JP2019521921A - Pull tab and pull tab manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of pull tabs used in the packaging industry applied to lids. The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a pull tab that can be manufactured at low cost while having sufficient mechanical strength for that purpose. To accomplish this, the pull tab is configured to be attached to the container lid. The pull tab includes a grip portion 10 and a front portion 20, and the pull tab is formed by a part of a metal sheet S having a thickness. The grip 10 has a hole 11. The hole is at least partially surrounded by the gripping edge 12 of the gripping part. The gripping part is adjacent to the front part 20 of the pull tab along its long axis direction L. The front portion of the pull tab 1 is mechanically reinforced by a reinforcing layer 25 made of a metal sheet. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to the technical field of pull tabs typically used in the packaging industry applied to lids. The pull tab allows opening a part of the lid or removing a substantial part of the lid from the can body.

  Pull tabs have long been known in the packaging industry as part of filling container opening mechanisms. Often these containers are cans containing food products, including beverages, but are commonly used for other fillings as well. Typically, the pull tab is attached to the lid of the container by rivets so that the pull tab functions as a lever when opening the container (ie, “opening” the lid).

To open the container, one side of the pull tab is lifted and the other side (front side) of the pull tab is at least partially surrounded by a portion of the top surface near the notched portion of the lid, or by a notch Move closer to the top of the lid.
When one side of the pull tab is further lifted, the notched portion of the lid is pushed down. Then, for some cans that typically contain solid food at least partially, the pull tab attached to the lid is pulled away from the container in order to remove most or all of the lid from the container. It is. Thereby, the consumer can take out the filling in a container. For other cans, typically beverage cans, when the pull tab is further lifted, the inside of the container until a smaller part of the lid, i.e., a part partially surrounded by nicks, enters the underside of the lid (inside the container) Folded. Thereby, the consumer takes out the filling, for example a can beverage from a beverage can.

  For these purposes, the pull tab must have sufficient mechanical strength to withstand the mechanical forces acting during the process of opening the container. Mechanical strength is achieved by using a relatively thick material thickness, often by rounding the edges of the pull tab.

  Prior art British patent application GB 2459387A (Bansia) discloses pull tab mechanical reinforcement on page 8, lines 29-32, and on page 18, lines 25-29 with respect to FIGS. 8a to 8e, for example, FIG. Fig. 5 shows a front part reinforced by a double material layer. In general, this relates to a different type of pull tab than the claimed pull tab. The problem to be solved by this reference pull tab is that it is sometimes difficult for consumers to operate the pull tab because there is not enough space between the gripping portion and the lid of the container to be opened. In order to solve this problem, pull tabs including bistable elements are presented in this prior art. This element allows the pull tab to exist in two different states. In the first state, the grip portion of the pull tab is near the lid of the container. In the second state, the grip portion of the pull tab is a greater distance from the lid to allow the consumer to move his finger between the grip portion and the lid panel to actuate (lift) the pull tab. Have The mechanism for switching from the first state to the second state is equivalent to the mechanism of a metal hair clip.

  The pull tab typically includes a carrier that is formed during the manufacturing process of the pull tab. These carriers are placed on the side of the tab that is raised by the consumer during the opening process of the container to block the (often) curled ends of the tab and reduce the mechanical strength of the tab. This is because the mechanical strength requirement is low on the tab side as compared with the requirement on the other side portion (front portion) of the tab. During the opening process, the sharp edges of the carrier can injure the user (consumer).

UK patent application GB 2459387

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a pull tab that can be manufactured at low cost while having sufficient mechanical strength for its (use) purpose. Another problem to be solved is to provide a pull tab that reduces consumer physical damage due to the pull tab carrier.

  The pull tab (claim 1) solves the above problem, and the pull tab can be manufactured by the method according to the claims (claim 15).

