WO2011066635A1

WO2011066635A1 - Closure arrangement for cans

Info

Publication number: WO2011066635A1
Application number: PCT/BR2010/000402
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonio Carlos Teixeira ÁLVARES; Antonio Roberto Sene
Original assignee: Brasilata S.A. Embalagens Metálicas
Priority date: 2009-12-03
Filing date: 2010-11-29
Publication date: 2011-06-09
Also published as: UY33068A; AR079165A1; BRPI0905321A2

Abstract

The arrangement is applied to cans which comprise a body- portion (11); a neck portion (13) which presents an end upper edge (13b) which incorporates an outer peripheral ridge (13c) and defines the contour of an upper opening (A) of the can (10); and a lid (20) incorporating a peripheral tubular portion (22) to be fitted in the interior of the upper opening (A). The lid (20) incorporates an outer peripheral portion (23) which comprises: an annular flange (23a) inferiorly carrying an annular gasket (30) to be seated onto the end upper edge (13b) of the neck portion (13); and a peripheral skirt (23b) superiorly incorporated to an outer edge of the annular flange (23a) and which is elastically and radially outwardly deformable and carrying an inner ridge (24) to be seated under the outer peripheral ridge (13c) of the neck portion (13) upon closure of the lid (20).

Description

CLOSURE ARRANGEMENT FOR CANS

Field of the Invention

The present invention refers to a closure arrangement to be applied to cans formed in metal sheet and comprising a body portion with a circular or polygonal section and interiorly closed by a bottom wall, an upper neck portion with a contour smaller than that of the body portion, and a transition portion joining the body and neck portions, said body portion, of tubular shape, presenting an end upper edge which defines the contour of an upper opening, in which is fitted a removable lid.

Background of the Invention

There are well known from the prior art the cans obtained in metal sheet and comprising a tubular body, with circular or polygonal cross section and carrying a bottom wall and an annular upper wall, which are peripherally attached, generally by double-seaming, to respective lower and upper end edges of the can body. This type of construction allows the bottom wall and annular upper wall to have a structuring function in the can body, without requiring the incorporation of additional structural elements. This type of can has the body presenting a constant or progressively reduced cross- section from the bottom wall to the annular upper wall, and the thickness of the metal sheet is dimensioned as a function of said structural configuration of the can. There are also known cans which present a tubular-shaped body portion, inferiorly carrying a bottom wall and being superiorly joined, through a transition portion, to a neck portion with a smaller contour, in whose upper end edge is incorporated a peripheral ridge, projecting radially outwards from the neck portion and which is generally formed by bending said upper end edge outwardly, downwardly and inwardly, imparting to the peripheral ridge a tubular shape with a circular or approximately circular cross-section, as described in the Brazilian patent application PI 0705211-1 of the same applicant .

The cans mentioned above present the body portion joined to the neck portion, with reduced cross-section and height, through a frusto-conical or frusto-pyramidal transition portion spaced only slightly from the upper end edge of the can and which provides a considerable increase in the structural resistance of the latter, allowing the use of metal sheet with usual thickness, even in case the annular upper wall is not provided. In this construction, the upper opening of the can corresponds to the inner cross-section of the neck portion .

In this construction, described in BR PI 0705211-1, it is only necessary that the upper end edge of the can, that is, of the neck portion, be bent, or otherwise worked, to form the outer peripheral ridge, generally in the form of a tubular curl, contouring the upper opening of the can and defining, together with the upper end edge of the latter, a seat for the seating of a removable lid.

The lid, as proposed in this previous solution, comprises a panel portion which incorporates a peripheral tubular portion to be tightly fitted, with interference, in the interior of the upper opening in the neck portion, said peripheral tubular portion having a free upper edge which is bent, or otherwise worked, to form an outer circumferential curl or rib, to be seated onto the upper end edge of the can, upon closure of the lid.

This prior art construction allows eliminating the annular upper wall and forming an initial tubular body, from a metal sheet of usual thickness, for example, from about 0.21mm to about 0.27mm for cans of 3.6 liters, and presenting a cross-section corresponding to that of the neck portion. Next, said tubular body is submitted to an expansion operation, through which are formed the transition portion and the body portion, the latter presenting a concentric cross-section, similar to and larger than that of the neck portion. Thus, it is possible to obtain a can with a lower consumption of metal sheet .

According to said previous construction, the outer circumferential rib of the lid carries, inferiorly, an annular gasket which is seated onto the upper end edge of the neck portion, upon fitting the lid in the upper opening of the can. The annular gasket guarantees a tight sealing of the lid.

