IP Library Granted Patent US 12,552,579
Granted Patent B2
US 12,552,579 · App. 17/574,131 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Seam seal for wine in beverage cans

Inventors: Adam Stowitts (Arvada, CO); Brent Trela (Superior, CO); Ron Burt (Golden, CO)
Assignee: BALL CORPORATION
B65D17/08B65D25/14B65D17/4012B65D2517/0061
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,552,579
App. No.
17/574,131
Granted
Feb 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A can end ( 10 ) for a two-piece beverage container ( 1 ) has a public side ( 32 ) opposite a product side ( 34 ). A cured coating ( 76 ) is on the product side ( 34 ) of the can end ( 10 ) and forms a substantially continuous thin layer thereon. A circumferential curl ( 12 ) is centered about a longitudinal axis ( 50 ). A circumferential chuckwall ( 14 ) extends downwardly from the curl ( 12 ). A circumferential U-shaped countersink ( 16 ) is located downwardly from the chuckwall ( 14 ). The countersink ( 16 ) has an annular bead defining a lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ). A center panel ( 18 ) is located radially inwardly from the countersink ( 16 ) and is centered about the longitudinal axis ( 50 ). The center panel ( 18 ) has a means for providing an opening in the can end ( 10 ). A circumferential second coating ( 92 ) forms an annular layer on the product side ( 34 ) of the circumferential curl ( 12 ) and the cured coating ( 76 ). The second coating ( 92 ) provides a layer on one or more fractures in the cured coating ( 76 ).

Claims (50)

1 . A can end ( 10 ) for a two-piece beverage container ( 1 ), the can end ( 10 ) comprising:

a public side ( 32 ) opposite a product side ( 34 );

a cured coating ( 76 ) on the product side ( 34 ) of the can end ( 10 ) forming a substantially continuous thin layer thereon;

a circumferential curl ( 12 ) centered about a longitudinal axis ( 50 );

a circumferential chuckwall ( 14 ) extending downwardly from the curl ( 12 );

a circumferential U-shaped countersink ( 16 ) located downwardly from the chuckwall ( 14 ), the countersink ( 16 ) having an annular bead defining a lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 );

a center panel ( 18 ) located radially inwardly from the countersink ( 16 ) and centered about the longitudinal axis ( 50 ), the center panel ( 18 ) comprising a means for providing an opening in the can end ( 10 ); and

a circumferential second coating ( 92 ) forming an annular layer on the product side ( 34 ) of the circumferential curl ( 12 ) and the cured coating ( 76 ), the second coating ( 92 ) providing a layer on one or more fractures in the cured coating ( 76 ),

wherein the second coating ( 92 ) extends from the curl ( 12 ) downwardly on the chuckwall ( 14 ) towards the countersink ( 16 ) and terminates at a height on the can end ( 10 ) greater than a lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ),

wherein the second coating ( 92 ) terminates at a height on the can end ( 10 ) that is no greater than 6 mm above the lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ),

wherein the one or more fractures are covered by the second coating ( 92 ) to prevent direct contact of a beverage with a bare metal of the can end ( 10 ).

2 . The can end ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the second coating ( 92 ) terminates at a height on the can end ( 10 ) between 5 mm and 6 mm above the lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ).

3 . The can end ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the second coating ( 92 ) terminates at a height on the can end ( 10 ) between 5.25 mm and 5.6 mm above the lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ).

4 . The can end ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the can end ( 10 ) has a countersink ( 16 ) depth measured from an uppermost vertical extent of the curl ( 12 ) to the public side ( 32 ) of a lowermost vertical extent of the countersink ( 16 ), and the second coating ( 92 ) terminates at a height above the lowermost vertical extent of the product side ( 34 ) of the can end ( 10 ) is 75% to 90 of the countersink ( 16 ) depth.

5 . The can end ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the second coating ( 92 ) is a sealing compound ( 92 ) applied to the can end ( 10 ) subsequent to forming and prior to seaming the can end ( 10 ) to a can body ( 40 ).

6 . The can end ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the one or more fractures create a void which exposes the bare metal through the cured coating ( 76 ).

7 . The can end ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the cured coating ( 76 ) is an organic coating.

8 . The can end ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the second coating ( 92 ) has a weight greater than 18 mg.

9 . The can end ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the second coating ( 92 ) has a weight between 18 mg and 32 mg.

10 . The can end ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the second coating ( 92 ) has a weight between 24 mg and 32 mg.

11 . The can end ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the can end ( 10 ) is produced from aluminum.

