Thin-Walled Metal Container

Abstract

The present application describes a thin-walled single-serve perishable food container configured to be economically manufactured from metal and useable by a consumer in the existing single-serve metal container, for example, a disposable single-serve metal yogurt cup. The thin-walled container has a top flange coupled to a bottom with a cylindrical wall and a conical sidewall that extends inwardly from the top flange, such that a diameter of the bottom is less than a diameter of the top flange. The thin-walled container may house other foods, such as ground or pulverized organic or synthetic powdered mixtures or dried food. The container may also have a cover or lid that hermetically seals the contents.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thin-walled metal container comprising:
 a circular top flange laying within a plane and extending between an outside edge and a circular inside edge centered on a longitudinal, central axis, the circular inside edge having a first diameter;   an edge portion extending from the top flange outwardly from the central axis and bent inwardly toward the central axis, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the edge portion has a curved portion having a first radius;   a cylindrical wall extending perpendicular to, and from, the inside edge of the top flange and being parallel to the central axis, the cylindrical wall terminating at a wall edge having the first diameter;   a bottom including a circular central wall parallel to the top flange and centered upon the central axis and terminating at a bottom edge that has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter; and   a conical sidewall extending from the wall edge to the bottom edge.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first diameter is between 3 and 3.75 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the top flange is between 0.15 and 0.25 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first radius is between 0.03 and 0.035 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical wall extends between 0.3 and 0.4 inches between the inside edge of the top flange and the wall edge. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the edge portion is bent inwardly between 0.08 and 0.086 inches from the top flange toward the central axis. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the radius is between 0.022 and 0.026 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the conical sidewall extends at an angle from the bottom between 5° and 15° degrees from the central axis. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is fabricated from aluminum. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is fabricated from ferrous metal. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein an inside surface of the container is coated with PET Laminate, BPA Non-Intent Liquid Coating. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein an outside surface of the container is coated with PET Laminate, BPA Non-Intent Liquid Coating. 
     
     
         13 . A metal container, comprising:
 a top flange extending along a plane between an outside edge and a circular inside edge with a first diameter, the top flange centered on a central axis;   a cylindrical wall extending perpendicular to, and from, the inside edge of the top flange and being parallel to the central axis, the cylindrical wall terminating at a wall edge having the first diameter;   a bottom including a circular central wall parallel to the plane, the bottom is centered on the central axis, the central wall including a trough at its periphery, the bottom terminates at a bottom edge that has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter;   a conical sidewall extending from the wall edge to the bottom edge; and   a cover coupled to the circular inside edge of the top flange, the cover forming a hermetic seal that seals contents stored within the metal container.   
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the cover extends from the inside edge to the outside edge of the top flange. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the cover of the container is coated with PET Laminate, BPA Non-Intent Liquid Coating, and wherein the cover comprises a metallic material. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 13 , further comprising an edible food sealed within an interior of the metal container, and wherein the food is combined with a food mixture outside the seal. 
     
     
         17 . A thin-walled metal container, comprising:
 a circular top flange laying within a plane and extending between an outside edge and a circular inside edge centered on a longitudinal, central axis, the circular inside edge having a first diameter;   an edge portion extending from the top flange outwardly from the central axis and bent inwardly toward the central axis, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the edge portion has a curved portion having a first radius;   a cylindrical wall extending perpendicular to, and from, the inside edge of the top flange and being parallel to the central axis, the cylindrical wall terminating at a wall edge having the first diameter;   a bottom including a circular central wall parallel to the top flange and centered upon the central axis, the central wall including a trough at its periphery, the trough including a depth and a cross-sectional shape having a second radius with the trough terminating at a bottom edge having a second diameter being less than the first diameter;   a conical sidewall extending from the wall edge to the bottom edge; and   a cover encircling the circular inside edge of the top flange, the cover forming a hermetic seal that pressure seals contents stored within the metal container.   
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein the contents stored within the metal container are a liquid material. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein the contents stored within the metal container are an edible perishable material sealed under a pressure differential. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the edible perishable material contents stored within the metal container are an instant yogurt in a single-serve metal yogurt container, and the pressure seal is a vacuum seal.