Lid for beverage container

In a beverage container comprising a substantially cylindrical body for storing and dispensing a beverage, a substantially circular lid sealed to said cylindrical body at one end thereof, a tab having a lifting section and a pressure-applying section, a staking member staking said tab to said lid and serving as a fulcrum about which the tab pivots, a score line defining a rupturable area in said lid disposed between said staking member and the periphery of said container, the improvement comprising:

• a substantially continuous line of weakness having a broken zone proximate said tab, and comprised of first and second score lines diverging radially to spaced-apart points adjacent the periphery of said lid and subtending an angle of at least about 90.degree., a third score line along the periphery of said lid between said points, and a fourth score line adjacent the staking member and substantially concentric with said third score line, said fourth score line juncturing with said first and second score lines and extending at least partially beneath said pressure-applying section of said tab, thereby defining a rupturable surface area on said lid of a substantially truncated-conical configuration, said staking member disposed radially from the center of said lid by at least about 2.5 millimeters and on a radius substantially normal to a chord extending between said points, whereby the remaining surface area of the lid outside the rupturable surface area defined by the line of weakness is greater than if a staking member were disposed in the center of said lid.