US3773210A - Opening tab for easy open container - Google Patents
Opening tab for easy open container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3773210A US3773210A US00257598A US3773210DA US3773210A US 3773210 A US3773210 A US 3773210A US 00257598 A US00257598 A US 00257598A US 3773210D A US3773210D A US 3773210DA US 3773210 A US3773210 A US 3773210A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- fulcrum
- opening tab
- attachment
- removable panel
- juncture
- 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
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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
- B65D17/401—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
- ABSTRACT An opening tab for an easy open container having an attachment portion secured to a removable panel included in the central panel of an end closure, a fulcrum portion integrally connected to the attachment portion and having a fulcrum edge for fulcruming said opening tab against the central panel of the end closure spacially distant from the removable panel, and a lifting handle integrally connected to said fulcrum portion and forming a longitudinally rigid lever therewith.
- a reinforcing means is provided in the fulcrum portion extending into and interrupting the juncture between the fulcrum and attachment portions thereby preventing the formation of a sharp angle of bend at the juncture between the fulcrum and attachment portions during the fulcruming operation and also increasing the strength of the fulcrum portion during the fulcruming operation.
- the present invention relates generally to easy open containers having removable panels defined by a score line included in the central panel of the end closure. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved opening tab attached to the removable panel of such easy open containers.
- One of the significant achievements in the container making industry in recent years has been the development of the easy open container which does not require the use of separate opening tools, such as can openers, etc.
- One type of easy open container which has been developed is provided with a removable panel in the central panel of the container end closure which is defined by a score line in the central panel.
- An opening tab is secured to the removable panel in order to facilitate detachment of the removable panel from the central panel by rupture of the score line.
- One category of such easy open containers utilizes the so-called reverse lift opening tab attached to the removable panel of the end closure. Examples of this opening tab can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,085,200, to Ljungstrom, granted June 29, 1937, US. Pat. No. 3,403,811, to Moller et al., granted Oct. 1, 1968, and US. Pat. No. 3,445,028, to Brown, granted May 20, 1969.
- This reverse lift" opening tab typically includes an attachment portion, a fulcrum portion and a lifting handle.
- the attachment portion is ordinarily secured, as by a rivet, to a leading portion of the removable panel located substantially at the center of the central panel of the end closure.
- the fulcrum portion is integrally connected to the attachment portion and is fulcrumable on the central panel spacially distant from the leading portion of the removable panel to which the attachment portion of the tab is secured.
- the lifting handle which may be in the form of a pull ring, is integrally connected to the fulcrum portion so that the combination forms a longitudinally rigid lever with the lifting handle overlying the removable panel of the central panel of the end closure.
- Movement of the lifting handle in a direction away from the central panel of the end closure causes the fulcrum portion of the opening tab to fulcrum on the central panel and, by means of the lever action of the lifting handle and the fulcrum portion, a lifting force is caused to be applied through the attachment portion of the opening tab to the rivet securing the attachment portion of the removable panel to thereby initiate rupture of the score at the leading portion of the removable panel adjacent to the rivet.
- an object of the present invention to provide an improved reverse lift opening tab for an easy open container wherein a sharp line of bend at the juncture between the attachment and fulcrum portions of the opening tab is prevented, thus substantially eliminating the possibility of fracture at the juncture during the opening operation.
- the above object and others, which will hereinafter become apparent, are accomplished by providing an improved reverse lift" opening tab according to the present invention.
- the opening tab is constructed having an attachment portion secured to the leading portion of removable panel located substantially at the center of the central panel of an end closure, a fulcrum portion integrally connected to the attachment portion,
- a lifting handle integrally connected to the fulcrum portion so that a longitudinally rigid lever is formed therewith, and reinforcing means provided with the fulcrum portion and extending into the juncture between the fulcrum and attachment portions.
- the reinforcing means effectively prevents the formation of a sharp angle of bend at the juncture of the fulcrum and attachment portions of the opening tab and also increases the strength of the fulcrum portion during the fulcruming operation.
- FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of a container end closure incorporating the reverse lift opening tab of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the container end closure of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectonal view of the container end closure of FIG. 1 similar to FIG. 2 in an initial stage of opening of the container;
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectonal view of the container end closure of FIG. 1 similar to FIG. 2 in a later stage of opening of the container;
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the container end closure of FIG. 1 similar to FIG. 2 in yet a later stage of opening of the container.
- end closure 10 for an easy open container.
- End closure 10 may be circular and constructed of steel, aluminum, tin plate or other suitable rupturable material.
