Abstract:
A process for forming a metal cup having a pedestal, wherein the cup is mounted to a container carrying pressurized contents and the pedestal is to extend to a desired height to impede a slide-on clamp from engaging the cup. The process includes providing the cup, the container, filling the container with contents, sealing the cup about the container, the cup having a design such that the sealing process causes the pedestal to rise a first pedestal distance, pressurizing the contents such that the contents expand, the cup having a thickness such that, when the contents expand, the pedestal rises a second pedestal distance from such that the pedestal extends beyond a plane of the cup at least the minimum desired height in order that the pedestal at the desired height impedes the slide-on clamp being secured about the cup.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is related to, and claims priority from, Provisional Application No. 60/516,776, filed Nov. 3, 2003, titled “Refrigerant Cup For Use With A Container,” the complete subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Embodiments of the present invention relate to a mounting cup, or blind refrigerant cup, for use with a canister containing a refrigerant for use in an automotive air conditioning system. More particularly, certain embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerant cup that rises during assembly with a container of refrigerant such that the refrigerant cup impedes the use of a slide-on can tap to be used with the refrigerant cup.  
         [0003]     Pressurized liquids and gases, such as refrigerants for example, are often stored and sold in small containers that are sealed with a refrigerant cup. The conventional container is usually shaped like a can with a neck at the top and is provided with an opening at the neck encircled by an annular bead.  
         [0004]     The conventional refrigerant cup is formed from coils or sheets of tin plated steel or any number of other metals or alloys. The refrigerant cup includes a cylindrical outer wall extending from a circular base to a peripheral rim and a cylindrical pedestal extending from the base concentrically with the outer wall. The peripheral rim includes a skirt that extends parallel to the outer wall such that the peripheral rim forms an inverted U-shaped or variation cross-section with the outer wall. The refrigerant cup is capable of being crimped or clinched to the annular bead located on the container to establish a seal between the refrigerant cup and the container.  
         [0005]     A plastic or rubber sealing material such as a gasket is placed within the peripheral rim of the refrigerant cup between the outer wall and the skirt for insuring the sealing engagement between the peripheral rim of the refrigerant cup and the annular bead of the container. Dimples may be added to the outer wall of the refrigerant cup to retain the gasket within the interior space and/or to aid in the container-filling process.  
         [0006]     During the cup forming process, the pedestal may be machined to have threads and thus be configured for connection to a can tap with corresponding threading. After the can tap is screwed onto, and sealed to, the pedestal, the top end of the pedestal is punctured by the can tap to access the contents of the container. A valve assembly housed inside the refrigerant cup may be substituted for the pierced-type arrangement with corresponding changes to the can tap device.  
         [0007]     Typically, refrigerant cups are fabricated at a cup assembly plant and shipped to a filling plant where the refrigerant cups are placed in hoppers and eventually fed in an automated process to be sealed to the containers. During a typical under-the-cup assembly process, the container is sometimes partially filled with liquid. The refrigerant cups are then fed to the container by the automated process such that the peripheral rim of the refrigerant cup is placed upon the annular bead of the container with the sealing material disposed therebetween. The container is then positioned below a machine known in the art as a filling head, which lifts the cup off of the container by a vacuum to leave a narrow gap between the container and the cup. The filling head then draws a vacuum within the container through the gap. The filling head then pressurizes the container through the gap. In the case of refrigerant, the filling head adds the refrigerant to an empty, vacuumized container. Some products require oil, sealant, dye, or other additives prior to refrigerant charging. The filling head then deforms or crimps the refrigerant cup with an expanding collet to bring the peripheral rim and gasket of the refrigerant cup into sealing engagement with the annular bead of the container. The displacement of material caused by the crimping process may raise the pedestal up slightly, depending on the thickness and strength of the material.  
         [0008]     Once the refrigerant cup is sealed to the container, the container is processed through a hot tank bath which significantly raises the temperatures of the can and its contents. In the case of Refrigerant  134   a , the temperature reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit and the pressure within the container reaches 208 psi. The changes in temperature and pressure within the container cause the contents to expand and push against the refrigerant cup and cause the pedestal to again “rise.” 
         [0009]     In the case of certain substitutes for ozone depleting refrigerants such as Refrigerant  12 , United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations require the refrigerant cup to have certain additional features. The EPA has passed regulations to discourage attempts to mix car air conditioning system refrigerants because many of the available refrigerants react adversely with each other. Therefore, the EPA requires containers of refrigerant to be configured for use only with one specific kind of fitting, which, in turn, may be used only to fill the air conditioning systems of cars that are designed to use the corresponding refrigerant. Specifically, the EPA requires the refrigerant cups on containers of refrigerants to have a specific threading that corresponds to the threading of the specific can tap.  
