CAN

Abstract: Can, consisting of a can body (8) and an upper and a lower cover plate, each cover plate without openings and/or scoring lines, each cover plate (9) connected to the can body by means of a double seam (10), each cover plate having a substantially rectangular form with two sets of two parallel sides interconnected by curved corners and having a surface area of less than 250 cm², the internal radius of curvature of each of the corners of the cover plate being at least 20 mm.

Description: This invention relates to a can consisting of a can body and an upper and a lower cover plate, each cover plate without openings and/or scoring lines, each cover plate connected to the can body by means of a double seam, and each cover plate having a substantially rectangular form with two sets of two parallel sides interconnected by curved corners and having a surface area of less than 250 cm². A well-known can having a substantially rectangular cross-section is shown in Figure 1. This can consists of a non-tapered can body 1, an upper cover plate 2 and a lower cover plate (not shown). Each cover plate is made of a continuous metal sheet not having openings and/or scoring lines. Each cover plate is connected to the can body by means of a double seam (3, 4) and has a substantially rectangular form with two sets of two parallel sides, interconnected by curved corners. For domestic use, it is preferable to use cans with cover plates having a surface area of less than 250 cm², more preferably less than 100 cm². Normally, the above-mentioned can body is provided with scoring lines 5, 6, a pull-grip 7 and a key (not shown). Opening of this can is effected by pulling the pull-grip with the key and tearing off the scoring strip. After removal of the scoring strip, the end of the can can be removed, thereby providing an uncovered part of the food product which can function as a grip for the removal of the food from the can. This method of opening a can has, however, several disadvantages. First, the key is usually loosely connected to the can and can therefore easily be lost during distribution and storage, thereby causing major difficulties in opening the can. Secondly, the removal of the scoring strip causes the exposure of two sharp edges; it is well known that many can users have previously cut themselves with these sharp edges, thereby receiving unwanted and sometimes severe injuries. A third disadvantage of this opening method is that removal of the food product from the can remains difficult, since the displacement of the food creates a vacuum under the cover plate, thereby hindering further removal. US 969 220 discloses a key opening can comprising a can body, can heads having countersunk walls fitting inside the can body and external double seams uniting the can heads to the can body. The can body has a roll side wherein each edge of the roll side has a weakened line between the adjacent inner face of the can head and the double seam uniting the head to the can body. The countersunk walls and double seams support the metal of the can body on opposite sides adjacent to the weakened liners. The invention relates to a can as described above wherein the can body has no openings and/or scoring lines and has a tapered form, the internal radius of curvature of each of the corners of the cover plates being at least 20 mm (see characterizing portion of claim 1). With the expression "the internal radius" is meant the radius of curvature at the inside of the double seam. A radius of more than 20 mm allows the opening of both ends of the can by means of a standard butterfly can-opener, the food product can subsequently be removed by pushing one cover plate, thereby pushing the food product out of the can. Preferably the internal radius of curvature is from 22-26 mm. As the can can be opened with a standard butterfly can-opener, there is no need to have openings and/or scoring lines in the cover plates and the can body. For easy storage of the unfilled cans and easy removal of the food, the can body has a tapered form. Suitable heights for the can body vary in the range from 5-15 cm. Preferably the tapering of the can body is chosen such that the ratio of the surface area of the upper cover plate to the lower cover plate lies between 6:10 and 9:10. As the can according to the invention has no preferred orientation, it is obvious that in this embodiment the lower cover plate can also be smaller than the upper cover plate as long as the ratio of surface area between the smaller and the larger one lies between 6:10 and 9:10. Preferably this can is filled with a solid or semi-solid piece of food, such as luncheon meat, corned beef, ham, cheese, pet foods, bakery products, etc. The invention will further be illustrated by means of a preferred embodiment, the figures showing: Figure 1 shows a can according to the prior art for the packaging of meat products. Figure 2 shows a view from above of the can of Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment of a can according to the invention. Figure 4 shows a view from above of the can of Figure 3. Figure 5 shows a view from below of the can of Figure 3. Figure 6 shows a can body according to the invention. Figure 7 shows a detail of a preferred embodiment of a can body according to the invention. Figure 1 shows a can according to the prior art for packaging of meat products, consisting of a non-tapered can body 1 and an upper cover plate 2 and a lower cover plate (not visible), each cover plate without openings and/or scoring lines, wherein the cover plates are connected to the can body by means of double seams 3 and 4. The can is provided with scoring lines 5 and 6 and a pull-grip 7 and a key (not shown). Figure 2 shows a view from above of the can of Figure 1 with a substantially rectangular cover plate 2, the cover plate without openings and/or scoring lines and having an internal radius of 16 mm and attached to the can body by means of a double seam 4. Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a can according to the invention, consisting of a tapered can body 8 having a height of approximately 9 cm and an upper cover plate 9 and a lower cover plate (not shown), each cover plate without openings and/or scoring lines, each cover plate connected to the can body by means of a double seam 10, each cover plate having a substantially rectangular form with two parallel sides interconnected by curved corners having an internal radius of 24 mm. The upper cover plate has a surface area of approximately 43 cm². Figure 4 shows a view from above of the can of Figure 3, with the substantially rectangular upper cover plate 9 having curved corners with an internal radius of 24 mm and attached to the can body by means of a double seam 10, the surface are of the cover plate being approximately 43 cm². Figure 5 shows a view from below of the can of Figure 3, with a substantially rectangular lower cover plate 11 having curved corners with an internal radius of 24 mm and attached to the can body by means of a double seam 10, the lower cover plate having a surface area of approximately 52 cm². Figure 6 shows a tapered can body 13 according to the invention having an upper opening 12 and a lower opening (not shown), each opening having a substantially rectangular form with two sets of two parallel sides interconnected by curved corners with a radius of 24 mm, the can body having a height of from 10 cm, the surface area of the upper opening being approximately 45 cm² and the surface area of the lower opening being approximately 55 cm². Figure 7 shows a detail of a preferred embodiment of a can body according to the invention, with the upper end of a can body 14 having an outwardly flanged edge 15.

Claims: Can, consisting of a can body (8) and an upper and a lower cover plate, each cover plate without openings and/or scoring lines, each cover plate (9 & 11) connected to the can body by means of a double seam (10), each cover plate having a substantially rectangular form with two sets of two parallel sides interconnected by curved corners and having a surface area of less than 250 cm², characterized in that the can body has no openings and/or scoring lines and has a tapered form, the internal radius of curvature of each of the corners of the cover plates being at least 20 mm. Can according to claim 1, wherein the internal radius of curvature of each of the corners of the cover plates (9 & 11) is from 22-26 mm. Can according to claim 1 or 2, having a height of from 5-15 cm. Can according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the ratio of the surface area of the upper cover plate (9) to the area of the lower cover plate (11) lies between 6:10 and 9:10. Can according to one or more of the preceding claims, filled with a solid or semi-solid piece of food.

Inventors: COCKERILL, DENNIS, PEACOCK, ANGUS GEORGE
Applicants: UNILEVER N.V., UNILEVER PLC
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B65D8
IPC codes: B65D8, B65D6