Although presenting the advantages mentioned above, said cans, provided with a neck portion and an annular gasket for sealing the lid and deprived of an annular upper wall, have the axial retention of the lid guaranteed by the provision of a retention ring, which acts simultaneously on the free upper edge of the lid and under the outer peripheral ridge of the can, since only fitting, by friction, the peripheral tubular portion of the lid in the interior of the neck portion of the can, is not sufficient to guarantee a reliable retention of the lid in the can. Besides being an additional piece, the retention ring is not always able to ensure an adequate compression of the lid against the upper end edge of the can, so as to guarantee the sealing degree required for packaging certain products, as it occurs with food products.

Summary of the Invention

In face of the drawbacks mentioned above, it becomes desirable to provide a closure arrangement for a can, as commented above, deprived of an upper ring, which arrangement leads to a high degree of axial retention and sealing upon closure of the lid, without requiring the provision of the retention ring or any other additional element to maintain the lid reliably pressed against the can .

The present arrangement is applied to a can which comprises: a body portion carrying a bottom wall; a neck portion, with a reduced section and having an end upper edge incorporating an outer peripheral ridge and defining the contour of an upper opening of the can; a transition portion joining the tubular body portion and the neck portion; and a lid formed by a panel portion incorporating a peripheral tubular portion to be tightly fitted, with interference, into the upper opening of the can, in the interior of the neck portion, and having a free upper edge incorporating an outer peripheral portion, to be seated on the upper end edge of the neck portion .

According to the invention, the outer peripheral portion of the lid comprises: an annular flange having an outer edge and carrying, inferiorly, an annular gasket to be seated onto the end upper edge of the neck portion, upon closure of the lid, by fitting its peripheral tubular portion into the upper opening of the can; a peripheral skirt, superiorly incorporated to the outer edge of the annular flange and which is elastically and radially outwardly deformable, and carrying an inner ridge to be seated under the outer peripheral ridge of the neck portion, upon closure of the lid.

In a constructive form of the present arrangement, the peripheral skirt of the lid is tangent to the outer peripheral ridge of the neck portion and has its inner ridge defined by a deformed median region of the skirt, the lat₍ter presenting an end lower edge which is inwardly or outwardly bent, in the form of a tubular curl, external to the axial projection of the contour of the outer peripheral ridge of the neck portion.

In another constructive form of the arrangement of the invention, the peripheral skirt is maintained radially spaced from the outer peripheral ridge of the neck portion and presents an end lower edge which is inwardly, upwardly and outwardly bent, in the form of a tubular curl, intersected by the axial projection of the contour of the peripheral ridge of the neck portion and defining the inner ridge of said peripheral skirt .

The provision of a lid carrying an annular gasket and incorporating a peripheral skirt with an inner ridge allows obtaining a high degree of sealing and axial retention upon closing the lid, without requiring additional locking elements.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be described below, with reference to the enclosed drawings, given by way of example of some embodiments of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional view of a can of the type used in the invention, with the respective lid in an exploded condition and constructed according to a first embodiment of the present closure arrangement ;

Figure 1A represents a view similar to that of figure 1, but with the container partially cut and with the lid in a closed condition;

Figure IB represents an enlarged detail of the upper part of the can-lid assembly illustrated in figure 1A;

Figure 2 represents a longitudinal sectional view of a can of the type used in the invention, with the respective lid in an exploded condition and constructed according to a second embodiment of the present closure arrangement ;

Figure 2A represents a view similar to that of figure 1, but with the container partially cut and with the lid in a closed condition;

Figure 2B represents an enlarged detail of the upper part of the can-lid assembly illustrated in figure 2A;

Figure 3 represents a longitudinal sectional view of a can of the type used in the invention, with the respective lid in an exploded condition and constructed according to a third embodiment of the present closure arrangement ;

Figure 3A represents a view similar to that of figure 1, but with the container partially cut and with the lid in a closed condition; and

Figure 3B represents an enlarged detail of the upper part of the can-lid assembly illustrated in figure 3A.

Description of the Invention

As already previously described and illustrated in the enclosed drawings, the closure arrangement proposed by the invention is applied to a can 10 formed in a metal sheet, generally tinplate, presenting a generally circular cross-section, but which can be polygonal, although this configuration is not illustrated in the drawings .

