GROOVED METAL CAN BODY AND METAL CAN

Technical Field:

The present invention relates to a metal can body and a metal can, for a content, such as beer, low-malt beer, or soft drinks, etc.

Conventional Art:

Conventionally, a metal can, for example, an aluminum alloy can has been used to fill a content, such as beer, low-malt beer, or soft drinks, etc. In general, a metal can is comprised of a' metal can body which is in the form of a bottomed cylinder having a bottom and a can barrel portion and which is filled with a content, and a can lid seamed to an opening of the can body.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a metal can according to the conventional art. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the known metal can 100 may be provided with a plurality of

circumferentially extending transverse grooves 220 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the barrel portion 150 of the metal can 100 to increase the degree of design freedom. The formation of such transverse grooves in a metal can is also disclosed in Japanese Unexamined

Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 5-13933 or Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2007-254008.

FIGS. 5a and 5b are partial cross-sectional views of a known metal can. As shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, when a longitudinal load is applied to a metal can, buckling of the transverse groove 220 occurs, thus resulting in the deformation of the outer peripheral surface 150 of the metal can 100. The buckling may occur not only when a plurality of metal cans 100 are stacked but also during the seaming operation of the Opening of the metal can body with a can lid. If buckling occurs during the seaming operation, the metal can filled with the, content will have to be discarded." An increase in the thickness of the metal can body makes it possible to increase the resistance to the buckling, but it then becomes difficult to collapse the can after the beverage is consumed, leading to the inconveniences in recycling, etc. In other words, it is difficult to maintain the strength of the metal can in the longitudinal direction particularly in order to minimize the loss of the cans discarded due to buckling caused during the seaming operation of the can lids if the transverse grooves 220 are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the can barrel portion 150 without increasing the thickness of the can barrel portion 150.

Also, in the metal cans disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Kokai No. 5-13933 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Kokai No. 2007-254008, the transverse grooves are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the can barrel portion 150 in order for the used can to be easily collapsed. In other words, in the publications,

maintaining the strength of the can 100 in the

longitudinal direction is not taken into consideration.

If a longitudinal groove (not shown) which extends in the axial direction of the can is formed in the outer

peripheral surface of the can barrel portion 150, the strength of the metal can 100 in the longitudinal

direction against the load is increased. However, if the longitudinal groove and the above-mentioned transverse groove are in contact with each other, the buckling of the transverse groove affects or propagates to the longitudinal groove, thus, leading to possible

deformation of the longitudinal groove. In particular, if a product information indication area (not shown) is provided adjacent to the longitudinal groove on the outer peripheral surface of the can barrel portion 150, the deformation of the product information indication area may occur.

To eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional art as mentioned above, the inventor of the present invention has researched and found that the arrangement in which the longitudinal groove (s) is (are) spaced from the transverse groove (s) makes it possible to prevent the influence of the buckling which occurs at the transverse groove (s) from being propagated to the longitudinal groove (s). The present invention has been completed on the basis of this finding.

Under these circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a metal can body and a metal can, in which no influence of the buckling which occurs at the transverse groove is propagated to the longitudinal groove, the degree of design freedom is enhanced, and a relatively large strength against the load in the

longitudinal direction is provided.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to achieve the object mentioned above, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a metal can body in the form of a bottomed cylinder having a bottom and a can barrel portion, wherein the can barrel portion is provided, in its outer peripheral surface, with at least one first groove which extends at least partially in a direction substantially parallel with the axial direction of the can barrel portion, and at least one second groove which extends at least partially in a substantially circumferential direction of the can barrel portion, the second groove being spaced from the first groove. In other words, according to the first aspect of the invention, the formation of the first groove

(longitudinal groove) makes it possible to increase the strength of the metal can body against a load in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, as the first groove and the second groove (transverse groove) are spaced from one another, if the buckling of the second groove occurs, no influence thereby can be propagated to the first groove. Moreover, the formation of the first and second grooves can enhance the degree of design freedom of the metal can body.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the first groove in the first aspect of the invention is provided between a product information indication area provided on the outer peripheral surface of the can barrel portion and the second groove.

