Can opening structure of pull-top type can

Abstract

To enable any one to open a pull-top type can easily by a pullout motion of a pull tab without damaging a fingertip or a nail, a can opening structure is constituted by a pressed portion (13), in which a lid piece is formed in a lid member (11) by a discontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch (12), and a pull tab (20) fixed to the lid member (11), the pull tab (20) is provided with a pressing portion (21) and a finger catch portion (22) and fixed to the lid member (11) by a pin (23) forming a supporting point, a guide portion having a surface inclined downward from the pin (23) toward the pressing portion (21) side is formed in the pressed portion (21), and the finger catch portion (22) is lifted up by bringing the pressing portion (21) into contact with the guide surface.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a can opening structure of a pull-top type can in which a tap is formed by a pull tab fixed to a lid member of the can.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CONVENTIONAL ART

In a conventional pull top, since a gap between a lid surface and a finger catch portion of a pull tab is narrow, it is hard to pull out the pull tab, and there is a case that a nail is broken, so that there is a problem that the pull tab is too firm and is hardly pulled out for a child, an aged man or a female. In order to solve the problem mentioned above, the prior art aiming to easily carry out a pull-out motion of the pull tab has been proposed as follows.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-210318 discloses “pull-top type can” in which a finger insertion hole for inserting a finger from an inner peripheral side and a finger catch portion for pulling out a pull tab are formed in the pull tab, and a concave portion is provided in a lid member below the finger catch portion, for the purpose of providing a pull-top type can with a tap which can be formed by easily catching the finger catch portion of the pull tab with a finger.

In accordance with the prior art mentioned above, since the concave portion is formed in the lid member below of the finger catch portion, it is possible for a finger to easily catch the finger catch portion of the pull tab.

Further, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 6-3828 discloses “pull-top type cans” in which a finger insertion groove is provided below a pull top ring for the purpose of providing pull-top type cans which any one can easily open without using a fingertip or a nail.

In accordance with the prior art mentioned above, it is possible to pull up the pull top ring with the middle of a finger.

On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-236475 discloses “pull top” structured such that a catching portion of a tab lifts up by rotating the tab having a tilted rotation axis with respect to a can, so that the catching portion of the tab can be easily caught, for the purpose of providing a pull top in which a can opening operation can be easily carried out.

In accordance with the prior art mentioned above, since the can opening operation is easy and the tab is easily caught so as to be easily pulled out, any one can easily open the can.

Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-231287 discloses “pull-top structure” in which a projection portion is provided in an opposite surface to an opening portion based on an axis of a can, a finger contact portion is provided in a finger catch portion at a leading end of a pull-top tab, and an intermediate portion of the finger catch portion of the tab comes up above the projection portion and a leading end of the tab moves away largely by catching the finger contact portion with a fingertip so as to rotate in a direction toward the smoothly protruding projection portion, for the purpose of providing a pull-top structure in which a can can be opened without damaging a fingertip or a nail.

In accordance with the prior art mentioned above, a gap with respect to a top plate becomes large by catching the finger contact portion of the tab with a fingertip and rotating to the smoothly protruding projection portion, so that it is possible to safely open the can without giving damage to a fingertip or a nail.

Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-130560 discloses “can with pull-top” in which a pull top fixed to a top lid of a can is bent along a border of a bending portion provided across the pull top, and a predetermined gap is formed between a ring of the pull top and the top lid of the can.

In accordance with the prior art mentioned above, since the gap is formed between the ring of the pull top and the upper lid of the can, it is easy to catch the ring with a fingertip so as to easily pull it up.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a can opening structure of a pull-top type can by which any one can easily carry out a pullout motion of a pull tab without giving damage to a fingertip or a nail, by employing a different structure from the prior art mentioned above.

Means for Solving the Problem

In order to solve the problem mentioned above, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a can opening structure of a pull-top type can comprising:

a pressed portion in which a lid piece is formed in a lid member by a discontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch;

a pull tab fixed to the lid member;

the pull tab being provided with a pressing portion and a finger catch portion and being fixed to the lid member by a pin forming a supporting point; and

the pull tab being pulled out and the pressed portion being cut out so as to open the can,

wherein a guide portion having a surface inclined downward from the pin toward a direction of the pressing portion of the pull tab is formed in the pressed portion, and the finger catch portion of the pull tab is lifted up by bringing the pressing portion of the pull tab into contact with the guide surface, thereby a finger easily catching the pull tab, at a time of opening the can.

Further, in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a can opening structure of a pull-top type can comprising:

a pressed portion in which a lid piece is formed in a lid member by a discontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch;

a pull tab fixed to the lid member;

the pull tab being provided with a pressing portion and a finger catch portion and being fixed to the lid member by a pin forming a supporting point; and

the pull tab being pulled out and the pressed portion being cut out so as to open the can,

wherein a notch portion is formed at a top edge portion of the pull-top type can, and a leading end portion of the finger catch portion of the pull tab is formed so as to extend to the notch portion.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

As mentioned above, in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, since the finger catch portion of the pull tab is lifted up only by pressing the pressing portion of the pull tab with a fingertip or the like so as to push down it to the guide surface inclined downward as a preliminary step of the can opening operation, the finger can easily catch the pull tab, and any one can easily open the can without damaging a fingertip or a nail.

