Self-opening can

Abstract
A self-opening can includes a container, and a rim member which has an outer peripheral portion sealingly joined to an edge of the container and an inner peripheral portion extending inwardly of the outer peripheral portion and confining an opening. The inner peripheral portion has a groove which extends around the opening. A filler of non-metallic plastic material fills and is exposed from the groove. A cover panel closes the opening and extends to the inner peripheral portion of the rim member. The cover panel has a layer of non-metallic plastic material which is connected sealingly to the filler.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




This invention relates to a self-opening can, more particularly to a self-opening can with an enhanced sealing effect.




2. Description of the Related Art




Referring to

FIG. 1

, a conventional self-opening can is shown to include a container


1


which has a longitudinal wall


10


with an edge


101


confining an opening


11


. A rim member


12


has an outer peripheral portion


121


which is sealingly joined to the edge


101


, and an inner peripheral portion


122


which extends inwardly of the outer peripheral portion


121


. A plastic cover member


2


includes a peripheral wall with a groove


21


which extends therein and in which the inner peripheral portion


122


is inserted securely, and a cover panel


22


which closes the opening


11


. A separable weakened seam


221


is formed between the peripheral wall and the cover panel


22


. An opening tab


222


is connected to the cover panel


22


adjacent to the seam


221


such that the cover panel


22


can be broken from the seam


221


by pulling the opening tab


222


. However, when the formation of the groove


21


and the inner peripheral portion


122


is not precise, the sealing effect between the rim member


12


and the cover member


2


will be adversely affected.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The object of the present invention is to provide a self-opening can which has an enhanced sealing effect.




According to this invention, the self-opening can includes a container which has a receiving space and a longitudinal wall surrounding the receiving space. The longitudinal wall has an edge which extends around one end of the receiving space. A rim member has an outer peripheral portion which is sealingly joined to the edge, and an inner peripheral portion which extends inwardly of the outer peripheral portion and which confines an opening for access to the receiving space. The inner peripheral portion has a groove which extends around the opening. A filler of non-metallic plastic material fills the groove and is exposed from the groove. A cover panel closes the opening and extends to the inner peripheral portion of the rim member. The cover panel has a layer of non-metallic plastic material which is connected sealingly to the filler.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:





FIG. 1

is a fragmentary sectional view of an end of a conventional self-opening can;





FIG. 2

is a fragmentary sectional view of a first preferred embodiment of an end of a self-opening can according to this invention;





FIG. 3

is a top view of the first preferred embodiment;





FIG. 4

is a top view of a second preferred embodiment of the self-opening can according to this invention;





FIG. 5

is a fragmentary sectional view of a third preferred embodiment of an end of the self-opening can according to this invention;





FIG. 6

is a top view of the third preferred embodiment;





FIG. 7

is a top view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the self-opening can according to this invention;





FIG. 8

is a fragmentary sectional view of the fourth preferred embodiment; and





FIG. 9

is a fragmentary sectional view of the fourth preferred embodiment when opened.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that same reference numerals have been used to denote like elements throughout the specification.




Referring to

FIGS. 2 and 3

, the preferred embodiment of the self-opening can according to the present invention is shown to comprise a circular container


4


which has a receiving space


40


and a longitudinal wall


41


that surrounds the receiving space


40


. The longitudinal wall


41


has an edge


411


which extends around one end of the receiving space


40


. A rim member


5


has an outer peripheral portion


51


which is sealingly joined to the edge


411


and which abuts against the longitudinal wall


41


, an inner peripheral portion


53


which extends inwardly of the outer peripheral portion


51


and which confines an opening


42


for access to the receiving space


40


, and an intermediate portion


52


which extends between the inner and outer peripheral portions


53


,


51


and which projects transversely and inwardly from the longitudinal wall


41


. The inner peripheral portion


53


is bent from the intermediate portion


52


to project longitudinally and inwardly so as to form a tubular portion


57


which defines the opening


42


. The inner peripheral portion


53


is further bent transversely and inwardly from the tubular portion


57


to make a U-turn


55


so as to form a groove


56


around the opening


42


.




A filler of non-metallic plastic material is in the form of a loop-shaped member


6


which has one end


61


that is fitted within the groove


56


and an opposite another end


62


that projects out of the groove


56


. The tubular portion


57


extends around the opposite another end


62


of the loop-shaped member


6


, and has a retention protrusion


54


to engage the opposite another end


62


so as to prevent the filler from being released from the groove


56


. An engaging slot


63


is formed between the one end


61


and the opposite another end


62


to engage a distal end of the U-turn


55


tightly.




A cover panel


7


is disposed to close the opening


42


, and extends to the inner peripheral portion


53


of the rim member


5


. In this embodiment, the cover panel


7


has a layer of paper


70


and a layer of non-metallic plastic material


71


, such as PE or PP film, which is coated on the layer of paper


70


and which is heat sealed (such as by high frequency sealing) to the opposite another end


62


of the loop-shaped member


6


. Thus, there is an enhanced sealing effect between the filler and the cover panel


7


. In addition, an opening tab


72


has a connecting part


721


which is connected to the cover panel


7


, and a handle part


722


which extends from the connecting part


721


and which can be pulled to separate the cover panel


7


from the filler so as to tear off the cover panel


7


.




In assembly, the loop-shaped member


6


is first fitted within the groove


56


and abuts against the retention protrusion


54


. Then, the distal end of the U-turn


55


is inserted into the engaging slot


63


. Subsequently, the cover panel


7


is connected sealingly to the loop-shaped member


6


by virtue of the plastic film


71


. Finally, the outer peripheral portion


51


is sealingly joined to the edge


411


of the container


4


so as to close the opening


42


.




