Anchor for plastic cap

This invention relates to an improved can end construction for beverage cans having a score line defined panel therein for beverage dispensing and, more particularly, to an improved can end construction for releasably positioning a displaceable resealing cap assembly at a predetermined location on a container end closure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Recent years have witnessed ever increasing quantities of beverages, such 
as beer, carbonated soft drinks and juices, being packaged in amounts of 
up to 12 ounces in metal cans and particularly in metal cans with ends 
that include a score line defined opening panel therein to provide 
implement free access to the contents. Such opening panel containing can 
ends are generally called "easy open ends" and include variant basic 
constructions of a first type wherein the score line completely 
circumscribes the panel and thus renders the panel completely separable 
from the can end and of a second type wherein the score line only 
partially circumscribes the panel to render the latter only partially 
severable from the can end and to thus remain in attached relation within 
the can after the pouring opening has been formed. As mentioned above, 
such opening panels are conventionally perimetrically delineated by score 
lines of decreased metal thickness. 
In order to extend the use of such easy open can end constructions to 
larger volume containers, the art has suggested the utilization of a cap 
assembly to close and reseal the opening defined by such score line 
defined panel. Among the objects of such cap utilization are a re-closure 
of the container to prevent loss of liquid content and a resealing of the 
container to limit further losses of the dissociable gases, i.e., the 
"carbonation", in the remaining liquid contents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,692 
discloses one construction for such a resealable closure cap assembly in 
association with a selectively contoured can end construction to 
cooperatively accommodate such resealable closure and to retain the 
advantages characteristic of the "easy open end" construction. 
The provision of commercially acceptable resealable easy open can end 
constructions for larger capacity beverage containers requires in addition 
to the functional features of present easy open ends both sealable 
retention of the can contents and accommodation by the resealed cap of the 
inherent pressure buildup therein. Also required is a can end 
configuration at the pouring opening to accommodate the displacement and 
disposition of a resealing cap into and out of operative relation with the 
pouring aperture therein without diminution of the convenience and cost 
effective nature of the basic easy open end constructions during 
manufacturing, filling, shipping, selling, and consumer usage thereof. At 
least a portion of the cost effective nature of easy open end can closures 
is attributable to the preliminary fabrication of the end closure and the 
automatic sequential feeding of such end closures into operative proximity 
with the open end of a filled can and subsequent hermetic connection 
therewith by a conventional "double seaming" techniques and machinery. The 
addition of a resealable cap assembly to the end closure requires 
accommodation of problems not heretofore met in the basic easy open end 
constructions conventionally employed in the smaller capacity beverage 
cans. 
Experience to date with the resealable cap assembly and can end 
construction disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,580,692 and 4,648,528, the 
disclosure contents of which are herein incorporated by reference, has 
indicated a basically antithetical relationship between the need to mount 
the generally resilient and flexible resealing cap assembly on the end 
closure in such manner as to permit its displacement into and out of 
sealing relationship with the pouring aperture therein and the need to 
positively and securely fix the position of said cap assembly at one 
predetermined and uniform location prior to, during and after securement 
of the cap assembly to the end closure, through the "double seaming" of 
the end closure to the filled container and during the subsequent handling 
and stacking thereof. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention may be briefly described as an improved resealable easy open 
end closure construction for beverage cans and the like that includes, in 
its broader aspects, the interposition of a snap fastener assembly 
intermediate a displaceable resealing cap assembly and the container end 
closure to releasably secure the cap assembly in interfacial abutting 
relation with the surface of the container end closure. In a somewhat 
narrower aspect, the invention includes a resealable end closure 
construction that includes an upwardly extending cylindrical button-like 
element in the end closure wall and a complemental sleeve element attached 
to the resealing cap assembly sized to compressively surround said 
button-like element for releasable engagement therewith. 
