U.S. patent number 3,814,277 [Application Number 05/254,408] was granted by the patent office on 1974-06-04 for reclosable can.
This patent grant is currently assigned to American Can Company. Invention is credited to Leonard Thomas La Croce, Charles Stephan Radtke.
United States Patent |
3,814,277 |
La Croce , et al. |
June 4, 1974 |
RECLOSABLE CAN
Abstract
A reclosable container having an annular ring with an
inwardly-angled upwardly-extending substantially straight shoulder
and a surmounting vertical throat whose interior surface
frictionally sealingly engages the outer surface of a vertical to
inwardly-tapered friction wall on the container plug to provide a
tight closure which minimizes leakage and plug dislodgment upon
tipping. The diameter of the base of the friction wall is greater
than the throat diameter, and the junction of the plug central
panel and friction wall is disposed lower than the junction of the
ring shoulder and throat.
Inventors: |
La Croce; Leonard Thomas
(Paramus, NJ), Radtke; Charles Stephan (Little Ferry,
NJ) |
Assignee: |
American Can Company
(Greenwich, CT)
|
Family
ID: |
22964201 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/254,408 |
Filed: |
May 18, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/801; 220/802;
220/624 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
43/022 (20130101); C06B 45/14 (20130101); B65D
2543/00546 (20130101); B65D 2543/00509 (20130101); B65D
2543/0037 (20130101); B65D 2543/00435 (20130101); B65D
2543/00092 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
43/02 (20060101); C06B 45/14 (20060101); C06B
45/00 (20060101); B65d 041/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/42A,42C,42D,44R,66 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Price; William I.
Assistant Examiner: Shoap; Allan N.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Auber; Robert P. Audet; Paul R.
Mumma, Jr.; Harries A.
Claims
We claim:
1. A container comprising:
a metal can body;
an annular ring joined to one end of said can body by a double
seam, said ring having a substantially U-shaped channel, said
channel being formed by a countersink wall, which merges directly
into a substantially arcuate wall, which in turn merges into an
inwardly-angled upwardly-extending substantially straight shoulder,
said shoulder adjoining a vertical to inwardly-angled throat at an
inner portion of said ring above said seam; and
a metal plug, said plug having a recessed concavely-profiled
flexible central panel and an annular, inwardly-angled friction
wall adjoining said central panel, the outer diameter of the base
of said plug friction wall being greater than the inner diameter of
said throat, and the junction of said central panel and said
friction wall having a reformed radius of greater rigidity than
that of its original radius or that of the central panel or
inwardly-angled friction wall, said plug junction being lower than
the junction of said shoulder and said throat, such that the outer
surface of said friction wall fits snugly in frictional sealing
engagement with the interior surface of said throat.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein said annular ring is joined to
said can body by a conventional double seam, the terminal portion
of said throat is curled and said plug has an annular, inverted,
substantially U-shaped wall adjoining said friction wall and
complementarily sitting in frictional engagement on said throat
curl.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to reclosable containers and more
particularly to reclosable single friction and like containers
wherein friction in a single area between the container or
container ring and lid or plug is largely responsible for closure
of the container.
Reclosable single friction containers are useful where a large
opening is desirable, as when the product contained therein is one
such as paint which is often poured and which must be accessible
over a large area to a stirrer or brush. Such containers often have
a ring joined to the container body and have a throat defining the
opening. The throat usually has a straight portion which
frictionally engages a cylindrical friction wall on the plug and
thereby effects closure of the container.
It is known that plugs for such containers often do not
sufficiently seal the container's contents from the environment and
they sometimes allow spillage by becoming dislodged when the
containers are tipped during shipping and handling.
It is also known that the throats of such containers are
susceptible to permanent distortion when excessive axial force is
exerted on the plug, as during closing, shipment and use.
It has now been found that reliable seals, resistant to internal
forces exerted on the plug during tipping, and prevention of
excessive throat distortion can be obtained by constructing single
friction and like containers in accordance with this invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a container comprising a can body, an annular
ring and a plug. The annular ring has an inwardly-angled, upwardly
extending substantially straight shoulder and surmounting vertical
to slightly inwardly-angled throat which can terminate in a curl.
