End closure with double anti-missile score
AssigneeBall Corporation
InventorDennis K. Frank
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An end closure for food and beverage containers provides controlled opening characteristics to prevent the unintentional missiling of a tear panel. The end closure comprises a score line that defines a portion of the tear panel, and the end closure may comprise one or more anti-missile features that inhibit the propagation of a fracture down a score line, which reduces the likelihood that a tear panel will inadvertently detach from the end closure and injure the user or another.
Claims17
-9. (canceled)
A method of forming a metallic end closure with an anti-missile feature, comprising:
- providing a blank metallic material;
- forming an end closure comprising a peripheral curl, a central panel, and a countersink positioned therebetween;
- forming a first score line on said central panel, wherein said first score line substantially defines a tear panel;
- providing a tool with at least one shaped feature disposed on a distal end of said tool;
- pressing said tool into at least one of said central panel and said tear panel such that said at least one shaped feature contacts said at least one of said central panel and said tear panel at a location proximate said first score line to form at least one anti-missile feature in said end closure, wherein said at least one anti-missile feature is a double anti-missile feature comprising a first anti-missile feature positioned proximate a second anti-missile feature, and wherein said first anti-missile feature and said second anti-missile feature are disposed on said tear panel;
- and
- interconnecting a pull tab to said central panel of said end closure, wherein a nose of said pull tab is positioned over said tear panel to facilitate opening of said end closure when a downward force is applied to said tear panel with said nose of said pull tab.
-20. (canceled)
A method of forming a metallic end closure with an anti-missile feature, comprising:
- providing a blank metallic material;
- forming an end closure comprising a peripheral curl, a central panel, and a countersink positioned therebetween;
- forming a first score line on said central panel, wherein said first score line substantially defines a tear panel, and said first score line comprises a check slot;
- providing a tool with at least one shaped feature disposed on a distal end of said tool;
- pressing said tool into at least one of said central panel and said tear panel such that said at least one shaped feature contacts said at least one of said central panel and said tear panel at a location proximate to said first score line to form at least one anti-missile feature in said end closure, and wherein said at least one anti-missile feature is disposed on said tear panel;
- and
- interconnecting a pull tab to said central panel of said end closure, wherein a nose of said pull tab is positioned over said tear panel to facilitate opening of said end closure when a downward force is applied to said tear panel with said nose of said pull tab.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.