HK1113340B - Closure arrangement for a can - Google Patents

Description

Closure device for a can

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a closure device applied to cans obtained from sheet metal, of the type comprising a tubular body having a peripheral side wall with a circular or polygonal outline and having a lower end portion to which a bottom wall is fixed or joined and an upper end portion to which a structural ring is internally affixed, said structural ring defining an opening to access the interior of the can, and a seat on which a sealing member is fixed and retained, said sealing member taking the form of a removable and reclosable lid stamped from sheet metal or moulded from plastic material, or generally in the form of a metal film which is peripherally glued to the structural ring and is defined to be removed when the can is first opened.

Background

Regular products, such as certain foods, paints and the like, which are gradually consumed and in bulk, should be stored hermetically and require a lid of the reclosable type, so that they can be reclosed as many times as necessary during the gradual consumption of the stored product, in order to guarantee the tightness of the can and protect the remaining contents thereof.

Cans with a press-fit lid are known, in which the lid is press-fitted into a structural ring which is externally double-seamed to the upper edge of the peripheral side wall of the tubular body of the can. The tightness is ensured when the cover is fitted in a seat defined in the structural ring. In some cases, particularly when food products are concerned, it is necessary to provide a tamper-evident seal until the first opening of the can, and said seal is usually defined by a thin sheet of aluminium or other suitable material, which is double-seamed with a structural ring to the upper edge of the peripheral side wall.

In other known solutions, such as those described in brazilian patent applications PI0203950-8 and PI0303833-5, the press-fit lid is constructed of plastic material and comprises a sealing portion removably fixed and retained within a seat defined in a structural ring and a manually breakable seal disposed around an upper end of the tubular body of the can.

Another known solution consists in providing a structural ring, the upper surface of which defines an annular surface for fixing and gluing the edge portion of the seal, which is usually made of aluminium foil and is manually removed when the can is first opened. In this construction, a plastic overcap (over) or lid is provided which is removably fitted over the upper edge of the peripheral side wall of the tubular body to protect the contents of the can after removal of the seal.

In any of the three types of closure devices described above, it is necessary to provide a member for defining the structural ring, which may have any of various shapes, but which must be externally double-seamed to the upper edge of the peripheral side wall of the tubular body of the can. The provision of a structural ring is mandatory to give the open upper end of the tubular body of the can the necessary structural strength and also to define a seat for fixing a seal in the form of a metal cap, a plastic cap or a seal.

However, in the known prior art constructions, the structural ring is defined as a separate part with respect to the tubular body, consuming a corresponding quantity of tin plate and requiring double seaming in order to form such a part, in order to be tightly fixed to the upper edge of the peripheral side wall of the can. In addition to the need to add more raw material, the operation of double seaming the known structural rings significantly limits the possibility of reducing the manufacturing costs of the cans.

Disclosure of Invention

Due to the inconveniences mentioned above and related to the raw material and manufacturing costs for providing the structural ring, the object of the present invention is to provide a closure device for cans of the type envisaged herein, which eliminates not only the provision of the structural ring as a sheet metal part distinct from the tubular body of the can, but also the operation of double-seaming the structural ring to the upper edge of the peripheral side wall of the tubular body of the can, without however compromising the characteristics of structural strength of the can and the formation of the seat for the seal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a closure as mentioned above which allows the structural ring to be shaped so as to define different versions of the seat on which different elements for sealing the opening allowing access to the interior of the can are to be fixed. The present closure device is applied to cans of the type having a tubular body with a circular or polygonal cross-section, which is closed at the lower part and comprises: a peripheral sidewall having an upper edge; and a structural ring inside the tubular body and sealingly joined to the peripheral side wall so as to define an upper opening of the can and a seat for fixing the seal.

According to the invention, the structural ring is defined by a peripheral rib formed by a groove on the peripheral side wall, said groove being axially spaced back with respect to the upper end of the peripheral side wall and projecting radially into the tubular body.

The construction proposed by the present invention enables the structural ring of the can to be defined by the deformation of the peripheral side wall of said can, which not only saves material for stamping the double-seamed structural ring of the prior art, but also eliminates the operation of double-seaming said ring to the tubular structure of the can.

