CA1104075A - Tab construction for easy opening container - Google Patents
Tab construction for easy opening containerInfo
- Publication number
- CA1104075A CA1104075A CA324,252A CA324252A CA1104075A CA 1104075 A CA1104075 A CA 1104075A CA 324252 A CA324252 A CA 324252A CA 1104075 A CA1104075 A CA 1104075A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- tab
- flap
- opening
- lifting
- spaced
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Containers Opened By Tearing Frangible Portions (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A non-detachable tab adapted to be secured to the end panel of a container which comprises a securing lug formed from the sheet metal of the tab, the lug having an attachment to the nose portion of the lug in an area which has not been work hardened and also which has been formed to provide several axes of hinging and thereby increasing the number of times that the tab can be hinged back and forth without breaking off.
A non-detachable tab adapted to be secured to the end panel of a container which comprises a securing lug formed from the sheet metal of the tab, the lug having an attachment to the nose portion of the lug in an area which has not been work hardened and also which has been formed to provide several axes of hinging and thereby increasing the number of times that the tab can be hinged back and forth without breaking off.
Description
S
Some o-f the patents which are known to Applicant (U.S.Patent 3,967,752 and U.S. Patent 3,957,753) disclose a non-detachable tab by providing a separate dead soft aluminum attachment strip reinforcement which extends between the rivet attachment of the tab to the can end and the nose portion. What has been experienced is ~hat if the user twists the tab he will quickly break the strip. A further problem with the tab disclosed in the above-identified U.S.
patents is the cost of manufacture and the complexity of putting in a separate piece of material.
Other non-detach tab patents are U.S. 3,6187~15~
using two rivets; Re. 27,518, which a single hinge line is used; and U.S. Patent 3~749,275, which also uses two rivets.
- The opening of the end panel requires a tab which must be sti:Ef against transverse bending and also flexible at the connection between the tab and end wall to permit lifting and retracting the tab without causing a fatigue crack at the connection. The invention provides a tab construction meeting these requirements although it is especially adaptable to be used in connection with the construction herein described lt may also be used with other opening constructions.
This invention is directed to a novel tab construction and more particularly to the construction of the attachment area of the securing lug to the nose portion of the tab in order to enhance its bending characteristics so that the number of back and forth bends of the tab with respect to the securing lug is materially increased before the metal becomes fatigued to an extent where it will ~racture.
A further ob.ject of the invention is to provide a ~:~
novel tab construction in which the securing lug in its area of connection to the tab is formed to provide a plurality of bend lines so that the number of back an~ forth bends i.s materially increased. ~:
An important object of the invention is to provide - a tab construction which can be manufa.ctured.on existing equipment with minimal modifica~ion of dies and achieves increased bend life without the necessity of resorting to complex structures such as providing dual attachment members.
These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become more readily apparent fro~ the specif;cation and the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a container incor-porating the invention; :
Figure 2 is an enlarged view o-f the tab structure and adjacent container end panel~ -Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken sub-stantiaIly under line 3~3 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale showing the tab in its unopened condition;
Figure ~ shows the tab and end panel in the opened position;
Figure S is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing :~
the tab returned to its reset position;
Figure 6 illustrates a portion of the tab in plan view o another embodiment;
:~ Flgure 7 is a further fragmentary plan view of the ~;
: tab showing a still -further embodiment;
,'~ ' Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a tab showing another embodiment; and :.
Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the tab showing a still further embodiment.
Reference is made to Figures 1 through 5 of the drawings which illustrate one exemplary embodiment of the container, designated generally 2 which utilizes an easy open end wall 4 and a container body 5 which may be of any usual construction including the bottom wall not shown as well known to those s~illed in the art.
The top wall is formed therein a score designated 6 defining an openable segment or tea.r-out panel and which is adapted to be moved inwardly ~rom the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 4 by means of a tab generally designated lO. It will be understood that the container in an unopened condition will have the push-in portion 7 attached around its periphery to the remainder of the end panel ~ and that upon lifting o~ the tab the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure ~ of the tear-out portion will break away from the end panel and will be pushed into the container an.d thereafter the tab is adapted to be returned from the upright position shown in Figure 4 to the reset position shown in Figure 5 where it is returned against the top of the end panel ~ to a nonobstructing position whereat the user may drink directly from the container through the opening or pour aperture 12 which is -formed on the removal of the removable segment 7.
