Container with permanently attached tear strip and tab

Claim 2

In an easy open end panel having a substantially U-shaped weakened line defining a tear strip having a permanent connection with said panel; and elongated tab having opposite ends; connecting means connecting one end of said tab to said strip at a location spaced from the permanent connection of the tear strip to said panel with said tab overlying said tear strip and extending generally parallel to said panel; and guide means on said tab cooperating with the container wall for maintaining opposite ends of said tab on opposite sides of said panel after severing of said weakened line.

Claim 3

An easy open end as defined in claim 1, in which said guide means on said tab includes a reduced transverse area intermediate opposite ends of said tab and in which said tear strip defines a reduced area opening adjacent said permanent connection for receiving said reduced transverse area of said tab.

Claim 4

An easy open end as defined in claim 2, in which said means on said tab includes a handle on one end of said tab having a transverse dimension greater than the maximum transverse dimension of said tear strip.

Claim 5

An easy open end panel as defined in claim 2, in which said reduced area is located adjacent said handle end and said tab has a common transverse dimension along a major portion of its length between said reduced area and said end of said tab.

Claim 6

An easy open container comprising a container wall having a weakened line defining a tear section at least partially removable from the container, said tear section having a leading end and an opposite base end with said base end permanently connected to said container wall; a pull tab having a handle end and an opposite end; means permanently connecting said opposite end of said pull tab to said tear section adjacent said leading end; and guide means between the ends of said tab for receiving severed edges of said container wall after severance of said weakened line to guide said tab along said container wall.

Claim 7

An easy open container comprising a container wall having a weakened line defining a tear section at least partially removable from the container, said tear section having a leading end and an opposite base end with said base end permanently connected to said container wall; a pull tab having a handle end and an opposite end; means permanently connecting said opposite end of said pull tab to said tear section adjacent said leading end; and guide means between the ends of said tab for receiving severed edges of said container wall after severance of said weakened line to guide said tab along said container wall.

Claim 8

An easy open container as defined in claim 5, in which said tear portion defines an open area that includes an enlarged portion adjacent said leading end and a reduced portion adjacent said base end, said reduced portion of said open area having a common transverse dimension with said guide means receiving opposed edges of said container wall defining said reduced portion when said tab is in an open position.

Claim 9

An easy open end as defined in claim 6, in which said tab has a transverse dimension along a major portion of its length which is greater than said common transverse dimension with recesses on opposite edges of said tab defining said guide means.

Claim 10

An easy open end as defined in claim 7, in which the longitudinal spacing between said base end of said tear section and connecting means is only slightly greater than the longitudinal spacing between said connecting means and said recesses so that said tear section is elongated within elastic limits during alignment of said recesses with the opposed edges of said container wall.

Claim 11

An easy open end as defined in claim 6, in which said enlarged portion of said tear section is substantially rectangular.

Claim 12

An easy open end as defined in claim 6, in which said enlarged portion of said tear section is of substantially arrow configuration and terminates at a point on said leading end.

Claim 13

A tab attachable to a tear portion defined by a weakened line in a container wall comprising an elongated member having a common transverse dimension between opposite edges throughout a major portion of its length; handle means on one end of said tab, said handle means including projections extending outwardly of said opposite edges; and recess means in opposite edges adjacent said handle means for guiding the tab along the container wall.

Claim 14

A tab attachable to a tear portion defined by a weakened line in a container wall comprising an elongated member having a common transverse dimension between opposite edges throughout a major portion of its length; handle means on one end of said tab, said handle means including projections extending outwardly of said opposite edges; and recess means in opposite edges adjacent said handle means for guiding the tab along the container wall.

Claim 15

A tab as defined in claim 11, in which said member is a one-piece sheet of material having means integral therewith for reinforcing and stiffening said tab throughout its length to prevent bending of said tab transversely of its length during rupture of the weakened line in the container wall.

Claim 16

A tab as definEd in claim 11, in which said tab has inclined planar edges adjacent said opposite end defining an included acute angle and merging into a piercing point.

Claim 17

A tab as defined in claim 11, in which said tab has inclined planar edges merging to a point and defining an included obtuse angle substantially greater than 90*.

