US3744669A - Tear tab for easy opening metal cans - Google Patents

Tear tab for easy opening metal cans Download PDF

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Publication number
US3744669A
US3744669A US00133819A US3744669DA US3744669A US 3744669 A US3744669 A US 3744669A US 00133819 A US00133819 A US 00133819A US 3744669D A US3744669D A US 3744669DA US 3744669 A US3744669 A US 3744669A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
cover
opening
tab
tear line
nut
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
Application number
US00133819A
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English (en)
Inventor
J Cospen
B Baumann
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cebal GP
Original Assignee
Cebal GP
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cebal GP filed Critical Cebal GP
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3744669A publication Critical patent/US3744669A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • B65D17/404—Details of the lines of weakness
    • 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
    • B65D17/4011—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 completely by means of a tearing tab

Definitions

  • the most widely used method comprises a grip member fixed to part of the cover which is defined by a tear line. A pulling force applied to the grip enables the detachable surface to be removed.
  • the gripping portion is in the form of a metal tab joined to the cover by a rivet which is integral with, i.e., is made of the same material as, the cover by repeated deformation.
  • the grip has to be fixed a certain distance from the tear line so as not to reduce the thickness of the metal at the point where it is most vulnerable, i.e., along the tear line. This restriction prevents the formation of a genuinely easy opening closure.
  • the rivet is able to withstand the initial force, the crease that is formed during opening beyond the fixation point passes through that zone wherein the metal has undergone the greatest stress and the rivet is again in danger of being torn away during this latter opening stage.
  • plastic tabs which, to enable them to be engaged, are necessarily made of a relatively flexible material, can only be used for tear systems of the type which do not have any initial perforation of the line and cannot make use of this perforation to facilitate opening of the can, as in the case of metal tabs.
  • FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view through a portion of the top wall of the container showing the grips embodying the features of this invention in their relative position prior to being joined;
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of the element shown in FIG. 1 with the grip fixed to the top wall at the initial breakage of the tear line;
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view taken from the bottom side showing a modification of the two part tab embodying the features of this invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the tab shown in FIG. 3 in position of use.
  • the invention relates to a device for opening a can cover provided wih a tear line and in which the device comprises a grip formed ofa rigid or semi-rigid plastic material, one end of which is used to break the tear line and which consists of two parts joined through an opening in the cover in the proximity of the tear line, with the two parts hermetically sealing the opening and forming a rigid connection with the cover.
  • Attachment is preferably carried out by placing the two parts of the grip under internal mechanical tension, followed by ultrasonic heating and then by. a second internal mechanical stressing.
  • the distance between the opening in the cover and the tear line is selected so that the lower part of the grip, which is situated within the container, is at least tangential to the tear line. However, the edge can extend beyond the tear line.
  • That end of the tab which is actually gripped may be of lesser thickness than the end portion which is joined to the cover whereby the thinner section becomes more flexible. The same result can be obtained by forming a hinge in the tab between the gripping zone and the fixing zone.
  • the opening may be given a non-circular contour.
  • the upper portion of the grip is provided on its lower surface with a projection which corresponds in shape to the opening into which it penetrates.
  • the tab can be readily colored or provided with distinctive indicia.
  • FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates the manner of fixing a plastic grip embodying the features of this inventionto a metal cover.
  • the cover 1 is formed with a tear line 2 near the opening 3 and in which the opening is surrounded by a flange 4.
  • the grip consists of a plastic material, such as a semirigid polypropylene. It is formed in two parts,
  • an upper part 5 which is placed on the top side of the cover and which includes-the actual'tab 6 and a projection 7 which extends downwardly from the underside in fitting relation through the opening 3 in the cover.
  • the projection 7 is provided in its periphery with a screw thread 8 which cooperates with the screw threads 9 formed in the wall portion about the opening in the lower part 10 of the grip.
  • the latter acts as a screw nut'which is dimensioned so that its outer edge will be tangible to a plane perpendicular to the cover extending through the tear line. In other words, the outer edge is preferably positioned immediately below the tear line 2.
  • the three elements together form an assembly which will not be deformed in the zone where initial breakage of the tear line occurs. There can be no sliding between the different parts and, within a well defined perimeter, the elasticity of the metal is reduced to a minimum so that the force exerted by lifting of the tab 6 will be transmitted almost entirely towards the rupture zone by a type of lever action.
  • the front portion of the tab rocks about a stud 11 situated behind the lower part 10 of the grip, i.e., at a distance from the fixing point equal to the distance of this point from the tear line.
  • the crease which is formed level with the stud 11 represents the cord of an initial rupture arc, the height of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the lower part 10 of the grip.
  • a hinge 14 in the form of a reduced material thickness, can be provided between the gripping hole 13 and the point where it is fixed to the cover 7.
  • the upper part of the screw 8 can be partially surrounded by a non-circular projection 15 equal in height to the flange 4 and which penetrates into an opening 16 of the same cross-section.
  • the use of a plastic material in the production of the grip permits the grip to be used for identification or for publicity purposes, such as by a suitable choice of colors or by suitable printing.
  • the grip can have various shapes, its active portion being rounded or pointed while its passive portion is used for an effective grip.
  • the material used is a synthetic material sufficiently rigid to cause rupture of the tear line.
  • polypropylene it is possible to use HP-polyethylene, LP-polyethylene, high impact polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and the like.
  • a means for opening metal covers for cans in which the cover is provided with a tear line that defines a removable portion and an opening within said removable portion, same means comprising a relatively rigidplastic tab positioned on the top side of the cover including a portion which projects downwardly through the opening in the cover, a grip portion to one side of said projecting portion, with the edge of the tab in the direction opposite the grip portion lying adjacent the portion of the tear line spaced from the opening in the direction opposite the grip portion, and a relatively rigid nut member adjacent the bottom side of the cover in sealing engagement with the portion of the tab which extends downwardly through the opening in the cover.
  • a means as claimed in claim 1 which includes a hinge in the tab separating the grip portion from the projection portion of the one part.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Containers Opened By Tearing Frangible Portions (AREA)
  • Devices For Opening Bottles Or Cans (AREA)
  • Package Frames And Binding Bands (AREA)
US00133819A 1970-04-15 1971-04-14 Tear tab for easy opening metal cans Expired - Lifetime US3744669A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR707013593A FR2085378B1 (de) 1970-04-15 1970-04-15

