Can end with a coined rivet, tooling assembly therefor and a method of forming

Abstract

A can end including a central panel and a coined rivet disposed on the central panel. A press, a station, and/or a tooling assembly structured to form a coined rivet as well as a method to form the coined rivet is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A can end comprising:
 a central panel; and   a coined rivet disposed on said central panel.   
     
     
         2 . The can end of  claim 1  wherein said coined rivet is formed from an initially coined rivet button. 
     
     
         3 . The can end of  claim 1  wherein said coined rivet has a reduced radius peripheral upper edge. 
     
     
         4 . The can end of  claim 1  wherein said central panel has an average thickness of less than 0.0082 inch. 
     
     
         5 . The can end of  claim 1  wherein said coined rivet top portion has a thickness of between about 0.003 inch and less than 0.0082 inch. 
     
     
         6 . The can end of  claim 5  wherein:
 said central panel includes a tab with a body; 
 said tab body including a coupling opening; 
 said tab coupled to said coined rivet with said coined rivet extending through said tab body coupling opening; and 
 wherein said coined rivet has one of an enhanced overlap of said tab body or an enhanced overlap of said tab body. 
 
     
     
         7 . The can end of  claim 5  wherein:
 said central panel includes a tab with a body; 
 said tab body including a coupling opening; 
 said tab coupled to said coined rivet with said coined rivet extending through said tab body coupling opening; and 
 wherein said coined rivet has one of a has an enhanced overlap of said tab body or a very enhanced overlap of said tab body. 
 
     
     
         8 . A press structured to form a can end from sheet material, said sheet material having a base thickness, said sheet material formed into a shell including a bubble, said bubble including a rivet portion top portion, said can end having a product side and a public side, said press comprising:
 a frame;   an upper tooling assembly including a first coining surface, said upper tooling assembly movably coupled to said frame;   a lower tooling assembly including a second coining surface, said lower tooling assembly coupled to said frame;   said first coining surface structured to move between a first position, wherein said first coining surface is spaced from said second coining surface, and a second position, wherein said first coining surface is a coining distance from said second coining surface;   said first coining surface and said second coining surface structured to engage a rivet portion top portion disposed between said first coining surface and said second coining surface; and   wherein, when said first coining surface and said second coining surface are in said second position, said first coining surface and said second coining surface form a rivet coined top portion.   
     
     
         9 . The press of  claim 8  wherein:
 said upper tooling assembly includes an upper punch; 
 said upper punch including a body with an upper end and a lower end; 
 said first coining surface disposed on said upper punch body lower end; and 
 said upper punch structured to move between a first position, wherein said upper punch is spaced from said lower tooling assembly, and a second position, wherein said upper punch is immediately adjacent said lower tooling assembly. 
 
     
     
         10 . The press of  claim 8  wherein:
 said lower tooling assembly includes a lower punch; 
 said lower punch including a body with an upper end and a lower end; 
 said second coining surface disposed on said lower punch body upper end; and 
 said lower punch structured to move between a first position, wherein said lower punch is spaced from said upper tooling assembly, and a second position, wherein said lower punch is immediately adjacent said upper tooling assembly. 
 
     
     
         11 . The press of  claim 10  wherein said lower punch body is structured to form said bubble into a rivet button. 
     
     
         12 . The press of  claim 10  wherein:
 said lower punch body is structured to form said bubble into a coined rivet button having a sidewall and a generally planar top portion; and 
 wherein said rivet button sidewall and said rivet button top portion meet at a reduced radius peripheral upper edge. 
 
     
     
         13 . The press of  claim 12  wherein said coined rivet button top portion has a thickness of between about 0.003 inch and less than 0.0082 inch. 
     
     
         14 . The press of  claim 12  wherein said coined rivet button top portion has a thickness of about 0.004 inch. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a can end with a coined rivet comprising:
 providing a sheet material with a base thickness;   forming said sheet material into a can end;   forming a coined rivet button on said can end; and   performing finishing operations on said can end.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein forming said sheet material into a can end and forming a coined rivet button on said can end include:
 forming a bubble including a rivet portion top portion; and 
 forming said rivet portion top portion into said coined rivet button. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein forming a coined rivet button on said can end includes forming said bubble into a coined rivet button having a sidewall and a generally planar top portion, wherein said rivet button sidewall and said rivet button top portion meet at a peripheral upper edge, and wherein said peripheral upper edge has a radius of between about 0.012 inch and 0.031 inch. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein forming a coined rivet button on said can end includes forming said coined rivet button with a reduced radius peripheral upper edge. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein forming a coined rivet button on said can end includes forming a coined rivet button top portion with a thickness of between about 0.003 inch and less than 0.0082 inch. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein performing finishing operations on said can end includes:
 providing a tab with a body, said tab body including a coupling opening; 
 positioning said tab over said coined rivet button with said coined rivet button extending through said tab coupling opening; 
 forming said coined rivet button into a coined rivet; and 
 wherein said coined rivet has an enhanced overlap of said tab body.