Claim 18

An easy open container including a container wall having a weakened line defining an elongated tear strip permanently secured at one end to said container wall and having an enlarged portion adjacent the opposite end defining a pouring opening in said container wall when said weakened line is severed; a tab having a handle end and a tear initiating end; connecting means connecting said tear initiating end of said tab to said enlarged portion of said tear strip with said tab extending generally parallel to said container wall; and means on said tab for maintaining said tear initiating end of said tab within said container after rupture of said weakened line by pivotal movement of said tab away from said container wall so that at least said tear initiating end of said tab is stored within said container.

Claim 19

An easy open container including a container wall having a weakened line defining an elongated tear strip permanently secured at one end to said container wall and having an enlarged portion adjacent the opposite end defining a pouring opening in said container wall when said weakened line is severed; a tab having a handle end and a tear initiating end; connecting means connecting said tear initiating end of said tab to said enlarged portion of said tear strip with said tab extending generally parallel to said container wall; and means on said tab for maintaining said tear initiating end of said tab within said container after rupture of said weakened line by pivotal movement of said tab away from said container wall so that at least said tear initiating end of said tab is stored within said container.

Claim 20

An easy open container as defined in claim 15, in which said tear strip includes a reduced portion between said enlarged portion and said permanently secured end, said tab has a transverse dimension along a major portion of its length that is greater than the transverse dimension of said reduced portion and less than a major transverse dimension of said enlarged portion, and said means on said tab includes a reduced area between opposite ends of said tab and dimensioned to be received in a reduced portion of the opening produced by rupture of said weakened line.

Claim 21

An easy open container as defined in claim 16, in which said reduced area of said tab is located adjacent said handle end and said handle end has a transverse dimension greater than the major transverse dimension of said enlarged portion to prevent said tab from being forced into said container beyond the reduced area.

Claim 22

An easy open container including a container body and a metal end panel connected to said body by a seam that defines a rim extending beyond said end panel, said end panel having a weakened line defining an elongated tear strip having an enlarged portion at one end adjacent said rim and a reduced portion terminating in a base end permanently joined said end panel, said reduced portion defining spaced parallel marginal edges in said end panel when said weakened line is ruptured; an elongated tab having a handle end and a rupturing end; connecting means between said enlarged portion of said tear strip and said rupturing end of said tab, said tab having a transverse dimension along a major portion of its length that is greater than the spacing between said parallel marginal edges in said end panel; and means defining recesses in opposite edges of said tab adjacent said handle end for receiving said parallel marginal edges so that (1) pivotal movement of said handle end will rupture said weakened line along said enlarged portion of said tear portion and (2) downward movement of said tab into said container will sever said weakened line in said reduced portion and align said recesses with said marginal edges to allow said handle end of said tab to be moved along said reduced portion and maintain a major portion of said tab and all of said tear strip below said end panel.

Claim 23

An easy open container including a container body and a metal end panel connected to said body by a seam that defines a rim extending beyond said end panel, said end panel having a weakened line defining an elongated tear strip having an enlarged portion at one end adjacent said rim and a reduced portion terminating in a base end permanently joined said end panel, said reduced portion defining spaced parallel marginal edges in said end panel when said weakened line is ruptured; an elongated tab having a handle end and a rupturing end; connecting means between said enlarged portion of said tear strip and said rupturing end of said tab, said tab having a transverse dimension along a major portion of its length that is greater than the spacing between said parallel marginal edges in said end panel; and means defining recesses in opposite edges of said tab adjacent said handle end for receiving said parallel marginal edges so that (1) pivotal movement of said handle end will rupture said weakened line along said enlarged portion of said tear portion and (2) downward movement of said tab into said container will sever said weakened line in said reduced portion and align said recesses with said marginal edges to allow said handle end of said tab to be moved along said reduced portion and maintain a major portion of said tab and all of said tear strip below said end panel.

Claim 24

An easy open container as defined in claim 18, in which said tab has an elongated dimension between said recesses and said connecting means that is only slightly less than elongated dimension of said tear strip between said connecting means and said base end so that said tear strip is elongated within its elastic limits while said recesses are being aligned with said parallel marginal edges and release of said tab, when said parallel marginal edges are in, will cause said recesses to move along said parallel marginal edges of said end panel.

Claim 25

An easy open container As defined in claim 18, in which said enlarged portion of said tear strip is of generally rectangular configuration.

Claim 26

An easy open container as defined in claim 18, in which said enlarged portion of said tear strip is of generally arrow configuration.