         [0010]     However, certain pre-existing slide-on clamps or fittings are available that may be connected to the refrigerant cup without engaging the specific threading. The clamps have a top surface connected to a continuous flange or series of flanges. The flanges are located a certain distance from the top surface and are used to wrap around the bottom of the refrigerant cup skirt such that the top surface is secured above the refrigerant cup. The clamps may then be connected to a non-regulated can tap that retrieves the contents without having to engage the threading on the refrigerant cup. This type of can tap could then be used to mix refrigerants in car air conditioning systems.  
         [0011]     Therefore, the EPA has required that the refrigerant cups have certain features that impede attachment to the slide-on clamps. An example of such a refrigerant cup having a long skirt is shown in  FIG. 1 . The refrigerant cup  10   a  has a substantially flat base  14   a  with a peripheral rim  22   a  being integrally connected to the base by an outer wall  26   a . The peripheral rim  22   a  includes a skirt  34   a  that curves away from the outer wall  26   a  and extends to a lower skirt plane  56   a . A gasket  25   a  is retained within the peripheral rim  22   a  between the skirt  34  and the outer wall  26   a . The refrigerant cup  10   a  further includes a cylindrical pedestal  38   a  formed therein. The top of the peripheral rim  22   a  is positioned along a horizontal plane  54   a . The skirt  34   a  extends to the lower skirt plane  56   a , which is located, by way of example, a distance of at least 0.155 inches from the horizontal plane  54   a . Typically, the slide-on clamps cannot effectively be connected to the refrigerant cup having a skirt of 0.155 inches or more in length (i.e., a “long skirt”) because typically the flanges of the clamp are not long enough such that the flanges can slide under the skirt.  
         [0012]     Additionally, for similar reasons, the clamps cannot effectively be connected to a refrigerant cup having a “bumped” pedestal. An example of such a refrigerant cup having a bumped pedestal is shown in  FIG. 2 . The refrigerant cup  10   b  has a similar structure to that of the refrigerant cup  10   a  of  FIG. 1 , however, the skirt  34   b  is shorter and the pedestal  38   b  extends more than, by way of example, 0.120 inches above the horizontal plane  54   b  of the peripheral rim  22   b  (i.e., a “bumped pedestal”).  
         [0013]     The EPA&#39;s requirements for refrigerant cups create certain manufacturing and production problems, however. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the long skirt  34   a  extends over the annular bead  78   a  leaving a small gap  21   a  which makes it more difficult for the filling head to effectively draw a vacuum within the container  66   a  and pressurize or fill the container  66   a . Additionally, the filling head takes a longer time to completely fill or pressurize the container  66   a  because of the small gap  21   a . Thus, the long skirt  34   a  slows down assembly and production. Also, the long skirt design tends to contribute to the gasket being blown out of the cup during under-the-cup filling.  
         [0014]     Furthermore, “bumping up” the pedestal to an appropriate height by methods known in the art prior to the assembly of the refrigerant cup to the container causes the pedestal to be caught in the hopper and other assembly transportation means. Thus, the bumped pedestal slows down the automatic feeding process of the refrigerant cups onto the containers. Additionally, the step of bumping up the pedestal may need to be done in a manufacturing step separate from stamping, which slows down production speed.  
         [0015]     Therefore, a need exists for an improved refrigerant cup that can meet EPA requirements but at the same time not slow down assembly and production time and also overcome the other deficiencies associated with conventional refrigerant cups.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     Certain embodiments of the present invention include a process for forming a metal cup having a pedestal, wherein the cup is mounted to a container carrying pressurized contents and the pedestal is to impede a fitting from being effectively mounted to the cup, in compliance with United States Environmental Protection Agency requirements. The process includes forming a cup, wherein the forming step includes providing the cup with a base from which extends a pedestal and an outer wall having a peripheral rim aligned along a rim plane and from which extends a skirt. The pedestal extends to a first height from the base relative to the rim plane such that the pedestal does not impede the fitting from being mounted to the cup. The process further includes providing a container having an opening, placing the cup upon the container at the opening, filling the container with the contents, and sealing the cup about the container at the opening such that the pedestal rises a first pedestal distance from the base relative to the rim plane from the first height. The process further includes pressurizing the container such that the contents in the container expand and cause the pedestal to rise a second pedestal distance from the base relative to the rim plane such that the pedestal extends beyond the rim plane to a final height, wherein when the pedestal is at the final height, the pedestal impedes the fitting from being effectively mounted to the cup.  
