Lid assembly and container with lid

Abstract

[The technical problem to be solved] A cap assembly is provided that can seal the liquid inlet located at the tip of the nozzle portion, starting from a state in which the nozzle cap is only slightly tightened during the screwing of the nozzle portion. Technical means to solve the problem Between the male threaded portion 19 on the nozzle portion 7 and the female threaded portion 18 on the nozzle cap 9, a gap is provided to allow the nozzle cap 9 to move relative to the nozzle portion 7 in the axial direction. When the outer cover 12 is installed on the cap body 8 while the nozzle cap 9 is only slightly locked to the nozzle portion 7, the nozzle cap 9 is pressed down by the outer cover 12 against the nozzle cap 9, so that the plug gasket 20 is pressed against the liquid inlet 7a.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a lid assembly and a lidded container. Prior Technology

[0002] In the prior art, there is a lidded container with a lid assembly that can be installed on the container body that has an opening at the top (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2 below).

[0003] Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a thermos flask, comprising: a bottle body having a heat-insulating structure; an outer plug having an opening detachably mounted from above on the bottle body, an outlet for allowing liquid contents to flow into the bottle body and outward through a pouring spout, and a valve body capable of closing the inlet of the outlet, and the outer plug being capable of making the opening a plugged state; an inner plug detachably mounted on the outer plug; a locking part for locking the inner plug in the installation state of the outer plug; an operating part for opening and operating the valve body; and a cup-shaped cap detachably mounted from above on the outside of the bottle body opening for covering the inner plug, the outer plug, and the other mounting components. The valve body and cover have a closing tendency (habit), and can be opened by the operating part and held in the open position. When the inner plug floats from the installation position of the outer plug, it is pushed into the installation position of the outer plug by the installation of the cap. When the valve body is in the open position, it is returned to the closed position by the installation of the cap. In both cases, pushing the inner plug into the outer plug and the valve body returning from the open position to the closed position are completed by the installation of the cap in one step.

[0004] On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses a portable beverage bottle, comprising: a bottle body; a cap member, which is mounted to the bottle body in a capping manner and has a dispensing tube that can be directly drunk from in a protruding state; and a cap, which is pivotally connected to the cap member and can rotate freely about a horizontal axis and has a gasket for sealing the upper end of the dispensing tube. In this portable beverage bottle, the cap is detachably mounted on the cap member cup in a manner that can surround the dispensing tube and in the closed state. When the cap is not fully locked, if the cup is installed (screwed) on the cap member, a small protrusion-shaped cap pressing part protruding from the inner surface of the cup member's deep (bottom) wall towards the opening (lower) side will press the cap downward and shake it, so that the cap is in the closed state (locked state).

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-100343 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-022686 Summary of the Invention

[0006] [Problem to be solved by the invention] However, the inventions described in the above-mentioned patent documents 1 and 2 are all configurations that, when the liquid passage between the inside of the container body and the liquid passage is in an incompletely open or closed state, guide the liquid passage to a blocked state by installing an outer cover such as a cap or cup.

[0007] On the other hand, the cap assembly also includes a cap assembly configured as follows: a cap body that blocks the upper opening of the container body and has a nozzle portion that communicates with the inside of the container body; a nozzle cap for opening and closing the front end of the nozzle portion; and an outer cap that can be detachably installed on the cap body when covering the nozzle cap and the nozzle portion.

[0008] In this configuration where the nozzle cap is screwed onto the nozzle portion, if the configuration described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is adopted, it is very difficult to seal the liquid inlet located at the front end of the nozzle portion by means of the insufficient tightening of the nozzle cap onto the nozzle portion due to the screwing.

[0009] Furthermore, if the screw-on engagement between the nozzle cap and the nozzle part is not tight enough, and the outer cover is installed on the cap body, there is a concern that the beverage (liquid) contained in the container body may leak from the liquid inlet to the inside of the outer cover.

[0010] The present invention is proposed in view of the above-mentioned prior art, and its purpose is to provide a cap assembly and a capped container that can seal the liquid inlet located at the front end of the nozzle part when the nozzle cap is only slightly tightened during the screwing of the nozzle part, and allow the user to notice that the liquid inlet cannot be sealed before the screwing of the nozzle cap is completely tightened.

