U.S. patent number 3,796,344 [Application Number 05/254,585] was granted by the patent office on 1974-03-12 for non-detachable tear strip and pull tab structure for easy opening container.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Continental Can Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to James V. De Phillips, Ronald O. Karka.
United States Patent |
3,796,344 |
De Phillips , et
al. |
March 12, 1974 |
NON-DETACHABLE TEAR STRIP AND PULL TAB STRUCTURE FOR EASY OPENING
CONTAINER
Abstract
An easy opening container having a panel including a tear strip
defined by a weakening line which terminates in spaced ends. A pull
tab is attached to the panel for severing the weakening line along
the length thereof and bending the tear strip into the container
about a line extending between the ends of the weakening line to
thereby provide a pour opening. The pull tab is constructed so as
to be bendable in overlying relation with the panel after severance
of the weakening line without reclosing the pour opening.
Inventors: |
De Phillips; James V. (Oak
Lawn, IL), Karka; Ronald O. (Tinley Park, IL) |
Assignee: |
Continental Can Company, Inc.
(New York, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
22964852 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/254,585 |
Filed: |
May 18, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/269 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
17/4012 (20180101); B65D 2517/0092 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65d 017/20 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/48,54 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hall; George T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Mitchell; Americus Kerwin; Joseph
E. Dittman; William A.
Claims
1. An easy opening container comprising an end closure having a
panel, a weakening line provided in said panel and terminating in
spaced ends defining a tear strip, a pull tab, fastening means
fastening said pull tab to said panel, said pull tab having a
finger grip portion and a nose portion contoured to lie along said
weakening line, slit means in said pull tab defining an attachment
flap to which said fastening means is connected, means connecting
said nose portion and said finger grip portion to provide a lever
when said pull tab is tilted upwardly at said finger grip portion
so that said nose portion severs said panel along said weakening
line and bends said removable panel portion inwardly substantially
along a line extending between said spaced ends of said weakening
line to form a pour opening in said panel, said means connecting
said nose portion and said finger grip portion permitting said
finger grip portion to be bent relative to said nose portion to a
position overlying
2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said fastening means
comprises a rivet extending through said finger grip portion and
another
3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said slit means
defining said attachment flap is formed in said finger grip
portion, and said slit
4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein a U-shaped slit is
formed in said nose portion with the bight thereof facing said
finger grip portion.
5. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein a U-shaped score
line is formed in said panel and disposed about said rivet with the
open end
6. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein a U-shaped score
line is formed in said panel and disposed about said rivet with the
open end
7. An easy opening container comprising an end closure having a
panel, a weakening line in said panel and terminating in spaced
ends defining a tear strip, a pull tab having a finger grip portion
and a nose portion contoured to lie along said weakening line, a
first rivet means fastening said nose portion to said panel, a
second rivet means fastening said finger grip portion to said
panel, slit means in said pull tab defining an attachment flap to
which said second rivet means is fastened, a hem extending between
said nose and said finger grip portion, a transverse slit disposed
across said tab between said nose portion and said finger grip
portion and extending partially into said hem to form an unslit
portion whereby said nose portion and said finger grip portion
provide a lever when said pull tab is tilted upwardly at said
finger grip portion so that said nose portion severs said panel
along said weakening line and bends said removable panel portion
inwardly substantially along a line extending between said spaced
ends of said weakening line to form a pour opening in said panel,
said nose portion and said finger grip portion being bendable
relative to each other about said unslit portion of said hem to
locate said finger grip portion in an overlying position on said
panel adjacent said pour opening after said weakening line is
severed.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an easy opening container in which the
sheet metal end closure is formed with a weakening line to define a
tear strip and a tab is attached to the tear strip for severing the
weakening line to form a pour opening.
Heretofore, it has been common practice to provide a weakening line
which defines a tear portion that is completely removable and
separable from the container. This has the disadvantage that the
separated tear portion may be carelessly discarded and create
litter.
The present invention provides an easy opening container having an
improved non-detachable tear strip and an improved pull tab for
facilitating the separation of the tear strip from the panel to
form a pour opening and to position the non-detached tear strip and
pull tab in a non-obstructing position after formation of the pour
opening.
The foregoing is accomplished generally by providing the panel of
an end closure with a tear strip defined by a weakening line
terminating in spaced ends. The tear portion or strip is bendable
about a line extending between the ends of the weakening line. A
pull tab having a nose portion and a finger grip portion is
fastened to the panel at the nose portion and the finger grip
portion. A U-shaped slit is formed in the finger grip portion to
define an attachment panel which receiver a fastener for attaching
the tab to the panel.
