JPS636423B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Prior Art and its Problems) There are various types of lids for containers such as metal cans, glass bottles, or plastic bottles. For bottles, lids such as metal screw-in caps are common and can be used repeatedly. However, there are no reusable lids on the market that are suitable for metal cans for beverages such as beer and soft drinks. Commercially available can lids are either pop-tap closures that pull on a ring or stay-on tab closures that cannot be removed.

In the case of metal cans, at least metal cans for beverages, the lack of a practical lid that can be used repeatedly means that the size of the container is limited. Thus, while plastic and glass bottles can be commercially scaled up to 2 volumes, most metal beverage cans are single-serve sized, with a maximum capacity of approximately 16 ounces (0.437).

The use of over-center closure mechanisms has also been described in the literature. However, none of the known over-center closure mechanisms have been used commercially for metal cans containing beverages or the like.

British patent application GB2091706A illustrates in one embodiment an over-center closure for containers having an outer ear at the opening. The closure is flexible and has an ear on the inner surface of the connection between the flat surface and the connection, and the hem is moved from an upwardly facing position to a downwardly facing position relative to the flat surface. The profile or lever engages the beveled surface of the ear of the container opening. When in the lower position, the skirt or open flange extends at an angle from the container wall and is not in contact therewith. Also, when the skirt extends upwardly, the lid cannot fit snugly against the container wall.

The problem faced by the above-mentioned closure devices is that when the skirt extends outward from the container wall, the sealing joint between the ears of the closure device and the ears of the container opening is free from dust that may be generated during use of the container. This is evident from the fact that it is easy to attach. Also, since the peripheral part is located on the outside,
The container may open due to an accident during shipping or storage, and it is also impossible to package the container tightly. Additionally, if the contents are pressurized, the ears on the lid that come into contact with the ears on the opening may be used to prevent the lid from coming off under pressure, especially if high pressure is applied to the container. Not enough. One of the reasons for this is that the surface of the ear portion of the opening is not sloped sufficiently. Another reason is that the upward bulge at the top of the lid tends to cause the hem to wrap too downwardly around the opening ear, and such movement of the hem cannot be restrained. Leveraging pressure is applied to a relatively small area of the lid ear that contacts the opening ear, making the lid ear more susceptible to deformation. Furthermore, if the contents are pressurized, it is difficult to control the ventilation of the contents of such a container with a lid.

French patent application No. 2377333 exemplifies an over-center closure device for bottles. The device has an over-center clamp on the end wall of the lid. In the closed state, the clasp pulls the end wall against the bottle mouth, thereby sealing the top surface of the bottle.

The problem with this lid is the sealing position. The internal pressure acting on the end wall of the lid may cause the end wall to rise above the mouth of the bottle, possibly allowing the pressure and contents of the container to escape. Furthermore, when opening a bottle using this lid device, it is not enough to just seal the end of the mouth of the bottle.
Unable to control central pressure. Therefore, when returning to the loosened position, the internal pressure within the bottle inevitably tends to blow the lid off the bottle, a dangerous outcome that is unacceptable to the consumer.

Another over-center closure device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,493. In this patent, a large diameter can, such as a paint can, includes a lid secured thereto. This lid has the problem of not being suitable for application as a pressurized can.

According to the above patent, the can body has a downwardly directed flange, and the lid is adapted to lock under the lip of the flange. This was found to be unacceptable for several reasons. When such lids are constructed from flexible materials such as plastic, they are susceptible to permanent distortion or "mechanical deformation" due to repeated use. This deformation makes it difficult to remove the lid of the invention from the can, and when the lid is removed, damage may occur to the flange portion of the can or the sealing surface of the lid. Regardless of the problem of flange damage, this deformation makes it difficult to close the container.

Another problem with the construction of the above patent resides in the sealing area between the lid and the can. The patent states that it is desirable to create a seal between the recess or wall of the lid and the inner wall of the container. If spaced locking members are used, this seal may extend around and below the flange. Such a lid does not provide venting control of the internal pressure within the can when the can is opened, creating the possibility that the internal pressure may blow the lid off the container when the lid is returned to the disengaged position.

