Search: poptop cans
Why: Kate and Uncle Rico had pop-top DHARMA beer in 1977.
Answer: 1959 by Ermal Cleon Fraze, an Ohio manufacturer of tools and war materials (like gun barrels). He got the idea when he forgot to bring a can opener to a picnic and had to use a car bumper to pry his cans open.
His first version used a lever that pierced a hole in the can, but left sharp edges. Later he created the familiar pull-tab version, which had a ring attached to a rivet for pulling. He patented the pull-top in 1963. The Pittsburgh Brewing Company was the first customer to adopt the design, and soon saw huge sales increases. By 1965, nearly 75% of US breweries were using them.
Source: Inventor of the Week
The More You Know: Ermal Cleon Fraze is one of the best names I have heard in a long time.
