Metal container with a carrier ring and methods of making the same

Abstract

A method of forming a carrier ring on a metal article having an open end and a sidewall extending therefrom. The method includes contacting an inner surface of the sidewall with an inner roller to form a protrusion and contacting an outer surface of the sidewall with an outer roller to form a first groove positioned below the protrusion. The protrusion forms a gap therein. The method further includes contacting a portion of the outer sidewall with at least one second outer roller to form a second groove below the protrusion. The method further includes contacting a portion of the outer sidewall with at least one third outer roller to flatten the protrusion, such that the gap is substantially reduced or eliminated. The flattened protrusion forms the carrier ring.

1 . A method of forming a carrier ring on a metal article having an open end and a sidewall extending therefrom, the method comprising:
 contacting an inner surface of the sidewall with an inner roller to form a protrusion and contacting an outer surface of the sidewall with an outer roller to form a first groove positioned below the protrusion, the protrusion forming a gap therein;   contacting a portion of the outer sidewall with at least one second outer roller to form a second groove below the protrusion; and   contacting a portion of the outer sidewall with at least one third outer roller to flatten the protrusion, such that the gap is substantially reduced or eliminated, the flattened protrusion forming the carrier ring.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each second outer roller of the at least one second outer roller has a single contact area. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the each of the inner roller and the outer roller has a single contact area. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying an axial load to the open end of the article during at least one of the contacting steps. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising contacting a portion of the outer surface of the sidewall with at least one fourth outer roller to flatten the protrusion prior to the contacting the portion of the outer surface of the sidewall with at least one third outer roller, each fourth outer roller of the at least one fourth outer roller having two contact areas separated by a recessed portion. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising providing a pilot within the open end during the contacting the portion of the outer surface of the sidewall with the at least one fourth outer roller, wherein the pilot does not axially extend as far as the protrusion within the sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a first contact area of the two contact areas has an upper forming radius of about 1.52 to about 3.05 mm and a lower forming radius of about 0.76 to about 2.29 mm, and second contact area of the two contact areas has an upper forming radius of about 1.27 to about 3.05 mm and a lower forming radius of about 2.03 to about 6.35 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a height of the recessed portion is about 0.127 to about 3.05 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each third outer roller of the at least one third outer roller has a first contact area and a second contact area separated by a recessed portion. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first contact area has an upper forming radius of about 1.01 to about 1.52 mm and a lower forming radius of about 1.01 mm, and the second contact area has an upper forming radius of about 1.01 mm and a lower forming radius of about 4.06 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a height of the recessed portion is about 0.89 to about 1.78 mm. 
     
     
         12 . A turret-head assembly for forming an article, the turret-head assembly comprising:
 a top plate;   a housing extending from a first side the top plate in a first direction, the housing including a plurality of cams rigidly attached thereto;   a base plate having a generally central aperture configured to receive an open end of the article therethrough, the base plate being coupled to the top plate via a plurality of alignment pins; and   a rolling assembly slidably coupled to the base plate, the rolling assembly including a plurality of roller arms, each of the plurality of roller arms having a roller coupled thereto, each of the plurality of roller arms further including a cam follower configured to engage a respective one of the plurality of cams such that the rollers are configured to move radially with respect to a turret-head assembly axis extending generally through the center of the turret-head assembly between the top plate and the base plate, the radial movement corresponding with axial movement of the rolling assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the article includes a narrowed neck extending from the open end, a body portion, and a shoulder portion bridging the neck and the body portion, the generally central aperture of the base plate including a guide configured to allow the neck of the article therethrough and block the shoulder portion of the article. 
     
     
         14 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a pilot positioned through the aperture in the base plate and configured to be received through the open end of the article, the pilot including a step configured to contact the open end of the article. 
     
     
         15 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the pilot is slidably coupled for axial movement relative to the rolling assembly and is axially coupled to the rolling assembly via a resilient device. 
     
     
         16 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of roller arms includes at least one outer roller arm having an outer roller coupled thereto and an inner roller arm having an inner roller coupled thereto. 
     
     
         17 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the inner roller extends through the aperture in the base plate. 
     
     
         18 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one outer roller arm is coupled to the inner roller arm via a resilient device. 
     
     
         19 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the radial movements of the at least one outer roller and the inner roller are in generally opposite directions. 
     
     
         20 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of roller arms includes a plurality of outer roller arms having respective outer rollers coupled thereto. 
     
     
         21 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 20 , wherein each of the plurality of outer rollers includes more than one rolling surface for contacting the article, the more than one rolling surface being separated by a recess. 
     
     
         22 . The turret-head assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one cam follower positioned opposite a second side of the top plate. 
     
     
         23 . A metal container comprising:
 a base;   an open top end; and   a unitary sidewall bridging the base and the open top end, the sidewall including
 a first portion having a first diameter, 
 a neck having a second diameter, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter, a first end of the neck terminating at the open top end, and 
 a curved shoulder bridging the first portion and a second end of the neck, 
 the neck including
 a carrier ring forming a protrusion in the sidewall, the carrier ring including a top and a bottom sidewall portion, interior surfaces of the top and bottom sidewall portions being in contact with one another, the carrier ring having a second diameter, the second diameter being about 7% to about 45% greater than a diameter of the open top end, 
 a first groove adjacent to the top sidewall portion of the carrier ring, and 
 a second groove adjacent to the bottom sidewall portion of the carrier ring, 
 
 the neck having a wall thickness of between about 0.025 and 0.356 mm. 
   
     
     
         24 . The metal container of  claim 23 , wherein the first groove has a radius of about 0.76 to about 3.05 mm. 
     
     
         25 . The metal container of  claim 23 , wherein the second groove has a radius of about 1.27 to about 6.35 mm. 
     
     
         26 . The metal container of  claim 23 , wherein the first groove has a third diameter, the third diameter being smaller than the diameter of the open top end. 
     
     
         27 . The metal container of  claim 23 , wherein the second groove has a fourth diameter, the fourth diameter being smaller than the diameter of the open top end. 
     
     
         28 . The metal container of  claim 23 , wherein the top and bottom sidewall portions form a thickness of at least a portion of the carrier ring, the thickness being about 0.33 mm to about 0.46 mm. 
     
     
         29 . The metal container of  claim 23 , wherein a thickness of an outer portion of the carrier ring is greater than a thickness of an inner portion of the carrier ring. 
     
     
         30 . The metal container of  claim 23 , wherein the open top end includes a curl formed thereon.