Patent ID: 7384227

Claim:
A method for shaping a portion of a sheet metal lid for a beverage can, the lid comprising a panel having an openable area defined by a score line in said panel, and a mounting place for attaching a tab for breaking in said openable area, said method comprising: (i) forming at least one projection in said panel at least twice by (a) shaping a pre-form of the at least one projection, from a portion of the panel, the pre-form placed at a distance from and opposite said mounting place for being suitably positioned to cooperate with an attaching portion of the tab when attached to said mounting place; (b) re-forming at least a front portion of said pre-form to increase an angle of inclination of this front portion with respect to a remainder of the panel, to give the projection an asymmetrical cross-section and, during said re-forming, a top portion of the pre-form is flattened and stiffened; (ii) during said shaping and during said re-forming, no score line is created in said panel.