The peripheral rib defining the new structural ring may be configured so as to define a seat for fixing a seal, which may take the form of a press-fit lid or a tamper-evident seal stamped in sheet metal or moulded in plastic material, peripherally and removably glued to the annular upper surface of said peripheral rib.

Drawings

The invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, given as examples of possible embodiments of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective and exploded view of the assembly formed by the can, the seal and the overcap, showing the closure of the present invention, and wherein the seal is in the form of a film that is removably adhered to the peripheral rib;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective and exploded view similar to FIG. 1, but showing another embodiment of the peripheral rib of the closure device;

fig. 3 is a partial diameter cross-sectional view of the assembly shown in fig. 1 and with both the seal and the overcap installed on the can body;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing another embodiment of a closure device with a peripheral rib;

FIG. 5 is a partial diameter cross-sectional view of an assembly formed of a can and a press-fit lid in an installed condition and utilizing the closure of the present invention;

FIG. 5a is an enlarged detail view of FIG. 5 showing a solution to one possible configuration of a gasket to be provided between the socket and the cover;

FIG. 6 is a partial diameter cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 but showing another possible configuration of a cap to be used in the closure of the present invention;

figure 7 is a view similar to figure 6 but showing the closure means applied to the upper part of the can, the upper region of the can being provided with a reduction; and

fig. 8 is a partial diametrical cross-sectional view of a can body constructed in accordance with another embodiment.

Detailed Description

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the closure device of the invention is applied to a can generally made of tin plate and having a tubular body 10 with a circular or polygonal cross section, which is closed at the lower part by a bottom wall (not shown) and comprises: a peripheral side wall 11 provided with an upper edge 12; and a structural ring 13, internal to the tubular body 10 and sealingly joined to the peripheral side wall 11, so as to define an upper opening 14 of said can; and a seat 15 on which a seal 20 is to be fixed, which may have different configurations as previously described.

Figures 1-4 of the accompanying drawings relate to a closure device in which the sealing element 20 is generally defined by a film 21 made of impermeable material and preferably metallized, said film being removably glued to the upper surface 16a of the peripheral rib 16. The sealing element 20 is configured such that it is positively removed from its installed position by the user when the can is first opened, so as to enable access to the interior of the can.

In this type of configuration, the upper surface 16a of the peripheral rib 16 is generally flat and orthogonal to the axis of the can, so as to facilitate the hermetic and firm adhesion of the edge portion of the film 21 to the peripheral rib 16.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 and 3, the circumferential rib 16 has a cross section of the approximate shape of a horizontal "U", with its lateral legs parallel to each other, and the base region defines an inner edge 16b of the circumferential rib 16, the shape of which may have different characteristics depending on the configuration used for the seal 20. In fig. 2 and 4, the circumferential rib 16 has a cross-section of the approximate shape of a horizontal "V", with the rounded apex defining the inner edge 16a of the circumferential rib 16 and the lateral legs defining the upper surface 16a of the circumferential rib 16, which is preferably disposed orthogonal to the axis of the can when the sealing member 20 takes the form of a film 21 for sealing the can.

When a sealing element 20 in the form of a film 21 removably glued to the circumferential rib 16 is used, the closure device also comprises an integral upper lid 30 having, at a level higher than the circumferential rib 16 and by a peripheral portion 32 having a median recess 31 to be housed inside the tubular body 10, said peripheral portion having a cross section in the approximate shape of an inverted "U" and being dimensioned to fit tightly onto the upper edge 12 of the peripheral side wall 11 of the can tubular body 10.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 4, the upper edge 12 of the peripheral side wall 11 of the can is bent outwards, downwards and inwards so as to define a tubular rib 17 externally joined to said upper edge 12, cooperating in the structural reinforcement of the latter and defining a peripheral projection in this region of the can, which, in addition to acting as a fixing means of the peripheral portion 32 of the upper lid 30, also acts as an axial stop for the peripheral portion of other types of seals that can be fitted into the can seat 15. As shown in fig. 1-7, the tubular rib 17 of the upper edge 12 of the peripheral side wall 11 of the can may have a circular or substantially circular cross-section.

