End structure for a can body and method of making same

Claim 1

A container closure with a central panel having a selectively weakened fracturable path means for facilitating removal of a central panel in response to a force exerted against such fracturable path means, said closure comprising: an annular outer rim; an annular flat section extending inwardly from said annular rim and joined thereto by an intermediate radius portion; a central panel; and a weakened path of reduced thickness joining said flat section and said central panel wherein the circumferential edge portion of said central panel defines an upwardly extending, outwardly laterally facing marginal edge and the inner portion of said annular flat section defines a downwardly extending, inwardly laterally facing marginal edge, the edges being substantially normal to the plane of the closure and being axially aligned.

Claim 3

A method of forming an end closure for a composite can comprising the steps of: providing a blank of sheet material; forming said blank in a single die operation including contouring said blank and producing a circumferential central panel surrounded by a circumferential rim and an annular weakening line separating said central panel and said rim, said annular weakening line being formed in said blank by causing exterior and interior surfaces of said blank to be offset in a direction normal to the plane of said closure to simultaneously form an upwardly extending, outwardly laterally facing annular marginal edge about the periphery of said central panel of said exterior surface and a downwardly extending, inwardly laterally facing annular marginal edge about said interior surface, the edges being axially aligned.

Claim 4

A method of forming an end closure for a composite can comprising the steps of: providing a blank of sheet material; forming said blank in a single die operation including contouring said blank and producing a circumferential central panel surrounded by a circumferential rim and an annular weakening line separating said central panel and said rim, said annular weakening line being formed in said blank by causing exterior and interior surfaces of said blank to be offset in a direction normal to the plane of said closure to simultaneously form an upwardly extending, outwardly laterally facing annular marginal edge about the periphery of said central panel of said exterior surface and a downwardly extending, inwardly laterally facing annular marginal edge about said interior surface, the edges being axially aligned.