Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation

Crown, Cork & Seal Company, Inc.

Zeev W Shore

Michael R Gogola

Anton A Aschberger

William O Irvine

Robert A Winkless

Ralph J Trnka

James J Tang

Richard O Wahler

Mark W Hartman

Richard Mark Golding

David Harvey

Sudesh Kumar Nayar

Nasr Habib Hanna

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 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 that is shaped generally like the can body blank, the mold wall having a pattern formed therein that corresponds to 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. 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 systems and processes are also disclosed.

A method of making a non-cylindrical shaped metal can that is provided with a stylized, irregular shape includes steps of forming a substantially cylindrical sidewall portion (12) that has a plurality of ribs integrated therein. These ribs provide additional strength to the sidewall portion. The cylindrical sidewall portion may then be shaped into a non-cylindrical, stylized shape. The ribs (26) are preferably positioned at portions of the shaped sidewall portion (12) that are anticipated to need increased strength in order to withstand deformation under pressure. The sidewall (12) is then assembled to at least one can end member (30) to form a completed shaped metal can (28). The ribs may either be arranged longitudinally, circumferentially, or both may be provided to form a grid structure.

Metal can and method of making

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Hazel Crest, IL, United States of America

Zeev W Shore