US3462042A - Tear top can with captive tear strip - Google Patents

Tear top can with captive tear strip Download PDF

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Publication number
US3462042A
US3462042A US609198A US3462042DA US3462042A US 3462042 A US3462042 A US 3462042A US 609198 A US609198 A US 609198A US 3462042D A US3462042D A US 3462042DA US 3462042 A US3462042 A US 3462042A
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Prior art keywords
tear strip
tear
pull tab
score line
strip
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Expired - Lifetime
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US609198A
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Ralph J Stolle
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Stolle Corp
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Stolle Corp
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D17/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers specially constructed to be opened by cutting or piercing, or by tearing of frangible members or portions
    • B65D17/28—Rigid or semi-rigid containers specially constructed to be opened by cutting or piercing, or by tearing of frangible members or portions at lines or points of weakness
    • B65D17/401—Rigid or semi-rigid containers specially constructed to be opened by cutting or piercing, or by tearing of frangible members or portions at lines or points of weakness characterised by having the line of weakness provided in an end wall
    • B65D17/4012—Rigid or semi-rigid containers specially constructed to be opened by cutting or piercing, or by tearing of frangible members or portions at lines or points of weakness characterised by having the line of weakness provided in an end wall for opening partially by means of a tearing tab

Definitions

  • a tear top can having in a can end a score line defining a tear strip to which a pull tab is secured wherein the tear strip extends diametrically substantially across the entire can end and is relatively wide at one end and relatively narrow at the other end, the score line being interrupted at the narrow end of said strip and the pull tab being secured to said strip adjacent its side end, whereby said tear strip when pulled open remains attached to the can but can be bent over the can side when it is desired to drink directly from the can.
  • Copending application Ser. No. 504,746, filed Oct. 24, 1965, in the name of Stolle et al., and entitled Pull Tab For Beverage Cans and the Like relates to a specific construction of pull tab similar to the pull tab shown herein.
  • This invention is in the field of tear top cans such as are now commonly used in the packaging of beer and soft drinks wherein a tear strip is defined in the can end by a score line and the tear strip is adapted to be torn out of the can end by means of a pull tab grasped with the fingers.
  • Tear top cans have been provided in a number of forms but for beverage purposes the tear strip is generally defined by a keyhole shaped score line, the narrow end of which circumscribes the center of the can end and the wide end of which lies adjacent the rim of the can.
  • the pull tab is secured to the tear strip within the score line at the center of the can end and in opening the can for use, the can end is first ruptured adjacent the center around the rivet and the tear strip is then torn out toward the rim of the can.
  • the tear strip and pull tab are then discarded and the contents of the can may be poured through the opening thus provided or the contents may be consumed directly from the can since the wide end of the opening is at the rim of the can and the narrow portion of the opening extending toward the center of the can provides for the necessary venting.
  • the present invention provides a tear strip and pull tab arrangement whereby the tear strip and pull tab remainattached to the can so that they will be discarded with the can. People are less likely to throw an empty beer can on the ground than they are to throw a tear strip on the ground and thus it is more likely that the entire waste can and tear strip will be disposed in a garbage can or the like. Even if the consumer still carelessly throws the can to the ground, it constitutes a more readily visible object and a child is less likely to step on it and suffer injury.
  • the tear strip is arranged to extend substantially entirely across the can end more or less diametrically thereof and to have its large end (or drinking end) adjacent the rim of the can at one end of the diameter and the score line is interrupted across the narrow end of the tear strip so that the tear strip cannot be torn completely from the can.
  • the pull tab is secured to the tear strip within the score line by a rivet or the like adjacent its wide end so that the strip is torn from its wide end (the drinking end) toward the narrow end (the captive end). If it is desired to drink directly from the can, the tear strip with the pull tab secured thereto is simply bent over the side of the can which of course will be the side away from the consumers mouth.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of a can according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the tear strip torn out for use.
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing how the tear strip and pull tab are bent over the far side of the can so as not to interfere with drinking from the can.
  • the can 10 has a score line 11 in the can end 12.
  • the configuration of the score line is perhaps best seen in FIG. 2 and it will be seen that it has a wide end 13 and a narrow end 14 and that it extends substantially across the can end generally on a diameter thereof.
  • the score line 11 is interrupted at 14 and the ends of the score line 11 flare outwardly as at 15- so as to make it impossible to entirely remove the tear strip 16 from the can end.
  • the pull tab 17, which itself does not form a part of the present invention and which is described in said copending application Ser. No. 504,746, is secured to the tear strip 16 by means of the rivet 18.
  • This rivet may be formed of the material of the can end or it may be a separate rivet. The specific fastening of the pull tab to the tear strip does not constitute a part of the present invention.
  • the pull tab 17 is raised and the rivet 18, acting as a fulcrum, causes the end of the pull tab to rupture the score line in the region 13. Then as the pull tab is pulled upwardly, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, or toward the right as seen in FIG. 3, the curved sides of the score line are progressively ruptured until the tear strip has been pulled to the position of FIG. 2 where the score line 11 flares outwardly as at 15 and prevents further rupture.
  • the tear strip 16 with the pull tab 17 is then simply bent over the side of the can as best seen in FIG. 3. In this condition the contents of the can may be consumed directly 'by placing the lips adjacent the portion 13 constituting the wide end of the tear strip. Thus, as seen in FIG. 3 the lips would be placed at the point L.
  • the tear strip then will in no Way interfere with the drinking from the can and yet the tear strip remains secured to the can to be discarded with the can.
  • a beverage can and the like having a score line in the end, said score line defining a tear strip, and a pull tab for removing said tear strip secured to the can end within the area defined by said score line; said tear strip extending diametrically substantially entirely across said can end and being wide and rounded adjacent the can rim at one end, and being narrower, with said score line interrupted, at the other end adjacent the can rim.
  • score line is shaped to define a tear strip which becomes narrower from its wide end as it approaches its narrow end and terminates in an outward flare, the distance between the terminal points of said score line being greater than the width of the tear strip at its narrowest point.

