US3370744A

US3370744A - Can opener

Info

Publication number: US3370744A
Application number: US508905A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gontar Herbert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-11-22
Filing date: 1965-11-22
Publication date: 1968-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 1985-02-27

Description

Feb. 27, 1968 H. GONTAR 3,370,744

CAN OPENER Filed Nov. 22, 1965 R \M I J INVENTOR. h ,J 6 #595527 awn/7:4 /4 57 United States Patent The present invention relatesto an improved can opener and, more particularly, to an improved can opener adapted to be actuated by a key in removing selected portions of a can top to provide access to the can interior and, accordingly, its contents.

The recent introduction on the market of the snap open beverage can openers has experienced considerable success. Openers of this type generally include a lever or tab riveted to a weakened section of the can top. In order to open and remove the weakened portion to permit access to the can interior, the tab need only be lifted and pulled. Unfortunately, a number of disadvantages exist with these commercial openers. A'considerable amount of exertion and the expenditure of large amounts of energy is usually required to lift and pull the tab. Naturally, certain individuals particularly women will experience difiiculty in opening the can. The' size, shape and gauge of the tab is such that unintentional cutting of ones fingers may ensue during the opening operation.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide a modified snap open can opener which takes advantage of a key the size and shape of which permits more leverage and more body thereby rendering the key more readily graspable to easily open the can without experiencing the attendant disadvantages of prior art openers of the type discussed in the'above. i i

Another object is to provide a can opener of this type which is inherently safe to manipulate while maintaining the attractive features of the snap open can opener without resulting'in any appreciable increase in the cost of the can or the sealing of its contents.

A member extends from the weakened section to provide a means for interconnecting the weakened section with a key. This connection may provide for either sliding, rotational or other type of movement of the key such that the key is shiftable from a position substantially within the confines of the can top to a position extending therefrom. In the latter position, the key is adapted to be manually grasped and then turned to twist the weakened section to forcibly remove the section and provide access to the can interior.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of can opener in which a key has slidable interengagement with a rivet extending from the weakened section of the can top with the usual shipping condition of the key shown in solid lines and its extended position at which it is adapted to be twisted for purposes of removing the weakened section shown in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1 showing the raised inclined stififeners for facilitating the twisting and removing of the weakened section;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another top plan view showing the key in an extended position and the weakened section being twisted in the process of removing it from the can top;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of another embodiment of can opener in which a key has slidable intergagement with a coiled member fixed to and extending from the weakened section;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a further embodiment of can opener in which a key has pivotal interengagement with a rivet extending from the weakened section which in this embodiment is shown to be in the form of a continuous relatively narrow annular strip adapted to be twisted by the extended key shown in phantom; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Referring initially to the embodiment of can opener illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, a can 10 is shown. This can includes the usual cylindrical side walls 12 and base (not shown) together with the top 14 modified in accordance with the teachings of this invention. In this connection, the top is provided with a weakened section 16 which will assume the illustrated configuration for certain applications to beverage containing cans. The manner of providing the weakened periphery for this section is vwithin the confines of the can top 14 and in extended position at which it may be readily grasped and manually turned for purposes of removing the weakened section 16.

In order to facilitate and attain these positions, the key may be slightly bowed, 18S clearly shown in FIG. 3. The key 26 :is provided with an elongated slot 28 intermediate its ends for receiving the shank portion of the rivet 18 to thereby facilitate the connection of the key 26 to the rivet 18 while maintaining relative sliding movement therebetween. The key 26 is also provided with a finger gripping handle 30 adapted to be manually grasped to facilitate turning thereof and consequent twisting of the weakened section 16.

In this connection, the can top 16 is provided with a pair of opposed raised

stiffeners

32 and 34 against which the key 26 is adapted to be forced to supplement the mechanical advantage in turning the key and twisting the weakened section 16. Towards this end, each of the

stiffeners

32 and 34 are provided with

inclined faces

36 and 38, respectively, at the leading end of the stifieners for initial engagement with the key 26.

When in a retracted position, the key 26 is within the confines of the can top 16 and will not disturb the usual manner of stacking the cans one on top of the other. In order to obtain access to the can interior, the key 26 need only be shifted outwardly such that the handle 30 extends beyond the periphery of the can top 16. In this position, the handle 30 need only be turned to twist the weakened section 16 about the key. In this manner, the weakened section 16 may be removed and access gained to the can interior.

