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US 9,033,174 B2Granted
Easy access opening tab for a container end closure
AssigneeBall Corporation
InventorsHoward C. Chasteen, Mark A. Jacober
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An end closure for food and beverage containers is provided. The end closure comprises a central panel portion having a protuberance for facilitating access to and manipulation of a pull tab. Before the food or beverage container is pressurized, the protuberance is substantially flat to improve stacking and conveying of the end closure. After the food or beverage container is filled and pressurized, the protuberance selectively deflects and lifts a tail portion of the pull tab to facilitate access.
Claims20
An end closure for a beverage container with an improved access pull tab, comprising:
- a peripheral curl adapted for interconnection to a neck of the container;
- a chuck wall interconnected to said peripheral curl and extending downwardly therefrom;
- a countersink having an outer panel wall interconnected to a lowermost portion of said chuck wall and an inner panel wall;
- a central panel interconnected to said inner panel wall and oriented in a substantially horizontal plane and having a substantially vertical center axis;
- a pull tab interconnected to an exterior surface of said central panel at an interconnection point, said pull tab including a lift ring and a nose on an end opposite the lift ring, said nose positioned proximate to a frangible score line in said central panel which defines a pour opening;
- and
- a deflectable protuberance in said central panel which is positioned below said pull tab between said interconnection point and a distal end of said lift ring, said deflectable protuberance having an apex with a height substantially the same as said central panel in a first position prior to deflection and said deflectable protuberance having said apex raised relative to said central panel in a second position after deflection which elevates said lift ring of said pull tab to provide improved access for a user's fingers below said lift ring.
4 more elements
A metallic beverage container with a dynamic stay on tab, comprising:
- a container body having a closed lower end and an open upper end with a neck;
- a metallic end closure adapted for interconnection to the neck of the container, said metallic end closure having a substantially vertical center axis when viewed in cross-section, and oriented in a substantially horizontal plane when in a first position;
- a pull tab interconnected at an interconnection point to a central panel of said metallic end closure and comprising a lift ring on one end and a nose on an opposite end, said nose positioned proximate to a frangible score line in said central panel, said frangible score line defining at least a portion of a pour opening;
- and
- a deflectable protuberance formed in said central panel and positioned below said pull tab between a distal end of said lift ring and said pull tab interconnection point, said deflectable protuberance extending upwardly to elevate said lift ring of said pull tab after at least one of a food and a beverage is placed in said container and said metallic end closure is interconnected to said neck of said container, wherein an entire area of said deflectable protuberance is positioned within an outer perimeter of said pull tab.
2 more elements
A method of forming and filling an improved access pull tab and container, comprising:
- providing a container comprising a body having a closed lower end and an open upper end with a neck;
- providing an end closure comprising a pull tab interconnected to a central panel, a deflectable protuberance formed in said central panel and positioned below said pull tab, a protuberance slack area positioned around at least a portion of said deflectable protuberance and positioned below said central panel and below an apex of said deflectable protuberance, and a frangible score line defining a perimeter of an opening, said pull tab comprising a lift portion on one end and a nose on an opposite end, said nose oriented proximate to a frangible score line in said central panel, wherein a top surface of said pull tab is parallel to a chime of said end closure;
- filling said container with a carbonated beverage;
- attaching said end closure to said neck of said container;
- increasing a pressure in said container to create a force below said deflectable protuberance;
- and
- expanding said deflectable protuberance upward to raise said lift portion of said pull tab such that said top surface of said pull tab is positioned at an acute angle relative to said chime of said end closure.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.