Easy open end

Claim 2

An easy open closure member for a container comprised of a panel means and a depressible tab provided with a hinge portion formed integrally with said panel means and a relatively stiff nose portion that includes a pressure relief notch means spaced from said hinge portion, said nose portion being severed from and selectively overlapped by said panel means, sealant patching material covering the underside of said panel means in the area of severance of said nose portion and said panel means for effecting a seal between said panel means and said depressible tab nose portion and means retaining the remaining peripheral portions of the tab intermediate the hinge portion and nose portion in a predetermined closed position relative to the panel means.

Claim 3

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tab has an elongated configuration with the main axis of said tab extending in a radially outward direction from the center of the panel means.

Claim 4

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprises continued severances of the tab from and continued selective overlapping of the tab by said panel means and a continuation of the sealant patching material covering the underside of said panel means in the area of said severances whereby said tab is completely severed from said panel means except at the hinge portion thereof.

Claim 5

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprises score lines in said panel means.

Claim 6

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 1 including a finger engagable embossment at least on the nose portion of the tab.

Claim 7

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 1 including rib means disposed on each side of the notch means on said nose portion.

Claim 8

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 1 wherein the notch means is fully overlapped by the panel means and covered by the sealant patching material.

Claim 9

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hinge portion is located adjacent the outer peripheral portion of the panel means.

Claim 10

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprises continued severances of the tab from and continued selected overlapping of the tab by said panel means and a continuation of the sealant patching material covering the underside of said panel means in the area of said continued severances and said notch means being fully overlapped by the panel means as well as being covered by the sealant patching material.

Claim 11

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprises frangible score lines in said panel means and said notch means being fully overlapped by the panel means as well as being covered by the sealant patching material.

Claim 12

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 3 wherein the hinge portion of the tab comprises a portion of the panel means that has been collapsed and flattened to increase the degree of overlap of the nose portion by said panel means.

Claim 13

An easy open end closure for a container comprised of a main panel encompassed by a rim and a counter sink portion together with a depressible tab provided with a hinge portion formed integrally with the main panel and a relatively stiff nose portion that includes a pressure release notch means spaced from said hinge portion, at least the nose portion of said tab being severed from and selectively overlapped by said panel, sealant patching material covering the underside of said panel in the area of severance of said nose portion and said panel for effecting a seal between said panel and said depressible tab nose portion and means retaining the remaining peripheral portions of the tab intermediate the hinge portion and nose portion in a predetermined closed position on the panel.

Claim 14

An easy open end closure for a container comprised of a main panel encompassed by a rim and a counter sink portion together with a depressible tab provided with a hinge portion formed integrally with the main panel and a relatively stiff nose portion that includes a pressure release notch means spaced from said hinge portion, at least the nose portion of said tab being severed from and selectively overlapped by said panel, sealant patching material covering the underside of said panel in the area of severance of said nose portion and said panel for effecting a seal between said panel and said depressible tab nose portion and means retaining the remaining peripheral portions of the tab intermediate the hinge portion and nose portion in a predetermined closed position on the panel.

Claim 15

The easy open end closure as set forth in claim 12 wherein the hinge portion is located adjacent the counter sink portion and the notch means of the nose portion is located adjacent the center of the panel.

Claim 16

The easy open end closure as set forth in claim 12 wherein the tab has an elongated configuration with the main axis of said tab extending in a radially outward direction from the center of the panel.

Claim 17

The easy open end closure of claim 12 wherein said last mentioned means comprises frangible score lines on the panel.

Claim 18

The easy open end closure of claim 12 wherein said last mentioned means comprise continued severances of the tab from the panel along with selective overlapping of the peripheral portions of the tab by said panel and a continuation of the sealant patching material covering the underside of said panel in the area of said continued severances.

Claim 19

The easy open end closure of claim 12 including tab reinforcing rib means portions of which extend into said nose portion.

Claim 20

The easy open end closure of claim 12 wherein the notch means is fully overlapped by a portion of the panel on one side of the nose portion and completely covered by the sealant patching material on the other side of the nose portion.

Claim 21

The easy open end closure of claim 12 wherein the hinge portion comprises a part of the panel that has been collapsed and flattened to increase the overlap of the nose portion by the panel.

Claim 22

The easy open end closure of claim 14 wherein the notch means of the nose portion is fully overlapped by a portion of the panel on one side of the nose portion and completely covered by sealant patching material on the other side of the nose portion.

Claim 23

The easy open end closure of claim 14 wherein the notch means of the nose portion is located adjacent the center of the panel.

Claim 24

The easy open end closure of claim 15 wherein the notch means is fully overlapped by a portion of the panel on one side of the nose portion and completely covered by sealant patching material on the other side of the nose portion.

Claim 25

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 1 wherein the severance line between the nose portion and said panel means comprises between about one-fourth and one-third of the overall periphery of the tab exclusive of the hinge portion thereof.

Claim 26

An easy open closure member as set forth in claim 4 wherein the severance line between the nose portion and said panel means comprises between about one-fourth and one-third of the overall periphery of the tab exclusive of the hinge portion thereof.

Claim 27

An easy open end closure as set forth in claim 12 wherein the severance line between the nose portion and said panel comprises between about one-fourth and one-third of the overall periphery of the tab exclusive of the hinge portion thereof.

Claim 28

An easy open end closure as set forth in claim 15 the severance line between the nose portion and said panel comprises between about one-fourth and one-third of the overall periphery of the tab exclusive of the hinge portion thereof.

Claim 29

An easy open closure member for a container comprised of a panel means and a depressible tab provided with a hinge portion formed integrally with said panel means and a relatively stiff nose portion that includes a pressure relief notch means, at least a part of said nose portion being spaced from said hinge portion, said nose portion being severed from and selectively overlapped by said panel means, sealant patching material covering the underside of said panel means in the area of severance of said nose portion and said panel means for effecting a seal between said panel means and said depressible tab nose portion and means retaining the remaining peripheral portions of the tab intermediate the hinge portion and nose portion in a predetermined closed position relative to the panel means.

Claim 30

An easy open closure member for a container comprised of a panel means and a depressible tab provided with a hinge portion formed integrally with said panel means and a relatively stiff nose portion that includes a pressure relief notch means, at least a part of said nose portion being spaced from said hinge portion, said nose portion being severed from and selectively overlapped by said panel means, sealant patching material covering the underside of said panel means in the area of severance of said nose portion and said panel means for effecting a seal between said panel means and said depressible tab nose portion and means retaining the remaining peripheral portions of the tab intermediate the hinge portion and nose portion in a predetermined closed position relative to the panel means.

Claim 31

The easy open closure member of claim 27 wherein the notch means of the nose portion is located adjacent the center of the panel means.