EASY OPEN CONTAINER AND METHOD OF SEALING THEREOF

Description

Technical field

[0001] This invention relates to an easy open container according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method of sealing the easy open container of claim 1. In particular, but not exclusively it related to a lid structure for an easy open container for packaging liquids such as paint, or solids such as powders.

Background art

[0002] It is known to provide metal containers for packaging paint in which the container has a body with seamed or integral base, a metal ring which is seamed to the open end of the can body, and a press-on lid which can be opened by inserting a lever into a channel at the edge of the ring.

[0003] In an alternative design, the press-on lid has a U-shaped channel for inserting the lever, and a flange, which extends radially outwardly from the channel. A plastics ring is clipped over the raw edge of the lid and extends around an outwardly rolled circumferential edge flange of the can body when the lid is pressed down onto the can body.

[0004] Numerous arrangements of recess have been described but essentially all of these require the insertion of a tool to release an interlock between the lid and container body or ring. These designs rely on the lever opening principle and therefore require some form of tool in order to lever open the container. In some examples, the lever acts against a springy wall of the container, ring or lid so that the container is reclosable and there is minimal distortion of the container on opening.

[0005] Moreover, an easy open container in accordance with the preamble of claim 1 is known from document CH 624 356. A method of sealing a container by forming complementary beads is furthermore known from document FR2387855 A1.

Disclosure of the invention

[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided an easy open container according to claim 1.

[0007] In contrast with lever lids of the prior art, the plastics ring of the lid structure provides openability when the iid structure is fixed to a container, without the need for any tool. After tearing the lower ring profile, the lid structure is removable from the container, such that the container appears to the user to have only two parts.

[0008] The centre panel of the lid may be joined to the outer wall by a generally U-shaped channel. This prevents excessive intrusion of the lid structure into the headspace of the can body. Typically, sealing compound may be provided around the lid annulus and adjacent the outer wall.

[0009] The line of weakening is tearable and defines a tamper evident strip or band.

[0010] Typically, the can body has an outward curl at the edge of the opening so that the ring engages this can body curl.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of sealing an easy open container according to claim 5.

[0011] Generally, the method may be used with a lid structure having a U-shaped channel so that an expandable tool may be inserted into the channel for applying radial force to the channel outer wall to form the beads.

Brief description of the drawings

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of the plastics ring;

[0014] Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of the plastics ring;

[0015] Figure 3 is a side section of the plastics ring, through the cut in area 'C';

[0016] Figure 4 is a side section of the plastics ring, through the cut in area 'D';

[0017] Figures 5 is a schematic side view showing the plastics ring and metal lid assembly;

[0018] Figures 6 to 9 are schematic side views showing the application of the lid structure onto a can body; and

[0019] Figure 10 is a schematic side view of the closed container.

Mode(s) for carrying out the invention

[0020] The plastics ring of figure 1 has an annular shoulder 2 and a skirt having an inner wall 3 and an outer wall 4. A tab feature 5 on the outer wall is provided for gripping by a user when opening a container as is described in more detail below. Lug 6 of the example is a fully circumferential lug for engaging a metal lid to form a lid structure and a lower profile 7 on the inner wall for engaging the container body. Figure 2 is an underneath isometric view of the ring of figure 1, showing cut regions 'A', 'B', 'C' and 'D'. In the side sections of figure 3 and/or 4, the annular shoulder 2, lug 6 and tab 5 can be clearly identified. Lower profile 7 includes teeth 8 in uncut regions which assist in gripping the container body. The cut in the 'C' area is indicated by reference 9 in figure 3 that of the 'D' area by reference 10 which extends from the tab 5 of figure 4.

[0021] Figure 5 shows the lid structure which combines the plastics ring 1 with a metal lid 20. The lid 20 comprises a centre panel 21, inner and outer walls defining a channel 22, the outer wall 23 leading into an outwardly extending annulus 24, and terminating in a raw edge. As can be seen from the figure, the plastics ring is clipped over the annulus 24 so the shoulder 2 covers annulus 24 and lug 6 covers the edge of the lid at 25.

[0022] In figure 6, downward pressure is applied by tool 40 onto the shoulder 2 to force the lid structure downwardly onto a filled container 30. As the lower profile 7 contacts can body curl 31, the ring 1 pivots outwardly and then snaps around the curl into the position of figure 7. In figure 7, the lid structure is fixed to the can body 30, with sealing compound 26 between the annulus 24 of the metal lid and the top of curl 31. The lower profile 7 of the plastics ring has a shape complementary to that of the curl 31 and provides even contact around the curl.