  It has been found that the above requirements are satisfied by a pull tab configured to be attached to a container lid, comprising a gripping portion and a front portion and formed by a portion of a sheet of metal. It was. The metal sheet or sheet or metal sheet preferably has a thickness that is at least one-tenth or less of its width and / or length. The gripping portion has a hole, and the hole is preferably configured to pass a finger. In that sense, a hole is configured to allow a finger of an average thickness (average diameter) to pass through a finger if at least a portion of the finger can exit through the hole. It is enough if only a person's finger (fingertip) can get out through the hole. The hole is at least partially surrounded by the gripping edge of the gripping part. The gripping part is adjacent to the front part of the pull tab along its long axis. The front portion of the pull tab is mechanically reinforced by a reinforcing layer, and is preferably made from the metal sheet (claim 1).

  The reinforcing layer is preferably made of the sheet and may form a further thickness (claim 2). Here, at least a part of the front portion of the pull tab may have a combined thickness including the thickness of the sheet and the thickness of the reinforcing layer.

  Preferably, said further thickness may be substantially equal to the thickness of the sheet forming the pull tab (claim 3).

  Preferably, the reinforcing layer is made from a material used to produce a pull tab.

  During the production of pull tabs from the sheet, of course, the entire sheet is not used for production, resulting in scrap or production scrap. Preferably, the reinforcing layer is made from a sheet part which is a scrap part of the sheet part used to produce the pull tab (claim 5). In other words, the reinforcing layer is made of a metal sheet used in the manufacture of the pull tab and is taken from the sheet portion which is the scrap portion of the pull tab manufacturing.

  The scrap portion of the metal sheet may be removed or stamped to at least partially form a hole in the gripping portion of the pull tab (claim 6).

  Preferably, the pull tab comprises a fold line extending between the gripping part and the front part, preferably extending in the transverse direction. The folding line is configured to function as a hinge for bending or folding a partially punched metal sheet portion from the grip portion to the front portion. Thereby, the hole and the mechanical reinforcement part of the front part are formed or achieved in the grip part (claim 7).

  The thickness of the metal sheet may be less than 0.26 mm, preferably less than 0.23 mm, more preferably substantially 0.20 mm or 200 μm.

  The pull tab may include a carrier provided on the front portion and extending laterally in the transverse direction (claim 9).

  Preferably, the carrier may be spaced apart from the tip of the pull tab (claim 10). The distance or distance between the tip of the pull tab and the carrier may be less than 20 mm, preferably less than 15 mm, more preferably less than 10 mm, most preferably less than 7 mm in the longitudinal direction (claim 11).

  The arrangement for attaching the pull tab to the lid may comprise attachment means provided through at least two adjacent layers (claim 12). Preferably, the attachment means for attaching the pull tab to the lid may be an attachment hole provided through such a layer (claim 13).

  Preferably, the reinforcing layer is a three-dimensional shape of the metal sheet layer, and a three-dimensional shape that closely resembles the three-dimensional shape or shape that was in the front part before supplying the reinforcing layer to the first layer, or It preferably has a structure or a shape (claim 14).

  Preferably, the metal sheet is iron rather than aluminum.

The pull tab can be produced or manufactured by a method having the following steps:
A step of supplying a metal sheet having a thickness; and a step of forming a pull tab blank portion on the sheet, the pull tab blank portion including a grip portion and a front portion along a longitudinal direction of the pull tab blank portion. A step of forming a hole or opening in the gripping portion of the pull tab blank portion, preferably the step configured to allow the hole to pass through the finger, and the front portion of the pull tab blank portion with a reinforcing layer The reinforcing layer is preferably made of a sheet of the above metal, and the pull tab blank portion is technically separated by separating or removing the pull tab blank portion from the rest of the sheet. Providing individual pull tabs with features (claim 15).

  In the above method, the reinforcing layer is preferably made of the above-mentioned sheet and imparts further thickness. Preferably, the further thickness is at least substantially equal to the thickness of the sheet (claim 16).

