WO2000069735A1

WO2000069735A1 - Beverage can lid with easy opening feature

Info

Publication number: WO2000069735A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/013447
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charles Chang; Lucy Chang
Original assignee: Charles Chang; Lucy Chang
Priority date: 1999-05-17
Filing date: 2000-05-16
Publication date: 2000-11-23
Also published as: EP1194337A1; AU5587600A; EP1194337A4

Abstract

A beverage can lid (1) has a scored portion (7), a pull tab (18), a rivet (5) and an initial contact point (9). The contact point (9) is positioned in close proximity to the rivet (5) to minimize the required lifting force of the pull tab (18). The puncture point (8) of the lid is also positioned in close proximity to the initial contact point (9). The pivot line (12) of the scored portion is also positioned in close proximity to the contact point (9). This reduces the amount of force necessary to open the container which allows the pull tab (18) to be formed from thinner guage metal and to allow the size of the pull tab to be decreased.

Description

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Referring now to the drawings, the invention pertains to an easy opening lid 1 for beverage cans and the like FIGS 1 and 5 show an existing can lid design, the can lid 1 includes a groove 2 and center platform 3 The pull-tab area 4 includes a nvet center 5 and a double score lme 6 which extends about the pull-tab area 4 The area 7 is indented to increase the lid structure strength. When the pull- tab 16 at the pull-tab end 17 is lifted, the initial contact point 9 is pushed downward and the score lme 6 breaks at the puncture point 8 initially Puncture point 8 is positioned immediately adjacent the nvet center 5 The pull-tab 16 is mounted with end 17 near the end area 14 to permit one to reach under the tab end 17 for opening purposes The break will spread in both left and nght directions and ends at points 10 and 11 At that time, area 12 will be bent inward towards the inside of the can while retaining the scored center 13 on the lid 1

The problem with the pnor art design is that it is difficult to create the initial puncture with the existing design Considerable lifting force is required This problem is compounded ith the trend towards downsizing the lid diameter Today, many customers complain about this problem since they either break a fingernail or must rely on other instruments in order to open the tab

The force problem can be solved, first, bv moving the initial contact point 9 closer to the nvet center 5 With all other conditions remaining the same, the force required to break the puncture point 8 is the same However, when the distance between the initial contact point 9 and nvet center is reduced by half the lifting force at pull tab end 19 (see FIG 6) can be reduced b\ haif to create the same amount of force to break the puncture point 8 This approach, however, requires a new pull-tab 18

In an embodiment of the invention shown in FIG 2. the puncture point 8 is moved closer to the initial contact point 9 The onlv change required is in the scoring die While the first approach requires a new pull-tab 18.

the puncture point 8 closure to the initial contact point 9 requires less change When the distance between the puncture point 8 and the contact point 9 is reduced, the lifting force at pull-tab end 17 is also reduced

In a further embodiment, shown in FIG 3, the radius at the puncture point 8 is reduced to a sharper radius The force required to break the puncture point 8 is less, hence, it will make opening easier The consumer also faces two hurdles in opening a can lid First, they must break the puncture point 8 Secondly, they must force the break line to reach points 10 and 15 Once the lid 1 is punctured, the break line extends to the right and left of the puncture point 8 at equal distances until it reaches points 10 and 15 At that time, the break line terminates at point 10 and will continue beyond point 15 to point 11 To reach from point 8 to points 10 and 15 requires a substantial lifting force at the end of pull-tab 18 Once the can lid 1 is punctured, the integrity of the produci inside of the can cannot be protected It is unnecessary to have a big gap between points 8 and 10 The shorter the gap. the easier the opening will be FIG 4 illustrates this point

The invention as thus descnbed has a number of unique advantages When point 1 1 is moved closer to the nvet center 5. the width of the pull-tab 18 can be narrowed accordingly Consequently, less matenal is required for the pull-tab Secondly, when less lifting force at the end of pull-tab 18 is needed, thinner gauge mateπal will be sufficient to support the puncture force and opening force Both will offer significant cost savings for the pull-tab

