US3273745A

US3273745A - Vented easy opening container

Info

Publication number: US3273745A
Application number: US379481A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick J Stec
Original assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Current assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Priority date: 1964-07-01
Filing date: 1964-07-01
Publication date: 1966-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-20
Also published as: DE1432140A1; AT255319B

Description

Sept. 20, 1966 F. J. STEC 3,273,745

VENTED EASY OPENING CONTAINER Filed July 1, 1964 INVENTC'R FREDERICK J. STEc ATTORNEY 5 United States Patent M 3,273,745 VENTED EASY OPENING CONTAINER Frederick J. Stec, Oak Lawn, Ill., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 1, 1964, Ser. No. 379,481 Claims. (Cl. 220-54) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in container construction, and more particularly to a novel container of the easy opening type wherein in the opening of the container, the container is automatically first vented before actual opening thereof takes place.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a novel can end which has a removable tear strip portion to which there is attached a pull tab, the can end further including a vent opening which is initially sealed by the pull tab whereby when the pull tab is lifted to exert a rupturing force on the tear strip, the can of which the can end is a part is automatically vented.

Another object of this invention is to provide in an easy opening can of the type having a removable tear strip, a novel pull tab which is formed of a resilient plastic material whereby it may be readily gripped, the pull tab having a connector at one end thereof which is permanently secured to the tear strip, the pull tab presenting a grip portion which may be readily gripped without any possibility of injury to the person gripping the pull tab due to relative slippage between ones fingers and the pull tab.

Another object of this invention is to provide a metal can end having a removable tear strip portion with a plastic pull tab, the pull tab being provided with a grip portion at one end thereof and at the opposite end with a depending plug which is receivable in an opening in the tear strip portion and which is permanently lockable to the tear strip portion whereby the pull tab may be utilized in tearing the tear strip portion from the can end.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel can end of the easy opening type which includes a removable tear strip having secured thereto a pull tab, the pull tab being formed of plastic material and having a connector which is receivable in an opening in the tear strip portion, the connector being in the form of a plug having a tapered inner portion to facilitate the passage thereof through the tear strip opening, and the outer portion of the plug having an outwardly facing shoulder which is engageable beneath a flange defining the tear strip opening to permanently interlock the plug with the tear strip, the plug further being hollowed whereby internal pressures Within the can will expand the plug and provide for a tighter seal between the plug and the can end.

When liquids and other products are packaged under pressure in cans, the use of easy opening can ends has presented slight problems. When the tear strip is being initially drawn from the can end, the pressure within the can cooperates with the force exerted on the tear strip to effect an overtearing of the tear strip beyond the initial breaking thereof from the can end, thereby in some instances causing injury to the person pening the can. In view of this, it is desirable to provide a can end which will automatically effect the venting thereof prior to the rupture of the can end in the opening thereof by the removal of a tear strip. It is, therefore, another object of this invention to provide a novel can end of the easy opening type which has a removable tear strip, the can end further having a vent opening spaced from the tear strip, and the tear strip having attached thereto a pull tab with a plug that normally closes the vent opening and which plug is withdrawn from the vent opening prior to 3,273,745 Patented Sept. 20, 1966 the application of a rupturing force on the can end around the tear strip.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top perspective view of a can having the top end thereof closed by meansof a can end formed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top perspective view similar to FIGURE 1 and shows the can end in a partially opened position.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1 and shows the specific details of the construction of the can end including the plastic pull tab.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3 and shows further the specific details of the plastic pull tab.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated :a can which is generally referred to by the numeral 5. The can 5 includes a conventional can body 6 which has the upper end thereof closed by a can end which is the subject of this invention, the can end being generally referred to by the numeral 7. The can end 7 is secured to the can body 6 in the conventional manner by means of a double seam 8.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 in particular, it will be seen that the can end 7, as part of the double seam 8, includes a chuck wall 9. Immediately inwardly of the chuck wall 9, the can end 7 is provided with an inwardly directed shock absorbing bead 10. That portion of the can end 7 surrounded by the shock absorbing head 10 is generally described as an end panel and is identified by the numeral 11.

