FR2604976A1 - Metal package, particularly for a powder product, and method of making such a package - Google Patents

Abstract

Metal package with an annular rim folded down towards the outside. According to the invention, the metal package comprises an annular rim 20 defining an external roll with an approximately triangular cross-section and having a peripheral necking R inclining towards the inside the internal surface of the said annular rim which extends in the prolongation of the internal wall 12a of the package. The structure of this annular rim facilitates the flow of the product contained in the can and simplifies the fixing of a sealing lid.

Description

metal packaging, especially for powdered product and
process for manufacturing such packaging "
The invention relates to a metallic packaging, in particular for powdered product and relates more particularly to a new structure of its opening edge; the invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such packaging.

 There is known a metallic packaging for powdery product, such as ground coffee or powdered milk, which consists of a box body, generally tubular cylindrical, one end of which is closed by a crimped bottom. A large circular opening occupies almost the entire other end of the packaging; it is delimited by an internal peripheral rim of a rather complex shape, suitable both for accommodating a cover, often metallic and for fixing, by its internal face, a tight seal, which can be in the form of a strip (paper, plastic, aluminum, coated or not, etc.) intended to be cut when the box is opened for the first time. The presence of this internal peripheral rim has several drawbacks; its relatively complex structure makes metallic packaging expensive to manufacture. I1 must indeed include a groove ensuring a certain radial elasticity to facilitate the tight fitting of the cover while defining a support zone allowing it to be removed using any object forming a lever. The mounting of the cover against the internal face of this rim also complicates the manufacture and in particular obliges to bring back said rim, by crimping. In addition, the presence of this rim makes it difficult to empty the box completely so that a certain part of the powdered product is lost. Finally, the rest of the cut lid forms a relatively sharp crown at the periphery of the opening, liable to injure users, in particular children.

 The invention overcomes all of these drawbacks.

 In this spirit, the invention therefore essentially relates to a metal package comprising an opening which substantially releases all of one of its end faces, characterized in that said opening is delimited by an annular rim folded outwards, and having a peripheral constriction inclining inward the internal face of said annular rim which extends in the extension of the internal wall of said packaging.

 Thus, the internal face of the narrowed annular rim is connected without continuity to the internal surface of the box body, since it is in fact the same wall having in section a curved profile or a very open bend. As a result, the box can be completely emptied, the constriction actually defining a sort of funnel.

 In addition, such a box, as will appear below, is very simplified. Finally, the profile of a section of such an annular rim is preferably such that it defines externally, a flat end flange on which a tight seal, of the kind indicated above, can be easily adhered or otherwise fixed. , for example, by heat sealing. In this spirit, the annular rim will preferably have an approximately triangular section. The fact that the cover is now sealed on the outer surface of the rim allows, when opened, to eliminate it completely, for example by peeling it off, which was not possible with the prior packaging described above. .For the period of consumption of the product contained in the packaging, the latter is closed by a cover, of metal or flexible plastic material, delivered fitted on the external face of the annular rim of the packaging, above the operculum. This cover thus effectively protects the cover during the storage period. Its extraction is facilitated by an asymmetrical circular rod allowing the support of a spoon tail, a household utensil or other.

 Finally, it should be noted that the narrowed rim of triangular section, as defined above, has an outside diameter less than or equal to the outside diameter of the bottom crimping bead, which is advantageous for the storage and transport of such packaging.

 The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a metallic package characterized in that it consists successively: - of defining an annular rim wound outwards along the perimeter of an opening of a box body , and - to deform said rolled annular rim so that it has a peripheral constriction.

The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the description which follows of a package conforming to its principle and of a method of manufacturing such a package, given only by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:
- Figure 1 is a partial sectional view, along a diametral plane, of the upper part of a cylindrical metal package in question; and
FIGS. 2 to 5 schematically illustrate different stages of a possible manufacturing process for the packaging of FIG. 1.

 The metal packaging as shown in Figure 1 consists of a box body 12, cylindrical, of which a circular opening 13 occupies almost all of one of its end faces. The other end face of the box body is closed by a bottom, crimped in a conventional manner.

