Foil for closing an opening of a container, a container part and a container, and a method and apparatus for making same

Abstract

A foil for closing an opening in a container, such as an easy opening container, includes foil to be adhered to the container. The foil includes a tab for releasing the foil from the container. The tab is folded on the foil and connected thereto via a connector and the tab is provided with a breakout device such that upon actuating the tab a visible and irreparable broken out part is formed and adhered to the foil.

Claims

1. A foil for closing an opening in a container, such as an easy opening container, comprising foil to be adhered to the container, which foil comprises a tab for releasing the foil from the container, wherein the tab is folded on the foil and connected thereto via a connector; wherein the connector is a protrusion provided in the foil that extends into a complimentary cavity provided in the tab; wherein the tab is provided with breakout means that encircle the connector such that upon actuating the tab a visible and irreparable broken out part is formed and adhered to the foil and a hole is formed in the tab; wherein the breakout means are formed as at least one opening in the tab, wherein the at least one opening in the tab is formed as a first slot passing through the tab and located at a first lateral side of the connector and a second slot passing through the tab and located at a second lateral side of the connector such that the first slot and the second slot converge beyond the connector towards an end of the tab that is integrally connected to the foil and a third slot in an area between a free end of the tab and the connector, wherein the first slot extends a first length around the connector between a first tab bridge and a second tab bridge, the second slot extends a second length around the connector between the second tab bridge and a third tab bridge, and the third slot extends a third length around the connector between the third tab bridge and the first tab bridge such that the first slot, the second slot, and the third slot surround the connector, and wherein visible remnants of the tab bridges remain with the broken out part when the tab is actuated.

2. The foil according to claim 1, wherein the foil is made of metal, such as steel, tin plate and aluminum, optionally provided at at least one side with a polymer coating, or of a polymeric material.

3. A method for making the foil according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: i. providing the foil or foil strip; ii. forming the breakout means formed as at least one opening and tab in the foil or foil strip; iii. folding the tab onto the foil or foil strip; iv. forming in the foil and folded tab the connector for connecting the tab to the foil via the connector; and v. optionally forming at a step the foil out of the strip.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the breakout means are formed in the foil prior to the formation of the tab.

5. A method for making the foil according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: i. providing the foil or foil strip; ii. folding the tab onto the foil or foil strip; iii. forming in the folded tab breakout means formed as at least one opening in the tab and the connector for connecting the tab to the foil via the connector; and iv. optionally forming at any step the foil out of the foil strip.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the breakout means are formed in the folded tab by at least one of laser means and mechanical means.

7. A container, having an opening closed by a foil to be adhered to the container, which foil comprises a tab for releasing the foil from the container, wherein the tab is folded on the foil and connected thereto via a connector; wherein the connector is a protrusion provided in the foil that extends into a complimentary cavity provided in the tab; wherein the tab is provided with breakout means that encircle the connector such that upon actuating the tab a visible and irreparable broken out part is formed and adhered to the foil and a hole is formed in the tab; wherein the breakout means are formed as at least one opening in the tab, wherein the at least one opening in the tab is formed as a first slot passing through the tab and located at a first lateral side of the connector and a second slot passing through the tab and located at a second lateral side of the connector such that the first slot and the second slot converge beyond the connector towards an end of the tab that is integrally connected to the foil and a third slot in an area between a free end of the tab and the connector, wherein the first slot extends a first length around the connector between a first tab bridge and a second tab bridge, the second slot extends a second length around the connector between the second tab bridge and a third tab bridge, and the third slot extends a third length around the connector between the third tab bridge and the first tab bridge such that the first slot, the second slot, and the third slot surround the connector, and wherein visible remnants of the tab bridges remain with the broken out part when the tab is actuated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Mentioned and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a description of several embodiments of the present invention which description will be given for information purposes without the intention to limit the invention thereto. Reference will be made to the annexed drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of ring provided with a foil of the invention;

(3) FIG. 1A is at a larger scale detail I in FIG. 1;

(4) FIGS. 2 and 2A correspond to the FIGS. 1 and 1A with the tab in the lifted position and the visible broken out part;

(5) FIG. 3 at a larger scale a top view of the ring shown in FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 4 is a cross section along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 4A is at a larger scale detail IV-A in FIG. 4;

(8) FIGS. 5 and 6 show other embodiments of the ring provided with a foil of the invention;

(9) FIGS. 7, 8A and 8B show still another embodiment of the invention;

(10) FIG. 9 shows schematically a method of the invention for making a foil of the invention made with laser means; and

(11) FIGS. 10 and 11 show another alternative of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) FIGS. 1 and 1A show a foil 1 of the invention. The foil 1 is provided with a folded on tab 2. The tab 2 is connected to the foil via a connector 3. The tab 2 is provided with break out means 4 incorporated in the tab 2 and having the form of three curved elongated openings or slots 5 surrounding the connector 3 and with tab bridges 6 in between.

