Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
il3~t732
DOUBLE CUP CONTAINER
AND METHOD OF ~ORMING SAME
This invention relates in general to new and
useful improvements in metal containers, and more par-
ticularly to a metal container which is formed of two cup-
shaped members.
It is conventional to make cans and like con-
tainers in two pieces with the body and body wall being
integrally formed and a separate top closure unit being
secured thereto by a seaming operation. The forming of
the body and body wall as an integral unit poses a number
of problems. First of all, because of the relatively
great height as compared to diameter of the body, the
drawing or wall ironing operation results in an undue
thinning of the metal and prevents proper control of the
bottom thickness. Secondly, the metal is severely worked
to the extent that flanging of the upper end of the body
to facilitate the seaming of the top end unit thereto
frequently results in cracking.
In accordance with this invention, it is pro-
posed to form the can body in two pieces. However, in-
stead of one piece including an elongated tubular body
and the other piece being a relatively flat end, it is
proposed to make both members of the container of generally
the same shape and size with each member bein~ of a cup
shape~ In this manner the diameter of the body approaches
the height of the body of each of the members and the
members can be readily formed in a conventional wall iron-
ing operation with there being a maximum control over the
wall thicknesses.
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Another feature of the invention is the provision
of a container assembly comprising top and bottom cup-
shaped container members, each of the container members
ha~ing a cylindrical body including a free end portion
terminating in a free open end, the end portion of one of
the container members being radially offset relative to an
adjacent portion of the respective body a distance at least
as great as the wall thickness of the body of the other of
the members, and an adhesive coating on the radially off-
set end portion, with the adhesive being seated in theoffset.
A further feature of the ïnvention is the provi-
sion of a method of forming a container comprising the
steps of forming two cup-shaped metal container members each
including an integrally formed body and end, the container
members including a container top and a container bottom and
one of the container members including a radially offset
end portion and opposing surfaces of end portions of the
bodies having minimal clearance therebetween on the order
of from .1 to 1.0 times the wall thickness of the bodies,
applying a layer of adhesive to the offset end portion,
telescoping the end portions, first independently heating
the radially outer one of the end portions to increase the
internal diameter thereof and thereby facilitate the
assembly of the end portions, axially inserting the radi-
ally innex one of the end portions into the enlarged outer
end portion while continuing the heating with the radially
inner end portion then being heated and expanding within
the radially outer end portion and the adhesive being
3~ fused to sealing bond together with the end portions.
After the two container members have been joined,
a suitable label may be applied thereto both for the pur-
pose of identifying the product and masking the joint
between the container members. The label is preferably a
shrink label which has the end portions thereof extended
~ ~ _3_
beyond the container body and engaging both the top and
bottom end walls.
With the above and other ob~ects in view that
will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will
be more clearly understood by reference to the following
detailed description, the appended claims, and the several
views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
IN THE DRAWINGS:
Figure 1 is an elevational view of a container
formed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the container
of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the container
of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an elevational view showing a step
in the formation of the container of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is an elevational view similar to
E'igure 4, and shows the two container members forming the
container of Figure 1 as they are assemb~ed.
Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will
be seen that there is illustrated in Figures 1-3 a con-
tainer which is formed in accordance with this invention,
the container being generally identified by the numeral 10.
Basically the container 10 is a can and will be so identi-
fied hereinafter. However, the principles of this inven-
tion will apply to and it is proposed to form cans which
may vary in size from those of small capacity such as
seven ounces and most particularly twelve and sixteen
ounces, to relatively large cans having a capacity as
great as five or 6 liters. Accordingly, the use of the
word "can" to describe the invention is not intended to
be limiting.
The can 10 is of a two-piece construction and
includes a bottom member 12 and a top member 14. The
35 members 12 and 14 are joined together as at 16 inter-
mediate the height of the can 10. After the members 12
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and 14 are joined, it is preferred that there be disposed
around the entire length of the can body a label 18 which
is preferably in the form of a shrink wrap, the label 18
will be described in more detail hereinafter.
