Easy-open container with nondetachable lock-in tab

Abstract

An easy-open container having an opening tab which, when opened, remains attached to the container and is disposed within the opening of the container. An opening tab is defined in the container in part by a tearaway region and in part by a non-tearing region. The opening tab has a portion which is selectively deformable with respect to the remainder of the opening tab, and a handle is attached to the opening tab for the selective application of force tending to deform the tab portion inwardly of the container to initiate opening of the container. The handle is configured to be substantially completely receivable within the opening as the remaining tearaway portion of the opening tab is torn away and the tab is bent inwardly about the bending region, so that both the opening tab and the handle are substantially disposed within the container. The opening tab and the handle are retained within the opened container.

Parent Case Text

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 366,586, filed June 13, 1973, now abandoned.

Description

This invention relates in general to an easy-open container and in particular to an easy-open container having a nondetachable opening tab.

Containers of the easy-opening or so-called "pop-top" type enjoy widespread acceptance and use as containers for beverages and other commodities. The typical easy-open container, particularly as used for a beverage container, includes a tab which is defined on a surface of the container by a suitable metal-weakening operation such as scoring or the like, or which is alternatively defined on a separate member removably inserted into an opening formed in the container surface. An opening handle such as a pull ring is attached to the tab, and the container is opened by the simple and well-known expedient of grasping the handle and exerting force to tear the tab away from the remainder of the container.

It is also well-known that the tearaway tabs of these prior-art containers are a source of litter. The tear tabs and attached pull rings become completely separated from the opened container, and are typically discarded on the ground or elsewhere in the vicinity of the location where the container was opened. Since the torn-out tabs typically have rough edges caused by the metal-tearing opening operation, these discarded tabs not only provide a potential source of litter but also constitute a hazard to the safety of others. The magnitude of the problem associated with tearaway tabs removed from easy-open containers is demonstrated by the fact that at least one of the states has presently enacted legislation banning the use within that state of easy-open containers having tabs which become completely removed from the container when opened. A number of other states are presently contemplating similar legislation prohibiting such prior-art containers.

Although various types of modifications in easy-open containers have been proposed which assertedly operate to overcome the litter-creating potential of the conventional pop-top container, none of these proposed containers is known to have found substantial commercial acceptance. Generally, the proposed modified easy-open containers of the prior art have been found to suffer from one or more problems such as excessive manufacturing cost, complex and/or failure-prone opening procedures, and real or imagined psychological resistance by consumers of the products in such containers.

Whatever the reason, the proliferation of tear tab litter caused by the widespread use of conventional easy-open containers presently continues unabated.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved easy-open container.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an easy-open container in which the opened tab remains attached to the container and is stored within the opened container.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an easy-open container which minimizes the extent of tear tab and opening member structure on the exterior of an opened container.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of a disclosed embodiment of the invention, with reference taken to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1A shows an isometric view of an unopened easy-open container according to a disclosed embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B shows a plan view of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C shows a section view taken along line 1C--1C of FIG. 1B, showing the disclosed embodiment in unopened condition;

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C show corresponding views of the disclosed embodiment at an intermediate position during opening of the container; and

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C show corresponding views of the disclosed embodiment in fully-opened configuration.

Stated in general terms, the present invention includes a container member having an opening tab which is defined in part by a tearaway region on a container member and which is nondetachably connected to the remainder of the container member through a non-tearing region. The non-tearing region is selectively bendable to permit the opening member, when severed from the remainder of the container member along the tearaway region, to be displaced about the bendable interconnection so as to extend through the opening and within the container. An opening handle is attached to the opening tab, and the dimensions of the opening handle permit at least a substantial part of the handle to be pushed through the opening made by tearaway and inward bending of the opening tab. The handle undergoes engagement with the container, so that the opening handle and the opening tab are retained within the aforementioned position disposed through the opening and within the opened container.

