Aluminum aerosol can and aluminum bottle and method of manufacture

Abstract

Aerosol cans, more particularly, aluminum aerosol cans made from disks of aluminum coil feedstock, are provided. A method for necking aerosol cans of a series 3000 aluminum alloy is also provided. The method prevents the cans from sticking in the necking dies and produces a can with a uniquely shaped profile. The aluminum aerosol cans that are produced have the attributes of strength and quality, while being produced at a cost that is competitive with steel aerosol cans.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An aluminum can, comprising: 
 a generally vertical wall portion having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end having a predetermined profile;    a bottom portion extending from said lower end, said bottom portion having a U-shaped profile around the periphery of said bottom portion and a dome-shaped profile along the remainder of said bottom portion.    
     
     
         2 . The aluminum can of  claim 1 , wherein said generally vertical wall portion and said bottom portion are formed from a single metal disk of series 3000 aluminum alloy.  
     
     
         3 . The aluminum can of  claim 1 , wherein said vertical wall portion and said bottom portion are formed from a single metal disk and said vertical wall portion is of a thickness sufficient to withstand an internal pressure of 270 psi.  
     
     
         4 . The aluminum can of  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined profile is adapted to receive an aerosol-dispensing device.  
     
     
         5 . The aluminum can of  claim 1 , wherein the dome-shaped profile of said bottom portion is free from wrinkles.  
     
     
         6 . The aluminum can of  claim 1 , wherein said generally vertical wall portion has a thickness of approximately 0.21 mm, and said bottom portion has a thickness of approximately 0.51 mm in the area of said U-shaped profile.  
     
     
         7 . The aluminum can of  claim 6 , wherein the dome-shaped profile of said bottom portion is free from wrinkles.  
     
     
         8 . The aluminum can of  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined profile includes one of a tapered shoulder, rounded shoulder, flat shoulder, and oval shoulder.  
     
     
         9 . The aluminum can of  claim 1 , wherein said can is between 100 and 200 mm in height and 45 and 66 mm in diameter.  
     
     
         10 . The aluminum can of  claim 9 , wherein said predetermined profile is adapted to receive an aerosol-dispensing device.  
     
     
         11 . The aluminum can of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior of said can is brushed.  
     
     
         12 . The aluminum can of  claim 1 , wherein said upper end carries a threaded neck.  
     
     
         13 . The aluminum can of  claim 12 , wherein said threaded neck is comprised of aluminum.  
     
     
         14 . The aluminum can of  claim 12 , wherein said threaded neck is a threaded plastic outsert carried by an aluminum neck.  
     
     
         15 . An aluminum can, comprising: 
 a generally vertical wall portion having a wall thickness of at least 0.21 mm, said generally vertical wall portion having an upper end and a lower end; and    a bottom portion extending from said lower end of said generally vertical wall portion, said upper end of said generally vertical wall portion and said bottom portion each having a predetermined profile, said can comprised of a series 3000 aluminum alloy.    
     
     
         16 . The aluminum can of  claim 15 , wherein said predetermined profile of said upper end includes one of a tapered shoulder, rounded shoulder, flat shoulder, and oval shoulder.  
     
     
         17 . The aluminum can of  claim 15 , wherein said predetermined profile of said upper end is adapted to receive an aerosol-dispensing device.  
     
     
         18 . The aluminum can of  claim 15 , wherein said upper end carries a threaded neck.  
     
     
         19 . The aluminum can of  claim 18 , wherein said threaded neck is comprised of aluminum.  
     
     
         20 . The aluminum can of  claim 18 , wherein said threaded neck is a threaded plastic outsert carried by an aluminum neck.  
     
     
         21 . The aluminum can of  claim 15 , wherein said predetermined profile of said bottom portion includes a U-shaped profile around the periphery of said bottom portion and a dome-shaped profile along the remainder of said bottom portion.  
     
     
         22 . The aluminum can of  claim 15 , wherein said can is between 100 and 200 mm in height and 45 and 66 mm in diameter.  
     
     
         23 . The aluminum can of  claim 15 , wherein the dome-shaped profile of said bottom portion is free from wrinkles.  
     
     
         24 . The aluminum can of  claim 15 , wherein the exterior of said can is brushed.  
     
     
         25 . An aluminum can, comprising: 
 a generally vertical wall portion formed by a reverse draw process and having a wall thickness of at least 0.21 mm, said generally vertical wall portion having an upper end having a predetermined profile formed by a necking process, said generally vertical wall portion having a lower end; and    a bottom portion extending from said lower end of said wall portion, said bottom portion having a predetermined profile, said can comprised of a series 3000 aluminum alloy.    
     
     
         26 . A method of forming a neck profile in an aluminum can comprised of a series 3000 aluminum alloy, comprising processing said can with at least 30 different necking dies.  
     
     
         27 . The method of forming a neck profile of  claim 26 , wherein said processing comprises die necking the can with a first necking die having an angle of 0°30′0″ at the back of said first die.  
     
     
         28 . The method of forming a neck profile of  claim 27 , wherein said processing comprises die necking the can with a second necking die having an angle of 3° at the back of said second die.  
     
     
         29 . The method of forming a neck profile of  claim 28 , wherein said processing comprises die necking the can with a third necking die having an angle of 3° at the back of said third die.  
     
     
         30 . The method of forming a neck profile of  claim 29 , wherein said processing comprises die necking the can with a fourth necking die having an angle of 3° at the back of said fourth die.  
     
     
         31 . The method of forming a neck profile of  claim 30 , wherein said processing comprises die necking the can with a series of fourteen necking dies have non-movable center guides.  
     
     
         32 . The method of forming a neck profile of  claim 26 , wherein said processing comprises die necking the can with the first fourteen necking dies have non-movable center guides.  
     
     
         33 . The method of forming a neck profile of  claim 26 , wherein said processing comprises sequentially die necking the can with a series of at least thirty different necking dies, said method additionally comprises using compressed air with the first 14 dies to aid in the removal of said can from each of said dies.  
     
     
         34 . The method of forming a neck profile of  claim 26 , wherein said processing comprises sequentially die necking the can with a series of at least thirty different necking dies, said method additionally comprising using dies with an internal length of at least 100 mm.  
     
     
         35 . A method of forming a neck profile in an aluminum can comprised of a series  3000  aluminum alloy, comprising a plurality of die necking steps, each step achieving a degree of taper that is between about 0°30′0″ to 3″ from the original vertical sidewall of said can.  
     
     
         36 . A method of forming a neck profile in an aluminum can comprised of a series 3000 aluminum alloy, comprising: 
 attaching said can to a first mandrel;    passing said can sequentially through a first series of up to 28 necking dies arranged in a circular pattern;    transferring said can to a second mandrel; and    passing said can sequentially through a second series of up to 28 necking dies arranged in a circular pattern.    
     
     
         37 . The method of forming a neck profile of claim  41 , additionally comprising: 
 trimming the neck of said can, after said can passes through a predetermined one of said necking dies in said first series.    
     
     
         38 . A method for forming a neck profile in an aluminum can comprised of a series 3000 aluminum alloy, comprising: 
 processing said can through a first necking die so as to achieve a degree that is at least 0°30′0″ radial deformation of said can;    processing said can sequentially through a plurality of necking dies so as to achieve a degree of taper that is at least 2° radial deformation of said can in each necking die; and    trimming the neck profile after said can passes through one or more predetermined necking dies.