Further, in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, since the leading end portion of the finger catch portion of the pull tab is formed so as to extend to the notch portion of the upper edge portion of the pull top type can, the finger can easily catch the pull tab, and any one can easily open the can without damaging a fingertip or a nail.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a can opening structure of a pull-top type can in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are sectional views of the can opening structure of the pull-top type can shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a can opening structure of a pull-top type can in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the can opening structure of the pull-top type can shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A description will be given below of embodiments in accordance with the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. A pull-top type can in accordance with the present invention is structured such that a pull tab is fixed to a lid member, and the pull tab is pulled out and a lid piece is cut out, thereby opening the can.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a can opening structure of a pull-top type can in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. A pull-top type can 10 is constituted by a pressed portion 13 in which a lid piece is formed by a discontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch 12 in a lid member 11, and a pull tab 20 fixed to the lid member 11. The pull tab 20 is provided with a pressing portion 21 and a finger catch portion 22 and is fixed to the lid member 11 by a pin 23 forming a supporting point. The pressed portion 13 surrounded by the notch 12 is pressed downward by the pressing portion 21 when the finger catch portion 22 of the pull tab 20 fixed to a near center portion of the lid member 11 by the pin 23 is pulled out upward, whereby the notch 12 is broken so that the pressed portion 13 is bent to a lower surface side of the lid member 11. At this time, since the notch 12 formed around the pressed portion 13 is discontinuous near the center portion of the lid member 11, the pressed portion 13 does not break away from the lid member 11 after being pressed by the pressing portion 21 so as to be bent to the lower surface side of the lid member 11.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the can opening structure of the pull-top type can shown in FIG. 1. A guide portion 14 having a surface inclined downward from the pin 23 toward a direction of the pressing portion 21 of the pull tab 20 is formed in the pressed portion 13 of the lid member 11. At a time of opening the can, the finger catch portion 22 of the pull tab 20 is lifted up by bringing the pressing portion 21 of the pull tab 20 into contact with the guide surface 14, and thus can be easily caught with a finger (refer to FIG. 2(b)).

As mentioned above, in accordance with the can opening structure of the pull-top type can shown in the first embodiment, since the finger catch portion 22 of the pull tab 20 is lifted up only by pressing the pressing portion 21 of the pull tab 20 with a fingertip or the like as the preliminary step of the can opening operation so as to push down it to the downward inclined guide surface 14 (changing from a state shown in FIG. 2(a) to a state shown in FIG. 2(b)), the finger can easily catch the pull tab, and any one can easily open the can without damaging a fingertip or a nail.

Next, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a can opening structure of a pull-top type can in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. A pull-top type can 30 is constituted by a pressed portion 33 in which a lid piece is formed by a discontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch 32 in a lid member 31, and a pull tab 40 fixed to the lid member 31. The pull tab 40 is provided with a pressing portion 41 and a finger catch portion 42 and is fixed to the lid member 31 by a pin 43 forming a supporting point. The pressed portion 33 surrounded by the notch 32 is pressed downward by the pressing portion 41 when the finger catch portion 42 of the pull tab 40 fixed to a near center portion of the lid member 31 by the pin 43 is pulled out upward, whereby the notch 32 is broken so that the pressed portion 33 is bent to a lower surface side of the lid member 31. At this time, since the notch 32 formed around the pressed portion 33 is discontinuous near the center portion of the lid member 31, the pressed portion 33 does not break away from the lid member 31 after being pressed by the pressing portion 41 so as to be bent to the lower surface side of the lid member 31.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the can opening structure of the pull-top type can shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a notch portion 35 is formed in an upper edge portion 34 of the pull-top type can 30, and a leading end portion of the finger catch portion 42 of the pull tab 40 is formed so as to extend to the notch portion 35 in correspondence thereto.

As mentioned above, in accordance with the can opening structure of the pull-top type can shown in the second embodiment, the finger can easily catch the finger catch portion 42 of the pull tab 40, and any one can easily open the can without damaging a fingertip or a nail.

Claims

1. A can opening structure of a pull-top type can comprising:

a pressed portion in which a lid piece is formed in a lid member by a discontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch;

a pull tab fixed to said lid member;

said pull tab being provided with a pressing portion and a finger catch portion and being fixed to said lid member by a pin forming a supporting point; and

said pull tab being pulled out and said pressed portion being cut out so as to open the can,

wherein a guide portion having a surface inclined downward from said pin toward a direction of said pressing portion of said pull tab is formed in said pressed portion, and said finger catch portion of said pull tab is lifted up by bringing said pressing portion of said pull tab into contact with said guide surface, thereby a finger easily catching the pull tab, at a time of opening the can.

2. A can opening structure of a pull-top type can comprising:

a pressed portion in which a lid piece is formed in a lid member by a discontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch;

a pull tab fixed to said lid member;

said pull tab being provided with a pressing portion and a finger catch portion and being fixed to said lid member by a pin forming a supporting point; and

said pull tab being pulled out and said pressed portion being cut out so as to open the can,

wherein a notch portion is formed at a top edge portion of said pull-top type can, and a leading end portion of said finger catch portion of said pull tab is formed so as to extend to said notch portion.