Tab for tear strip of container wall

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 integrally constructed of sheet material and including means for stiffening said tab against bending; said tab having a finger receiving opening adjacent the lifting end thereof and a relatively smooth surface at least partially surrounding the finger receiving opening; said tab having a preselected region intermediate said nose end and said opening for cooperating with attaching means for attaching the tab to the container wall; the sheet material adjacent said preselected region being severed along a path to provide the tab with a flexing characteristic which facilitates moving of the lifting end of the tab away from the container wall in response to a minimum lifting force; and said path being configured and located to produce no bend line in the tab as a result of normal use the tab.

Claim 3

A tab as defined in claim 1 wherein a region of the sheet material between said nose end and said finger receiving opening is depressed beneath the surrounding region of the sheet material to define a bottom wall, said bottom wall being joined to said surrounding region of sheet material by a connecting wall, said preselected region and said path being located in said bottom wall.

Claim 4

A tab as defined in claim 2 wherein said path extends across said bottom wall and terminates in said connecting wall.

Claim 5

A tab as defined in claim 1 wherein the center of said preselected region lies closely adjacent the longitudinal axis of the tab, said path does not extend a significant distance on the nose end side of a line drawn transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tab and through the edge of said preselected region nearest the handle end of the tab.

Claim 6

A tab of the type for attachment to an easy-opening container wall, said tab being integrally constructed of sheet material and including: a nose end and a lifting end, marginal portions of said tab being turned to form generally longitudinally extending reinforcing bead portions on the opposite sides of the tab to strengthen the tab longitudinally; said tab having a finger receiving opening adjacent the lifting end thereof with the sheet material adjacent said opening being turned to define an inner reinforcing bead extending at least partially around said opening; an aperture in the region of sheet material between the nose end and said finger receiving opening for receiving attaching means for attaching the tab to the container wall; the sheet material between the center of said aperture and said finger receiving opening being cut along a path to provide the tab with a flexing characteristic which facilitates raising of the handle end of the tab above the container wall in response to a minimum lifting force; said path extending no more than about 180* around said aperture and being configured and located to produce no bend line in the tab forward of the aperture as a result of normal use of the tab whereby the tab has substantial resistance to tearing between said path and said nose end; and said path having a portion extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said tab.

Claim 7

A tab of the type for attachment to an easy-opening container wall, said tab being integrally constructed of sheet material and including: a nose end and a lifting end, marginal portions of said tab being turned to form generally longitudinally extending reinforcing bead portions on the opposite sides of the tab to strengthen the tab longitudinally; said tab having a finger receiving opening adjacent the lifting end thereof with the sheet material adjacent said opening being turned to define an inner reinforcing bead extending at least partially around said opening; an aperture in the region of sheet material between the nose end and said finger receiving opening for receiving attaching means for attaching the tab to the container wall; the sheet material between the center of said aperture and said finger receiving opening being cut along a path to provide the tab with a flexing characteristic which facilitates raising of the handle end of the tab above the container wall in response to a minimum lifting force; said path extending no more than about 180* around said aperture and being configured and located to produce no bend line in the tab forward of the aperture as a result of normal use of the tab whereby the tab has substantial resistance to tearing between said path and said nose end; and said path having a portion extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said tab.

Claim 8

A tab as defined in claim 5 wherein said cut includes a slit.

Claim 9

A tab as defined in claim 5 wherein said cut includes a slot.

Claim 10

A tab of the type attachable to an easy-opening container wall comprising: a tab body and an attachment portion both constructed of sheet material, the tab body circumscribing the attachment portion; said tab body having a lifting end and a nose end, a marginal portion of the sheet material of said tab body being turned inwardly to define a stiffening bead which extends at least substantially continuously along the opposite sides of the tab body and at least substantially continuously aloNg the nose end of the tab body; said attachment portion being integrally joined to the tab body and adapted for attaching the tab to the easy-opening container wall; and the portion of said bead at the central location along the nose end of said tab body being formed into a relatively pointed double layer rupturing nose adapted to face the easy-opening container wall and apply a relatively concentrated rupturing force thereto.

Claim 11

A tab of the type attachable to an easy-opening container wall comprising: a tab body and an attachment portion both constructed of sheet material, the tab body circumscribing the attachment portion; said tab body having a lifting end and a nose end, a marginal portion of the sheet material of said tab body being turned inwardly to define a stiffening bead which extends at least substantially continuously along the opposite sides of the tab body and at least substantially continuously aloNg the nose end of the tab body; said attachment portion being integrally joined to the tab body and adapted for attaching the tab to the easy-opening container wall; and the portion of said bead at the central location along the nose end of said tab body being formed into a relatively pointed double layer rupturing nose adapted to face the easy-opening container wall and apply a relatively concentrated rupturing force thereto.

Claim 12

A tab as defined in claim 8 wherein said bead has an indentation therein above said rupturing nose, said indentation opening upwardly, said rupturing nose terminating beneath the adjacent portions of said bead.