  Preferably, the reinforcement layer is made from the material of the sheet used in the manufacture of the pull tab blank.

  Preferably, the reinforcing layer is made from a sheet portion that is a scrap portion of the sheet portion used to manufacture the pull tab. The scrap portion of the metal sheet may be at least removed or stamped to partially form a hole in the pull tab grip.

  The pull tab blank portion includes a folding line extending between the grip portion and the front portion. After forming the pull tab blank portion, the metal sheet portion of the gripping portion is bent or bent from the gripping portion to the front portion in the vicinity of the folding line. As a result, a hole in the grip portion is formed, and the front portion is mechanically reinforced (claim 17).

  The thickness of the sheet may be less than 0.26 mm, preferably less than 0.23 mm, more preferably substantially 0.20 mm or substantially 200 μm.

  A carrier may be formed in the manufacturing process of the pull tab. The carrier is used as a connecting means between the pull tab blank and the sheet during a further step of manufacture. In order to separate the blank from the sheet, the carrier is cut off, thereby providing a pull tab. Preferably, the carrier is provided at the front portion and extends laterally in the transverse direction. The carrier may be spaced from the tip of the pull tab blank portion. The distance between the tip and the carrier may be less than 20 mm, preferably less than 15 mm, more preferably less than 10 mm, and most preferably less than 7 mm.

  It is preferred that the reinforcing layer has a three-dimensional outer shape that is substantially similar to the three-dimensional outer shape of the metal sheet layer that is present in the front portion prior to supplying the reinforcing layer to the first layer.

  Preferably, the metal sheet, the metal sheet, or the sheet is iron rather than aluminum.

Embodiments of the present invention will be best understood from the detailed description and the following figures.
FIG. 1 shows a bottom perspective view of the pull tab 1. FIG. 2 shows a bottom perspective view of the pull tab 1 of FIG. 1 showing the front portion 20 in more detail. FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the pull tab 1 of FIG. FIG. 4 shows a top perspective view of the pull tab 1 of FIG. FIG. 5 illustrates some steps of the manufacturing method 100 of the pull tab 1.

The function of the pull tab 1 will be best understood from FIG. The pull tab 1 includes a front portion 20 and a grip portion 10. The holding part 10 includes a hole 11, and the hole 11 is configured so that a finger can pass through. As described in detail above, when the pull tab 1 is attached to the lid of the container, the contents of the filled container, for example, lift the grip 10 of the pull tab 1 by passing a part of the finger through the hole 11. Can be accessed by consumers.
The hole 11 of the grip portion 10 is partially surrounded by the grip edge 12. The gripping edge 12 of this embodiment has a curl structure, and the inside of the gripping edge 12 is curled from the inside 11 of the hole to the outside of the gripping part 10, and the outside of the gripping edge 12 is the gripping edge. There are 12 substantially parallel two parts 12a, 12b and one part 12c substantially orthogonal to the parallel parts 12a, 12b. The outer edge of the grip edge 12 is curled from the outside of the pull tab 1 to the inside of the pull tab 1.

  The front portion 20 of the pull tab 1 is adjacent to the grip portion 10. In the present embodiment, the folding line 26 is between the front part 20 and the grip part 10. Here, the folding line 26 functions as a hinge for bending or folding a part of the metal sheet on which the pull tab 1 is made from the grip portion 10 to the front portion 20. The folding line 26 extends in the transverse direction Q (shown in FIG. 3). By bending or folding the metal sheet component, the hole 11 is formed and the front portion 20 is reinforced. The reinforcing part of the front part 20, ie the part having the reinforcing layer 25, has a combined thickness equal to the sum of the thickness d1 of the metal sheet (used to manufacture the pull tab) and the thickness d2 of the reinforcing layer. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the thickness d1 and the thickness d2 are equal. In other embodiments, the reinforcing layer 25 can be provided on the front portion 20 of the pull tab 1 in other ways. For example, a metal part can be attached (bonded, welded) to the front part, or a polymer can be applied to the front part. In these embodiments, the thickness d1 of the metal sheet and the thickness d2 of the reinforcing layer are not necessarily equal.

