U.S. patent application number 10/542148 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-29 for method for providing marking on the pull tab of a can end.
Invention is credited to See Teow Koon.
Application Number | 20060140746 10/542148 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32709953 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060140746 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Koon; See Teow |
June 29, 2006 |
Method for providing marking on the pull tab of a can end
Abstract
A can tab with logo having a grab portion and fixed portion,
pivotably attached to a can closure of a can characterised in that
said can tab having a stamped out logo formed therein for
promotional and decoration purposes. The can tab with logo can be
affixed to said can closure adjacent the push open tear strip or
pull open tear strip; or affixed adjacent the outer end of said can
closure having the tear strip which is defined by the entire
circumferential of said closure.
Inventors: |
Koon; See Teow; (Selangor,
MY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
32709953 |
Appl. No.: |
10/542148 |
Filed: |
December 6, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
December 6, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/SG03/00281 |
371 Date: |
November 16, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
413/25 ;
413/56 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2203/00 20130101;
G09F 23/0091 20130101; B21D 51/383 20130101; B65D 17/4012 20180101;
G09F 3/00 20130101; B44B 5/0052 20130101; G09F 23/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
413/025 ;
413/056 |
International
Class: |
B21D 51/44 20060101
B21D051/44 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 15, 2003 |
MY |
PI 20030121 |
Claims
1. A method for providing markings on a pull tab of a can end
comprising the step of piercing a logo on said pull tab of said can
end by a tooling means to form said logo thereon whereby said logo
is the pierced out portions of said pull tab.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said logo includes any
one combination of a sign, alpha-numeral, symbol, waving and
topographic profile on the pull tab.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said logo includes
apertures, pierced out portions, perforations, punch-outs, stamped
out portions and cut-outs on said pull tab forming said logo.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pull tab is a
metallic pull tab.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of the
pull tabs are formed on a metallic strip prior to said piercing
thereon to provide the marking on each said pull tab.
6. The method as claimed in claims 1 and 5, wherein said forming of
a plurality of pull tabs and said corresponding marking thereunto
on said metallic strip is provided in a single press.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said steps further
comprising: folding in the edges of said pull tab to form an
all-round lip; and affixing said marked pull tab onto a can
end.
8. The method claimed in claim 7, wherein said step of affixing
said marked pull tab includes removing said pull tab formed from a
plurality of such pull tabs pre-formed on a metallic strip prior to
affixing said marked pull tab onto said can end by riveting
means.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said step further
comprising the step of providing a score line outlining an aperture
on said can end and affixing said pull tab at a point on said end
which facilitate tearing of said score line at said point upon the
lifting of the pull tab which enables a user to continue tearing
along said score line to complete the opening of the aperture.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said aperture as
defined by the score line covers substantially the entire
circumference of the can end.
11. A pull tab comprising a pierced logo thereon.
12. A can end fabricated with a pull tab formed by the method as
claimed in claim 1.
13. A can comprising a pull tab as claimed in claim 11.
14. A can comprising a can end as claimed in claim 12.
15. An apparatus for implementing a method as claimed in claim 1,
comprising: a forming section for forming the shape of the pull
tabs; a piercing section for piercing the logo on the formed tab
strip; and a riveting section for affixing pull tabs after said
pull tabs are removed from the pierced tab strip onto the can end
of the can.
16. The apparatus for implementing the method as claimed in claim
15, wherein said apparatus further comprising a folding section to
fold in the sharp edges of the pull tab to provide an all-round lip
to enhance the profile of the tab.
17. The apparatus for implementing the method as claimed in claim
16, wherein the location of said folding section is interchangeable
between said other sections.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for can-making,
particularly the top end of the can. Specifically, it relates to a
method for providing the can end's pull tab with a marking, such as
a logo pierced thereon, for promotional and decoration purposes,
proof of purchase, product genuineness and the like, on cans,
including beverage can ends.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The conventional system for using can products, such as food
and beverages cans, to provide a message, advertise or decorate on
can end's pull tab is by printing, embossing or etching picture or
logo on the can end's pull tab. The process to provide the logo on
the can end's pull tab may be carried out by any conventional
technology including, but not limit to, inks, paints, silk screens,
adhesives or glues. Later, laser technology is used to produce the
marking on the can end's pull tab.
