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(11) | EP 0 588 254 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Metal container with a tear-off lid Metallbehälter mit einem Abreissdeckel Récipient en métal avec un couvercle à arracher |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0002] Substantially cylindrical metal containers are known in which their lid and base are secured to the ends of their lateral surface by seaming.
[0003] The lid generally comprises an endless incision line defining an internal tear-off portion which is provided with a pulling ring.
[0004] To open the container the user firstly raises the pulling ring to induce an initial tear in the portion, after which he pulls it to completely remove this portion from the container.
[0005] Such containers are currently used for packaging foods such as peeled tomatoes, tuna, meat in gelatine, coffee powder etc.. Recently they have also been used as aroma-protection containers for chocolates, tea bags and pre-packaged coffee capsules, ie products which are removed by inserting the hands into the container.
[0006] However such containers have the drawback to cause the grazing of the user's hand and wrist on contact with the annular torn-off edge of the lid left after the removal of the internal tear-off portion.
[0007] US-A-4 184 444 discloses a container including a thermoformed rigid or semirigid plastic body and a metal end seamed upon and closing one open end of the body.
[0008] According to the invention a metal container is provided with a metal tear-off lid as described in claim 1.
[0009] The present invention is further clarified hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing showing a partial longitudinal section through a container according to the invention.
[0010] As can be seen from the drawing, the metal container 1 according to the invention has the shape of a cylindrical body, the lateral wall 2 of which has the ends secured to a base 3 and a lid 4 by seaming.
[0011] The lid 4 comprises an endless circular incision line 5 defining an inner tear-off portion 6, which is provided with a ring-shaped tear-off tab 7.
[0012] The upper part 8 of the container lateral surface is inclined inwards in an upward direction after which it passes through a loop 9 which extends as a horizontal portion 10 which is substantially into touch with the standing above horizontal annular portion 11 of the lid 4 defined by the incision line 5.
[0013] The width of the annular portion 10 is greater than the width of the annular portion 11, so that the loop 9 forms an "edge protector" preventing the hands and wrists inserted by the user into the container from coming into contact with the cutting edge of the annular portion 11 once the portion 6 has been removed.
[0014] Furthermore the presence of the annular portion 10 forms a support surface for the annular portion 11 when the portion 6 has to be pulled in correspondence of the tab 7, thus making easier the tearing off of the lid.
[0015] Finally the inclined shape of the upper part 8 enables to take away in an easy and simple way possible materials which have been left underweath it, thus ensuring the complete emptying of the container and this is particular advantageous in the use as container for semifluid substances like plaster, honey.
1. A metal container (1) with a metal lid (4) comprising an endless tear-off line (5),
characterised in that the lateral surface (2) of the container comprises, in a position
underlying the zone in which the lid is secured thereto, a horizontal annular appendix
(10) directed towards the inside of the container and having width greater than the
width of the horizontal annular lid edge (11) defined by the endless tear-off line
(5), said horizontal portion (10) being into continuous touch which said horizontal
annular lid edge (11).
2. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the upper part (8) of the
container lateral surface (2) is inclined inwards in an upward direction and forms
a loop (9) having a horizontal portion (10) which is into continuous touch with into
the annular edge (11) defined by the endless tear-off line (5).
3. A container as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that it has a cylindrical shape.
1. Metallbehälter (1) mit einem Metalldeckel (4), enthaltend eine endlose Abreißlinie
(5), dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die seitliche Oberfläche (2) des Behälters in einer
Position unterhalb der Zone, in welcher der Deckel mit jenem befestigt ist, einen
horizontalen ringförmigen Ansatz (10) aufweist, welcher in Richtung zur Innenseite
des Behälters gerichtet ist und welcher eine Weite aufweist, größer als die Weite
der horizontalen ringförmigen Deckelkante (11), welche durch die endlose Abrißlinie
(5) definiert ist, und daß der horizontale Bereich (10) in ständiger Anlage mit der
genannten horizontalen ringförmigen Deckelkante (11) ist.
2. Behälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der obere Teil (8) der seitlichen
Oberfläche (2) des Behälters nach innen in einer nach oben gerichteten Richtung abgewinkelt
ist und eine Schleife (9) mit einem horizontalen Bereich bildet, welcher in ständiger
Anlage mit der ringförmigen Kante (11) steht, welche durch die endlose Abrißlinie
(5) definiert ist.
3. Behälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß er eine zylindrische Form aufweist.
1. Un récipient en métal (1) avec un couvercle en métal (4) comprenant une ligne d'arrachage
sans fin (5), caractérisé en ce que la surface latérale (2) du récipient comprend,
dans une position sous-jacente à la zone dans laquelle le couvercle est fixé, un appendice
annulaire horizontal (10) dirigé vers l'intérieur du récipient et ayant une largeur
supérieure à la largeur du bord de couvercle annulaire horizontal (11) défini par
la ligne d'arrachage sans fin (5), ladite portion horizontale (10) étant en contact
continu avec ledit bord de couvercle annulaire horizontal (11).
2. Un récipient conforme à la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la partie supérieure
(8) de la surface latérale de récipient (2) est inclinée vers l'intérieur suivant
une direction vers le haut et forme une boucle (9) ayant une portion horizontale (10)
qui est en contact continu avec le bord annulaire (11) défini par la ligne d'arrachage
sans fin (5).
3. Un récipient conforme à la revendication 1 caractérisé en ce qu'il a une forme cylindrique.