US3401819A - Container opening caps - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 17, 1968 J. P. sALAMoNE I CONTAINER OPENING CAPs Filed March 22, 1967 United States Patent O 3,401,819 CONTAINER OPENING CAPS Joseph P. Salarnone, 1405 Wentworth Ave., Chicago Heights, lll. 60411 Filed Mar. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 625,238 Claims. (Cl. 220-48) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A container which receives a screw cap at the top. Within the cap the container has a top sealed to the container after the same has been filled. Such top is formed in a manner to be opened as the cap is screwed down. The top formation is a circular scoring line around the inner portion, the material of the top being raised along the scoring line with an annular L-iiage. The cap head depends with a pair of diametrically-positioned hooks which are spaced to lie above the L-flange and yieldable to snap into engagement with the bill thereof when the cap is mounted on the container with downpressure. A turn of the cap in the downscrewing direction causes the hooks to impinge on the L-ange and break the inner portion of the container into the same from the scoring circle. Such portion therefore become separable with the cap when the latter is unscrewed, and may be removed from the cap if the latter is returned to the container as a closure.

My invention relates to cans and similar containers which have a permanent top. Usually, a can opener of one form or anothermanual or electrical-is employed for opening a can of this type; and the availability of such an opener is often a problem. Also, more or less effort or difficulty may be involved in the application of the opener, not to speak of the hazard of suffering a cut from a jagged edge or the projection of a tab cut from the top of the can.

While the use of a separate can opener has become commonplace for the purpose mentioned, the present invention has for its main object to combine an opener with the can or like container, and operable by hand, whereby to have the opener instantly available when a can or like container is to be opened.

A further object is to provide an opener which is incorporated in a cap forming the closure for the container, the opener being fully concealed in the cap.

Another object is to design the opening feature in the closure cap in a manner enabling the container to be opened by an easy and quick turn of the cap.

Still another object is to provide an opening feature in a cap which creates a waste blank momentarily and removable after the can is opened, enabling the cap to be replaced as a full closure the same as caps for jars, bottles and the like, so that the container may be used for another iilling, or to retain a part of its contents for removal at another time.

An important object is to construct the novel containeropening cap along lines of simplicity and for eicient mechanical operation.

A better understanding of the invention may be gained by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of the cap and container, partly in section; and FIG. 2 is a vertical section.

Referring specifically to the drawing, denotes the wall of a can or similar container adapted to receive a round closure cap 12. it is noted that the latter and the container wall are joined by screw threads 13, as is the common practice. The container may be plain at its upper end, or made with an interlocking joint to seal a top 17 to the container 10.

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For the purpose of the present invention, the center part of the top 11 is re-enforced marginally by an L- flange 18; and the top 12a of the cap is formed with pendent lugs 20 terminating with outward hooks 20a. The material of the cap is hard plastic, but that of the lugs 20 has a yieldable factor, in order that the hooks 20a may snap into engagement with the bill of the L-iiange 18 when the cap is depressed and secure a firm engagement with the top 11.

The top of the can is made with a circular scoring line 22 immediately around the L-flange 18 whereby to weaken the top along the outer edge of the L-flange. Thus,

when the cap is screwed down to a short extent, the lugs 20 will exert sucient pressure on the L-flange to sever the internal portion of the can top from the balance and open the can.

It will be apparent that the action just explained should require very little turning effort by the average person; and such effort is effective to open the can instantly, which is a decided advantage over the operation of handoperated can openers and even electrical ones. Further, once the can has been opened the blank defined by the L-flange may be extracted after the cap has been unscrewed, and discarded. In such case, the contents of the can may be dispensed fully, or some retained for future use and preserved by reclosing the cap in the manner of ordinary caps. The invention therefore imposes no strange operation, and requires no new technique or knowledge when the user learns that simply screwing down the cap opens the container. Finally, it is apparent that the invention applies not only to cans and the like, but to any container with a metallic or plastic top, which may be a jar, bottle, piggy-bank or other receptacle which is normally closed at the top when received by the user. It is therefore signicant that the invention has utility both from the viewpoints of simplicity, versatility and facility of operation.

I claim:

1. The combination with a container having a threaded wall and a cap assembled with the latter in threading relation; of a top for the container having a medial section formed with a rising annular L-flange separated from the outer section by a circular scoring line, and means carried by the cap engaging the L-flange with downpressure to sever said scoring line when the cap is screwed down, the L-flange and medial section becoming separated from the outer section in such event.

2. The structure of claim 1, said means being pendent lugs connected to the L-ilange.

3. The structure of claim 1, said means being pendent lugs straddling the bill of the L-flange from the side.

4. The structure of claim 1, the bill of the L-ange being on its inner side, and said means being pendent lugs straddling said bill from the side.

5. The structure of claim 1, said means being pendent lugs with openings on the side facing the bill of the L- flange, and the lugs being yieldable to first trip on said bill when the cap is screwed down and receive the bill in said opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,850,911 3/1932 Barlow 220-48 2,152,001 3/1939 Temple 221-81 3,163,317 12/1964 Biedenstein et al. 220-27 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner.

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