The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 10, 1998
Filed:
Jun. 12, 1997
Richard Harry Kaufman, Chappaqua, NY (US);
Kraft Foods, Inc., Northfield, IL (US);
Abstract
An easy-open beverage container and opening system therefor includes an opening provided in a barrier wall. Covering the opening is a tamper-evident pull tab having a holding portion and a topmost free end portion. An adhesive adheres the holding portion to an outside surface of the barrier wall so that the hole is sealed. A pair of slits is provided in the holding portion at opposite lateral edges of the holding portion adjacent the free end portion and the respective slits extend inwardly and downwardly away therefrom. The consumer grasps and pulls the non-adhered free end portion downwardly toward an opposite end of the holding portion to expose the opening. This causes a peeled part of the holding portion initially to be pulled from the barrier wall until the slits are reached; at which time the peeled part laterally separates from a remainder of the holding portion initially along the slits and then further along tear lines beginning at the lowermost ends of the slits to expose the opening. Preferably, the adhesive includes a first-strength adhesive and a second-strength adhesive having a strength greater than the first-strength adhesive so that when the peeled part tears downwardly along the tear lines, the tearing force required increases when the peeled part reaches the second-strength adhesive and the consumer can stop peeling at that point so that the peeled part remains attached to the remainder of the holding portion.