- end closure 10 is formed with a generally planar central panel portion, generally designated 12, which merges at its periphery with annular reinforcing groove 14, which in turn merges at its outer edge into upwardly extending wall 16,
- the upper end portion of wall 16 merges with outwardly extending curled flange 18 which, after assembly of end closure with a container body (not shown) becomes a portion of the container end seam (not shown).
- removable panel which is defined by and included within score line 22.
- Removable panel 20 becomes detached from end closure 10 when score line 22 is completely ruptured thereby permitting the contents of the container to be dispensed from the opening produced by the removal of removable panel 20.
- Removable panel 20 may be formed in any desired pattern having a smaller leading portion, generally designated 24, located substantially in the center of the end closure and a larger portion, generally designated 26, extending closely adjacent the periphery of central panel 12.
- Opening tab 28 has an attachment portion 30 secured to the smaller leading portion 24 of removable panel 20 by means of rivet 32 which may be formed integrally with removable panel 20.
- Attachment portion 30 is connected to a fulcrum portion, generally designated 34, of opening tab 28 through vincular segment 36 at juncture 38.
- a lifting handle, designated 40 is provided integrally connected to fulcrum portion 34. Liftinghandle 40 may be in the form of a pull'ring adapted for receiving the finger of the user.
- Attachment portion 30 of opening tab 28 substan-- tially radiates into the center of pull ring 40 and is provided with an opening 42 for receiving the shank 44 of rivet 34.
- attachment portion 30 lies in a plane below fulcrum portion 34 and, thus, vincular segment 36 which integrally connects attachment portion 30 to fulcrum portion 34 is inclined upwardly from attachment portion 30 to fulcrum portion 34.
- Fulcrum portion 34 of opening tab 28 is spacially distantly removed from the leading portion 24 of removable panel 20 and is provided with a rounded, substantially straight line, fulcrum surface 46 for the purpose of reducing the friction between opening tab 28 and central panel 12 of the end closure 10 during the fulcruming operation, which is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5.
- Reinforcing means preferably in the form of a raised bead, generally designated 48, is formed in fulcrum portion 34 of opening tab 30 for the purpose of maintaining the structural integrity of the opening tab during the fulcruming operation.
- bead 48 may be formed in any shape desired so long as a portion 50 of the bead extends into and interrupts the juncture 38 and also provided that bead 48 extends substantially across fulcrum portion 34.
- Bead 48 is formed having an arcuate shaped cross sectional profile as clearly seen in FIG. 2, however, other cross sectional configurations are suitable.
- Lifting handle 40 which, as above indicated, may be in the shape of a pull ring suitable for the insertion of the users finger, overlies removable panel 20 and in cooperation with fulcrum portion 34 forms a longitudinally rigid lever having as its fulcrum point fulcrum surface 46.
- Opening tab 28 may be formed from any suitable sheet metal material, such as steel, aluminum, etc., into the shape indicated in the drawings. However, with the provision of reinforcing means 48, it is possible and preferable to form the tab from a relatively soft and malleable material such as aluminum.
- FIGS. 3, 4 and S The operation of the reverse lift" opening tab according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and S.
- the user begins by grasping the pull ring 40 with his finger and exerting an upward lifting force on the pull ring causing the pull ring to lift upwardly and away from central panel 12, as indicated by the arrow, thereby initiating the fulcruming operation as clearly seen in FIG. 3.
- the fulcruming operation resulting from the continued lifting movement of pull ring 40, the rounded, substantially straight line, fulcrum surface 46 of fulcrum portion 34 moves along central panel 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow.
- Portion 50 of bead 48 which extends into vincular segement 36, reinforces the vincular segment perpendicularly to the bend which occurs during the fulcruming operation so that the strain in the segment is more evenly distributed and the yield point of the material is not exceeded. This even distribution of the strain in the vincular segment is the result of eliminating the sharp angle of bend.
- relatively soft and malleable materials such as aluminum
- the prevention of a sharp angle of bend in the vincular segment insures against the rupturing of the vincular segment during the fulcruming operation.
- the provision of the raised bead 48 extending across fulcrum portion 34 of opening tab 28 reinforces the fulcrum portion "to thereby prevent bending thereof during the fulcruming operation.
- a fulcrum portion integrally connected to said attachment portion at a juncture, said fulcrum portion having a fulcrum surface for bearing against the wall of said container spacially distant from the leading portion of said removable panel;
- a lifting handle overlying said removable panel integrally connected to said fulcrum portion and forming a longitudinally rigid lever therewith extending from said fulcrum surface;
- reinforcing means formed in said fulcrum portion extending into and interrupting the juncture between said fulcrum and attachment portions thereby to prevent the formation of a sharp angle of bend at said juncture between said fulcrum and attachment portions during the fulcruming operation.