         [0017]     Certain embodiments of the present invention include a process for forming a metal cup having a pedestal, wherein the cup is mounted to a container carrying pressurized contents and the pedestal is to impede a fitting from being effectively mounted to the cup, in compliance with United States Environmental Protection Agency requirements. The process further includes forming a cup, wherein the forming step includes providing the cup with a base from which extends a pedestal and an outer wall having a peripheral rim aligned along a rim plane and from which extends a skirt. The skirt includes a bottom end aligned along a skirt plane. The rim plane and the skirt plane are separated by no more than a skirt distance such that the skirt does not impede the fitting from being mounted to the cup. The pedestal has a top end extending from the base to a first height proximate the rim plane such that the pedestal does not impede the fitting from being mounted to the cup. The process further includes feeding the cup from a hopper along an assembly transportation system to be placed on the container, providing a container having an opening, placing the cup upon the container at the opening, drawing a vacuum within the container and filling the container with the contents underneath the skirt, and sealing the cup about the container at the opening such that the pedestal rises a first pedestal distance from the base relative to the rim plane from the first height. The process further includes pressurizing the container such that the contents in the container expand and cause the pedestal to rise a second pedestal distance from the base relative to the rim plane such that the pedestal extends beyond the rim plane to a final height, wherein when the pedestal is at the final height, the distance between the bottom end of the skirt and the top end of the pedestal is such that the cup impedes the fitting from being effectively mounted to the cup.  
         [0018]     Certain embodiments of the present invention include a cup for use with a container carrying pressurized contents, wherein, in compliance with United States Environmental Protection Agency requirements, the cup impedes a fitting from being effectively mounted to the cup. The cup includes a base from which extends a pedestal and an outer wall. The outer wall includes a peripheral rim being aligned along a rim plane, and the peripheral rim includes a skirt having a bottom end aligned along a skirt plane. The rim plane and the skirt plane are separated by no more than a skirt distance such that the skirt does not impede the fitting from being mounted to the cup. The pedestal extends to a first height from the base relative to the rim plane such that the pedestal does not impede the fitting from being mounted to the cup. The cup is configured to be sealed upon the container such that the pedestal rises a first pedestal distance from the base relative to the rim plane from the first height. The container sealed with the refrigerant cup is pressurized such that the contents in the container expand and cause the pedestal to rise a second pedestal distance from the base relative to the rim plane such that the pedestal extends beyond the rim plane to a final height, wherein when the pedestal is at the final height, the pedestal impedes the fitting from being effectively mounted to the cup. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a side sectional view of a prior art long skirt refrigerant cup.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side sectional view of a prior art bumped refrigerant cup.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates a side sectional view of the prior art long skirt refrigerant cup of  FIG. 1  attached to a container.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side sectional view of a refrigerant cup formed according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates a side sectional view of the refrigerant cup of  FIG. 4  and a container formed according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates a side sectional view of the refrigerant cup and container of  FIG. 5  where the refrigerant cup has been crimped to the container according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  illustrates a side sectional view of the refrigerant cup and container of  FIG. 6  being passed through a hot water bath according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 8  illustrates a side section view of the refrigerant cup and container of  FIG. 7  engaging a slide-on fitting.  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  illustrates a side sectional view of the refrigerant cup of  FIG. 5  being raised over the container of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
       [0028]     The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain embodiments of the present invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings, certain embodiments. It should be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to the arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side sectional view of a refrigerant cup  10  formed according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerant cup  10  is used to seal a container carrying pressurized contents. By way of example only, the refrigerant cup  10  is used to seal a container carrying Refrigerant  134   a . Alternatively, the refrigerant cup  10  may be used to seal containers carrying other refrigerants, or any number of other pressurized contents. The refrigerant cup  10  is made of metal. By way of example, the refrigerant cup  10  is made of T-2 electrolytic tin plate. Alternatively, the refrigerant cup  10  may be made of aluminum or any number of other metals, alloys, laminates or coated materials. The refrigerant cup  10  is initially formed by being stamped from a metal sheet. By way of example only, the metal sheet may have a thickness of 0.0110 inches. Alternatively, the metal sheet may have a thickness in the range of 0.0090 to 0.0180 inches. Alternatively, the metal sheet may have other thicknesses.  
