Metal container end with coined periphery edge and related methods

Abstract

A metal container end (102) for a metal container (100) includes a center section (116) and a periphery section (118) extending along a periphery of the center section. The periphery section includes an edge (122) of the periphery section, and the edge (122) includes a contacting portion (126) and a non-contacting portion (130). The contacting portion (126) of the edge (122) extends at a non-zero angle (132) relative to the non-contacting portion (130) of the edge (122).

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A metal container end comprising:
 a center section; and   a periphery section extending along a periphery of the center section,   wherein the periphery section comprises an edge,   wherein the edge comprises a contacting portion and a non-contacting portion, and   wherein the contacting portion extends at a non-zero angle relative to the non-contacting portion.   
     
     
         2 . The metal container end of  claim 1 , wherein the periphery section comprises a section thickness, and wherein the contacting portion comprises at least 50% of the section thickness at the edge and less than 100% of the section thickness at the edge. 
     
     
         3 . The metal container end of  claim 1 , wherein the non-zero angle is from about 5° to about 30°. 
     
     
         4 . The metal container end of  claim 1 , wherein the metal container end comprises an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the edge extends from the outer surface to the inner surface, and wherein the contacting portion of the edge extends from the outer surface towards the inner surface. 
     
     
         5 . The metal container end of  claim 4 , wherein the non-contacting is between the inner surface and the contacting portion. 
     
     
         6 . The metal container end of  claim 1 , wherein the periphery section further comprises a curl between the center section and the edge. 
     
     
         7 . The metal container end of  claim 1 , wherein the metal container end comprises aluminum or an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         8 . A beverage can comprising:
 a can body; and   the metal container end of  claim 1  as a beverage can end joined to the can body.   
     
     
         9 . A metal container end comprising:
 a center section;   a periphery section extending along a periphery of the center section;   an outer surface; and   an inner surface,   wherein a distance from the outer surface to the inner surface is a thickness of the metal container end,   wherein the periphery section comprises an edge extending between the outer surface and the inner surface,   wherein the edge comprises a contacting portion and a non-contacting portion, and   wherein the contacting portion of the edge extends from the outer surface towards the inner surface and at a non-zero angle relative to the non-contacting portion.   
     
     
         10 . The metal container end of  claim 9 , wherein the contacting portion of the edge comprises at least 50% of the thickness at the edge. 
     
     
         11 . The metal container of  claim 9 , wherein the non-zero angle is from about 5° to about 30°. 
     
     
         12 . The metal container end of  claim 9 , wherein the periphery section further comprises a curl between the edge and the center section. 
     
     
         13 . A beverage can comprising:
 a can body; and   the metal container end of  claim 9  as a beverage can end joined to the can body, wherein the center section comprises at least one of a tab or a score line.   
     
     
         14 . The metal container end of  claim 9 , wherein the periphery section has a section thickness, wherein the contacting portion of the edge comprising at least 50% of the section thickness at the edge, and wherein the non-zero angle is from greater than 0° and less than 90° relative to the non-contacting portion. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a metal container end, the method comprising:
 blanking a material to form the metal container end such that the metal container end comprises a center section and a periphery section extending along a periphery of the center section;   coining an edge of the periphery section and forming a contacting portion of the edge that extends at a non-zero angle relative to a non-contacting portion of the edge; and   shaping the metal container end such that the periphery section comprises a curl between the center section and the edge.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein shaping the metal container end comprises shaping the metal container end such that curl has a non-zero curvature. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the metal container end is a first metal container end, and wherein the method further comprises stacking the first metal container end on a second metal container end such that the contacting portion of the periphery section contacts the second metal container end. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the contacting portion of the edge comprises at least 50% of a thickness of the metal container end at the edge, and wherein the non-zero angle is from about 5° to about 30°. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the metal container end comprises aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and wherein the metal container end is a beverage can end. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a beverage can comprising:
 forming the beverage can end according to the method of claim  19 ; and   joining the beverage can end to a can body.