US3826401A

US3826401A - Container opening means

Info

Publication number: US3826401A
Application number: US00326970A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Zundel
Original assignee: National Can Corp
Current assignee: Rexam Beverage Can Co
Priority date: 1973-01-26
Filing date: 1973-01-26
Publication date: 1974-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 1991-07-30

Abstract

A container end panel is formed with a lever member having a first end, a second end and an offset portion which serves to expose a dispensing opening in the panel when the lever is rotated. The panel is provided with first and second weakened lines which respectively enable the dispensing opening to be formed and the lever to rotate. The front end of the lever is in turn connected to a hinge formed in the end panel by means of the second weakened line.

Description

United States Patent Zundel.

[111 3,826,401 [451 July 30, 1974 CONTAINER OPENING MEANS [75] Inventor: Arthur P. Zundel, Chicago, 111.

[73] Assignee: National Can Corporation, Chicago,

Jan. 26, 1973 [22] Filed:

[21] App]. No.: 326,970

[52] US. Cl. 220/47 [51] Int. Cl B65d 39/00 [58] Field of Search 220/47, 48, 54, 27

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,092,671 9/1937 Hildcbrandt 220/48 3,215,305 11/1965 Frankenberg ..220/48 Priniary Examiner-George T. Hall 5 7 ABSTRACT A container end pane] is formed with a lever member having a first end, a second end and an offset portion which serves to expose a dispensing opening in the panel when the lever is rotated. The panel is provided with first and second weakened lines which respectively enable the dispensing opening to be formed and the lever to rotate. The front end of the lever is in turn connected to a hinge formed in the end panel by means of the second weakened line.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 CONTAINER OPENING MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a container having a portion of its end wall or panel weakened to serve as an opening for access to the contents of the container.

Containers having easy open ends have gained widespread acceptance in recent years. Such containers for the packaging of beer and carbonated beverages, provide ends having a weakened score line that defines an opening to which an opening mechanism, e.g., a tab is connected thereto. Such tabs with or without their associated tear strips are Often discarded at random and are not as readily gathered up as the containers themselves. As a consequence, the discarded members may accumulate in areas such as highways, beaches and picnic areas and accordingly present an unsightly condition. Obviously a ready solution to this problem is for the users of such containers to refrain from randomly discarding such opening devices ortabs so that any litter caused thereby is prevented, however, prevention programs have met with only limited success.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention utilizes an opening device in the form of a lever member which is permanently attached to the container end panel and positionable where both ease in forming an opening in a container and unobstructed pouring or removal of the contents from the container can be accomplished. v

More specifically, the present invention contemplates an elongated lever member having first and second end portions, and an extension proximate said first end and offset laterally therefrom. The first end of the lever member is in turn attached to the end panel within a portion thereof defined by a generally U- shaped weakened line the end of which terminates so as to form a hinge member which may be displaced downwardly of the main portion of the end panel. The forward or first end of the lever is in turn permanently attached to such hinge towards the front of the U- shaped portion thereof thus enabling the forward end of the lever to be downwardly displaced along with the forward portion of the hinge to a position underlying the main end panel portion. The container end panel is further provided with an incipient opening defined by a weakened line portion over which the terminus of said lever member extension is initially positioned.

The lever member in its simplest embodiment may be a longitudinal plate, the second end thereof forming a grasping portion which serves to enable the user of the container to grasp the lever member and the extension thereof of a general L-shaped configuration. In this way then the first end of the lever member is brought to bear against that portion of the end panel defined by the first weakened line and form an opening therethrough either by entirely or partially displacing said portion from the remaining end wall portions.

The connecting means affixing the forward portion of the lever member is addditionally capable of permitting rotation of the lever member from an initial position entirely overlying the end panel to a secondary and opened position whereby a portion thereof underlies a portion of the end panel. In such secondary position the lever extension entirely underlies the end panel and in those cases wherein the first weakened line forms a non-detachable displaceable portion, the extension forces such displaceable portion upwardly towards under portions of the end panel.

