Resealable container closure

A closure device for a can comprising a metallic end wall having an openable panel defined by a scored portion of said end wall, and a flexible closure element, said openable panel being substantially surrounded by a beaded flange means that flares outwardly relative to said openable panel, said flange means including an exterior surface portion, said end wall including a wall portion surrounding said flange means with said wall portion extending at a selected angle relative to said exterior surface portion of said flange means;

• said flexible closure element having a central panel, a lever portion and a connecting portion connecting said central panel with said lever portion, said lever portion being initially positioned in a first position, when said central panel is generally horizontally disposed, as a generally upwardly directed frustoconical skirt portion and having, as viewed in vertical cross-section, a nose at its connection with said connecting portion, said metallic end wall and said closure element being constructed and arranged such that, upon positioning said closure element over said openable panel of said metallic end wall and moving said lever portion to a second position including, when said central panel is generally horizontally disposed, moving said lever portion to a generally downwardly directed position, said nose portion will sealingly engage at least a continuous annular part of said exterior surface portion of said flange means, said selected angle between said waIl portion and said exterior surface portion of said flange means lying within the range of about 55.degree.-75.degree.,
• said central panel including channel means and extension means, said channel means matingly engageable with said beaded flange means for directing said extension means against said openable panel, with said extension means separating at least a portion of said openable panel from said end wall about said scored portion when said extension means engages said openable panel.

A closure device for a can comprising a metallic end wall having an openable panel defined by a scored portion of said end wall, and a flexible closure element, said openable panel being substantially surrounded by a beaded flange means that flares outwardly relative to said openable panel, said flange means including an exterior surface portion, said end wall including a wall portion surrounding said flange means with said wall portion extending at a selected angle relative to said exterior surface portion of said flange means,

• said flexible closure element having a central panel, a lever portion and a connecting portion connecting aid central panel with said lever portion, said lever portion being initially positioned in a first position, when said central panel is generally horizontally disposed, as a generally upwardly directed frustoconical skirt portion and having, as viewed in vertical cross-section, a nose at its connection with said connection portion, said metallic end wall and said closure element being constructed and arranged such that, upon positioning said closure element over said openable panel of said metallic end wall and moving said lever portion to a second position including, when said central panel is generally horizontally disposed, moving said lever portion to a generally downwardly directed position, said nose portion will sealingly engage at least a continuous annular part of said exterior surface portion of said flange means, said end wall having a neck portion, radially adjacent said openable panel, of minimum diameter relative to said openable panel, said exterior surface portion of said flange means extending at a selected angle of between about 30.degree. and about 40.degree. to a plane passing through said neck portion,
• said central panel including channel means and extension means, said channel means matingly engageable with said beaded flange means for directing said extension means against said openable panel, with said extension mean separating at least a portion of said openable panel from said end wall about said scored portion when said extension means engages said openable panel.

A closure device for a can comprising a metallic end wall having an openable panel defined by a scored portion of said end wall, and a flexible closure element, said openable panel being substantially surrounded by a beaded flange means that flares outwardly relative to said openable panel, said flange means including an exterior surface potion, said end wall including a wall portion surrounding said flange means with said wall portion extending at a selected angle relative to said exterior surface portion of said flange means,

• said flexible closure element having a central panel, a lever portion an a connecting portion connecting said central panel with said lever portion, said lever portion being initially positioned in a first position, when said central panel is generally horizontally disposed, as a generally upwardly directed frustoconical skirt portion and having, as viewed in vertical cross-section, a nose at its connection with said connection portion, said metallic end wall and said closure element being constructed and arranged such that, upon positioning said closure element over said openable panel of said metallic end wall and moving said lever portion to a second position including, when said central panel is generally horizontally disposed moving said lever portion to a generally downwardly directed position, said nose portion will sealingly engage at least a continuous annular part of said exterior surface portion of said flange means,
• said central panel including a substantially flat outer surface and a substantially flat inner surface with said inner and outer surfaces extending substantially parallel to one another, said inner and outer surfaces of said central panel being connected by a frustoconical wall extending substantially entirely around said central panel with said frustoconical wall sloping inwardly towards said inner surface of said central panel away from said connecting portion of said closure element,
• said outer surface of said central panel including channel means and extension means, said channel means matingly engageable with said beaded flange means for directing said extension means against said openable panel, with said extension means separating at least a portion of said openable panel from said end wall about said scored portion when said extension means engages said openable panel.

A closure device for a can comprising a metallic end wall having an openable panel defined by a scored portion of said end wall, and a flexible closure element, said openable panel being substantially surrounded by a beaded flange means that flares outwardly relative to said openable panel, said beaded flange means including an exterior surface portion, said end wall including a wall portion surrounding said flange means with said wall portion extending at a selected angle relative to said exterior surface portion of said flange means,

• said flexible closure element having a central panel, a lever portion and a connecting portion connecting said central panel with said lever portion, said lever portion being initially positioned in a first position, when said central panel is generally horizontally disposed, as a generally upwardly directed frustoconical skirt portion and having, as viewed in vertical cross-section, a nose at its connection with said connecting portion, said metallic end wall and said closure element being constructed and arranged such that, upon positioning said closure element over said openable panel of said metallic end wall and moving said lever portion to a second position including, when said central panel is generally horizontally disposed, moving said lever portion to a generally downwardly directed position, said nose portion will sealingly engage at least a continuous annular part of the said exterior surface portion of said flange means, said closure element being out of contact with at least a minor portion of the inner surface of said flange means to an extent that said closure element is in non-plug forming relation with the inner surface of said flange means,
• said central panel including channel means and extension means, said channel means matingly engageable with said beaded flange means for directing said extension means against said openable panel, with said extension means separating at least a portion of said openable panel from said end wall about said scored portion when said extension means engages said openable panel,
• said beaded flange means including a rounded portion and said closure element including a surface that is of substantially complementary configuration in size, shape and curvature to said rounded portion so that said rounded portion and said surface on said closure element are in substantially full and complete contact with each other upon initial positioning of said closure element over said openable panel prior to inverting said lever portion to a generally downwardly directed position.

A closure device for a can comprising a metallic end wall having an openable panel defined by a scored portion in said end wall, and a flexible closure element, said openable panel being substantially surrounded by a beaded flange means that flares outwardly relative to said openable panel, said beaded flange means including an exterior surface portion, said end wall including a wall portion surrounding said flange means with said wall portion extending at a selected angle relative to said exterior surface portion of said flange means,

• said flexible closure element having a central panel, a lever portion and a connecting portion connecting said central panel with said lever portion, said lever portion being initially positioned in a first position, when said central panel is generally horizontally disposed, as a generally upwardly directed frustoconical skirt portion and having, as viewed in vertical cross-section, a nose at its connection with said connecting portion, said metallic end wall and said closure element being constructed and arranged such that, upon positioning said closure element over said openable panel of said metallic end wall and moving said lever portion to a second position including, when said central panel is generally horizontally disposed, moving said lever portion to a generally downwardly directed position, said nose portion will sealingly engage at least a continuous annular part of the said exterior surface portion of said flange means,
• said closure element being out of contact with a major portion of the inner surface of said flange means,
• said metallic end wall having a substantially frustoconical annular section extending outwardly from said flange means and said lever portion having a smooth surfaced section which intimately engages said substantially frustoconical annular section of said end wall when moved to said second position so as to substantially prevent ingress of dirt and the like between said lever portion in said second position and said annular section of said end wall,
• said openable panel of said end wall having a neck portion of minimum diameter relative to other portions of said openable panel, said exterior surface portion of said flange means extending at a selected angle of between about 30.degree. and about 40.degree. to a plane passing through said neck portion,
• said central panel including a substantially flat outer surface and a substantially flat inner surface with said inner and outer surfaces extending substantially parallel to one another, said inner and outer surfaces of said central panel being connected by a frustoconical wall extending substantially entirely around said central panel with said frustoconical wall sloping inwardly toward said inner surface of said central panel away from said connecting portion of said closure element,
• said outer surface of said central panel including channel means and extension means, said channel means matingly engageable with said beaded flange means for directing said extension means against said openable panel, with said extension means separating at least a portion of said openable panel from said end wall about said scored portion when said extension means engages said openable panel.

A closured device for a can, said closure device comprising a metallic end and a flexible closure element, said metallic end having an openable panel defined by a scored portion in said end wall, the openable panel being bounded by an outwardly and upwardly flaring beaded flange and having means adjacent its periphery for attachment to said can, said metallic end including an upwardly and inwardly tapering section between said means and said flange,

• said flexible closure element having a central panel, a lever portion and a connecting portion connecting said central panel and said lever portion, said lever portion being initially positioned as a generally upwardly directed frustoconical portion or skirt and having, as viewed in vertical cross-section, a nose at its connection with said connecting portion, said metallic end and said connecting element being constructed and arranged such that upon positioning said closure element over said openable panel in said metallic end and inverting said lever portion to a generally downwardly directed position, said nose portion sealingly contacts the outer surface of said flange without mechanically hooking under the outer surface of said flange and said connecting portion sealingly contacts said flange in a tangential relationship defined between said central panel and said flange while said lever portion abuts against said tapering section of said metallic end, said closure element being out of contact with the inner surface of said flange,
• said central panel including channel means and extension means, said channel means matingly engageable with said beaded flange means for directing said extension means against said openable panel, with said extension means separating at least a portion of said openable panel from said end wall about said scored portion when said extension means engages said openable panel.