# The Invention of the Modern Soda Can Pull-Tab

> A 1965 design for a ring-shaped metal tab that makes it easy to pull open a tear strip on a beverage can.

- **Patent:** US 3349949
- **Original title:** Ring-shaped tab for tear strips of containers
- **Owner:** Individual
- **Granted:** 1967
- **Status:** Public domain (expired)
- **Times cited:** 28
- **Field:** mechanical, consumer_electronics

## What it does

This patent describes a one-piece metal tab designed to be attached to a tear strip on a container wall. The tab features a large ring-shaped aperture that acts as a finger handle, allowing a user to pull the strip with sufficient leverage. To prevent the thin metal from bending or snapping under pressure, the design includes stiffening beads—rolled edges—that run along the inner and outer circumference of the ring and extend down the neck of the tab.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover tabs that lack the specific stiffening beads described in the claim.
- Does not cover non-ring-shaped opening mechanisms like simple push-buttons.
- Does not cover the actual scoring or weakening of the metal container wall itself.

## The clever bit

The innovation lies in the geometry of the stiffening beads. By extending the outer bead along the sides of the attachment portion, the designers created a structural spine that prevents the tab from folding or failing when the user pulls upward.

## Real-world examples

1. Classic aluminum soda cans
2. Beer cans with ring-pull openers
3. Metal food cans with peel-off lids

## Why it matters

This design was a critical evolution in the convenience of aluminum beverage packaging. By providing a secure handle, it solved the issue of users struggling to grip small, flat metal tabs, effectively standardizing the 'pop-top' experience for millions of consumers.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does The Invention of the Modern Soda Can Pull-Tab cover?

A 1965 design for a ring-shaped metal tab that makes it easy to pull open a tear strip on a beverage can.

### Who owns patent US 3349949?

Individual owns this patent, granted in 1967.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.

### What is patent US 3349949 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 28 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This design was a critical evolution in the convenience of aluminum beverage packaging. By providing a secure handle, it solved the issue of users struggling to grip small, flat metal tabs, effectively standardizing the 'pop-top' experience for millions of consumers.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover tabs that lack the specific stiffening beads described in the claim.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3349949/pull-tab-pop-top-can

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US3349949

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._


## Related patents

Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus:

- [How the Crown Cork Bottle Cap Changed Soda and Beer](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/468226/bottle-cap-crown-cork-painter) — William Painter's 1892 invention of the crown cork bottle cap, a simple metal disc with a crimped edge that provided an airtight, disposable seal for carbonated beverages.
- [How the Modern Disposable Paper Cup Was Invented](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1032557/dixie-cup-disposable-paper-cup) — A 1908 patent for a sanitary, single-use paper cup designed to prevent the spread of germs from shared public drinking vessels.
- [How a Spring-Loaded Pocket Dispenser Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2620061/pez-dispenser) — A 1949 mechanical design for a pocket-sized container that uses a spring to push items like pills or candies to the top for easy access.
- [How Gideon Sundback Invented the Modern Zipper](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1219881/zipper-separable-fastener) — The 1917 patent for the separable fastener that perfected the design of the modern zipper using interlocking teeth on two flexible tapes.
- [How Earl Tupper Invented the Airtight Plastic Food Container](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2487400/tupperware-airtight-seal) — A 1947 patent for a flexible plastic container with a unique, airtight lid that seals by pressing down on the center, creating the foundation for Tupperware.