- said reinforcing means comprises a raised bead formed in said fulcrum portion and having a portion extending into and interrupting the juncture between said fulcrum and attachment portions.
- opening tab as defined in claim 1 wherein said opening tab is formed from a relatively soft and malleable metallic material.
- a fulcrum portion having a fulcrum surface for bearing against the wall of said container spacially distant from the leading portion of said removable panel;
- reinforcing means in the form of a raised bead formed in and substantially across said fulcrum portion, said raised bead having a portion extending into said vincular segment at the juncture between said attachment and fulcrum portions thereby to reinforce said fulcrum portions and to prevent the formation of a sharp angle of bend in said vincular segment during the fulcruming operation.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Containers Opened By Tearing Frangible Portions (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims (10)
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US25759872A | 1972-05-30 | 1972-05-30 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3773210A true US3773210A (en) | 1973-11-20 |
Family
ID=22976943
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US00257598A Expired - Lifetime US3773210A (en) | 1972-05-30 | 1972-05-30 | Opening tab for easy open container |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US3773210A (en) |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3986633A (en) * | 1976-01-22 | 1976-10-19 | Aluminum Company Of America | Tab for easy-opening container wall |
GB2232397B (en) * | 1989-06-09 | 1993-09-08 | Akerlund & Rausing Ab | A container closure |
US5934498A (en) * | 1997-09-19 | 1999-08-10 | Aluminum Company Of America | Convenience easy opening end with large removal panel |
WO2000051906A1 (en) * | 1999-03-04 | 2000-09-08 | Chaolu Liu | Lever-type easy-opening cap |
US20040112898A1 (en) * | 2001-03-12 | 2004-06-17 | Graziella Fiorentini | Cans for carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, closure systems for them and method to open the cans |
WO2010045760A1 (en) * | 2008-10-21 | 2010-04-29 | 云南锡业慧强金属制品有限责任公司 | Lever-type easy-opening cap for bottle |
WO2015104659A1 (en) | 2014-01-08 | 2015-07-16 | International Patents And Brands Corporation | Lid for containers of substances and container of substances comprising said lid |
WO2022012738A1 (en) | 2020-07-13 | 2022-01-20 | Oc Bev Ltd | Lid for containers of substances, and container of substances comprising said lid |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3618816A (en) * | 1970-04-22 | 1971-11-09 | Dayton Reliable Tool & Mfg Co | Tab for easy-opening container wall |
US3627168A (en) * | 1969-11-13 | 1971-12-14 | Ermal C Fraze | Easy opening container wall with vent opening |
US3720349A (en) * | 1970-08-17 | 1973-03-13 | Fraze Ermal C | Easy opening container wall |
-
1972
- 1972-05-30 US US00257598A patent/US3773210A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3627168A (en) * | 1969-11-13 | 1971-12-14 | Ermal C Fraze | Easy opening container wall with vent opening |
US3618816A (en) * | 1970-04-22 | 1971-11-09 | Dayton Reliable Tool & Mfg Co | Tab for easy-opening container wall |
US3720349A (en) * | 1970-08-17 | 1973-03-13 | Fraze Ermal C | Easy opening container wall |
Cited By (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3986633A (en) * | 1976-01-22 | 1976-10-19 | Aluminum Company Of America | Tab for easy-opening container wall |
GB2232397B (en) * | 1989-06-09 | 1993-09-08 | Akerlund & Rausing Ab | A container closure |
US5934498A (en) * | 1997-09-19 | 1999-08-10 | Aluminum Company Of America | Convenience easy opening end with large removal panel |
WO2000051906A1 (en) * | 1999-03-04 | 2000-09-08 | Chaolu Liu | Lever-type easy-opening cap |
US20040112898A1 (en) * | 2001-03-12 | 2004-06-17 | Graziella Fiorentini | Cans for carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, closure systems for them and method to open the cans |
US6902078B2 (en) * | 2001-03-12 | 2005-06-07 | Graziella Fiorentini | Cans for carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, closure systems for them and method to open the cans |
WO2010045760A1 (en) * | 2008-10-21 | 2010-04-29 | 云南锡业慧强金属制品有限责任公司 | Lever-type easy-opening cap for bottle |
WO2015104659A1 (en) | 2014-01-08 | 2015-07-16 | 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 |
WO2022012738A1 (en) | 2020-07-13 | 2022-01-20 | Oc Bev Ltd | Lid for containers of substances, and container of substances comprising said lid |
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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 |