Another problem caused by the presence of a central stopper member occurs particularly in the case of pressurized cans, where the internal pressure tends to push against the stopper and displace it upwards, creating extra stress on the locking mechanism. may result in additional damage to the central seal, possibly destroying the central seal.

Another over-center closure device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,820. According to this patent, similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,493, a seal is formed by contact between the inner wall of the container and the lid, and the seal extends around the opening at the top of the container. A plurality of spaced locking members engage the grooves below or adjacent the bulge of the container. Because of the spaced locking members, the lid does not seal at the outer edge of the container. Furthermore, since the inner surface is sealed, ventilation control becomes possible, which causes the above-mentioned blow-off problem.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an over-centered lid which eliminates the disadvantages of known devices of this type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reusable lid for metal cans for the beverage bulk container market.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lid that can be used repeatedly for metal cans, regardless of whether the contents are vacuum-filled, atmospherically filled, or pressurized.

Another principal object of the present invention is to provide a reusable lid that can be attached to a can body using methods and equipment found on a typical canning line. Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a reusable lid that includes a partially metal end.

Another object of the present invention is an over-center closure mechanism, which uses a flexible lid member molded in an upright or inverted position, and in the installed position, the lid member stands upside down and tightens itself. The goal is to provide the following.

(Structure of the Invention) The present invention, which achieves the above objects, comprises a metal end wall and a flexible lid having an opening therethrough when the can is in a closed position, and the opening extends outward from the ear. the lug flange includes an outer surface portion, the end wall includes a wall portion surrounding the flange and extending at an angle relative to the outer surface portion of the flange; The lid portion has a central panel, a lever portion, and a joint connecting the central panel to the lever portion, the lever portion having an upwardly facing truncated conical shape when the central panel is placed generally horizontally. initially formed as a saw-shaped portion in a first position, and having a protrusion at a connection position with the coupling portion when viewed in longitudinal section, and positioning the lid portion over the opening of the metal end wall. and moving the lever portion to a downward position when the central panel is in a generally horizontal position, the protrusion is caused to touch at least one of the outer surfaces of the flange. the metal end wall and the lid are configured to sealingly engage a continuous annular portion and the lid is spaced from a majority of the inner surface of the flange; has a substantially frusto-conical annulus extending outwardly from the flange, and the lever portion is in intimate engagement with the frusto-conical annulus of the end wall when it is moved to the second position. A closure device characterized in that it has mating smooth surfaces to prevent the ingress of dust and the like between the lever part in the second position and the annular part of the wall part.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a closure device for a can, which comprises a metal end and a flexible lid, the metal end having an opening surrounded by a flange with ears that extends outward and upward, and at the outer edge thereof. adjacent attachment means, the metal end having an upwardly inwardly tapered portion between the attachment means and the flange, the flexible lid portion being connected to the center panel, the lever portion and the center panel; a connecting portion connecting the lever portion to the lever portion, the lever portion is initially formed as an upwardly facing truncated conical portion or a skirt portion, and the connecting portion with the connecting portion when viewed in longitudinal section. a protrusion on the metal end, the protrusion being mechanically hooked under the outer surface of the flange when the lid is placed over the opening in the metal end and the lever is flipped to an upward position; and the coupling portion forms a tangential relationship between the center panel and the flange to form a sealing contact with the outer surface of the flange, while the lever portion is in sealing contact with the outer surface of the flange. The closure device is characterized in that the metal end portion and the lid portion are configured such that the metal end portion and the lid portion abut against the tapered portion of the flange, and the lid portion is separated from the inner surface of the flange.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. The closure device 1 of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 consists of two parts: a metal end 2 and a flexible lid 4. The metal end 2 includes a bend 10 as is standard in industrial practice for double joining the closure device 1 to the can body. If desired, the bend 10 may be omitted, for example when adhesively joining the closure device to the can body. 1st
The inner panel wall 12 and the second inner panel wall 16 provide height and vertical strength to the end 2. panel wall 12,
Due to the height imparted by 16, the closure device 1
The pouring properties of the container are improved. A stacking ear 14 is provided for vertically and stably stacking the cans closed by the closing device 1 after filling.