~ 3~ ~
The invention is directed to the construction of the tab 10 which comprises a rear end lift portion 14 and a nose portion 15 and an intermediate portion in ~he form o~
an attachment lug 18 which extends lengthwise of the lug.
The intermediate lug portion 18 is formed from the material of the lug which may be steel or preferably aluminum.
As best seen in Figure 2 of the tab is preferably a rectangular structure and along its lateral longitudinal edges is curled to provide a vertical outboard flange 20 and an inturned bottom flange 21 which is flat~ened against the underside o~ the top wall portion 22 of the tab. Also the center portion 24 of the tab body is offset downwardly which also crea~es a vertical flange 25 along the inner edge of each lateral longitudinal leg 26,26 of the tab thus pro-viding a rigid structure.
The depression terminates intermediate the ends of the securing lug or mounting ear 18, lug 18 being cut out of the panel portion 24 by means of a U-shaped cut-out 28 which has its bight portion remote from the nose portion 15 of the tab. The legs of the cut identified at 29 and 30 extend forwardly of the leg portions 26,26 and have forward ends 31 and 32 which align with the rear edge 34 of the intermediate and bottom metal plies 36 and 37 of the nose portion 15 which nose portion is formed at its leading end 38 by the fold between the bottom ply 37 and the top wall 22 of the tab. It will be observed from a consideration of Figure 3 - that the foTward end of the lug 18 has an upwardly and forwardly sloping end portion 39 which has been work hardened.
It is in this area that the ends 31 and 32 of the cut out legs 29 and 30 terminate. Forwardly of these legs there .'~
3..~ 7~
are provided intersecting circular c~t-outs 3~ and 35 which extend into the portion of the top wall 22 which forms the top wall section 42 of the nose portion. This region of the nose is a portion of the metal which has not been work hardened and therefore may be ~]exed back and -forth many times more than the area of the wall portion 39 before fatigue failure occurs.
A feat~re of the invention is to provide multiple bend lines for the attaching lugs 18. On the initial lift-ing of the rear or fingerlift portion 10 of the tab thelug 18 or connecting strap will normally bend almost imme-diately in front of the ri~et along the line X-X and upon lifting of the tab as shown in Figure 4 the forwzrd end of the connecting strap will deform as seen in ~igure 4 whereat an upward curl identified at 44 will develop. When the tab is returned to its retract position against the top 45 of ; the end panel 4 as best seen in Figure 5 the curl at 44 will remain. f~owever, a new bend line will be established between the openings ~0 and 41 which are spaced a distance lesser than ~he spacing between the adjacent edges of the leg portions 29 and 30 of the cut-out. Thus, the weakest and ; the most flexible section of the tab will provide a bend line Y-Y at the portion of the connecting strap 18 which has not been work hardened. Thus, repeated flexing back and forth will take place primarily along the bend line Y-Y
although there will be some shifting of the bend line because of the curl 44 and thus the repeated bending back and forth of the tab defined along a single line in the prior art will be minimized or eliminated.
In Figures 6 through 9 identical parts will be identified with the same reference numerals and it will be seen, for example~ in Figure 6 that in lieu of ~he rolmd openings 40,41, the ~orward end of the connecting strap 18 is provided with notches 50,50 and 51,51, the notches 50,50 being at opposite edges of the leading edges 52 of the lug in the region of the wall portion 42 and that bending will take place along bend line Xl-Xl initially and then along Yl-Yl and shift back and forth. Figure 7 illustrates pro-viding wide rectangular or quadrilateral shaped notches 60,60 in the wall region 42 of the tab 18 across ~he narrow width 62. In Figure 8 the notches 50' and 51~ are arranged in similar fashion as in Figure 6 with reference to the notches 50 and 51 and define the bend lines Xl-Xl and X3-X3 ~ and Y3-Y3. It will be observed that the rear notches 50',50' !
; are not as deep as the front notches 51',51' whereby the tab is of narrowest width at its front end and then it has an :
intermediate narrow width and the remainder of the tab is ;~
~ .
wider where it is attached at its rear end to the rivet 49 which is formed on the end panel the same as on all previous embodiments.
In Figure 9 the arrangement is similar to the arrangement of Figure 7 and the two notches 60',60' are formed to provide tapering edges 65,65 and the edges taper toward the front end of the connecting strap in the region of the wall portion 42 and provide the hinge lines Y4-Y4 and X4-X40 This structure functions essentially in the same manner as the previous embodiment. In other words, initial bending will occur along the X axes and the subsequent bending will take place along the Y axes in the region of the nonworked portion of the material of the tab.