The means by which the forward end of the lever member is connected to the end panel may comprise a rivet construction wherein a portion of the end panel is formed into an upstanding cylindrical member for receipt by an opening in the lever forward end and upper portions'of the rivet thereafter flattened so as to securely axially clinch the thus connected portions together.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a partial perspective view of a container having an easy open end panel constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the end panel depicted in FIG. 1 of the drawings and in an unopened configuration;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the container end panel taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and shows in particular the container in a partially opened condition;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the end panel taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 of the drawings wherein a preferred form of weakened line configuration is provided for the formation of the dispensing opening;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the end panel similar to FIG. 2 of the drawing but shows the lever member in a fully opened position after having been rotated from its initial unopened position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing; and

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along the lines 66 of FIG. 5 and shows the preferred embodiment opening configuration depicted in FIG. 4 of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Turning now to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a container generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 consisting of a cylindrical body portion 12 having upper and lower walls or end panels 14 (one shown) connected to the body portion by a conventional double seam construction. The container or at least the upper end panel thereof is preferably made of metal, such as aluminum or steel.

The upper end panel 14 is further provided with a first weakened score line 18 as best shown by FIG. 4 of the drawings the extent of which defines a flap 20 which when displaced forms an opening 22 through the end panel 14. This weakened line 18 may be alternatively cut entirely through the end panel thickness and held in place by adhesive means such as a thin plastisol area coating (not shown) or may take the form of a line scored partially through the thickness of the panel or otherwise weakened line. Also the first weakened line may define the entire periphery of the incipient opening 22 or may stop short thereof and permit a portion of the end panel to remain connected with the displaceable portion 20 and in such a manner form a hinged connection therewith in the manner of the key-hole construction depicted in the drawing. The term weakened line is used throughout to identify the several forms indicated above.

The underside peripheral extent of the displaceable portion 20 especially when entirely severed from its remaining end panel portions is provided with a coating or protective material (not shown) such as polyvinyl 3 chloride plastisol composition which serves to prevent the thus cut metal peripheral surfaces from coming into contact with the materials such as beer and beverages contained therein. Such coating or other material such as self supporting plastic, metallic, or metallized plastic strips provided with adhesive surfaces additionally serve to position the displaceable portion within the opening 22 and may further provide the means by which an entirely severed displaceable portion 20 may be hingedly connected to the end panel as by their partial removal therefrom.

A lever member 30 forms the means by which the displaceable portion 20 is removed from the remaining end panel portions to define the dispensing opening 22.

' This lever 30 has a first end 32, a second end 34 and an extension 36 thereof laterally offsettherefrom and proximate the first end 32 thereof. The lever may be formed as depicted in the drawings of a relatively stiff metal plate material or may be formed of thinner stock and bent into the desired shape shown. Alternatively the lever may be formed from other materials and by other procedures such as injection molded synthetic polymers. I

The extension 36 may be of generally L-shaped configuration to present a connecting portion 38 and a ter minus or finger 40 adapted to overly the displaceable portion 20 definedby the first weakened-line 18. Also the terminus40 is preferably adapted to initially bear against the displaceable portion 20 of the end panel forward of a line about which the lever 30 is adapted to hinge or pivot downwardly through the main plane of the end panel 14 as will hereinafter be more clearly brought out.

A second weakened line 42 of generally U-shaped configuration is formed in the end panel 14 generally centrally thereof to define a hinge member 44 pivotable about a bend line 46 connecting the sides of the second weakened line 42 and created either by a secondary second weakened line or by the bend forces created in the hinge member 44 through the interaction of the lever 30. The forward end of the'lever 30 is in turn attached to the hinge 44 forward of such bend line46 by means of a connector means 48.

The particular mannerin which the lever member 30 is attached to the end panel 14 so that such will not be discarded after having served to open the container and the contents thereof is by such connector means 48 formed by a rivet or upstanding boss construction wherein a hollow boss is formed in the end panel. An

-.opening in the forwardend of the lever accepts such boss and those portions of the boss projecting beyond the lever are flattened thereagainst to clinch the two members together so as to form a permanent connection therewith.

