Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- 2009~6
CAN END
Backqround of the Invention
The invention relates to can ends for seaming to a
metal can body for use as a beverage container. In
particular the invention relates to metal can ends having
a dispensing aperture closed by a tear-open plastics
ring-pull closure injection moulded onto the central panel
of the can end shell. Such a can end is known for example -
from G8-A-2180520.
10SummarY
The aim of the present invention is to provide
means for tethering the torn out portion of the closure to
the can end so that after opening this portion is not
discarded as litter but retained for disposal with the
empty can. A further aim is to provide this tethering in
a manner which permits the torn out portion to be moved ;~
clear of the opening by a person drinking or pouring from
the can. A further aim is to provide tethering means that
permit use of tear open plastics closures in which initial
opening (venting) occurs roughly at the centre of the can
end so that headspace gas is vented rather than the drink
itself.
A first aspect of the present invention provides
a can end comprising a metal can end shell having a
plastics coating on its underside and an in situ injection
moulded plastics closure, the can end shell comprising a
central panel formed with a dispensing aperture surrounded
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by a downturned metal wall extending around the periphery
of the aperture; the aperture extending from substantially
the centre of the panel in a radial direction, and the
plastics closure surrounding the dispensing aperture on
both sides of the can end and enclosing the downturned
wall and comprising a plug portion closing the dispensing
aperture, an upper flange overlying the central panel on
its upper side and surrounding the dispensing aperture, a ~::
ring pull connected to the upper flange in the region of .
the centre of the can end, and a lower flange overlying
the central panel on its underside and surrounding the ~ .
downturned wall; the lower flange being bonded to the
plastics coating on the underside of the can end shell;
characterised in that the can end shell is formed with a
second aperture in the central panel spaced from the
dispensing aperture and in that the plastics closure is
formed with a flexible tethering strap moulded integrally
with the plastics closure and overlying the upper side of
the central panel of the can end shell; the tethering
strap being connected at one end to the upper flange at a
region remote from the centre of the can end and connected
at its other end to the central panel of the can end by ~ :
means of the second aperture in the can end shell; the
plastics material of the strap extending through the
second aperture, closing the second aperture, and forming
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a flange surrounding the second aperture on the underside
of the can end which is bonded to the plastics coating on
the can end shell.
Preferably the flange surrounding the second
aperture on the underside of the can end is integrally
connected to the lower flange surrounding the dispensing
aperture on the underside of the can end by means of a
further integrally formed strap overlying the underside of
the panel.
Preferably, the second aperture is positioned
nearer to the centre of the panel of the can end than to
the end of the dispensing aperture remote from the centre
of the panel. ~ ;
Preferably, the tethering strap is moulded to
follow an indirect path between its ends whereas the
further strap is moulded to follow a substantially direct
path between its ends. -
In a preferred embodiment the tethering strap is
connected to the ring pull by means of a breakable pip.
Brief Description of the Drawinas
FIGURE 1 is a section through a can end shell into
which apertures have been pierced prior to injection
moulding of a plastics closure;
FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the can end shell of
Figure l;
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FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a can end after
injection moulding of a plastics closure;
FIGURE 4 is a cross-section through the can-end of ~ :
Figure 3;
FIGURE 5 is an underplan view of the can end of
Figure 3; ~;-.
FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a can end having an
alternative closure;
FIGURE 7 is an underplan view of the can end of
Figure 6;
FIGURE 8 is a cross section through the can end of
Figures 6 and 7;
FIGURE 9 is a plan view of a can end having a -
further alternative closure;
FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the can end of
Figure 9 after opening of the closure;
FIGURE 11 is a plan view of a can end having a yet
further alternative closure;
FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of the top of the
can end of Figure 11 after opening of the closure; and
FIGURE 13 is a plan view of a can end with a yet
further alternative closure.
Descri~tion of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 it will be seen that
the can end shell 1 comprises a central panel 2 having a
tear-drop shaped dispensing aperture 3 surrounded by a
downturned wall 4. The can end shell has a second small
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aperture 5 spaced from the aperture 3. The aperture 5 is
not provided with a downturned wall and is simply a
circular hole in the panel 2. The underside of the can
end shell is provided with a coating of a polymer to which
the material of the closure bonds on injection moulding of
the closure onto the can end shell. As usual, the can end
shell is provided with peripheral cover hook 30 for
seaming onto a can body and a frusto-conical chuck wall 31 ;~
which connects the cover hook to an anti-peaking bead 32
surrounding the central panel.
