CN101189166A - Removable sheet metal end closure with cut prevention - Google Patents

Abstract

A removable sheet metal end closure (10) for a container (15) that is cut resistant is provided. The metal end closure includes a top wall (11) having a buckle region (22) and a plate (16). The panel is removable from the remainder of the top wall and scored by a score (14). The fold region and score are configured such that in one area the score is located outside and below the fold region, thereby providing protection against any flash formed in the fracture region by removal of the panel, while outside the one area the score is level with or inside the fold region, thereby preventing interference from the fold region during removal of the panel.

Description

Cut Resistant Removable Plate Metal End Caps

technical field

The present invention relates to a metal end that is attachable to a container and has a removable plate for accessing the interior of the container.

Background technique

Removable-panel metal ends, also known as full bore closures, full panel pull-out (FPPO) ends, and convenience ends, are used on a variety of containers for a wide variety of products. A removable sheet metal end cap is usually attached to the container by double seaming the curled outer edge of the end cap to the flange of the container. These end caps include removable panels to allow access to the interior of the container. The plate is removed by cutting a score (also referred to as a score line) extending around the perimeter of the plate. The score is severed by lifting a tab attached to the plate and starting to break the score by pressing the nose of the tab against the plate. After the initial break is made, the tab is pulled up and back to cut through the remaining score, thereby removing the plate from the remainder of the end cap.

Tearing the metal along the score tends to form sharp burrs that remain on the edge of the metal end cap. Along the score and near the nose of the tab (known as the "smile area"), the burr tends to slope downward due to pushing down on the plate to create the initial break. Conversely, outside the rip area, the burr slopes upward due to the plate being pulled upwards to sever the metal in that area. The downward sloping burrs represent a greater risk of cuts when a consumer puts their hand or finger into the container (for example, to scoop out the powdered contents) and then withdraws the hand or finger up against the edge.

Contents of the invention

The present invention addresses the above needs and achieves other advantages by providing a cut resistant removable sheet metal end cap for a container. The metal end cap has scores defining a removable plate, and a pull ring is attached to the plate. The end caps include cut resistant and rigid flex zones. The portion of the score near the nose of the tab is located radially outward of the bend region such that the bend region provides a cut-resistant feature, while at other locations remote from the nose of the tab, the score is located to varying degrees on the outside of the bend. radially outward of the bending zone so that the plate can be removed without interfering with the bending zone.

In one embodiment of the invention, the removable sheet metal end cap includes a top wall having a center and a periphery. Scores are formed in the top wall extending about the center and spaced radially inwardly from the periphery to score a plate in the top wall. The plate may be severed from the outer periphery of the top wall. An opening tab is attached to an integral rivet formed in the panel. The opening tab has a nose portion positioned adjacent the upper surface of the plate and proximate to the score such that pivoting of the opening tab around the rivet causes the nose to press down on On the board, start cutting the notch near the nose end.

The metal end cap also includes an inflection zone formed in the outer periphery of the top wall. The bend region has a bottom layer extending radially outward from the score to an outer bend, an intermediate layer extending radially inward from the outer bend to an inner bend, and a The upper layer extends outward. The inflection zone is configured such that the inner inflection portion substantially overlies the score. More specifically, the score path near the nose of the tab is located radially outward of the inner bend such that the inner bend forms a cut-resistant feature. The inner bend may be circular with a substantially constant radius from the center of the end cap, while the scoring path is non-circular. For example, the scoring path may have a non-arc shape for the sloped section near the nose of the tab, while outside the sloped section the scoring path may have a circular shape. Also, the top wall may include a curled edge extending around the center for engaging a side wall of the container.

The metal end cap of the present invention has several advantages. The configuration of the score path and the bend area provides cut protection in the breach area without interfering with removal of the sheet. By configuring the score to be further out than the inner bend near the nose of the opening tab, contact with any downward sloping burrs formed along the broken score in the split zone during plate removal is minimized .

Description of drawings

Having thus generally described the invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the removable plate metal end cap of the present invention, wherein dashed lines are used to indicate the radially outer area of the inner bend of the score;

Figure 2 shows the pathlines of a score in one embodiment of the invention;

3A and 3B are partial cross-sectional views taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

4A and 4B are partial enlarged cross-sectional views of reference numerals 4A and 4B of FIGS. 3A and 3B ;

Fig. 5 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the metal end cap under the condition that the opening tab is lifted up; and

Figure 6 is a partial perspective view of the container of Figure 5 with the panel being removed by simultaneously pulling the opening tab up, back and away from the container.

