Stay-on tab for a beverage container

Abstract

A non-detachable pull tab for a beverage container has a nose end, a lift end opposite the nose end, and a central webbing of a metallic material between the nose and lift end. The central webbing has a hinge region, a rivet island surrounding a rivet hole, a void region at least partially surrounding the rivet island, and a grab portion between the first void region and the lift end. The grab portion has an upper surface, a lower surface, and an aperture therethrough. The aperture is defined by a circumferential wall of the grab portion extending from the upper surface to the lower surface and includes a first segment of a reworked portion of a burr.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-detachable pull tab for a beverage container comprising:
 a nose end;   a lift end opposite the nose end; and   a central webbing of a metallic material between the nose and lift end, the central webbing comprising:
 a hinge region; 
 a rivet island surrounding a rivet hole, the rivet island being at least partially surrounded by a first void region; and 
 a grab portion between the first void region and the lift end, the grab portion having an upper surface and a lower surface and an aperture therethrough, the aperture defined by a circumferential wall of the grab portion extending from the upper surface to the lower surface and comprising a first segment of a reworked portion of a burr. 
   
     
     
         2 . The non-detachable pull tab of  claim 1  wherein a second segment of the reworked portion of the burr is located radially outwardly from the first segment of the reworked portion of the burr. 
     
     
         3 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 1  wherein the circumferential wall comprises a burnished section located adjacent the upper surface of the grab portion. 
     
     
         4 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 3  wherein the circumferential wall comprises a fractured section located adjacent the burnished section. 
     
     
         5 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 1  wherein the aperture is in a form of an indicium to convey information to a user. 
     
     
         6 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 1  wherein the reworked portion of the burr is flattened relative to the lower surface of the grab portion. 
     
     
         7 . The non-detachable of  claim 1  wherein the reworked portion of the burr is flattened against the lower surface of the grab portion. 
     
     
         8 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 1  wherein the circumferential wall of the grab portion comprises a pierced portion of the grab portion comprising:
 a first portion of a burnish depth; and 
 a second portion of a fracture depth; 
 
       wherein the reworked portion of the burr comprises a flattened portion of the burr engaging the lower surface of the grab portion. 
     
     
         9 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 1  wherein the reworked portion of the burr is located adjacent the lower surface of the grab portion. 
     
     
         10 . A non-detachable pull tab for a beverage container comprising:
 a nose end;   a lift end opposite the nose end; and   a central webbing of a metallic material between the nose and lift end, the central webbing comprising:
 a hinge region; 
 a rivet island surrounding a rivet hole, the rivet island being at least partially surrounded by a first void region; and 
 a grab portion comprising an indicium, the indicium comprising an aperture at least partially defined by a wall of a pierced segment of the metallic material extending from the upper surface to the lower surface of the grab portion and comprising a fractured portion of the metallic material, and a reworked portion of a burr located at least partially about the aperture, the reworked portion comprising a flattened segment. 
   
     
     
         11 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 10  wherein the reworked portion of the burr is located adjacent the lower surface of the grab portion. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for forming a non-detachable tab comprising:
 a first tool having a piercing surface in a shape to form an indicium;   a second tool in operable alignment with the first tool having an opening complimentary to the piercing shape of the first tool for receiving the piercing surface therein;   a third tool having a shape retaining surface similar to the piercing surface; and   a fourth tool in operable alignment with the third tool.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the piercing surface of the first tool has a sharp edge defining a perimeter of the piercing surface. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the retaining surface has an edge defining a perimeter of an upper surface of the third tool having a radius of curvature greater than a radius of curvature of the sharp edge of the piercing surface. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the fourth tool has an opening located radially inwardly of an engagement surface. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the engagement surface relatively flat. 
     
     
         17 . A method for forming a non-detachable tab comprising the steps of:
 providing a sheet of a metallic material;   a first tool having a piercing surface in a shape to form an indicium;   a second tool in operable alignment with the first tool having an opening complimentary to the piercing shape of the first tool;   passing the sheet of metallic material between the first and second tools;   forming an indicium on the sheet of metallic material by piercing the sheet of metallic material through relative movement between the first and second tools; and   providing a third tool;   providing a fourth tool in operable alignment with the third tool;   passing the indicium between the third and fourth tools; and   reworking a burr created in the forming an indicium step by providing relative movement between the third and fourth tools.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the third tool has a retaining surface having similar shape to the piercing surface on the first tool. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of:
 inserting the retaining surface within the indicium pierced in the sheet of metallic material. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of:
 inserting the retaining surface within the indicium pierced in the sheet of metallic material and compressing the burr against an annular concave curved portion joining the retaining surface with a portion of the third tool. 
 
     
     
         21 . A non-detachable pull tab for a beverage container comprising:
 a nose end;   a lift end opposite the nose end; and   a central webbing of a metallic material between the nose and lift end, the central webbing comprising:
 a hinge region; 
 a rivet island surrounding a rivet hole, the rivet island being at least partially surrounded by a first void region; and 
 a grab portion between the first void region and the lift end, the grab portion having an upper surface and a lower surface and an indicium in the form of an aperture having a perimeter at least partially defined by a reworked portion of the metallic material. 
   
     
     
         22 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 21  wherein the reworked portion of the metallic material comprises a flattened segment engaging the lower surface of the grab portion. 
     
     
         23 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 22  further comprising a circumferential wall defining a portion of the aperture between the upper surface and the lower surface of the grab portion wherein the circumferential wall comprises:
 a first portion of a burnish depth; 
 a second portion of a fracture depth; and 
 a portion of the burr. 
 
     
     
         24 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 23  wherein the central webbing further comprises:
 a void region partially surrounding the rivet island. 
 
     
     
         25 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 24  wherein the grab portion further comprises:
 a recessed panel between the lift end and the void region wherein the indicium is located within the recessed panel. 
 
     
     
         26 . The non-detachable tab of  claim 25  wherein a radially outermost portion of the reworked portion of the burr is located radially outwardly of the circumferential wall relative to a central vertical axis of the grab portion.