US3734343A

US3734343A - Easy-open composite container

Info

Publication number: US3734343A
Application number: US00155315A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Griffith
Original assignee: Owens Illinois Inc
Current assignee: Automated Container Corp
Priority date: 1971-06-21
Filing date: 1971-06-21
Publication date: 1973-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 1990-05-22

Abstract

An easy-open composite container is provided and comprises a composite can body, a pair of metal ends, and an opening tab (either plastic, metal, or a combination of materials) which are combined in such a manner so as to facilitate opening of the composite container by pulling up on the opening tab. One of the metal end components is thereby completely removed from the composite container body by the upward force exerted on the opening tab. The opening tab is mechanically joined to the metal end component by double seaming or other process. The metal end component may be easily reapplied to the fiber can body for continued packaging of the contents therein by forcing the end closure back into compression fit engagement with the fiber can body.

Description

United States Patent [191 1 May 22, 1973 Griffith [54] EASY-OPEN COMPOSITE CONTAINER [75] Inventor: Edwin D. Griiflth, Pemberville,

Ohio

[73] Assignee: Owens-Il1inois,1nc., Toledo, Ohio [22] Filed: June 21, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 155,315

[52] 11.8. CI ..220/47, 215/46 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 43/02 [58] Field of Search ..220/47, 53; 215/46 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,449,186 9/1948 Wales ..220/47 1,652,668 12/1927 Greenwald ..220/47 1,748,800 2/1930 Sebell 220/47 X 1,800,791 4/1931 Gunter ..220/47 1,847,528 3/1932 Gunter ..220/47 1,998,372 4/1935 Laycock... 220/47 X 2,207,757 7/1940 Reardon ..220/47 2,344,325 3/1944 Punte ....220/47 3,224,627 12/1965 Dielmann et a1. ..220/47 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 21,099 1/1911 Norway ..220/53 Primary Examiner-Robert S. Ward, Jr. Attorney Alan J. Steger and E. J. Holler [57] ABSTRACT An easy-open composite container is provided and comprises a composite can body, a pair of metal ends, and an opening tab (either plastic, metal, or a combination of materials) which are combined in such a manner so as to facilitate opening of the composite container by pulling up on the opening tab. One of the metal end components is thereby completely removed from the composite container body by the upward force exerted on the opening tab. The opening tab is mechanically joined to the metal end component by double seaming or other process. The metal end component may be easily reapplied to the fiber can body for continued packaging of the contents therein by forcing the end closure back into compression fit engagement with the fiber can body.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures Patented May 22, 1973 3,734,343

IN VENTOR.

Eowm D. Gra'FFlTH A 6 5 E, J. H Hev ATFQIZMGHS EASY-OPEN COMPOSITE CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to containers and, more partic ularly, relates to a composite container constructed of relatively lightweight materials which incorporates an easy-open feature.

In recent years, there have been introduced a number of different types of lightweight, composite containers constructed of lower strength materials which are considerably less expensive than typical metal containers. Examples of such inexpensive containers include those constructed from fiber and plastic materials. Such inexpensive containers normally are comprised of a cylindrical fiber body which is closed at both ends by means of metal end components. Such composite containers are both lighter in weight and less expensive than comparable metal containers formed from tinplate and aluminum.

However, such inexpensive and lightweight composite containers have encountered problems in packaging applications where it is desirable to be able to reapply the end component to the composite can body for continued storage of a portion of the contents of the composite container. Typically, the metal end components have been attached directly to the composite can body by means of a double seaming method. Such a doubleseamed composite container requires the use of a can opener to gain access to the contents or requires a specially scored end component so that reapplication of the end component to the composite can body is impossible.

Thus, there is a significant need for and it is an object of this invention to provide a lightweight and inexpensive container which incorporates an easy-open feature which facilitates the quick and convenient removal of an end component from the can body and allows reapplication of the end component to the can body for continued storage of the product contained therein.

Other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following detailed description and the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lightweight composite container incorporating the easy-open feature of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the combined composite can body metal end component and easyopening tab prior to their being attached together.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the components of FIG. 2 showing them in their final connected position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, this invention provides a substantially rigid container which may be constructed of fiber, plastic, lightweight metal, or combinations of such materials and which incorporates an easy-open feature. This invention provides for the use of an easy-opening tab which is used in combination with a composite can body and a pair of metal end components in such a manner as to facilitate opening of the container by pulling up on the tab which has been mechanically joined to one of the metal end components by double seaming or other process. The entire end component may be removed from the container body by exertion of an upward force on the opening tab. In addition, the metal end component may be reapplied to the composite can body for continued storage of the product container therein.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, features a fiber type container, it should be clear that the invention is equally well suited to be used in conjunction with a thin-walled container constructed of lightweight metal, plastic, etc.

More particularly, FIG. 1 shows a cylindrical container 10 formed from a thin-walled fiber can 12 and a pair of

metal end closures

14 and 16. The construction of the cylindrical fiber can 12 is of a standard fiber can configuration and can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The fiber can 12 is comprised of a layer of structural material 18 sandwiched between an outer label 19 and an inner liner 20 which is laminated or bonded to the inside of the structural material layer 18. It should be understood that a variety of different materials can be utilized to produce the structural material layer 18, the outer label 19, and the inner liner 20. As examples of suitable such materials, the inner liner 20 may be formed of a lamination of 0.00035 in. aluminum foil and 25 lb. per ream paper. The structural material layer 18 could be formed from a number of layers of can stock grade natural kraft linerboard. The outer label 19 may be a lamination of 0.001 in. white pigmented high density polyethylene and 25 lb. per ream natural kraft paper. The high density polyethylene in this example would serve as an outer protective coating for the natural kraft paper. Likewise, the inner liner 20 formed of aluminum foil and paper is positioned so as to be in contact with the product being contained within the container 10 and keeps the product out of contact with the structural layer 18.