Claim 13

A tab of the type for attachment to an easy-opening container wall, said tab being integrally constructed of sheet material and including; a nose end and a lifting end, marginal portions of said tab being turned to form generally longitudinally extending reinforcing bead portions on the opposite sides of the tab to strengthen the tab longitudinally; said tab having a finger receiving opening adjacent the lifting end thereof with the sheet material adjacent said opening being turned to define an inner reinforcing bead extending at least partially around said opening; an aperture in the region of sheet material between the nose end and said finger receiving opening for receiving attaching means for attaching the tab to the container wall; the sheet material between the center of said aperture and said finger receiving opening being cut along a path to provide the tab with a flexing characteristic which facilitates raising of the handle end of the tab above the container wall in response to a minimum lifting force; said path extending no more than about 180* around said aperture and being located to prevent formation of a bend line in the tab forwardly of said aperture whereby the tab has substantial resistance to tearing between said path and said nose end; said path having a portion extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said tab; and said bead portions extending at least substantially continuously along said nose end and forming a substantially continuous bead along said nose end, the portion of said bead located centrally of the nose end of said tab being formed into a relatively pointed double layer rupturing nose.

Claim 14

A tab of the type for attachment to an easy-opening container wall, said tab being integrally constructed of sheet material and including; a nose end and a lifting end, marginal portions of said tab being turned to form generally longitudinally extending reinforcing bead portions on the opposite sides of the tab to strengthen the tab longitudinally; said tab having a finger receiving opening adjacent the lifting end thereof with the sheet material adjacent said opening being turned to define an inner reinforcing bead extending at least partially around said opening; an aperture in the region of sheet material between the nose end and said finger receiving opening for receiving attaching means for attaching the tab to the container wall; the sheet material between the center of said aperture and said finger receiving opening being cut along a path to provide the tab with a flexing characteristic which facilitates raising of the handle end of the tab above the container wall in response to a minimum lifting force; said path extending no more than about 180* around said aperture and being located to prevent formation of a bend line in the tab forwardly of said aperture whereby the tab has substantial resistance to tearing between said path and said nose end; said path having a portion extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said tab; and said bead portions extending at least substantially continuously along said nose end and forming a substantially continuous bead along said nose end, the portion of said bead located centrally of the nose end of said tab being formed into a relatively pointed double layer rupturing nose.

Claim 15

An easy-opening container wall comprising: a container wall having a line of weakness therein defining a panel at least partially removable from the container wall; a tab of sheet material having a nose end and a handle end at the forward and rear ends, respectively, of the tab; means for attaching the tab at a location intermediate said handle end and said nose end to said panel with said nose end lying closely adjacent said line of weakness and with said tab overlying at least a portion of the panel whereby lifting of said handle end forces said nose end against said container wall to cause rupture of said line of weakness; the sheet material of said tab adjacent said attaching means being weakened along a path to permit flexing of said tab in response to an outward lifting force on said handle end; and said path being configured and positioned to cause a paddle section of the panel to bend inwardly about a bend line lying rearwardly of the center of said attaching means in response to lifting of said handle end.

Claim 16

An easy-opening container wall comprising: a container wall having a line of weakness therein defining a panel at least partially removable from the container wall; a tab of sheet material having a nose end and a handle end at the forward and rear ends, respectively, of the tab; means for attaching the tab at a location intermediate said handle end and said nose end to said panel with said nose end lying closely adjacent said line of weakness and with said tab overlying at least a portion of the panel whereby lifting of said handle end forces said nose end against said container wall to cause rupture of said line of weakness; the sheet material of said tab adjacent said attaching means being weakened along a path to permit flexing of said tab in response to an outward lifting force on said handle end; and said path being configured and positioned to cause a paddle section of the panel to bend inwardly about a bend line lying rearwardly of the center of said attaching means in response to lifting of said handle end.

Claim 17

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 11 wherein said path includes a slot.

Claim 18

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 11 including rupturable attaching means for attaching said tab to said container wall rearwardly of said path, said rupturable attaching means being rupturable from the container wall upon initial movement of the handle end of the tab away from the container wall to form a vent opening in the container wall.

Claim 19

A tab of the type attachable to a tear portion of an easy-opening container wall to initiate severance of the tear portion through pivotal movement of the tab to cause depression of a section of the tear portion inwardly, said tab comprising: a nose end and a lifting end at the forward and rear ends of the tab, respectively, 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 tear portion of the easy opening container wall; and the sheet material of said tab adjacent said zone being severed along an elongated path to reduce the rigidity of the tab to bending forces to permit said tab to initiate severance of the tear portion by pivoting about a hinge line lying rearwardly of the center of said zone without forming a bend line in the tab.

Claim 20

A tab of the type attachable to a tear portion of an easy-opening container wall to initiate severance of the tear portion through pivotal movement of the tab to cause depression of a section of the tear portion inwardly, said tab comprising: a nose end and a lifting end at the forward and rear ends of the tab, respectively, 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 tear portion of the easy opening container wall; and the sheet material of said tab adjacent said zone being severed along an elongated path to reduce the rigidity of the tab to bending forces to permit said tab to initiate severance of the tear portion by pivoting about a hinge line lying rearwardly of the center of said zone without forming a bend line in the tab.