Several embodiments of the invention have been described and it will be realized that various modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art which are intended to be covered by the appended claims.
' -8~
.. . . . . . . . . .
Some o-f the patents which are known to Applicant (U.S.Patent 3,967,752 and U.S. Patent 3,957,753) disclose a non-detachable tab by providing a separate dead soft aluminum attachment strip reinforcement which extends between the rivet attachment of the tab to the can end and the nose portion. What has been experienced is ~hat if the user twists the tab he will quickly break the strip. A further problem with the tab disclosed in the above-identified U.S.
patents is the cost of manufacture and the complexity of putting in a separate piece of material.
Other non-detach tab patents are U.S. 3,6187~15~
using two rivets; Re. 27,518, which a single hinge line is used; and U.S. Patent 3~749,275, which also uses two rivets.
- The opening of the end panel requires a tab which must be sti:Ef against transverse bending and also flexible at the connection between the tab and end wall to permit lifting and retracting the tab without causing a fatigue crack at the connection. The invention provides a tab construction meeting these requirements although it is especially adaptable to be used in connection with the construction herein described lt may also be used with other opening constructions.
This invention is directed to a novel tab construction and more particularly to the construction of the attachment area of the securing lug to the nose portion of the tab in order to enhance its bending characteristics so that the number of back and forth bends of the tab with respect to the securing lug is materially increased before the metal becomes fatigued to an extent where it will ~racture.
A further ob.ject of the invention is to provide a ~:~
novel tab construction in which the securing lug in its area of connection to the tab is formed to provide a plurality of bend lines so that the number of back an~ forth bends i.s materially increased. ~:
An important object of the invention is to provide - a tab construction which can be manufa.ctured.on existing equipment with minimal modifica~ion of dies and achieves increased bend life without the necessity of resorting to complex structures such as providing dual attachment members.
These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become more readily apparent fro~ the specif;cation and the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a container incor-porating the invention; :
Figure 2 is an enlarged view o-f the tab structure and adjacent container end panel~ -Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken sub-stantiaIly under line 3~3 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale showing the tab in its unopened condition;
Figure ~ shows the tab and end panel in the opened position;
Figure S is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing :~
the tab returned to its reset position;
Figure 6 illustrates a portion of the tab in plan view o another embodiment;
:~ Flgure 7 is a further fragmentary plan view of the ~;
: tab showing a still -further embodiment;
,'~ ' Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a tab showing another embodiment; and :.
Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the tab showing a still further embodiment.
Reference is made to Figures 1 through 5 of the drawings which illustrate one exemplary embodiment of the container, designated generally 2 which utilizes an easy open end wall 4 and a container body 5 which may be of any usual construction including the bottom wall not shown as well known to those s~illed in the art.
The top wall is formed therein a score designated 6 defining an openable segment or tea.r-out panel and which is adapted to be moved inwardly ~rom the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 4 by means of a tab generally designated lO. It will be understood that the container in an unopened condition will have the push-in portion 7 attached around its periphery to the remainder of the end panel ~ and that upon lifting o~ the tab the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure ~ of the tear-out portion will break away from the end panel and will be pushed into the container an.d thereafter the tab is adapted to be returned from the upright position shown in Figure 4 to the reset position shown in Figure 5 where it is returned against the top of the end panel ~ to a nonobstructing position whereat the user may drink directly from the container through the opening or pour aperture 12 which is -formed on the removal of the removable segment 7.
~ 3~ ~
The invention is directed to the construction of the tab 10 which comprises a rear end lift portion 14 and a nose portion 15 and an intermediate portion in ~he form o~
an attachment lug 18 which extends lengthwise of the lug.
The intermediate lug portion 18 is formed from the material of the lug which may be steel or preferably aluminum.
As best seen in Figure 2 of the tab is preferably a rectangular structure and along its lateral longitudinal edges is curled to provide a vertical outboard flange 20 and an inturned bottom flange 21 which is flat~ened against the underside o~ the top wall portion 22 of the tab. Also the center portion 24 of the tab body is offset downwardly which also crea~es a vertical flange 25 along the inner edge of each lateral longitudinal leg 26,26 of the tab thus pro-viding a rigid structure.