[0003] In this specification, the term "marking" encompasses any
form of mark provided on the pull tab, including a logo,
alphanumeral, symbol, waving, topographic profile, and cut-outs
through the tab. Among the earliest marking on either the pull ring
tab or the end are "Lift ring to open", "Dispose of properly", "Do
not litter" and other short messages. Since then, more creative
markings in the form of colourful logo or decorative mark have been
used for attractive, promotional and/or co-branding purposes, proof
of purchase, genuine product identification, anti-tampering,
etc.
[0004] In prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,030, a moulded plastic
cover is used as identification system. This identification system
is costly as the prior art needs additional plastic material to be
slipped into the pull tab.
[0005] In prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,806, a laser device is used
to burn or etch the anodised or coated aluminium tab. A plurality
of coatings of aluminium material must be used to produce a colour
logo or decorative item on the can end's pull tab. The material,
the process and the device to produce the logo or decorative item
are costly.
[0006] In prior art W00228730, a sticker-adhering device is engaged
to stick the logo- or decorative item-bearing sticker onto the pull
tab. The quality of the logo does not last long due to the nature
of stickers.
[0007] The present invention seeks to overcome the limitations of
the previous systems. One of the objects of this invention is to
reduce the cost of putting a logo or words on the pull tab. The
cost of stamping a pre-formed logo on a pull tab is much cheaper
compare to a laser equipment.
[0008] Another object of this invention is the duration of time
required to put a logo on the pull tab. For example, if a stamping
process may be employed, the time required to stamp the logo on
pull tab is very fast. The process will directly reduce the labour
time or cost and this will increase throughput.
[0009] Still another object of the invention is to give a more
lasting logo compare to some prior arts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] To achieve the aforesaid objects, it is provided in the
general embodiment of the invention, a method for providing
markings on a pull tab of a can end comprising piercing a logo on
said pull tab to provide a logo thereon.
[0011] Preferably that the logo includes any one combination of a
sign, alpha-numeral, symbol, waving and topographic profile on the
pull tab and may be provided in the form of apertures, pierced out
portions, perforations, punch-outs, stamped out portions and
cut-outs on said pull tab forming said logo.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of the pull tabs may
be formed on a metallic strip prior to the piercing thereon to
provide the marking on each said pull tab. A plurality of the
marking may also be pierced in suitably spaced apart distances on a
metallic strip prior to forming pull tabs around each marking.
Alternatively, the plurality of pull tabs and the corresponding
marking thereunto on a metallic strip may be formed in a single
press.
[0013] In another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for
fabricating an easy-open can end with a pull tab provided with
marling comprising the steps of:
[0014] forming said pull tab;
[0015] piercing said marking on said pull tab; and
[0016] affixing said marked pull tab onto said can end, including
riveting said tab onto said can end.
[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the step of affixing the marked
pull tab includes removing the pull tab formed from a plurality of
such pull tabs pre-formed on a metallic strip prior to affixing
said marked pull tab onto said can end by riveting means.
Preferably, the method further comprises a step of folding in the
edges of the pull tab to form an all-round lip.
[0018] In yet another preferred embodiment, the method further
comprises the step of providing a score line outlining an aperture
on the can end and affixing said pull tab at a point on the end
which facilitate tearing of said score line at that point upon the
lifting of the pull tab which enables a user to continue tearing
along said score line to complete the opening of the aperture. An
alternative to the aperture is one that is defined by the score
line covering substantially the entire circumference of the end of
the can.
[0019] In another alternative embodiment, the fabrication of a can
end with a pull tab may be implemented in a single continuous
process.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of a can with the end provided
with a logo pierced on the end tab according to one embodiment of
the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of a can with another
embodiment of the end provided with a logo pierced on the end
tab.