In other words, according to the second aspect of the invention, even when the product information indication area is provided adjacent to the first groove on the outer peripheral surface of the metal can, no deformation of the product information indication area occurs.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the second groove in the first or second aspect extends over at least one fourth of the can barrel portion.

In other words, according to the third aspect of the invention, it is possible to prevent the influence of the buckling from being propagated to the first groove, regardless of the length of the second groove in the circumferential direction.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of second grooves are provided and are

regularly arranged, in any of the first to third aspect.

In other words, in the fourth aspect, the second grooves can enhance the decorative effect of the metal can body. Note that the second grooves may be linear, arched, or wave-shaped, etc., and may extend horizontally or obliquely.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the arrangement of the fourth aspect of the invention, a reinforcement groove which extends substantially in parallel with the axial direction of the can barrel portion and connects at least two second grooves is provided in the outer peripheral surface of the can barrel portion.

With the arrangement according to the fifth aspect, the degree of design freedom of the metal can body is

increased and the strength of the metal can body against a load in the longitudinal direction can be further increased.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the arrangement of any of the first to fifth aspect, the can barrel portion is provided, on its outer peripheral surface, with at least two product information indication areas which are at least partially surrounded by each of at least two first grooves, and opposite ends of the respective second grooves are spaced from the respective first grooves surrounding the product information

indication areas.

With the arrangement according to the sixth aspect, it is possible td reliably prevent the influence by the

buckling which occurs at the second grooves from being propagated to the first grooves which surround the corresponding product information indication areas.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the arrangement according to the sixth aspect, the can barrel portion is further provided, in its outer peripheral surface, with auxiliary grooves which surround the product information indication areas in cooperation with the first grooves. In other words, with the structure according to the seventh aspect, it is possible to enhance the decorative effect of the product information indication areas. In addition, the buckling of the auxiliary groove

preferentially occurs, and consequently, the product information indication areas can be protected.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a metal can comprising a metal can body according to any one of the first to seventh aspect of the invention and a can lid seamed to an opening of the metal can body.

The metal can according to the eighth aspect can provide substantially the same effects as those expected from the first to seventh aspect of the invention.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a front view of a metal can according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2a is a first partial cross-sectional view of a metal can shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2b is a second partial cross-sectional view of a metal can shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2c is a third partial cross-sectional view of a metal can shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a metal can according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG.. 4 is a front elevational view of a metal can

according to the conventional art.

FIG. 5a is a partial cross-sectional view of a metal can according to the conventional art. FIG. 5b is another partial sectional view of a metal can according to the conventional art.

Mode for Carrying out the Invention

The embodiments of the present invention will be

discussed below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same components are indicated by the same reference numerals. For the sake of clarity, the illustrations shown in the drawings are not necessarily identical in a scale.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a metal can according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The metal can 10 shown in FIG. 1 is comprised of a metal can body 12 in the form of a bottomed cylinder and a can lid

11 seamed to an opening of the metal can body 12. The metal can body 12 and the can lid 11 are made of a metal, for example, aluminum or an aluminum alloy. It is assumed that the metal can 10 is filled with a content, such as beer, low-malt beer, or soft drink, etc.

The metal can body 12 essentially includes a bottom 13 and a can barrel portion 15 which extends in the axial direction of the metal can body 12 from the bottom 13. In FIG. 1, the inner diameter of the can barrel portion

15 is substantially identical in the axial direction of the metal can body 12, but the inner diameter of the can barrel portion 15 may partially vary. As shown in FIG. 1, the can barrel portion 15 is

provided, in its outer peripheral surface, with product information indication area 16 which indicates the information regarding the contents of the metal can 10. The product information indication area 16 is entirely surrounded by a surrounding groove 20.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the surrounding groove 20 includes first grooves 21a and 21b which extend

substantially in parallel with the axial direction of the can barrel portion 15. The product information

indication area 16 is located between the first grooves 21a and 21b. Two auxiliary grooves 23a and 23b which extend substantially in the circumferential direction of the can barrel portion 15 connect the upper ends and the lower ends of the first grooves 21a and 21b,

respectively. Furthermore, the product information indication area 16 and the surrounding grooves 20 are formed also on the rear side of the metal can body 10.