The metal end 2 has an opening in the center and a flange band 1
8 is formed in its central opening. The flange strip 18 is oriented upwardly and outwardly relative to the opening in the end portion 2 and includes an outer surface 20, a top surface 22, and an inner surface 24. 1st
As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the flange 18 is formed by beading or edge bending the metal of the end portion 2. As explained below, this is not a requirement; instead, the flange 18 may be formed by inwardly directed beading.

In one embodiment, the lid 4 includes a central closure wall or panel 30 and a frusto-conical lever member or skirt 32 . The center panel 30 is tapered so that the thickness decreases from the center to the outer edge, thereby increasing the strength of the lid part 4. However, panel 30 may have a single thickness as shown in other embodiments. Lever member 3
2 increases in thickness from the joining position with the central panel 30 to the outer edge. However, as shown in other embodiments,
It may have other shapes, such as a thick circular ring around the outer edge or a constant thickness over its entire length. The lever member 32 is connected to the central panel 30 via an intermediate band 36 and defines a protrusion 34 at the inner end of the lever member 32 . It is desirable that the diameter of the protrusion 34 be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the flange 18. However, the diameter of the protrusion 34 may be slightly smaller than that of the flange 18, in which case an interference fit will result and the lid 4 can be quickly attached to the end 2.

If the lid part 4 or the metal end part 2 or both are heated to 35 to 49°C during installation, the lid part 4 to the metal end part 2 will be heated.
The degree of sealing is improved.

Possible materials for the metal end 2 include steel or aluminum alloys commonly used in can manufacturing, with aluminum being particularly preferred. The flexible lid portion 4 is made of rubber or plastic resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene, with polypropylene being particularly preferred.

In order to improve the compatibility of the sealing surfaces of the metal end 2 and the lid 4, a surface coating material may be applied to the sealing surfaces of both. Such coating materials are generally wax, lacquer, and the like. If it is necessary to reduce the gas transmission rate of the lid 4, use polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC).
The lid portion 4 may be coated with a low gas transmission rate material such as ethylene vinyl or alcohol.

In FIG. 2, the lid 4 is placed on the metal end, but the lid 4 is not yet closed. As shown in the figure, the central band 36 of the lid 4 is in contact with the curved portion of the upper surface 22 and outer surface 20 of the flange 18.
Central panel 30 is in contact with top surface 22 of flange 18. However, the inner surface 24 of the flange 18 is not in contact with the central panel 30 for reasons detailed below. Therefore, the central panel 30 has metal edges 2
It serves as a cover rather than a stopper for the central opening.

FIG. 2 also shows the piece 3 connected to the outer end of the lever 32.
8 is shown. This piece 38 is optional, but the lever 3
2 is provided so that the user can easily open the closure device.

In FIG. 3, the lid 4 is attached to the flange 1 of the metal end 2.
8 shows it about to be closed. The protrusion 34 approaches the outer surface 20 of the flange 18 while the intermediate band 36 remains in contact with the flange 18 in the aforementioned area. The center panel 30 remains in contact with the inner surface 24 of the flange 18.

The lever 32 has an arc shape. It takes on an arcuate shape due to the internal tension within the lid 4. As already mentioned, the lid part 4 is formed upright, that is, in the shape of an inverted umbrella. When the lever 32 is moved downward and the lid 4 is closed on the metal end 2, the internal force generated by the lever 32 moving downward from its initially formed upright state through its horizontal overcenter state causes the lever 32 to move downward. This tension creates a tension force that acts to pull lever 32 and protrusion 34 near center panel 30 to facilitate closure performance.

