Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5105973?dq=patent:5992892
Timestamp: 2016-12-09 03:03:58
Document Index: 250951389

Matched Legal Cases: ['art. 4', 'art. 5', 'art. 6', 'art. 7', 'art. 8', 'art.\n14', 'arts 72', 'arts 72', 'arts 74', 'art 76', 'art 76', 'art 84', 'art 86', 'art 84', 'art 86', 'art 76', 'art 76', 'art 86', 'art 84', 'art 76', 'art 76', 'arts 74', 'art 86', 'arts 74', 'arts 74', 'art 84', 'art 86', 'art 86', 'art 84', 'art 76', 'arts 74', 'arts 76', 'art 76', 'arts 74', 'art 96', 'art 96', 'art 98', 'art 100', 'art 98']

Patent US5105973 - Beverage container with improved bottom strength - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA container with improved strength includes a cylindrical sidewall that is disposed around a vertical axis, and a bottom. The bottom of the container provides a supporting surface and includes a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface. The bottom recess portion...http://www.google.com/patents/US5105973?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5105973 - Beverage container with improved bottom strengthAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS5105973 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 07/600,943Publication dateApr 21, 1992Filing dateOct 22, 1990Priority dateOct 22, 1990Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA2053591A1, CA2053591C, CN1038569C, CN1060821A, DE69117863D1, DE69117863T2, EP0482586A1, EP0482586B1Publication number07600943, 600943, US 5105973 A, US 5105973A, US-A-5105973, US5105973 A, US5105973AInventorsK. Reed Jentzsch, Otis H. WilloughbyOriginal AssigneeBall CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (16), Referenced by (31), Classifications (12), Legal Events (6) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetBeverage container with improved bottom strength
US 5105973 AAbstract
A container with improved strength includes a cylindrical sidewall that is disposed around a vertical axis, and a bottom. The bottom of the container provides a supporting surface and includes a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface. The bottom recess portion includes a center panel, and a dome positioning portion that positions the center panel above the supporting surface. The dome positioning portion includes a first part that is disposed at a first radial distance from the vertical axis and adjacent part that is disposed at a different radial distance from the vertical axis. In the container, a plurality of the adjacent parts are arcuately disposed are circumferentially spaced around the dome positioning portion and are interspersed with a plurality of the first parts. In the container the adjacent part is disposed circumferentially around the dome positioning portion at one height from the supporting surface, and the first part is disposed circumferentially around the dome positioning portion at a different height from the supporting surface.
1. A drawn and ironed, thin-walled beverage container with improved strength, said container having an internal containment space, which comprises:an outer wall being disposed around a vertical axis; a bottom being integrally attached to said outer wall and having a supporting surface, wherein said outer wall and said bottom are of a one-piece construction; and a bottom recess portion of said bottom being disposed radially inwardly of said supporting surface, having a dome positioning portion that connects said bottom recess portion to the remainder of said bottom, and having a center domed panel that is disposed above said supporting surface by said dome positioning portion, wherein said center domed panel has an upwardly extending outer portion and wherein the remainder of said center domed panel is disposed at least as upward as a top end of said outer portion; said dome positioning portion further comprising: a first part disposed inwardly and upwardly relative to said supporting surface; and a second part, positioned above said first part, disposed outwardly and upwardly relative to said first part, and connected to said outer portion of said center domed panel, said outer portion being disposed upwardly and inwardly relative to said second part; wherein said outer wall, said first part, said second part, and said outer portion substantially define a portion of said internal containment space. 2. A container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said first and second parts of said dome positioning portion are disposed at different radial distances from said vertical axis.
3. A container as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid first part of said dome positioning portion is substantially circumferential and wherein at least a portion of said first part is disposed at a first radial distance from said vertical axis, and wherein said second part of said dome positioning portion is substantially circumferential and wherein at least a portion of said second part is disposed at a different radial distance from said vertical axis than said portion of said first part. 4. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidfirst part of said dome positioning portion is substantially circumferential and is disposed at a first radial distance from said vertical axis and at a first distance from said supporting surface, and wherein said second part of said dome positioning portion is substantially circumferential and is disposed at a greater distance from said supporting surface and at a greater radial distance from said vertical axis than said first part. 5. A container as claimed in claim 1, whereinat least a portion of said first part of said dome positioning portion is disposed at a first radial distance from said vertical axis, and wherein a plurality of said second parts of said dome positioning portion are circumferentially spaced around said dome positioning portion and wherein at least a portion of each said second part is disposed at a different radial distance from said vertical axis than said portion of said first part. 6. A container as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid first part of said dome positioning portion is disposed at a first distance from said supporting surface and at a first radial distance from said vertical axis and wherein a plurality of said second parts of said dome positioning portion are circumferentially spaced around said dome positioning portion and are disposed at a greater distance from said supporting surface and at a greater distance from said vertical axis than said first part. 7. A container as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid first part of said dome positioning portion is disposed at a first radial distance from said vertical axis and at a first distance from said supporting surface and wherein said second part of said dome positioning portion is disposed at a greater distance from said supporting surface and at a greater radial distance from said vertical axis than said first part. 8. A drawn and ironed, thin-walled beverage container with an internal containment space and with increased resistance strength which comprises an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, a bottom that is integrally attached to said outer wall and that provides a supporting surface, said outer wall and said bottom being of a one-piece construction, and a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of said supporting surface, and that includes a center domed panel, said center domed panel having an upwardly extending outer portion with the remainder of said center domed panel being disposed at least as upward as a top end of said outer portion, the improvement which comprises:said bottom recess portion including a first part that is disposed at a first vertical distance above said supporting surface and at a first radial distance from said vertical axis; and said bottom recess portion including an adjacent part that is disposed between said first part and said center domed panel, said adjacent part having at least a first portion disposed at a greater radial distance from said vertical axis than said first part and connected to said outer portion of said center domed panel, said outer portion extending upwardly and inwardly relative to said first portion; wherein said outer wall, said first part, said adjacent part, and said outer portion substantially define a portion of said internal containment space. 9. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first portion extends substantially about said vertical axis.
10. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said adjacent part further comprises at least a second portion disposed at a lesser radial distance from said vertical axis than said first portion.
11. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 10, wherein a plurality of said first portions are circumferentially spaced about said vertical axis and said second portion is positioned between each adjacent said first portions.
12. A drawn and ironed, thin-walled beverage container with increased strength, said container having an internal containment space, which comprises:an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis; a bottom that is integrally attached to said outer wall and that provides a supporting surface, wherein said outer wall and said bottom are of a one-piece construction; and a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of said supporting surface and that includes a center domed panel, said center domed panel having an upwardly extending outer portion with the remainder of said center domed panel being disposed at least as upward as a top end of said outer portion; said bottom recess portion further comprising: a first part disposed at a first distance above said supporting surface, wherein said first part has a first portion disposed at a first radial distance from said vertical axis and a second portion disposed at a greater radial distance from said vertical axis than said first portion; and a second part, disposed at a greater distance above said supporting surface than said first part and at a greater radial distance from said vertical axis than said first and second portions of said first part, and connected to said outer portion of said center domed panel, said outer portion extending upwardly and inwardly relative to said second part; wherein said outer wall, said first part, said second part, and said outer portion substantially define a portion of said internal containment space. 13. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said second part is positioned in the same vertical plane as said second portion of said first part.
14. A drawn and ironed, thin-walled beverage container with an internal containment space and with increased strength which comprises an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, a bottom that is integrally attached to said outer wall and that provides a supporting surface, said outer wall and said bottom being of a one-piece construction, and a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of said supporting surface and that includes a center domed panel, said center domed panel having an upwardly extending outer portion with the remainder of said center domed panel being disposed at least as upward as a top end of said outer portion, the improvement which comprises:said bottom recess portion including a first part that is disposed substantially circumferentially around said bottom recess portion at a first vertical distance above said supporting surface, and that is disposed at a first radial distance from said vertical axis; and said bottom recess portion including an adjacent part that is disposed substantially around said bottom recess portion at a greater vertical distance above said supporting surface, that is disposed at a greater radial distance from said vertical axis than said first part, and that is connected to said outer portion of said center domed panel, said outer portion extending upwardly and inwardly relative to said adjacent part; wherein said outer wall, said first part, said adjacent part, and said outer portion substantially define a portion of said internal containment space. 15. A drawn and ironed, thin-walled beverage container with improved strength, said container having an internal containment space, which comprises:an outer wall being disposed around a vertical axis; a bottom being integrally attached to said outer wall and having a supporting surface, wherein said outer wall and said bottom are of a one-piece construction; a bottom recess portion of said bottom being disposed radially inwardly of said supporting surface, having a dome positioning portion with a convex annular portion that connects said bottom recess portion to the remainder of said bottom, and having a center domed panel that is disposed above said supporting surface by said dome positioning portion, wherein said center domed panel has an upwardly extending outer portion with the remainder of said center domed panel being disposed at least as upward as a top end of said outer portion; and a first part, positioned between said convex annular portion and said center domed panel, which is disposed radially outward from at least a portion of said convex annular portion and which is connected to said outer portion of said center domed panel, said outer portion extending upwardly and inwardly relative to said first part; wherein said outer wall, said convex annular portion, said first part, and said outer portion substantially define a portion of said internal containment space. 16. A container as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first part is a substantially circumferential part of said bottom recess portion.
17. A container as claimed in claim 15, wherein there are a plurality of circumferentially spaced said first parts of said bottom recess portion.
18. A drawn and ironed, thin-walled beverage container with improved strength, said container having an internal containment space, which comprises:an outer wall being disposed around a vertical axis; a bottom being integrally attached to said outer wall, said outer wall and said bottom being of a one-piece construction, said bottom having an inner wall and having a center domed panel that is disposed upwardly by said inner wall, wherein said center domed panel has an upwardly extending outer portion with the remainder of said center domed panel being disposed at least as upward as a top end of said outer portion; said inner wall comprising:a first part, contiguous with said bottom, that slopes inwardly and upwardly relative to said bottom, wherein a portion of said first part is disposed at a first radial distance from said vertical axis; a second part, interconnected with and above said first part, that slopes outwardly and upwardly relative to said first part, wherein a portion of said second part is disposed at a second radial distance from said vertical axis, said second radial distance being greater than said first radial distance; and a third part, interconnected with and above said second part and interconnected with said outer portion of said center domed panel, that slopes inwardly and upwardly relative to said second part, said outer portion extending inwardly and upwardly relative to said third part, wherein a portion of said third part is disposed at a third radial distance from said vertical axis, said third radial distance being less than said second radial distance; wherein said outer wall, said first part, said second part, said third part, and said outer portion substantially define a portion of said internal containment space. 19. A container as claimed in claim 18 in which said second part of said inner wall is substantially circumferential.
