Stackable flat bottomed can

Abstract

The invention seeks to provide the possibility of producing alternately (according to need) on the same production line beverage cans which are in one piece in the body portion and alternatively thereto metal cans for in particular baby food or children's food, milk foods or evaporated milk, while at the same time affording the possibility of considerable material savings on the last-mentioned food sector. Proposed for that purpose is a metal can comprising a seamless can body of sheet metal comprising a can body portion and a substantially flat bottom formed in one piece therewith, wherein the body portion is drawn conically inwardly both towards the bottom and also towards its open end respectively. The substantially flat bottom has an outwardly facing bead or indentation for stackingly receiving a connecting seam which connects one end of the can body portion of a second identical metal can to the lid thereof.

1 . A metal can comprising a seamless can body ( 1 ) of sheet metal having a can body portion ( 2 ) and a—substantially flat—bottom ( 3 ;  3   a ;  35 ) formed in one piece therewith, wherein the body portion ( 2 ) is drawn conically inwardly ( 5 ,  11 ;  31 ,  41 ) both towards the bottom ( 3 ) and also towards its open end ( 15   c ) respectively and the substantially flat bottom ( 3 ) has an outwardly facing bead ( 7 ) or indentation ( 32 ), adapted and suitable for stackingly receiving a connecting seam ( 12 ;  34 ) which connects an end ( 15   c ) of a can body portion of a second identical metal can ( 1   a ;  15 ) to the lid ( 4 ) thereof. 
   
   
       2 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the axially inwardly projecting bottom bead ( 7 ) is arranged radially within the lower end of the conical inwardly drawn portion ( 5 ) of the body portion ( 2 ) and—preferably forming an axially outwardly projecting support rib ( 6 )—starts from the conical inwardly drawn portion ( 5 ) or is at least near thereto. 
   
   
       3 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the indentation ( 32 ) is provided in the region of the conical inwardly drawn portion ( 31 ) of the body portion ( 30 ) radially outside an axially outwardly projecting support rib ( 36 ) directly adjoining the inwardly drawn portion. 
   
   
       4 . A metal can as set forth in one of the preceding claims wherein the—substantially flat—bottom ( 3 ) is free from convexly or concavely curved bottom portions. 
   
   
       5 . A metal can as set forth in one of  claims 1  through  4  wherein the—substantially flat—bottom ( 3 ) comprises a plurality of radially mutually displaced, substantially flat bottom surface portions ( 8 ,  9 ,  10 ). 
   
   
       6 . A metal can as set forth in one of the preceding claims wherein the flat bottom ( 3 ;  3   a ;  35 ) extends in a heightwise region which is defined by an axially upper end of the bead ( 7 ) and an axially lower end of a support rib ( 6 ), in particular in a heightwise region of less than 5 mm. 
   
   
       7 . A metal can as set forth in previous  claim 5  wherein the bottom surface portions are respectively connected together by way of narrow shoulders ( 9   a ,  10   a ) or the like steps, in particular the ‘narrow shoulders’ are shorter than a lateral extent of a respectively adjacent bottom surface portion, which represents a slight stepping. 
   
   
       8 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the bottom ( 3 ;  3   a ;  35 ) does not project axially inwardly higher than 5 mm, measured from a lower axial end of a support rib ( 6 ,  36 ). 
   
   
       9 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the flat bottom surface portions ( 8 ,  9 ,  10 ) are displaced relative to each other in the axial direction by way of shoulders ( 9   a ,  10   a ), preferably in an axially inward direction when viewing from radially outside to radially inside. 
   
   
       10 . A metal can as set forth in one of  claims 1  through  9  wherein the substantially flat bottom ( 21 ), outside a bottom center ( 22 ;  8 ), has annularly extending corrugations ( 23 ) or the like, in particular of a slight amplitude. 
   
   
       11 . A metal can as set forth in one of the preceding claims wherein a substantially flat lid panel ( 4   a , lid plate portion) is lowered with respect to the connecting seam ( 12 ) and directly adjoins said seam by way of an axially inwardly projecting damping bead ( 13 ). 
   
