Metal beverage container with improved finish geometry

Abstract

A metal beverage container may include a body portion, a neck portion connected with said body portion, and a finish portion. The finish portion may include a threaded portion, a lip portion, and a transition portion coupled between the threaded portion and the lip portion. The transition portion may include an outwardly convex shape.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A metal beverage container, comprising:
 a body portion;   a neck portion connected with said body portion; and   a finish portion including:
 a threaded portion; 
 a lip portion; and 
 a transition portion coupled between said threaded portion and said lip portion, said transition portion including an outwardly convex shape. 
   
     
     
         2 . The metal beverage container according to  claim 1 , wherein said body portion, neck portion, and finish portion includes aluminum. 
     
     
         3 . The metal beverage container according to  claim 2 , wherein the aluminum is 3000 series aluminum. 
     
     
         4 . The metal beverage container according to  claim 1 , wherein the outwardly convex shape has a radius between approximately 1 mm and approximately 6 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The metal beverage container according to  claim 4 , wherein said finish portion has a thickness between approximately 0.125 mm and approximately 0.600 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The metal beverage container of  claim 4 , wherein said finish portion has a thickness of approximately 0.33 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The metal beverage container according to  claim 1 , wherein said transition portion has a length that is longer than a finish portion with a straight line. 
     
     
         8 . The metal beverage container according to  claim 1 , wherein said transition portion is configured to support an axial load between approximately 1250N and approximately 1750N. 
     
     
         9 . The metal beverage container according to  claim 1 , wherein said lip portion has a substantially circular shape. 
     
     
         10 . The metal beverage container according to  claim 1 , wherein said transition portion has an angle between approximately 45 degrees and approximately 80 degrees from horizontal. 
     
     
         11 . The metal beverage container according to  claim 1 , wherein said transition portion is a compound curve. 
     
     
         12 . The metal beverage container according to  claim 1 , wherein said transition portion has a non-linear response to a load as a result of having a non-linear shape. 
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a metal beverage container, said method comprising:
 forming a body portion;   forming a neck portion connected with the body portion; and   forming a finish portion connected with the neck portion, the finish portion being formed by:
 forming a threaded portion; 
 forming a lip portion; and 
 forming a transition portion coupled between the threaded portion and the lip portion, the transition portion including an outwardly convex shape. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein forming the body, neck, and finish portions includes forming the body, neck, and finish portions of aluminum. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein forming the body, neck, and finish portions of aluminum includes forming the body, neck, and finish portions using 3000 series aluminum. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein forming the transition portion includes forming the transition with the outwardly convex shape having a radius between approximately 1 mm and approximately 6 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein forming the finish portion includes forming the finish portion having a thickness between approximately 0.125 mm and approximately 0.600 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein forming the finish portion includes forming the finish portion having a thickness of approximately 0.33 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein forming the transition portion includes forming the transition portion having a length longer than a finish portion that is a straight line. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein forming the transition portion includes forming the transition portion with a configuration to support an axial load between approximately 1250N and 1750N. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein forming the lip portion includes forming the lip portion with a substantially circular shape. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein forming the transition portion includes forming the transition portion with an angle between approximately 45 degrees and approximately 80 degrees from horizontal.