In some embodiments, the filled bottles are capped, as indicated by block 46. Capping may seal the bottles. In some embodiments, the bottle is pressurized, as indicated by block 48, before sealing the bottle. In some embodiments, the internal pressure of the bottle after pressurizing is in the range of 30-110 psi. In some other embodiments, the internal pressure of the bottle after pressurizing is in the range of 50-100 psi. In some other embodiments, the internal pressure of the bottle after pressurizing is in the range of 60-80 psi. Pressurization can occur as a result of dissolved gasses coming out of solution or by injected gasses, like carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide, for instance.

Once the aluminum bottle is sealed, it may be packaged and distributed, as indicated by block 50. Packaging may include feeding the bottles into a boxing machine operative to package groups of bottles into cardboard boxes. Bottles (or packages thereof) may be palletized and distributed, e.g., to retail stores.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation view that shows the first stages of cups formed with the process of FIG. 1. As indicated, a blank 52 may initially have a thickness 58 and a diameter 60 with the dimensions discussed above.

The blank 52 may be drawn into a cup 54. The cup 54 may have a diameter 64 of 3.875 inches. The cup 54 may have a sidewall thickness 62 that is reduced from the thickness 58. The cup 54 may have a height 65 that is less than that of a subsequent stage.

The cup 54 may be redrawn into cup 56, which may have an interior diameter 70 that is a final interior diameter of a body portion of the resulting container. In some cases, the interior diameter 70 is 2.323 inches. The cup 54 may have a height 72 that is more than 2 or 3 times then diameter 70. The sidewall thickness 68 of the cup 54 may be reduced with subsequent ironing steps. A dome 74 may be formed at the bottom of the cup 54 to reduce the amount of aluminum needed to hold a fluid at a desired pressure (e.g. 100 psi) inside the resulting bottle.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of an example of an aluminum bottle 100 made aluminum 101. Other bottles may have different dimensions. Bottles are distinct from cans in that they have necks. Necks are narrower than a widest diameter by more than 10%, and necks account for more than 15% of the height of the container.

The bottle 100 can be mass-produced from coils of aluminum sheet 101 through a set of blanking, drawing, and ironing processes, like those discussed above with reference to FIG. 1. The container 100 may have a concave bottom portion 115 (or other type of dome), a cylindrical (e.g., right, circular cylinder) body portion 110, and a neck 105 that may have a threaded portion 120. The cylindrical body portion 110 extends from the circular perimeter 117 and maintain essentially a same diameter 112.

In some embodiments, the cylindrical portion 110 has a wall thickness of between about 0.00575 to 0.00800 inches, e.g., 0.00600 and 0.0070 inches, or 0.00640 to 0.00650 inches, like 0.00645 inches+/−0.00020 inches. In some embodiments, the neck portion 105 below the threaded portion may have a sidewall thickness of 0.00585 to 0.00960 inches or 0.00800 to 0.00900 inches, e.g., 0.008200 to 0.00880 inches, like 0.00865 inches+/−0.00020 inches. In some embodiments, the threaded portion 120 may have a sidewall thickness of 0.00850 inches to 0.00950 inches, e.g., 0.00870 inches to 0.00930 inches, like 0.00900 inches+/−0.00020 inches.

The neck portion 105 may be formed near the open end 191 of the bottle 100. The neck portion 105 may have a varying diameter reduced from the uniform diameter 112 of the cylindrical portion 110. The varying diameter may form a tapered profile 107 that gradually constricts the neck portion 105 toward the opening 123. In some embodiments, a shoulder portion 111 of the neck portion 105 extends at an angle of about 45 degrees from the cylindrical portion 110. In some embodiments, a top neck portion 113 of the neck portion 105 extends at an angle of about 6 degrees from a centerline 103 of the bottle 100. In some embodiments, the top neck portion 113 of the neck portion 105 extends at an angle of about 5.75 degrees from the centerline 103 of the bottle 100. In some embodiments, a layer of transparent sealer 119 may further be applied onto the layer of paint. A film of sealer 130 may be applied onto the inner surface of the bottle 100 for separating the drink from the aluminum sheet. The threads 122 may be exposed on the outer surface of the container 100. An art work or logos 118 may be printed on the exterior of the bottle 100.

In some embodiments, the bottle has an aspect ratio (e.g., ratio between maximum height and maximum width) of more than 2 (the ratio of height 110+105 to diameter 112). In some other embodiments, the bottle has an aspect ratio of more than 3. In some other embodiments, the bottle has an aspect ratio of more than 3.5. In some other embodiments, the bottle has an aspect ratio of more than 4.

In some embodiments, the ratio of the height of neck 105 to the height of the cylindrical portion 110 is more than 0.3. In some other embodiments, the ratio of the height of neck 105 to the height of the cylindrical portion 110 is more than 0.4. In some other embodiments, the ratio of the height of neck 105 to the height of the cylindrical portion 110 is more than 0.5. In some other embodiments, the ratio of the height of neck 105 to the height of the cylindrical portion 110 is more than 0.6. In some other embodiments, the ratio of the height of neck 105 to the height of the cylindrical portion 110 is around 0.47.

In some embodiments, the cylindrical portion 110 of the bottle 100 has a height of between about 114 mm or 4.490″ and about 162 mm or 6.381″. In some embodiments, the cylindrical portion 110 has a height of between about 120 mm or 4.7244″ and about 155 mm or 6.1024″. In other embodiments, the cylindrical portion 110 has a height of about 162 mm or 6.3779″. In some embodiments, the bottle 100 has an overall height of between about 190 mm or 7.48″ and about 238 mm or 9.37″. In other embodiments, the bottle 100 has an overall height of between about 200 mm or 7.874″ and about 220 mm or 8.661″. In other embodiments, the bottle 100 can have an overall height up to about 12″.

Manufacturing of aluminum containers is expected to have higher rejection rates than rejection rates of traditional cans due to the more complicated geometry of the container and the higher plastic deformation needed for a shape with high aspect ratio of height to diameter (e.g. aspect ratio of 3 and higher) and narrower neck of the container.

Some embodiments produce a metal container with reduced rejection rates associated with the production of aluminum containers. In some embodiments, number of drawing steps are reduced to two, instead of three drawing steps, by decreasing the blank size. In some embodiments, the production method described herein also allows for the production of a container that is taller than previously available aluminum containers. In some embodiments, the production method described herein also allows for a thinner side wall thickness and thus a lower aluminum material usage than previously available. The reduction in diameter reduces the stress at the outer circumference of the blank, which ultimately becomes the curl of the container. This curl experiences the highest stress of during the processing. By reducing the circumference, and eliminating one draw step, the curl experiences a lower stress which results in lower rejection rates.