Detailed ways

The present invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different ways and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

The present invention generally comprises a metal end cap 10 for closing the opening of a container 15 . In one embodiment, the metal end cap 10 has a top wall 11 including a center 12 and a peripheral portion 17 , a score 14 , a plate 16 , and a bend region 22 .

Scores 14 are formed in the top wall 11 and extend around the center 12 and are spaced radially inwardly from the outer periphery 17 . The path of the score 14 marks out the plate 16 so that it can be severed from the outer periphery 17 of the top wall 11 . Integral rivets 18 are formed in plate 16 . An opening tab 19 is attached to the integral rivet 18 . Opening the tab 19 provides a means of severing the panel 16 and removing it from the top wall 11 . More specifically, the opening tab 19 has a nose end 20 and an opposite end 21 on the other side of the rivet 18 opposite the nose end 20 . The opposite end 21 is also referred to as the tab heel. Nose 20 is positioned proximate score 14 near the upper surface of plate 16 . By pivoting the opening tab 19 about the rivet 18, i.e. lifting the opening tab 19 on the opposite end 21, the nose 20 is pressed down on the plate 16, thereby beginning to cut through the score 14 near the nose 20, as shown in FIG. 5. After starting the cutting, as shown in FIG. 6 , the opposite end 19 is lifted upwards away from the container 15 , thereby cutting the entire length of the circumferential score 14 to remove the plate 16 from the outer periphery 17 of the top wall 11 .

Referring specifically to FIGS. 4A and 4B , the bending region 22 formed in the outer peripheral portion 17 of the top wall 11 has: a bottom layer 23 extending radially outward from the score 14 to an outer bending portion 26; an intermediate layer 24, which Extending radially inwardly from the outer bent portion 26 to the inner bent portion 27 ; and an upper layer 25 extending radially outward from the inner bent portion 27 . The inflection zone 22 is configured such that the inner inflection portion 27 substantially overlies the score 14 . As shown in FIG. 2 , the path ( R1 ) of the score 14 closer to the nose 20 is more radially outward than the path ( R2 ) of the score 14 at a location remote from the nose 20 .

In the present invention, the spatial relationship between the inner bend 27 and the score 14 is advantageous because it is cut resistant while not interfering with the removal of the plate 16 . Specifically, as shown at R1 in FIG. 1 , score 14 is farther from center 12 near nose end 20 than inner bend 27 is, so that inner bend 27 provides a cut-resistant feature that prevents Or at least reduce the likelihood of contact with the downwardly sloping burrs that form in the breach region 30 along the score 14 as the nose 20 presses down on the plate 16 to initiate the cut. However, downwardly directed burrs are only a danger in the breach region 30 . Outside the breach area 30, any danger from burrs along the score 14 comes from the upwardly sloping burrs that form when the plate 16 is pulled upwards away from the outer periphery 17 of the top wall 11 . Also, if the inner bend 27 is always closer to the center 12 than the score 14 , the inner bend 27 will interfere with removing the plate 16 from the rest of the top wall 11 . Thus, the score 14 away from the nose 20 (at R2) is generally the same distance from the center 12 as the inner bend 27 or closer to the center 12 than the inner bend 27, thereby allowing the Plate 16 is removed.

The favorable spatial relationship between the inner bend 27 and the score 14 can be achieved in several ways. As shown, the inner bend 27 may extend along a circular path centered on the center 12 . Similarly, the score 14 remote from the tab nose 20 may extend around a circular path c centered at the center 12 having a radius less than or equal to the radius formed by the inner bend 27 . In a region a near the nose end 20, the score 14 may extend along a non-circular path, eg an elliptical path, at a greater distance from the center 12 than the inner bend 27 (see eg FIG. 2 ).

The extent of the scored portion disposed at the increased radius R1 near the nose 20 may vary. For example, the portion may occupy an arc of about 45 degrees to about 180 degrees about the center 12 .

In the figures, plate 16 is shown concentric with and generally similar in shape to top wall 11 . However, it should be noted that the plate 16 may have a different shape than the top wall 11 and/or may be off-centred with respect to the center of the top wall 11 .

