US 5,749,488 AGranted

Can end with recessed center panel formed downwardly from coin

AssigneeReynolds Metals Company

InventorsAlan C. Bagwell, Daniel A. Edwards

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Abstract

An easy open construction for a can end wherein a tear panel principally defined by a rupturable score line in a central panel of a wall is opened by operating a tab having one end adapted to press against the tear panel at a position spaced from the score line and overlying only a small portion of the opening left by the tear panel in its open position. The other end of the tab constitutes a finger gripping portion which is manually liftable to open the tear panel and may be returnable directly to its original position next to the wall. The tab and tear panel remain secured to the wall after the tear panel has been moved to its open position. The central panel is defined by a coined area and a downwardly recessed area located immediately radially inwardly adjacent the coined area. The finger gripping portion elevation relative to the top of the end seaming panel is relocated away from the seam as a result of this downward recessed area. Adequate finger gripping clearance beneath the portion is provided through a number of different configurations without the need for tab tip-up. In yet another embodiment, the tab and tear panel are located within a second recessed area recessed downwardly from the surrounding recessed area and in which tab tip-up is required to create finger access.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An easy-open container end with a non-detachable tab for making an opening therethrough suitable for pouring, comprising:

an end wall formed with a center panel and a seaming panel,
a rupturable score line in the center panel 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,
said tab extending generally parallel and close to an underlying area of the end wall, a rear part of the tab defining a finger gripping portion 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 wherein said end wall is formed with a coined area substantially entirely circumscribing the center panel, and at least one downwardly recessed area defining a major portion of said center panel and being formed immediately radially inwardly adjacent the coined area.

5 more elements

An easy-open container end with a non-detachable tab for making an opening therethrough suitable for pouring, comprising:

an end wall formed with a center panel and a seaming panel,
a rupturable score line in the center panel 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,
said tab extending generally parallel and close to an underlying area of the end wall, a rear part of the tab defining a finger gripping portion 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 wherein said end wall is formed with a coined area substantially entirely circumscribing the center panel, and at least one downwardly recessed area defining said center panel and being formed immediately radially inwardly adjacent the coined area,
wherein said finger gripping portion overlies said recessed area and a remaining major portion of said tab overlies a second portion of said center panel located radially inwardly adjacent the recessed area, wherein said second portion is elevationally closer to the seaming panel than said recessed area,
wherein said second portion is completely surrounded by said recessed area.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.