The prior art that teaches domed bottoms also includes P. G. Stephan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,956, issued Oct. 31, 1967; Kneusel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,828, issued Sep. 26, 1972; Dunn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,383, issued May 1, 1973; Toukmanian, U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,069, issued Sep. 9, 1975; Lyu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,673, issued Mar. 9, 1976; Miller et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,373, issued Oct. 13, 1981; McMillin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,256, issued May 30, 1989; Pulciani et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,582, issued Aug. 11, 1987, and Pulciani, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,672, issued Sep. 6, 1988, and Kawamoto et al., issued Apr. 24, 1990.
Supik, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,292, issued Mar. 22, 1988, teaches making indentions in the bottom of a container that extend upwardly from the bottom. Various configurations of these indentations are shown. The indentations are said to increase the flexibility of the bottom and thereby prevent cracking of interior coatings when the containers are subjected to internal fluid pressures.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/505,618 having common inventorship entity, and being of the same assignee as the present application, it was shown that decreasing the dome radius of the container increases the cumulative drop height resistance and decreases the dome reversal pressure. Further, it was shown in this prior application that increasing the height of the inner wall increases the dome reversal pressure.
The strengthening parts may be contained entirely within the inner wall, may extend downwardly into the annual supporting surface, portion, may extend upwardly into the concave annular portion that surrounds the domed portion, and/or may extend upwardly into both the concave annular portion and the concave domed panel.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a container with improved strength includes an outer wall being disposed around a vertical axis; a bottom being attached to the outer wall and having a supporting surface; a bottom recess portion of the bottom being disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface, having a dome positioning portion that connects the bottom recess portion to the remainder of the bottom, and having a center panel that is disposed above the supporting surface by the dome positioning portion; and means for increasing the roll-out resistance of the bottom recess portion.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a method for strengthening the bottom of a container that includes an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, and a bottom that is integral with the outer wall and that includes a supporting surface, includes forming a bottom recess portion in the bottom that includes a dome positioning portion with a convex annular portion that connects the bottom recess portion to the remainder of the bottom, and that includes a center panel that is disposed above the supporting surface by the dome positioning portion; and increasing the roll-out resistance of the convex annular portion.
In a third aspect of the present invention, a container with increased strength includes an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, a bottom that is attached to the outer wall and that provides a supporting surface, and a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface and that includes a center panel, the bottom recess portion including a first part that is disposed at a first vertical distance above the supporting surface and at a first radial distance from the vertical axis; and the bottom recess portion including an adjacent part that is disposed at a greater vertical distance above the supporting surface and at a greater radial distance from the vertical axis than the first part.
In one variation of this third aspect, the adjacent part is substantially circumferential; and in another variation of the third aspect, the adjacent part extends less than 180 degrees around the bottom recess portion.
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a container with increased resistance strength includes an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, a bottom that is attached to the outer wall and that provides a supporting surface, and a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface, and that includes a center panel, the bottom recess portion including a first part that is disposed at a first vertical distance above the supporting surface and at a first radial distance from the vertical axis; and the bottom recess portion including an adjacent part that is disposed at the first vertical distance above the supporting surface and at a greater radial distance from the vertical axis than the first part.
In a fifth aspect of the present invention, a container with increased strength includes an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, a bottom that is attached to the outer wall and that provides a supporting surface, and a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface and that includes a center panel, the improvement which comprises the bottom recess portion including a first part that is disposed substantially circumferentially around the bottom recess portion at a first vertical distance above the supporting surface, and that is disposed at a first radial distance from the vertical axis; and the bottom recess portion including an adjacent part that is disposed substantially around the bottom recess portion at a greater vertical distance above the supporting surface and that is disposed at a different radial distance from the vertical axis than the first part.
In a sixth aspect of the present invention, a container with increased strength includes an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis; a bottom that is attached to the outer wall and that provides a supporting surface; a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface and that includes a center panel; and means comprising a reworked part of the bottom recess portion, for increasing the roll-out strength of the container.
In variations of this sixth aspect, the reworked part may be a cold working without appreciable deformation of metal, or it may include any and all of the characteristics of the adjacent part as described in the third, fourth, and fifth aspects.
In a seventh aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for increasing strength of a container which includes an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, a bottom that is attached to the outer wall and that provides a supporting surface, and a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface and that includes a center panel, which method includes forming the bottom recess portion with a first part that is disposed at a first vertical distance above the supporting surface and at a first radial distance from the vertical axis; and forming the bottom recess portion with an adjacent part that is disposed at a greater vertical distance above the supporting surface and at a greater radial distance from the vertical axis than the first part.
