Easy-open wall
AssigneeReynolds Metals Company
InventorDaniel F. Cudzik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An easy-open construction for a container wherein a panel principally defined by a rupturable score line in a wall is opened by operating a tab having one end adapted to press against the panel at a position spaced from the score line and overlying only a small portion of the opening left by the panel in its opened position. The other end of the tab is liftable to open the panel and is returnable directly to its original position next to the wall. The tab and panel remain secured to the wall after the panel has been moved to its open position.
Claims32
An easy-open container end with non-detachable means for making an opening therethrough suitable for pouring, comprising:
- an end wall,
- a rupturable score line in the end wall defining most of the periphery of a nonremovable tear panel, while leaving an integral hinge between the panel and the remainder of the end wall, said score line extending away from one end of the hinge, around a bight where it is distant from the hinge, and back to the other end of the hinge,
- a tab extending generally parallel and close to an underlying area of the end wall, a rear part of the tab being engageable for upward lifting, and a forward part of the tab overlying a minor portion of the tear panel, and
- attaching means on the end wall in a region thereof adjacent the score line and outside the tear panel, said attaching means being nondetachably secured to connecting means on the tab,
- said attaching and connecting means permitting pivotal movement of the tab when the rear part of the tab is lifted up from the container and, while the forward end of the tab correspondingly swings down,
- the score line being subject to initial rupture when the rear end of the tab is partially lifted to cause the forward end of the tab to press down on the panel,
- continued pivotal movement of the tab, about an axis generally parallel to the underlying area of the end wall and close to the said attaching means, being effective to propagate the rupture of the score line, and to swing the panel down about its hinge to open position, and
- said attaching means on the end wall being closer to said hinge than to a place on the tear panel where the forward part of the tab is adapted to press initially.
An easy-open end wall for a beverage container, said end wall having a periphery, a rupturable score line in said end wall defining most of the periphery of a non-removable tear panel while leaving an integral hinge between the panel and the remainder of the end wall, a non-detachable tab, means for attaching said tab to said end wall in a region adjacent to but outside of said tear panel and providing for pivotal movement of said tab about an axis transverse to the length of said tab, said score line including two spaced portions extending from said region away from said tab, said score line extending from said two spaced portions into a generally arcuate section, said tab having a forward, rupturing portion that overlies a minor part of said tear panel adjacent said region with the greater part of said tear panel being uncovered by and extending away from said tab toward said generally arcuate section, and with the front end of said tab forward portion not overlying any portion of said rupturable score line when said tab is in its original position, said tab having a rear portion being adapted to be easily grasped and lifted up to urge said forward portion against said panel as the tab is pivoted about said axis to rupture said score line and depress said panel away from said end wall and about its hinge to open position, the initial lifting movement of said tab rear portion effecting an initial rupturing of said score line adjacent said tab forward portion and further lifting of said tab rear portion causing propagation of the initial rupturing of the score line away from said tab forward portion and into said generally arcuate section of said score line, and said tab forward portion being adapted to press initially against said tear panel at a place spaced from said rupturable score line.
A tab suitable for levering open a tear panel on an end wall of an easy-open container without being detached from the container, said tab having a rear end adapted to be lifted to open a tear panel and a front end adapted to be pressed down on a tear panel and comrising:
- a first member of a first material extending substantially the length of said tab between its ends and providing rigidity against transverse bending when the tab is used as a lever;
- a second member of a second material;
- said first and second members being mechanically joined together by overlap of a marginal portion of said first member around a marginal portion of said second member, said members having other portions thereof which have aligned openings therethrough for receiving a rivet from a container end wall and which are bendable for permitting pivotal movement of said tab about an axis transverse to said length;
- said first material having greater strength than said second material;
- and said second material being more capable of being bent back and forth without breaking than first material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.