   
       12 . A metal can as set forth in the preceding claim wherein the degree of lowering in relation to the connecting seam is slight, in terms of heightwise dimension less than an axial height of a double fold configuration ( 12 ). 
   
   
       13 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 1  or  claim 6  wherein the lid ( 4 ,  24 ) is in the form of a tear-open lid with peripherally extending weakening line and tear-open tab ( 25 ). 
   
   
       14 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the conical inwardly drawn portion ( 5 ) is between 10° and 30° relative to the bottom ( 3 ). 
   
   
       15 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 1  or  claim 14  wherein the conical inwardly drawn portion ( 11 ,  41 ) is in the range of 30°±20% towards the open end ( 47 ). 
   
   
       16 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 1  or  claim 6  wherein the substantially flat bottom has a pressure resistance to being displaced outwardly or to being caused to adopt an outwardly curved configuration, which extends to substantially two bars (0.20 MPa), as a differential pressure in relation to an outside pressure. 
   
   
       17 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the sheet metal of the substantially flat bottom is between 0.2 mm and 0.25 mm in thickness. 
   
   
       18 . A metal can as set forth in one of the preceding claims wherein the receiving volume of the can extends between 250 ml to substantially 500 ml. 
   
   
       19 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the pressure resistance extends to substantially 0.35 MPa. 
   
   
       20 . A closed metal can comprising a seamless can body ( 1 ) of sheet metal,
 (i) having a can body portion ( 2 ) and a substantially flat bottom ( 3 ) which is shaped in one piece therewith, and closed with a lid ( 4 ,  24 ,  33 ), wherein a substantially flat lid panel ( 4   a ) of the lid is lowered with respect to a connecting seam ( 12 ) to the can body portion;   wherein   (ii) the lid panel ( 4   a ) directly adjoins the connecting seam by way of an axially inwardly projecting damping bead ( 13 );   (iii) the body portion ( 2 ) is respectively inclinedly drawn ( 5 ,  11 ;  31 ,  41 ) in both towards the bottom ( 3 ) and also towards its end ( 2   b ) closed with the lid; and   (iv) the substantially flat bottom ( 3 ;  3   a ;  35 ) has an outwardly facing bead ( 7 ) or indentation ( 32 ) for stackingly receiving a connecting seam ( 12 ;  34 ) of a second identical metal can ( 1   a ,  30   a ), which connecting seam connects an axial end ( 30   b ) of the further downwardly stacked can body portion to its lid ( 4 ,  33 ).   
   
   
       21 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 20  comprising features of the can as set forth in one of  claims 1  through  19 . 
   
   
       22 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 20  which is filled with a non-carbonised food, and is provided with an internal additional pressure due to an inert gas of more than 08 bar (0.08 MPa) above an external pressure. 
   
   
       23 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the flat bottom ( 3 ;  3   a ;  35 ) is of a maximum height of less than 10 mm above a support plane (E). 
   
   
       24 . A metal can as set forth in  claim 20  or  claim 23  wherein the maximum height is less than 5 mm. 
   
   
       25 . A method of producing or stacking one or more metal can or cans comprising a seamless can body ( 1 ) of sheet metal, having a can body portion ( 2 ) and a substantially flat bottom ( 3 ;  3   a ;  35 ) which is formed in one piece therewith,
 wherein the body portion ( 2 ) is in a condition of or becomes conically inwardly drawn ( 5 ,  11 ;  31 ,  41 ) both towards the bottom and also towards its open end ( 17 ) respectively and the substantially flat bottom acquires an outwardly facing bead ( 7 ) or indentation ( 32 ) and receives a further downwardly disposed connecting seam ( 12 ;  34 ),   which seam connects an axial end ( 17 ) of a can body portion of a second metal can ( 1   a ,  30 ), which is identical in that respect, to the lid ( 4 ,  33 ) thereof, and   the two cans are or become stacked.   
   
   
       26 . Use of a metal can as set forth in one of the preceding claims for children's food of various kinds. 
   
   
       27 . Use of a metal can as set forth in one of the preceding claims under  claim 25  for evaporated milk or other milk products.