         [0030]     The refrigerant cup  10  has a substantially flat base  14  disposed in a central area  18  with a peripheral rim  22  being integrally connected to the base  14  by an outer wall  26 . The peripheral rim  22  includes a skirt  34  that extends outward from the outer wall  26  and that is formed integrally therewith. The skirt  34  curves away from the outer wall  26  and extends to a lower skirt plane  56 . The skirt  34  is concentric with the outer wall  26  to define a gap  28 . A gasket  25   a  is retained within the gap  28  between the skirt  34  and the outer wall  26   a . The top of the peripheral rim  22  is positioned along a horizontal plane  54 . The skirt  34  extends to the lower skirt plane  56 , which is located, by way of example only, a distance of 0.115 inches from the horizontal plane  54 . By way of example only, the distance between the lower skirt plane  56  and the horizontal plane  54  does not exceed 0.135 inches.  
         [0031]     The refrigerant cup  10  further includes a cylindrical pedestal  38  formed in the central area  18 . The pedestal  38  is formed by side walls  42 , a top wall  58 , and a curved top rim  62  that define an interior cavity  46  of the pedestal  38 . The top wall  58  and top rim  62  that are generally positioned along the horizontal plane  54 . Alternatively, the top rim  62  of the pedestal  38  may extend slightly beyond the horizontal plane  54 , for example, by no more than 0.015 inches, or may be positioned slightly below the horizontal plane  54 , for example, by 0.005 inches.  
         [0032]     During the forming process, the pedestal  38  is machined to form threads  50  along the side walls  42  such that the pedestal  38  may be connected, i.e., screwed, to a can tap (not shown) which punctures the top wall  58  or opens an included valve to dispense the contents. Depending on the contents that the refrigerant cup  10  will be used to seal, the EPA requires specific threading patterns to be used on a refrigerant cup pedestal, and the threading patterns are to correspond only to a particular can tap. The can tap in turn may only be used in certain air conditioning systems that are prepared or manufactured for the contents of the particular container. In the case of Refrigerant  134   a , specific threadings are required for use with only a particular can tap that can be used to fill car air conditioner systems that use Refrigerant  134   a.    
         [0033]     Alternatively, or additionally, the refrigerant cup  10  may be coated with an epoxy or other surface coatings on the top surface.  
         [0034]     Once the refrigerant cup  10  is stamped and threaded, it may be transported for assembly with a container. Because the pedestal  38  does not extend very far beyond the horizontal plane  54  of the peripheral rim  22 , if at all, the pedestal  38  does not cause the refrigerant cup  10  to be caught in hoppers or other carrying and transportation devices used in the assembly process. Thus, the reduced height of the pedestal  38  allows for easier and more efficient feeding of the refrigerant cup  10  through the hopper or any other assembly transportation system.  
         [0035]      FIG. 5  illustrates a side sectional view of the refrigerant cup  10  of  FIG. 4  and a container  66  formed according to an embodiment of the present invention. The container  66  is shaped like a typical can and has a neck  70  at a top end  77  and is provided with an opening at the neck  70  encircled by an annular bead  78 . The container  66  may be made of tin plated steel, aluminum, or any number of other suitable metals or alloys. The refrigerant cup  10  has been placed on the container  66  such that the gasket  25  rests on the annular bead  78 .  
         [0036]     The container  66  may or may not be empty prior to the refrigerant cup  10  being placed thereon, depending on what product is to be carried within the container  66 . If refrigerant, for example, Refrigerant  134   a  is the product, the container  66  is empty when the refrigerant cup  10  is added. If an additive product is to be carried in the container  66 , then the additive is put in the container  66  prior to the refrigerant cup  10  being added.  
         [0037]      FIG. 9  illustrates a side sectional view of the refrigerant cup  10  being raised over the container  66 . Once the refrigerant cup  10  is placed on the container  66 , a filling head (not shown), uses a vacuum to lift the refrigerant cup  10  off of the container  66 . By way of example only, the refrigerant cup  10  may be lifted 0.125 inches off of the container  66 . The filling head then draws a vacuum within the container  66  by sucking the air out of the container through a gap  29  between the outer wall  26  and annular bead  78  as shown by the path of arrow A. Because the skirt  34  is “short,” the skirt  34  interferes less with the vacuum process. Thus, the process is faster and easier than if the skirt  34  was longer than, by way of example only, 0.155 inches from the lower skirt plane  56  to horizontal plane  54 . Once the vacuum has been drawn in the container  66 , the filling head, by methods known in the art, then pumps pressurized refrigerant into the container  66 . The refrigerant is delivered into the container  66  through the gap  29  as shown by the path of arrow B. Again, the limited length of the skirt  34 , allows for this process to be easier and faster than it would be for a longer skirt.  