In accordance with this invention, the end panel 11 is provided with a weakening line 12 which is preferably in the form of a score. The weakening line 12 defines a tear strip 13 which is removable from the remainder of the end panel 11 for the purpose of defining a dispensing opening in the end panel 11. The weakening line 12 includes a generally U-shaped portion 14 which is generally centered about the center of the end panel 11, as is best shown in FIGURE 2. The U-shaped portion 14 of the weakening line 12 defines a starting end 15 of the tear strip 13.

It is to be understood that in order to remove the tear strip 13, it is necessary to first rupture the end panel 11 along the U-shaped portion 14 of the weakening line 12. This must be accomplished by an upwardly directed force on the starting end 15 of the tear strip. In accordance with this invention, this force is applied to the tear strip 13 by means of a pull tab which is generally referred to. by the numeral 16.

The pull tab 16 is formed of a suitable, inexpensive, resilient plastic and includes an elongated strap-like body portion 17 which is anchored at one end to the tear strip 13 and is provided with a grip portion at the opposite end. In order to facilitate the attachment of the pull tab 16 to. the tear strip 13, adjacent the one end of the body 17 there is provided a connector which is generally referred to by the numeral 18. The connector 18 is in the form of a plug which is hollow and has a bore 20 therethrough.

The plug includes an upwardly flaring lower portion 21, an intermediate portion 22 of a maximum diameter and a smaller diameter upper portion 23. The reduction in the diameter of the plug to define the upper portion 23 results in the formation of an upwardly facing shoulder 24.

The tear strip 13 has an opening 25 therethrough defined by an annular flange 26. The opening 25 is preferably disposed at the center of the can end 7 and the annular flange 26 is inwardly directed. When the pull tab 16 is attached to the tear strip 13, the plug-like connector 18 is forced through the opening 25. This movement of the connector 18 through the opening 25 is facilitated by the small diameter of the lower end of the connector 18. The connector 18 is forced through the opening 25 until the flange 26 passes over the large diameter intermediate portion 22 and into the annular recess 23 behind the shoulder 24. After the connector 18 has passed through the opening 25 in the above-described manner, the pull tab 16 becomes permanently interlocked 'with the tear strip 13.

In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to automatically vent the can before the rupture of the end panel 11 along the weakening line 12 is initiated. In order to facilitate the venting of the can 5, the end panel 11 is provided with a vent opening 27. The vent opening 27 is defined by an inwardly and reversely curved flange 28.

It is necessary that the vent opening 27 remain sealed until opening of the can 5 is desired. To this end the strap like body 17 of the pull tab 16 is provided with a .depending Wedge shaped plug 29 in alignment with the vent opening 27. The plug 29 passes through the opening 27 and is wedged therein to seal the same.

At this time it is pointed out that although the connector 18 and the plug 29 will sufficiently seal the openings and 27, respectively, in the end panel 11, this necessary sealing of the openings is assured by providing adhesive 30 around the connector 18 and adhesive 31 around the plug 29 between the pull tab body 17 and the end panel 11.

The gripping and lifting of the pull tab 16 is facilitated by grip means, generally referred to by the numeral 32 on the end of the strap-like body 17 remote from the connector 18. The grip means 32 is in the form of a pair of offset

transverse ribs

33 and 34 integrally formed with the pull tab 16.

It is to be noted that the rib 33 is disposed along the underside of the pull tab 16. Since the rib 33 must rest on the end panel 11, it will be seen that the right end of the pull tab 16, as viewed in FIGURE 3, is slightly upwardly bowed, and thus spacing the terminal end portion 35 of the pull tab 16 sufiiciently above the end panel 11 to facilitate the gripping thereof.