Referring back to the discussion above, contact point 9 can be moved towards the n et center 5 by the following method FIG 5 shows an existing can lid In the figure, pull-tab 16 has an end i7 and contact point 9 FIG 6 shows the pull-tab 18 Contact point 9 is closer to the nv et center 5 The width of pull-tab 18 is narrower than the width of the pull-tab 16 in FIG 5 This is due to the scoie line end 11 being closer to the nvet center 5 than is customary in existing designs A shorter pull- tab 18 also offers a cost savings opportunity In pull-tab 18. the total length between points 19 and 9 can be shortened because less lifting force is required A shorter pull-tab 18 will give more room

Claims

between 19 and nm 1 for the finger to grab hold of the pull-tab end 19 and facilitate the opening

As shown in FIG 7, another option to lessen the force required to open the lid 1 is to move the pivot line 25 for ard closer to the contact point 9 rather than maintaining the conventional spacing of the pnor art The pivot line 25 extends between points 22 and 23 and is the line about which the tab 18 pivots

While the invention has been explained by a detailed descnption of certain specific embodiments, it is understood that vanous modifications and substitutions can be made in any of them within the scope of the appended claims, which are intended also to include equivalents of such embodiments CLAIMS

What is claimed, is

1 A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid comprising an outer nm mounted to the cylindrical container. a center platform having a score line positioned thereon and a puncture point vvherem an initial break in the score line occurs duπng opening. a groove extending circumferentially between the nm and the center platform, a pull tab having a contact point for engaging and opening the lid at the puncture point along the score line, and a met mounting the pull-tab to the center platform wherein the contact point on the pull-tab is positioned in close proximity to the nvet to minimize the lifting force on the pull-tab required to open the lid

2 A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the lid includes a puncture point for piercing the score line on the center platform, sa;d puncture point being positioned in close proximity to the contact point on the pull tab to reduce the lifting force required to open the lid A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claun 2 herein the score line compπses an abrupt radius at the puncture point to minimize the lifting force required to open the d A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the score line is extended a short distance from the initial break point to the first end point A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open hd in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the pull-tab includes a length and width, which are reduced due to the lesser lifting force required A cylindncal beverage container having an easv open lid in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the lid comprises a thin gauge metal due to the reduced lifting force required to open

A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid compnsing an outer nm mounted to the cv lindncal container, a center platform having a score line positioned thereon and a puncture point wherein an initial break in the score line occurs during opening, a nvet mounting the pull-tab to the center platform. a groove extending circumferentially between the nm and the center platform, and, a pull tab mounted on the met including a contact point for piercing the score line at the puncture point on the center platform, said puncture point being positioned in close proximity to the contact point to minimize the lifting force A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 7 wherein the score line is extended a short distance from the puncture point to a first end point A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 7 heiein the pull-tab includes a length and width, which are reduced due to the lesser lifting force required A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 7 wherein the lid comprises a thin gauge metal due to the reduced lifting force A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 7 wherein. the score line compπses an abrupt radius at the puncture point to minimize the lifting force required to open the hd A cv hndncal beverage container hav ing an easy open hd in accordance with Claim 1 wherein a pivot line about which said pull-tab pivots duπng opening, said pivot irne being positioned in close proximity to the contact point A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 7 herein a pivot line about which said pull-lab pι\ ots during opening, said pivot line being positioned in close proximitv to the contact point A cvlindncal bev erage container having an easv open lid comprising an outer nm mounted to the cylindncal container, a center platform having a score line positioned thereon and a puncture point wherein an initial break in the score line occurs during opening. a groove extending circumferentially between the nm and the center platform. a pull tab hav ing a contact point for engaging and opening the lid at the puncture point along the score line, and, a nvet mounting the pull tab to the center platform including a pivot line about which said pull tab pivots duπng opening, said pivot line being positioned in close proximity to the contact point A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 14 vv herein the hd includes a puncture point for piercing the score line on the center platform, said puncture point being positioned in close proximity to the contact point on the pull tab to reduce the lifting force required to open the hd A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 15 wherein the score line compnses an abrupt radius at the puncture point to minimize the lifting force required to open the Ud A cylindncal beverage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 14 wherein the score line is extended a short distance from the initial break point to the first end point A cylindncal bev erage container having an easy open lid in accordance with Claim 14 wherein the pull-tab includes a length and width, which are reduced due to the lesser lifting force required A cylindncal beverage container having an easv open lid in accordance with Claim 14 wherein the hd comprises a thin gauge metal due to the reduced lifting force