In FIG. 4, the lid 4 is completely closed on the metal end 2. The protrusion 34 is located on the outer surface 2 of the flange 18.
0 in a sealing engagement. It should be noted that in this embodiment the protrusion 34 does not extend completely below the edge 21 of the flange 18. If the lid 4 rests on the metal end 2 for a long time, the plastic material will undergo natural deformation. Therefore, in this embodiment, the lid portion 4 is formed in such a shape. If the protrusion 36
(FIG. 7), the plastic material will migrate into this area, making it difficult to remove the lid 4 from the metal end 2 and potentially damaging the flange 18. Such deformation of the plastic material, together with possible damage to the flange 18 during removal of the lid 4 from the metal end 2, makes repeated closures of the lid 4 onto the metal end 2 difficult and uncertain. make it a thing.

In addition to closing projection 34 to outer surface 20,
The intermediate band 36 is connected to the rest of the outer surface 20 and the flange 18.
sealingly engages an area tangential to the top surface 22 of the center panel 30 . The center panel is again not sealingly engaged with the inner surface 24 of the flange 18.

In the fully closed state, tension remains within the lever 32. After the lever 32 passes through the horizontal overcenter position, it does not return to the no-tension state, which is the reverse umbrella position during molding. This residual tension in the lever 32 causes the protrusion 34 to maintain a tight seal against the outer surface 20 of the flange 18. This residual tension results, at least in part, from the fact that the outermost portion of the skirt 32 is in contact with the wall 16 so that the skirt 32 cannot rotate downwardly any further. Theoretically lever 32
If it is not supported, the lid part 4 will easily become entangled with the end part 2 when the closure device is placed on the pressurized can.

FIG. 5 shows the closed state of the lid 4 on the modified can end 2A. The modified end 2A has an inwardly beaded or beveled flange 18A, forming an outer surface 20A, an upper surface 22A, and an inner surface 24A. In this modified closure device 1A, the outer surface 20A does not have a steep end and extends directly to the wall 16, so the protrusion 34 is not locked under the outer surface 20.

The lower surface of the center panel 30 is the upper surface 22 of the intermediate band 36.
The equilibrium part of the outer surface 20A and the upper surface 22A until it touches A.
It should be noted that contact with some of the As in the previous embodiment, the central panel 30 and flange 18
There is no sealing engagement between the inner surfaces 24A of A.

FIG. 6 shows a closing device 1 for closing a container 6 filled with a material 46 that generates internal pressure, such as soft drink or beer.
shows. The side wall 42 of the can has a flange 44 which is double joined to form the bend 10 in a conventional manner. The internal pressure within the container 6 causes the central panel 30 to bulge slightly outward, and the tension created on the central panel 30 by this internal pressure causes tension between the protrusion 34 and the outer surface 20 of the flange 18, and between the intermediate band 36 and the Engaging sealing surface 2
0,22 with an inward facing peripheral seal.
Therefore, the closure device 1 increases the internal pressure of the can 6, and there is no defective closure seen in conventional devices.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the flange portion of FIG.
The sealed area between the metal end 2 and the lid 4 mounted on the pressurized can 6 is shown. As seen in this figure, the protrusion 34 contacts a portion of the outer surface 20 of the flange 18, but no portion of the protrusion 34 is located below the end 21 of the outer surface 20. Therefore, there is no mechanical lock between the metal end 2 and the lid 4. The intermediate band 36 abuts the outer surface 20 of the flange 18 from the counterbalance to the top surface 22 at which point the center panel 30 abuts the flange 18 . Therefore, there is no seal between the central panel 30 and the inner surface 24 of the flange 18.

The reason for this sealing mechanism is obvious when considering that the closure device 1 is opened on the internal pressurized can 6. When the piece 38 or part of the lever is pulled upwards, the protrusion 34 and the intermediate band 36 separate from the flange 18 in the area where the piece 38 or lever 32 is pulled up. At this time, the flange 18 is separated by an amount corresponding to about 1/4 of the outer circumference. Furthermore, it is also possible to control the filtration exhaust pressure from inside the can 6. The lid 4 is raised from the metal end 2 while the other parts of the lever 32 may return to the molded reverse umbrella position.

