US3602390A - Opening tab - Google Patents
Opening tab Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3602390A US3602390A US886901A US3602390DA US3602390A US 3602390 A US3602390 A US 3602390A US 886901 A US886901 A US 886901A US 3602390D A US3602390D A US 3602390DA US 3602390 A US3602390 A US 3602390A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- depression
- opening
- tab
- container according
- bottom wall
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- 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
- the removable panel is defined by at least one weakening score which is impressed directly into the metal of the can and may take any suitable shape.
- the score is usually shaped to provide an elongated keyhole-shaped opening which permits easy vented flow of the liquid, while in containers designed to contain solid products, the score comprises a tearing line which rims an entire wall of the can to permit complete removal of the wall to provide ready access to the contents.
- the opening tab generally takes the form of a rigid lever which is permanently secured to the can wall by a rivet which is formed integral with the removable wall panel and passes through a small opening formed in one end of the tab, the end of the tab opposite its riveted end being formed into a handle which is engageable by a finger of the user, who first lifts the handle portion of the tab upwardly away from the can wall to thereby cause a part of the tab to exert a fulcruming force on the metal on one side of the score or on the score itself to initiate the breaking out of the metal in the weakened score line in an area surrounding the rivet.
- the present invention has made possible a substantial reduction in the force required to initiate the breakout of the scored area by providing the tab in the area around the rivet opening with a new and improved strengthened wall construction which has the effect of moving the fulcrum of the opening tab much closer to the rivet than has heretofore beenpossible,
- the present invention further permits reduction in the gauge of tab stock to be used, thus resulting in a substantial reduction in cost of materials.
- the opening tab involved in the present invention has at one end a handle and at the other end a frustrum-shaped depression with an opening centrally located in the bottom wall of the depression for receiving the rivet on a can wall.
- the depression in the tab has a new and improved construction, which strengthens the tab and thus allows for the use of smaller gauge tab stock, comprised of a convexly shaped bottom wall having an outer thinned annular web and an inner thickened annular washer therein, a sidewall having an annular corrugation therein and an annular reinforcement bead surrounding the top outer periphery of the depression.
- the convex shape of the bottom wall allows only the outer peripheral edge thereof to DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
- FIG. 1 is a plan view of an end closure embodying the present invention
- FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the depression area of the opening tab in securement with a rivet and its associated removable panel.
- FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view similar to that shown in FIG. 2, but showing the depression area of the opening tab with the rivet and its associated removable panel omitted.
- FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose a circular can end closure 110, preferably formedof a suitable metal such as aluminum, tin plate or steel, formed with a circular central wall 12.
- a keyhole-shaped removable panel 14 in the wall 12 is defined by an endless score 16 which is indented directly into the metal of the end closure 10 in a conventional manner.
- the removable panel 14 may be given any desired shape, and, further, it may be positioned on any wall of the can, be it a body wall or an end wall.
- the score 16 extends semicircularly around an upwardly extending hollow rivet 20 which is formed integral with the removable panel 14 and may be disposed at the center of the end closure 10, for purposes of symmetry to facilitate handling.
- An opening tab generally designated 22, provided for securement to the removable panel 14 via the rivet 20, has a generally flat body 24 with a handle 26 formed at one end of 'the body 24 and a frustrum-shaped depression, generally designated 28, formed at the other end of the body 24.
- the handle 26 may be in a ring-shaped form or any other suitable shape.
- FIG. 3 illustrates the opening tab 22 substantially as it is shown in FIG. 2 except that the tab 22 is shown by itself, without the rivet 20.
- the depression 28 has a convexly formed bottom wall 30 defining an opening 32 for receiving the rivet 20.
- the rivet 20 fills the opening 32 with the top of the rivet, an enlarged head 34, formed as a consequence of the riveting operation, overlying the metal of the tab 22 around the periphery of opening 32.
- the rivet20 may, if desired, be of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,797.
- the convex shape of the bottom wall 30 of the depression 28 is such that only the peripheral edge 33 of the bottom wall 30 contacts the removable panel 14.
- the bottom wall edge portion 35 which is on the side of the rivet 20 opposite from the score 16, acts to exert a fulcruming force on the score 16 to initiate the breaking out of the metal in the score 16 in the area adjacent to and partially surrounding the rivet 20.
- the convex shape of the bottom wall 30 also assures that, during the can opening operation, the diameter of the opening 32 in the tab 22 will decrease in area when the tab 22 is pulled and will not increase in area to allow the tab 22 to separate from the rivet 20 of the removable panel 1-4. In other words, the upward pull on the tab 22 will tend to tighten the tab stock about the rivet 20, rather than enlarge the opening 32.
- the bottom wall 30 of the depression 28 further has an outer thinned annular web 36.