In another embodiment, the invention includes a container 15 having a side wall 28 . The bottom end cap closes the bottom opening defined by the side walls 28 . The side wall 28 also defines a top opening and has a top flange 29 . The metal end cap 10 engages the top flange 29 of the side wall 28 to close the top opening.

Various modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the accompanying drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are used herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and are not intended to be limiting.

Claims (6)

1. removable panel metal end that is used for container, this removable panel metal end comprises:

Roof with center and periphery is formed with indentation in this roof, this indentation extends around described center and be inwardly spaced apart with described outer periphery, thereby depicts a plate in this roof, and this plate can be cut off from the peripheral part of this roof;

Be formed on integral rivet and the draw ring of opening that is attached on this rivet in the described plate, this is opened draw ring and has nose, this nose is positioned near and the approaching described indentation of upper surface of described plate, make the described draw ring of opening cause described nose to be pressed on the described plate downwards, to begin to cut off near the indentation the described nose around the pivot of described rivet; And

Be formed on the bending district in the peripheral part of described roof, this bending district comprises the bottom of kink outside described indentation extends radially outwardly to, kink extends radially inwardly to the interlayer of inner fold and the upper strata that extends radially outwardly from this inner fold outside this, makes described inner fold roughly cover the top of described indentation;

Wherein, near the described tab nose indentation is positioned at the radial outside of described inner fold, make this inner fold form cut-protection feature, and wherein in other position away from described tab nose, described indentation is positioned at the radial outside of described inner fold to some extent.

2. removable panel metal end according to claim 1, wherein, described inner fold is circular and the described radius centered substantially constant of distance, and wherein said indentation has non-circular path.

3. removable panel metal end according to claim 2, wherein, the indentation that is used near the tilting section of described tab nose has non-circular shape.

4. removable panel metal end according to claim 3, wherein, the indentation in the described tilting section outside has circular shape.

5. removable panel metal end that is used for container, this removable panel metal end comprises:

Roof with plate, wherein this plate can be cut off from this roof along the indentation that depicts this plate from described roof;

Be formed on integral rivet and the draw ring of opening that is attached on this rivet in the described plate, this is opened draw ring and has nose, this nose is positioned near and the approaching described indentation of upper surface of described plate, make the described draw ring of opening cause described nose to be pressed on the described plate downwards, to begin to cut off near the indentation the described nose around the pivot of described rivet; And

Roughly along bending district that described indentation forms, this bending district comprises the bottom of kink outside described indentation extends to away from described plate, kink extends to the interlayer of inner fold and from the upper strata of this inner fold away from described plate extension, makes described inner fold roughly cover the top of described indentation towards described plate outside this;

Wherein, near the described inner fold the described tab nose with first the distance roughly extend beyond described indentation and cover described plate a part above, thereby this inner fold forms cut-protection feature, and wherein in other position away from described tab nose, described inner fold extends to described indentation or surpasses described indentation with second distance, and this second distance is less than described first distance.

6. container with removable panel metal end of cut-protection, described container comprises:

Have top flange and limit open-topped tubular sidewall; And

Be attached on the described top flange of described sidewall to seal described open-topped metal end, this metal end comprises:

Roof with center and periphery is formed with indentation in this roof, this indentation extends around described center and be inwardly spaced apart with described outer periphery, thereby depicts a plate in this roof, and this plate can be cut off from the peripheral part of this roof;

Be formed on integral rivet and the draw ring of opening that is attached on this rivet in the described plate, this is opened draw ring and has nose, this nose is positioned near and the approaching described indentation of upper surface of described plate, make the described draw ring of opening cause described nose to be pressed on the described plate downwards, to begin to cut off near the indentation the described nose around the pivot of described rivet; And

Be formed on the bending district in the peripheral part of described roof, this bending district comprises the bottom of kink outside described indentation extends radially outwardly to, kink extends radially inwardly to the interlayer of inner fold and the upper strata that extends radially outwardly from this inner fold outside this, makes described inner fold roughly cover the top of described indentation;

Wherein, near described tab nose indentation is positioned at the radial outside of described inner fold, make this inner fold form cut-protection feature, and wherein in other position away from described tab nose, described indentation is positioned at the radial outside of described inner fold to some extent.

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