Description

1 8 19,1959 I v R. J. STOLLE 3,462,042
TEAR I OP CAN WITHCAPTIVE TEAR STRIP Filed Jan. 13, 1967 wm raz RALPH JSmLLE,
8y MLLV/LLE, ST/zAssE/e, Fosmgfl/orFMAN I United States Patent 3,462,042 TEAR TOP CAN WITH CAPTIVE TEAR STRIP Ralph J. Stolle, Lebanon, Ohio, assignor to The Stolle Corporation, Sidney, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 609,198 Int. Cl. B65d 17/20 US. Cl. 220-54 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tear top can having in a can end a score line defining a tear strip to which a pull tab is secured wherein the tear strip extends diametrically substantially across the entire can end and is relatively wide at one end and relatively narrow at the other end, the score line being interrupted at the narrow end of said strip and the pull tab being secured to said strip adjacent its side end, whereby said tear strip when pulled open remains attached to the can but can be bent over the can side when it is desired to drink directly from the can.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Copending application Ser. No. 431,601, filed Feb. 10, 1965, in the name of Stolle et al., entitled Tear Top Can relates to a tear strip and pull tab arrangement wherein the tear strip is broken inwardly as the pull tab is raised and the tear strip is then torn upwardly in a direction opposite to that in which the pull tab is moved for the initial rupture.
Copending applications Ser. No. 463,499, filed June 14, 1965, in the name of Stolle et al., entitled Scored Metal Can and Method of Manufacturing the Same relates to the precoining of the can end in the region which will be scored so as to insure that the score line will leave throughout its extent a constant thickness of metal to be torn.
Copending application Ser. No. 504,746, filed Oct. 24, 1965, in the name of Stolle et al., and entitled Pull Tab For Beverage Cans and the Like relates to a specific construction of pull tab similar to the pull tab shown herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is in the field of tear top cans such as are now commonly used in the packaging of beer and soft drinks wherein a tear strip is defined in the can end by a score line and the tear strip is adapted to be torn out of the can end by means of a pull tab grasped with the fingers.
Tear top cans have been provided in a number of forms but for beverage purposes the tear strip is generally defined by a keyhole shaped score line, the narrow end of which circumscribes the center of the can end and the wide end of which lies adjacent the rim of the can. Generally, the pull tab is secured to the tear strip within the score line at the center of the can end and in opening the can for use, the can end is first ruptured adjacent the center around the rivet and the tear strip is then torn out toward the rim of the can. The tear strip and pull tab are then discarded and the contents of the can may be poured through the opening thus provided or the contents may be consumed directly from the can since the wide end of the opening is at the rim of the can and the narrow portion of the opening extending toward the center of the can provides for the necessary venting.
One of the problems which has been encountered with tear top cans of the class described above is that the pull tab with the tear strip is discarded and if a, waste recep- 3,462,042 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 tacle is not conveniently at hand, and human nature being what it is, the tear strip is generally thrown to the ground. This not only litters the area where the soft drink or beer is being consumed, but it produces a substantial hazard in picnic areas and the like where children will run around barefoot. There have been a great many cases of severe lacerations of the soles of the feet of children who have accidentally stepped on such discarded tear strips.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a tear strip and pull tab arrangement whereby the tear strip and pull tab remainattached to the can so that they will be discarded with the can. People are less likely to throw an empty beer can on the ground than they are to throw a tear strip on the ground and thus it is more likely that the entire waste can and tear strip will be disposed in a garbage can or the like. Even if the consumer still carelessly throws the can to the ground, it constitutes a more readily visible object and a child is less likely to step on it and suffer injury.
