Background of the invention There are well known from the prior art the cans formed by a tubular body of metallic sheet, to which upper edge is double-seamed the external edge of a structural ring, defining an annular portion of the upper wall of the can and presenting its inner edge provided with a pending tubular projection that defines an elastically deformable seat, onto which will be seated and retained, by interference fitting, a lid with the approximate form of a tray of reduced height, with its surrounding wall being seated against the seat formed in the structural ring. In this type of construction, greatly used in the food industry, it is common to provide the can with a sealing film, generally of a thin metallic sheet, which is disposed under the structural ring and peripherally double- seamed with the latter to the upper edge of the tubular body of the can.

While assuring optimum tightness to the can, even after the sealing film is torn upon the first opening to access the stored product and after several opening and closing operations, this type of construction has the inconvenience of requiring a tool in the form of a lever, such as the handle of a spoon, a key, etc., to help the consumer remove the lid from its fitting

condition in the seat of the structural ring.

Object of the invention It is the object of the present invention to provide a lid for cans of the above mentioned type, which allows, through a simple construction, to achieve the same degree of tightness of said cans in successive reclosing operations after the first opening, and to perform the opening operations of the lid very easily, by the user's own hands, without requiring the help of any tools.

Summary of the invention The object mentioned above is attained by the provision of a can of the type comprising a tubular body having an upper edge, to which is affixed, usually by double-seaming, the external edge of a structural ring, whose internal edge defines a seat for the seating and retention of the lid.

According to the invention, the lid comprises a median portion, with the approximate form of a tray, to be seated and retained in the seat, and a surrounding annular portion, projecting radially from the median portion and terminating in a pending peripheral skirt, to be seated, by interference, around the upper edge of the tubular body.

The construction proposed herein allows the sealing system of the can to be still achieved by interference fitting the median portion of the lid in the seat of the structural ring, but further providing a surrounding annular portion which, besides fully covering the structural ring and any residue of the product that may be inadvertently retained therein, defines a manual grasping means that allows the user to open the lid, by exerting an upward force at any point of the periphery of the lid, external to the upper edge of the tubular body of the can.

Brief description of the drawing The appended drawing illustrates, in its only figure 1, a partial diametrical sectional view of the upper part of a can of the type considered herein and receiving a lid constructed according to the present invention.

Description of the illustrated embodiment As illustrated in figure 1 and already mentioned above, the present lid is applied to a can of the type comprising a tubular body 10, usually made of metallic sheet, having an upper edge, to which is double-seamed or otherwise affixed the external edge of a structural ring 20, whose internal edge defines, by means of a pending tubular projection 21, a seat S, onto which will be seated and retained, by interference, a lid 30, also usually obtained from metallic sheet.

The present can may be further provided with a sealing film 40, which is rupturable and usually made of aluminum foil, provided under the structural ring 20 and peripherally double-seamed with the latter to the upper edge of the tubular body 10.

According to the invention, the lid 30 comprises, preferably in a single piece, a median portion 31, generally circular and with the approximate form of a tray of small height, which will be seated and retained in the seat S, and a surrounding annular portion 32, radially projecting from the median portion 31 and ending in a pending peripheral skirt 33, which will be seated, by interference, around the upper edge of the tubular body 10.

As illustrated, the pending peripheral skirt 33 terminates in a small external ferrule 34, in order to provide a marginal finishing to the lid 30 in the manual grasping region, upon opening said lid.

In the exemplified constructive form, the surrounding

annular portion 32 is formed in two planes, one being more internal and leveled with an upper edge of the median portion 31, and the other being more external and leveled with the upper edge of the tubular body 10.

Although not illustrated herein, it should be understood that the pending peripheral skirt 33 might be provided with coplanar projections or ribs, in a circumferential arrangement, which cooperate with corresponding superficial irregularities provided around the upper edge of the tubular body, aiming at providing the lid with additional axial retaining means in relation to the tubular body of the can.

Another constructive aspect, not illustrated, but which may be incorporated to the can, is the diametrical reduction of the upper region of the tubular body 10, so that the external ferrule 34 of the lid be contained inside the axial projection of the contour of the remaining of the tubular body 10, avoiding the inadvertent opening of the lid 30 due to impacts against its pending peripheral skirt 33 during handling or shipping.