Resealable can end with stay on tab

Abstract

A reclosable beverage can end has a circumferential curl centered about a center longitudinal axis. A circumferential wall extends downwardly from the curl and inwardly towards the longitudinal axis. A center panel is produced from a metallic material and centered about the longitudinal axis. The center panel has a public side and an opposing product side. A tab is mounted to the public side of the center panel. A pour opening is formed by an aperture in the center panel and sealed by the tab. The pour opening is at least partially defined by a pour opening curl of the metallic material of the center panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reclosable beverage can end comprising:
 a circumferential curl centered about a center longitudinal axis of the can end;   a circumferential wall extending downwardly from the curl and inwardly towards the longitudinal axis;   a center panel produced from a metallic material and centered about the longitudinal axis comprising a public side and an opposing product side;   a rotatable tab mounted to the public side of the center panel;   a pour opening formed by an aperture in the center panel;   one or more layers of a sealing material and a surface energy modifier located between a surface of the tab and the center panel wherein a combination of the sealing material, the surface energy modifier, the center panel and the tab forms a seal of the pour opening.   
     
     
         2 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 1  wherein the seal is broken by rotating the tab on the center panel. 
     
     
         3 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 2  wherein the layer of sealing material has an annular shape. 
     
     
         4 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 2  wherein the layer of sealing material has a disk shape. 
     
     
         5 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 2  wherein the sealing material is an epoxy. 
     
     
         6 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 5  wherein the epoxy is a thermally cured epoxy. 
     
     
         7 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 5  wherein the epoxy is cured by induction heating. 
     
     
         8 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 2  further comprising a thermoset polymer layer between the tab and the center panel forming the seal therebetween. 
     
     
         9 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 2  wherein the tab is staked to the public side of the center panel by a rivet. 
     
     
         10 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 9  wherein the rivet is formed from the material of the center panel and is integral therewith. 
     
     
         11 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 2  herein the tab comprises a tail portion extending radially outwardly from a surface of the tab and configured for engagement by a user's finger to rotate the tab. 
     
     
         12 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 11  wherein the tail is located on a first end of the tab opposite a second end of the tab covering the pour opening. 
     
     
         13 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 12  wherein the tail is located on an end of the tab wherein a portion of the tab covering the pour opening is also located on the end of the tab. 
     
     
         14 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 13  further comprising a second tail wherein the tail is located on a first end of the tab opposite a second end of the tab covering the pour opening and wherein the second tail is located on the second end the tab. 
     
     
         15 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 2  wherein the tab comprises a finger hole. 
     
     
         16 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 15  wherein the finger hole is located on a first end of the tab opposite a second end of the tab covering the pour opening. 
     
     
         17 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 1  wherein the pour opening is at least partially defined by a pour opening curl. 
     
     
         18 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 17  wherein the pour opening curl extends upwardly from the public side of the can end, and the tab comprises a tab curl extending downwardly towards the public side of the center panel and matingly engaged with the pour opening curl. 
     
     
         19 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 18  wherein the tab curl is formed to prevent over-rotation of the tab along the center panel from the second position back to the first position. 
     
     
         20 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 17  wherein the sealing material is located between the tab curl and the pour opening curl. 
     
     
         21 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 17  wherein the tab curl is non-circumferential to allow rotation of the tab from a first position covering the pour opening to a second position wherein the pour opening is uncovered. 
     
     
         22 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 1  wherein the surface modifier is chosen from the group consisting of plasma activation, wet chemical treatment, and thin-film coating. 
     
     
         23 . The reclosable beverage can of  claim 1  wherein can end is entirely produced from aluminum. 
     
     
         24 . The reclosable beverage can end of  claim 1  wherein the center panel comprises indicia defining a direction for tab rotation.