In the provision of a tear strip which will be captive, a departure must be made from the conventional arrangement because if the tear strip were arranged to be removed as is now usually the case, it would interfere with drinking directly from the can. Similarly, if the tear strip were simply reversed as to the direction of its removal, the tear strip would remain captive at the center of the can end where the user would be in danger of a laceration of the nose when drinking from the can.
According to the present invention the tear strip is arranged to extend substantially entirely across the can end more or less diametrically thereof and to have its large end (or drinking end) adjacent the rim of the can at one end of the diameter and the score line is interrupted across the narrow end of the tear strip so that the tear strip cannot be torn completely from the can. The pull tab is secured to the tear strip within the score line by a rivet or the like adjacent its wide end so that the strip is torn from its wide end (the drinking end) toward the narrow end (the captive end). If it is desired to drink directly from the can, the tear strip with the pull tab secured thereto is simply bent over the side of the can which of course will be the side away from the consumers mouth.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a can according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the tear strip torn out for use.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing how the tear strip and pull tab are bent over the far side of the can so as not to interfere with drinking from the can.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT According to the preferred embodiment, the can 10 has a score line 11 in the can end 12. The configuration of the score line is perhaps best seen in FIG. 2 and it will be seen that it has a wide end 13 and a narrow end 14 and that it extends substantially across the can end generally on a diameter thereof. As best seen in FIG. 1, the score line 11 is interrupted at 14 and the ends of the score line 11 flare outwardly as at 15- so as to make it impossible to entirely remove the tear strip 16 from the can end.
The pull tab 17, which itself does not form a part of the present invention and which is described in said copending application Ser. No. 504,746, is secured to the tear strip 16 by means of the rivet 18. This rivet may be formed of the material of the can end or it may be a separate rivet. The specific fastening of the pull tab to the tear strip does not constitute a part of the present invention.
In order to remove the tear strip, the pull tab 17 is raised and the rivet 18, acting as a fulcrum, causes the end of the pull tab to rupture the score line in the region 13. Then as the pull tab is pulled upwardly, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, or toward the right as seen in FIG. 3, the curved sides of the score line are progressively ruptured until the tear strip has been pulled to the position of FIG. 2 where the score line 11 flares outwardly as at 15 and prevents further rupture. The tear strip 16 with the pull tab 17 is then simply bent over the side of the can as best seen in FIG. 3. In this condition the contents of the can may be consumed directly 'by placing the lips adjacent the portion 13 constituting the wide end of the tear strip. Thus, as seen in FIG. 3 the lips would be placed at the point L. The tear strip then will in no Way interfere with the drinking from the can and yet the tear strip remains secured to the can to be discarded with the can.
It will be understood that various minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and no limitation is therefore intended other than as set forth in the following claims.
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A beverage can and the like having a score line in the end, said score line defining a tear strip, and a pull tab for removing said tear strip secured to the can end within the area defined by said score line; said tear strip extending diametrically substantially entirely across said can end and being wide and rounded adjacent the can rim at one end, and being narrower, with said score line interrupted, at the other end adjacent the can rim.
2. The article of claim 1, wherein said score line is shaped to define a tear strip which becomes narrower from its wide end as it approaches its narrow end and terminates in an outward flare, the distance between the terminal points of said score line being greater than the width of the tear strip at its narrowest point.
References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,329 2/1936 Ljungstrom et a1. 22054 3,215,306 11/1965 Simpson et a1 22054 3,327,891 6/1967 Smyth 22054 GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner
US609198A 1967-01-13 1967-01-13 Tear top can with captive tear strip Expired - Lifetime US3462042A (en)