[0023] The next stage of applying the lid structure provides further engagement between the outer wall 23 of channel 22. A downwardly extending portion 41 of the tool 40 has a radially outwardly extending bead 42 which is moved into contact with the outer wall 23 by applying a radial expansion force. Downward pressure is maintained whilst the expansion force is applied to ensure correct positioning of the bead 42 against the outer wall 23. By maintaining downward pressure during expansion, the compression of the compound is maintained during the expansion. This compression is also maintained after the blocking of the lid in the body and partly by the plastic ring. The combined forces are applied until complementary beads are formed in the lid wall 23 and can body wall 32, beneath the curl 31. The tool 40 is then retracted radially, with downward pressure maintained (figure 9) and tool 40 removed to leave the finished structure of figure 10.

[0024] The invention has been described above by way of example only and changes may be made to the method of forming the lid structure or of applying it to a container body without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An easy open container comprising: a metal can body having an open top with an outward curl at the edge of the opening and a manually removable lid structure comprising:

a metal lid (20), having a centre panel (21) and an outer wall (23) terminating in a generally outwardly extending annulus (24); and

a plastics ring (1) comprising an inwardly extending annular shoulder (2) and a peripheral skirt (4, 5) depending from the shoulder (2), the skirt (4, 5) having an inwardly extending lug (6) which clips against the edge of the lid with the shoulder (2) extending over the lid annulus (24), and a lower profile (7) which is complementary to the profile of the upper edge (31) of the container body (30) to which the lid structure is fixed

characterised in that

the outer wall of the metal lid (23) is seated within the container body and the outer wall of the metal lid (23) and the container body have complementary outwardly extending beads (32) and the lower profile (7) of the plastics ring (1) has a line of weakening along which at least part of the lower profile of the ring is manually tearable for opening the container.

2. An easy open container according to claim 1, in which the centre panel (21) of the lid is joined to the outer wall (23) by a generally U-shaped channel.

3. An easy open container according to claim 1 or claim 2, further including sealing compound (26) around the lid annulus and adjacent the outer wall.

4. An easy open container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the line of weakening defines a tamper evident strip or band.

5. A method of sealing the easy open container of claim 1, the method comprising:

placing the lid structure of claim 1 over the open end of the metal container body (30);

applying downward pressure to force the lid and ring combination down onto the container body so that the lower profile (7) of the plastics ring (1) engages the upper edge of the container body (31) and an outer wall (23) of the lid is adjacent part of the container body side wall; and

maintaining the downward pressure whilst applying a radially outward expansion force to deform the outer wall of the lid and the adjacent body wall into complementary beads (32).

6. A method of sealing according to claim 5, wherein the lid structure has a U-shaped channel (22) and an expandable tool is inserted into the channel (22) for applying radial force to the channel outer wall (23) to form the beads (32).

Ansprüche

1. Leicht zu öffnender Behälter, der Folgendes umfasst: einen Metalldosenkorpus, der einen offenen Oberteil mit einer Auswärtsbördelung an der Kante der Öffnung und eine manuell abnehmbare Deckelstruktur hat, die Folgendes umfasst:

einen Metalldeckel (20), der eine Mittelplatte (21) und eine Außenwand (23), die in einem sich im Allgemeinen nach außen erstreckenden Kranz (24) endet, hat, und

einen Kunststoffring (1), der einen sich nach innen erstreckenden ringförmigen Absatz (2) und einen umlaufenden Saum (4, 5), der von dem Absatz (2) herabhängt, umfasst, wobei der Saum (4, 5) eine sich nach innen erstreckende Nase (6), die an der Kante des Deckels klemmt, wobei sich der Absatz (2) über den Deckelkranz (24) erstreckt, und ein unteres Profil (7), das komplementär zu dem Profil der Oberkante (31) des Behälterkorpus (30) ist, hat, an dem die Deckelstruktur befestigt ist,

dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass

die Außenwand des Metalldeckels (23) innerhalb des Behälterkorpus festsitzt und die Außenwand des Metalldeckels (23) und der Behälterkorpus komplementäre sich nach außen erstreckende Wülste (32) haben und das untere Profil (7) des Kunststoffrings (1) eine Schwächungslinie hat, entlang derer wenigstens ein Teil des unteren Profils des Rings manuell zerreißbar ist, um den Behälter zu öffnen.

2. Leicht zu öffnender Behälter nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Mittelplatte (21) des Deckels durch einen im Allgemeinen U-förmigen Kanal mit der Außenwand (23) verbunden ist.