The rear side view of the metal can 10 is substantially identical to FIG. 1. In other words, the two product information indication areas 16 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the can barrel portion 15 and are opposed to each other, although the rear side product information indication area is not illustrated in the drawings. In such an arrangement, the trade name of the product, etc., is indicated on the product information indication areas 16.

The can barrel portion 15 is provided, in its outer peripheral surface, with a plurality of second grooves 22a to 22c and 22a ¹ to 22c' which extend substantially in. the circumferential direction of the can barrel portion. 15. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the second grooves 22a to 22c extend from the vicinity of the first groove 21a of the one surrounding groove 20 to the vicinity of the first groove 21b of the other surrounding groove in the counterclockwise direction. Likewise, the second grooves 22a ¹ to 22c' extend from the vicinity of the first groove 21b of the one surrounding groove 20 to the vicinity of the first groove 21a of the other surrounding groove in the clockwise direction.

Furthermore, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the second grooves 22b and 22b' extend in the circumferential direction of the can barrel portion 15, and the remaining second grooves 22a, 22a' and 22c, 22c' extend in the downward and upward directions at an acute angle with respect to the circumferential direction of the can barrel portion 15. Note that the extending direction of the second grooves 22a to 22c and 22a' to 22c' is not limited as long as they extend in the generally

circumferential direction of the can barrel portion 15 and the number of the second grooves is not limited to that in the illustrated embodiment.

The second grooves 22a, etc., are not necessarily

continuous and may be discontinuous. Moreover, the second grooves 22a, etc., which are formed of an assembly of small recesses are included in the scope of the present invention. Note that as the front view and the rear view of the metal can 10 are almost identical, it may be understood that the second grooves 22a to 22c and 22a ¹ to 22c ¹ extend at least over one fourth of the outer peripheral surface of the can barrel portion 15.

FIGS. 2a to 2c are partial cross-sectional views of the metal can shown in FIG. ·1. In FIGS. 2a to 2c, only the second groove 22b is typically illustrated. As shown in FIG. 2a, the second groove 22b has a triangular sectional shape. Alternatively, the sectional shape of the second groove 22b may be semi-elliptical or trapezoidal, as shown in FIGS..2b and 2c, respectively. Also, the first grooves 21a and 21b may be of the sectional shape shown in FIGS. 2a to 2c. The illustrated shapes are all included in the scope of the present invention.

As mentioned above, the first grooves 21a, 21b which extend substantially in parallel with the axial direction of the can barrel portion 15 are formed on the metal can the metal can body 12 and the metal can 10 against a load in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) is increased. Furthermore, the first grooves 21a, 21b which extend substantially in parallel with the axial direction of the can barrel portion 15 and the second grooves 22a to 22c and 22a' to 22c ¹ which extend substantially in the circumferential direction of the can barrel portion 15 make it possible to increase the degree of design freedom of the metal can body 12 and the metal can 10 and to further enhance the decorative effect.

With reference to FIG. 1, the ends of the second grooves 22a to 22c do not connect to the first groove 21a and are spaced from the first groove 21a at a distance k.