When the central panel 30 is in sealing engagement with the inner surface 24 of the flange 18 so that the central panel 30 constitutes a plug for the aperture surrounded by the flange 18, by lifting the piece 38 or a portion of the lever 32 upwardly. It is impossible to control ventilation. It is necessary to return the entire lever 32 to the upright position while the internal pressure remains in the can 6, which results in a bad situation where the lid 4 is blown off by the internal pressure in the can 6. Therefore, it is important to limit the sealing area to the outer surface 20 and top surface 22 of the flange 18 and avoid sealing at the flat inner surface 24 of the flange 18.

FIG. 8 shows a case where the closure device 1 of the present invention is used in a can 6 for storing objects without internal pressure, such as water, peanuts 48 shown in the figure, and wine.

Since internal pressure cannot be generated within the can 6 and therefore the center panel 30 of the lid 4 does not deviate outward, there is no extra locking action on the lid 4 as described above, and the lid 4 is turned over. The tension created in the lever 32 thereby provides a sufficient seal to the closure device 1. In this respect, in this embodiment, each part of the lid part 4 is positioned relative to the metal end part 2 before the housing is closed with the closure device 1, as in FIG. Please note one thing.

FIG. 9 shows a plurality of occluding devices 1 arranged one above the other. As can be easily seen, the only point of contact between adjacent closure devices 1 is the outer edge 11 of the bend 10. There is no contact between the wall 16 of the adjacent closure device 1 and the lever 32 or piece 38.

The stacked closure devices are controlled from collapsing or shifting depending on the height of the curved portion 10. Curved part 10
The height of is such that the closure device can be stacked only at its edge 11. This height is higher than the vertical height of the flange 18 of the lid portion 4.

It is important that the occluding device 1 can be mounted one on top of the other. The closure device 1 is transported with the lid 4 attached to the metal end 2. Occlusion device 1 usually has 200 to 400
Stack the pieces, wrap them in paper, and transport them. Such closure devices are used by bottlers of soft drinks, beer, etc., which typically fill 800 to 2000 cans per minute on high-speed filling lines. When using the closure device 1 of the invention, the packer only needs to make minor modifications to his equipment. This is in contrast to other reusable closure devices for cans, which typically take the form of a cap or lid that closes only a small hole in the center for filling; This significantly increases the time required for the filling operation, resulting in slower operating speeds than are normally required in bottling operations.

Therefore, when using the closure device 1 of the present invention, a canner can use existing equipment as is with only slight modifications, rather than completely replacing the canning filling line with a bottling machine.

10-12 show other embodiments. As shown in FIG. 10, closure device 50 includes a flexible lid 52 (similar in structure to the flexible lid of the previous embodiment) and a metal end wall 54. As shown in FIG.

The flexible lid 52 is made from relatively hard nucleated polypropylene, such as the nucleated form of P7673-648G polypropylene with 1/2% talc called TENITE (P7673-838A) currently available from Eastman Kodak. This is desirable. The lid portion 52 includes a center panel portion 56 , a hem-shaped lever portion 58 , and an intermediate coupling portion 60 connecting the center panel portion 56 and the lever portion 58 .
In this embodiment, the lever portion 58 has a constant thickness.
Therefore, when the lid part 52 is placed on the metal end wall 54 and the opening 76 thereof is closed, the lower surface of the lever part 58 reliably comes into sealing contact with the annular surface part 61 of the end wall 54 below. As a result, the lever portion 58 and the annular surface portion 6
You can completely avoid the inconvenience of dust getting in between 1. Since the lever portion 58 is in contact with the annular surface portion 61, the lever portion 58 will not move downwardly from its desired position. Therefore, the lid portion 52
securely closes end wall 54. Since the annular surface portion 61 and the inner side of the lever portion 58 are in sealed surface contact, the possibility of the closure device 50 causing ventilation even if a downward axial load is applied to the center panel portion 56 is reduced. Lose it.

The coupling portion 60 of the flexible lid 52 includes a protrusion 62 which differs from the protrusion of the previous embodiment in that the protrusion 62 occupies an annular recess outside the neck portion 74 of the opening 76. This is accomplished by conforming the protrusion 62 to the outer curvature of the neck 74 while the closure device 50 is closed. This occurs despite the fact that the protrusion 62 is formed with a slightly smaller curvature than the curvature of the neck 74.
It is believed that when the protrusion 62 is shifted to the closed position, the protrusion 62 is aligned with the contour of the neck portion 74. Coupling portion 60 includes an annular recess 64 having the same curvature as ear 78 of inwardly facing flange 80 .
With this configuration, when the flexible lid is attached to the end wall 54 as shown in FIG. 10, the flange 80 provides a liquid tight seal.