When it is desired to open the can 5, it is merely necessary for one to engage his fingers beneath the end of the pull tab 16 remote from the tear strip 13 and to effect an upward lifting force on the terminal end of the pull tab body 17. After the pull tab 17 has been initially lifted, the grip portion 32 may be readily gripped between two of ones fingers. In the opening of the can 5, the grip portion 32 is gripped and the pull tab 16 is lifted upwardly away from the can end 7. As the pull tab 16 is elevated, the adhesive 31 is ruptured and the plug 29 is pulled out of the vent opening 28, thereby venting the pressurized contents of the can 5 to the atmosphere. Following this, while continuously moving the pull tab 16 upwardly and towards the tear strip 13, an upwardly directed force is exerted on the starting end 15 of the tear strip 13 through the pull tab 16 to effect the rupture of the end panel 11 along the weakening line portion 14. Since the pressure within the can 5 has been vented at this time, it will be seen that no force is acting on the tear strip 13 except that applied thereto through the pull tab 16, and the tear strip 13 may be removed from the end panel 11 without any possible danger of blowout.

It will be readily apparent that since the pull tab 16 is formed of a resilient deformable plastic, it may be easily gripped between ones fingers and the removal of the tear strip 13 may be effected without any possibility whatsoever of one cutting his or her fingers through the resultant slippage of their fingers with respect to the pull tab.

Although only a prefered embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that other modifications may be made in the construction of the can end Within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a container for packaging a liquid under pressure, a panel having an integral removable portion defined by weakening lines formed in said panel and a vent opening aligned with said removable portion for first venting the container and a pull tab for facilitating the removal of said removable panel, said pull tab being formed of a resilient plastic and including an elongated strap-like body, a connect-or on said body adjacent one end permanently securing said pull tab to said removable portion, said body having at the other end thereof a grip portion, said body further having an intermediate depending plug projecting through said panel opening and engaging said panel around said opening to seal said panel and said body being bonded to said panel adjacent said plug to prevent accidental displacement of said plug, said removable portion having a starting end, an opening in said removable portion adjacent said starting end, and said connect-or being in the form of a plug passing through said removable portion opening and interlocked with said removable portion.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said removable portion opening is defined by an internal peripheral flange and said connector has an external shoulder locked behind said flange.

3. The container of claim '1 wherin said removable portion opening is defined by an internal peripheral flange and said connector has an external shoulder locked behind said flange, and said connector being tubular whereby pressure within said container will expand said connector.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said vent opening is defined by an inner reversely turned flange, and said tplug being wedge shaped and resiliently deformable.

5. The container of claim 1 wherein said pull tab grip portion includes longiudinally staggered upper and lower transverse ribs, the lower transverse rib projecting below said body and resting on said panel with said body being deflected away from said body to facilitate the lifting of said pull tab other end.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,105,445 1/ 1938 Sebell 220-27 3,049,264 8/1962 Morawski 220- 3,151,766 10/ 1964 Henchert 220-54 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A CONTAINER FOR PACKAGING A LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE, A PANEL HAVING AN INTEGRAL REMOVABLE PORTION DEFINED BY WEAKENING LINES FORMED IN SAID PANEL AND A VENT OPENING ALIGNED WITH SAID REMOVABLE PORTION FOR FIRST VENTING THE CONTAINER AND A PULL TAB FOR FACILITATING THE REMOVAL OF SAID REMOVABLE PANEL, SAID PULL TAB BEING FORMED OF A RESILIENT PLASTIC AND INCLUDING AN ELONGATED STRAP-LIKE BODY, A CONNECTOR ON SAID BODY ADJACENT ONE END PERMANENTLY SECURING SAID PULL TAB TO SAID REMOVABLE PORTION, SAID BODY HAVING AT THE OTHER END THEREOF A GRIP PORTION, SAID BODY FURTHER HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE DEPENDING PLUG PROJECTING THROUGH SAID PANEL OPENING AND ENGAGING SAID PANEL AROUND SAID OPENING TO SEAL SAID PANEL AND SAID BODY BEING BONDED TO SAID PANEL ADJACENT SAID PLUG TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL DISPLACEMENT OF SAID PLUG, SAID REMOVABLE PORTION HAVING A STRATING END, AND OPENING IN SAID REMOVABLE PORTION ADJACENT SAID STARTING END, AND SAID CONNECTOR BEING IN THE FORM OF A PLUG PASSING THROUGH SAID REMOVABLE PORTION OPENING AND INTERLOCKED WITH SAID REMOVABLE PORTION.