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the method for producing the
pull tab of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an alternative method for
producing the pull tab of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] The method of providing a marking on pull tab of a can end
according to the present invention may be best understood with
reference to the drawings and the accompanying detailed
description.
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a can end (1) of a can with the result of a
logo pierced on a pull tab (10). The can end (1) comprises of a
pull tab (10) rigidly attached to the can end (1), by a rivet (14)
or any conventional means, and a tear strip (13) outlined by a
score line (18) which can be pushed to tear open by force. The pull
tab (10) includes a grip portion (12) and a fixed portion (11). The
pull tab (10) is rigidly attached to can end (1) by the rivet (14)
and a slit (15) is provided adjacent the fixed portion (11) of the
pull tab (10) to act as a lever with the rivet (14). The pull tab
(10) pivots at rivet (14) when the grip portion (12) is lifted up
and the resultant leverage with the fulcrum around the rivet
applies downward force by the fixed portion (11) of the pull tab
(10) to open the tear strip (13). The tear strip (13) is designed
in such a way that a portion of the tear strip (13) will be torn
opened and the remainder of the score line (18) intact with the can
end (1). Only when the tear strip (13) is pushed open completely to
expose the opening or aperture, can the consumer consume the
content of the can. The pull tab (10) is preferably made of
metallic material that is easily processed, e.g. aluminium,
aluminium alloys, steel or zinc or any other suitable material. The
formation of the pull tab (10) can be done in a conversion press.
The material allows the machine to easily pierce the desired logo
on pull tab (10). Various of logos such as characters, icons,
trademarks, etc can be stamped on the pull tab (10) for promotional
purposes. A logo (16) is pierced on the pull tab (10) instead of
forming a gripping aperture in the tab (10).
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention. In this
embodiment, the pull tab (10) is similar to the first embodiment in
construction and affixed to the can end (21) by rivet (24) with the
tear strip (23) includes substantially the entire inner
circumference of the can end (21) of a can as defined by a score
line (28) which can be torn to open the can end (21) of the can by
pulling the pull tab (10).
[0027] The process of the invention may be implemented by an
apparatus in order for producing the pull tab (10) with, for
example, a conversion press having piercing system to form the
desired logo on the pull tab (10) as shown in a block diagram of
FIG. 3. In a first method of producing the pull tab (10) with
pierced logo, a metallic strip is fed into the forming section
(S31) to form the predetermined shape of tabs along the metallic
strip without the marking of logo on the grip portion (12) it. The
formed tab strip is then fed into a piercing section (S32) to
pierce the desired logo by a tooling means on the grab portion of
each predetermined shape of tabs on the formed tab strip. The
pierced tab strip after exiting the piercing section (S32) is then
fed into the riveting section (S33) where pull tabs are removed
from the pierced tab strip (S34) and riveted onto the can end (21)
of the can. A person skilled in the art may add a folding section
(S35) to fold in the sharp edges of the pull tab to provide an
all-round lip to enhance the profile of the tab. The location of
this folding section S35) is interchangeable between the sections
as previously mentioned.
[0028] FIG. 4 shows an alternative method for producing the pull
tab (10) using a conversion press having a piercing system to form
logos on the pull tab (10). In this second method, the piercing
section (S41) is located before the forming section process (S42).
The desired logos are pierced from the metallic strip in a
predetermined distance between each pierced logo along said
metallic strip (S41) prior to entering into the forming section
(S42). The pierced logo will give a more lasting logo on the pull
tab (10). After forming the predetermined shape of tabs, the pull
tab is then rigidly mounted to the can end by riveting.
[0029] A painted metallic strip in desired colour may be used with
the present invention if coloured pull tab with pierced logo are
required. Similarly, the metallic strip with coated colours may
also be used with the present invention.
[0030] It is to be understood that the present invention may be
embodied in other specific forms and is not limited to the sole
embodiment described above. However modification and equivalents of
the disclosed concepts such as those which readily occur to one
skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of
the claims which are appended thereto.
* * * * *