Can end with inseparable tear strip and latch means for holding tear strip against can wall

Claim 2

A container comprising: a container body; a container end of sheet material; means for attaching the container end to the container body; said container end having a line of weakness therein defining a tear portion partially removable from the container end to form an opening in said container end; a tab constructed of sheet material and attached to the tear portion for partially removing the tear portion from the can end and for peeling the tear portion back to allow at least a portion of the tab to substantially confront a portion of the container body to thereby define a retained position of the tab and the tear portion, a portion of the sheet material of said tab defining a locking projection which projects outwardly of the container end prior to partial removal of the tear portion; and means on at least one of the container end and the container body for interlocking with the locking projection to retain the tab and the tear portion in said retained position.

Claim 3

A container as defined in claim 1 wherein the portion of said last mentioned means which is on at least one of said container body and said container end includes at least a portion of said means for attaching.

Claim 4

A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said attaching means defines a shoulder, said tab includes a mounting ear attached to the tear portion, said means for interlocking including at least a portion of said shoulder, and a portion of said mounting ear defining said locking projection.

Claim 5

An easy opening container wall attachable to a container body, said easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material, said container wall having a peripheral attaching flange for use in attaching the container wall to a container body; a line of weakness in said container wall defining a tear portion which is partially removable from the container wall; a tab for partially removing the tear portion by tearing of the sheet material long the line of weakness to thereby form an opening in the container wall, said tab including a mounting ear and a tab body attached to the mounting ear for pivotal movement relative thereto; means for attaching said mounting ear of said tab to said tear portion; said tab including a locking flange projecting outwardly of the container wall; and said tear portion being of sufficient length to allow the tear portion to be pulled back by said tab across a region of the container wall and to allow the locking flange to interlock with the attaching flange when the container wall is attached to a container body to thereby lock the tab and tear portion in an open position.

Claim 6

An easy opening container wall attachable to a container body, said easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material, said container wall having a peripheral attaching flange for use in attaching the container wall to a container body; a line of weakness in said container wall defining a tear portion which is partially removable from the container wall; a tab for partially removing the tear portion by tearing of the sheet material long the line of weakness to thereby form an opening in the container wall, said tab including a mounting ear and a tab body attached to the mounting ear for pivotal movement relative thereto; means for attaching said mounting ear of said tab to said tear portion; said tab including a locking flange projecting outwardly of the container wall; and said tear portion being of sufficient length to allow the tear portion to be pulled back by said tab across a region of the container wall and to allow the locking flange to interlock with the attaching flange when the container wall is attached to a container body to thereby lock the tab and tear portion in an open position.

Claim 7

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said mounting ear terminates in said locking flange.

Claim 8

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein the line of weakness terminates in two spaced ends each of which is spaced inwardly from the peripheral attaching flange, said mounting ear of said tab being attached to the tear portion at the end thereof opposite said ends of said line of weakness, said tab body having a lifting end and being attached to said mounting ear at the end thereof opposite said lifting end.

Claim 9

A container comprising: a container body; a can end of sheet material; means including a peripherally extending bead for attaching the can end to the can body; said can end having a tear portion, said tear portion having a leading end and a terminal end with the terminal end being pErmanently attached to the can end; a tab attached to the tear portion adjacent the leading end for partially removing the tear portion from the can end; said tab having a locking flange projecting away from the can end prior to initiation of severance of the sheet material along the line of weakness by the tab; and said tear portion being sufficiently long to allow the tear portion to be pulled back across a region of the can end and to allow the locking flange to interlock with said bead to latch the tab and tear portion in the pulled back condition.

Claim 10

A container comprising: a container body; a can end of sheet material; means including a peripherally extending bead for attaching the can end to the can body; said can end having a tear portion, said tear portion having a leading end and a terminal end with the terminal end being pErmanently attached to the can end; a tab attached to the tear portion adjacent the leading end for partially removing the tear portion from the can end; said tab having a locking flange projecting away from the can end prior to initiation of severance of the sheet material along the line of weakness by the tab; and said tear portion being sufficiently long to allow the tear portion to be pulled back across a region of the can end and to allow the locking flange to interlock with said bead to latch the tab and tear portion in the pulled back condition.

Claim 11

A container as defined in claim 7 wherein said tab includes a mounting ear and a tab body at least substantially surrounding said mounting ear, said tab body having a handle end at one end and being pivotally joined to said mounting ear adjacent the other end of said tab body, said mounting ear being attached to said tear portion, said locking flange being provided on said mounting ear.

Claim 12

A tab constructed from a single piece of sheet material comprising: an attachment portion; a ring-like tab body substantially circumscribing said attachment portion; a pliable connecting portion for integrally joining the attachment portion to one end of said tab body for pivotal movement of the tab body relative to the attachment portion; the other end of said tab body defining a handle end; and said attachment portion extending from said connecting portion toward said handle end and terminating at the end thereof nearer the handle end in an upstanding latching flange, said attachment portion having side edges, said flange terminating at said side edges.

Claim 13

A tab constructed from a single piece of sheet material comprising: an attachment portion; a ring-like tab body substantially circumscribing said attachment portion; a pliable connecting portion for integrally joining the attachment portion to one end of said tab body for pivotal movement of the tab body relative to the attachment portion; the other end of said tab body defining a handle end; and said attachment portion extending from said connecting portion toward said handle end and terminating at the end thereof nearer the handle end in an upstanding latching flange, said attachment portion having side edges, said flange terminating at said side edges.