12 . A beverage container ( 1 ) comprising:

a metallic can end ( 10 ) comprising a curl ( 12 ) defining an outer perimeter of the can end ( 10 ), the can end ( 10 ) having a product side ( 34 ) opposite a public side ( 32 );

a metallic can body ( 40 ) comprising a flange about an open end, the can body ( 40 ) also having a product side ( 34 ) opposite a public side ( 32 ), wherein the curl ( 12 ) of metallic can end ( 10 ) is seamed with the flange to form a double seam enclosing the beverage container ( 1 );

a containment space formed by the product side of the can end and the product side of the can body, the containment space for holding a beverage;

a gap ( 88 ) between the can end ( 10 ) and can body ( 40 ) below the double seam forming a distance between the product side ( 34 ) of the can end ( 10 ) and the product side ( 34 ) of the can body ( 40 ); and

a sealing compound ( 92 ) on at least one of the can end ( 10 ) and the can body ( 40 ) and extending into the gap ( 88 ) within the containment space where the product side ( 34 ) of the can body ( 40 ) and the product side ( 34 ) of the can end ( 10 ) begin to diverge from one another,

wherein the can end ( 10 ) comprises a circumferential U-shaped countersink ( 16 ) located downwardly from the curl ( 12 ), the countersink ( 16 ) having an annular bead defining a lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ), wherein the sealing compound ( 92 ) extends into the gap ( 88 ) and terminates at a height greater than a lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ).

13 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 12 wherein the sealing compound ( 92 ) terminates within the gap ( 88 ) at a height no greater than 6 mm above the lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ).

14 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 13 wherein the sealing compound ( 92 ) terminates within the gap ( 88 ) at a height between 5 mm and 6 mm above the lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ).

15 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 14 wherein the sealing compound ( 92 ) terminates within the gap ( 88 ) at a height between 5.25 mm and 5.6 mm above the lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ).

16 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 12 wherein the sealing compound ( 92 ) is applied to the can end ( 10 ) subsequent to forming and prior to seaming the can end ( 10 ) to a can body ( 40 ).

17 . A beverage container ( 1 ) comprising:

a metallic can end ( 10 ) comprising a curl ( 12 ) defining an outer perimeter of the can end ( 10 ), the can end ( 10 ) having a product side ( 34 ) opposite a public side ( 32 );

a metallic can body ( 40 ) comprising a flange about an open end, the can body ( 40 ) also having a product side ( 34 ) opposite a public side ( 32 ), wherein the curl ( 12 ) of metallic can end ( 10 ) is seamed with the flange to form a double seam enclosing the beverage container ( 1 );

a gap ( 88 ) between the can end ( 10 ) and can body ( 40 ) below the double seam forming a distance between the product side ( 34 ) of the can end ( 10 ) and the product side ( 34 ) of the can body ( 40 ); and

a sealing compound ( 92 ) on at least one of the can end ( 10 ) and the can body ( 40 ) and extending into the gap ( 88 ),

wherein the can end ( 10 ) comprises a circumferential U-shaped countersink ( 16 ) located downwardly from the curl ( 12 ), the countersink ( 16 ) having an annular bead defining a lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ), wherein the sealing compound ( 92 ) extends into the gap ( 88 ) and terminates at a height greater than a lowermost vertical extent of the can end ( 10 ),

wherein the sealing compound ( 92 ) provides a layer on one or more fractures in a cured coating ( 76 ) on at least one of the can end ( 10 ) and the can body ( 40 ).

18 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 17 wherein the one or more fractures create a void which exposes a bare metal to the sealing compound ( 92 ).

19 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 18 wherein the cured coating ( 76 ) is an organic coating.

20 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 19 wherein the sealing compound ( 92 ) has a weight greater than 18 mg.

21 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 20 wherein sealing compound ( 92 ) weight is between 18 mg and 32 mg.

22 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 21 wherein sealing compound ( 92 ) weight is between 24 mg and 32 mg.

23 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 12 wherein the can end ( 10 ) has a countersink ( 16 ) depth measured from an uppermost vertical extent of the curl ( 12 ) to the public side ( 32 ) of a lowermost vertical extent of the countersink ( 16 ), and the sealing compound ( 92 ) terminates at a height above the lowermost vertical extent of the product side ( 34 ) of the can end ( 10 ) that is 75% to 90 of the countersink ( 16 ) depth.

24 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 12 wherein the can end ( 10 ) and the can body ( 40 ) are produced from aluminum.

25 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 12 wherein the gap ( 88 ) is located radially inwardly from the double seam relative to a longitudinal axis ( 50 ) about which the beverage container ( 1 ) is centered.

26 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 25 wherein an uppermost portion of the containment space ( 42 ) is defined by a region of the beverage container ( 1 ) located radially inwardly from the double seam where the product side ( 34 ) of the can body ( 40 ) and the product side ( 34 ) of the can end ( 10 ) begin to diverge from one another.

27 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 12 wherein a fermented beverage is stored within a containment space ( 42 ) of the beverage container ( 1 ).

28 . The beverage container ( 1 ) of claim 12 wherein the fermented beverage is a wine produced from grapes.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 20, 2022
From: STOWITTS, ADAM; TRELA, BRENT; BURT, RON
To: BALL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058708/0865 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62878142 · Jul 24, 2019
Related Publication 20230264854A1 · Aug 24, 2023
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