In one variation of the seventh aspect, the second forming step includes extending the adjacent part substantially around the bottom recess portion; and in another variation of this seventh aspect, the second forming step includes forming the adjacent part less than 180 degrees around the bottom recess portion.
In an eight aspect of the present invention a method is provided for increasing the strength of a container which includes an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, a bottom that is attached to the outer wall and that provides a supporting surface, and a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface and that includes a center panel, which method includes forming the bottom recess portion with a first part that is disposed at a first vertical distance above the supporting surface and at a first radial distance from the vertical axis, and forming the bottom recess portion with an adjacent part that is disposed at the first vertical distance above the supporting surface and at a greater radial distance from the vertical axis than the first part.
In a ninth aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for increasing the strength of a container which includes an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, a bottom that is attached to the outer wall and that provides a supporting surface, and a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface and that includes a center panel, which method includes forming the bottom recess portion with a first part that is disposed substantially around the bottom recess portion at a first vertical distance above the supporting surface, and that is disposed at a first radial distance from the vertical axis; and forming the bottom recess portion with an adjacent part that is disposed substantially around the bottom recess portion at a second and greater vertical distance above the supporting surface, and that is disposed at a different radial distance from the vertical axis than the first part.
In a tenth aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for increasing the strength of a container which includes an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, and a bottom that is attached to the outer wall and that provides a supporting surface, which method includes forming a bottom recess portion that is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface and that includes a center panel; and reworking a part of the bottom recess portion.
In an eleventh aspect of the present invention, a container with improved strength includes an outer wall being disposed around a vertical axis; a bottom being attached to the outer wall and having a supporting surface; a bottom recess portion of the bottom being disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface, having a dome positioning portion with a convex annular portion that connects the bottom recess portion to the remainder of the bottom, and having a center domed panel that is disposed above the supporting surface by the dome positioning portion; and means for applying a roll-in force to the convex annular portion that is a function of fluid pressure applied internally to the center panel.
In a twelfth aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for strengthening a container that includes an outer wall that is disposed around a vertical axis, and a bottom that is integral with the cylindrical outer wall and that includes a supporting surface, which method includes forming a bottom recess portion in the bottom that includes a dome positioning portion with a convex annular portion that connects the bottom recess portion to the remainder of the bottom, and that includes a center panel that is disposed above the supporting surface by the dome positioning portion; and providing a roll-in force on the convex annular portion that is a function of fluid pressure applied internally to the center panel.
In a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, a container with improved strength comprises an outer wall being disposed around a vertical axis; a bottom being attached to the outer wall, having an inner wall, and having a center panel that is disposed upwardly by the inner wall; and the inner wall including at least a part thereof that slopes outwardly and upwardly.
FIG. 6 is a slightly enlarged outline, taken generally as a cross sectional elevation, of the lower portion of the outer contour of a container of an embodiment of the present invention wherein a plurality of arcuately shaped and circumferentially spaced parts of the inner sidewall are disposed radially outward of other parts of the sidewall;
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the container of FIG. 6, taken substantially as shown by view line 7--7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a slightly enlarged outline, taken generally as a cross sectional elevation, of the lower portion of the outer contour of a container made according to an embodiment of the present invention wherein a circumferential part of the inner sidewall is disposed radially outward of another circumferential part of the sidewall;
FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the container of FIG. 8, taken substantially as shown by view line 9--9 of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary and greatly enlarged outline, taken generally as a cross sectional elevation, of the outer contour of the container of FIGS. 6 and 7, taken substantially as shown by section line 10--10 of FIG. 7;
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary and greatly enlarged outline, taken generally as a cross sectional elevation, of the outer contour of the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 taken substantially as shown by section line 11--11 of FIG. 7;
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary and greatly enlarged outline, taken generally as a cross sectional elevation, of the outer contour of the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9 taken substantially as shown by section line 12--12 of FIG. 9;
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary top view of the container of FIGS. 6, 7, 10, and 11, taken substantially as shown by view line 13--13 of FIG. 6, and showing the effectively increased perimeter of the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7; and
FIG. 14 is a fragmentary top view of the container of FIGS. 8, 9, and 12, taken substantially as shown by view line 14--14 of FIG. 8, and showing both the perimeter of the concave domed panel of the container of FIG. 5 and the effectively increased perimeter of the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9.
Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, these configurations are generally common to Pulciani et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,685,582 and 4,768,672, to a design manufactured by the assignee of the present invention, and to embodiments of the present invention. More particularly, FIG. 3 is common to the aforesaid prior art, FIG. 4 is common to two embodiments of the prior art, and FIG. 5 shows some details of FIGS. 3 and 4 in an enlarged scale.
The inner connecting portion 40 positions a perimeter P0 of the domed panel 38 at a positional distance L2 above the base line 19. As can be seen by inspection of FIG. 5, the positional distance L2 is approximately equal to, but is somewhat less than, the sum of the height L1 of the inner wall 42, the radius of curvature R5 of the inner concave annular portion 44, the radius R2 of the inner convex annular portion 22, and the thickness of the material at the inner convex annular portion 22.