The pull tab is constructed to act as a lever upon lifting or
tilting at the finger grip portion to initiate rupture of the
weakening line. A hinge connection is provided between the nose
portion and the finger grip portion to permit bending of the tab
after the weakening line is severed and the tear portion is bent
into the container. The hinge connection is arranged so that the
finger grip portion projecting above the plane of the panel may be
bent along the line extending between the ends of the weakening
line to a position overlying the panel. In this manner, the tear
portion remains in the container along with the nose portion while
the finger grip portion lies in a non-obstructing position
overlying the panel .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an easy opening container prior to
being opened and embodying the structure of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the container showing the container
when opened;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the container end panel
and the pull tab prior to being opened;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines
4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the
condition of the panel and pull tab upon initial upward tilting of
the latter;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIGS. 4 and 5 but showing the
condition upon further upward tilting;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 but
showing the condition of the panel and pull tab when the tear strip
is severed along the full length of the score line to provide a
fully opened pour opening;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the
condition of the tab when the finger grip portion thereof is bent
into overlying relation with the panel;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of another embodiment of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a container 10 having
an end closure 11 embodying the easy opening structure of the
present invention. The end closure 11 comprises generally a flange
12 which is double seamed to an end of a container body 14. The
other end of the container or can body 14 may either be formed with
an integral end or a separate end closure attached thereto (both
types of end structures not shown).
The end closure 11 includes an upstanding chuck wall 16 and a panel
17. The panel 17 may be provided with a peripheral bead 18 which
serves as a shock absorbing bead.
A substantially U-shaped weakening line 19 defined by a score line
is formed in the panel 17. The weakening or score line 19 includes
a bight portion 21 and a pair of transversely spaced legs 22
extending therefrom.
A pull tab 23 made from sheet stock is secured to the panel 17 for
breaking the weakening line 19 and depressing a separable portion
or tear strip 20 defined by the weakening line 19 downwardly and of
the plane of the panel 17 and into the container body 14 to provide
a pour opening 24. A hem 26 extends about the pull tab to impart
rigidity thereto. The hem 26 is formed as a downwardly depending
flange 27 overlying the bight portion 21 of the weakening line
18.
The pull tab 23 includes a forward or nose portion 28 which is
separated from a rear or finger grip portion 29 by a transversely
disposed slit 31. The slit 31 extends only partially through the
hem 26 to provide an unslit portion 32 so that the finger grip
portion 29 and the nose portion 28 remain attached but being
bendable about the unslit portion 32. A cutout 33 if formed
intermediate the length of the slit 31 in the nose portion 28 and a
pair of projecting notches 34 are formed in the finger grip portion
29. To rigidity the nose portion 28, reinforcing beads 35 may be
provided.
As shown the nose portion 28 of the pull tab 23 is contoured
complementary to the score line 19 and is located so that the slit
31 lies generally along a line extending between the terminal ends
of the legs 22.
The pull tab 23 is fastened to the panel 17 by means of a first
rivet 36 formed integral with the panel and located on the tear
strip 20. A second rivet 37 formed integral with the panel 17
extends through the finger portion 29 and is fastened to an
attachment flap 38 defined by a pair of spaced longitudinal slits
39--39 extending inwardly from the notches 34--34. The slits 39 may
each terminate in curled ends 40.
A score line 41 having a bight 41a and a pair of legs 42 is formed
in the panel about the rivet 37 so that the terminal ends 42, which
may be formed with curls, face the nose portion 28.
To open the container, the finger grip portion 29 of the pull tab
23 is grasped and tilted upwardly away from the underlying panel.
Upon initial upward tilting, the finger grip portion 29 is easily
lifted until the attachment flap 38 is tautened and applies a
stress on the rivet 37 as shown in FIG. 5. Further upwardly tilting
causes additional stress to be imposed on the weakening line 41 via
the rivet 37 whereupon the length of the weakening line 41 is
severed to provide a hinge flap 43 which is removed out of the
plane of the panel 17 to provide a vent opening 44.
At the same time, the flange 27 engages the bight portion 21 of the
score line 19 to initiate severance thereof. As the pull tab 23 is
tilted to an upright position, the weakening line is severed along
the length thereof so that the tear strip 20 is depressed
downwardly out the plane of the panel 17 to the position shown in
FIG. 7. In this manner, the pour opening 24 is provided through
which the contents of the container is emptied.
If it is desired to consume the contents directly from the
container by placing the mouth over the pour opening 24, the
upstanding finger grip portion 29 is easily bent about the unslit
hem connection 32. The finger grip portion 29 is bent until it lies
substantially flush with the remainder of the panel 17 as shown in
FIG. 8. The finger grip portion 29 is thus located in a
non-obstructing position so that the mouth of a user may be placed
directly over the pour opening. At the same time, the tear portion
20 and the pull tab nose 28 remain within the can body 14.
To further facilitate the lifting of the pull tab 23 to initiate
the severance of the weakening line 19, a U-shape slit 51 may be
provided in the nose portion 28 as shown in FIG. 9. The U-shaped
slit 51 opens toward the outer end of the nose portion 28 and the
ends thereof may terminate in curls 52. The U-shaped slit 52
defines a second attachment flap 53 which facilitate the initial
upward tilting of the pull tap 23. For example, upon upwardly
tilting or lifting of the pull tab 23, the nose portion 28 and the
finger grip portion 29 are both inclined away from the panel 17
until the flaps 38 and 53 are stressed by the rivets 36 and 37,
respectively. Thereafter upon further tilting, the score line 41
breaks to vent the can and also allowing further upward tilting so
that the score line 19 is severed by the flange 27 on the nose 28.
The full length of the score line 19 is severed until the tear
portion 20 is at substantially right angular relationship with the
panel 17.
The finger grip portion 29 is bent rearwardly about the hinge
connection 32 until it assumes the position as shown in FIG. 8.
* * * * *