3. Leicht zu öffnender Behälter nach Anspruch 1 oder Anspruch 2, der ferner eine Abdichtmasse (26) um den Deckelkranz und angrenzend an die Außenwand umfasst.

4. Leicht zu öffnender Behälter nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, wobei die Schwächungslinie ein Manipulationssicherungsstreifen oder -band ist.

5. Verfahren zum abdichtenden Verschließen des leicht zu öffnenden Behälters nach Anspruch 1, wobei das Verfahren Folgendes umfasst:

das Anordnen der Deckelstruktur von Anspruch 1 über dem offenen Ende des Metallbehälterkorpus (30),

das Ausüben eines Abwärtsdrucks, um die Kombination von Deckel und Ring nach unten auf den Behälterkorpus zu zwingen, so dass das untere Profil (7) des Kunststoffrings (1) die Oberkante (31) des Behälterkorpus in Eingriff nimmt, und eine Außenwand (23) des Deckels ein benachbarter Teil der Behälterkorpus-Seitenwand ist, und

das Aufrechterhalten des Abwärtsdrucks, während eine radial nach außen gerichtete Ausdehnungskraft ausgeübt wird, um die Außenwand des Deckels und die benachbarte Korpuswand zu komplementären Wülsten (32) zu verformen.

6. Verfahren zum abdichtenden Verschließen nach Anspruch 5, wobei die Deckelstruktur einen U-förmigen Kanal (22) hat und ein ausdehnbares Werkzeug in den Kanal (22) eingesetzt wird, um eine radiale Kraft auf die Kanalaußenwand (23) auszuüben, um die Wülste (32) zu formen.

Revendications

1. Conteneur à ouverture facile, comprenant : un corps de boîte métallique, comportant une partie supérieure ouverte, avec un ourlet externe au niveau du bord de l'ouverture, et une structure de couvercle manuellement amovible, comprenant :

un couvercle métallique (20), comportant un panneau central (21) et une paroi externe (23) se terminant dans un anneau (24) s'étendant en général vers l'extérieur; et

un anneau plastique (1), comprenant un épaulement annulaire (2) s'étendant vers l'intérieur, et une jupe périphérique (4, 5) s'étendant à partir de l'épaulement (2), la jupe (4, 5) comportant une patte (6) s'étendant vers l'intérieur accrochée contre le bord du couvercle, l'épaulement (2) s'étendant au-dessus de l'anneau du couvercle (24), et un profil inférieur (7) complémentaire du profil du bord supérieur (31) du corps du conteneur (30) sur lequel la structure de couvercle est fixée ;

caractérisé en ce que

la paroi externe du couvercle métallique (23) est située dans le corps du conteneur, la paroi externe du couvercle métallique (23) et le corps du conteneur comportant des nervures complémentaires (32) s'étendant vers l'extérieur, le profil inférieur (7) de l'anneau plastique (1) comportant une ligne de faiblesse le long de laquelle au moins une partie du profil inférieur de l'anneau peut être arrachée manuellement pour ouvrir le conteneur.

2. Conteneur à ouverture facile selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le panneau central (21) du couvercle est relié à la paroi externe (23) par un canal ayant en général une forme en U.

3. Conteneur à ouverture facile selon les revendications 1 ou 2, comprenant en outre une masse d'étanchéité (26) entourant l'anneau du couvercle et adjacent à la paroi externe.

4. Conteneur à ouverture facile selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, dans lequel la ligne de faiblesse définit un ruban ou une bande inviolable.

5. Procédé de fermeture étanche du conteneur à ouverture facile selon la revendication 1, le procédé comprenant les étapes ci-dessous :

positionnement de la structure de couvercle selon la revendication 1 au-dessus de l'extrémité ouverte du corps du conteneur métallique (30) ;

application d'une pression vers le bas pour pousser de force la combinaison du couvercle et de l'anneau vers le bas sur le corps du conteneur, de sorte que le profil inférieur (7) de l'anneau plastique (1) s'engage dans le bord supérieur du corps du conteneur (31), et qu'une paroi externe (23) du couvercle est adjacente à une partie de la paroi latérale du corps du conteneur ; et

maintien de la pression vers le bas tout en appliquant une force d'expansion dirigée radialement vers l'extérieur pour déformer la paroi externe du couvercle et la paroi du corps adjacente en des nervures complémentaires (32).

6. Procédé de fermeture étanche selon la revendication 5, dans lequel la structure de couvercle comporte un canal en U (22), un outil extensible étant inséré dans le canal (22) pour appliquer une force radiale à la paroi externe du canal (23) pour former les nervures (32).

Drawing