For example, if the radius R5 of the inner concave annular portion 44 is 0.050 inches, if the radius R2 of the inner convex annular portion 22 is 0.040 inches, and if the thickness of the material at the inner convex annular portion 22 is about 0.012 inches, then the positional distance L2 is about, but somewhat less than, 0.102 inches more than the height L1 of the inner wall 42.
Finally, the container 10 includes a dome height, or panel height, H1 as measured from the supporting surface 18 to the domed panel 38, and a post diameter, or smaller diameter, D4, of the inner wall 42. The upper convex annular portion 30 is tangent to the sidewall 12, and has a center 50. The center 50 is at a height H2 above the supporting surface 18. A center 52 of the lower concave annular portion 48 is on a diameter D5. The center 52 is below the supporting surface 18. More specifically, the supporting surface 18 is at a distance H3 above the center 52.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5, in the prior art embodiment of the three Pulciani, et al. patents, the following dimensions were used: D1 =2.597 inches; D2, D3 =2.000 inches; D5 =2.365 inches; R1, R2 =0.040 inches; R3 =0.200 inches; R4 =2.375 inches; R5 =0.050 inches; R6 =0.100 inches; and α1 =less than 50.
Referring now generally to FIGS. 6-12, containers 10 made generally according to the prior art configuration of FIGS. 3-5 can be reworked into containers 62 of FIGS. 6, 7, 10, and 11, or can be reworked into containers 64 of FIGS. 8, 9, and 12.
Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7, 10, and 11, the container 62 includes a cylindrical sidewall 12 and a bottom 66 having an annular supporting portion 16 with an annular supporting surface 18. The annular supporting surface 18 is disposed circumferentially around the vertical axis 14, and is provided at the circle of revolution 26 where the outer convex annular portion 20 and the inner convex annular portion 22 join.
Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, fragmentary and enlarged profiles of the outer surface contours of the container 62 of FIGS. 6 and 7 are shown. That is, the inner surface contours of the container 62 are not shown.
The profile of FIG. 10 is taken substantially as shown by section line 10--10 of FIG. 7 and shows the contour of the bottom 66 of the container 62 in circumferential parts thereof in which the dome positioning portion 70 of the bottom recess portion 68 has not been reworked.
Referring again to FIGS. 6 and 7, the dome positioning portion 70 of the container 62 includes a plurality of first parts 72 that are arcuately disposed around the circumference of the dome positioning portion 70 at a radial distance R0 from the vertical axis 14 as shown in FIG. 7. The radial distance R0 is one half of the inside diameter D0 of FIGS. 10 and 11. The inside diameter D0 occurs at the junction of the inner convex annular portion 22 and the inner wall 71. That is, the inside diameter D0 is defined by the radially inward part of the inner convex annular portion 22.
The dome positioning portion 70 also includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced adjacent pats 74 that are arcuately disposed around the dome positioning portion 70, that are circumferentially spaced apart, that are disposed at a radial distance RR from the vertical axis 14 which is greater than the radial distance R0, and that are interposed intermediate of respective ones of the plurality of first parts 72, as shown in FIG. 7. The radial distance RR of FIG. 7 is equal to the sum of one half of the inside diameter D0 and a radial distance X1 of FIG. 11.
In a preferred configuration of the FIGS. 6 and 7 embodiment, the adjacent parts 74 are 5 in number, each have a full radial displacement for an arcuate angle α4 of 30 degrees, and each have a total length L3 of 0.730 inches.
Referring again to FIG. 10, in circumferential parts of the container 62 of FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein the dome positioning portion 70 is not reworked, the mean diameter D3 of the annular supporting portion 16 is 2.000 inches; and the inside diameter D0 of the bottom recess portion 68 is 1.900 inches which is the minimum diameter of the inner convex annular portion 22. A radius R7 of the outer contour of the outer convex annular portion 20 is 0.052 inches; and an outer radius R8 of the inner convex annular portion 22 is 0.052 inches.
Referring now to FIG. 11, in circumferential parts of the FIGS. 6 and 7 embodiments wherein the dome positioning portion 70 is reworked, a radius R9 of the inner convex annular portion 22 is reduced, the inside diameter D0 is increased by the radial distance X1 to the inside diameter DR, a hooked part 76 of the dome positioning portion 70 is indented, or displaced radially outward, by a radial dimension X2, and the arithmetical mean diameter D3 of the supporting portion 16 is increased by a radial dimension X3 from the diameter D3 of FIG. 10 to an arithmetical mean diameter DS of FIG. 11. The hooked part 76 is centered at a distance Y from the supporting surface 18 and includes a radius RH.
Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9, and 12, the container 64 includes the cylindrical sidewall 12 and a bottom 78 having the annular supporting portion 16 with the supporting surface 18. A bottom recess portion 80 of the bottom 78 is disposed radially inwardly of the supporting surface 18 and includes both the concave domed panel 38 and a dome positioning portion 82.
The dome positioning portion 82 disposes the concave domed panel 38 at the positional distance L2 above the supporting surface 18 as shown in FIG. 12. The dome positioning portion 82 includes the inner convex annular portion 22, an inner wall 83, and the inner concave annular portion 44 as shown and described in conjunction with FIGS. 3-5.