The self-opening can of this invention can have a rectangular container


4


as shown in

FIG. 4

, or a hexagonal container (not shown).




As shown in

FIGS. 5 and 6

, the self-opening can of the third preferred embodiment according to this invention has a container


4


of a larger dimension, such as a container for oil. As compared to the first preferred embodiment, the rim member


5


of the self-opening can further has a stepped ring portion


58


which interconnects the intermediate portion


52


and the tubular portion


57


. In addition, the outer peripheral portion


51


is connected integrally to the edge of the container


4


. Moreover, the cover panel


7


includes a metal layer


70


, such as aluminum, and a plastic film


71


. To facilitate tearing of the cover panel


7


, the cover panel


7


has a lateral portion


730


which is connected to the filler


6


, a removable region


731


which is surrounded by the lateral portion


730


, and a separable weakened seam


73


which is formed between the lateral portion


730


and the removable region


731


. The opening tab


72


is attached to the removable region


731


adjacent to the lateral portion


730


.




Referring to

FIGS. 7

,


8


and


9


, the fourth preferred embodiment of the self-opening can is shown to be similar to the first preferred embodiment in construction, except that the cover panel


7


and the filler


6


are formed as an integrally molded body. The cover panel


7


is connected integrally to the end


62


of the filler


6


, and includes a removable region


77


which is formed within the end


62


of the filler


6


. A separable weakened seam


73


is formed between the end


62


and the removable region


77


. The cover panel


7


further has a tab holding part


76


which is adjacent to the separable weakened seam


73


and which is connected to the connecting part


721


of the opening tab


72


by means of a rivet


722


. A serpentine breakable line


75


is formed at one side of the tab holding part


76


opposite to the separable weakened seam


73


. The cover panel


7


further has a loop-shaped crease line


74


which extends in the removable region


77


, and the opening tab


72


has a protrusion


723


engaging the loop-shaped crease line


74


to position the opening tab


72


on the cover panel


7


.




With reference to

FIG. 9

, when the handle part


72


of the opening tab


7


is pulled upwardly, the protrusion


723


is separated from the loop-shaped crease line


74


, and the breakable line


75


is broken. Then, the cover panel


7


is broken off from the separable weakened seam


73


. Note that the crease line


74


is provided to compensate shrinkage occurring upon cooling of the molded body of the cover panel


7


.




As illustrated, by virtue of the sealing connection between the rim member


5


and the filler


6


, and by virtue of the sealing connection between the plastic film


70


and the filler


6


, an enhanced sealing effect for the opening


42


of the container


4


can be achieved.




While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.



Claims
  • 1. A self-opening can comprising:a container having a receiving space and a longitudinal wall surrounding said receiving space, said wall having an edge extending around one end of said receiving space; a rim member having an outer peripheral portion sealingly joined to said edge, and an inner peripheral portion extending inwardly of said outer peripheral portion and confining an opening for access to said receiving space, said inner peripheral portion having a groove extending around said opening; a filler of non-metallic plastic material filling said groove and exposed from said groove; a cover panel closing said opening and extending to said inner peripheral portion of said rim member, said cover panel having a layer of non-metallic plastic material connected sealingly to said filler; and an opening tab having a connecting part connected to said cover panel, and a handle part extending from said connecting part; wherein said rim member further includes an intermediate portion extending between said inner and outer peripheral portions, said outer peripheral portion abutting against said longitudinal wall, said intermediate portion projecting transversely and inwardly from said longitudinal wall, said inner peripheral portion being bent from said intermediate portion to project longitudinally and inwardly so as to form a tubular portion which define said opening, said inner peripheral portion being further bent transversely and inwardly from said tubular portion to make a U-turn so as to form said groove.
  • 2. A self-opening can of claim 1, wherein said filler is a loop-shaped member having one end fitted within said groove and an opposite another end projecting out of said groove, said tubular portion extending around said another end of said loop-shaped member and having a retention protrusion to engage said another end so as to prevent said filler from being released from said groove.
  • 3. A self-opening can of claim 2, wherein said cover panel and said filler are formed as an integrally molded body, said cover panel being connected integrally to said another end of said filler, and including a removable region formed within said another end of said filler, and a separable weakened seam formed between said another end of said filler and said removable region, said opening tab being attached to said removable region adjacent to said separable weakened seam.
  • 4. A self-opening can of claim 3, wherein said cover panel further has a loop-shaped crease line extending in said removable region.
  • 5. A self-opening can of claim 4, wherein said removable region of said cover panel has a tab holding part adjacent to said separable weakened seam and connected to said opening tab, and a breakable line formed at one side of said tab holding part opposite to said separable weakened seam, said connecting part of said opening tab being attached to said tab holding part between said breakable line and said separable weakened seam.
  • 6. A self-opening can of claim 2, wherein said rim member further has a stepped ring portion interconnecting said intermediate portion and said tubular portion of said inner peripheral portion.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Number Name Date Kind
4363582 Bloeck et al. Dec 1982 A
4756443 Murayama Jul 1988 A
4988013 Kobayashi et al. Jan 1991 A
5069355 Matuszak Dec 1991 A
5353943 Hayward Oct 1994 A
5395005 Yoshida Mar 1995 A
5725120 Ramsey et al. Mar 1998 A
6036043 Erfgen et al. Mar 2000 A
6145689 Kobayashi et al. Nov 2000 A