The tubular-shaped can 10 comprises: a body portion 11, to whose end lower edge 11a is attached, generally by a double-seam R, the peripheral edge of a bottom wall 12; a neck portion 13 having a concentric contour, similar to and reduced in relation to that of the body portion 11, and an end upper edge 13b defining the contour of an upper opening A for the can 10; and a transition portion 14 with a profile inclined in relation to the axis of the can 10 and joining the body portion 11 and neck portion 13.

The end upper edge 13b of the neck portion 13 incorporates an outer peripheral ridge 13c. In the illustrated condition, the outer peripheral ridge 13c takes the form of a curl with a tubular cross-section obtained by bending the metal sheet radially, outwardly, downwardly and inwardly, in the region of the end upper edge 13b. In the drawings, the cross-section of the curl is circular, but it should be understood that a peripheral ridge can be formed with different cross- sections, either tubular or not.

The body portion 11 is generally formed by a tubular body with a cross-section corresponding to that of the neck portion 13 and which is radially expanded in part of its height, so as to define the body portion 11 and transition portion 14, according to the already known prior art methods. The transition portion 14 is inferiorly joined to the body portion 11 by a junction region generally in convex arc 14a and superiorly joined to the neck portion 13 by a junction region generally in concave arc 14b.

The can 10 further comprises a lid 20, which is formed in a single piece of stamped metal sheet, presenting a panel portion 21 occupying a substantial part of the cross- sectional area of the upper opening A and incorporating a peripheral tubular portion 22, which is configured and dimensioned to be tightly fitted, with interference, in the upper opening A, in the interior of the neck portion 13. The peripheral tubular portion 22 presents an upper edge 22b which incorporates an outer peripheral portion 23, to be seated on the end upper edge 13b of the neck portion 13.

As illustrated in the enclosed drawings, the outer peripheral portion 23 of the lid 20 comprises an annular flange 23a which extends radially outwards from the upper edge 22b of the peripheral tubular portion 22, according to a plane generally orthogonal to the axis of the can- lid assembly, and to whose outer edge is superiorly incorporated a peripheral skirt 23b, pending from the annular flange 23a and disposed around the outer peripheral ridge 13c, upon closure of the lid 20. The peripheral skirt 23b is constructed so that it can be elastically and radially outwardly deformed, as explained ahead.

The annular flange 23a carries, inferiorly, an annular gasket 30 to be seated onto the upper end edge 13b of the neck portion 13, upon closure of the lid, by fitting its peripheral tubular portion 22 in the upper opening A of the can 10. The annular gasket 30 is preferably defined by a resin bead, for example "Plastisol", which is molded under the annular flange 23a of the lid 20.

When the lid 20 is fitted into the upper opening A of the neck portion 13, the annular gasket 30 is seated and pressed on the upper end edge 13b of the neck portion, considerably increasing the sealing degree in the closure of the lid 20. As illustrated in the figures of the drawings, the lid 20 is preferably constructed with its panel portion 21 incorporating a pending skirt 21a, with a frusto-conical or frusto-pyramidal configuration and which forms, with the peripheral tubular portion 22, a peripheral channel 26, generally with a cross-section in the approximated form of an asymmetrical V, radially separating the panel portion 21 from the peripheral tubular portion 22, the panel portion 21 being disposed in a higher plane in relation to the bottom wall 26a of the peripheral channel 26.

In the constructive form of the present closure arrangement, as illustrated in figures 1, 1A and IB, the peripheral skirt 23b of the lid 20 is tangent to the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13 and carries an inner ridge 24, to be seated under the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13, upon closure of the lid 20. For this purpose, the inner ridge 24 is positioned so as to project radially inwardly from the axial projection of the contour of the peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13.

In the referred first embodiment of the present closure arrangement, the inner ridge 24, of the peripheral skirt 23b, is defined by a deformed median region of the peripheral skirt 23b, the latter presenting an end lower edge which is outwardly, upwardly and inwardly bent in the form of a curl 25, generally tubular and which remains radially external to the axial projection of the contour of the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13.

With the construction described above, upon closure of the lid 20, its peripheral tubular portion 22 is tightly fitted, by friction, in the upper opening A of the neck portion 13 of the can 10, whilst its peripheral skirt 23b is manually and elastically outwardly deformed, so that the inner ridge 24 can pass through the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13 and, subsequently, return, by elastic memory of the peripheral skirt 23b, to its normal (rest) position, in which the inner ridge 24 is seated under said outer peripheral ridge 13c, axially locking the lid 20 in the can 10, by pressing the annular gasket 30. It should be understood that the positioning of the inner ridge 24 is made so that it is seated under the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13, forcing the lid 20 against the end upper edge 13b of the can 10, so that the annular gasket 30 remains compressed, while the lid 20 is closed.

