Pull tab with raised lift end and associated method

A progressive die manufacturing method of producing a pull tab for opening a beverage container of a type having a frangible region of a container lid and a rivet adjacent the frangible region, comprising steps of:

• producing at least one tab blank from a carrier sheet, the at least one tab blank fixed with the carrier sheet at one or more attachment points on the pull tab;
• at a tab station, forming the at least one tab blank into a pull tab having a nose configured to apply downward pressure on the frangible region of the container lid, a rivet receiving portion adjacent to the nose that includes a rivet aperture therethrough, a lift portion disposed distally from the nose and terminating at a distal end of the pull tab, and a finger hole located in proximity to the lift portion, one or more carrier strips fixed with the pull tab at one or more attachment points proximate the finger hole;
• the tab station forming a center bar of the pull tab disposed between the nose and the lift portion with a thickness for structural integrity;
• at a lift station, bending the pull tab to create deformations that elevate the lift portion relative to a highest continuous surface that runs along a length of the pull tab from the nose to the lift portion;
• and
• cutting the one or more carrier strips from the one or more attachment points of the pull tab to release the pull tab from the carrier sheet.

A progressive die manufacturing method of manufacturing a pull tab for opening a container of a type having a frangible region of a container lid and a rivet adjacent the frangible region, comprising steps of:

• producing at least one tab blank from a carrier sheet, the at least one tab blank fixed with the carrier sheet at one or more attachment points on the pull tab;
• moving the carrier sheet and the at least one tab blank through a tab station;
• at the tab station, forming the at least one tab blank into the pull tab having a nose configured to apply downward pressure on the frangible region of the container lid, a rivet receiving portion adjacent to the nose that includes a rivet aperture therethrough, a lift portion disposed distally from the nose and terminating at a distal end of the pull tab, and a finger hole located in proximity to the lift portion, the one or more carrier strips fixed with the pull tab at one or more attachment points on the lift portion;
• the tab station forming a center bar of the pull tab disposed between the nose and the lift portion with a thickness for structural integrity;
• moving the carrier sheet and the pull tabs to a lift station;
• at the lift station, bending the pull tab to create deformations that elevate the lift portion relative to a top plane of the pull tab, wherein:
• the lift station is integrated within the tab station,
• the lift station creates bends in the pull tab, each bend at an angle to achieve a desired elevation of the lift portion, and
• the lift station creates bends in the pull tab at a location on the lift portion for optimal stacking and user access;
• moving the carrier sheet and the pull tab to a cutting station;
• and
• cutting the one or more carrier strips from the one or more attachment points of the pull tab to release the pull tab from the carrier sheet.