HeatGenie Unveils Reclosable Beverage Can Lid
HeatGenie announced in January that it had developed a Recloseable Easy-Open End (REOE) technology and today released the first publicly available description of the patent-pending technology.
HeatGenie’s REOE technology is a platform technology that can be customized to a variety of opening sizes ranging from conventional beverage pour spouts, to quarter, half, and even full aperture food cans. In addition to reclosing, this new closure technology offers consumer friendly advantages with greater ease of opening, elimination of sharp edges, and at a cost that is comparable to existing easy open ends currently in commercial use.
When applied to a beverage can, HeatGenie’s Recloseable Easy-Open End technology eliminates the stay-on-tab and rivet construction of the conventional pull-tab closure. With REOE, a frangible score line is created around the aperture panel by a proprietary method that completely eliminates sharp edges. The can is opened by pushing forward on a sliding metal tab that tracks along a shallow retaining channel formed in the lid. This action causes the pour spout aperture to disengage from the can end while simultaneously latching securely onto the tab, such that there are no loose parts. Pulling back on the tab then withdraws the aperture cover to open the can, and pushing forward will reclose it.
Hundreds of billions of food and beverage cans with the current “easy-opening” metal ends are produced each year. Market research has shown that in many cases, consumers would like a built-in reclosing feature. Recloseability offers added convenience to consumers and is a feature often found on plastic containers and bottles but not conventional metal food and beverage cans.
HeatGenie is in discussions with a can manufacturer to produce commercial quantities of REOE beverage end, beginning with pre-production samples for testing. Brands interested in evaluating or licensing the technology should contact HeatGenie directly.
More information on HeatGenie’s Recloseable Easy-Open End technology is available on the company’s website (www.heatgenie.com).
