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An apparatus for forming a finger-engaging portion in a stay-on-tab of a lid of a container includes a support, a fixture mounted to the support for movement between a first position and a second position in opposition to stay-on-tab of the lid of the container, and an abutment mounted to the fixtur

An apparatus for forming a finger-engaging portion in a stay-on-tab of a lid of a container includes a support, a fixture mounted to the support for movement between a first position and a second position in opposition to stay-on-tab of the lid of the container, and an abutment mounted to the fixture for movement between an open position and a closed position in opposition to the fixture and the stay-on tab in the second position of the fixture to bend the stay-on-tab between the fixture and the abutment to form in the stay-on-tab a finger-engaging portion that is upturned relative to the lid of the container.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of bending a tab that is connected by a connector to a top of a filled and sealed container, the tab including a first end positioned over a scored portion of the top of the container, a second end that extends in an opposing direction, and the connector positioned between the first and

1. A method of bending a tab that is connected by a connector to a top of a filled and sealed container, the tab including a first end positioned over a scored portion of the top of the container, a second end that extends in an opposing direction, and the connector positioned between the first and second ends, the method comprising: moving a fixture towards the container, the container including contents that are sealed within an interior space;bracing a bottom edge of the fixture against an intermediate portion of the tab that is located between the connector and the second end while the container remains sealed;while the fixture is bracing the intermediate portion of the tab, moving a lever relative to the fixture from a first position with a wedge at an end of the lever spaced away from the tab to a second position with the wedge positioned underneath the second end of the tab between the tab and the top of the container and between the intermediate portion where the tab is braced by the fixture and the second end, the lever being operatively connected to the fixture; andwhile bracing the fixture against the intermediate portion of the tab, moving the lever relative to the fixture and applying through the wedge a bending force to the tab and forming a bend in the tab between the connector and the second end and bending the second end away from the top of the container while the fixture prevents the bending force from depressing the tab such that the container remains sealed. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the fixture towards the container comprises moving the fixture vertically downward towards the container along an axis that extends through the container and moving the lever relative to the fixture comprises moving the wedge transverse to the axis. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising bending the second end of the tab away from the top of the container and maintaining a section of the tab between the intermediate portion and the first end substantially flat with the connector located along the section that is substantially flat. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the container under the fixture prior to moving the fixture towards the container. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising bracing the fixture against the intermediate portion of the tab with the second end of the tab being exposed prior to moving the wedge underneath the tab. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising bending the tab at the intermediate portion where the tab overlaps the top of the container and at a point away from the scored portion and the connector. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing the container at the fixture after the contents are sealed in the interior space of the container. 8. A method of bending a tab that is connected by a connector to a top of a filled and sealed container, the tab including a first end that extends over a scored portion in the top of the container and a second end that extends over the top of the container away from the scored portion, the method comprising: moving a fixture from a first position towards the container, the container including a sealed interior space that contains contents;positioning an edge of the fixture across the tab at an intermediate portion of the tab between the connector and the second end while preventing the tab from depressing the scored portion into the sealed interior space and unsealing the container, the fixture being configured such that the tab is exposed along a section from the intermediate portion to the second end, the tab being flat between the connector and the second end;while the fixture is stationary against the intermediate portion of the tab, moving a wedge relative to the fixture towards the edge of the fixture and underneath the second end of the tab between the tab and the top of the container, the wedge being pivotally connected to the fixture; andcontacting the wedge against the tab and applying a bending force to the exposed section of the tab while the fixture remains stationary with the edge contacting the top side of the tab and bending the tab along the edge and moving the second end of the tab away from the top of the container while preventing the tab from depressing the scored portion and unsealing the container. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising pivoting a lever connected to the fixture and moving the fixture from the first position towards the container. 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising sealing the contents in the interior space of the container prior to bending the tab. 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising positioning the edge of the fixture across the tab between the connector that attaches the tab to the top of the container and the second end of the tab. 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising moving the wedge under the second end of the tab with a flat bottom of the wedge facing towards the top of the container and contacting an angled side of the wedge positioned at an acute angle relative to the flat bottom against the second section of the tab. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the wedge is positioned at an end of a lever that is pivotally connected to the fixture. 14. The method of claim 8, further comprising positioning the edge of the fixture across the tab prior to moving the wedge underneath the second end of the tab. 15. The method of claim 8, further comprising bending the tab at the intermediate portion without changing a shape of the tab between the intermediate portion and the first end. 16. A method of bending a tab that is connected by a connector to a top of a filled and sealed container, the tab including a first end that extends over a scored portion in the top of the container and a second end that extends over the top of the container away from the scored portion, the method comprising: moving a fixture vertically downward towards the container, the container including a sealed interior space;positioning an edge of a lower face of the fixture across the tab at an intermediate portion of the tab between the connector and the second end while preventing the tab from unsealing the container;while the fixture is contacting against the tab, moving a wedge that is pivotally connected to the fixture relative to the fixture and moving the wedge horizontally towards the edge and underneath the second end of the tab between the tab and the top of the container; andwhile the fixture is contacting against the tab, moving the wedge and applying a force to the tab in a direction away from the top of the container and bending the tab and moving the second end of the tab away from the top of the container, and preventing the force from moving the first end of the tab and unsealing the container. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the edge of the lower face contacts the tab and remains stationary while applying the force to the tab in the direction away from the top of the container and bending the tab. 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising positioning a notch in the lower face of the fixture over the second end of the tab and moving the second end of the tab into the notch when bending the tab. 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising moving the wedge horizontally towards the edge and underneath the second end of the tab between the tab and the top of the container after moving the fixture into contact with the tab and while the fixture is stationary.