Claim 21

A tab as defined in claim 14 wherein the tab has an integral bathtub section lying adjacent the nose end, said bathtub section having a bottom wall and connecting wall which integrally connects the bottom wall to the remainder of the tab, said path lying within said bathtub section.

Claim 22

A tab as defined in claim 14 wherein the tab has a finger receiving opening adjacent the lifting end thereof and said path lies between said finger receiving opening and said nose end, said path being completely surrounded by sheet material, said hinge line about which the tab is pivotable lying rearwardly of said zone.

Claim 23

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 20 wherein said means for attaching includes an aperture in said tab and a rivet projecting through said tab and said path does not extend significantly on the nose end side of a line drawn transverse to said tab through the rearwardmost point of said aperture.

Claim 24

A tab of the type attachable to an easy opening container wall comprising: a member of sheet material, said member having a nose end and a lifting end and being substantially rigid between said ends; said member having a preselected region intermediate said nose end and said lifting end adapted for attachment to the container wall; the sheet material adjacent said preselected region being severed along a path to reduce the rigidity of aid member to thereby facilitate the movement of said lifting end of the member away from the container wall when said member is attached at said preselected region to said container wall; and said path being configured and located to produce no bend line in said member as a result of moving the lifting end of the member away from the container wall to form an opening in the container wall.

Claim 25

A tab of the type attachable to an easy opening container wall comprising: a member of sheet material, said member having a nose end and a lifting end and being substantially rigid between said ends; said member having a preselected region intermediate said nose end and said lifting end adapted for attachment to the container wall; the sheet material adjacent said preselected region being severed along a path to reduce the rigidity of aid member to thereby facilitate the movement of said lifting end of the member away from the container wall when said member is attached at said preselected region to said container wall; and said path being configured and located to produce no bend line in said member as a result of moving the lifting end of the member away from the container wall to form an opening in the container wall.

Claim 26

A tab as defined in claim 18 wherein said path does not extend on the nose end side of said preselected region.

Claim 27

A tab of the type attachable to an easy opening container wall comprising: a member of sheet material, said member having a nose end and a lifting end and being substantially rigid between said ends; said member having a preselected region intermediate said nose end and said lifting end adapted for attachment to the container wall; the sheet material adjacent said preselected region being severed along a path to reduce the rigidity of said member to thereby facilitate the movement of said lifting end of the member away from the container wall when said member is attached at said preselected region to said container wall; and means for preventing the severance of the sheet material along said path from forming a hinge line in said member as a result of moving the lifting end of the member away from the container wall to form an opening in the container wall.

Claim 28

A tab of the type attachable to an easy opening container wall comprising: a member of sheet material, said member having a nose end and a lifting end and being substantially rigid between said ends; said member having a preselected region intermediate said nose end and said lifting end adapted for attachment to the container wall; the sheet material adjacent said preselected region being severed along a path to reduce the rigidity of said member to thereby facilitate the movement of said lifting end of the member away from the container wall when said member is attached at said preselected region to said container wall; and means for preventing the severance of the sheet material along said path from forming a hinge line in said member as a result of moving the lifting end of the member away from the container wall to form an opening in the container wall.

Claim 29

An easy-opening container wall comprising: a container wall having a line of weakness therein defining a panel at least partially removable from the container wall; a tab of sheet material having a nose end and a handle end at the forward and rear ends, respectively, of the tab; means for attaching the tab at a location intermediate said handle end and said nose end to said panel with said nose end lying closely adjacent said line of weakNess and with said tab overlying at least a portion of the panel whereby lifting of said handle end forces said nose end against said container wall to cause rupture of said line of weakness; the sheet material of said tab adjacent said attaching means being weakened along a path to permit flexing of said tab in response to an outward lifting force on said handle end; and said tab including means responsive to the movement of said handle end of said tab away from the container wall for being a section of the container wall inwardly about a bend line lying generally on the handle end side of the center of said attaching means.

Claim 30

An easy-opening container wall comprising: a container wall having a line of weakness therein defining a panel at least partially removable from the container wall; a tab of sheet material having a nose end and a handle end at the forward and rear ends, respectively, of the tab; means for attaching the tab at a location intermediate said handle end and said nose end to said panel with said nose end lying closely adjacent said line of weakNess and with said tab overlying at least a portion of the panel whereby lifting of said handle end forces said nose end against said container wall to cause rupture of said line of weakness; the sheet material of said tab adjacent said attaching means being weakened along a path to permit flexing of said tab in response to an outward lifting force on said handle end; and said tab including means responsive to the movement of said handle end of said tab away from the container wall for being a section of the container wall inwardly about a bend line lying generally on the handle end side of the center of said attaching means.

Claim 31

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 21 wherein said bend line lies on the handle end side of said attaching means.