The axial retention of the upper lid 30 to the upper rim 12 of the can is obtained in such a way that the peripheral portion 32 of said upper lid 30 has a radially internal wall 32a which is sized and configured to be telescopically and relatively tightly seated against the internal surface of a portion of the peripheral side wall of the can defined between the peripheral rib 16 and the upper rim 12. Said peripheral portion 32 also has a base wall 32b intended to be fixed to said upper edge 12 of the can and a radially external wall 32c intended to be fixed against the tubular rib 17 so as to surround the tubular rib 17. The radially outer wall 32c of the peripheral portion 32 of the upper cap 30 has a free lower end edge incorporating an outer tube bead 33 which will give better structural strength to the edge portion of the upper cap 30 which is typically molded of plastic or the like.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show a construction similar to that of the can shown in figures 1 to 4, but employing another type of seal 20 which does not have a film 21 glued to the peripheral rib 16. In the above-described manner of carrying out the invention, the inner edge 16b of the circumferential rib 16 is configured to define a convex arc, preferably circular, and the seal 20 is defined by a lid 22, which, in a single piece of metal foil or plastic, comprises a base wall 23 and a circumferential wall 24, having an upper edge 25 to be fixed on a portion of the circumferential side wall 11 of the tubular body 10 defined above the opening 14 on the can head, and a circumferential groove 26, whose cross section takes the form of a concave arc turned radially outwards, preferably circular development, and is configured to fit the inner edge 16b of the circumferential rib 16 therein when the lid 22 is fixed on the seat 15. Also in this configuration for press-fitting the lid 22, the peripheral rib 16 may also have a cross-section of any suitable shape to define a seat for fixing and retaining the lid 22. In the embodiment shown, the peripheral rib 16 has a cross section of the approximate shape of a horizontal "U" or "V", and the inner edge 16b of the peripheral rib 16 is formed by the base of the "U" profile or by the apex of the "V" profile.

With this configuration, when the lid 22 is fitted in the seat 15, the inner edge 16b of the circumferential rib 16 is fitted in the interior of the circumferential groove 26 of the lid 22 by elastic deformation of at least one of the circumferential side wall 11 of the can and the circumferential wall of the lid 22, not only enabling a fitting to be obtained in which the lid 22 is sealed to the seat 15, but also enabling the lid 22 to be axially retained effectively and firmly to the tubular body 10 of the can.

Considering that the tubular body 10 of the can is generally made of metal foil with a longitudinal seam obtained by welding the overlapping longitudinal edges of the metal foil, the problem is to obtain an adequate seal between the peripheral rib 16 and the peripheral groove 26 in the region of the seam.

Therefore, even if it is considered that the metal foil forming the tubular body 10 of the can is reduced in thickness, it is preferable to provide a seal 50 made of elastically deformable material compatible with the canned product in the region between the lid 22 and the peripheral rib 16 of the tubular body 10, so as to adapt to the variations in the surface of the peripheral rib 16 in the region of the longitudinal seam of the tubular body 10.

As shown in fig. 5a, for possible configurations, the elastically deformable sealing element 50 takes the form of an annular gasket covering at least part of the radial extension of the inner surface of the peripheral groove 26 of the cover 22, and it can be made of any suitable material, whether resinous or not, such as plastisol. The seal 50 can be sized to surround only the inner edge 16b of the circumferential rib 16, or alternatively can surround the upper surface 16a of the circumferential rib 16, or even some extension of the circumferential wall 24 of the lid 22.

In the case of constructing the lid 22 from plastic, as shown in fig. 6, the seal 50 may not be required depending on the plastic seam of the lid and the characteristics of the product to be stored.

As shown in fig. 5, 6 and 7, the peripheral wall 24 of the lid 22 can be configured with an annular radial portion 24a to be fixed on the upper surface 16a of the peripheral rib 16 and an axial upper portion 24b to be fixed against the inner surface of a portion of the peripheral side wall 11 of the can defined between the peripheral rib 16 and its upper edge 12. This configuration allows a more effective seal to be obtained between the lid 22 and the region of the seat 15 of the tubular body 10 of the can.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 5, the upper edge 25 of the perimetral wall 11 of the lid 22 incorporates an outer tubular rib 27 which, when the lid 22 is closed, will be fixed to the upper edge 12 of the perimetral side wall 11 of the tubular body 10 of the can by fitting the inner edge of the perimetral rib 16 inside the perimetral groove 26 of the perimetral wall 11 of the lid 22.