In a manner similar to that described above regarding the constructive form of the closure arrangement illustrated in figures 2, 2A and 2B, the peripheral skirt 23b of the lid 20 has an upper extension 23bl also disposed tangent to the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13, and a lower extension 23b2, radially outwardly displaced and which carries an inner ridge 24, to be seated under the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13, upon closure of the lid 20. Nevertheless, in this second constructive form, the inner ridge 24, also projecting radially inwardly from the axial projection of the contour of the peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13, is defined by a generally tubular curl 25 obtained by inwardly, upwardly and outwardly bending the end lower edge of the peripheral skirt 23b. In this second embodiment, the curl 25, which defines the inner ridge 24 of the peripheral skirt 23b, even being provided in the lower extension 23b2 of the skirt, radially outwardly displaced in relation to the upper extension 23bl, projects radially inwardly from the axial projection of the contour of the peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13, in order to be seated under said outer peripheral ridge 13c, upon closure of the lid 20. The radial offset between the two upper and lower extensions of the peripheral skirt 23b should be dimensioned to permit the inner ridge 24, defined by the inwardly bent curl 25, to pass through the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13, by manual elastic radial deformation of the peripheral skirt 23b, and to be seated under said outer peripheral ridge 13c, upon closure of the lid 20.

With the construction described above, upon closure of the lid 20, its peripheral tubular portion 22 is tightly fitted, by friction, in the upper opening A of the neck portion 13 of the can 10, whilst its peripheral skirt 23b is elastically outwardly deformed, so that the inner ridge 24, defined by the curl 25, can pass through the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13 and, subsequently, return, by elastic memory of the peripheral skirt 23b, to its normal (rest) position, in which the inner ridge 24 is seated under said outer peripheral ridge 13c, axially locking the lid 20 in the can 10, with the compression of annular gasket 30. It should be understood that the positioning of the inner ridge 24, that is, of the curl 25, is made so that it is seated under the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13, forcing the lid 20 against the end upper edge 13b of the can 10, so that the annular gasket 30 remains compressed, while the lid 20 is closed.

The second constructive embodiment, defined in figures 2, 2A and 2B, according to which the peripheral skirt 23b of the lid 20 presents its lower extension 23b2 radially outwardly displaced in relation to its upper extension 23bl, allows the formation of a peripheral step 27, disposed externally to the peripheral skirt 23b, in the transition region thereof in which the upper extension 23bl joins the lower extension 23b2. This peripheral step 27 defines a seating and guiding region for the end lower edge 11a of the end body portion 11 of a can to be securely stacked over a lower can, both stacked cans being provided with the present closure arrangement .

In a third constructive form of the closure arrangement, as illustrated in figures 3, 3A and 3B, the peripheral skirt 23b of the lid 20 is radially spaced in relation to the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13 and presents an inner ridge 24 which is defined ' by a generally tubular curl 25, formed by inwardly, upwardly and outwardly bending an end lower edge of the peripheral skirt 23b, and which projects radially inwardly from the axial projection of the contour of the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13.

Also in this third embodiment, the curl 25, which defines the inner ridge 24 of the peripheral skirt 23b, projects radially inwardly from the axial projection of the contour of the peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13, by an extension which allows said curl 25, which defines the inner ridge 24, to be seated under said outer peripheral ridge 13c, after passing through the latter, by a manual elastic radial deformation of the peripheral skirt 23b, upon closure of the lid 20.

With the construction described above, upon closure of the lid 20, its peripheral tubular portion 22 is tightly fitted, by friction, in the upper opening A of the neck portion 13 of the can 10, whilst its peripheral skirt 23b is elastically outwardly deformed, so that the inner ridge 24, defined by the curl 25, can pass through the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13 and, subsequently, return, by elastic memory of the peripheral skirt 23b, to its normal (rest) position, in which the inner ridge 24, defined by the curl 25, is seated under said outer peripheral ridge 13c, axially locking the lid 20 in the can 10, with the compression of the annular gasket 30. It should be understood that the positioning of the inner ridge 24, that is, of the curl 25, is made so as seat it under the outer peripheral ridge 13c of the neck portion 13, forcing the lid 20 against the end upper edge 13b of the can 10, so that the annular gasket 30 remains compressed, while the lid 20 is closed.

Although the drawings only illustrate curls 25 with a circular tubular section, it should be understood that the end lower edge of the peripheral skirt 23b can be bent so as to present a curl 25 with different cross- sections, either tubular or not.