The depression terminates intermediate the ends of the securing lug or mounting ear 18, lug 18 being cut out of the panel portion 24 by means of a U-shaped cut-out 28 which has its bight portion remote from the nose portion 15 of the tab. The legs of the cut identified at 29 and 30 extend forwardly of the leg portions 26,26 and have forward ends 31 and 32 which align with the rear edge 34 of the intermediate and bottom metal plies 36 and 37 of the nose portion 15 which nose portion is formed at its leading end 38 by the fold between the bottom ply 37 and the top wall 22 of the tab. It will be observed from a consideration of Figure 3 - that the foTward end of the lug 18 has an upwardly and forwardly sloping end portion 39 which has been work hardened.
It is in this area that the ends 31 and 32 of the cut out legs 29 and 30 terminate. Forwardly of these legs there .'~
3..~ 7~
are provided intersecting circular c~t-outs 3~ and 35 which extend into the portion of the top wall 22 which forms the top wall section 42 of the nose portion. This region of the nose is a portion of the metal which has not been work hardened and therefore may be ~]exed back and -forth many times more than the area of the wall portion 39 before fatigue failure occurs.
A feat~re of the invention is to provide multiple bend lines for the attaching lugs 18. On the initial lift-ing of the rear or fingerlift portion 10 of the tab thelug 18 or connecting strap will normally bend almost imme-diately in front of the ri~et along the line X-X and upon lifting of the tab as shown in Figure 4 the forwzrd end of the connecting strap will deform as seen in ~igure 4 whereat an upward curl identified at 44 will develop. When the tab is returned to its retract position against the top 45 of ; the end panel 4 as best seen in Figure 5 the curl at 44 will remain. f~owever, a new bend line will be established between the openings ~0 and 41 which are spaced a distance lesser than ~he spacing between the adjacent edges of the leg portions 29 and 30 of the cut-out. Thus, the weakest and ; the most flexible section of the tab will provide a bend line Y-Y at the portion of the connecting strap 18 which has not been work hardened. Thus, repeated flexing back and forth will take place primarily along the bend line Y-Y
although there will be some shifting of the bend line because of the curl 44 and thus the repeated bending back and forth of the tab defined along a single line in the prior art will be minimized or eliminated.
In Figures 6 through 9 identical parts will be identified with the same reference numerals and it will be seen, for example~ in Figure 6 that in lieu of ~he rolmd openings 40,41, the ~orward end of the connecting strap 18 is provided with notches 50,50 and 51,51, the notches 50,50 being at opposite edges of the leading edges 52 of the lug in the region of the wall portion 42 and that bending will take place along bend line Xl-Xl initially and then along Yl-Yl and shift back and forth. Figure 7 illustrates pro-viding wide rectangular or quadrilateral shaped notches 60,60 in the wall region 42 of the tab 18 across ~he narrow width 62. In Figure 8 the notches 50' and 51~ are arranged in similar fashion as in Figure 6 with reference to the notches 50 and 51 and define the bend lines Xl-Xl and X3-X3 ~ and Y3-Y3. It will be observed that the rear notches 50',50' !
; are not as deep as the front notches 51',51' whereby the tab is of narrowest width at its front end and then it has an :
intermediate narrow width and the remainder of the tab is ;~
~ .
wider where it is attached at its rear end to the rivet 49 which is formed on the end panel the same as on all previous embodiments.
In Figure 9 the arrangement is similar to the arrangement of Figure 7 and the two notches 60',60' are formed to provide tapering edges 65,65 and the edges taper toward the front end of the connecting strap in the region of the wall portion 42 and provide the hinge lines Y4-Y4 and X4-X40 This structure functions essentially in the same manner as the previous embodiment. In other words, initial bending will occur along the X axes and the subsequent bending will take place along the Y axes in the region of the nonworked portion of the material of the tab.
Several embodiments of the invention have been described and it will be realized that various modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art which are intended to be covered by the appended claims.
' -8~
.. . . . . . . . . .
Claims (15)
1. A tab for easy opening containers comprising a tab body having means at one end particularly adapted for applying an inwardly directed rupturing pressure on the container panel when the opposite end is moved outwardly, said tab having a mounting ear positioned intermediate its ends, and means for connecting said ear to said tab along a plurality of hinge axes spaced lengthwise of the tab for accommodating a plurality of back and forth movements of the tab without fracturing.
2. The invention according to claim 1 and said one end of the tab comprising a nose portion having a nonwork hardened section and at least one of said hinge axes being located in said section.
3. The invention according to claim 2 and said mounting ear having a narrow width portion adjacent to said nonwork hardened section.
4. The invention according to claim 1 and said ear having side edges with a plurality of notches defining several of said hinge axes.
