Container having a metal end to which a membrane is sealed

Abstract

A container having an ethylene vinyl acetate-based or ethylene methyl-acrylate-based sealant as the sealant layer for a flexible membrane lid that is heat-sealed to a ring-shaped metal end on the container. In some embodiments, the sealant comprises ethylene vinyl acetate blended with a polyolefin. The polyolefin can comprise a polyethylene such as low-density polyethylene. The metal end can have a spot-coated surface or an uncoated (i.e., bare metal) surface. A coating of a polypropylene-based composition is provided on the metal end. The sealant layer of the lid is heat-sealed to the polypropylene-based coating on the metal end to form a peelable seal. The resulting seal allows the lid to be peeled off the metal end by detachment of the sealant layer from the polypropylene-based coating.

1 . A container, comprising: 
 a receptacle comprising a wall, the wall having an upper edge extending about an opening of the receptacle;    a metal end affixed to the upper edge of the wall, the metal end defining a central opening providing access to an interior of the receptacle, the metal end defining an upper surface facing away from the interior of the receptacle, the upper surface being coated with a polypropylene-based composition; and    a flexible membrane lid comprising a substrate and a sealant layer, the sealant layer defining a lower surface of the lid, the sealant layer and the polypropylene-based composition on the upper surface of the metal end being heat-sealed together so as to seal the lid to the metal end, the sealant layer comprising a blend of ethylene vinyl acetate and a polyolefin.    
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the metal end comprises tin-plated steel.  
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the metal end comprises spot-coated tin-plated steel.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the polypropylene-based composition comprises epoxy in which polypropylene is dispersed.  
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin in the sealant layer comprises polyethylene.  
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein the polyethylene comprises low-density polyethylene.  
   
   
       7 . A container, comprising: 
 a receptacle comprising a wall, the wall having an upper edge extending about an opening of the receptacle;    a metal end affixed to the upper edge of the wall, the metal end defining a central opening providing access to an interior of the receptacle, the metal end defining an upper surface facing away from the interior of the receptacle, the upper surface being coated with an epoxy-based composition; and    a flexible membrane lid comprising a substrate and a sealant layer, the sealant layer defining a lower surface of the lid, the sealant layer sealingly affixing the lid to the polypropylene-based composition on the upper surface of the metal end so as to close the central opening of the metal end, the sealant layer comprising an ethylene vinyl acetate-based resin.    
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the epoxy-based composition consists essentially of epoxy.  
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the epoxy-based composition comprises epoxy in which polypropylene is dispersed.  
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the sealant layer comprises ethylene vinyl acetate blended with a polyolefin.  
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the polyolefin comprises polyethylene.  
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the metal end comprises electro-tin-plated steel to which the coating of epoxy-based composition is applied.  
   
   
       13 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the metal end comprises spot-coated electro-tin-plated steel to which the coating of epoxy-based composition is applied.  
   
   
       14 . A container, comprising: 
 a receptacle comprising a wall, the wall having an upper edge extending about an opening of the receptacle;    a metal end affixed to the upper edge of the wall, the metal end defining a central opening providing access to an interior of the receptacle, the metal end defining an upper surface facing away from the interior of the receptacle, the upper surface being coated with an epoxy-based composition; and    a flexible membrane lid comprising a substrate and a sealant layer, the sealant layer defining a lower surface of the lid, the sealant layer sealingly affixing the lid to the polypropylene-based composition on the upper surface of the metal end so as to close the central opening of the metal end, the sealant layer comprising an ethylene methyl-acrylate-based resin.    
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the epoxy-based composition consists essentially of epoxy.  
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the epoxy-based composition comprises epoxy in which polypropylene is dispersed.  
   
   
       17 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the sealant layer comprises ethylene vinyl acetate blended with a polyolefin.  
   
   
       18 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein the polyolefin comprises polyethylene.  
   
   
       19 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the metal end comprises electro-tin-plated steel to which the coating of epoxy-based composition is applied.  
   
   
       20 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the metal end comprises spot-coated electro-tin-plated steel to which the coating of epoxy-based composition is applied.