It is preferred that the container member 12,
as is best shown in Figure 4, have a cylindrical body 20
and an integral bottom wall 22. The bottom wall 22 is
preferably of a bulged configuration including an overall
bulging 24 having projecting therefrom in circumferentially
spaced relation a plurality of outwardly directed protru-
sions 26. The bottom wall construction is one which will
withstand the high internal pressures of carbonated bev-
erages and even though a certain amount of outward bowing
will be effected from the pressure of the product therein,
the projections 26 will be so related to the bulge 24 as
always to project downwardly therebeyond to form a stable
platform for the can.
The container member 14 is also provided with a
cylindrical body portion 28 and a top wall 30. The top
wall 30 may be bowed or may be generally frustoconical, as
shown. In order to effect filling of the can, the top
wall 30 is provided with a central filling opening 32
which, after filling, will be closed by means of a suit-
able plug (not shown) preferably in the form of a rivet-
like member.
The can 10 may be opened for dispensing theproduct in various manners depending upon the size o~ the
can and the application thereof. If desired, the plu~ may
be made removable and replaceable so that the filling
opening 32 may also be utilized as a dispensing opening.
On the other hand, if the can is of a small size, it may
be provided with a conventional easy opening feature in
the end wall 30 adjacent the filling opening 32.
When formed, the diameters of the bodies 20 and
28 are preferably the same. In order to telescope the
end portions of the bodies 20 and 28, it is necessary
1~3~)732
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that the diameter of the end portion of one of the bodies
be changed. In the preferred embodiment or the invention,
the container member 12 has an end portion 34 which is
radially inwardly offset to define a necked-in end portion
~oined to the remainder of the body 20 by a shoulder 36.
The offsetting of the metal of the end portion 34 is between
1.1 and 2 times the thickness of the metal of the bodies
20, 28.
It is to be understood that the container members
12 and 14 may be formed by way of automatic forming machin-
ery in a conventional manner, and no description of the
forming operations is required here. The container members
12 and 14 will be supplied to an assembling machine in two
rows. A suitable coating of adhesive 38 is applied to the
exterior of the end portion 34 either in the assemb]ing
machine or prior thereto in a conventional manner. The
adhesive 38 may vary in composition, but must be one which
will bond either directly to the metal of the container
members or to any coatings applied thereto. Preferably
the adhesive is a powder type adhesive which may be applied
electrostatically to the end portion 34 and may be fused
by heating.
The container members 14 first move through an
induction heating coil 40 while the container mernbers 12
remain spaced therefrom but ali~ned therewith. The induc-
tion heating coil 40 may be in the form of two bars which
are spaced apart and the container members 14 may roll
therebetween to assure uniform circumferential heating of
the free end portion of the body 28 in the manner shown
in Figure 4.
When the end portion of the body 28 is heated,
it will expand and permit freedom of assembly of the con-
tainer member 12 with the container member 14 by an axial
movement of the container member 12 as shown in Fi~ure 5.
Thereafter, the assembled container members 12 and 14
continue to move between the iwo bars of the induction
113~73Z
heating coil 40 with the result that the end portion 34 of
the container member 12 becomes heated and also expands
so as tightly to press the adhesive 38 between the two
container bodies 20 and 28. The adhesive is fused by the
heat absorbed from the heated end portions of the bodies
20 and 28. The joined together container members 12 and
14 then move out of the area of $he induction heating
coil 40 and rapidly cool.
The label 18 may then be applied in any conven- !
tional manner with the label, as described above, when it
i5 a shrink label, extending beyond the body of the can
and overlapping the bottom wall 22 and the top wall 30 so
as securely to anchor the label on the can.
Although only a preferred embodiment of the
invention has been specifically illustrated and described
herein, as well as a preferred method of assembling the
container, it is to be understood that minor variations
may be made in the container construction and the method
of assembling the two halves thereof without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims.
