Abstract:
A tab for use with a container includes a rigid lever part, wherein the rigid lever is connectable to a tear part of the container and an operating part for operating the lever part. The operating part is movably connected to the lever part, such that the operating part can be moved out of the plane of the rigid lever part.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a tab for a container, which container comprises a wall with a tear part for opening the container, such as containers with an easy opening end. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Conventional containers with a tear part have a tab for popping the tear part and subsequently tearing the tear part out of the wall of the container in which the tear part is arranged. The removal of the tear part leaves an opening, through which the contents of the container can be accessed. 
   The performance of a tab is currently measured with two values. The first value is the pop force. This pop force is the force necessary to press a tab end against the tear part, such that the tear part begins to tear and the opening arises. The second value is the tear force. This tear force is the force necessary to tear the tear part fully out. Both the pop force and the tear force are currently fully optimized. 
   However, users of containers with an easy opening end still have trouble opening the container. It turns out that the initial force for lifting the tab of the surface of the container contributes considerably to the comfort of opening a container with an easy opening end. At present a tab is adjacent to the surface of the container. It is therefore difficult to get a grip onto the tab in order to lift the tab and open the container. The force necessary to lift the tab from the surface is called the first lift force. In order to improve comfort of such a tab, the first lift force could be reduced, or the access to the tab in order to grab it could be improved. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a tab with improved comfort for opening a container. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This object is achieved by a tab according to the invention, which comprises:
         a rigid lever part, which is connectable to the tear part; and   an operating part for operating the lever part, which operating part is movably connected to the lever part, such that the operating part can be moved out of the plane of the rigid lever part.       

   Because the operating part is movably connected to the lever part, such that the operating part can be moved out of the plane of the rigid lever part, it is possible to tilt part of the tab up, without already exerting the first lift force. When one has a firm grip onto the operating part, one can exert the necessary first lift force to lift the tab and subsequently to exert pop force to pop the tear part and subsequently exert a tear force in order to tear the tear part out of the wall of the container. 
   According to an embodiment of the invention the operating part is hingedly arranged to the lever part. Such an operating part can be folded up without any major effort, after which one can get a good grip on the operating part in order to pop and tear the tear part. 
   Preferably the lever part comprises a substantially sleeve-like edge, in which a cylindrical edge of the operating part is hingedly arranged. This has the advantage that during manufacturing the operating part can be snapped into the lever part. 
   In another embodiment of the invention the lever part comprises at least one opening, in which the operating part is arranged. A loop-like part can be arranged in said opening or for example a nail shaped part can be arranged in said opening. 
   Preferably the operating part has a tab shape. 
   In another embodiment the operating part comprises a loop. 
   According to again another embodiment of the invention the operating part is flexible. Instead of hingedly arranged, the operating part can be flexible, such that the operating part can be lifted without already popping the tear part. 
   Preferably the lever part comprises at least two sleeves, in which the ends of a strand are fixedly arranged. Hereby the strand forms a loop in which a finger can be placed and by which a tear force can easily be exerted. The strand comprises preferably a plastic. This plastic can be, for example, polypropylene or nylon 6.6. 
   In another embodiment the strand comprises a cable of metal, plastic etc. This cable provides the strength for enabling a sufficient tear force. 
   The invention also relates to a container, comprising:
         a bottom wall:   a peripheral wall extending from the bottom wall;   an upper closing wall, which comprises a tear part for opening the container; and   a tab according to the invention, which is connected to the tear part.       

   These and other characteristics of the invention are further disclosed hereafter in combination with the attached drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  show in perspective view two embodiments of a container according to the invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows in perspective view a second embodiment of a container according to the invention. 
       FIGS. 3-7  show embodiments of a tab according to the invention, in which the operating part is flexible. 
       FIGS. 8-13  show embodiments of a tab, in which the operating part is hingedly arranged to the lever part. 
       FIGS. 14-16  show embodiments of a tab, in which the operating part is snapped onto the lever part. 
       FIG. 17  shows a preferred embodiment of a tab according to the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1A  shows a first embodiment  1  of a container according to the invention. This container is a so-called three part container, which has a peripheral wall  2 ,  4  with a corrugated part  3 . Onto the upper wall  5  a tab  170  is arranged, which tab  170  will be discussed in relation to  FIG. 17 . 
     FIG. 1B  shows a second embodiment  10  of a container according to the invention. This container comprises a bottom wall  11 , a peripheral wall  12  and an upper closing wall  13 . Onto the upper closing wall  13  is a tab  14  arranged, which is shown in more detail in  FIG. 3 . This tab is arranged to said upper closing wall  13  with a rivet  15 . 
     FIG. 2  shows a third embodiment  20  of a container according to the invention. This embodiment  20  also comprises a bottom wall  21 , a peripheral wall  22  and an upper closing wall  23 . Onto the upper closing wall  23  a tab  24 , which is shown in more detail in  FIG. 7 , is arrange with a rivet  25 . In order to define the pop area of the tear part, which comprises the whole surface of the upper closing wall  23 , a strengthening groove  26  is arranged into the upper closing wall  23 . 