The present invention is more particularly shown and described with regard to the disclosed embodiment thereof as shown in the Figures and including a container indicated generally at 10. The container 10 includes a container member such as the can end member 11 conventionally found on beverage containers and the like. An openable tab 12 is partially defined in the end member by a severable tearaway region 13 formed in the container member by any appropriate metal forming operation such as stamping, coining, or the equivalent. The tearaway region 13 extends from a first end 14, located in the interior of the end member 11, to region 16 spaced furthermost from the bendable interconnection 18 (and dispersed adjacent the chime 17 of the container 10, in the disclosed embodiment) and thence in a symmetrical manner to the second end 15 in spaced relation to the first end 14. It can be particularly seen from FIGS. 2A and 2B that the first end 14 and the second end 15 of the tearaway region each have an outward curl to define more positively the termination of the tearaway region and to facilitate inward bending of the opening tab.

The portion of the end member 11 extending between the first end 14 of the tearaway region and the second end 15 thereof defines a bendable and nondetachable interconnection 18 between the tab 12 and the remainder of the end member 11. The definition in the end member 11 of this bendable interconnection may be enhanced through the provision of a deformation 18a embossed or otherwise suitably formed in at least a portion of the intervening space between the two ends 14 and 15. However, it is not intended that the tab 12 be severable along the bendable interconnection 18 through the application of manual force normally applied in the opening of the container, and so the optional provision of the deformation 18a is not intended to compromise this nondetachability.

An opening handle 23 of generally elongate configuration, in the disclosed embodiment, is attached to the tab 12 at a location on the tab spaced apart from the bendable interconnection 18. The connection between the opening handle 23 and the tab 12 is accomplished in the disclosed embodiment with a rivet-like connection 24 which can comprise a unitary upset portion of the opening tab 12, although it will be understood by those skilled in the art that alternative techniques are known for attaching the opening handle to the tab. The rivet or other connection 24 extends through a portion of the opening handle which is partially surrounded by a separable region 25, which may be defined by being partially or completely severed and which is interrupted by a non-separable region 26 comprising a bendable region. The opening handle 23 has a first end portion 27 extending beyond the bendable region 26 and contacting the opening tab 12 adjacent its furthermost region 16. The opening handle 23 extends along the surface of the end member 11 in substantial alignment with the opening tab 12 and in proximate relation with the end member 11 to terminate at a second end portion 28 which may have a portion 29 flared or otherwise extending away from the end member to facilitate grasping of the handle. Although the particular configuration of the opening tab 12 in the end member 11 is not a critical feature of the present invention, it is important that the overall width of the opening handle 23, as measured along a line perpendicular to the section line 1C--1C in FIG. 1B, not exceed the maximum dimension which will permit at least substantially all of the handle to be readily inserted within the opening 30 which is formed by tearaway opening of the tab 12, in the manner set forth below. The point of connection between the opening handle 23 and the grasping portion 29 is defined by a pair of notches 31a, 31b, for a purpose described below, and the maximum width of the opening handle (excluding the grasping portion) occurs across the flanges 32a, 32b positioned adjacent the notches. The maximum handle width in the disclosed embodiment is slightly greater than the corresponding width of the opening 30, and the flanges 32a, 32b are resiliently deformable to permit the flanges to snap into position within the opened container, as shown in FIG. 3A and as described below. An aperture 33 may be provided in the portion of the opening handle 23 extending between the connection 24 and the second end portion 28.

Considering the operation of the easy-opening container as described thus far, it will be understood that the container 10 initially is in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, with the opening handle 23 lying along the end member 11 to be substantially parallel therewith. The grasping portion 29 preferably does not extend an appreciable distance above the chime 17 of the container, so that the stackability of the containers is not adversely affected. To open the container of the disclosed embodiment, the grasping portion 29 is manually grasped and initially moved away from the end member 11 in a direction shown by the arrow 35 of FIGS. 2A and 2C, until the handle 23 occupies a position substantially perpendicular to the end member 11 as shown in FIG. 2C. It will be seen that two separate bending operations occur during the aforementioned initial movement of the handle 23. The first such bending operation occurs as the handle 23 bends along the bendable region 26 so that the first end portion 27 of the handle moves downwardly to cause partial severing along the tearaway region 13 commencing at the furthermost region 16 of the opening tab 12, and extending along the tearaway region 13 to a location proximately adjacent the bendable region 26. This partial severing is accompanied by a second bending operation wherein a first portion 36 of the opening tab 12 becomes bent away from its normal or closed configuration, as best shown in FIGS. 1A, 1C, and into the configuration as best shown in FIGS. 2A, 2C extending into the interior of the container 10. The opening handle 23 of the disclosed embodiment preferably remains substantially rigid and nonbending (except for the bendable region 26) to maximize the force applied to the opening tab.

