U.S. patent number 3,624,789 [Application Number 05/007,719] was granted by the patent office on 1971-11-30 for container stacking and sealing overcap.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Continental Can Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to Harry A. Peyser, Sally J. Stevenson.
United States Patent |
3,624,789 |
Peyser , et al. |
November 30, 1971 |
CONTAINER STACKING AND SEALING OVERCAP
Abstract
An overcap for container having a stacking flange for retaining
stacked containers in alignment and a sealing flange insertable
into the opened end of the container for sealing the opening.
Inventors: |
Peyser; Harry A. (Olympia
Fields, IL), Stevenson; Sally J. (Crestwood, IL) |
Assignee: |
Continental Can Company, Inc.
(New York, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
21727775 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/007,719 |
Filed: |
February 2, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/508; 206/821;
220/270; 220/287; 220/258.2; 220/258.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
21/022 (20130101); Y10S 206/821 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
21/02 (20060101); B65d 021/02 (); B65d
041/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/42A,42B,42C,60,97,97B,6R,97R,97F ;222/143 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lowrance; Geroge E.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An overcap for an easy-opening container of the type having an
end panel including a removable panel portion which when removed
provides an opening bounded by a ledge and of predetermined contour
in said end panel, said overcap comprising an end wall having an
outer peripheral skirt adapted to overlie the seamed end of said
container, a first flange extending from end wall in the opposite
direction from said skirt and adapted to be nestingly received
within the recessed end of a container stacked thereon, a second
flange extending in the same direction as said first flange and
contoured complementary to said predetermined opening so as to seal
said opening when said overcap is inverted to a position in which
said skirt is out of engagement with said seamed end, said second
flange including an outwardly extending horizontal lip adapted to
underlie the ledge bounding said opening.
2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which said skirt includes
an inwardly projecting lip engageable with the seamed end of said
container.
3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said horizontal lip
is the marginal edge portion of a top wall integrally attached to
said second flange.
Description
The present invention relates to a new and improved overcap for
containers. Overcaps are currently used to reclose the opening
remaining in the end of the container after removal of the end
panel therefrom. In the easy opening type of containers these
openings are formed by the formation of a weakening line which
defines a removable panel portion. The removable panel is separated
from the remainder of the panel by tearing along the weakening line
to provide the opening through which the contents are emptied. In
this type of easy opening container structure, the portion of the
panel remaining on the end closure forms a ledge bounding the
opening. This ledge is spaced below the chime of the end
closure.
Heretofore, overcaps have been constructed with the interior wall
structure spaced above the panel ledge bounding the opening. This
may be objectionable because if the container is tilted or
overturned, the container contents may be deposited on the ledge
and create a spillage problem when the overcap is removed. This
spillage problem is particularly troublesome when fluid products
are packaged in the containers.
By the present invention, it is proposed to construct an overcap
which is constructed and arranged so that the opening is sealed at
the panel ledge bounding the pour opening.
This is accomplished generally by the provision of an overcap
having an end wall and a sealing flange projecting therefrom. The
sealing flange is seatable within the pour opening to prevent the
container contents from being deposited on to the ledge. The
overcap also includes a stacking flange disposed on the same side
of the end wall as the sealing flange for nesting within the
recessed end of a stacked container when the overcap is inverted on
the container end prior to opening the end.
Further objects and features will hereinafter appear.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an easy-opening container and an
overcap embodying the present invention assembled thereon prior to
the opening of container end;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the overcap;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of stacked
containers showing the manner in which the overcap serves to
facilitate the stacking of containers; and
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a container after
opening and showing the overcap in an inverted position for sealing
the opening.
Referring now to the drawings, an overcap 10 embodying the present
invention is shown applied on the end of a container 11. The
container 11 includes a body 12 having a bottom end closure 13
attached to the lower end by means of a double seam. An upper end
closure 14 is attached to the upper end of the container body 12 by
a double seam 15.
The upper end closure 14 may be of the easy opening type including
an end panel 16 having a removable panel portion 16a defined by a
weakening line 17 formed as by scoring. The weakening line 17 may
be concentric with and spaced from a chuck wall 18 so that upon
removal of the removable panel portion 16a a ledge 19 bounds the
resulting opening 20. It is to be noted that the ledge 19 is
disposed below the chime 21 of the double seam 15.
For removing the removable panel portion 16a, a pull tab 22 is
attached to the removable panel portion 16a lin the standard
manner. The pull tab 22 is mounted for tilting movement to
initially sever the weakening line 17, whereupon a pulling force is
applied on the tab 22 to separate the removable panel portion 16a
by tearing along the weakening line 17. For a more complete
description of the easy opening structure reference is made to U.S.
Pat. No. 3,366,270.
The overcap 10 is made from plastic such as polyethylene,
polypropylene or the like and is formed by molding. The overcap 10
includes an annular end wall 23 having a peripheral skirt 24 which
is adapted to overlie the chime 21 at the upper end of the
container 11. The lower end of the skirt 24 is formed with an
inwardly projecting lip 25 which is engageable with the lower edge
of the double seam 15 to releasably secure the overcap 10 on the
container 11 as shown in FIG. 3.
Projecting upwardly from the upper face of the overcap 10 is a
stacking flange or bead 26. The stacking flange 26 is contoured so
as to seat within the recessed end of the lower end closure 13. In
this manner, the stacking flange 26 maintains a second container
stacked thereon in alignment with the lower container as shown in
FIG. 3. It is to be noted that the stacking flange 26 is
accommodated within the chuck wall of the end closure and is spaced
from the end panel thereof.
Concentric within and projecting beyond the stacking flange 26 is a
second upstanding or sealing flange 27. Extending across and
integral with the upper end of the sealing flange 27 is a top wall
28. The marginal edge portion of the top wall 28 projects outwardly
of the sealing flange 27 to provide an annular lip 29.
As shown in FIG. 4 upon removal of the removable panel portion 16a,
the overcap 10 may be inverted from the position shown in FIG. 3 to
the position shown in FIG. 4 to seal the
opening. In this position, the sealing flange 27 extends downwardly
into the opening 20 and is snugly engageable with the edge of the
panel ledge 19 remaining on the end. Also, the projecting lip 29
underlies the end panel ledge 19. In this manner, the sealing
flange 27 and the lip 29 seal the opening 20 and prevent the
contents from spilling on the can ledge. Should the container
contents be present on the can ledge 19 when the overcap 10 is
inverted, the stacking flange 26 which is accommodated within the
chuck wall 18 and the end wall 23 of the overcap 10 disposed on the
chime 21 serve to prevent spillage over the latter.
From the foregoing, it should be readily apparent that the overcap
of the present invention provides both a means for stacking
container prior to opening and a closure for insertable into the
open end after removal of the end for sealing the open end.
* * * * *