The dome positioning portion 82 of the container 64 includes a circumferential first part 84 that is disposed around the dome positioning portion 82 at the radial distance RR from the vertical axis 14 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 12. The radial distance RR is one half of the diameter D0 of FIG. 12 plus the radial distance X1. The diameter D0 occurs at the junction of the inner convex annular portion 22 and the inner wall 42 of FIG. 5. That is, the diameter D0 is defined by the radially inward part of the inner convex annular portion 22.
The dome positioning portion 82 also includes a circumferential adjacent part 86 that is disposed around the dome positioning portion 82, and that is disposed at an effective radius RE from the vertical axis 14 which is greater than the radial distance RR of the first part 84. The effective radius RE is equal to the sum of one half of the diameter D0 and the radial dimension X2 of FIG. 12. That is, the adjacent part 86 includes the hooked part 76; and the hooked part 76 is displaced from the radial distance R0 by the radial dimension X2. Therefore, it is proper to say that the adjacent part 86 is disposed radially outwardly of the first part 84.
Referring again to FIG. 10, prior to reworking, the mean diameter D3 of the annular supporting portion 16 of the container 64 is 2.000 inches; the inside diameter D0 of the bottom recess portion 68 is 1.900 inches, which is the minimum diameter of the inner convex annular portion 22; and the radii R7 and R8 of the outer and inner convex annular portions, 20 and 22, are 0.052 inches.
Referring now to FIG. 12, the radius R9 of the inner convex annular portion 22 is reduced, the diameter D0 is increased by the radial distance X1 to the diameter DR, a hooked part 76 of the dome positioning portion 82 is indented, or displaced radially outward, by the radial dimension X2, and the arithmetical mean diameter D3 of both the supporting portion 16 and the supporting surface 18 of FIG. 10 are increased by the radial dimension X3 to the diameter DS of FIG. 12. The hooked part 76 is centered at the distance Y from the supporting surface 18 and includes the radius RH.
Referring now to FIGS. 5, 13, and 14, the concave domed panel 38 of the container 10 of FIG. 5 includes the perimeter P0 and an unreworked effective perimeter PE that includes the inner concave annular portion 44. However, when the container 10 is reworked into the container 62 of FIGS. 6 and 7, the domed panel 38 includes a reworked effective perimeter PE1 which is larger than the perimeter PE. In like manner, when the container 10 of FIG. 5 is reworked into the container 64 of FIGS. 8 and 9, the domed panel 38 includes a reworked effective perimeter PE2 which is also larger than the unreworked effective perimeter PE.
For testing, containers 10 made according to two different sets of dimensions, and conforming generally to the configuration of FIGS. 3-5, have been reworked into both containers 62 and 64.
Containers 10 made to one set of dimensions before reworking are designated herein as B6A containers, and containers 10 made according to the other set of dimensions are designated herein as Tampa containers. The B6A and the Tampa containers include many dimensions that are the same. Further, many of the dimensions of the B6A and Tampa containers and the same as a prior art configuration of the assignee of the present invention. Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 10, prior to reworking, both the B6A containers and the Tampa containers included the following dimensions: D1 =2.598 inches; D2, D3 =2.000 inches; D5 =2.509 inches; R3 =0.200 inches; R5 =0.050 inches; R6 =0.200 inches; R7 and R8 =0.052; H2 =0.370 inches; H3 =0.008 inches; and α2 =30 degrees. Other dimensions, including R4, H1, and the metal thickness are specified in Table 1.
The metal used for both the B6A and Tampa containers for tests reported herein was aluminum alloy which is designated as 3104 H19, and the test material was taken from production stock.
The dome radius R4, as shown in Table 1, is the approximate dome radius of a container 10; and the dome radius R4 is different from the radius RT of the domer tooling. More particularly, as shown in Table 1, tooling with a radius RT of 2.12 inches produces a container 10 with a radius R4 of approximately 2.38 inches.
Referring now to FIGS. 6, 8, and 10, the dome radius R4 will have an actual dome radius RC proximal to the vertical axis 14, and a different actual dome radius RP at the perimeter P0. Also, the radii RC and RP will vary in accordance with variations of other parameters, such as the height L1 of the inner wall 71. Further, the dome radius R4 will vary at various distances between the vertical axis 14 and the perimeter P0.
The dome radius RC will be somewhat smaller than the dome radius RP, because the perimeter P0 of the concave domed panel 38 will spring outwardly. However, in the charts, the dome radius R4 is given, and at the vertical axis 14, the dome radius R4 is close to being equal to the actual dome radius RC. When the containers 10 are reworked into the containers 62 and 64, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the dome radii RC and RP, as shown on FIG. 4, may or may not change slightly with containers 10 made to various parameters and reworked to various parameters. Changed radii, due to reworking of the dome positioning portions, 70 and 82, are designated actual dome radius RCR and actual dome radius RPR for radii near the vertical axis 14 and near the perimeter P0, respectively. However, since the difference between the dome radii RC and RP is small, and since the dome radii RC and RP change only slightly during reworking, if at all, only the radius R4 of FIG. 4 is used in the accompanying charts and in the following description.