The central panel portion 56 includes a frusto-conical annular wall 66 extending from the annular recess 64 to the inner surface 68 of the panel portion 56.
is formed. Inner surface 68 extends parallel to outer surface 70 of central panel portion 56 . With this configuration, vent control can be achieved even when pressure is applied to the closure device 50 because the components of the panel portion 56 are inwardly spaced from the inner surface of the opening 76 and are not in contact with the surface 77. Furthermore, because the central panel section 56 has a relatively constant thickness to its outer edge (as opposed to the tapered shape of the previous embodiment), even when the closure device is installed in a pressurized container, This acts to resist the action of the center panel portion 56 expanding outward. This helps prevent the disadvantage of venting the closure device 50 if a downward force is applied to the central panel portion of the closure device 50.

To assist in positioning the flexible lid 52 within the opening 76 in the end wall 54, a plurality of locating projections 72 extending perpendicularly to the outer surface 70 are provided to assist in positioning the flexible lid 52 within the opening 76 in the end wall 54. When placed on top, the neck portion 74 of the opening 76 is positioned slightly apart. An example of the arrangement of the positioning protrusions 72 is shown in FIG.

11, an enlarged cross-sectional view of a detail of the flange 80 of the metal end wall 54 with the flexible lid 52 removed is shown. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art how to form flange 80 into the shape shown in FIG. 11 on a metal working machine.

Initially, before the aperture 76 is formed, the end wall is in the form of a metal disc, and after going through multiple die forming steps, it is ready to form the aperture 76. Prior to forming the aperture, the area 76 from which the metal has been removed is subjected to a coining process that includes compaction with a die, whereby the area 76 adjacent to the end face 79 is formed by coining.
The stress in the metal of No. 7 is released, the thickness is reduced, and the elasticity is improved during the subsequent forming process, making it less likely to break. Furthermore, the end surface 79 is connected to the neck portion 74 of the opening 76.
Since the flange 80 faces inward, the outer surfaces of the flange 80, such as the curved surface 78, the flat annular surface 82, and the radial surface 84, are smooth.

A more important point is the plane 8 shown by the broken line in Figure 11.
6 and the smooth annular surface 82 extending upwardly therefrom is preferably about 30 DEG to 40 DEG, and preferably 35 DEG. This plane 86 is the neck portion 7 of the opening 76.
This is the plane that passes through the annular region of the smallest diameter part of No. 4. If this angular relationship is maintained, the 10th
The flexible lid 52 shown remains in sealing engagement with the flange 80 at surprisingly high pressures, and in some instances, the lid 52 remains in place on the flange even if the container metal succumbs to the excess pressure. Stop at. Angle A is approximately
If the angle is less than 30°, it will be difficult to separate the lid portion 52 from the metal end wall 54. If angle A is approximately 40° or more,
If the contents of the container are pressurized, the flexible lid will tend to slip over the flange 80. accordingly
It has been found that an angular range of 30° to 40°, particularly an angle of 35°, is convenient for securely retaining the flexible lid 52 to the end wall 54.

From FIG. 11, it can be seen that the upper end of the lug flange 80 includes a curved portion 78, which curved portion 78 forms a surface 64 of the lid portion 52.
It can be seen that the dimensions, shapes, and curvatures of their surfaces are substantially the same in the matching relationship. As a result, the lid portion 52 is attached to the flange 8 of the end wall 54.
0 and when the lid 52 is first placed in the opening 76 before the lever is placed in the downward position as shown in FIG.
surfaces 78 are in complete contact.

FIG. 11 shows the angle B of the wall 61 pointing upwardly and inwardly. Preferably, this angle B is in the range of about 25° to 35°, particularly about 25°. If this angle B exceeds about 35 degrees, the stackability of the closure device 50 will be reduced. If this angle B is less than 25 degrees, the performance of pouring out the contents from the metal end wall 54 will be degraded.