Among the advantages of the subject invention is the permitted retention of 
a resealable cap assembly in releasable interfacial abutting engagement 
with the surface of a container end closure at one predetermined and 
uniform location thereon prior to, during and subsequent to securement of 
the end closure to a container. A further advantage of the subject 
invention is the permitted releasable securement of a resealing cap 
assembly to an easy open end closure for containers without interference 
with the permitted displacement of the resealing cap assembly from a first 
location remote from a score line defined opening panel therein and a 
second location wherein said cap assembly is disposed in overlying sealing 
relation with said panel defined opening therein. 
The object of this invention is the provision of an improved construction 
for a resealable end closure for easy open end beverage containers and the 
like. 
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the 
following portions of this specification and from the appended drawings 
which illustrate, in accord with the mandate of the patent statutes, a 
presently preferred embodiment of a can end closure construction that 
incorporates the principles of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
As pointed out above, the invention will be described in association with a 
resealable easy open end construction of the general type disclosed in 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,580,692 and 4,648,528, the disclosure contents of which 
are herein incorporated by reference. However, it should be understood 
that the invention may be used in association with other resealing cap 
assemblies for easy open end can constructions. 
Where the words "upwardly", "inward", "outwardly", "under", and the like 
are used hereinafter, their meaning is to be taken with reference to a can 
in an upright position having a can end closure incorporating this 
invention attached to the top end thereof. 
Referring to the drawings, an anchoring system for a resealing cap assembly 
incorporating the principles of this invention is disclosed in association 
with a can end closure 12 prior to the can end closure's engagement with a 
can body by double seaming. The can end closure 12 includes a 
substantially flat or planar end wall portion 16, a countersink defining 
inner sidewall 17 and an outer sidewall 14 terminating in an upwardly and 
outwardly projecting annular flange 18 forming a chime for conventional 
attachment of the can end to a can body by double seaming. 
The can end closure 12 further includes an upwardly projecting dispensing 
spout 20 formed as an integral portion thereof. Such spout 20 includes a 
top wall 24 having a score line 26, interrupted by a hinge 28, partially 
circumscribing and defining an opening panel 27 depressible inwardly of 
the can by fracture of the score line. Associated with the dispensing 
spout 20 is a resealing cap assembly, generally designated 10, preferably 
molded in one piece using a plastic material having a low modulus of 
elasticity, such as, for example low density polyethylene. The resealing 
cap assembly 10 includes a sealing cap portion 32 adapted to be placed in 
sealing relation over the spout 20 and the score line defined opening 
panel 27 therein, an arm 34 extending from the sealing cap portion 32 and 
a tab 38 projecting outwardly from the sealing cap portion 32 for 
convenience in manipulation of the cap. The cap assembly 10 is pivotally 
attached to the end wall 16 with a rivet 36 through an appropriate opening 
in a boss located at the remote end of the extending arm 34. The rivet 36 
flange is suitably formed when the rivet is staked to attach the resealing 
cap assembly 10 to the can end 12 to insure that there is sufficient 
engagement between the rivet 36 and the arm 34 to maintain the sealing cap 
assembly 10 in a secured relation to the can end, but also to permit the 
sealing cap portion 32 to be rotated by hand about the rivet 36 to permit 
its positioning over the pouring spout 20. Preferably, the rivet 36 is an 
integrally formed portion of the end wall 16. 
As pointed out earlier, experience to date with the sealing cap 
construction generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,692 has shown that 
certain difficulties may exist in effecting the automated attachment of 
the end closure to a filled container due to a prior undesirable 
displacement of the resealing cap assembly 10 from either abutting 
interfacial relation with the end wall 16 due to curling or the like 
and/or by an undesired pivotal displacement of the resealing cap assembly 
10 from a predetermined desired location thereof on the panel 16 surface. 
Such undesired displacements of the resealing cap assembly from a 
predetermined location are most notably reflected in impediments to the 
proper stacking, feeding, and manipulation of the prefabricated and 
preassembled end closures in the automated equipment conventionally 
employed in the attachment of the end closure to the container subsequent 
to the filling thereof. 