     FIG. 3  shows a first embodiment  30  of a tab according to the invention. The tab  30  comprises a lever part  31  with two legs  32 . These legs  32  comprise sleeve-like ends  33 . In this embodiment these sleeve-like parts are conical. The tab  30  further comprises an operating part, which comprises a strand  34 , which has on each end a bushing  35 , which is shifted over the sleeves  33 . The lever part  31  is arranged with a rivet  36  to a tear part of a container. This rivet functions as a pivot for the levering action of the lever part  31 . By pulling up the legs  32 , the front part  37  of the lever part  31  will be pressed against the tear part and realizes the pop force for popping the tear part. 
     FIG. 4  shows a second embodiment  40  of a tab according to the invention. Similar to the embodiment  30  this embodiment has also a lever part  41  with two legs  42  and an operating part  43 . Onto the legs  42  are sleeve-like ends  44  arranged. These sleeve-like ends are conical and comprise a lip  45 , which co-acts with an opening in the bushings  46  for securing the sleeve-like ends  44  into the bushings  46 . 
     FIG. 5  shows a third embodiment  50  of a tab according to the invention. In this embodiment the operating part  51  comprises a metal cable  52 , which is coated with a plastic layer  53 . The operating part  51  is clammed into sleeves  54  arranged onto the lever part  55 . 
     FIG. 6  shows a fourth embodiment  60  of a tab according to the invention. In this embodiment the operating part, which consists of a strand  61 , has two thickenings  62  on both ends of the strand  61 . These thickenings  62  prevent that the strand  61  from being pulled through the sleeves  63  of the lever part  64 . 
     FIG. 7  shows a fifth embodiment  70  of a tab according to the invention. In this embodiment an O-ring  71  is used as operating part. This O-ring  71  is clammed into three sleeve parts  72  of the lever part  73 . 
     FIG. 8  shows a sixth embodiment  80  of a tab according to the invention. This tab  80  comprises a tab-shaped operating part  81 , which comprises two journals  82 , which are hingedly arranged into sleeve-like ends  83  of the lever part  84 . 
     FIG. 9  shows a seventh embodiment  90  of a tab according to the invention. This tab  90  comprises a loop-like operating part  91  with a cylindrical edge  92 . The lever part  93  comprises a sleeve-like edge  94  in which the cylindrical edge  92  can be shifted. 
     FIG. 10  shows an eighth embodiment  100 , which is similar to the seventh embodiment  90 . The operating part  101  again comprises a cylindrical edge  102 , which has on both ends two thickenings  103 . This cylindrical edge  102  can be snapped into a halve open sleeve part  104  of the lever part  105 . The thickenings  103  prevent the operating part  101  from shifting out of the halve open sleeve  104 . The thickenings  103  comprise a peripheral ridge, which defines an angular end position of the operating part  101  relative to the lever part  105 . 
     FIG. 11  shows a ninth embodiment of a tab according to the invention. This embodiment  110  has also an O-ring  111 , but is held in just one sleeve-like edge  112 . 
     FIG. 12  shows a tenth embodiment  120  of a tab according to the invention. This embodiment  120  comprises a lever part  121  with an opening  122 . A loop-like ribbon  123  extends through the opening  122  of the lever part  121 . 
     FIG. 13  shows an eleventh embodiment of a tab  130  according to the invention, which comprises again a lever part  131  with an opening  132 . A tab-like operating part  133  extends with one end through the opening  132  and is looped back and attached to itself with an attachment zone  134 . 
     FIG. 14  shows a twelfth embodiment  140  of a tab according to the invention. This embodiment  140  has a lever part  141  with an opening  142 . The operating part  143  has an end with a slot  144 , which can be shifted over the lever part  141 . The slot  144  comprises also a container  145 , which locks the operating part  143  onto the lever part  141 . 
     FIG. 15  shows a thirteenth embodiment  150  of a tab according to the invention. In this embodiment the lever part  151  is provided with two openings  152 . The operating part  153  comprises two mushroom-like protrusions  154 , which can be snapped into the openings  152 . 
     FIG. 16  shows a fourteenth embodiment  160  of a tab according to the invention. In this embodiment the lever part  161  is provided with three openings through which three protrusions  162  of the operating part  163  extend and are caulked. 
     FIG. 17  shows a preferred embodiment of a tab  170  according to the invention. This tab comprises a lever part  171  and an operating part  172 . The lever part comprises two legs  173 , which are connected to the operating part  172 . The lever part comprises an opening  174 , through which a rivet may extend in order to mount the tab onto a container. The lever part  171  is made out of a piece of rigid material like metal, tin plate or aluminum. The operating part  172  can be made out of a plastic, and elastic strength.