Back to results
US 2019/0337042 A1Published application
Method of making a retort container
AssigneeSonoco Development, Inc.
InventorsTREVOR PRICE, JEREMY MORIN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is described for making a retort container having one or two metal ends. A heat-sealable material is present on one or both of the container side wall and the/each metal end. The/each metal end is seamed onto the container body, and the resulting container assembly is conveyed on a conveyor adjacent to an induction sealing head and then adjacent to a cooling device. A pressure belt engages the upper end of the container assembly to keep the metal end from coming off the container body during the induction heating and cooling processes.
Claims19
A method of making a container, comprising the steps of:
- providing a container body having a side wall extending about and parallel to a longitudinal axis, the side wall having a first end and a second end, the first end defining an edge that extends about an opening of the container body, the side wall having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- providing a metal end, the metal end having at least a metal layer and comprising a central portion and an outer peripheral portion extending generally radially outwardly from the central portion and extending circumferentially about the central portion, the peripheral portion having a radially outer part and a radially inner part, a first heat-sealable material being present on at least one of (a) a lower surface of at least the peripheral portion of the metal end, (b) the inner surface of the side wall adjacent the first end thereof, and (c) the outer surface of the side wall adjacent the first end thereof, the radially outer part of the peripheral portion defining a curl, the radially inner part of the peripheral portion defining a chuck wall that extends generally downward from the curl and has a portion which is substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the container, and has a radially outer surface forming an interface with the inner surface of the parallel side wall of the container body, and wherein the substantially parallel chuck wall portion has a first end and a second end, the first end being adjacent the curl, and wherein the second end of the substantially parallel chuck wall portion has a diameter which is smaller than an inner diameter of the side wall, and the first end of the substantially parallel chuck wall portion has a diameter which is larger than the inner diameter of the sidewall;
- applying the metal end to the first end of the container body, wherein the step of applying the metal end to the container body results in the side wall of the container body moving relatively upwardly and wiping the substantially parallel portion of the chuck wall from the second end to the first end such that an interference fit is created between the substantially parallel portion of the chuck wall and the side wall;
- forming a seam connecting the metal end to the first end of the side wall, the container body and seamed metal end constituting a container assembly;
- and
- induction heating the metal end to melt the first heat-sealable material and then cooling the first heat-sealable material so as to fuse the metal end onto the container body.
3 more elements
A method of making a container, comprising the steps of:
- providing a container body having a side wall extending about and parallel to a longitudinal axis, the side wall having a first end and a second end, the first end defining an edge that extends about an opening of the container body, the side wall having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- providing a metal end, the metal end having at least a metal layer and comprising a central portion and an outer peripheral portion extending generally radially outwardly from the central portion and extending circumferentially about the central portion, the peripheral portion having a radially outer part and a radially inner part, a first heat-sealable material being present on at least one of (a) a lower surface of at least the peripheral portion of the metal end, (b) the inner surface of the side wall adjacent the first end thereof, and (c) the outer surface of the side wall adjacent the first end thereof, the radially outer part of the peripheral portion defining a curl, the radially inner part of the peripheral portion defining a chuck wall that extends generally downward from the curl at a non-zero angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the container, and has a radially outer surface forming an interface with the inner surface of the parallel side wall of the container body, and wherein the chuck wall has a first end and a second end, the first end being adjacent the curl, and wherein the second end of the chuck wall has a diameter which is smaller than an inner diameter of the side wall, and the first end of the chuck wall has a diameter which is larger than the inner diameter of the sidewall;
- applying the metal end to the first end of the container body, wherein the step of applying the metal end to the container body results in the side wall of the container body moving relatively upwardly and wiping the chuck wall from the second end to the first end such that an interference fit is created between the chuck wall and the side wall;
- forming a seam connecting the metal end to the first end of the side wall, the container body and seamed metal end constituting a container assembly;
- and
- induction heating the metal end to melt the first heat-sealable material and then cooling the first heat-sealable material so as to fuse the metal end onto the container body.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.