         [0038]     Returning to  FIG. 5 , once the container  66  has been filled with the pressurized product, the refrigerant cap is returned on top of the container  66  and the filling head uses a collet (not shown) to push the outer wall  26  outward and crimp the refrigerant cup  10  about the annular bead  78  of the container  66  such that the product is sealed within the container  66 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 6  illustrates a side sectional view of the refrigerant cup  10  and container  66  of  FIG. 5  where the refrigerant cup  10  has been crimped to the container  66  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The crimping process deforms the refrigerant cup  10  in a number of ways. The outer wall  26  of the refrigerant cup  10  is pushed just under the annular bead  78  such that the skirt  34  and gasket  25  are pulled tightly about the annular bead  78  such that the gap  28  is eliminated. Thus, the skirt  34  is deformed to form a tight seal about the annular bead  78 .  
         [0040]     Furthermore, as the outer wall  26  is deformed just under the annular bead  78 , the length of the outer wall  26  is reduced such that the thin, malleable metal is displaced toward the central area  18  of the refrigerant cup  10 . The displacement of the material to the central area  18  causes the pedestal  38  to “rise up” in the direction of arrow C such that the top rim  62  of the pedestal  38  extends further above the horizontal plane  54 . By way of example only, the pedestal  38  may rise a distance within the range of 0.025 inches to 0.050 inches. The distance the pedestal  38  rises depends on the thinness, hardness, shape, and ductility of the material and the type of the material. Depending on the desired rise of the pedestal  38 , different materials of different thicknesses may be used.  
         [0041]      FIG. 7  illustrates a side sectional view of the refrigerant cup  10  and container  66  of  FIG. 6  being passed through a hot water bath  82 . Once the refrigerant cup  10  has been crimped and sealed to the container  66 , the assembled container  66  is passed through the hot water bath  82 . The container  66  and its contents are at a cold temperature prior to being passed through the hot water bath  82 . By way of example only, the container  66  and its contents are typically at a temperature below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The hot water bath  82  is maintained at, by way of example,  130  degrees Fahrenheit in accordance with DOT regulations. In the case of Refrigerant  134   a , the container  66  is passed through a hot water bath  82  that is capable of heating the contents to a temperature of approximately 130 degrees Fahrenheit. As the container  66  passes through the hot water bath  82 , the temperature of the product, in this case Refrigerant  134   a , rises to at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit.  
         [0042]     The pressure in the container  66  also rises as the temperature rises. For example, the pressure within the container  66  rises to approximately 208 psi at 130 degrees Fahrenheit. The arrows D indicate the pressure within the container  66  pushing outward against the walls of the container  66  and the refrigerant cup  10 . Because the refrigerant cup  10  is made of an appropriate material at an appropriate thinness and shape (in the case of refrigerant  134   a , the thinness and material is, by way of example, 0.009 to 0.013 inches thick T-2 electrolytic tin plate), the pressure pushes the pedestal  38  further upward in the direction of arrow C such that the top rim  62  rises to a desirable height. By way of example only, the pedestal  38  may rise upward a distance within the range of 0.070 inches to 0.105 inches. By way of example only, the desirable height may be at least in a range of 0.120 to 0.140 inches above the horizontal plane  54 . Alternatively, the pedestal  38  may be configured to rise to any number of other desirable heights above the horizontal plane  54 . Furthermore, where different pedestal heights are required for different products to provide a suitable impediment to the use of slide-on fittings, the type, thickness, and hardness of the material may be altered in conjunction with the properties of the product such that the pedestal  38  rises to the required height.  
         [0043]     The container  66  is then removed from the hot water bath and is dried and packaged for shipping. The pedestal  38  remains in its “risen” position after removal from the hot water bath. In operation, a can tap is screwed onto the pedestal  38  to dispense the contents of the container into an appropriate air conditioning system. For example, in the case of Refrigerant  134   a , the EPA requires the pedestal  38  to have a particular thread pattern that corresponds to a can tap for use only with cars that use Refrigerant  134   a  and have a special  134   a  fitting.  