In the configuration shown in figures 3 to 7, the outer tubular rib 27 of the cap 22 is fixed to the tubular rib 17 of the peripheral side wall 11 of the tubular body 10.

As shown in fig. 6, the upper edge 25 of the peripheral wall 11 of the lid 22 can incorporate a seal 28, immediately below the tubular rib 17 of its peripheral side wall 11, comprising a skirt 28a to be fixed relatively tightly around the tubular body 10, said lower skirt 28a being superiorly incorporated to the upper edge 25 of the peripheral wall 11 of the lid 24 by means of bridges 28b which will be manually broken when subjected to a certain force upon first opening of the lid 22.

It should be noted that the lower skirt 28a of the seal 28 is located below the tube rib 17 and acts as a stop that prevents the cap 22 from being removed without breaking the bridges 28b and removing the seal 28.

As shown in fig. 7, the circumferential rib 16 can be provided in an area of the peripheral side wall 11 of the tubular body 10 having a diameter substantially smaller than that of the remaining portion of the tubular body 10 of the can, so as to keep the seal 28 of the lid 22 housed inside the axial projection of the remaining portion of the tubular body 10.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 1-7, the tubular rib 17 is shaped and dimensioned so as to be maintained at a level above that at which the peripheral rib 16 is provided, so that the peripheral groove forming the peripheral rib 16 and defined in the peripheral side wall 11 is visible in a lateral view of the can.

In addition to the problems relating to the finishing operations of the can, in the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 7, the shape of the tubular rib 17 limits the reinforcing effect of the can structure in the open upper portion of the tubular body 10 to the extension defined between the peripheral rib 16 and the upper edge 12.

Fig. 8 shows another constructive solution for the tubular body 10 of the can, according to which the tubular rib 17 acts as an aesthetic finish of the can and as a structural reinforcement of the open upper portion of the tubular body 10 of the can.

According to this modification, the tubular rib 17 continues externally to the upper edge 12 of the peripheral side wall 11, but extends downwards beyond the peripheral rib 16 so as to cover the groove forming the peripheral rib 16 in said peripheral side wall 11.

As shown, the tubular rib 17 is configured so that its free lower end portion 17a is bent inwardly and upwardly and is disposed below the circumferential rib 16 close to the circumferential side wall 11 of the tubular body 10.

In the configuration illustrated in fig. 8, the free lower end 17a of the tubular rib 17 has an end region 17b which is bent upwards and laterally fixed against the peripheral side wall 11 of the tubular body 10 of the can.

The construction proposed herein enables the tube rib 17 to completely cover the groove forming the peripheral rib 16, providing a better overall appearance of the can and a structural reinforcement with a greater axial extension.

The tubular rib 17 is generally configured in the direction of the can axis in an oblong shape and has a median extension 17c substantially parallel to the peripheral side wall 11 of the tubular body 10 in a region in which the peripheral rib 16 is incorporated, the tubular rib 17 thus taking the form of a sort of strip around the upper end of the can.

Although some embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated separately, it should be understood that changes can be made in the form and arrangement of the elements without departing from the constructive concept defined in the appended claims.

Claims (19)

1. A closure device for a can of the type having a tubular body (10) which is closed at the lower part and comprises: a peripheral side wall (11) provided with an upper edge (12); and a structural ring (13) internal to the tubular body (10) and hermetically joined to the peripheral side wall (11), so as to define an upper opening (14) of the can and a seat (15) for fixing a first seal (20), said structural ring (13) being defined by a peripheral rib (16) formed by a groove in the peripheral side wall (11), said grooves being axially spaced back with respect to the upper edge (12) of the peripheral side wall and projecting radially into the tubular body (10), characterized in that the peripheral rib (16) has an inner edge (16b) configured to define a convex arc, the first seal (20) being defined by a cap (22), in one piece, the cover comprises a base wall (23) and a peripheral wall (24) having an upper edge (25), to be fixed to a portion of the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10) defined above the upper opening (14) of the can; there is also a peripheral groove (26) whose cross section takes the form of a concave arc turned radially outwards and is configured to fit the inner edge (16b) of the peripheral rib (16) therein when the cover (22) is fixed in the seat (15).