When the initial phase of container opening is accomplished as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C, it will be understood that any container pressurization is released and the opening of the container can now be completed as shown in FIGS. 3A-3C. Completion of opening is accomplished by simply exerting force downwardly on the opening handle 23, in a direction shown by the arrow 37 in FIGS. 3A and 3C. This downward force accomplishes tearing of the remainder of the tearaway region 13, and causes the remaining portions of the opening tab 12 to move into the interior of the container 10 as the opening tab bends along the bendable interconnection 18. The downward motion shown by the arrow 37 continues, in the disclosed embodiment, until the opening handle 23 becomes substantially completely disposed through the opening 30 in the end member 11 to be substantially completely received within the container interior. The flanges 32a, 32b adjacent the second end portion 28 of the opening handle occupy a width dimension slightly greater than the widest portion of the opening 30, and these flanges must be resiliently forced beneath the end member 11 by a slight amount of pressure on the handle so that the notches 31a, 32b become engaged by the peripheral edge surrounding the opening 30. This arrangement of flanges 32a, 32b and notches 31a, 31b accomplishes retaining engagement of the opening handle 23 in the fully-open position shown in FIGS. 3A, 3C, and the flange forming the grasping portion 29 is now substantially in flat alignment with the adjacent portion of the end member 11.

The container 10 is now fully opened, and the contents of the container can be removed by pouring or by drinking from the can in the conventional fashion. The contents of the can flow through the opening 33 in the handle 23 and through the open regions (one of which is shown at 38) on either side of the inwardly-positioned opening tab 12. It is particularly evident from FIG. 3C that the herein-described embodiment of an easy-open container according to the present invention does not have any projections or other structural members extending from the container in a manner constituting either a real or psychological hazard to drinking from the can. Indeed, the final positioning of the flanged grasping portion 29 adjacent the outermost region 16 of the opening 30 functions to provide a pouring spout and to protect the lips of the drinker from contacting the outermost region of the opening.

Although locking of the opening handle and the attached opening tab in the fully-open position is accomplished in the disclosed embodiment with the notches 31a, 31b, and the flanges 32a, 32b, which engage and are retained by the periphery of the opening 30, it will be understood that alternative expedients may be provided for accomplishing such retention. For example, the flange defining the grasping portion 29 could be extended for engaging contact with the adjacent portion of the can chime 17. Other alternatives will present themselves to those skilled in the art.

It will be understood that the foregoing refers only to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and that numerous alterations and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

We claim:

1. Easy opening container with nondetachable opening member, comprising:

a container member;

an opening tab having a periphery defined in said member in part by a severable tearaway region of relative weakness and in part by a non-tearaway region forming a bendable interconnection between the opening tab and the remainder of the container member, so that an opening is established in the container member when the tearaway region is severed and the opening tab is displaced into the opened container by bending along the bendable interconnection;

said opening tab having a forward end which is in spaced apart relation with said bendable interconnection, and which occupies a forward end of said opening;

a handle closely overlying said opening tab and attached to said opening tab at a location thereon disposed between said bendable interconnection and said forward end;

deformably bendable means attaching said handle to said opening tab to provide a first portion of said handle which extends beyond said bendable attaching means to overlie said forward end of said opening tab;

said handle having a second portion which extends on the opposite side of said bendable means from said first portion, and which terminates in a means for grasping the handle;

