Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
S
Some o-f the patents which are known to Applicant
(U.S.Patent 3,967,752 and U.S. Patent 3,957,753) disclose a
non-detachable tab by providing a separate dead soft aluminum
attachment strip reinforcement which extends between the
rivet attachment of the tab to the can end and the nose
portion. What has been experienced is ~hat if the user
twists the tab he will quickly break the strip. A further
problem with the tab disclosed in the above-identified U.S.
patents is the cost of manufacture and the complexity of
putting in a separate piece of material.
Other non-detach tab patents are U.S. 3,6187~15~
using two rivets; Re. 27,518, which a single hinge line is
used; and U.S. Patent 3~749,275, which also uses two rivets.
- The opening of the end panel requires a tab which
must be sti:Ef against transverse bending and also flexible
at the connection between the tab and end wall to permit
lifting and retracting the tab without causing a fatigue
crack at the connection. The invention provides a tab
construction meeting these requirements although it is
especially adaptable to be used in connection with the
construction herein described lt may also be used with other
opening constructions.
This invention is directed to a novel tab construction
and more particularly to the construction of the attachment
area of the securing lug to the nose portion of the tab in
order to enhance its bending characteristics so that the
number of back and forth bends of the tab with respect to
the securing lug is materially increased before the metal
becomes fatigued to an extent where it will ~racture.
A further ob.ject of the invention is to provide a ~:~
novel tab construction in which the securing lug in its area
of connection to the tab is formed to provide a plurality of
bend lines so that the number of back an~ forth bends i.s
materially increased. ~:
An important object of the invention is to provide
- a tab construction which can be manufa.ctured.on existing
equipment with minimal modifica~ion of dies and achieves
increased bend life without the necessity of resorting to
complex structures such as providing dual attachment members.
These and other objects and advantages inherent in
and encompassed by the invention will become more readily
apparent fro~ the specif;cation and the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a container incor-
porating the invention; :
Figure 2 is an enlarged view o-f the tab structure
and adjacent container end panel~ -
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken sub-
stantiaIly under line 3~3 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale
showing the tab in its unopened condition;
Figure ~ shows the tab and end panel in the opened
position;
Figure S is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing :~
the tab returned to its reset position;
Figure 6 illustrates a portion of the tab in plan
view o another embodiment;
:~ Flgure 7 is a further fragmentary plan view of the ~;
: tab showing a still -further embodiment;
,'~ '
Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a tab
showing another embodiment; and :.
Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the tab
showing a still further embodiment.
Reference is made to Figures 1 through 5 of the
drawings which illustrate one exemplary embodiment of the
container, designated generally 2 which utilizes an easy
open end wall 4 and a container body 5 which may be of any
usual construction including the bottom wall not shown as
well known to those s~illed in the art.
The top wall is formed therein a score designated
6 defining an openable segment or tea.r-out panel and which
is adapted to be moved inwardly ~rom the position shown in
Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 4 by means of a tab generally
designated lO. It will be understood that the container in
an unopened condition will have the push-in portion 7 attached
around its periphery to the remainder of the end panel ~ and
that upon lifting o~ the tab the position shown in Figure 3
to that shown in Figure ~ of the tear-out portion will break
away from the end panel and will be pushed into the container
an.d thereafter the tab is adapted to be returned from the
upright position shown in Figure 4 to the reset position
shown in Figure 5 where it is returned against the top of
the end panel ~ to a nonobstructing position whereat the
user may drink directly from the container through the
opening or pour aperture 12 which is -formed on the removal
of the removable segment 7.
~ 3~ ~
The invention is directed to the construction of
the tab 10 which comprises a rear end lift portion 14 and a
nose portion 15 and an intermediate portion in ~he form o~
an attachment lug 18 which extends lengthwise of the lug.
The intermediate lug portion 18 is formed from the material
of the lug which may be steel or preferably aluminum.
As best seen in Figure 2 of the tab is preferably
a rectangular structure and along its lateral longitudinal
edges is curled to provide a vertical outboard flange 20 and
an inturned bottom flange 21 which is flat~ened against the
underside o~ the top wall portion 22 of the tab. Also the
center portion 24 of the tab body is offset downwardly which
also crea~es a vertical flange 25 along the inner edge of
each lateral longitudinal leg 26,26 of the tab thus pro-
viding a rigid structure.
