Patent Application
20080110888
The invention relates to a can end having incising on the public side. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a can end having information incised on the public side with improved clarity.
Common easy open end closures for beer and beverage containers have a central or center panel that has a frangible panel (sometimes called a “tear panel,” “opening panel,” or “pour panel”) defined by a score formed on the outer surface, the “consumer side,” of the end closure. Popular “ecology” can ends are designed to provide a way of opening the end by fracturing the scored metal of the panel, while not allowing separation of any parts of the end. For example, the most common such beverage container end has a tear panel that is retained to the end by a non-scored hinge region joining the tear panel to the reminder of the end, with a rivet to attach a leverage tab provided for opening the tear panel. This type of container end, typically called a “stay-on-tab” (“SOT”) end has a tear panel that is defined by an incomplete circular-shaped score, with the non-scored segment serving as the retaining fragment of metal at the hinge-line of the displacement of the tear panel.
The container is typically a drawn and ironed metal can, usually constructed from a thin sheet of aluminum or steel. End closures for such containers are also typically constructed from a cut-edge of thin sheet of aluminum or steel, formed into a blank end, and manufactured into a finished end by a process often referred to as end conversion. These ends are formed in the process of first forming a cut-edge of thin metal, forming a blank end from the cut-edge, and converting the blank into an end closure which may be seamed onto a container.
The seaming process typically requires the container and the can end to be elevated and clamped between a base plate and a seaming chuck. A first set of seaming rollers are rotated about the seaming chuck along the open end of the container with sufficient pressure to form the first portion of a double joining seam. When the first step in forming the double seam has been completed, the first pair of opposed seaming rollers is retracted, and the seaming rollers of a second pair are actuated to complete the double seam. When the seaming of the can end to the can body is complete, the second set of seaming rollers is retracted, and the base plate piston is retracted. At the same time, a seamer knockout piston carried centrally of the seaming chuck is actuated to ensure freeing of the sealed container from the chuck to complete the seaming operation.
The can ends are generally provided with information on an upper or public side prior to seaming. The information is typically directed to recycling information and the like. The information is added to the end during the manufacture of the end by stamping or incising. The incising process leaves extra metal adjacent the lettering. A pressure within the can may also cause the center panel of the can end to flex or bow slightly upward. This may cause the incising to distort and/or flex upwardly as well. During seaming, the excess metal and/or the distorted incising may cause metal build up on the seamer knockout. Thinner gauge can ends also tend to pucker from the incising which may compound the build-up. As the excess material builds on the seamer knockout, it leaves a circumferential scratch on subsequent can ends as the rotating can ends are engaged by the stationary seamer knockout.
The present invention is provided to solve the problems discussed above and other problems, and to provide advantages and aspects not provided by prior can ends of this type. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the present invention is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention is directed to a can end for a beverage container. The can end has a public side and an opposing product side and comprises a center panel, a reinforcing wall, a circumferential wall, and a curl. The center panel extends radially outwardly from a central longitudinal axis and has a means for opening the center panel and a symbol conveying information to a user on the public side. A spacing member is adapted to provide a relative height differential between adjacent areas of the center panel and the symbol. The reinforcing wall is located about a peripheral edge of the center panel. The circumferential wall extends upwardly from the reinforcing wall. The curl is joined to the circumferential wall and defines an outer perimeter of the can end.
In one embodiment, the symbol is at least partially surrounded by a deboss in the center panel. The symbol may be located between the means for opening the center panel and a peripheral edge of the center panel. The symbol may be created by displacing a portion of the center panel. The symbol may be incised into the public side of the center panel. The information conveyed to the user may be related to recycling. The symbol may be located adjacent the peripheral edge of the center panel. The can end may further comprise a plurality of aligned symbols located adjacent the peripheral edge of the center panel, each of the plurality of symbols may be at least partially surrounded a deboss in the center panel. The plurality of aligned symbols may follow an arc-shaped pattern. The plurality of aligned symbols may follow the shape of the peripheral edge of the center panel. Each of the plurality of incised symbols may be at least partially surrounded by a corresponding discreet deboss in the center panel.
In another embodiment, the spacing member is an upwardly extending bead in the center panel. The bead is located adjacent the symbol wherein a height of the bead is greater than a height of the symbol. The symbol may be located between the means for opening the center panel and a peripheral edge of the center panel. The symbol may be created by displacing a portion of the center panel. The symbol may be incised into the public side of the center panel. The information conveyed to the user may be related to recycling. The symbol may be located adjacent the peripheral edge of the center panel. The can end may further comprise a plurality of aligned symbols located adjacent the peripheral edge of the center panel, each of the plurality of symbols may be at least partially surrounded a deboss in the center panel. The plurality of aligned symbols may follow an arc-shaped pattern. The plurality of aligned symbols may follow the shape of the peripheral edge of the center panel. Each of the plurality of incised symbols may be at least partially surrounded by a corresponding discreet deboss in the center panel.
The present invention is further directed to a can end for a beverage container. The can end has a public side and an opposing product side. The can end comprises a center panel, a reinforcing wall, a circumferential wall, and a curl. The center panel extends radially outwardly from a central longitudinal axis. The center panel has a means for opening the center panel and a symbol for conveying information to a user on the public side. The symbol includes a first character created by displacing a portion of the public side of the center panel. The first character is at least partially surrounded by a recess in the center panel. The reinforcing wall is located about a peripheral edge of the center panel. The circumferential wall extends upwardly from the reinforcing wall. The curl is joined to the circumferential wall and defines an outer perimeter of the can end. The first character may be located between the means for opening the center panel and a peripheral edge of the center panel. The recess may fully surround an outer perimeter of the first character. The symbol may further comprise a second character at least partially surrounded by a second discreet recess in the center panel. The first character may comprise an incising. The recess may be located on one side of the incising. The recess may be located on opposite sides of the incising. Portions of the center panel adjacent to the recess may not be recessed.