[0011] [Means for Solving the Problem] In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following means. [1] A lid assembly for mounting on an open upper portion of a container body, comprising: A cap body blocks the upper opening of the container body and has a nozzle part that communicates with the inside of the container body; A nozzle cap is detachably and removably installed onto the nozzle portion by screwing, so as to open and close the liquid inlet located on the front end side of the nozzle portion; A gasket, detachably mounted inside the nozzle cap, to seal the liquid inlet; and An outer cover, which, in the state of covering the nozzle cap installed on the nozzle portion, is detachably installed on the cap body; Between the male threaded portion on the nozzle portion side and the female threaded portion on the nozzle cap side, a gap is provided to allow the nozzle cap to move relative to the nozzle portion in the axial direction; When the outer cover is installed on the cap body, and the outer cover abuts against the nozzle cap, it presses the nozzle cap down, thereby causing the plug gasket to press against the liquid inlet. [2] According to the cover assembly of [1], when the outer cover is installed on the cover body, the outer cover and the nozzle cover are in a non-contact state when the nozzle cap is fully locked to the nozzle portion by the screw engagement. [3] According to the cover assembly of [1], in the state before the screwing of the nozzle cap to the nozzle portion is completely not performed, the outer cover abuts against the nozzle cap, so that the outer cover cannot be installed on the cap body. [4] According to the cap assembly described in [1], the male threaded portion on the cap body side and the female threaded portion on the outer cover side are screwed together in the horizontal direction, so that the outer cover can be detachably installed on the cap body. [5] A lidded container, comprising: A container body, with an opening at the top; and A cover assembly that can be easily installed and removed from the container body; The cap assembly includes: a cap body that seals the upper opening of the container body and has a nozzle portion communicating with the inner side of the container body; a nozzle cap that is detachably and removably installed on the nozzle portion by screwing to open and close a liquid inlet located at the front end of the nozzle portion; a plug gasket that is detachably and removably installed on the inner side of the nozzle cap to seal the liquid inlet; and an outer cover that is detachably installed on the container body while covering the nozzle cap installed on the nozzle portion; a gap is provided between the male thread portion on the nozzle portion side and the female thread portion on the nozzle cap side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap to move relative to the nozzle portion in the axial direction; when the outer cover is installed on the container body, in a state where the screwing of the nozzle cap onto the nozzle portion is only slightly tightened, the outer cover abutting against the nozzle cap presses down on the nozzle cap, thereby causing the plug gasket to press against the liquid inlet. [6] According to the lidded container of [5], when the outer cover is installed on the container body, the outer cover and the nozzle cap are in a non-contact state when the nozzle cap is fully locked by the screw engagement of the nozzle portion. [7] According to the lidded container of [5], in the state before the screwing of the nozzle cap to the nozzle portion is completely not performed, the outer cover abuts against the nozzle cap, so that the outer cover cannot be installed on the container body. [8] According to the lidded container of [5], the outer lid is detachably and removably installed on the container body by means of screwing.

[0012] As described above, according to the present invention, a cover assembly and a covered container are provided, which can seal the liquid inlet on the front end of the nozzle part from the state in which the nozzle cap is only slightly tightened during the screwing of the nozzle part, and allow the user to notice that the liquid inlet is not sealed before the installation of the nozzle cap is completely not completed. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0013] [Figure 1] shows a cross-sectional view of the structure of a lidded container having a lid assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] is a perspective view showing the nozzle cap in a sealed position relative to the nozzle portion of the cap assembly shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] is a perspective view showing the nozzle cap in the open position relative to the nozzle portion of the cap assembly shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] is a side view of the cover assembly in the same state as shown in Figure 2 with the outer cover removed. [Figure 5] is a cross-sectional view showing the outer cover of the cover assembly shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] shows the outer cover installed on the cap body in a state where the nozzle cap is fully locked to the nozzle part relative to the cap assembly shown in Figure 1. (A) is a cross-sectional view along the front-back direction, and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction. [Figure 7] is a cross-sectional view showing the state after the outer cover is installed on the cap body, with the nozzle cap not being sufficiently locked relative to the nozzle part of the cap assembly shown in Figure 1. [Figure 8] shows the state in which the outer cover cannot be installed on the cap body when the nozzle cap is not fully installed relative to the cap assembly shown in Figure 1. (A) is a cross-sectional view along its left and right direction, and (B) is a hypothetical cross-sectional view showing the interference between the female thread on the inner surface of the outer cover and the male thread on the outer surface of the cap body. [Figure 9] is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a lidded container with a lid assembly in a second embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the figures. (First Embodiment) First, as a first embodiment of the present invention, a lidded container 100A having, for example, the lid assembly 1A shown in Figures 1 to 8 will be described.

