Receptacles – Closures – Superposed closures for common opening
Patent
1998-12-17
2000-05-09
Newhouse, Nathan J.
Receptacles
Closures
Superposed closures for common opening
220269, 220906, B65D 4132
Patent
active
060591374
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to containers, and in particular to cans having a ring-pull opener, as defined hereinafter.
Metal cans, made principally either of steel or aluminum, frequently are provided with so-called ring-pull openers, especially when the cans are intended to contain beverages. A ring-pull opener is normally provided in an end wall of a can, and has a manually-grippable ring member connected to the end wall by means of a rivet, often formed integrally with the end wall of the can. A removable area of the end wall is circumscribed by a score-line extending part-way through the thickness of the material of the end wall, and the arrangement is such that the material of the end wall bound by the score-line may be removed by manipulating the ring member, so as to open the can. Such an arrangement is referred to herein as a ring-pull opener of the kind described.
In an early ring-pull opener of the kind described, the ring member may be connected to the material of the end wall within the area bound by said score-line (the removable material). In this case, lifting of and pulling on the ring member breaks the removable material away from the remainder of the end wall along the score-line, so opening the end wall. This arrangement results in the ring member, together with the removable material being separated from the can, once opened. People have tended to discard the ring member and removable material somewhat inconsiderately, and so an alternative subsequent design of ring-pull opener has been developed especially for drinks cans, in which the ring member is secured to the non-removable material of the end wall, adjacent the score-line defining the removable material. In this design, the ring member includes a peripheral lever portion which projects beyond the fixing of the ring member to the end wall and overlies a part of the removable material; on lifting the ring member, the peripheral lever portion is pressed downwardly into engagement with the removable material and breaks that material away from the end wall, at least for the greater part of the length of the score-line. However, it is found that by breaking away the removable material in this way, it tends to remain connected to the end wall along one edge, and hinges down into the can about that edge--and this may be assured by reducing the depth of score where the removable material is required to hinge.
Though the early designs of ring-pull opener had ring members of true ring-shape, many common designs now employ ring members which can barely be regarded as ring-shaped. Nevertheless, the term "ring member" is used herein to refer to that member which is manipulated to open the can, irrespective of the actual shape or configuration of that member.
Once a can having a ring-pull opener of the general kind described above has been opened, there is no particularly convenient way of protecting the contents against contamination, spillage or loss of carbonation, if any. Thus, a need has long existed for a selectively reclosable ring-pull opener for use with drink cans, particularly for use with carbonated beverages. The recent trend toward larger can volumes for beverages, most notably for beer, has exacerbated this need. While there have been various proposals for plastics or rubber material caps or stoppers which may be pressed into the opening defined on removing the removable material of a beverage can, none have met with widespread commercial success. This may be due, in some part, to the fact that many of these prior art reclosable proposals result in a cap or stopper that will fit essentially only one shape and size of opening--and a very wide variety of shapes and sizes of openings are to be found in the market place.
More likely, however, is the fact that most prior art designs for reclosable ring-pull openers are impractical from a production point of view. This impracticality stems from two principle factors: cost and complexity. In the first instance, the beverage can industry is extremely cost sensitive. This is not surprising wh
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Knott Peter J.
Westwood Peter L.
Fors Arne I.
Newhouse Nathan J.
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