Container end closure with optional secondary vent opening

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10017295-B2
Application number	US-201514812146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2015
Priority date	Aug 6, 2010
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to an opening device for a beverage container. More specifically, the invention relates to a metal end closure having a primary opening area and at least one optional secondary vent opening which can be opened with the same pull tab. The primary opening area and the secondary vent opening area are defined by a score line which is interrupted by a check slot to inhibit propagation of a fracture along the score line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container end closure with a peripheral curl adapted for interconnection to a neck of a container, comprising:
a central panel;
a pull tab comprising a nose and a tail, said pull tab adapted for applying a downward force on a predetermined portion of said central panel;
a rivet operatively interconnecting said pull tab to an upper surface of said central panel and allowing said pull tab to rotate;
a first opening portion at least partially defined by a first severable score line;
a second vent opening portion at least partially defined by a second severable score line, and wherein said second severable score line and said first severable score line are substantially oriented along a common line, wherein said first opening portion and said second vent opening portion are positioned adjacent one another to form a larger combined opening; and
a transition portion positioned between said first severable score line and said second severable score line which is adapted to inhibit propagation of a fracture from said first severable score line into said second severable score line, and wherein said nose of said pull tab can selectively move between a first position over said first opening portion and a second position over said second vent opening portion to facilitate opening of said first and second portions as said nose portion of said pull tab is pushed downward.

2. The container end closure of claim 1 , wherein said transition portion is void of any score line.

3. The container end closure of claim 1 , wherein said transition portion is a check slot having a length between an end of said first severable score line and an end of said second severable score line with a predetermined score residual which is distinct from a score residual of the first severable score line.

4. The container end closure of claim 3 , wherein said score residual of said check slot is larger than said score residual of said first severable score line.

5. The container end closure of claim 3 , wherein said length of said check slot is approximately 0.0140 inches.

6. The container end closure of claim 3 , wherein a width of said check slot is between approximately 0.010 inches and 0.025 inches.

7. The container end closure of claim 1 , further comprising:
an anti-fracture score positioned substantially parallel to said first severable score line on said first opening portion and positioned substantially parallel to said second severable score line on said second vent opening portion.

8. The container end closure of claim 1 , wherein said central panel comprises a rotation guide deboss area adapted for limiting a rotation of said pull tab in a direction which is substantially parallel to said central panel.

9. A method of opening an end closure of a container with a first opening portion and a second vent opening portion, comprising:
positioning a pull tab, which is interconnected to a central panel of said end closure with a rivet, to a first opening position;
lifting a tail end of said pull tab to apply a first downward force on said first opening portion of said central panel to shear a first score line up to a transition portion and create a first opening in said central panel, wherein said first score line and said transition portion have distinct score residuals;
repositioning said pull tab to a second opening position; and
lifting said tail end of said pull tab to apply a second downward force on said second vent opening portion to shear said transition portion positioned between said first score line and a second score line and to shear said second score line to form a second vent opening in said central panel, wherein said second severable score line is oriented in the same line as said first severable score, wherein said transition portion and said second score line have distinct score residuals, and wherein said first opening portion and said second vent opening portion are integrally interconnected to form an opening larger than either said first opening or said second vent opening.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said transition portion is void of any score line.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said transition portion is a check slot extending between an end of said first score line and an end of said second score line.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a score residual of said check slot is larger than a score residual of said first severable score line.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein said first score line comprises a termination feature with a curved profile.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein said pull tab is repositioned by rotating said pull tab in a plane which is substantially parallel to said central panel.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein said central panel comprises a rotation guide deboss area adapted for limiting a rotation of said pull tab in a direction which is substantially parallel to said central panel.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
repositioning said pull tab over an additional second vent opening portion by at least rotating or twisting said pull tab in a plane which is substantially parallel to said central panel, wherein a user may apply a downward force on said additional second vent opening to form an additional second vent opening in said central panel.

17. A container end closure with a peripheral curl adapted for interconnection to a neck of a container, comprising:
a central panel;
a pull tab comprising a nose and a tail, said pull tab adapted for applying a downward force on said central panel;
a rivet operatively interconnecting said pull tab to an upper surface of said central panel and allowing said pull tab to be repositioned between a primary position to open a primary opening portion and a second position to open a second vent opening portion;
said primary opening portion at least partially defined by a primary severable score line;
said second vent opening portion at least partially defined by a second severable score line; and
a check slot positioned between said primary severable score line and said second severable score line which is adapted to inhibit propagation of a fracture from said primary severable score line into said second severable score line, said check slot is a score line having a score residual that is distinct from a score residual of said primary severable score line and a score residual of said second severable score line.

18. The container end closure of claim 17 , wherein said second severable score line is an extension of said primary severable score.

19. The container end closure of claim 17 , wherein said primary severable score line comprises a termination feature with a curved profile.

20. The container end closure of claim 17 , wherein said score residual of said check slot is larger than said score residual of said primary severable score line.

Assignees

• Ball Corp

Inventors

• Chasteen Howard C
• Jacober Mark A

Classifications

• B65D2517/0094

  formed as a separate opening · CPC title

• B65D2517/002

  Unusual opening actions · CPC title

• B65D2517/0014

  pivot tab and push-down tear panel · CPC title

• B65D17/4012 Primary

  for opening partially by means of a tearing tab · CPC title

• B65B69/00

  Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for · CPC title