Can Lid Score Line Structure to Prevent Opening Derailment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing can lids are prone to derailment during opening, particularly under positive internal pressure, leading to lid opening failures due to uneven metal hardness and lever action on auxiliary score lines.

Innovation Solution

A can lid design featuring a score line with a raised portion at its bottom, forming a valley between the inner and outer surfaces, guides the breaking process and prevents derailment by enhancing structural integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a score line is formed in the panel portion to enable opening by tab operation, then the lid can be opened by breaking the score line, but derailment occurs during breaking causing lid opening failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelid opening operationVSAvoidlid opening reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by forming a groove at a specific location along the score line to create a localized structural feature. This groove is positioned at a point where derailment is most likely to occur during breaking, and its depth and shape are specifically designed to provide local reinforcement that guides the breaking process and prevents derailment without affecting other areas of the score line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The groove is formed in advance during the lid manufacturing process, before the actual opening operation. This preliminary structural preparation ensures that when the tab is pulled and the score line breaks, the breaking process is guided by the pre-formed groove, preventing derailment from the outset rather than attempting to correct it during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If the panel portion has lower metal hardness outside the coining process portion, then the material is easier to form, but derailment is more likely to occur near the boundary with the coining process portion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepanel portion formingVSAvoidbreaking process reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The groove is strategically positioned near the boundary between the coining process portion and the lower hardness region. This local structural feature compensates for the hardness difference by providing a physical guide that ensures the breaking process follows the intended path even when stress concentrates at the boundary due to the material property transition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If positive internal pressure is applied to the can container, then the can is more stable during transport, but the pressure applied to the breaking portion during initial breaking is large causing derailment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecan container stabilityVSAvoidlid opening reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The groove is pre-formed to anticipate and counteract the effect of internal pressure during breaking. When positive internal pressure exists, it naturally pushes the breaking front toward the groove during the opening process, and the groove's geometry is designed to capture and guide this pressure-assisted breaking, ensuring the score line breaks cleanly along the intended path despite the additional force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4691934A1Can lid and can container
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 DAIWA CAN
  • EP4691934A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4691934A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4691934A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The can lid (1) includes a panel portion (21), a score line (41) formed on the panel portion (21), a tab (12) for breaking the score line (41), and a raised portion (41d) formed on a bottom portion of at least a part of the score line (41) and forming a valley portion between an inner surface of the score line (41) and the raised portion.