         [0044]      FIG. 8  illustrates a side section view of the refrigerant cup  10  and container  66  of  FIG. 7  engaging a slide-on fitting  86 . The slide-on fitting or clamp  86  can be used on conventional refrigerant cups to fit the can tap without engaging the unique threads of the refrigerant cup. The clamp  86  includes a circular top portion  90  with a raised cylindrical neck  94  having interior threads  98 . The top portion  90  also includes legs  102  extending from a bottom side thereof. The legs  102  have flanges  106  that extend inward from the legs  102 . In operation, the clamp  86  is positioned about, or mounted to, a conventional refrigerant cup such that the flanges  106  extend beneath the skirt of the refrigerant cup and the neck  94  is aligned above the pedestal. A can tap may then be screwed into the neck of the slide-on fitting without engaging the unique threads of the refrigerant cup  10  and tap the refrigerant cup  10  to dispense and possibly mix the contents of the container with another refrigerant type.  
         [0045]     Therefore, the EPA requires that refrigerant cups used with any regulated refrigerants not only have a specific threading for use with a specific can tap, but also be structured to impede use with a slide-on clamp  86 . The EPA requires that a refrigerant cup have either a long skirt, i.e., a skirt sufficient to impede the flanges of the slide-on clamp, or a raised pedestal, i.e., a pedestal sufficient to impede the flanges of the slide-on clamp. By extending the skirt or the pedestal, the clamp  86  cannot be positioned about the refrigerant cup because the legs  102  are not long enough for the flanges  106  to reach under the skirt. The refrigerant cup  10  of  FIG. 8  has a pedestal  38  that extends over horizontal plane  54  by a distance of, by way of example only, more than 0.120 inches. This pedestal height prevents the clamp  86  from effectively being attached or mounted to the refrigerant cup  10  because the pedestal  38  pushes the top portion  90  of the clamp  86  to a position such that the flanges  106  cannot reach around the skirt  34 . Thus, the rising pedestal  38  serves to fulfill EPA requirements to impede the use of slide-on fittings.  
         [0046]     The material, thickness, temperatures, and pressures disclosed above are all examples of possible parameters for use in meeting pedestal height requirements for cans of Refrigerant  134   a . In alternative embodiments, different parameters may be more appropriate for different canned refrigerants. For example, a thicker metal may be used where the pedestal does not need to be as high as it does for certain cans of refrigerant. Also, different pedestal diameters may be required with different refrigerants that require a pedestal having a different height. Different pedestal diameters require different heights to impede slide-on clamps. Additionally, different products may generate different pressures within the container during the hot water bath such that thicker or thinner materials or different cup shapes may be needed to achieve the desired amount of pedestal rise for that particular product. The material of the refrigerant cup, the thickness of the material, the hardness and ductility of the material, the product in the container, and the required pedestal height are all factors that are to be considered in relation to each other in practicing the embodiments of the invention.  
         [0047]     The refrigerant cup of the various embodiments provides several benefits. First, the refrigerant cup is made with a short skirt, that is to say, the skirt does not extend from the horizontal plane to the lower skirt plane such a distance as to prevent a slide-on clamp from engaging the refrigerant cup. Thus, the short skirt does not interfere with the vacuum process or the filling process for the container as a longer skirt does. Therefore, the short skirt allows for faster and more efficient assembly and manufacturing time.  
         [0048]     Furthermore, the process of assembling the refrigerant cup and the container is used to raise the pedestal to a desired height without having to deliver the refrigerant cup for assembly with the pedestal already at the desired raised or bumped height. By forming the refrigerant cup from an appropriate material at an appropriate thickness, the refrigerant cup uses the characteristics of the assembly process itself to “bump” or “raise” the pedestal during production such that the pedestal does not need to be bumped prior to production. The refrigerant cup is formed with the pedestal at a reduced height proximate the horizontal plane of the peripheral rim. Therefore, the refrigerant cup can be easily transported during the manufacturing and assembly process without the pedestal be caught or snagged on equipment along the way. Once the refrigerant cup is placed on the container, the thinness, shape, and ductility of the refrigerant cup allow for it to be substantially raised a first time during the crimping process. Then, later, the thinness, shape, and ductility of the refrigerant cup allow for it to be substantially raised again by the pressure formed within the container during the hot water bath step. The material and its thickness are determined such that the pressure in the can for a particular product causes the pedestal to raise to a desired height above the horizontal plane of the peripheral rim. Thus, the refrigerant cup of the different embodiments avoids production problems associated with a raised pedestal while at the same time accommodates the slide-on fitting obstruction requirements of the EPA for certain products.  
         [0049]     While the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.