The plug has a recessed central panel, preferably flexible and
concave, and has an annular vertical to inwardly-angled friction
wall adjoining the central panel. The outer diameter of the base of
the plug friction wall is greater than the inner diameter of the
throat, and the junction of the central panel and friction wall is
positioned lower than the junction of the shoulder and throat such
that the outer surface of the friction wall fits snugly in
frictional sealing engagement with the interior surface of the
throat. The junction of the central panel and friction wall can be
and preferably is reformed from a previously larger radius. The
annular ring can be joined to the can body by means of a
conventional double seam and the ring preferably has a
substantially U-shaped channel formed by a countersink wall, an
arcuate wall and the straight shoulder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a container made in accordance with
the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken through lines 2--2 of
FIG. 1 showing the plug normally seated on the top of the
container.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the plug above the
container prior to its being seated within the container
throat.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawing in detail, FIG. 1 shows a container
generally designated 10, having a container body, 11, closed at one
end by a bottom end closure, 12, seamed to the container body by
conventional means. As best shown in FIG. 2, an annular ring, 13,
is joined to the upper end of can body, 11, by conventional means
such as a double seam, 14.
Annular ring 13 includes a countersink wall 15 which forms the
inner layer of double seam 14 and, at its bottom end, merges into a
substantially U-shaped channel 16 which merges into an
inwardly-angled upwardly extending, substantially straight shoulder
18, in turn adjoining and merging into a vertical to
inwardly-angled throat 20 which can terminate at its uppermost end
in an annular bead or curl 22.
In FIG. 2, a sealing plug generally designated 30, having a
recessed, flexible central panel 32 and an annular, vertical to
inwardly-angled friction wall 34 is shown seated on container 10 so
that the base of plug friction wall 34, adjacent recessed central
panel 32 fits snugly in ring 13 with the outer surface of plug
friction wall 34 being in frictional sealing engagement with the
inner surface of throat 20. Annular friction wall 34 can extend
upwardly into, adjoin and merge into an annular curved channel
portion 36 which extends outwardly from friction wall 34 and merges
with an inclined flange portion 38 which in turn merges with an
annular downwardly-projecting skirt 39 which terminates in integral
reinforcing bead or curl 40 extending generally outwardly from
skirt 39.
FIG. 3 shows plug 30 above and aligned with ring 13 of container
body 11 just before being placed thereon to effect the closure
shown in FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 3, the diameter of plug 30 measured from the outer
surface of the base of friction wall 34 is larger than the diameter
of ring 13 measured from the interior surface of the base of throat
20. Having a larger diameter at the base of the friction wall is
essential for obtaining a proper seal between throat 20 and
friction wall 34 and for preventing spillage and dislodgment of
plug 30 from the throat. How much larger the diameter must be
depends on the gauge and flexibility of the particular type
material of which the overall container is made. The diameter must
be large enough so that the base of friction wall 34 locks under
the junction of shoulder 18 and throat 20 of ring 13. For typical 1
gallon paint containers made of typical steels such as electrolytic
tinplate (ETP), 135 lb. gauge plate for ring 13, and 118 lb. gauge
plate for plug 30, it has been found that the diameter at the base
of plug 30, i.e., adjacent A, must be at least 0.004 inch larger
than the diameter at the base of throat 20, i.e., adjacent B.
In order to obtain tight closures, not only must the diameter of
the base of plug friction wall 34 be larger than the opening formed
by throat 20, but also plug centerline A, (FIG. 2), extending
horizontally from the point of the radius, i.e. the center of the
circle a portion of whose circumference forms the radius of
curvature of the junction of central panel 32 and friction wall 34,
must be lower than centerline B, extending from the point of the
radius forming the radius of curvature of the junction of shoulder
18 and throat 20. Less precisely stated, the junction of central
panel 32 and friction wall 34 must be lower than the junction of
shoulder 18 and throat 20. The greater the length of that portion
of straight friction wall 34 lying between the respective center
lines, the more secure the closure, the greater the number of tips
obtainable before leakage or plug dislodgment, and the greater the
prevention of distortion of throat 20 due to axial forces exerted
on the container. Centerline A should be high enough relative to
double seam 14 to permit an opening device to be inserted over the
double seam and under plug curl 40 to effect a facile removal of
plug 30 from ring 13.
It has been found that for the previously mentioned typical 1
gallon ETP paint can, tight closures are obtained and plug
dislodgments prevented, when the distance between centerlines A and
B is at least about 0.005 inch.