The pull tab 1 of FIG. 1 has two carriers 23a and 23b that are disposed on the front portion 20 and extend in the lateral direction. In the present embodiment, the carriers 23 a and 23 b block the grip edge 12 that extends from the grip 10 to the front portion 20 along the outer edge of the pull tab 1. The curl structure of the gripping edge portion 12 is flattened in front of the front end portion 27, and the nose portion 28a is provided in front.
In other embodiments, the extension of the gripping edge 12 to the front portion 20 may be a different design. For example, the gripping edge 12 can extend to a smaller or greater extent in the direction of the front portion 20.
Typically, the gripping edge 12 is a part of the nose 28a during consumer operation, i.e., while the consumer lifts the rear part of the pull tab 1 and thereby lowers or depresses the front part of the pull tab 1. The lid portion to which the pull tab 1 is attached is flattened so as to be the first portion that comes close to and finally comes into contact with the lid portion close to the notch portion of the lid. When the rear portion of the pull tab 1 is further lifted, the lid can be opened in an assumed reproducible manner by pushing down a part of the lid toward the inside of the container as described above.

  The obstruction of the grip edge 12 by the carriers 23a and 23b causes the mechanical stability of the pull tab 1 to be reduced. This is particularly important in the front part 20 because the consumer's demand for mechanical stability during pull tab operation is higher than the grip part 10. In the present embodiment, the carriers 23 a and 23 b can be provided on the front portion 20 without increasing the risk of malfunction of the pull tab 1 (that is, breakage or damage due to mechanical stress) by mechanical reinforcement of the front portion 20. . By arranging the carriers 23a and 23b on the front portion 20, the risk of injury to the consumer during operation, for example, the finger cut, is reduced.

  Another nose portion 28b is formed in the reinforcing layer 25 of the front portion, thereby further expanding the nose portion 28a of the tip portion 27.

  The attachment means 21 to the lid of the pull tab 1 is a hole in this embodiment, which extends through both layers of the reinforced front part 20, as well as an arcuate or curved recess 22. The attachment of the pull tab 1 to the container lid is often carried out by rivets. The recess 22 allows the consumer to operate the pull tab 1 during the opening process of the container without substantially damaging the pull tab 1 when the pull tab 1 is attached to the container lid.

The front part 20 of the pull tab 1 of FIG. 1 is enlarged in FIG. 2 and shows a different part of the reinforcing layer 25. The first flat portions 25b, 25d, and 25e are in substantially flat contact with the upper surface of the lid that can be attached. During the operation of the consumer pull tab 1, the first flat portion 25d remains substantially in contact with the lid surface, while when the pull tab 1 rear portion is lifted, the first flat portions 25b and 25e Lifted.
Due to the skirt structure 25c of the reinforcing layer 25, the layer 25 extends to the second flat portion 25a. In this embodiment, in order to produce a high reinforcing effect, the reinforcing layer 25 is similar to the three-dimensional shape of the metal base layer of the front portion, that is, the three-dimensional shape of the typical front portion of the pull tab having no reinforcing layer. ing. In other embodiments, the reinforcing layer 25 may cover or reinforce a smaller area of the metal base layer, or the reinforcing layer 25 may not resemble the three-dimensional shape of the metal base layer, but is still a pull tab. It is said that it has a reinforcing effect.

  FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the pull tab 1 and shows the consumer's view of the pull tab 1 when the pull tab 1 is attached to the lid of the container (the lid and the container are not shown in FIG. 3). In this embodiment, the carriers 23a and 23b are separated from the tip 27 by a distance d23 along the long axis L. Since the carriers 23a and 23b themselves have a certain length in the L direction, the distance d23 is measured from the center or center of the carrier in the L direction to the tip 27 of the pull tab 1. The tip portion 27 is the outermost point of the front portion 20 in the direction opposite to the grip portion 10.

