Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation

David Harvey

Michael R Gogola

Anton A Aschberger

William O Irvine

Robert A Winkless

Ralph J Trnka

Zeev W Shore

Richard O Wahler

James J Tang

Mark W Hartman

Richard Mark Golding

A method of manufacturing a metallic can body that is shaped distinctively in order to enhance its visual presentation to consumers includes, in one embodiment, steps of providing a can body blank that has a sidewall that is of a substantially constant diameter; providing a mold unit that has at least one mold wall that defines a mold cavity conforming a desired final shape of the can body; positioning the can body blank within the mold cavity; and supplying a pressurized fluid into the mold cavity so that the can body blank is forced by pressure against the mold wall, causing the can body blank to assume the desired final shape of the can body. Axial compression is preferably applied to the can body blank in order to reduce internal stresses during molding of the container. A second embodiment includes steps of radially deforming the can body blank in selected areas by selected amounts to achieve an intermediate can body that is radially modified, but is still symmetrical about its axis; and superimposing a preselected pattern of mechanical deformations that have an axial component onto the intermediate can body. Related apparatus and processes are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for making decorative shaped metal cans

A method and apparatus for the reshaping of containers is described. A mold having at least three parts is used to hold the container blank. Pressurized air supplied to the cavity of the container causes it to expand to take on the shape of the mold chamber. Whilst this operation is taking place, the mold parts move towards each other under the action of pistons which load both ends of the mold and container, thus preventing longitudinal tension in the container wall. The mold parts are initially spaced from each other by gaps or split lines which are reduced by the movement of the mold parts towards each other but are never completely closed up.

Reshaping of containers

Growing community of inventors

Oxon, United Kingdom

David Harvey