Can end with retained tear strip

Claim 2

An easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material, the sheet material of said container wall being weakened in a preselected zone to define one wall segment bendable inwardly of the container wall about a bend line; a tab; means for attaching the tab to the wall segment with at least a portion of the tab overlying at least a portion of the wall segment, said tab being pivotable through a sufficient number of degrees to at least substantially invert said tab, such pivotal movement of the tab severing said sheet material along said preselected zone and bending the wall segment inwardly generally about said bend line to at least substantially invert the wall segment whereby an opening is formed in said container wall; said tab and said wall segment being sized and oriented so that a portion of said opening of sufficient size to constitute a pouring opening is uncovered by said tab after said tab and said wall segment are inverted; and said tab when inverted lying entirely within the peripheral outline of said container wall.

Claim 3

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 1 wherein said tab is constructed of sheet material, a peripheral region of the sheet material of said tab being turned upwardly and inwardly to define a peripheral reinforcing bead whereby when said tab is inverted said peripheral region of the tab is turned downwardly.

Claim 4

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 1 wherein said container wall includes a peripheral axially protruding attaching flange which at least substantially circumscribes a region of the container wall, said tab having a second portion lying outside of the wall segment and having an axis which forms an acute angle with said bend line, said tab being completely within the area circumscribed by said attaching flange when said tab is inverted.

Claim 5

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 1 wherein said tab when inverted projects completely across the opening and a section of said tab overlies the container wall, said tab having a bend portion adjacent the rim of the opening when the tab is inverted which allows said section of the tab to be closer to the container wall than if said bend portion were not provided.

Claim 6

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said container wall includes a depressed region for receiving said section of said tab prior to pivoting of the tab to form said opening.

Claim 7

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 1 wherein said container wall includes a depressed section formed downwardly in said container wall, at least a major portion of said wall segment being formed in said depressed section, said tab when inverted having first, second and third sections, said first section being on the inner side of the container wall, said second section overlying the opening and said third section being on the outer side of the container wall, said third section of said tab lying entirely within the area of said depressed section.

Claim 8

An easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material, the sheet material of said container wall being weakened in a preselected zone to define a wall segment bendable inwardly of the container wall about a bend line; said container wall having a depressed section therein, at least a major portion of said wall segment being located in said depressed section; a tab; means for attaching the tab to the container wall with at least a portion of the tab overlying at least a portion of the wall segment, said tab being pivotable through a sufficient number of degrees to at least substantially invert said tab, such pivotal movement of the tab severing said sheet material along said preselected zone and bending the wall segment inwardly generally about said bend line to at least substantially invert said wall seGment whereby an opening is formed in said container wall; said tab when inverted projecting completely across said opening and having a section which overlies said container wall, said section of said tab lying entirely within the area of said depressed section; and said tab and said wall segment being sized and oriented so that a portion of said opening of sufficient size to constitute a pouring opening is uncovered by said tab after said tab and said wall segment are inverted.

Claim 9

An easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material, the sheet material of said container wall being weakened in a preselected zone to define a wall segment bendable inwardly of the container wall about a bend line; said container wall having a depressed section therein, at least a major portion of said wall segment being located in said depressed section; a tab; means for attaching the tab to the container wall with at least a portion of the tab overlying at least a portion of the wall segment, said tab being pivotable through a sufficient number of degrees to at least substantially invert said tab, such pivotal movement of the tab severing said sheet material along said preselected zone and bending the wall segment inwardly generally about said bend line to at least substantially invert said wall seGment whereby an opening is formed in said container wall; said tab when inverted projecting completely across said opening and having a section which overlies said container wall, said section of said tab lying entirely within the area of said depressed section; and said tab and said wall segment being sized and oriented so that a portion of said opening of sufficient size to constitute a pouring opening is uncovered by said tab after said tab and said wall segment are inverted.

Claim 10

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 7 wherein said tab has a bend portion adjacent the rim of the opening when the tab is inverted which causes said section of the tab to be closer to the container wall than if said bend portion were not provided.

Claim 11

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 8 wherein said container wall includes a depressed region for receiving said section of said tab prior to pivoting of the tab to form said opening.

Claim 12

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 7 wherein said bend line forms an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of said tab, said preselected zone includes first and section portions extending in different directions and defining a corner of the wall segment, said tab having a rupturing nose adapted to contact said container wall substantially at said corner.

Claim 13

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 10 wherein said wall segment includes a section outside of said depressed section, said tab being attached to the wall segment at said section which is outside of said depressed section.

Claim 14

An easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material, the sheet material of said container wall being weakened in a preselected zone to define a wall segment bendable inwardly of the container wall about a bend line; a tab; means for attaching the tab to the container wall, at least a portion of the tab overlying at least a portion of the wall segment, said tab being pivotable through a sufficient number of degrees to at least substantially invert said tab, such pivotal movement of the tab severing said sheet material along said preselected zone and bending the wall segment inwardly generally about said bend line to at least substantially invert the wall segment whereby an opening is formed in said container wall; said tab when inverted projecting completely across said opening and having a section which overlies said container wall, said tab having a bend portion adjacent the rim of the opening when the tab is inverted which causes said section of said tab to be closer to the container wall than if said bend portion were not provided; and said tab and said wall segment being sized and oriented so that a portion of said opening of sufficient size to constitute a pouring opening is uncovered by the tab when said tab and said wall segment are inverted.

Claim 15

An easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material, the sheet material of said container wall being weakened in a preselected zone to define a wall segment bendable inwardly of the container wall about a bend line; a tab; means for attaching the tab to the container wall, at least a portion of the tab overlying at least a portion of the wall segment, said tab being pivotable through a sufficient number of degrees to at least substantially invert said tab, such pivotal movement of the tab severing said sheet material along said preselected zone and bending the wall segment inwardly generally about said bend line to at least substantially invert the wall segment whereby an opening is formed in said container wall; said tab when inverted projecting completely across said opening and having a section which overlies said container wall, said tab having a bend portion adjacent the rim of the opening when the tab is inverted which causes said section of said tab to be closer to the container wall than if said bend portion were not provided; and said tab and said wall segment being sized and oriented so that a portion of said opening of sufficient size to constitute a pouring opening is uncovered by the tab when said tab and said wall segment are inverted.

Claim 16

An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 12 wherein said bend portion extends generally across said tab and provides a greater offset at one end of said bend portion than at the other end of said bend portion.