US 12,409,972 B2
Pull tab for beverage containers with enhanced accessibility and ergonomics
Mitchell Everts, Whitefish, MT (US); and Bryan Cook, Whitefish, MT (US)
Assigned to Intellectual Capital Management, Whitefish, MT (US)
Filed by Intellectual Capital Management, Whitefish, MT (US)
Filed on Nov. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/951,007.
Application 18/951,007 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/829,257, filed on Sep. 9, 2024, granted, now 12,246,371.
Application 18/951,007 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/733,452, filed on Jun. 4, 2024.
Application 18/829,257 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/236,703, filed on Aug. 22, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/537,633, filed on Sep. 11, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/507,934, filed on Jun. 13, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/507,938, filed on Jun. 13, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/478,185, filed on Jan. 2, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0074651 A1, Mar. 6, 2025
Int. Cl. B65D 17/34 (2006.01); B65D 17/28 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 17/4012 (2018.01) [B65D 17/34 (2018.01); B65D 2517/0014 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
5. A pull tab for opening a container having a container lid with a frangible region and a rivet, the pull tab comprising:
a body having a forward end that includes a nose portion, a rearward end that includes a lift portion, a pair of opposing sides extending from the nose portion to the lift portion, a top surface defining a top plane, and a bottom surface defining a bottom plane, a longitudinal axis of the body being defined between the forward end of the body and the rearward end of the body;
a rivet island aperture formed in the body between the opposing sides of the body proximate the nose portion, the rivet island aperture defining a rivet island of the body that includes a rivet aperture for attachment with the container lid, and a transition area between the rivet aperture and the forward end;
a first bend formed in the body between the nose portion and the lift portion;
a second bend formed in the body between the rearward end of the body and the first bend, the lift portion being disposed between the rearward end of the body and the second bend, the first and second bends collectively elevating the lift portion above the top plane of the body, an intermediate portion of the body defined between the first bend and the second bend, the bottom surface of the lift portion defining a lift portion bottom plane, and the top surface of the lift portion defining a lift portion top plane, the lift portion top plane being substantially parallel to the bottom plane of the body;
wherein a total height from the bottom plane to the lift portion top plane is between 1 millimeter and 4 millimeters;
whereby when the lift portion is lifted away from the container lid, the nose portion applies downward pressure on the frangible region of the container lid to open the container;
wherein the body includes a variable thickness profile along the longitudinal axis between the nose portion and the first bend, the body being tapered such that:
a thickness of the body at the nose portion between the top surface and the bottom surface is greater than a thickness of the body between the top surface and the bottom surface at the lift portion;
the thickness of the body between the top surface and the bottom surface increases from the nose portion to an intermediate peak thickness located between the nose portion and the first bend; and
the thickness of the body between the top surface and the bottom surface tapers from the intermediate peak thickness to the lift portion.