The closure arrangement described above allows applying, to any of the different constructive forms of the lid 20, when in the closed condition, a film made of a thermo- contractile material (not illustrated) covering the lid 20 and the neck portion 13 of the can, providing a tamper evident seal and also an additional axial retention.

While only some embodiments have been illustrated and described for the present closure arrangement, it should be understood that alterations can be made in the form and physical arrangement of the component parts, without departing from the constructive concept defined in the claims which accompany the present specification.

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Claims

1. A closure arrangement for cans of the type which comprises: a body portion (11) carrying a bottom wall

(12) ; a neck portion (13), having a reduced section and an end upper edge (13b) , incorporating an outer peripheral ridge (13c) and defining the contour of an upper opening (A) of the can (10) ; a transition portion (14) joining the tubular body portion (11) and the neck portion (13) ; and a lid (20) formed by a panel portion (21) incorporating a peripheral tubular portion (22) to be tightly fitted, with interference, into the upper opening (A) of the can (10) , in the interior of the neck portion (13) , and having an upper edge (22b) incorporating an outer peripheral portion (23) , to be seated onto the end upper edge (13b) of the neck portion

(13) , said arrangement being characterized in that the outer peripheral portion (23) of the lid comprises: an annular flange (23a) having an outer edge and inferiorly carrying an annular gasket (30) to be seated onto the end upper edge (13b) of the neck portion (13) , upon closure of the lid (20) by fitting its peripheral tubular portion (22) in the upper opening (A) of the can (10) ; a peripheral skirt (23b) superiorly incorporated to the outer edge of the annular flange (23a) and which is elastically and radially outwardly deformable and carrying an inner ridge (24) to be seated under the outer peripheral ridge (13c) of the neck portion (13) , upon closure of the lid (20) .

2. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the annular gasket (30) is defined by a resin bead molded under the annular flange (23a) of the lid (20) .

3. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the annular flange (23a) extends radially outwards from the upper edge (22b) of the peripheral tubular portion (22) of the lid (20) , according to a plane orthogonal to the axis of the can- lid assembly, said peripheral skirt (23b) pending from the annular flange (23a) and being disposed around the outer peripheral ridge (13c) upon closure of the lid (20) .

4. The arrangement, as set forth in any of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the inner ridge (24) projects radially inwardly from the axial projection of the contour of the peripheral ridge (13c) of the neck portion (13) of the can (10) .

5. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that the inner ridge (24) is positioned so as to be seated under the outer peripheral ridge (13c) of the neck portion (13), forcing the lid (20) against the end upper edge (13b) of the can (10) and pressing the annular gasket (30) .

6. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that the peripheral skirt (23b) of the lid (20) is tangent to the outer peripheral ridge (13c) of the neck portion (13) of the can (10) , the inner ridge (24) of the peripheral skirt (23b) being defined by a deformed median region of the peripheral skirt (23b) , and the latter presenting an end lower edge which is outwardly, upwardly and inwardly bent in the form of a curl (25) , radially external to the axial projection of the contour of the outer peripheral ridge (13c) of the neck portion (13) .

7. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that the peripheral skirt (23b) of the lid (20) presents an upper extension (23bl) , tangent to the outer peripheral ridge (13c) of the neck portion (13) , and a lower extension (23b2) radially outwardly displaced and which carries the inner ridge (24) .

8. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that the inner ridge (24) is defined by a curl (25) formed by inwardly, upwardly and outwardly bending an end lower edge of the peripheral skirt (23b) .

9. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that the lid (20) has a peripheral step (27) disposed externally to the peripheral skirt (23b) , in the transition region thereof in which the upper extension (23bl) joins the lower extension (23b2) and defining a seating and guiding region for the end lower edge (11a) of the body portion (11) of a can (10) stacked over a lower can.

10. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that the peripheral skirt (23b) of the lid (20) is radially outwardly spaced in relation to the outer peripheral ridge (13c) of the neck portion (13) , having its inner ridge (24) defined by a curl (25) formed by inwardly, upwardly and outwardly bending an end lower edge of the peripheral skirt (23b) .

11. The arrangement, as set forth in any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the lid (20) has its panel portion (21) incorporating a pending skirt (21a) , with frusto-conical or frusto-pyramidal configuration and which forms, with the peripheral tubular portion (22), a peripheral channel (26) , with a cross-section in the form of an asymmetrical V, radially separating the panel portion (21) from the peripheral tubular portion (22) , the panel portion (21) being disposed in a higher plane in relation to a bottom wall (26a) of the peripheral channel (26) .