Easy opening closure, container provided with such closure, and apparatus for producing such closure

Abstract

The invention relates to an easy opening closure, comprising a closure having a folding rim and a circumferential score line having a score residual (t) the thickness of the closure in the score line, enclosing a removable central closure part; and a tab connected to the central closure part, which score line has a pop zone in which the tap pops a section of the central closure along the score line and the pop zone comprising a pop ignition zone adjacent to the tab, in clock-wise and anti-clock-wise direction subsequent tear zones in which using the tab the central closure part is torn off from the closure along the score line and eventually looses from the closure, wherein the tear zones comprise each a tear ignition zone adjacent the respective pop zone, and wherein the score residual (t) the tear ignition zones is reduced relative to the score residual in the pop ignition zone, to a container, provided with such easy opening closure and to an apparatus for producing the same.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . An easy opening closure comprising a closure having a folding rim and a circumferential score line having a score residual (t) over the thickness of the closure in the score line, enclosing a removable central closure part; and a tab connected to the central closure part, which score line has a pop zone in which the tab pops a section of the central closure along the score line and the pop zone comprises a pop ignition zone adjacent to the tab, in clock-wise and anti-clock-wise direction subsequent tear zones in which using the tab the central closure part is torn off from the closure along the score line and eventually looses from the closure, wherein the tear zones each comprise a tear ignition zone adjacent the respective pop zone, and wherein the score residual (t) in the tear ignition zones is reduced relative to the score residual in the pop ignition zone.  
   
   
       14 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the reduction in score residual (t) is maximum at least at the transition between the pop zone and the adjacent tear ignition zone.  
   
   
       15 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the reduction in score residual (t) decreases gradually from the transition.  
   
   
       16 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the score residual (t) is reduced in a part of the pop zone adjacent to the tear ignition zone.  
   
   
       17 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the reduction in score residual (t) is maximum 25 μm.  
   
   
       18 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the maximum tear force is reduced from 1N (0.2 lbs).  
   
   
       19 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the reduction in score residual (t) is at least partly formed by a score in the surface of the public side of the closure.  
   
   
       20 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the reduction in score residual (t) is at least partly formed by a score in the surface of the product side of the closure.  
   
   
       21 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the tear zones meet in a hinge zone having a score residual (t) at least equal to the score residual (t) of the pop ignition zones.  
   
   
       22 . A container, provided with the easy opening closure of  claim 13 .  
   
   
       23 . An apparatus for producing an easy opening closure, comprising a tool for forming a score in a surface of the closure, which has a larger thickness in a tool section for forming the reduction in the score residual.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the tool is a lower anvil for forming a score in the surface of the product side of the closure.  
   
   
       25 . The easy opening closure of  claim 13 , wherein the reduction in score residual (t) is in the range of 5-15 μm.  
   
   
       26 . The easy opening closure of  claim 13 , wherein the reduction in score residual (t) is in the range of 7-8 μm.  
   
   
       27 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the reduction in score residual (t) decreases gradually from the transition.  
   
   
       28 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the score residual (t) is reduced in a part of the pop zone adjacent to the tear ignition zone.  
   
   
       29 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the score residual (t) is reduced in a part of the pop zone adjacent to the tear ignition zone.  
   
   
       30 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the reduction in score residual (t) is maximum 25 μm.  
   
   
       31 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the maximum tear force is reduced from 1N (0.2 lbs).  
   
   
       32 . The easy opening closure as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the maximum tear force is reduced from 1N (0.2 lbs).