The depression terminates intermediate the ends of
the securing lug or mounting ear 18, lug 18 being cut out of
the panel portion 24 by means of a U-shaped cut-out 28 which
has its bight portion remote from the nose portion 15 of the
tab. The legs of the cut identified at 29 and 30 extend
forwardly of the leg portions 26,26 and have forward ends 31
and 32 which align with the rear edge 34 of the intermediate
and bottom metal plies 36 and 37 of the nose portion 15
which nose portion is formed at its leading end 38 by the
fold between the bottom ply 37 and the top wall 22 of the
tab. It will be observed from a consideration of Figure 3
- that the foTward end of the lug 18 has an upwardly and
forwardly sloping end portion 39 which has been work hardened.
It is in this area that the ends 31 and 32 of the cut out
legs 29 and 30 terminate. Forwardly of these legs there
--5--
.'~
3..~ 7~
are provided intersecting circular c~t-outs 3~ and 35 which
extend into the portion of the top wall 22 which forms the
top wall section 42 of the nose portion. This region of the
nose is a portion of the metal which has not been work
hardened and therefore may be ~]exed back and -forth many
times more than the area of the wall portion 39 before
fatigue failure occurs.
A feat~re of the invention is to provide multiple
bend lines for the attaching lugs 18. On the initial lift-
ing of the rear or fingerlift portion 10 of the tab thelug 18 or connecting strap will normally bend almost imme-
diately in front of the ri~et along the line X-X and upon
lifting of the tab as shown in Figure 4 the forwzrd end of
the connecting strap will deform as seen in ~igure 4 whereat
an upward curl identified at 44 will develop. When the tab
is returned to its retract position against the top 45 of
; the end panel 4 as best seen in Figure 5 the curl at 44 will
remain. f~owever, a new bend line will be established between
the openings ~0 and 41 which are spaced a distance lesser
than ~he spacing between the adjacent edges of the leg
portions 29 and 30 of the cut-out. Thus, the weakest and
; the most flexible section of the tab will provide a bend
line Y-Y at the portion of the connecting strap 18 which has
not been work hardened. Thus, repeated flexing back and
forth will take place primarily along the bend line Y-Y
although there will be some shifting of the bend line
because of the curl 44 and thus the repeated bending back
and forth of the tab defined along a single line in the
prior art will be minimized or eliminated.
--6--
In Figures 6 through 9 identical parts will be
identified with the same reference numerals and it will be
seen, for example~ in Figure 6 that in lieu of ~he rolmd
openings 40,41, the ~orward end of the connecting strap 18
is provided with notches 50,50 and 51,51, the notches 50,50
being at opposite edges of the leading edges 52 of the lug
in the region of the wall portion 42 and that bending will
take place along bend line Xl-Xl initially and then along
Yl-Yl and shift back and forth. Figure 7 illustrates pro-
viding wide rectangular or quadrilateral shaped notches 60,60
in the wall region 42 of the tab 18 across ~he narrow
width 62. In Figure 8 the notches 50' and 51~ are arranged
in similar fashion as in Figure 6 with reference to the
notches 50 and 51 and define the bend lines Xl-Xl and X3-X3
~ and Y3-Y3. It will be observed that the rear notches 50',50' !
; are not as deep as the front notches 51',51' whereby the tab
is of narrowest width at its front end and then it has an :
intermediate narrow width and the remainder of the tab is ;~
~ .
wider where it is attached at its rear end to the rivet 49
which is formed on the end panel the same as on all previous
embodiments.
In Figure 9 the arrangement is similar to the
arrangement of Figure 7 and the two notches 60',60' are
formed to provide tapering edges 65,65 and the edges taper
toward the front end of the connecting strap in the region
of the wall portion 42 and provide the hinge lines Y4-Y4
and X4-X40 This structure functions essentially in the same
manner as the previous embodiment. In other words, initial
bending will occur along the X axes and the subsequent
bending will take place along the Y axes in the region of
the nonworked portion of the material of the tab.
Several embodiments of the invention have been
described and it will be realized that various modifications
will become apparent to those skilled in the art which are
intended to be covered by the appended claims.
'
-8~
.. . . . . . . . . .
