US4417667A — Lightweight container

Claim 1

Independent Claim 205 words

A metal can comprising a body, a dome, and a lapped joint including an adhesive layer between said body and said dome, and the relationship between said body and said dome being one wherein when said can is filled with a liquid packaged under pressure said dome in the general area of said lapped joint radially inwardly deforms and said body in the general area of said lapped joint radially outwardly deforms with the combined deformation of said dome and said body compressing said adhesive layer, said relationship between said dome and said body including said dome having a lower cylindrical lip, said lip merging at its upper edge into a toroidal curve which merges into a conical radially inner and axially upper portion, said body having an axially upper portion telescoped within said lip with an axially upper free edge of said body terminating within said lip adjacent said toroidal curve, and wherein under internal pressure said conical portion is deformed generally axially upward and said toroidal curve is deformed radially inward with an associated tilting of said lip including a radially inward deformation of at least an axially upper portion of said lip and compression of an upper part of said adhesive layer.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 205 words

A metal can comprising a body, a dome, and a lapped joint including an adhesive layer between said body and said dome, and the relationship between said body and said dome being one wherein when said can is filled with a liquid packaged under pressure said dome in the general area of said lapped joint radially inwardly deforms and said body in the general area of said lapped joint radially outwardly deforms with the combined deformation of said dome and said body compressing said adhesive layer, said relationship between said dome and said body including said dome having a lower cylindrical lip, said lip merging at its upper edge into a toroidal curve which merges into a conical radially inner and axially upper portion, said body having an axially upper portion telescoped within said lip with an axially upper free edge of said body terminating within said lip adjacent said toroidal curve, and wherein under internal pressure said conical portion is deformed generally axially upward and said toroidal curve is deformed radially inward with an associated tilting of said lip including a radially inward deformation of at least an axially upper portion of said lip and compression of an upper part of said adhesive layer.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said dome is of a greater wall thickness than said body wherein the resistance of said dome at said lapped joint to radially outwardly directed deformation is greater than that of said body.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 43 words

A metal can according to claim 2 wherein said body and said dome are both formed of aluminum, said dome has a wall thickness on the order of 0.009 inch and said body has a wall thickness on the order of 0.004 inch.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said conical portion is disposed at an angle to the horizontal generally ranging from 10 degrees to 45 degrees.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 26 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said conical portion is disposed at an angle to the horizontal generally on the order of 22.5 degrees.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 84 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein an upper end portion of said body is necked-in to define a radially inwardly offset upper ring connected to an adjacent portion of said body by a radially inwardly and axially upwardly sloping shoulder, and internal pressure within said can functioning to straighten out said body in the general area of said shoulder to deform at least a lower portion of said ring radially outwardly to compress at least a lower part of said adhesive layer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 32 words

A metal can according to claim 6 wherein the axial extents of said lip and said ring are generally the same, and said lip and said ring are in full overlapping relation.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 42 words

A metal can according to claim 6 wherein said dome terminates in a lowermost radially outturned curl and said curl overlies said shoulder within an axial extension of said body, said curl forming means facilitating telescoping of said lip and said ring.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 18 words

A metal can according to claim 8 wherein said adhesive layer extends between said curl and said shoulder.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

A metal can according to claim 6 wherein said body terminates in an uppermost radially inwardly directed curl, said curl forming means facilitating telescoping of said lip and said ring.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 35 words

A metal can according to claim 6 wherein there is an interference fit between said lip and said ring wherein in a non-loaded state of said can said adhesive layer is in a compressed state.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 43 words

A metal can according to claim 6 wherein said body and said dome are both formed of aluminum, said dome has a wall thickness on the order of 0.009 inch and said body has a wall thickness on the order of 0.004 inch.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said body has a bottom, and said dome has a fitment receiving opening, said opening having an area less than 30 percent of the area of said bottom.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 14 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said adhesive is a flexible adhesive.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 17 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said conical portion has at least one annular step.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 20 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said dome has a short axial length as compared to said body.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 15 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said can is formed of sheet steel.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 23 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said body is formed of sheet steel having a thickness no greater than 0.002 inch.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 24 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said body is formed of sheet steel having a thickness on the order of 0.003 inch.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 36 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said body, said dome and said lapped joint all can sustain an 80 pound axial load in the empty can state and an internal pressure of 100 psi.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 43 words

A metal can according to claim 20 wherein said body and said dome are both formed of aluminum, said dome has a wall thickness on the order of 0.009 inch and said body has a wall thickness on the order of 0.004 inch.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 24 words

A metal can according to claim 1 wherein said adhesive is of the type wherein the shear strength increases with compression of said adhesive.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 258 words

A thin metal can for pressurized beverages comprising a body a dome and a lapped joint having an adhesive layer between said body and said dome, the relationship between said body and said dome including the thinness of the metals thereof being one wherein when said can is filled with a beverage liquid packaged under pressure said dome in the general area of said lapped joint has radially inwardly deforming forces thereon and said body in the general area of said lapped joint has radially outwardly deforming forces thereon with resulting relative deformation of said body and said dome toward each other in said lapped joint compressing said adhesive layer, said relationship between said dome and said body including said dome having a lower cylindrical lip, said lip merging at its upper edge into a toroidal curve which merges into a conical radially inner and axially upper portion, said body having an axially upper portion telescoped within said lip to provide said lapped joint with an axially upper free edge of said body terminating within said lip sufficiently adjacent said toroidal curve that internal pressure on said conical portion causes generally axially upward deforming forces with said toroidal curve to be deformed radially inward and with an associated radially inward movement of at least an axially upper portion of said lip while the internal pressure causes radially outward forces on the telescoped upper portion of said body thereby resisting inward movement of said lip and the resulting compression of at least an upper part of said adhesive layer.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 258 words

A thin metal can for pressurized beverages comprising a body a dome and a lapped joint having an adhesive layer between said body and said dome, the relationship between said body and said dome including the thinness of the metals thereof being one wherein when said can is filled with a beverage liquid packaged under pressure said dome in the general area of said lapped joint has radially inwardly deforming forces thereon and said body in the general area of said lapped joint has radially outwardly deforming forces thereon with resulting relative deformation of said body and said dome toward each other in said lapped joint compressing said adhesive layer, said relationship between said dome and said body including said dome having a lower cylindrical lip, said lip merging at its upper edge into a toroidal curve which merges into a conical radially inner and axially upper portion, said body having an axially upper portion telescoped within said lip to provide said lapped joint with an axially upper free edge of said body terminating within said lip sufficiently adjacent said toroidal curve that internal pressure on said conical portion causes generally axially upward deforming forces with said toroidal curve to be deformed radially inward and with an associated radially inward movement of at least an axially upper portion of said lip while the internal pressure causes radially outward forces on the telescoped upper portion of said body thereby resisting inward movement of said lip and the resulting compression of at least an upper part of said adhesive layer.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-11-28	1987-05-30	1987-11-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-11-28	1991-05-30	1991-11-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-11-28	1995-05-30	1995-11-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Lightweight container

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