In the drawing, a distinction is made between the bottom 14 and another identical package, stacked on the first, the crimping defining an external bead 15. The opening 13 is closed by an aluminum cover 18 itself protected by a cover 19 in metal or plastic, capable of constituting a relatively hermetic closure means, during the period of use of the box by the consumer.

 According to the invention, the opening 13 is delimited by an annular rim 20 itself constituted by a portion of the cylindrical wall of the box body 12, folded outwards while presenting a peripheral constriction R such as the internal face 20a of said annular rim is inclined towards the inside of the metal packaging while extending in the extension of the internal wall 12a of the box body. More specifically, said internal face 20a of the annular rim is substantially frustoconical and extends inward in the extension of the cylindrical wall 12a, without a solution of continuity therewith.

As can be seen in the drawing, the annular rim can be defined as being an external roll with a substantially triangular section, in the sense that the metal of the box body is rolled on itself towards the outside so as to trap its own edge free 22 while having a substantially triangular radial section and defining in particular a flat end flange 24. The cover 18 is simply adhered by heat-sealing on this flat flange 24. it can therefore be, if necessary, entirely detached, and no longer cut, when the packaging is opened for the first time. On the other hand, the roll with a substantially triangular cross-section with constriction appears to be extremely space-saving radially outwards. As can be seen in Figure 1, the outer part of the annular rim can therefore have a diameter less than or equal to that of the outer bead 15 created by crimping the bottom.

 Figures 2 to 5 illustrate the main steps in the development of triangular section rolled 20. To do this, the box body 12 first undergoes two external rolled steps (Figures 2 and 3). This can be done by axial insertion of two tools 30, 31, successively, each having a rolling groove; the groove of the tool 31 being wider than the groove of the tool 30. The roll of approximately circular section thus obtained is deformed between two tools 32, 33 to give it an approximately rectangular section. This operation is illustrated in FIG. 4. The internal tool 32 has an approximately cylindrical lateral surface. The tool 33 can be constituted by a knurling wheel rotating around the tool 32 and comprising a C-section groove or else by a certain number of sections movable radially and capable of being clamped simultaneously in the direction of the lateral surface. of tool 32.

 The external roll with rectangular section is then deformed again between two tools 34 and 35 so as to define both the peripheral constriction and the approximately triangular section. For this, the internal tool 34 has a V-shaped groove, one of the faces of which is perpendicular to the box body 12 to define the annular rim 24. The tool 35 has a structure equivalent to that of the tool 33 but the surface or surfaces which cooperate with the tool 34 have no groove.

Claims (9)

 1- Metal packaging comprising an opening (13) substantially freeing all of one of its end faces, characterized in that said end is delimited by an annular flange (20) folded outwards, and having a constriction peripheral (R) inclining inward the internal face (20a) of said annular rim which extends in the extension of the internal wall (12a) of said packaging.  2- metal packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that said annular flange (20) has an approximately triangular section.  3- metal packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said annular flange defines an end flange (24) planar.  4- metal packaging according to claim 3, characterized in that a seal (18) sealed, for example aluminum, is adhered or otherwise fixed to said flange, for example by heat sealing.  5- Metal packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said internal face (20a) of said annular rim is substantially frustoconical and extends inward, in the extension of a cylindrical wall (12a) of said packaging 'to which it connects.  6- Metal packaging according to claim 5, comprising a crimped bottom (14) defining an outer bead (15), characterized in that the outer part of said annular rim (20) has a diameter less than or equal to that of said outer bead.  7- A method of manufacturing a metallic packaging, characterized in that it consists successively:  - to define an annular rim wound outwards (30, 31, FIG. 2, FIG. 3) along the perimeter of an opening of a box body (12), and  - To deform (Figure 5) said rolled annular rim so that it has a peripheral constriction.  8- A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the deformation of the annular rim consists in giving it an approximately triangular section.  9- A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the deformation of said annular rim comprises an intermediate step (Figure 4) of giving it an approximately rectangular section.