Reworking of the dome positioning portions, 70 and 82, results in an increase in the radius R5 of FIG. 5. To show this change in radius, the radius R5, after reworking, is designated radius of curvature R5R in FIGS. 11 and 12 and in Table 1. As seen in Table 1, this change in the radius R5 can be rather minimal, or quite large, depending upon various parameters in the original container 10 and/or in reworking parameters.
When the change in the radius R5 of FIG. 5 is quite large, as shown for the Tampa container reworked into the container 64, reworking of the container 10 into the container 64 extends an effective diameter DE of the center panel 38, which includes the concave annular portion 44, and which is shown in FIG. 10, to an effective diameter DE2, as shown in FIG. 12.
Therefore, in the reworking process, an annular portion 88 of the dome positioning portion 82, as shown in FIG. 12, is moved into, and affectively becomes a part of, the center panel 38.
Further, especially in the process in which the reworking is circumferential, as shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 12, an annular portion 90, as shown in FIG. 10, of the bottom 78 which lies outside of the annular supporting surface 18, is moved radially inward, and effectively becomes a part of the dome positioning portion 82 of FIG. 12.
The procedure is as follows: 1) warm the product in the containers to 90 degrees, plus or minus 2 degrees, Fahrenheit; 2) position the tube of the drop height tester to 5 degrees from vertical to achieve consistent container drops; 3) insert the container from the top of the tube, lower it to the 3 inch position, and support the container with a finger; 4) allow the container to free-fall and strike the steel base; 5) repeat the test at heights that successively increase by 3 inch increments; 6) feel the domed panel to check for any bulging or "reversal" of the domed panel before testing at the next height; 7) record the height at which dome reversal occurs; 8) calculate the cumulative drop height, that is, add each height at which a given container has been dropped, including the height at which dome reversal occurs; and 9) average the results from 10 containers.
Referring now to Table 1, when B6A containers were reworked into the containers 62, which have a plurality of circumferentially-spaced adjacent parts 74 that are displaced radially outwardly, the static dome reversal pressure increased from 97 psi to 111 psi, and the cumulative drop height resistance increased from 9 inches to 10.8 inches.
TABLE 1______________________________________  CONTAINER 62  CONTAINER 64  INTERRUPTED   CONTINUOUS  ANNULAR       ANNULAR  INDENT        INDENT  B6A    TAMPA      B6A      TAMPA______________________________________R4  2.38     2.038      2.38   2.038RT  2.12     1.85       2.12   1.85R5R --       --         0.08   0.445H1  .385     .415       .385   .415DR  1.950    1.950      2.000  1.984DS  2.020    2.020      2.051  2.041RH  .030     .030       .050   .050R9  .030     .030       .026   .026X1  .025     .025       .050   .042X2  .054     .051       .055   .055X3  .010     .010       .026   .021Y        .084     .086       .076   .092thkns.   .0116    .0118      .0116  .0118I.P.     58       59         58     59S.D.R.   111      120        121    126C.D.H.   10.8     30.0       18.0   60.0______________________________________
Thus, B6A and Tampa containers reworked into containers 62 of FIGS. 6 and 7 showed an improvement in static dome reversal pressure of 14.4 percent and 26.3 percent, respectively. B6A and Tampa containers reworked into containers 62 showed an improvement in cumulative drop height resistance of 20 percent in the case of the B6A container, but showed a decrease of 10 percent in the case of the Tampa container.
Further, B6A and Tampa containers reworked into containers 64 of FIGS. 8 and 9 showed an improvement in static dome reversal pressure of 24.7 percent and 32.6 percent, respectively. B6A and Tampa containers reworked into containers 64 showed an improvement in cumulative drop height resistance of 100 percent in the case of the B6A container, and an increase of 81.8 percent in the case of the Tampa container.
Therefore, the present invention provides phenomenal increases in both static dome reversal pressure and cumulative drop height without increasing the size of the container, without seriously decreasing the fluid volume of the container as would be caused by increasing the height L1 of the inner wall, 71 or 83, or by greatly decreasing the dome radius R4 of the concave domed panel 38, and without increasing the thickness of the metal.
While reworking the Tampa containers into the containers 62 did not show an increase in the cumulative drop height resistance, it is believed that this is due to two facts. One fact is that reworking of the containers 10 into the containers 62 and 64 was made without the benefit of adequate tooling. Therefore, the test samples were not in accordance with production quality. Another fact is that reworking the Tampa containers into the containers 64 resulted in a greater radial distance X1 than did the reworking of the Tampa containers into the containers 62.
The present invention, by strengthening the inner wall 42 of the container 10 to the inner wall 71 of the container 62, or by strengthening the inner wall 83 of the container 64, increases in static dome reversal pressures that are achieved. These phenomenal increases in static dome reversal pressures are achieved by decreasing the force which tends to roll-out the inner convex annular portion 22.
More specifically, as seen in FIG. 12, in the instance of the container 64 where the adjacent part 86 of the dome positioning portion 82 is circumferential, an effective diameter DE of the concave domed panel 38 is increased. The container 64 also has an effective perimeter P2 as shown in FIG. 14.