Likewise, the ends of the second grooves 22a' to 22c' are spaced from the first groove 21b at a distance k. The same is true on the rear surface side of the metal can 10. As mentioned above, the metal can 10 tends to receive a load in the longitudinal direction particularly when the can lid 11 is seamed or the content, such as beverage, is filled. Consequently, the buckling of the second grooves 22a to 22c, 22a ¹ to 22c' may occur. It should be

recalled that the possibility of the buckling further increases when the second grooves 22a, etc., extend over one fourth of the outer peripheral surface of the can barrel portion 15. However, in the present invention, as the first grooves 21a, 21b are spaced from the second grooves 22a to 2c and 22a' to 22c' at a distance k, respectively, the buckling which occurs at the second grooves 22a, etc., terminates at the opposite ends of the second grooves 22a, etc., and does not propagate to the first grooves 21a and 21b. In other words, the distance k is long enough to prevent the buckling which occurs at the second grooves 22a, etc., from propagating to the first grooves 21a, etc. Furthermore, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the opposite ends of all the second grooves 22a to 22c and 22a' to 22c ¹ are spaced at a distance k from the first grooves 21a, 21b of the surrounding grooves 20 on the front surface side and the rear surface side of the metal can body. It may be therefore understood that it is possible to reliably prevent the influence of the buckling which occurs at the second grooves 22a, etc., from propagating to the first grooves 21a and 21b on the front surface side and rear surface side.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first grooves 21a and 21b, that are provided between the product information indication area 16 and the second grooves 22a to 22c and between the product information indication area 16 and the second grooves 22a' to 22c', respectively, are adjacent to the product information indication area 16, and the second grooves 22a, etc., are spaced from the first grooves 21a, etc. , at a distance k. Thus, the buckling which occurs at the second grooves 22a, etc., terminates at the opposite ends of the second grooves 22a, etc., and propagates neither to the first grooves 21a, etc., nor to the product information indication area 16.

Consequently, it is possible to prevent the product information indication area 16 from being deformed or damaged.

In addition to the foregoing, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the second grooves 22a to 22c and 22a' to 22c' are regularly arranged, thus leading to the enhancement of the decorative effect of the metal can body 12. The auxiliary grooves 23a and 23b, which are not essential components of the present invention, contribute to the enhancement of the decorative effect of the product information indication area 16. If an excessive load in the longitudinal direction is applied to the metal can 10, the buckling of the auxiliary grooves 23a and 23b preferentially occurs, so that the influence of the buckling of the auxiliary grooves does not propagate to the product information indication area 16 which is thus protected.

The second grooves 22a to 22c may be interconnected by a reinforcement groove 25 which extends in the axial direction of the can barrel portion 15. Likewise, the second grooves 22a ¹ to 22c' may be interconnected by a similar reinforcement groove. The reinforcement groove 25 which is connected to the second grooves 22a, etc., makes it possible to reinforce the metal can body 12 and the metal can 10 against the load in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) , compared with cans having no reinforcement groove 25. In addition, the reinforcement groove 25 makes it possible to enhance the degree of design freedom of the metal can body 12 and the metal can 10. However, it should be noted that when the

reinforcement groove 25 is connected to the second grooves 22a, etc., the strength of the metal can body 12 and the metal can 10 in the longitudinal direction is reduced, compared with cans having the reinforcement groove 25 without the second grooves 22a, etc.

FIG. 3 shows a front elevational view of a metal can according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the second grooves 22a and 22c may be arched. Alternatively, the second grooves 22a, etc., may be of a wave-shape or a continuous L-shape. Moreover, the second grooves 22a, etc., may be of any other shapes, for example, a diamond shape, a circular shape or an elliptical shape or a part or combination thereof.

Note that the embodiments of the present invention are applied to an aluminum can or an aluminum alloy can, but the present invention can be applied to a can made of other metals, for example,, a steel can. As a matter of course, an appropriate combination of some or all of the above-mentioned embodiments is included in the scope of the present invention.

Description of Notations

10 metal can

11 can lid

12 metal can body

13 bottom

15 can barrel portion

16 product information

20 surrounding groove

21a, 21b first groove

22a to 22c, 22a' to 22c ¹ second groove

23a, 23b auxiliary groove

25 reinforcement groove