The present invention is further directed to a can end for a beverage container. The can end has a public side and an opposing product side, a center panel extending radially outwardly from a central longitudinal axis, a reinforcing wall located about a peripheral edge of the center panel, a circumferential wall extending upwardly from the reinforcing wall; and a curl joined to the circumferential wall defining an outer perimeter of the can end. The can end is attachable to the beverage container by seaming the curl to an open end of the beverage container during a seaming operation wherein a seamer knockout separates a seaming chuck from the public side of the can end to complete the seaming operation by engaging the public side of the center panel with a force. The can end comprises an incising and a spacing member. The incising forms at least one symbol for conveying information to a user on the public side of the center panel. The incising is created by displacing a portion of the center panel. The spacing member is located on the center panel and is dimensioned and located to be engaged by a seamer knockout during a seaming operation. The spacing member provides a gap between the incising and the seamer knockout during the seaming operation. The adjacent portions of the center panel are engaged by the seamer knockout during the seaming operation. The spacing member removes the incising from contact with the seamer knockout.
In another embodiment, the incising may be located between the means for opening the can end and the reinforcing wall.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
a is a cross-sectional view of the can end of
a is a cross-sectional view taken along 6a-6a of
a is a cross-sectional view taken along 7a-7a of
a is a cross-sectional view of the can end of
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
The present invention is directed to a can end having information conveying symbols and/or lettering incised within the public side of the can end. The symbols and/or lettering are located within a recess or debossed area at least partially around the symbols to eliminate knockout contact with the symbols during a seaming operation, including attaching a can end to a can body and contacting the can end with a seamer knockout to remove the seamed container from the seaming chuck. Alternatively, an upwardly extending bead may be positioned adjacent the lettering to deflect the seamer knockout away from the lettering and eliminate knockout contact with the symbols during the seaming operation.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The center panel 18 has a means for opening the end 10. The means for opening the end 10 may include a displaceable closure member such as a membrane or thin foil or, as shown in
The frangible score 24 is preferably a generally V-shaped groove formed into a public side 32 of the center panel 18. A residual is formed between the V-shaped groove and a product side 34 of the end member 10.
The illustrated opening means has a tab 28 secured to the center panel 18 adjacent the tear panel 22 by a rivet 38. The rivet 38 is formed in the typical manner. Often, and as illustrated, the opening means is recessed within a deboss panel 40. In some instances, manufacturer specific information is incised within the deboss panel, under the tab 28, and visible through a finger hole 39 in the tab 28. This manufacturer specific information is generally a code of the manufacturer which would have no meaning to an ordinary user or even to another manufacturer unless decoded.
The curvilinear reinforcing wall 16 is located about a peripheral edge 20 of the center panel 18. Accordingly, the curvilinear reinforcing wall 16 extends circumferentially about the center panel 18. The curvilinear wall 16 extends radially outwardly from the peripheral edge 20 of the center panel 18 and joins the center panel with the circumferential wall 14.
The circumferential wall 14 joins the curvilinear reinforcing wall 16 with the curl 12 so that an uppermost portion of the wall 14 is directly connected to the curl 12 and a lowermost portion of the wall 14 is directly connected to the curvilinear reinforcing wall 16. Accordingly, the circumferential wall 14 extends upwardly from the curvilinear reinforcing wall 16. The circumferential wall 14 may be angled outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis 50 or have an arcuate segment.
As illustrated in
These symbols 60 are located between the means for opening the can end 10 and the curvilinear reinforcing wall 16, typically adjacent and spaced slightly radially inwardly from the peripheral edge 20 of the center panel 18. Each symbol 60 is generally aligned with an adjacent symbol. The symbols may be in a straight line, follow an arc-shaped pattern, or follow the shape of the peripheral edge 20 of the center panel 18.
As illustrated in
Referring to
As shown in
In the embodiment illustrated in
Referring to
In these embodiments, the can end 10 has a plurality of incisings 64 forming at least one symbol 60 on the public side of the center panel 18 for conveying information to a user. The incisings 64 are created by displacing material on a portion of the center panel 18. A recess, preferably a deboss 70, in the center panel 18 at least partially surrounds the symbol, or, as illustrated in
Referring specifically to
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment illustrated, the can end 10 has a plurality of incisings 64 forming at least one symbol 60 on the public side of the center panel 18 for conveying information to a user. Again, the incisings 64 are created by displacing material on a portion of the center panel 18. An upwardly extending portion of the center panel 18, preferably a bead 71, in the center panel 18 is adapted, as in sized and located, to be engaged by a seamer knockout 74 preferentially over surrounding areas of the center panel 18, including the area or areas of the center panel 18 including the incisings 64. In other words, when the seamer knockout 74 engages the bead 71, a space 72 is created between the seamer knockout 74 and adjacent areas of the center panel 18, including the incisings 64, to prevent contact by the knockout 74 with the adjacent areas of the center panel 18, including the incisings 64.
An alternative method of preventing scratching or scuffing of can ends caused by the seamer knockout is to alter the material used to produce the knockout. For instance, the knockout can be produced with a titanium-nickel (TiN) coating. This alternative is preferably used in combination with one or more of the previously described embodiments.
While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.
