Container Lid Formed as a Laminate Having a Built-In Opening Feature, and Container Incorporating Same

Abstract

A lid for a container having a built-in opening feature comprises a flexible laminate comprising an upper layer and a lower layer, a pair of radially spaced concentric lines of weakness being formed in the upper and lower layers, respectively, wherein the upper and lower layers in an annular region between the lines of weakness are readily peeled apart, and wherein the upper and lower layers outside the annular region are laminated together with an adhesive providing a bond with a greater peel strength than that required to separate the layers in the annular region. An integral strap is formed in the upper layer by a U-shaped cut line. A distal end of the strap opposite from the two ends of the cut line is within an adhesive-free region of the laminate. The ends of the cut line are in an adhesively laminated area of the laminate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 289,006 filed on Nov. 29, 2005, currently pending, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 560,041 filed on Nov. 15, 2006, currently pending, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to containers sealed with flexible lids formed from materials such as polymer film, aluminum foil, paper, and the like.[0003]It is known to seal a container with a lid formed from a heavy-gauge aluminum foil having a heat-sealable material on its underside. The lid is shaped to include a cylindrical skirt that extends upwardly from an outer periphery of a center panel of the lid, such that the heat-sealable material is on the radially outwardly facing side of the skirt. The skirt is heat-sealed to a generally cylindrical inner surface of the container body adjacent the open end of the container, th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]In some embodiments, the first ends and the second ends of the cut lines are outside the adhesive-free region in an adhesively laminated area of the laminate. When the strap is pulled to detach the lid, the pulling force is exerted on the adhesively laminated area. Thus, the strap has the strength of the adhesive bond, and the tear-resistance of the strap is not a limiting factor. As a result, the upper layer of the laminate can be thinner than would otherwise be needed if the tear-resistance of the upper layer were the limiting factor.

Problems solved by technology

The lid includes a line of weakness such that the center panel can be torn free of the skirt, at least part of which remains attached to the container body.

A difficulty associated with such container lids arises because of inevitable variations in the strength of the bond between the tab and the center panel.

Such variations are due to mechanical process and material variations that are difficult to control or eliminate.

Additionally, it has been found that the tab bond strength tends to diminish with aging of the lid.

When the user pulls on the tab of such a lid, the tab will tend to come off the center panel and the user will then have to resort to other means to open the container, such as puncturing the lid with a sharp implement and then tearing out the lid in pieces.

This is inconvenient for the user.

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