2. The closure device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the inner edge (16b) of the peripheral rib (16) is configured as a circular convex arc and the peripheral groove (26) is defined in cross-section by a circular concave arc.

3. A closure device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the peripheral rib (16) has an approximately shaped cross section of either of the flat "U" and "V" profiles and the inner edge (16b) of the peripheral rib (16) is formed in one of the base of the "U" profile and the apex of the "V" profile.

4. The closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that the peripheral rib (16) has an annular upper surface (16a) and in that the peripheral wall (24) of the cap (22) has an annular radial portion (24a) intended to be fixed against the upper surface (16a) of the peripheral rib (16) and an axially upper portion (24b) intended to be fixed against the peripheral side wall (11) defined between the peripheral rib (16) and the upper edge (12) of the peripheral side wall (11).

5. A closure device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a second seal (50) made of elastically deformable material, said second seal being fitted between the peripheral rib (16) of the tubular body (10) and the peripheral groove (26) of the cap (22).

6. A closure device according to claim 1, wherein the second seal (50) takes the form of an annular gasket covering at least a portion of the radial extension of the peripheral groove (26) of the cover (22).

7. A closure device as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the upper edge (25) of the peripheral wall (24) of the lid (22) incorporates an outer tubular rib (27) intended to be fixed to the upper edge (12) of the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10) of the can.

8. The closure device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the upper edge (12) of the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10) engages externally a tubular rib (17), the outer tubular rib (27) of the peripheral wall (24) of the cap (22) being fixed to said tubular rib (17).

9. A closure device according to claim 4, wherein the upper edge (12) of the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10) engages externally the tubular rib (17) and the upper edge (25) of the peripheral wall (24) of the lid (22) engages an extension of the third seal (28), said extension comprising a lower skirt (28a) which is to be fixed tightly around the tubular body (10) immediately below the tubular rib (17) of its peripheral side wall (11) and is joined superiorly to the upper edge (25) of the peripheral wall (24) of the lid (22) by means of bridges (28b) which are to be broken manually when subjected to a certain force upon opening the lid (22) for the first time.

10. A closure device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the upper edge (12) of the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10) is bent outwards, downwards and inwards so as to define a tubular rib (17) externally joined to the upper edge (12) of the peripheral side wall (11) and extending downwards beyond the peripheral rib (16) so as to cover the groove forming the peripheral rib (16).

11. A closure device as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that the tubular rib (17) has a free lower end (17a) which is bent inwards and upwards and is arranged below the peripheral rib (16), close to the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10).

12. A closure device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the free lower end (17a) of the tubular rib (17) has an end region (17b) which is bent upwards and laterally fixed against the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10).

13. A closure arrangement as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that the tubular rib (17) is oblong in the direction of the can axis.

14. A closure device as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that the tubular rib (17) has a median extension (17c) substantially parallel to the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10) in a region of the latter in which the peripheral rib (16) is incorporated.

15. A closure device for a can of the type having a tubular body (10) which is closed at the lower part and comprises: a peripheral side wall (11) provided with an upper edge (12); and a structural ring (13) internal to the tubular body (10) and sealingly joined to the peripheral side wall (11) so as to define an upper opening (14) of the can and a seat (15) for fixing a first seal (20), said structural ring (13) being defined by a peripheral rib (16) formed by a groove on the peripheral side wall (11), said groove being axially spaced back with respect to the upper edge (12) of the peripheral side wall and projecting radially into the tubular body (10), characterized in that the upper edge (12) of the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10) is bent outwards, downwards and inwards so as to define a tubular rib (17) joined externally to the upper edge (12) of the peripheral side wall (11) and extending downwards beyond the peripheral rib (16) so as to cover the groove forming the peripheral rib (16).

16. A closure device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the tubular rib (17) has a free lower end (17a) which is bent inwards and upwards and is arranged below the circumferential rib (16), close to the circumferential side wall (11) of the tubular body (10).

17. A closure device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the free lower end (17a) of the tubular rib (17) has an end region (17b) which is bent upwards and laterally fixed against the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10).

18. A closure assembly as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that the tubular rib (17) is oblong in the direction of the can axis.

19. A closure device as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that the tubular rib (17) has a median extension (17c) substantially parallel to the peripheral side wall (11) of the tubular body (10) in a region of the latter in which the peripheral rib (16) is incorporated.