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Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3757989A (en) * 1970-12-31 1973-09-11 Fraze Ermal C Can end with inseparable tear strip
DE2819468A1 (en) * 1977-06-06 1978-12-14 Stolle Corp SOCKET WITH BUILT-IN OPENER
FR2394456A1 (en) * 1977-06-17 1979-01-12 Sauter Blechverpackung CONTAINER WITH LID TO TEAR
WO1981001128A1 (en) * 1979-10-26 1981-04-30 K Edlund Can closure provided with opening tab
US4322015A (en) * 1975-01-08 1982-03-30 Bailey John A Container lid
EP0074223A1 (en) * 1981-09-03 1983-03-16 STOLLE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Easy open can end with pull tab having retained tear strip with stress relief means
US4465204A (en) * 1983-07-13 1984-08-14 The Stolle Corporation Pull tab for easy open end
US4530631A (en) * 1983-07-13 1985-07-23 The Stolle Corporation Pull tab for easy open can end-method of manufacture thereof
US4930658A (en) * 1989-02-07 1990-06-05 The Stolle Corporation Easy open can end and method of manufacture thereof
US5975327A (en) * 1998-02-26 1999-11-02 Funk; Gerald L. Covering tab for a beverage can opening
US20100294812A1 (en) * 2006-12-22 2010-11-25 Portola Packaging, Inc Internal container bore mount fitment
US20110030588A1 (en) * 2009-08-07 2011-02-10 Jim Baechle Pallet for bulk bags and the like
US20130284742A1 (en) * 2012-04-25 2013-10-31 Alan Jung Easy Open Lid
US20140008367A1 (en) * 2012-05-25 2014-01-09 Boston Beer Corporation Beverage delivery can
US20160325880A1 (en) * 2014-01-08 2016-11-10 International Patents And Brands Corporation Lid for containers of substances and container of substances comprising said lid

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2029329A (en) * 1932-10-21 1936-02-04 Transitoria Ab Device for opening cans
US3215306A (en) * 1964-02-17 1965-11-02 Continental Can Co Pull tab
US3327891A (en) * 1965-03-15 1967-06-27 Fraze Ermal C Can end with inseparable tear strip

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2029329A (en) * 1932-10-21 1936-02-04 Transitoria Ab Device for opening cans
US3215306A (en) * 1964-02-17 1965-11-02 Continental Can Co Pull tab
US3327891A (en) * 1965-03-15 1967-06-27 Fraze Ermal C Can end with inseparable tear strip

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3757989A (en) * 1970-12-31 1973-09-11 Fraze Ermal C Can end with inseparable tear strip
US4322015A (en) * 1975-01-08 1982-03-30 Bailey John A Container lid
DE2819468A1 (en) * 1977-06-06 1978-12-14 Stolle Corp SOCKET WITH BUILT-IN OPENER
FR2393733A1 (en) * 1977-06-06 1979-01-05 Stolle Corp EASY OPEN BOX COVER
FR2394456A1 (en) * 1977-06-17 1979-01-12 Sauter Blechverpackung CONTAINER WITH LID TO TEAR
WO1981001128A1 (en) * 1979-10-26 1981-04-30 K Edlund Can closure provided with opening tab
EP0074223A1 (en) * 1981-09-03 1983-03-16 STOLLE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Easy open can end with pull tab having retained tear strip with stress relief means
US4530631A (en) * 1983-07-13 1985-07-23 The Stolle Corporation Pull tab for easy open can end-method of manufacture thereof
US4465204A (en) * 1983-07-13 1984-08-14 The Stolle Corporation Pull tab for easy open end
US4930658A (en) * 1989-02-07 1990-06-05 The Stolle Corporation Easy open can end and method of manufacture thereof
US5975327A (en) * 1998-02-26 1999-11-02 Funk; Gerald L. Covering tab for a beverage can opening
US20100294812A1 (en) * 2006-12-22 2010-11-25 Portola Packaging, Inc Internal container bore mount fitment
US20110030588A1 (en) * 2009-08-07 2011-02-10 Jim Baechle Pallet for bulk bags and the like
US20130284742A1 (en) * 2012-04-25 2013-10-31 Alan Jung Easy Open Lid
US20140008367A1 (en) * 2012-05-25 2014-01-09 Boston Beer Corporation Beverage delivery can
US9162794B2 (en) * 2012-05-25 2015-10-20 Boston Beer Corporation Beverage delivery can
US20160325880A1 (en) * 2014-01-08 2016-11-10 International Patents And Brands Corporation Lid for containers of substances and container of substances comprising said lid
US10501229B2 (en) * 2014-01-08 2019-12-10 International Patents And Brands Corporation Lid for containers of substances and container of substances comprising said lid

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