1st generation (1935-1959): can opener

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The first beer was available in cans beginning in 1935. Not long after that, carbonated beverages were available in cans.

Canned beverages required a can opener that cut a triangular hole in the top of the can. An additional hole was usually cut to allow flow of air into the can.

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2nd generation: “pull-tab", also called "pop-tops” (1959-1970s)

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The pull-tab was widely popular, but its popularity came with significant problems:

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• People would frequently discard the pull-tabs on the ground as litter, or drop them into the can and risk swallowing them;

• The sharp edges of the tab could easily cause injuries.

 

In 1959, an American man called Ermal Fraze devised the can-opening method that would come to dominate the canned beverage market: the pull-tab. This invention had a huge impact on the popularity of cans as containers for beverages as it brought a new level of convenience to the consumer. The ring-pull eliminated the need for a separate opener tool by attaching an aluminum pull-ring lever with a rivet to a pre-scored wedge-shaped tab section of the can top. The ring was riveted to the centre of the top, which created an elongated opening large enough that one hole simultaneously served to let the beverage flow out while air flowed in.

However, it was felt at the time that the pull-tab, while solving one problem – created another. People would frequently discard the pull-tabs on the ground as litter, or drop them into the can and risk choking on them.

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3rd generation: “stay-tab” or “stay-on-tab” (1970s to date)

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The pull-tabs were replaced almost entirely by the stay-on-tabs used today. Stay-on-tabs were invented by Daniel F. Cudzik of Reynolds Metals in Richmond, Virginia, in 1975.

This design reduced injuries and reduced roadside litter caused by the removable tabs.

Beverages began using stay-tabs in the United States by 1977 and in the United Kingdom in 1989.

The stay-on-tab does have drawbacks:

• Cumbersome opening (often a key or coin is required)

• Not possible to reseal

• Not hygienic – can top (which often accumulates dust or contaminates) is pushed into beverage

• Tamper evidence can be defeated

• Risk of injury to lips from sharp edges

• Pollution: 20% of tabs are detached and tossed

• Recycling: tossed tabs are not recycled

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Will The Turner, developed by Beverage Container Innovation, become the 4th generation?

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