The

metal end closures

14 and 16 are of a standard type used in connection with composite containers and may be identical with each other. However, it is suggested that the end closure 16, which is to be removable and compression fit to the fiber can body 12, have a larger than normal countersink depth (the distance between the uppermost extent of the seaming panel portion of the end closure and the upper surface of the lowest point on the end closure) to give greater abuseresistance for shipping and handling. For example, the end closure should have a countersink depth in excess of 0.150 in. (normal depth is between 0.120 and 0.140 in.) and preferably could have a depth in the range of 0.200 to 0.250 in. For the purpose of illustration, FIGS. 2 and 3 depict the sequence of compression fitting the end closure 16 to the fiber can body 12. It should be understood that the other end closure 14, which is nonremovable, may be attached to the fiber can body 12 by means of an identical procedure. However, it would be preferable to double seam the end closure 14 to the fiber can body 12 to provide additional strength.

The main feature of this invention is the provision of an easy-opening tab 22 which is attached to the metal end closure 16 to facilitate easy removal of the metal end component 16 from the fiber can 12. The easy opening tab 22, as can be seen in FIG. 1, incorporates a grasping aperture 24 which is adapted to be easily grasped by human fingers.

Standard procedure for attaching the metal end closure 16 to the fiber can body 12 would involve the use of a double seaming method whereby an outer flange portion 17 of the closure 16 is rolled under the upper flanged end of the composite can body so that both components are then pressed firmly together to form a double-seamed joint. In this invention, as can be seen in the transition from FIG. 2 to FIG. 3, the metal end closure 16 is not double seamed to the upper flanged end of the fiber can body 12, but rather is compression fit over the upper unflanged end of the fiber can body while simultaneously being double seamed to the easyopening tab 22. Thus, the easy-opening tab 22 is mechanically attached to the metal end closure 16 which in turn is held in contact with the fiber can body 12 by means of a compression fit as shown in FIG. 3. When it is desired to remove the end closure 16 from the fiber can body 12, the easy opening tab 22 may be grasped by means of the grasping aperture 24 and pulled upwardly to thereby force the metal end closure 16 out of 20 its compression fit with the fiber can body 12 and remove the entire metal end closure 16. Since the metal end closure 16 remains intact and the easy-opening tab 22 remains in mechanical engagement with the metal end closure 16, the end closure 16 may be reapplied to the fiber can body 12 by means of downward pressure to re-establish the compression fit between the metal end closure 16 and the fiber can body 12.

It should be noted that if a standard double seaming method is utilized to attach a metal end closure to a fiber can body, the removal of the end closure is virtually impossible and access to the contents requires the use of a can opener or a specially scored end component. Thus, reapplication of the removed portion of a double-seamed end closure is extremely difficult, thereby eliminating continued use of the container.

The easy-opening feature of this invention, incorporating an easy-opening tab which is mechanically attached to one of the metal end closures, completely eliminates the disadvantages associated with the previous method of double seaming a metal end closure to a fiber can body. THe removal of the metal end closure by means of the easy-opening tab of the subject invention does not distort or damage the metal end closure or the fiber can body so that the end closure may be re applied by means of a compression fit to the fiber can body.

A variety of materials can be utilized in forming a suitable easy-opening tab as disclosed by this invention. One such material, for example, which has been utilized successfully for the easy-opening tab is 0.020 in. high density polyethylene sheet stock.

Therefore, it should be apparent from the preceding description that this invention provides a composite container incorporating an easy-open feature which facilitates the continuous opening and reclosing of a composite container. This feature has, heretofore, been unavailable in composite containers which have typically utilized a double seaming method to attach both of the metal end closures to the fiber can body. In contrast to this, the subject invention utilizes a double seaming method to permanently attach an easyopening tab to a metal end closure and then utilizes a compression fit to secure the end closure to the fiber can body. The entire end closure can thereby be easily removed by an upward force exerted on the easyopening tab, thereby giving the user a maximum diameter opening for dispensing of the contents within the composite container. The metal end closure may then be easily reapplied to the fiber can body for continued packaging of the contents therein by forcing the end closure back into compression fit engagement with the fiber can body. In addition, the easy-open feature of this invention eliminates the possibility of cuts or scratches on the sharp metal edges associated with partially removed double-seamed end closures.

I claim:

1. An easy-open, reclosable composite container comprising:

a cylindrical body;

end closure means mechanically attached into engagement with the opposite ends of said cylindrical body, one of said end closure means being compression fit into engagement with one end of said cylindrical body and the other of said end closure means being double seamed into engagement with the other end of said cylindrical body,

and opening tab means double seamed into engagement with said one of said end closure means for removal of said one of said end closure means from compression fit engagement with said cylindrical body, said oneof said end closure means being reinsertable into compression fit engagement with said cylindrical body to provide a reclosable composite container.