[0015] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the structure of a covered container 100A with a cover assembly 1A. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the nozzle cap 9 in a sealed position relative to the nozzle portion 7 of the cover assembly 1A. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the nozzle cap 9 in an open position relative to the nozzle portion 7 of the cover assembly 1A. Figure 4 is a side view of the cover assembly 1A in the same state as shown in Figure 2 with the outer cover 12 removed. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the outer cover 12 of the cover assembly 1A. Figure 6 shows the outer cover 12 installed on the cap body 8 with the nozzle cap 9 of the nozzle portion 7 of the cover assembly 1A screwed in and fully locked. (A) is a cross-sectional view along its front-back direction, and (B) is a cross-sectional view along its left-right direction. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the outer cover 12 installed on the cap body 8 with the nozzle cap 9 of the nozzle portion 7 of the cover assembly 1A screwed in and not fully locked. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the outer cover 12 cannot be installed on the cap body 8 when the nozzle cap 9 of the nozzle part 7 relative to the cap assembly 1A is not fully installed.

[0016] As shown in FIG1, the lidded container 100A of this embodiment has a lid assembly 1A of this embodiment and a container body 2 that can be easily installed and removed from the lid assembly 1A.

[0017] The lidded container 100A is a beverage container. By means of the container body 2 with a vacuum insulation structure, the beverage (liquid) contained in the container body 2 can be kept cold (or warm).

[0018] Specifically, the container body 2 is made of a bottomed cylindrical outer container 3 and an inner container 4, for example, stainless steel or other materials. The outer container 3 houses the inner container 4, and the periphery of the openings of the two are joined together to form a double-layered container.

[0019] In addition, a vacuum insulation layer 5 is provided between the outer container 3 and the inner container 4. The vacuum insulation layer 5 can be formed, for example, in a chamber that has been depressurized to a high vacuum (evacuated), by sealing the degassing holes provided on the bottom surface of the outer container 3.

[0020] The container body 2 has a generally circular bottom 2a, a generally cylindrical body portion 2b that rises from the outer periphery of the bottom 2a, and a generally cylindrical neck 2c that narrows at the upper side of the body portion 2b.

[0021] The upper end of the neck 2c serves as the upper opening 2d of the container body 2, and has a circular opening. Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface of the neck 2c (the upper side of the body portion 2b) of the container body 2 is more constricted than the inner circumferential surface of the body portion 2b. Moreover, an annular overhang 6 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the neck 2c, and this overhang 6 protrudes inwardly along the entire circumference of the container body 2.

[0022] Furthermore, although the lidded container 100A of this embodiment has a generally cylindrical shape, the shape of the lidded container 100A is not particularly limited and can be appropriately changed according to size or design. In addition, coating or printing can be applied to the outer peripheral surface of the container body 2.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the cap assembly 1A of this embodiment includes: a cap body 8 for sealing the upper opening 2d of the container body 2 and having a nozzle portion 7 communicating with the inner side of the container body 2; a nozzle cap 9 that can be freely installed and removed from the nozzle portion 7 by screwing, thereby opening and closing the liquid inlet 7a provided at the front end of the nozzle portion 7; a rotating member 11 that can be freely installed and rotated on the cap body 8 through a hinge portion 10, and the nozzle cap 9 is rotatably installed on the inner side of the connecting portion 11a provided at its front end, relative to the connecting portion 11a; and an outer cover 12 that, while covering the nozzle cap 9 and the rotating member 11 installed on the nozzle portion 7, is freely installed and removed from the cap body 8 by screwing.