In order to properly locate the resealing cap assembly 10 in a 
predetermined location on the end wall 16 and to insure against undesired 
displacement thereof prior to a desired opening of the opening panel 27, a 
releasable fastening assembly, generally designated 40, is incorporated 
intermediate the free end of the cap assembly 10 and end panel wall 16. As 
best shown in FIG. 1, the fastening assembly is located essentially 
tangent to the periphery of the sealing portion 32 and in spaced relation 
from both the countersink wall 17 and spout assembly 20. The fastening 
assembly 40 includes an upwardly extending bubble-like button member 42 
integral with end panel 16 and suitably formed concurrent with the other 
metal deformation operations performed thereon. The button member 42 is 
preferably shaped to provide a bulbous upper portion 44 and an underlying 
stem portion 46. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bulbous upper portion 
has a maximum outside diameter 48 that is larger than that of the stem 
diameter 50 so as to effectively overhang the latter. In complemental 
association with the button member 42, the resealing cap assembly 10 
includes an integral sleeve member 60 disposed adjacent to the periphery 
of the sealing portion 32 and interconnected thereto by a web 62. The 
sleeve member 60 includes a downwardly tapering bore 64 sized to 
compressively surround the bulbous upper portion 44 of the button member 
42 and an inwardly directed shoulder 66 at its lower end sized to be 
elastically displaceable past the bulbous upper portion 44 and to be 
received in surrounding interfacial relation with the undercut stem 
portion 46 thereof. Extending from the upper end of the sleeve member 60 
and adapted to be positioned in spaced relation with the surface of end 
wall 16 is a manually engageable tab 68 to facilitate separation of the 
sleeve 60 from the button member 42. 
As will now be apparent, the sleeve member 60 is readily fabricated as an 
integral component of the releasable cap assembly 10 during the molding 
operation. Likewise, and as previously pointed out, the button member 42 
is readily formed by appropriate die assemblies concurrent with the 
formation of the spout assembly 20, rivet 36, and other metal deformed 
components of the end panel 16. Subsequent to the individual formation of 
the releasable cap assembly 10 and at the appropriate stage in the 
formation of the end panel 16, the former is secured in interfaced 
relation to the latter by the staking of the rivet 36 and secured in 
predetermined location thereon by the interfacial engagement of the sleeve 
member 60 with the button member 42 as above described. The described 
fastening serves to minimize, if not avoid, deleterious curling of the cap 
assembly 10 and undesired pivotal displacement of the cap assembly about 
the rivet 36 during the operations attendant subsequent attachment of the 
prefabricated end closure to a filled container and all subsequent 
packaging and handling operations precedent to the opening of the can by 
severance of the score line 26. 
As disclosed in greater detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,580,692 and 4,648,528, 
the preferred method of severance of the score line 26 is effected by 
pivotally displacing the sealing portion 32 of the cap assembly 10 into 
overlying relation with the spout 20 and applying downward pressure at a 
preferred location on the seal portion periphery. Release of the cap 
assembly 10 from its normally secured position remote from the spout 20 is 
readily effected by manually lifting the tab 68 and sleeve member 60 out 
of secured relation with the button member 42 by the ultimate consumer 
immediately prior to opening the can, as described above. 
As will now also be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing 
description and drawings herein, the location and design of the snap 
assembly must be such as to conform to certain spatial limitations and 
manufacturing considerations. In more particularity, the button member 42 
must be located sufficiently remote from the countersink defining wall 17 
and spout assembly 20 to permit its integral formation from the end wall 
16 without deleterious interference with the concurrent formation and 
functioning of the countersink and spout portions of the end closure. 
Similarly, the sleeve assembly has to be located at the far end of the cap 
assembly 10 and in a position that will accommodate the lifting tab 68 
both in its original position and also when the resealing portion 32 is 
positioned in resealing relation with the spout 20.