  Further, a transverse direction Q is illustrated in FIG. 3 and shows the substantial direction of extension of the fold line 26.

  In the perspective side view of the pull tab 1 of FIG. 4, the metal base layer or metal sheet layer 24 and the reinforcing layer 25 can be seen from a different viewpoint from FIG. 1. The metal base layer 24 is shown as a representative design for the pull tab, and the reinforcing layer 25 is visible through the attachment means 21 and the recess 22 and is located under the metal base layer 24 (in the consumer's line of sight). Further, the structure opposite to the metal base layer 24 is also illustrated, and corresponds to the first flat portions 25b, 25d, 25e, the second flat portion 25a, and the skirt structure 25c of the reinforcing layer 25 shown in FIG.

  In other embodiments, the reinforcing layer 25 may be disposed on the metal base layer 24, below the metal base layer 24, or both (in the consumer's line of sight).

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of four steps included in the method 100 for manufacturing the pull tab 1. It should be understood that such a schematic diagram does not show all the steps of the manufacturing method, in particular the curve between the illustrated steps is one or more steps performed during the illustrated steps. Show you get.

  In this embodiment, in a first step 110, a sheet or metal sheet or metal sheet S is provided. The sheet has a thickness d1. In the next step 120, the outer shape of the pull tab blank portion 101 is generated on the sheet S. This is preferably achieved by mechanical cutting, laser cutting and / or punching. In the next step 130, several technical features of the pull tab blank 101 are formed. The front portion 20 of the pull tab blank portion 101 is formed with an attachment means 21 and a concave portion 22 together with the nose portion 28 by, for example, mechanical cutting, laser cutting and / or punching. A grip portion 10 is formed adjacent to the front portion 20. A folding line 26 is provided between the front portion 20 and the grip portion 10. In order to connect the pull tab blank portion 101 and the sheet S, carriers 23a and 23b are provided. Further, although not shown in FIG. 5 for a top view, a gripping edge portion 12 is formed on the bottom portion of the pull tab blank portion 101. The grip edge 12 of the pull tab blank portion 101 may be designed in the same manner as the grip edge 12 shown in FIGS.

  In the present embodiment, the reinforcing layer 25 is provided as a sheet portion in the grip portion 10. In the next step (not shown), the reinforcing layer 25 is bent (or bent) toward the front portion 20 of the pull tab blank portion 101 in the vicinity of the folding line 26. As a result, the hole 11 (not shown, but may be designed to be equivalent to the hole in FIGS. 1 and 2) is formed in the gripping part 10, and the front part 20 is mechanically reinforced. Mechanical reinforcement of the front portion 20 may also be achieved by other techniques described above.

  In the next step 140, the pull tab blank 101 is removed from the sheet S by cutting (mechanically or by laser) the connection between the pull tab blank 101 and the sheet S adjacent to the carriers 23a, 23b. It is. Thereby, a pull tab 1 is formed (not shown, but may be designed in the same manner as the pull tab 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4). The pull tab 1 includes carriers 23a and 23b. After the connecting portion between the pull tab blank portion 101 and the sheet S is cut, the sheet cutout portion 102 remains on the sheet. Note that the above steps can be interchanged in time.

