Metal container with screw-top closure and method of making the same

Abstract

A food or drink container kit includes a metal container including a round threaded neck having at least one integrally formed thread. The kit also includes a metal press-on, twist-off closure comprising a round skirt including a gasket material located on at least a portion of the interior of the skirt, a seal forming between the neck and skirt when the closure is placed on the container and heated.

1 . A food or drink container kit, comprising:
 a metal container including a round threaded neck having at least one integrally formed thread; and   a metal press-on, twist-off closure comprising a round skirt including a gasket material located on at least a portion of the interior of the skirt, a seal forming between the neck and skirt when the closure is placed on the container and heated.   
   
   
       2 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded neck comprises a single continuous thread. 
   
   
       3 . The container kit of  claim 2 , wherein a beginning of the single thread and an end of the single thread overlap relative to a vertical axis of the threaded neck. 
   
   
       4 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded neck comprises multiple independent threads. 
   
   
       5 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded neck, threads, closure, and gasket material are sized and configured so that mating threads are formed in the gasket material when the skirt is placed on the container and heated. 
   
   
       6 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the skirt of the closure is smooth such that a metal structure of the skirt does not prevent the closure from being pressed onto the threaded neck. 
   
   
       7 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded neck comprises metal that is about 0.007 inches to 0.009 inches thick. 
   
   
       8 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded neck comprises metal that is about at least 0.007 inches thick. 
   
   
       9 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein metal forming the threaded neck and the at least one threads has been thinned less than about 12 percent. 
   
   
       10 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein metal forming the threaded neck and the at least one threads has been thinned less than about 10 percent. 
   
   
       11 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the gasket material is a plastisol material. 
   
   
       12 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the container body further comprises a preservative coating lining its interior surfaces. 
   
   
       13 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein container and closure are configured to maintain the seal during a thermal retort process. 
   
   
       14 . The container kit of  claim 13 , wherein the thermal retort process is a process wherein the container with closure sealably installed onto the threaded neck and at least partially filled with perishable material is heated to a temperature of about at least 220 degrees with overriding pressure. 
   
   
       15 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded neck includes a top neck edge wherein metal of the top neck edge has been curled toward the exterior of the threaded neck. 
   
   
       16 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded neck includes a top neck edge wherein metal of the top neck edge has been curled toward the interior of the threaded neck. 
   
   
       17 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded neck includes a top neck edge wherein metal of the top neck edge has been curled toward the interior of the threaded neck and wherein the interior of the curl is sealed with a sealing compound. 
   
   
       18 . The container kit of  claim 1 , wherein a top end of the container includes a frusto-conical portion uniformly angling toward a center of the container before forming a substantially vertical structure from which the threaded neck is formed. 
   
   
       19 . A method for creating a metal container of the type closable with a press-on, twist-off closure, comprising:
 providing a blank of material;   forming a cup from the blank of material, the cup having a closed cup end, side walls, and an open cup end;   forming the closed cup end to create a neck and a primary container opening;   forming at least one thread in the neck; and   attaching a bottom part to the open cup end to form a metal body that is closed except for the primary container opening, such that once the metal container is filled, once the press-on, twist-off closure is pressed onto the neck, and once the container is heated, a seal is formed between the closure and the metal container.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the seal is formed by heating the closure as it is pressed onto the neck and the seal is maintained by processing the container. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising coating the interior of the container with a preservative material prior to filling the container with food. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising at least partially filling the metal body with food through the primary container opening. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising pushing a press-on twist-off closure onto the at least one thread formed in the neck. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the filled container is suitable for use with a thermal retort process so that a seal may be maintained during and after the thermal retort process. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the thermal retort process is a process wherein the container with closure sealably installed onto the threaded neck and filled with food is heated to a temperature of about at least 250 degrees. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the thermal retort process is a process wherein the container with closure sealably installed onto the threaded neck and filled with food is heated to a temperature of about at least 220 degrees for a time period of more than 20 minutes. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the thermal retort process is a process wherein the container with closure sealably installed onto the threaded neck is heated to about 245 degrees Fahrenheit with about 30 pounds per square inch of overriding pressure for a period of at about 40 minutes and about a 3 pounds per square inch differential between overriding pressure and internal pressure is maintained. 
   
   
       28 . A container made by the process of:
 filling a metal container with food, the container comprising a preservative coating lining interior surfaces of the container and a threaded neck having at least one integrally formed thread configured to receive a closure;   pressing a press-on, twist-off closure onto the threaded neck, the closure comprising an interior surface and a plastisol gasket material lining at least a portion of the interior surface, wherein the closure and the threaded neck are configured to maintain a seal when subjected to a heating and cooling process such that the plastisol gasket material lining the interior surface of the closure resiliently engages the at least one integrally formed threads; and   heating the container to sterilize the food contained within the container and to create a vacuum that provides a physical force that helps securably hold the press-on, twist-off closure onto the container.   
   
   
       29 . A food or drink storage apparatus, comprising:
 a metal container including a round threaded neck having at least one integrally formed thread; and   a metal press-on, twist-off closure comprising a round skirt including a gasket material located on at least a portion of the interior of the skirt, a seal forming between the neck and skirt when the closure is placed on the container and heated.