For the aforementioned container, the length of the radius forming
the centerline A, can advantageously be about 0.050 inch. Shorter
radii and smaller radii of curvature raise the number of tips
obtainable prior to leakage and plug dislodgment. Longer radii tend
to be more preventive of throat distortion due to axial forces
exerted in the container. For the aforementioned container, when
the product contained therein is one such as paint, it has been
found that the length of the radius forming centerline B can
advantageously be about .040 inch. Radii approaching zero provide
increasingly greater abuse resistance.
The radius of curvature forming the plug junction adjacent
centerline A is of greater rigidity than the rest of friction wall
34. The junction between central panel 32 and friction wall 34 must
be rigid enough to lock the base of plug 30 securely under the
junction between shoulder 18 and throat 20. How rigid the junction
must be depends among other things on the size container, the gauge
metals employed, the length of the radius B, the weight of the
product contained in the container, and the number of tips
considered to be acceptable before spillage or plug dislodgment
occurs. One means of effecting such greater rigidity is by first
forming the radius of curvature in a larger diameter, and then
reforming it to a smaller diameter. The manner in which this is
done is well known to those skilled in the art.
Results of tip tests conducted upon 1 gallon, 6 10/16 inch diameter
paint containers constructed with and without reformed radii of
curvature adjacent centerline A, are shown in TABLE I, and indicate
that reformed radii of curvature give a higher number of tips than
formed ones. The tests involved filling containers with from 1 gal.
to 1 gal. 9 oz. of water and placing the containers right-side up
on a concrete surface. The cans were manually gradually tipped on
the edges of their bottom end closures 12, until gravity caused the
containers to fall freely on their sides. The container rings were
made of 135 lb. ETP and the plugs of 118 lb. ETP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE I
Average Type Radius Radius No. of Accept- Radius Dimensions
Dimensions Tips able Cl* A CL* B before Plug Ring Leakage
__________________________________________________________________________
Formed 0.093 0.040 5 No Do. 0.060 0.040 10 No Do. 0.050 0.040 10 No
__________________________________________________________________________
Reformed 0.093 0.040 20 Yes Do. 0.060 0.040 50 Yes Do. 0.050 0.040
50+ Yes
__________________________________________________________________________
*CL Centerline
As shown in FIG. 3, when plug 30 is formed, friction wall 34 is
vertical to preferably inwardly-angled. Inwardly-angled here means
angled towards the central axis of container 10. Otherwise stated
friction wall 34 is slightly tapered from bottom to top so that the
base adjacent A has a larger diameter than the top adjacent channel
portion 36. For the aforementioned container, it has been found
that satisfactory closures can be obtained when the angle of
friction wall 34 is from 0.degree., to about 1.degree., preferably
.5.degree., from the vertical.
Throat 20 of ring 13 also is vertical to inwardly-angled. Although
FIG. 2 shows throat 20 as substantially vertical, throat 20, due to
characteristics of metals, tends to be effected by the angle of
shoulder 18 and tends to take on a slightly inward angle or taper,
which is acceptable according to this invention.
Central panel 32 can have a flat, but preferably has a concave
profile. Central panel 32 is flexible so that it can flex to the
position of the dotted domed profile 32' for example when a filled
container 10 is tipped, or when it compensates for increases in
internal pressure due to expanding gases such as when the product
in the container is an exothermic paint material.
Substantially U-shaped channel 16 need not be so shaped but can be
substantially horizontal without significantly affecting the number
of tips that can be obtained utilizing the construction of this
invention. However, a substantially U-shaped channel is especially
advantageous when employed with a short straight portion 16'
because together they are especially effective in providing
additional strength against forces exerted both radially and
axially against the container.
With the construction of this invention, such additional strengths
can be obtained dispite the use of light gauge materials. With a
substantially horizontal construction, heavier gauge materials are
required.
Flange 38, skirt 39 and curl 40 can be of any suitable
configuration but preferably they are as shown in the drawing.
Skirt 39 can be provided with a series of conventional stop lugs
(not shown) extending outward from skirt 39 and overlying double
seam 14. When excessive axial forces are exerted on the container
for example during initial container closing operations, such stop
lugs can abut double seam 14 to prevent such forces from
excessively distorting ring 13. The configuration and function of
such stop lugs is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,807 issued Aug.
20, 1968.
* * * * *