The sum of both angles A and B is in the range of approximately 55° to 75°, preferably 60°.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the flexible lid portion 52 of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the outer edge 88 of the lever portion 58 is provided with a tension piece 90 at opposing points, and the tension piece 90 has a space portion 96 integrally provided on the outer edge 88 of the lever portion 58 and a tension piece 90. Fragile connecting member 9 passed to the tip of the main body 94
2 is formed as a toy proof. As shown,
Although it is desirable to space the tension strips 90, a single tension strip may work well.

Because of this toy proof characteristic, the user can
By visually inspecting 4 to see if the coupling member 92 is broken, it can be determined whether or not the lid has been touched.

Unlike purely mechanical hinges, the lever portion 58 pivots around the hinge portion as it rotates from an upward position similar to FIG. 1 of the previously described embodiment to a downward position as shown in FIG. The hinge part is the joint part 60
When the lid part 52 is viewed from the side,
It is located below the curved portion of surface 64. In this configuration, when the lever portion 58 is in the upward position, the protruding portion 62
is in contact, although not completely, with the outermost portion of flange 80 when lid portion 52 is attached to flange 80. Therefore, with relatively simple modifications, existing closure machines can be used with the flexible lid of the present invention.

As with the previous embodiments, the closure devices of FIGS. 10-12 are also stackable, as shown by the dotted lines in FIG.

Although it has been explained as a closure device for metal cans,
It should be considered that synthetic cans or other similar structures may also be used with the closure device 1 of the invention.

As described above, the present invention provides a reusable closure device for standard cans and overcomes the drawbacks and limitations of known closure devices.