5. The invention according to claim 1 and said ear having side edges with at least one notch in each edge defining at least one of said hinge axes.
6. The invention according to claim 5 and said notches each defined by an inner edge and said inner edges converging toward said one end of the tab.
7. The invention according to claim 1 and said means comprising a portion at the forward end of the tab each sloping upwardly toward said one end of the ear and adapted to ear during hinging movement between the tab and ear.
8. The invention according to claim 1 and said tab being made of one piece sheet metal.
9. The invention according to claim 8 and said metal being aluminum.
10. An easy opening container end with notdetach-able means for making an opening therethrough suitable for pouring comprising;
A tab having work hardened means at one end for rupturing said end including a nonwork hardened section and having a lift portion at the other end for lifting the tab and pressing said one end against said container end, and attaching means on the container end and said tab for securing the tab to said container end and comprising a securing lug on the tab, and at least one selected hinging axis of connection between the said lug and tab in a nonwork hardened section of the tab at said one end.
A tab having work hardened means at one end for rupturing said end including a nonwork hardened section and having a lift portion at the other end for lifting the tab and pressing said one end against said container end, and attaching means on the container end and said tab for securing the tab to said container end and comprising a securing lug on the tab, and at least one selected hinging axis of connection between the said lug and tab in a nonwork hardened section of the tab at said one end.
11. The invention according to claim 10 and said tab having a central depressed body section and said lug being cut from said body section.
12. A tab of the type affixed to a can end for opening and comprising a unitary structure including a lifting end an opening end opposite said lifting end and spaced from it, spaced leg members connecting said lifting end and said opening end and, a flap extending longitudinally from said opening end toward said lifting end between said spaced leg members, spaced from said spaced leg members and from said lifting end, including an affixing portion by which said flap is affixed to the can end, said affixing portion spaced from said open-ing end, the width of said flap varying along the length of said flap to define a first bending region extending laterally across said flap adja-cent said affixing portion and a second bending region extending laterally across said flap adja-cent said opening end, the width of said flap in said second bending region being sufficiently small relative to the width of said flap in said first bending region that after said lifting end has been pulled away from the can, thereby flexing said flap in said first bending region, when said lifting end is subsequently pushed toward the can end, said flap flexes in said second bending region, whereby no part of said flap is flexed more than once as said lifting end is pulled away from the can and then pushed back toward its original position adjacent the can end.
13. In a unitary tab of the type affixed to a can end for opening it and having a lifting end opposite an opening end, and having spaced leg members connecting the opposite ends, the improvement comprising:
a flap extending from the opening end toward the lifting end between the spaced leg members, spaced from the spaced leg members and from the lifting end, and including an affixing portion by which said flap is affixed to the can end, said affixing portion spaced from the opening end, the width of said flap increasing along the length of said flap between the opening end and said affixing portion so that flexing of said flap is distributed along the length of said flap between the opening end and said affixing portion when the lifting end of the tab is first lifted away from the can end and then pushed back towards it, whereby repeated localized flexing is substantially avoided.
a flap extending from the opening end toward the lifting end between the spaced leg members, spaced from the spaced leg members and from the lifting end, and including an affixing portion by which said flap is affixed to the can end, said affixing portion spaced from the opening end, the width of said flap increasing along the length of said flap between the opening end and said affixing portion so that flexing of said flap is distributed along the length of said flap between the opening end and said affixing portion when the lifting end of the tab is first lifted away from the can end and then pushed back towards it, whereby repeated localized flexing is substantially avoided.
14. The improvement of claim 13 wherein said flap is generally tapered in width between the opening end and said affixing portion.
15. The improvement of claim 13 wherein said flap is Sofia-ficiently narrow adjacent the opening end that after the lifting end has been pulled away from the can end thereby bending said flap in a first bending region of it located adjacent said affixing region, when the lifting end is subsequently pushed toward the can end said flap bends in a second bending region of it located adjacent the opening end.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA324,252A CA1104075A (en) | 1979-03-27 | 1979-03-27 | Tab construction for easy opening container |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA324,252A CA1104075A (en) | 1979-03-27 | 1979-03-27 | Tab construction for easy opening container |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1104075A true CA1104075A (en) | 1981-06-30 |
Family
ID=4113837
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA324,252A Expired CA1104075A (en) | 1979-03-27 | 1979-03-27 | Tab construction for easy opening container |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1104075A (en) |
-
1979
- 1979-03-27 CA CA324,252A patent/CA1104075A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |