Opening device for cans having tear-away closure panels with ring tabs
OwnerTheodore D. Kellyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An opening device is described for cans having a tear-away closure panel that is defined by a circular score line adjacent the rim of the can, the panel being connected by a rivet to a ring tab lying approximately flush with the surface of the panel. The device has a generally circular perimeter, a handle opposite the perimeter, and a recess in the perimeter formed by a narrow mouth and two opposed prongs, the sides of at least one prong being separated by an acute angle. The opener is operated by wedging a prong beneath the ring tab to pry it upwardly and break the score line. Then the device is rolled toward the opposite side of the can, pulling the closure panel upwardly while continuing to break the score line until the closure panel is removed from the can.
Claims20
An opener for cans having tear-away closure panels with ring tabs, comprising a generally circular outer perimeter having an exactly circular portion which is at least about half of said perimeter, a handle hole that is spaced inwardly from a portion of said perimeter and provides a handle therebetween, a tab recess that is disposed opposite to said handle, has a mouth which divides said perimeter, and is within said perimeter, and at least one prong at said mouth of said tab recess, said at least one prong having two sides which are separated by an acute angle and one said side being coincident with said exactly circular portion of said perimeter, wherein there is an additional prong, said at least one prong and said additional prong having outer and inner sides separated by differing angles.
A device for opening a pop top can having a tear-away closure panel at one end, said panel being defined by a circular score line which is disposed close to the upstanding side of said can and said panel being connected to a ring tab by a rivet, said ring tab being disposed close to the surface of said closure panel and comprising a nose disposed adjacent to said score line and an outer edge opposite to said nose, said device comprising:
- A) a convexly curved outer perimeter having an exactly circular portion which is at least about half of said perimeter;
- B) a tab recess having a mouth that divides said exactly circular portion of said perimeter and comprises a pair of opposed prongs straddling said mouth wherein both of said prongs have sides which are separated by an acute angle, and wherein said angles are different;
- C) a handle hole that is disposed opposite to said tab recess;
- and
- D) a handle that is formed between said handle hole and said perimeter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.