Shaped metal container, microstructure, a method for making a shaped metal container
The principles of the present invention further provide both a shaped metal container and its preforms that exhibit a rounded grain structure characteristic created by an annealing process and a method for making a shaped metal container. The process of making said metal container results in a quicker process time and uses less metals (at least 10% metal weight savings), thus allowing for a decrease in the costs of making such shaped metal containers. A shaped metal container may include work hardened rolled sheet-metal defining a sidewall, an opening, and a base, where at least one section along the sidewall has grains with an average aspect ratio less than about 4 to 1.
1. A shaped metal container comprising a container middle section connected at one end to a container bottom section, and at the other end to a top section, at least part of the container top section, the container middle section and/or the container bottom section being shaped by necking and another part being shaped by outwardly shaping, such that at least one of the middle section diameter Dm, the bottom section diameter Db, and the top section diameter Dt is greater than, and at least one of the middle section diameter Dm, the bottom section diameter Db and the top section diameter Dt is smaller than the cylinder diameter Dc of a container preform from which the shaped metal container has been made; and
the container top section, container middle section and/or container bottom section including a work hardened rolled sheet-metal having grains with an average aspect ratio of less than about 4 to 1 and at least one of the other sections includes a work hardened rolled sheet-metal having grains with an average aspect ratio of greater than about 4 to 1.
2. The shaped metal container according to claim 1 , wherein a necked container top section is provided with a thread and/or a bead provided with at least one axial interruption.
3. The shaped metal container according to claim 1 , wherein the container middle section is outwardly shaped, and the diameter Dm is greater than the diameter Dc, and the bottom section is outwardly shaped with the diameter Db greater than the diameter Dc.
4. The shaped metal container according to claim 1 , wherein the container top section, container middle section and/or container bottom section is/are provided with inwardly and/or outwardly extending strengthening of aesthetic structures.
5. The shaped metal container according to claim 1 , wherein the average aspect ratio is less than about 2.
6. The shaped metal container according to claim 1 , wherein the work hardened rolled sheet-metal is a work hardened aluminum alloy.
7. The shaped metal container according to claim 1 , wherein the container top section, container middle section and/or container bottom section has a wall thickness of around 0.15 mm.
8. The shaped metal container according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the container has a rounded grain structure created by annealing.
9. The shaped metal container according to claim 8 , wherein annealing is performed at a temperature of between 350° C. and 454° C.
10. A shaped metal container comprising work hardened rolled sheet-metal defining a sidewall, an opening, and a base, wherein at least one section along the sidewall includes grains with an average aspect ratio of less than about 4 to 1 and at least one other section along the sidewall includes grains with an average aspect ratio of greater than about 4 to 1.
11. The shaped metal container according to claim 10 , wherein the average aspect ratio is less than about 2.
12. The shaped metal container according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one section along the sidewall is a horizontal section located at a particular height of the sidewall that extends around the sidewall.
13. The shaped metal container according to claim 10 , wherein grains on opposing sides of the at least one section along the sidewall have an average aspect ratio higher than the average aspect ratio of the at least one section along the sidewall.
14. The shaped metal container according to claim 10 , wherein grains on opposing sides of the at least one section along the sidewall have average aspect ratios, respectively, that are higher than and lower than the average aspect ratio of the at least one section along the sidewall.
15. The shaped metal container according to claim 10 , wherein the work hardened rolled sheet-metal is a work hardened aluminum alloy.
16. The shaped metal container according to claim 10 , wherein the sidewall has a wall thickness of around 0.15 mm.
17. The shaped metal container according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one section of the container has a rounded grain structure created by annealing.
18. The shaped metal container according to claim 17 , wherein annealing is performed at a temperature of between 350° C. and 454° C.
19. A shaped metal container comprising a container middle section connected at one end to a container bottom section, and at the other end to a top section, wherein the container top section, container middle section and/or container bottom section includes a work hardened rolled sheet-metal including a rounded grain structure with an average aspect ratio of less than about 4 to 1 formed by annealing, and at least one other section includes a work hardened rolled sheet-metal including a rounded grain structure having grains with an average aspect ratio of greater than about 4 to 1.