Easy opening closure

Claim 2

An easy opening closure comprising: an end wall; a peripheral wall joined to the end wall and extending generally transversely of the end wall; first means defining a tear strip on the peripheral wall, said strip extending generally circumferentially of the peripheral wall and dividing the closure into a closure section and a retainer section, said tear strip being completely removable from one of said sections without removing the tear strip from the other of said sections whereby said sections can be separated with the tear strip remaining attached to said other section; said first means including first and second lines of weakness extending circumferentially on the peripheral wall; said first line of weakness facilitating removal of the tear strip from said one section along a path which extends circumferentially from one location completely around the peripheral wall back to said first location; said second line of weakness having first and second spaced apart ends whereby the material of the peripheral wall between said ends attaches the tear strip to said other section; and second means for attaching the tear strip to said one section after said sections have been separated.

Claim 3

An easy opening closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said one section is the retainer section.

Claim 4

An easy opening closure as defined in claim 2 wherein said retainer section has a lower edge and said second means includes a tab extending downwardly from said lower edge and an opening in one of said tab and said tear strip, a portion of the other of said tab and said tear strip being receivable in said opening to attach the tear strip to said retainer section.

Claim 5

An easy opening closure as defined in claim 3 wherein said opening is in said tab.

Claim 6

An easy opening closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said second means includes a tab on said one section and an opening in one of said tab and said tear strip, a portion of the other of said tab and said tear strip being receivable in said opening to attach the tear strip to said one section.

Claim 7

An easy opening closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said first line of weakness is endless and extends from said first location completely around the peripheral wall back to said first location and defines along its full length one edge of the tear strip.

Claim 8

An easy opening closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said peripheral wall has an inner surface and an outer surface, said lines of weakness being formed on the inner surface, said closure including handle means joined to the tear strip and projecting from said outer surface.

Claim 9

An easy opening closure as defined in claim 1 including an annular wall joined to said end wall and projecting generally axially thereof radially inwardly of the peripheral wall, said end wall and said annular wall defining an annular groove opening radially outwardly.

Claim 10

An easy opening closure comprising: an end wall; a peripheral wall joined to the end wall and extending generally transversely of the end wall; first means defining a tear strip on the peripheral wall, said tear strip extending generally circumferentially of the peripheral wall and dividing the closure into a closure section and a retainer section, said tear strip being completely removable from one of said sections without removing the tear strip from the other of said sections whereby said sections can be separated with the tear strip remaining attached to said other section, said one section being said retainer section, said retainer section having a lower edge; a tab extending downwardly from said lower edge, said tab having an opening therein; handle means on said tear strip adapted to be manually grasped to remove the tear strip from said retainer section; and a portion of the tear strip adjacent the handle means being receivable in said opening in the tab after the tear strip is removed from said retainer section to attach the tear strip to the retainer section with said handle means assisting to resist removal of the tear strip from the tab.

Claim 11

An easy opening closure comprising: an end wall; a peripheral wall joined to the end wall and extending generally transversely of the end wall; first means defining a tear strip on the peripheral wall, said tear strip extending generally circumferentially of the peripheral wall and dividing the closure into a closure section and a retainer section, said tear strip being completely removable from one of said sections without removing the tear strip from the other of said sections whereby said sections can be separated with the tear strip remaining attached to said other section, said one section being said retainer section, said retainer section having a lower edge; a tab extending downwardly from said lower edge, said tab having an opening therein; handle means on said tear strip adapted to be manually grasped to remove the tear strip from said retainer section; and a portion of the tear strip adjacent the handle means being receivable in said opening in the tab after the tear strip is removed from said retainer section to attach the tear strip to the retainer section with said handle means assisting to resist removal of the tear strip from the tab.

Claim 12

An easy opening closure comprising: an end wall; a peripheral wall joined to the end wall and extending generally transversely of the end wall; first means defining a tear strip on the peripheral wall, said strip extending generally circumferentially of the peripheral wall and dividing the closure into a closure section and a retainer section, said tear strip being completely removable from one of said sections without removing the tear strip from the other of said sections whereby said sections can be separated with the tear strip remaining attached to said other section; said retainer section forming a band and having a lower edge; said first means including first and second lines of weakness extending circumferentially on the peripheral wall; said first line of weakness facilitating removal of the tear strip from said one section along a path which extends circumferentially from one location completely around the peripheral wall back to said first location; and said second line of weakness having first and second spaced apart ends whereby the material of the peripheral wall between said ends attaches the tear strip to said other section, said ends being spaced by material of the peripheral wall from said lower edge so that severance of the material of the peripheral wall along the second line of weakness leaves the band formed by the retainer section unbroken.

Claim 13

An easy opening closure comprising: an end wall; a peripheral wall joined to the end wall and extending generally transversely of the end wall; first means defining a tear strip on the peripheral wall, said strip extending generally circumferentially of the peripheral wall and dividing the closure into a closure section and a retainer section, said tear strip being completely removable from one of said sections without removing the tear strip from the other of said sections whereby said sections can be separated with the tear strip remaining attached to said other section; said retainer section forming a band and having a lower edge; said first means including first and second lines of weakness extending circumferentially on the peripheral wall; said first line of weakness facilitating removal of the tear strip from said one section along a path which extends circumferentially from one location completely around the peripheral wall back to said first location; and said second line of weakness having first and second spaced apart ends whereby the material of the peripheral wall between said ends attaches the tear strip to said other section, said ends being spaced by material of the peripheral wall from said lower edge so that severance of the material of the peripheral wall along the second line of weakness leaves the band formed by the retainer section unbroken.