In FIGS 5 and 6, another embodiment of can opener is illustrated in which like numerals with accompanying primes will be employed to designate like parts. Thus, the key 26' is interengaged with the weakened section 16' by means of an interposed coiled member 40 which may be suitably secured to the weakened section 16 in one of a number of ways including the illustrated soldered or welded connection. The other end of the member 40 extends through the slot 28' and about the key 26', as

7 shown, while permitting relative sliding movement therebetween. In order to open the can the key 26' need only be grasped'and pulled outwardly beyond the periphcry of the can top 14' and then twisted in a manner similar to that proposed in the previousembodiment whereby the key 26 rides on the

inclined faces

36 and 38 and the remaining portions of the raised

stitfeners

32 and 3 4 to twist the weakened section 16 leading to its eventual removal. V 7

' Referring now to the embodiment of can opener illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, it will be appreciated that the can 10" includes atop 14" having a weakened section '16" in the form of an annular and relatively continuous strip 16". A rivet 18" having two lower flanges 20" and 22" in sealing engagement with the leading end of the weakened section 16" also includes an upper head 24" adapted to engage with surfaces of a pivotal key 26". This pivotal movement is facilitated by means of preenlarged end 44 of the key 26" which includes a slot 46 adapted to receive the head 24 of the rivet 18". This slot46 communicates with the opening 48 which together define

flange

50 and 52 against which the base of the head 24" is adapted to rest. Once the enlargement 44 mounted on the head of the rivet 24", the open end of one or bothof the slots 46 and opening 48 may be swaged or otherwise suitably reduced to prevent'disassociation of the key 26" and rivet 18".

In thenormal position for shipment and commercial distribution, the key 26" will be pivoted to an inner position within the confines of the can top 14". Where desired, this position may be maintained through the application of a suitable strip of adhesive or the 'like. When it is desired to obtain access to the can interior, the key 26" is pivoted so that the handle 30" extends outwardly beyond the periphery of the can top 14". In this position, the handle need only be rotated to twist the weakened section 16" about the key 26". In this manner, the entire top of the can or at least a substantial part thereof is adapted to be removed. Obviously, a can opening means of this type is peculiarly suited for other than the beverage type ofcontainers'. f

'Thus, the several aforenoted objects and advantages are most efiectively attained. Although several somewhat preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims. i

I im

1. A sealed container comprising: a top; sidewalls and a bottom defining a sealed interior compartment, the top hav n a wea ened s st w ada d o e. qr b y IP- moved from the top to provide access to the interior compartment; key engaging means extending from the weaktened section; an elongated substantially rigid key including surfaces defining an elongated slot inter-mediate its ends for receiving saidgkey engaging means, a finger gripping portion at one end, and connecting means defined by surfaces of said key for connecting the key to the key engaging means; and adjustment means defined by the surfaces of said key defining said slot and said key ena n mean r Pe mi n adj me of the ey ena ng means r m a pos t s nt a y wi hi .cqnfine 9 h top to an e ended p i n on t t p to provide increased leverage ofthe key whereupon the weakened section is adapted to be readily severed from the top by manually turning the key and twisting the weakened scction about the other end of said key.

2 The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the top of the can includes raised beveled wedgin-gsurfaces against which the said other end of said key is adaptedto engage upon manual turning of the key to facilitate the twisting o f the weakenedjsection with relative ease.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the key engaging means is a rivet having a lower end in sealing engagement with surfaces of the weakened section of the top and an upper head projecting beyond the top for engagement withthe key.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the key engaging means includes a eoiled member having one end connected with the weakened section and another end coiled about the key.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the top is substantially circular and the weakened section beinga continuous annular str'ipwhich upon removal sevens t e enti e P- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 581,937 5/1897 Kinsey 22 t)-54 2,029,328 2/ 36 Liung rom 2 0- 2 029, 29 2/ 1 936 Liungstrom V 220,-54 3,225,957 12/1265 Huth V 220-54 3,25 ,425 5/ 19,616 Stec ,et al- 220- IHERQ 5- common P mm E n G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A SEALED CONTAINER COMPRISING: A TOP; SIDEWALLS AND A BOTTOM DEFINING A SEALED INTERIOR COMPARTMENT, THE TOP HAVING A WEAKENED SECTION ADAPTED TO BE FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM THE TOP TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR COMPARTMENT; KEY ENGAGING MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE WEAKENDED SECTION; AND ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID KEY INCLUDING SURFACES DEFINING AN ELONGATED SLOT INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS FOR RECEIVING SAID KEY ENGAGING MEANS, A FINGER GRIPPING PORTION AT ONE END, AND CONNECTING MEANS DEFINED BY SURFACES OF SAID KEY FOR CONNECTING THE KEY TO THE KEY ENGAGING MEANS; AND ADJUSTMENT MEANS DEFINED BY THE SURFACES OF SAID KEY DEFINING SAID SLOT AND SAID KEY ENGAGING MEANS FOR PERMITTING ADJUSTMENT OF THE KEY ENGAGING MEANS FOR A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY WITHIN CONFINES OF THE TOP TO AN EXTENDED POSITION BEYOND THE TOP TO PROVIDE INCREASED LEVERAGE OF THE KEY WHEREUPON THE WEAKENED SECTION IS ADAPTED TO BE READILY SEVERED FROM THE TOP BY MANUALLY TURNING THE KEY AND TWISTING THE WEAKENED SECTION ABOUT THE OTHER END OF SAID KEY.