The closure device of the present invention is not limited by the illustrative embodiments, but rather by the claims.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, since the inner wall of the opening of the container and the lid are not in contact with each other, it is possible to control the ventilation inside and outside the container, and it also has a strong blocking effect and can be used for containers filled with atmospheric air. It can also be used for pressurized containers, and has the advantage that there is no risk of the hem portion engaging the flange being deformed and becoming difficult to remove or damaged due to its structure.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the closure device according to the present invention, showing the state immediately before the metal end is connected to the flexible lid. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the closure device of the present invention, showing the state immediately before the metal end is connected to the flexible lid FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the closure device of the present invention, showing a partially closed state; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the closure device of the present invention, showing a state in which the closure device is fully closed. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the closure device of the present invention including a modified example of the metal end portion, showing the closure device in a completely closed state. FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the flange region of FIG. 6, illustrating the sealing area of the closure device of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the closure device of the present invention used in a non-pressurized can. 9 is a sectional view of a multiple closure device according to the present invention, FIG. 10 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 shows details of the flange portion of the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 10; DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Closure device, 2... Metal end wall, 4... Lid part, 18... Flange, 20... Outer surface, 22...
Top surface, 24... Inner surface, 30... Center panel, 32
...Lever, 34...Protrusion.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In the closed position of the can, the can consists of a metal end wall and a flexible lid having an aperture therethrough, the aperture substantially forming a flange with ears that flare outwardly therewith. the lug flange includes an outer surface portion, the end wall includes a wall portion surrounding the flange and extending at an angle to the outer surface portion of the flange, and the flexible lid portion connects the center panel and the lever. and a coupling portion connecting the center panel to the lever portion, the lever portion being in a first position as an upwardly facing frusto-conical serration when the center panel is placed generally horizontally. is initially formed, and has a protruding portion at a connecting position with the coupling portion when viewed in longitudinal section, the lid portion is positioned over the opening of the metal end wall, and the lever portion is Movement of the lever portion into a second position, including movement to a downward position when the center panel is placed generally horizontally, causes the protrusion to sealingly engage at least a continuous annular portion of the outer surface of the flange. the metal end wall and the lid are configured such that the metal end wall engages with the flange and the lid is spaced from a large portion of the inner surface of the flange, and the wall portion of the metal end wall extends outwardly from the flange. a substantially frusto-conical annulus of the end wall, the lever portion having a smooth surface that closely engages the frusto-conical annulus of the end wall when the lever portion is moved to the second position; The closure device is characterized in that it prevents dust and the like from entering between the lever portion and the annular portion of the wall portion in the second position. 2. In the closure device according to claim 1,
The closure device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined angle between the wall and the outer surface of the flange is in the range of 55° to 75°. 3. In the closure device of claim 1,
The opening in the wall has a neck of minimum diameter relative to the rest of the wall and extends at an angle of about 30° to 40° with respect to a plane passing through the neck of the outer surface of the flange. A closure device characterized by: 4. In the occlusion device according to claim 1,
the center panel includes a substantially planar outer surface and a substantially planar inner surface substantially extending therefrom, the outer surface and the inner surface of the center panel having a truncated conical shape extending around the entire perimeter of the center panel; connected by shaped walls,
A closure device characterized in that the frusto-conical wall slopes inwardly toward the inner surface of the central panel away from the coupling portion of the lid. 5. The closure device of claim 4, wherein the frusto-conical wall has spaced abutment means for engaging the inner surface of the flange. 6. A closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the lever part has an outer edge and there is at least one pull piece connected to the outer edge of the lever part. Occlusion device. 7. The closure device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined angle is about 60°. 8. The closure device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined angle is approximately 70°. 9. A closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the flexible lid is formed from polypropylene. 10. The closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the flexible lid is made of polyethylene. 11. The closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the contact surface of the metal end portion is coated. 12. The closure device according to claim 11, wherein the coating is based on wax or lacquer. 13. The closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the lid portion is coated with a low gas transfer coefficient coating material. 14. The closure device according to claim 13, wherein the coating material contains polyvinylvinylidene chloride. 15. The closure device according to claim 13, wherein the coating material contains ethylene vinyl alcohol. 16. The closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the metal end wall is heated before assembly of the closure device. 17. The closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the lid portion is heated before being installed on the end wall. 18 In claim 17, the lid portion is
A closure device characterized by being heated to 35-49°C. 19 In the closure device according to claim 1, the ear flange includes a curved portion, and the lid portion has a surface corresponding to the size, shape, and curvature of the curved portion, thereby allowing the lever portion to A closure device characterized in that the curved portion and the surface are configured such that when the lid is initially placed in the opening prior to inversion to a downward position, the curved portion and the surface fully contact each other at the lid. 20. A can closure device comprising a metal end and a flexible lid, the metal end having an opening surrounded by an outwardly upwardly extending lug flange, and having attachment means adjacent the outer edge thereof. wherein the metal end has an upwardly inwardly tapered portion between the attachment means and the flange, and the flexible lid portion connects the center panel and the lever portion to the lever. a connecting portion, the lever portion being initially formed as an upwardly facing truncated conical portion or a skirt portion, and having a protruding portion at a connecting position with the connecting portion when viewed in longitudinal section; , when the lid portion is placed over the opening in the metal end and the lever portion is flipped to an upward position, the protrusion engages the outer surface of the flange without being mechanically hooked under the outer surface of the flange. in sealing contact,
and the coupling portion forms a tangential relationship between the center panel and the flange and sealingly contacts the flange, while the lever portion abuts against the tapered portion of the metal end, and A closure device characterized in that the metal end portion and the lid portion are configured such that the lid portion is separated from the inner surface of the flange. 21. In the closure device of claim 20, the upper end of the ear flange includes a curved portion, and the lid portion includes a surface corresponding to the size, shape, and curvature of the curved portion, thereby allowing the lid portion to be closed. A closure device characterized in that when initially installed in an opening and flipped over to a downward position with the lever portion, the surface and the curved portion are in complete intimate contact with each other. 22 In the closure device of Claim 21, when viewed in longitudinal section, the surface of the lug flange is a straight line just below the curved portion, and the surface of the lid portion is in line with the curved portion. A closure device characterized in that it is straight just below the corresponding surface, so that upon said everting action, both straight surfaces come into contact with each other with virtually no sliding between them.