Operation of the device of the present invention is as follows: the lever extension 36 is positioned over the displaceable portion 20 defined by the first weakened line 18. Thereafter the second or handle end 34 of the lever 30 is rotated upwardly about the bend line 46 so as to force the forward end thereof downwardly through the major plane of the end panel to a position therebeneath. concomitantly finger 40 of extension 36 moves downwardly against the displaceable portion 20 to force such downwardly as by bending a portion thereof or entirely removes the same from the end panel. It should be noted also that the central placement of the first end 32 of the lever 30 and its connection with the hinged member 44 enables pressure to be initially released in those cases where the product contained in pressurized, e.g., carbonated beverages in the central portion of the end panel, thus preventing an undesirable possible squirting of liquid contents. Such action is shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 of the drawings wherein the handle portion of the lever is depicted as having been rotated in an arc of approximately from its initial position shown in FIG. 2, in FIG. 3 and approximately in FIG. 6. The lever is preferably rotated a total of 180 wherein the handle 34 may assume a position flat against the end panel but on the opposite side of the bend line 46. In such movement the first end of the lever would additionally assume a position under the surface of the end panel and opposite its original position as shown in FIG. 2 as by additionally forcing the hinge 44 against lower surfaces of the end panel. Also separate means for maintaining the fully opened position of the container shown in FIG. 6 of the drawing may be utilized, e.g., the upstanding chuck wall of the double seam construction may be provided with an extension or undercut portion for receipt of the terminus of the handle 34 of the lever member 30 which may in turn be provided with an extension for such purpose.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 depicts a displaceable portion 20 which is entirely severable from the end panel 14 in which case the weakened line 18 is cut essentially entirely through the end panel 14 and is formed to entirely close upon itself. A plastisol or other coating material may serve to repair the integrity of the container in such areas.

I claim:

1. An easy open end for containers and the like comprising,

an end panel,

a dispensing opening through said panel, said opening being defined by a displaceable portion of said panel,

a hinge formed in said end panel, said hinge being defined by a weakened line in said panel, a lever member having first and second end portions and an extension thereof proximate said first end and laterally offset therefrom, said extension overlying said displaceable panel portion,

said first end of said lever members connected to said hinge whereby arcuate movement of said lever urges said extension thereof into engagement with said displaceable portion thereby exposing said dispensing opening.

2. The easy open end of claim 1 wherein said displaceable end panel portion is defined by a first weakened line formed in said end panel and wherein said hinge is defined by a second weakened line formed in said end panel.

3. The easy open end of claim 2 wherein said hinge is defined by a generally U-shaped weakened line that terminates at spaced locations on said end panel to define a permanent connection between the hinge and said end panel.

4. The easy open end of claim 2 wherein said first and second weakened lines are of general U-shaped configuration.

5. The easy open end of claim 2 wherein said end panel is centrally upwardly domed and said first end of said lever member is positioned centrally of said end extension is of L-shaped configuration and extends forward of the terminus of said lever first end.

8. The easy open end of claim 6 wherein said lever extension initially forces said displaceable portion downwardly and finally forces said displaceable portion upwardly towards under portions of said end panel.

Claims

1. An easy open end for containers and the like comprising, an end panel, a dispensing opening through said panel, said opening being defined by a displaceable portion of said panel, a hinge formed in said end panel, said hinge being defined by a weakened line in said panel, a lever member having first and second end portions and an extension thereof proximate said first end and laterally offset therefrom, said extension overlying said displaceable panel portion, said first end of said lever members connected to said hinge whereby arcuate movement of said lever urges said extension thereof into engagement with said displaceable portion thereby exposing said dispensing opening.

5. The easy open end of claim 2 wherein said end panel is centrally upwardly domed and said first end of said lever member is positioned centrally of said end panel and said lever extension is positioned radially outwardly thereof.

6. The easy open end of claim 5 wherein said second end of said lever forms a grasping portion thereof and wherein said second lever end and said lever extension are each rotatable 180* in different but complementary arcs.

7. The easy open end of claim 6 wherein said lever extension is of L-shaped configuration and extends forward of the terminus of said lever first end.