Metal cans with peelable lids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10329055-B2
Application number	US-201214233925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2012
Priority date	Jul 21, 2011
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A tubular metal can body having one end for attachment of a removable overcap, the can body having an inwardly projecting flange (1) formed therein by folding the can wall (2) circumferentially, part-way along its length, the flange providing a convex upper surface (8) to which a peelable lid (12) can be sealed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tubular metal can body comprising a seamless can wall that defines a can wall length, the seamless can wall including a circumferential fold part-way along the can wall length that forms an inwardly projecting flange, the fold defining a radial distance with a peak at a midpoint of the radial distance of the fold, the can body configured such that a peelable lid can be directly adhered to substantially an entire length of an upper portion of the fold, such that a portion of the peelable lid that is adhered to substantially the entire length of the upper portion of the fold has a radial distance and a peak at a midpoint of the radial distance of the portion of the peelable lid, wherein the upper portion of the fold is continuously convex across its radial extent, and wherein a maximum height of the upper portion of the fold from the peak to its bottommost point is up to half of a radial extent defined by the convex upper surface.

2. A tubular metal can body as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the fold is domed.

3. A tubular metal can body as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the radial distance of the fold is between 1 mm and 10 mm.

4. A tubular metal can body as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the can wall includes an upper circumferential wall portion connected to the upper portion of the fold by a first bend, the can wall further including a lower circumferential wall portion connected to a bottom portion of the fold by a second bend, the first bend being disposed above the second bend.

5. A tubular metal can body as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the fold is symmetrical about a line that extends through the upwardly extending peak and parallel to the seamless can wall.

6. A food storage container comprising:
a tubular metal can body comprising a seamless can wall that defines a can wall length, the seamless can wall including a circumferential fold part-way along the can wall length that forms an inwardly projecting flange, the fold defining a radial distance with a peak at a midpoint of the radial distance of the fold, wherein the upper surface of the flange is continuously convex across its radial extent; and
a peelable lid, the peelable lid being directly adhered to substantially an entire length of an upper portion of the fold, such that a portion of the peelable lid that is adhered to substantially the entire length of the upper portion of the fold has a radial distance and a peak at a midpoint of the radial distance of the portion of the peelable lid, wherein a maximum height of the upper portion of the fold from the peak to its bottommost point is up to half of a radial extent defined by the convex upper surface.

7. A food storage container as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the peelable lid is sealed to the upper portion of the fold by a heat-sealable material.

8. A food storage container as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the peelable lid is a multi-layer structure which includes a metal layer.

9. A food storage container as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the food storage container further comprises a non-removable can bottom attached to a lower end of the tubular metal can body.

10. A food storage container as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the food storage container further comprises a removable overcap attached to an upper end of the tubular metal can body.

11. A food storage container as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the can wall includes an upper circumferential wall portion connected to upper portion of the fold by a first bend, the can wall further including a lower circumferential wall portion connected to a bottom portion of the fold by a second bend, the first bend being disposed above the second bend.

12. A tubular metal can body as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the upper portion of the fold is symmetrical about a line that extends through the upwardly extending peak and parallel to the seamless can wall.

13. A food storage container consisting essentially of:
a tubular metal can body comprising a seamless can wall that defines a can wall length, the seamless can wall including a circumferential fold part-way along the can wall length that forms an inwardly projecting flange, the flange having a convex upper surface that defines an upwardly extending peak, the peak defining an upper-most point of the convex upper surface, wherein the upper surface of the flange is continuously convex across its radial extent, and wherein a maximum height of the upper portion of the fold from the peak to its bottommost point is up to half of a radial extent defined by the convex upper surface; and
a peelable lid, the peelable lid being directly adhered to the upper-most point of the convex upper surface of the flange.

14. A food storage container as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the convex upper surface is domed.

15. A food storage container as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the flange extends radially into the can by between 1 mm and 10 mm.

16. A food storage container as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the peelable lid is sealed to the convex upper surface of the flange by a heat-sealable material.

17. A food storage container as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the peelable lid is a multi-layer structure which includes a metal layer.

18. A food storage container as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the food storage container further comprises a non-removable can bottom attached to a lower end of the tubular metal can body.

19. A food storage container as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the food storage container further comprises a removable overcap attached to an upper end of the tubular metal can body.

20. A food storage container as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the peak is disposed at an approximate midpoint of the length of the inwardly projecting flange.

21. A food storage container as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the can wall includes an upper circumferential wall portion connected to the upper portion of the fold by a first bend, the can wall further including a lower circumferential wall portion connected to a bottom portion of the fold by a second bend, the first bend being disposed above the second bend.

22. A tubular metal can body as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the upper portion of the fold is symmetrical about a line that extends through the upwardly extending peak and parallel to the seamless can wall.

Assignees

• Combe Florian Christian Gregory
• Crown Packaging Technology Inc

Inventors

• Combe Florian Christian Gregory

Classifications

• B65D43/02 Primary

  Removable lids or covers (with means for piercing, cutting, or tearing a frangible inner closure B65D51/22) · CPC title

• B65D77/245

  Utensils for removing the contents from the package, e.g. spoons, forks, spatulas (B65D77/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D51/20

  Caps, lids, or covers co-operating with an inner closure arranged to be opened by piercing, cutting, or tearing {(B65D51/185 takes precedence; co-operating with an auxiliary container for additional articles or materials B65D51/28)} · CPC title

• B65D2251/0093

  Membrane · CPC title

• B65D25/08

  with provisions for removing or destroying, e.g. to facilitate mixing of contents · CPC title