(13) FIGS. 2 and 2A show the foil 1 of the invention when the tab 2 has been lifted from the foil 1. A tab part 7 is broken out of the tab 2 which part 7 remains connected to the foil 1 by the connector 3. In the tab part 7 are still visible remnants 8 of the tab bridges 6. In the tab 2 has been formed an opening 9. Still the tab 2 can perform its tab function without any hinder. It will be understood that for breaking the tab bridges 6 hardly any for is required by the user and that thereafter the partially destructed tab 2 cannot be repaired and the broken out part 7 remains clearly visible.

(14) As shown in FIG. 3 is the foil 1 mounted on a ring 10 to be mounted on the body of a container before filling the container via an open bottom or after filling the container. FIGS. 4 and 4A show in more detail that the connector resides within the confinement of the ring 10. The connector 3 is formed by a generally T shaped part 11 formed in foil 1 by stretch elongation. This T shaped part 11 extends in a complementary T shaped cavity 12 formed formed in the folded over tab 2. This combination of the parts 11 and 12 forms an so called form closing connection which is in essence releasable. But the required force is much greater than the force required for breaking apart the bridges 6. Obviously, this connector 3 could be made non-releasable by deforming the parts 11 and 12. If desired other types of connectors may be used as long as the breaking out function is secured.

(15) FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the invention. A foil 13 is mounted on the ring 10 and the folded on tab 14 is provided with break out means 4 having the form of a substantially circular opening or slot 16 surrounding the permanent connector 15. The slot 16 is present in the region 17 between the free end 18 of the tab 14 and the connector 15. Again hardly any force in required by the user when lifting to tab 14 for breaking out the part of the tab 14 which is between the tab 14 and the foil 13.

(16) In the embodiment of FIG. 6 the foil 19 is mounted on the ring 10 and provided with a tab 20 connected to the foil 19 via the connector 21. The break out means 4 have the form of a perforation which encircles the connector 21 and have a generally droplet form so that the breaking out of the tab part 23 encircled by the perforation 22 converges.

(17) FIGS. 7, 8A and 8B show another embodiment of the invention. The foil 24 is mounted on the ring 10 by seaming or gluing and is provided with a folded on tab 25 connected thereto by the connector 26. The breakout means 4 of the invention comprise a weakened tab part 27 in the form of a rectangular weakening groove which was applied into the tab 25 after the tab 25 was mounted and folded on the foil 24. Still the integrity of the tab and the underlying foil 25 was preserved. The connector has the same form as the connector described in relation to FIGS. 4 and 4A.

(18) FIG. 8 shows schematically an embodiment of a method and apparatus for making a foil of the invention, such as a foil 1 shown in FIG. 1.

(19) A foil strip 28 is provided indicated is a phantom 30 of an entity 29 for the foil 1 and entity 31 for the tab 2. The foil strip 28 is passed into a station for making the break out means 4 first. This secures very safe operation later when forming the tab 2 and the connector 3. The three slots separated by the tab bridges 6 are formed with a cutting tool (not shown) while the foil strip 28 is supported. Subsequently in the next station the tab 2 is formed by cutting in the foil strip 28. Thereafter, optionally the tab 2 is brought in a slanted position so that the tab 2a is safely removed from the foil strip 28 together with the foil 1. In the next station is the foil 1 cut out of the foil strip 28 and is the strip transferred to a lateral station where the tab 2 is folded onto the foil 1 and thereafter the connector 3 formed. The foil 1 and tab 2 may be provided with a conventional waffle pattern 32. Thereafter the foil 1 may be mounted on a ring for a container or may be mounted directly on a rim or inner groove of a container.

(20) Finally, FIGS. 10 and 11 show another alternative of the present invention. The foil 33 mounted on the ring 10 is provided with a folded on tab 34. The breaking out means comprise an adhesive tape 35 which is adhered to the tab 34 and extends laterally at both sides and is also adhered to the foil 33. Upon lifting the tab the adhesive tape 35 breaks off at the weakened lines 36. This leaves a broken out part 37 visible in the tab 34 and broken out parts 38 on the foil 33. These broken out parts 37 and 38 remain visible and cannot be repaired.