said bendable attaching means being operative to deform to allow said forward end of said opening tab to be severed and then bent into the container by first handle portion in response to rotation of said handle by moving said grasping portion away from said container member to rotate the handle about a fulcrum provided by said bendable attaching means;

said handle configured to be substantially enterable into the forward end of said container opening as the remainder of said tearaway region is severed by movement of the handle into the opening; and

retaining means disposed on said handle adjacent said grasping portion to engage said container and to secure said handle at the forward end of said opening when the handle has substantially entered the opening, so that said handle and said attached opening tab are maintained within the opened container by said securement of the handle at the forward end of the opening.

2. The container as in claim 1, wherein

the width of said handle is slightly greater than the corresponding dimension of said forward end of the opening provided by said displacement of the opening tab within the opened container;

said handle is sufficiently resilient for entry into said opening notwithstanding said slightly greater width; and

said retaining means comprise indentation means formed in said handle to engage the periphery at the forward end of said opening.

3. The container member as in claim 1, wherein:

said grasping means at the end of said handle includes a cover surface which covers the periphery at the forward end of said opening when said handle is secured at the forward end by said retaining means.

4. The container member as in claim 3, wherein said cover surface is substantially flat and extends from said second portion of said handle at an angle which disposes said flat cover surface in closely confronting relation over the exterior of said container member surrounding and covering said forward end periphery, when said handle is secured at the forward end by said retaining means.

5. The container member as in claim 1, wherein said bendable attachable means comprises:

means securing said handle to said opening tab;

a separable region defined in said handle partially surrounding said securing means; and

the remaining portion of said handle surrounding said securing means defining a bendable region enabling said handle attachment to deformably bend relative to said opening tab.

6. A container with nondetachable easy opening member, comprising:

a container including a container member;

an elongate opening tab defined in said member in part by a non-tearaway region forming a bendable interconnection between the opening tab and the remainder of the container member, and in part by a severable tearaway region of relative weakness and having a forward end spaced apart from said bendable interconnection;

a handle bendably connected to said opening tab at a location intermediate said bending interconnection and said forward end, said handle having a grasping portion connected to the handle at a location extending from said bendable connection location to a position which applies force to said forward end of said tearaway region when said grasping portion is moved outwardly and away from the container member;

said bendable connection of said handle to said opening tab being operative to allow said handle to be deformably bent outwardly and away from the opening tab as said grasping portion is correspondingly moved, so that said handle severs said forward end of said tearaway region;

the remainder of said tearaway region being severed in response to said handle moving toward said container member to force the remainder of the opening tab and the handle inwardly of the container member, so that said grasping portion finally becomes disposed in closely proximate overlaying relation with the forward edge of said elongate opening which is remotely spaced from said bendable interconnection;

said handle configured to permit substantially all of the handle to enter the front of opening remaining in the container member when the remainder of the tearaway region is severed and the opening tab is bent along said bendable interconnection line to enter the container; and

retaining means positioned on said handle to engage said container and to secure said handle at the forward end of said opening with said grasping portion in said overlay position when the handle is substantially completely entered in said container member opening.

7. The container as in claim 6, wherein:

said retaining means is located at the end of said handle remote of said bendable connection to said opening tab and comprises a resiliently yieldable first means having width slightly greater than the maximum corresponding dimension of said forward end of the container member opening wherein said handle is entered, so that said first means can be urged into resiliently yieldable retaining engagement with the periphery of said opening; and

said retaining means additionally comprises second means of width less than said first means and positioned on said retaining means for entry into and engagement with a portion of the periphery adjacent the forward end of the opening in response to said urging of said resiliently yieldable first means into the opening.

8. The container as in claim 7, wherein:

said grasping portion has a substantially flat lip of width too large for entry into said opening in the container member and aligned on said handle for said overlaid disposition in substantially flat abutting covering relation with said forward edge of the opening when said handle is retainingly engaged in the opening.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said second means is provided by a region of said lesser width at the connection between the handle and the grasping portion.