to Adams on Sept. 24, 1985. Adams describes a flexible, transparent bag having vertical compartments for receiving beverage cans.
(6) U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,978 issued to Hodges on Mar. 11, 1986. Hodges describes a can container that includes a transparent, flexible pouch and a rigid housing in which the pouch is slidably received. Hodges further describes a removable cover for covering the container during transportation and also a flap for covering the pouch during storage.
None of the described containers is capable of keeping out vermin so as to prevent them from entering the empty cans during the storage phase of the empty cans.