- the web 36 is formed by coining the metal in this area of the bottom wall 30 to cause a portion of the metal to move radially into the central area of the bottom wall 30.
- the outer annular portion of the bottom wall is coined to a thickness of 0.0l0 inches to form the thinned annular web.
- the periphery of the opening 32 forms an inner thickened annular washer 38.
- the thinned annularweb 36, in relation to the thickened annular washer 38, is thereby made flexible to allow flexing of the tab, which may occur in the area of the depression 28 during the can opening operation to occur in the web 36, and not in the periphery of the opening 32, the thickened annular washer 38.
- the metal around the opening 32 which forms the thickened washer 38 is stronger than the metal which forms the thinned web 36. Therefore, as a complement to the function performed by the convex bottom wall 30, the web 36 and the washer 38 function to prevent distortion of the opening 32 from occurring during the upward pull on the tab 22 in the can opening operation.
- the sidewall 39 of the depression 28 is annularly corrugated to form an intermediate step 40 to prevent sidewall flexure during the can opening operation.
- annular reinforcement bead 42 at least partially surrounds the top outer periphery of the depression 28 so that the remainder of the tab 22 is below the top of the bead 42. Also, the provision of this bead 42 will prevent bending or distortion of the depression 28.
- An opening tab for a container having a removable panel in a container wall comprising: a generally flat body; a handle formed at one end of the body; a frustrum-shaped depression formed at the other end of the body; and a bottom wall convexly formed in the depression having an opening defined therein for reception of a rivet for securement of the tab to the removable panel in the container wall such that only the peripheral edge of said bottom wall contacts said removable panel.
- An opening tab for a container according to claim 1 further comprising:
- An opening tab for a container according to claim 1 further comprising:
- An opening tab for a container according to claim 1 further comprising:
- An opening tab for a container according to claim 1 further comprising:
- An opening tab for a container according to claim 2 further comprising:
- An opening tab for a container according to claim 2 further comprising:
- An opening tab for a container according to claim 2 further comprising:
- An opening tab for a container according to claim 6 further comprising:
- An opening tab for a container according to claim 6 further comprising:
- annular bead formed at least partially around the top outer periphery of the depression.
- An opening tab for a container according to claim 9 further comprising:
- annular bead formed at least partially around the top outer periphery of the depression.
- a container component comprising:
- an opening tab having a generally flat body
- annular bead formed at least partially around the top outer periphery of the depression.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Containers Opened By Tearing Frangible Portions (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims (23)
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US88690169A | 1969-12-22 | 1969-12-22 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3602390A true US3602390A (en) | 1971-08-31 |
Family
ID=25390034
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US886901A Expired - Lifetime US3602390A (en) | 1969-12-22 | 1969-12-22 | Opening tab |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US3602390A (en) |
CA (1) | CA936111A (en) |
GB (1) | GB1323738A (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20080017640A1 (en) * | 2006-07-20 | 2008-01-24 | Crown Packaging Technology Inc. | Can end having curved end panel surfaces |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2291030A (en) * | 1994-07-01 | 1996-01-17 | Docs Colour Word And Image Pro | Device for opening a container |
-
1969
- 1969-12-22 US US886901A patent/US3602390A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1970
- 1970-10-13 CA CA095390A patent/CA936111A/en not_active Expired
- 1970-12-21 GB GB6046470A patent/GB1323738A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20080017640A1 (en) * | 2006-07-20 | 2008-01-24 | Crown Packaging Technology Inc. | Can end having curved end panel surfaces |
US8191726B2 (en) * | 2006-07-20 | 2012-06-05 | Crown Packaging Technology, Inc. | Can end having curved end panel surfaces |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CA936111A (en) | 1973-10-30 |
GB1323738A (en) | 1973-07-18 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: AMERICAN NATIONAL CAN COMPANY, STATELESS Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNORS:AMERICAN CAN PACKAGING INC.;TRAFALGAR INDUSTRIES, INC. (MERGED INTO);NATIONAL CAN CORPORATION (CHANGED TO);REEL/FRAME:004835/0354 Effective date: 19870430 Owner name: AMERICAN NATIONAL CAN COMPANY Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNORS:AMERICAN CAN PACKAGING INC.;TRAFALGAR INDUSTRIES, INC. (MERGED INTO);NATIONAL CAN CORPORATION (CHANGED TO);REEL/FRAME:004835/0354 Effective date: 19870430 Owner name: AMERICAN CAN PACKAGING INC., CONNECTICUT Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, A NJ CORP.;REEL/FRAME:004835/0338 Effective date: 19861107 Owner name: AMERICAN CAN PACKAGING INC., AMERICAN LANE, GREENW Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, A NJ CORP.;REEL/FRAME:004835/0338 Effective date: 19861107 |