Claims (17)

A pull tab (21) configured to be attached to a lid of a container,
A gripping part (10);
A front portion (20),
Formed by a part of a sheet of metal, i.e. a part of the sheet, the sheet having a thickness (d1);
(A) The gripping part (10) has a hole (11), the hole (11) preferably configured to pass a finger, the hole at least partially gripping the gripping part (10) Surrounded by edges (12; 12a, 12b, 12c), the gripping part is adjacent to the front part (20) of the pull tab (1) along its long axis (L);
(B) The front part (20) of the pull tab (1) is mechanically reinforced by a reinforcing layer (25; 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d, 25e), preferably made from the metal sheet. Pull tab characterized by having.   2. Pull tab according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer (25) is preferably made of the sheet and forms a further thickness (d2).   The pull tab according to claim 2, wherein the further thickness (d2) is substantially equal to the first thickness (d1) of the sheet.   4. Pull tab according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reinforcing layer (25) is made from the material of the sheet used to produce the pull tab (1; 10, 20).   A pull tab according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reinforcing layer (25) is made from a sheet part which is a scrap part of the part of the sheet used to produce the pull tab (1).   The pull tab according to claim 5, wherein the scrap portion of the metal sheet is at least partially removed or stamped to form the hole (11) in the grip portion (10) of the pull tab (1). . The pull tab comprises a folding line (26) extending between the gripping part (10) and the front part (20), preferably extending in the transverse direction (Q);
The folding line (26) is configured to function as a hinge for bending or folding a partially punched metal sheet portion from the grip portion (10) to the front portion (20). The pull tab according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the hole (11) of the gripping part (10) and the mechanical reinforcement part of the front part (20) are formed by the above.   The thickness (d1) of the sheet is less than 0.26 mm, preferably less than 0.23 mm, more preferably substantially 0.20 mm (or 200 μm). The pull tab according to item 1.   9. The pull tab (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a carrier (23a, 23b) provided in the front part (20) and extending laterally in the transverse direction (Q). Pull tab.   The pull tab according to claim 9, wherein the pull tab (1) comprises a tip (27) and the carrier (23a, 23b) is spaced from the tip (27) by a distance (d23).   11. A pull tab according to claim 10, wherein in the longitudinal direction (L), the distance is less than 20 mm, preferably less than 15 mm, more preferably less than 10 mm, most preferably less than 7 mm.   12. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement for attaching the pull tab (1) to the lid comprises attachment means (21) provided through at least two adjacent layers (24, 25). Pull tab.   The pull tab according to claim 12, wherein the attachment means (21) for attaching the pull tab (1) to the lid is an attachment hole (21) provided through the layer (24, 25).   The reinforcing layer (25) has a three-dimensional shape of the metal sheet layer (24) and is similar to the three-dimensional shape existing in the front portion before supplying the reinforcing layer (25) to the first layer. 14. A pull tab according to any one of the preceding claims, having a three-dimensional profile (24a, 25b). (A) supplying a metal sheet (S) having a thickness (d1);
(B) A step of forming a pull tab blank portion (101) on the sheet (S), the pull tab blank portion (101) including a grip portion (10) and a front portion along a longitudinal direction of the pull tab blank portion. (20) comprising:
(C) a step of forming a hole (11) in the grip portion (10) of the pull tab blank portion (101), preferably a step configured to allow the hole (11) to pass through a finger;
(D) mechanically reinforcing the front portion (20) of the pull tab blank portion (101) with a reinforcing layer (25), wherein the reinforcing layer (25) is preferably made of the metal sheet. Steps that are
(E) supplying individual pull tabs having the technical characteristics of the pull tab blank portion (101) by separating or removing the pull tab blank portion (101) from the rest (105) of the sheet; The manufacturing method of the pull tab characterized by having.   The reinforcing layer (25) is preferably made of the sheet and imparts a further thickness (d2), preferably the further thickness (d2) is substantially equal to the thickness of the sheet ( The method for manufacturing a pull tab according to claim 15, which is equal to d1). The pull tab blank portion includes a fold line (26) extending between the grip portion (10) and the front portion (20);
The metal sheet portion of the gripping part is bent or bent from the gripping part (10) to the front part (20) in the vicinity of the folding line (26), whereby the hole (11) of the gripping part (10). The method for manufacturing a pull tab according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the front part (20) mechanically reinforced is formed.

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