Or, as seen in FIG. 11 which shows circumferentially-spaced adjacent parts 74 that are displaced outwardly, an effective radius RE of the domed panel 38 is increased. An increase in the radius RE by the circumferentially-spaced adjacent parts 74 increases the effective perimeter P1 of the domed panel 38 as shown in FIG. 13.
It can be seen by inspection of FIGS. 11 and 12 that placing the dome pressure force farther outwardly, as shown by the diameter DE and the radius RE, reduces the moment arm of the roll-out force. That is, the ability of a given force to roll-out the inner convex annular portion 22 depends upon the distance, radially inward, where the dome pressure force is applied. Therefore, the increase in the effective diameter DE of the container 64, and the increase in the effective radius RE, decrease the roll-out forces and thereby increase the resistance to roll-out.
Also, as shown in Table 1, the radius R9 is reduced; and, from the preceding discussion, it can be seen that this reduction in radius also helps the containers 62 and 64 resist roll-out.
Continuing to refer to FIG. 12, the first part 84 of the container 64 is circumferential and might be considered to have a height H4, and the adjacent part 86 is also circumferential and might be considered to have a height H5. That is, defining the heights, H4 and H5, is somewhat arbitrary. However, as can be seen, the adjacent part 86 is disposed radially outward from the first part 84; and the hooked part 76 of the dome positioning portion 82 is formed with the radius RH.
In like manner, as shown in FIG. 11, in circumferential portions of the container 62 which include the adjacent parts 74 and the hooked parts 76, the tendency of the dome positioning portion 70 to buckle outwardly is similar to that described for the dome positioning portion 82. However, since the hooked part 76 exists only in those circumferential parts of the dome positioning portion 70 wherein the adjacent parts 74 are located, the roll-in effect is not as great as in the container 64.
In summary, as shown and described herein, the present invention provides containers, 62 and 64, in which improvements in roll-out resistance, static dome reversal pressure, and cumulative drop height are all achieved without increasing the metal thickness, without decreasing the dome radius R4, without increasing the positional distance L2, without increasing the dome height H1, and without appreciably decreasing the fluid capacity of the containers, 62 and 64. Or, conversely, the present invention provides containers, 62 and 64, in which satisfactory values of roll-out resistance, static dome reversal pressure, and cumulative drop height can be achieved using metal of a thinner gauge than has heretofore been possible.
Therefore, in the claims, a specified radius, or a range of radii for the radius, R4 would apply to either a central portion 92 or to an annular portion 94, both of FIGS. 6 and 8.
Further, while the preceding discussion has focused on center panels 38 with radii R4 that are generally spherical, and that are made with spherical tooling, the present invention is applicable to containers, 62 or 64, in which the concave domed panels 38 are ellipsoidal, consist of annular steps, decrease in radius of curvature as a function of the distance radially outward of the concave domed panel 38 from the vertical axis 14, have some portion 92 or 94 that is substantially spherical, include a portion that is substantially conical, and/or include a portion that is substantially flat.
Finally, while the limits pertaining to the shape of the center panel 38 may be defined as functions of dome radii R4, limits pertaining to the shape of the center panel 38 can be defined as limits for the central portion 92 or for the annular portion 94 of the center panel 38, or as limits for the angle α3, whether at the perimeter P0, or at any other radial distance from the vertical axis 14.
Referring finally to FIGS. 5-12, another distinctive difference in the present invention is in the slope of the inner walls, 71 and 83, of containers 62 and 64, respectively. As seen in FIG. 5, the inner wall 42 of the prior art slopes upwardly and inwardly by the angle α1.
In stark contrast to the prior art, the inner wall 83 of the container 64 of FIGS. 8, 9, and 12 includes a negatively-sloping part 96 that slopes upwardly and outwardly at a negative angle α5. As seen in FIG. 9, the negatively-sloping part 96 extends circumferentially around the vertical axis 14.
Also in stark contrast to the prior art, the inner wall 71 of the container 62 of FIGS. 6, 7, and 11 includes a negatively-sloping part 98 that slopes upwardly and outwardly by a negative angle α6, and that is disposed arcuately around less than one-half of the bottom 66 of the container 62. The inner wall 71 also includes another negatively-sloping part 100 that slopes upwardly and outwardly at the negative angle α6, and that is spaced circumferentially from the negatively-sloping part 98.
Therefore, in the appended claims, center panel should be understood to be without limitation to a particular, or a single, geometrical shape.
Although aluminum containers have been investigated, it is believed that the same principle, namely increasing the roll-out resistance of the inner wall, from the inner wall 42 of the container 10 to either the inner wall 71 of container 62 or the inner wall 83 of the container 64, would be effective to increase the strength of containers made from other materials, including ferrous and nonferrous metals, plastic and other nonmetallic materials.
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REED;WILLOUGHBY, OTIS H.;REEL/FRAME:005510/0700Effective date: 19901017Mar 1, 1994RRRequest for reexamination filedEffective date: 19940110Aug 28, 1995FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Jun 2, 1998B1Reexamination certificate first reexaminationOct 15, 1999FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Sep 29, 2003FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services