A tear-open plastics closure which has been
injection moulded onto the can end central panel is shown
in Figures 3-5. The closure comprises a plug portion 6
which closes the aperture 3, an upper flange 7 overlying
the central panel on its upper side and surrounding the
aperture 3, a lower f lange 8 overlying the central panel
on its underside and surrounding the downturned wall 4,
and a ring pull portion 9 connected to the upper f lange
7. It will be seen that material joining the plug portion
6 to the lower flange 8 covers the lower edge 10 of the
downturned wall 4 so that the downturned wall is enclosed
by the plastics material of the closure. A relatively
thin amount of plastics material covers the lower edge 10
of the downturned wall 4 and this material tears against
the edge lO when the ring is pulled and permits removal of
the plug portion from the aperture 3. As can also be
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seen, the aperture 3 extends substantially radially and
has a first end 11 located substantially at the centre of
the can end and a second end 12 near to the anti-peaking
bead 30. The ring pull 9 is connected to the upper flange
7 in the region of the centre of the panel such that
initial opening (venting) takes place at the centre of the
can end.
An elongate and non-straight flexible tethering
strap 15 is moulded integrally with the closure and is
connected at one end 16 to the upper flange 7 at a point
remote from the centre of the panel. At its other end 17
it is connected to the panel 2 by means of the small
aperture 5. The plastics material of the strap extends
through the aperture 5 to the underside of the panel 2 and
closes the aperture 5. A flange 27 of plastics material
is formed on the underside of the can end surrounds the
aperture 5. As can be seen from Figure 5 the flange 27 is
connected to the lower flange 8 by a further strap 18. It
will be understood that the whole of the closure is
integrally formed and injection moulded in a single
operation onto the can end shell 1.
The length and flexibility of the strap 15 allow
the ring pull 9, plug portion 6, and upper flange 7 to be
moved clear of the aperture 3 after opening for easy
drinking or pouring from the can. The plastics closure
remains firmly tethered to the can end shell by means of
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the tethering strap 5 which can only be separated from the
can end shell by the use of extreme force or by cutting.
The second strap 18 follows a direct path from the flange
27 to the flange 8 at a point near to the centre of the
panel. The underside of the can end is provided with a
coating to which the lower flange 8, strap 18, and flange
27 become bonded during injection moulding. Typically the
closure and coating will be of polyproplene. The
provision of the lower strap 18 assists during moulding
since material can flow to the end 17 of the first strap
15 along two paths. The upper flange 7, ring pull 9, and
strap 15 are not bonded to the upper surface of the can
end.
An alternative embodiment is shown in Figures 6, 7
and 8. In this embodiment the can end is substantially
the same as shown in Figures 1 and 2 but the hole 5 has
been moved so that the end 17 of the strap 15 is near to
one side of the ring pull 9. The end 17 of the strap is
connected to the ring pull by a very thin bridge or pip
22. This pip is broken when the ring pull is raised, and
thus provides both a useful tamper indicating feature and
a means for holding the ring pull flat against the can end
shell. The connection formed by the pip also aids in the
flow of material during injection moulding in the same way
as does the lower strap 18. The closure of this
embodiment has a race-track shaped recess 23 in its upper
surface and a tear-drop shaped recess 24 in its lower
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surface. The thicker part 25 which surrounds the recess
23 is interrupted by two V-shaped notches 26 which assist
in causing an interruption of the opening process which
divides the process into a first venting stage and a
second stage in which the plug is torn completely out of
the aperture.
Another alternative embodiment shown in Figures 9
and 10 employs an aperture 3 of a different shape. Also ~ -
the strap 15 follows a less tortuous but still not
straight path. A bend 19 in the strap allows a little
extra length to avoid the risk of a lateral restraint
being applied to the closure during opening.
In a yet further alternative shown in Figs. 11 and
12, two straps 15 are provided of a length allowing the
torn out portion of the closure to be hooked under the rim
of the can; the upper flange 7 having a flat edge 20 for
this purpose. Two apertures 5 are provided in this
embodiment.
A yet further embodiment shown in Figure 13
employs two upper straps 15 connected to one another and
to the upper flange 7 by a bridging portion 21. In an
embodiment not shown the closure is provided with a notch
allowing it to be clipped onto the rim of the can after
opening.
Naturally, features of preferred embodiments may
be employed, where appropriate, on other embodiments of
the can end.
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