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3744669A true US3744669A (en) 1973-07-10

Family

ID=9054000

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00133819A Expired - Lifetime US3744669A (en) 1970-04-15 1971-04-14 Tear tab for easy opening metal cans

Country Status (13)

Country Link
US (1) US3744669A (de)
AT (1) AT307969B (de)
BE (1) BE765737A (de)
CA (1) CA943889A (de)
CH (1) CH531442A (de)
DE (1) DE2117864C3 (de)
ES (1) ES195341Y (de)
FR (1) FR2085378B1 (de)
GB (1) GB1352229A (de)
IL (1) IL36595A0 (de)
LU (1) LU62983A1 (de)
NL (1) NL7104870A (de)
OA (1) OA03704A (de)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3961722A (en) * 1975-01-27 1976-06-08 Continental Can Co Child resistant easy opening closure
US4501375A (en) * 1983-02-15 1985-02-26 Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd. Easily-openable heat-seal lid
US4627532A (en) * 1985-03-07 1986-12-09 Clemens Philip M Digital audio disk enclosure
US20030173367A1 (en) * 1999-12-08 2003-09-18 Nguyen Tuan A. Metallic beverage can end with improved chuck wall and countersink
US20050039314A1 (en) * 2003-08-21 2005-02-24 Dickie Robert G. Forming process for stamped workpieces
EP1882640A1 (de) * 2006-07-24 2008-01-30 Impress Group B.V. Verschlusslasche und Verfahren zur Herstellung derselben
US20160325878A1 (en) * 2013-12-30 2016-11-10 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Package material blank, package with such device and method for manufacturing an opening device

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS6092931U (ja) * 1983-12-02 1985-06-25 北海製罐株式会社 簡易開口容器
GB9712893D0 (en) * 1997-06-20 1997-08-20 Metal Box Plc Pull tab

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3961722A (en) * 1975-01-27 1976-06-08 Continental Can Co Child resistant easy opening closure
US4501375A (en) * 1983-02-15 1985-02-26 Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd. Easily-openable heat-seal lid
US4627532A (en) * 1985-03-07 1986-12-09 Clemens Philip M Digital audio disk enclosure
US20030173367A1 (en) * 1999-12-08 2003-09-18 Nguyen Tuan A. Metallic beverage can end with improved chuck wall and countersink
US20050039314A1 (en) * 2003-08-21 2005-02-24 Dickie Robert G. Forming process for stamped workpieces
EP1882640A1 (de) * 2006-07-24 2008-01-30 Impress Group B.V. Verschlusslasche und Verfahren zur Herstellung derselben
WO2008012014A1 (en) * 2006-07-24 2008-01-31 Impress Group B.V. Tab for a closure and process for making such tab
US20100126994A1 (en) * 2006-07-24 2010-05-27 Impress Group B.V. Tab for a closure and process for making such tab
US9511411B2 (en) 2006-07-24 2016-12-06 Impress Group B.V. Tab for a closure and process for making such tab
US20160325878A1 (en) * 2013-12-30 2016-11-10 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Package material blank, package with such device and method for manufacturing an opening device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2117864C3 (de) 1973-09-13
AT307969B (de) 1973-06-12
FR2085378B1 (de) 1973-08-10
BE765737A (fr) 1971-10-14
DE2117864A1 (de) 1971-12-23
NL7104870A (de) 1971-10-19
CA943889A (en) 1974-03-19
OA03704A (fr) 1971-12-24
IL36595A0 (en) 1971-06-23
GB1352229A (en) 1974-05-08
FR2085378A1 (de) 1971-12-24
LU62983A1 (de) 1972-03-02
CH531442A (fr) 1972-12-15
ES195341Y (es) 1975-06-01
ES195341U (es) 1975-01-16
DE2117864B2 (de) 1973-02-22

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