American Can Company

American National Can Company

Continental Plastic Containers, Inc.

Christopher J Farrell

Boh C Tsai

James A Wachtel

Mark A Williams

Guy Richards

Les Kaffko

Thomas Hlobil

Joseph Plewa

George F Nahill

A dispensing apparatus and method for increasing product removal utilizing a coating. The apparatus includes a container having an outlet, a wall and a chamber. The chamber houses the coating and a product. The coating substantially covers the container wall. The product is dispensed through the container outlet without substantially removing all the coating applied to the container wall.

Container coating for increasing product outage

A package comprising a container, a closure assembly which includes a tearing portion. The container includes a sidewall, a closed end and an end with an opening. The closure assembly includes a central panel covering the container opening and a circumferential edge secured to the container. The tearing portion allows the closure to be opened for access to the contents of the package.

Easy-open closure

Easy open closure

Methods and systems for testing the seals of container lids to the top portion of container bodies are provided. Testing the integrity of the seal is achieved by injecting fluid under pressure under the lid portion of the container and detecting if the lid bulges outwardly with respect to its at-rest position prior to injecting fluid. A container adapted to having the seal tested for leakage is also provided.

Seal testable container structure

A container (20) suited to contain foodstuff has a handle assembly (41), a plastic body (22) and a metal closure (24) sealed to the plastic body (22) preferably by a double seam (60). The plastic seam ring (34) having a top portion (36) and inner and outer skirts (40, 38) descending therefrom is provided by itself or is mounted over the double seam (60) to conceal the metal of at least the double seam (60). A central panel (30) of the metal closure (24) bounded by a parting line (32) can be removed by the consumer to expose the contents of the container (20). The handle assembly (41) is attached to the inner skirt (40) at a base (76) and includes a central member (78) attached to the base (76). In storage, the handle assembly (41) is positioned within the inner skirt (40) of the seam ring (34). The handle assembly (41 ) and has two handles (80) that are attached to the central member (78) at hinges (86, 88). Additional hinges (94, 96) are located between the base (76) and the central member (78) to allow the handle assembly (41) to be pivoted from within the inner skirt (40) over the top portion (36) and against the outer skirt (38). The handles (80) may then be folded about the central member (78) at the hinges (86, 88) to form a means by which a consumer may grip the container (10).

Container with foldable handles

A microwavable container suited to contain foodstuff over long periods of time has a plastic body and a metal closure sealed to the plastic body preferably by a double seam. A plastic seam ring having a top portion and inner and outer skirts descending therefrom is provided by itself or is mounted over the double seam to conceal the metal of at least the double seam. Means are provided on the seam ring to secure the seam ring to the container body preferably such that it is not readily removable therefrom. A central portion of the metal closure bounded by a parting line can be removed by the consumer to expose the contents of the container. With the seam ring mounted on the container body, the inner edge of the seam ring is adjacent to the remaining metal edge after the inner panel has been removed from the closure to shield this edge and minimize the chance of cutting or scraping of the user's fingers when handling the container. With the closure panel removed, the remaining container presents a substantially all-plastic appearance to the consumer. A splash panel is provided and a support ledge may be formed in the seam ring to allow mounting of the splash panel on the seam ring which covers the contents of the container during microwave heating. Outwardly extending handles may also be molded in the same ring to allow the consumer to remove the container after heating in the microwave oven without contacting the heated container body. The plastic of the seam ring also insulates the heated metal double seam from touch by the user.

Container and seam ring for container

A polymeric structure having an oxygen barrier layer (e.g., ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer) is heated in the presence of moisture to improve its resistance to oxygen and moisture penetration. A drying agent is incorporated in the multi-layer structure to control the rate of water penetration to, and the amount of water in, the barrier layer.

Polymeric structure having improved barrier properties and method of

This disclosure includes an activatable oxygen scavenger used as a part of a packaging structure for comestibles.

Oxygen scavenger

A plastic laminate sheet for making collapsible dispensing container comprises an outer layer of filled-plastic made of polypropylene or a blend of polypropylene, and high density polyethylene, and a filler, preferably calcium carbonate, incorporated therein. The outer filled-plastic layer is coextensively bonded to an inner layer of high density polyethylene to form the laminate sheet. An intermediate layer of an oxygen barrier plastic may be interposed in the laminate sheet in order to impart oxygen impermeability thereto.

Laminate structure for collapsible dispensing container

In a multi-layer polymeric structure having an interior oxygen barrier layer of a moisture sensitive polymeric material such as ethylene-vinyl alcohol, drying agents are incorporated in the structure, particularly in a layer or layers proximate to the barrier layer, to limit the moisture content of the barrier layer to maintain barrier properties.

Growing community of inventors

Arlington Heights, IL, United States of America

Christopher J Farrell