Lever tab for easy open container

Claim 2

A tab of the type attachable to an easy opening container wall comprising: a nose end and a lifting end, said tab being constructed of sheet material and including integral means for stiffening the tab longitudinally: said tab having a zone adjacent the nose end thereof adapted for attachment to the easy opening container wall; and the sheet material of said tab being severed along a generally C-shaped path which partially surrounds the zone and which opens generally toward the lifting end of the tab, the severance of the sheet material along said path providing the tab with some flexibility while maintaining a high resistance to tearing of the sheet material adjacent said zone in use of the tab.

Claim 3

A tab as defined in claim 1 wherein the severance of the sheet material along the path forms a generally C-shaped slot.

Claim 4

A tab as defined in claim 1 wherein the path extends for at least 180* around said zone.

Claim 5

A tab of the type attachable to an easy opening container to at least partially remove a tear portion from the easy opening container, said tab comprising: a nose end and a lifting end, said tab being constructed of sheet material and including integral means for stiffening the tab longitudinally; said tab having a zone adjacent the nose end thereof adapted for attachment to the easy opening container; and the sheet material of said tab being separated along a path which partially surrounds said zone, said path having a first portion which extends generally transverse to a reference line drawn between said ends of the tab and which lies intermediate said zone and the nose end of the tab, said tab having second and third nose end which extend from said first portion generally toward the handle end of the tab on opposite sides, respectively, of the zone.

Claim 6

A tab of the type attachable to an easy opening container to at least partially remove a tear portion from the easy opening container, said tab comprising: a nose end and a lifting end, said tab being constructed of sheet material and including integral means for stiffening the tab longitudinally; said tab having a zone adjacent the nose end thereof adapted for attachment to the easy opening container; and the sheet material of said tab being separated along a path which partially surrounds said zone, said path having a first portion which extends generally transverse to a reference line drawn between said ends of the tab and which lies intermediate said zone and the nose end of the tab, said tab having second and third nose end which extend from said first portion generally toward the handle end of the tab on opposite sides, respectively, of the zone.

Claim 7

A tab integrally constructed of sheet material and attachable to an easy opening container comprising: a tab body and an attachment portion; said tab body having a nose end and a lifting end, at least some of the sheet material of said tab body being deformed to stiffen the tab body against bending; said tab body completely surrounding the attachment portion, said attachment portion being adjacent the nose end of the tab; said attachment portion having a zone adapted for attachment to the easy opening container; and a region of the sheet material of the tab intermediate said lifting end and said zone integrally joining said tab body and said attachment portion with said attachment portion being breed of said tab body along a path extending from one location closely adjacent one end of said region part way around said zone to a second location closely adjacent the other end of said region.

Claim 8

A tab integrally constructed of sheet material and attachable to an easy opening container comprising: a tab body and an attachment portion; said tab body having a nose end and a lifting end, at least some of the sheet material of said tab body being deformed to stiffen the tab body against bending; said tab body completely surrounding the attachment portion, said attachment portion being adjacent the nose end of the tab; said attachment portion having a zone adapted for attachment to the easy opening container; and a region of the sheet material of the tab intermediate said lifting end and said zone integrally joining said tab body and said attachment portion with said attachment portion being breed of said tab body along a path extending from one location closely adjacent one end of said region part way around said zone to a second location closely adjacent the other end of said region.

Claim 9

A tab as defined in claim 5 wherein said path is at least generally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the tab.

Claim 10

A tab integrally constructed of sheet material and attachable to an easy opening container wall comprising: a lifting end and a nose end, the sheet material at said nose end being adapted to apply a force to the easy opening container wall in response to lifting of the lifting end of the tab; the sheet material of a peripheral region of the tab being turned inwardly to form an outer reinforcing bead extending for a sUbstantial distance around the periphery of the tab to reinforce the tab against bending; said tab having a finger receiving opening adjacent the lifting end thereof the sheet material immediately surrounding the finger receiving opening being turned outwardly to form an inner reinforcing bead extending for a substantial distance around said finger receiving opening; a bathtub section of sheet material intermediate the finger receiving opening and the nose end of the tab, said bath tub section including a bottom wall and a sloping connecting wall integrally joining the bottom wall to the remainder of the tab, said sloping connecting wall extending at least substantially completely around the bottom wall; and said bottom wall having a rivet receiving aperture formed therein, said bottom wall being cut along an arcuate path extending partially around said aperture and opening toward said finger receiving opening to provide some flexibility to the tab and for maintaining a high resistance to tearing of the sheet material of the tab adjacent said rivet receiving aperture.

Claim 11

A tab integrally constructed of sheet material and attachable to an easy opening container wall comprising: a lifting end and a nose end, the sheet material at said nose end being adapted to apply a force to the easy opening container wall in response to lifting of the lifting end of the tab; the sheet material of a peripheral region of the tab being turned inwardly to form an outer reinforcing bead extending for a sUbstantial distance around the periphery of the tab to reinforce the tab against bending; said tab having a finger receiving opening adjacent the lifting end thereof the sheet material immediately surrounding the finger receiving opening being turned outwardly to form an inner reinforcing bead extending for a substantial distance around said finger receiving opening; a bathtub section of sheet material intermediate the finger receiving opening and the nose end of the tab, said bath tub section including a bottom wall and a sloping connecting wall integrally joining the bottom wall to the remainder of the tab, said sloping connecting wall extending at least substantially completely around the bottom wall; and said bottom wall having a rivet receiving aperture formed therein, said bottom wall being cut along an arcuate path extending partially around said aperture and opening toward said finger receiving opening to provide some flexibility to the tab and for maintaining a high resistance to tearing of the sheet material of the tab adjacent said rivet receiving aperture.

Claim 12

A tab as defined in claim 5, wherein said attachment portion is elongated.