Can lid

Details Can lid Can lid

2002-10-22

2004-10-05

Cronln, Stephen K. (Department: 3727)

Receptacles

Closures

Secondary closure within parameter of primary closure

C220S318000, C220S319000, C220S756000, C220S763000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06799692

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention refers to a lid for closing a can obtained in a metallic sheet and of the type comprising a tubular body, with its lower edge affixing or incorporating a bottom wall and with its upper edge affixing an annular upper wall portion, which can take the form of a structural ring and which inner peripheral edge defines a seat for seating and retaining the press fittable lid. Particularly, the invention refers to the provision of a lid for a can of the type considered above and used for containing products of progressive consumption, such as certain foods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Determined products, such as certain foods, have to be submitted to hermetic storage and provided with a clear visual indication to the consumer that the container in which they are presented to the market has not been violated. It should also be considered that, since many of these products are of progressive consumption, it is indispensable that after the first opening of the container, the lid, which gives access to the inside of the can, may be reclosed as many times as necessary during the progressive consumption of the stored product, in order to guarantee the hermeticity of the reclosed can and protect the remaining content thereof.
There are well known in the art the cans, in which the lid is press fitted in a peripheral structural ring, which is internal to the upper edge of the can body and which is hermetically double seamed thereto. The hermeticity of the content is guaranteed, in this type of construction, by fitting the lid in the seat designed for seating and retaining the lid, said seat being provided in the structural ring that defines the annular upper wall of the can.
In this type of closure, the tamper evident seal, which also guarantees the hermeticity, is usually defined by an aluminum metallic sheet, which is peripherally double seamed to the upper edge of the can body, together with the structural ring. This inner seal is only visible when the lid is removed and requires the use of an instrument for cutting it peripherally, which operation invariably leaves cutting edges close to the upper opening of the can, often causing accidents and hurting the user's fingers.
Besides the inconveniences mentioned above, these known press fitted lids require the use of an instrument, in the form of a lever, for helping the user to remove the lid from its seat defined in the structural ring. It is not possible for the user to remove this type of lid only with his hands.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a generic object of the present invention to provide a reclosable lid for the can of the type considered herein, which presents a simple construction and reduced cost, incorporating means for facilitating the opening thereof and also, preferably, a seal of prompt visual indication of violation. A further object of the present invention is to provide a lid, as defined above, which may be safely and easily handled by the consumer.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by providing a lid for a can of the type comprising a tubular body, with an upper end affixing, by double seaming, an annular upper wall, which internally defines a seat for the hermetic seating of the lid.
According to the invention, the lid comprises, in a single piece: a sealing portion, which is removably seated and retained in the seat and provided with an upper edge; and a pair of handles disposed around at least part of the upper edge and having unremovable ends incorporated thereto, at points angularly spaced from each other, said handles being medianly displaceable, by deformation of its end portions, from an inoperative position, which is substantially coplanar to said upper edge and in which they are kept, until the first opening of the lid, medianly incorporated to the sealing portion by respective breakable means, to a raised operative position, after the breakable means have been broken.
The lid may further comprise, preferably in a single piece, a manually removable seal strip, provided around the upper end of the tubular body and presenting a lower portion, which is seated and locked under the double seam of the annular upper wall, and an upper portion, which retains the handles in the inoperative condition.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3949663 (1976-04-01), Eckerle
patent: 4380304 (1983-04-01), Anderson
patent: 4386715 (1983-06-01), Morton
patent: 4998622 (1991-03-01), Drack
patent: 5027973 (1991-07-01), Drogos
patent: 5520306 (1996-05-01), Umiker
patent: 5842593 (1998-12-01), von Holdt
patent: 5899352 (1999-05-01), Guarda et al.
patent: 0 365 823 (1990-05-01), None

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