[0024] Furthermore, in the following description, in the orthogonal radial direction (horizontal direction) of the upright cover assembly 1A (covered container 100A), the side where the hinge part 10 is located is referred to as the "rear side" of the cover assembly 1A (covered container 100A), and the side where the nozzle part 7 is located opposite to the hinge part 10 is referred to as the "front side". The direction connecting the two is referred to as the "front-back direction", and the direction orthogonal to the front-back direction is referred to as the "left-right direction".

[0025] The cap body 8 has: a peripheral wall portion 8a, made of, for example, heat-resistant resin, which is formed in a generally cylindrical shape in a manner continuous with the body portion 2b of the container body 2 and covers the entire circumference of the outer periphery; an upper wall portion 8b, which covers the upper part of the peripheral wall portion 8a; and an inner wall portion 8c, which protrudes in a generally cylindrical shape from the lower surface of the upper wall portion 8b in a manner that is fitted into the inner side of the container body 2 from the upper opening portion 2d.

[0026] The cap body 8 is detachably and removably installed on the neck 2c of the container body 2 by means of screwing. Therefore, a first male threaded portion 13 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the neck 2c (the upper side of the body portion 2b). On the other hand, a first female threaded portion 14 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 8a of the cap body 8, which engages with the first male threaded portion 13.

[0027] The nozzle 7 is located in front of the hinge 10 of the upper wall 8b and protrudes upward in a generally cylindrical shape, penetrating the upper wall 8b in a vertical direction. In addition, a liquid inlet 7a with a circular opening is provided on the front end (upper end) side of the nozzle 7, which serves as a drinking or pouring port.

[0028] In other words, when the cap body 8 is installed on the neck 2c of the container body 2, it blocks the upper opening 2d of the container body 2 and connects the inside and outside of the container body 2 through the nozzle 7 (liquid inlet 7a).

[0029] A water-stop gasket 15 can be detachably installed on the lower inner surface of the cap body 8. The water-stop gasket 15 is a sealing member used to seal (water seal) between the container body 2 and the cap body 8, and is made of an elastic member such as heat-resistant silicone or an elastomer.

[0030] The water-stopping gasket 15 has a stepped shape formed along the lower surface of the upper wall portion 8b, the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall portion 8c, and the lower end surface, and is cylindrical and annular in shape. The water-stopping gasket 15 contacts the lower surface of the upper wall portion 8b and the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall portion 8c, is slightly separated from the lower end surface of the inner wall portion 8c, and is fitted into the lower surface of the inner side of the cap body 8 in a state of covering from below.

[0031] On the other hand, the waterproofing gasket 15 can be removed from the lower inner surface of the cap body 8 by its own elastic deformation (stretching). Thus, the waterproofing gasket 15 and the cap body 8 can be cleaned separately, and the waterproofing gasket 15 and the cap body 8 can be hygienically maintained.

[0032] Furthermore, an elastic flange portion 15a protruding along the entire circumference in the expansion direction is provided at the upper end of the water-stop gasket 15. When the cap body 8 is installed to the container body 2, the elastic flange portion 15a can elastically deform while its upper surface side is fully sealed to the lower surface of the upper wall portion 8b, and its lower surface side is fully sealed to the upper opening portion 2d. Thus, a liquid-tight seal (water seal) can be achieved between the cap body 8 and the container body 2.

[0033] The nozzle cap 9 is made of heat-resistant resin, for example, and has: a peripheral wall portion 9a, which is generally cylindrical; a top wall portion 9b, which covers the upper part of the peripheral wall portion 9a; a flange portion 9f, which extends outward from the outer periphery of the middle part of the peripheral wall portion 9a; and a plurality of protrusions 9g, which intermittently protrude outward from the lower end side outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion 9a.

[0034] The rotating member 11 has a connecting part 11a, which is made of, for example, heat-resistant resin. Its base end is rotatably mounted to the cap body 8 through the hinge part 10, and its front end opening is approximately circular.

[0035] The nozzle cap 9 is installed in a state where it is fitted inside the connecting portion 11a of the rotating member 11, and can rotate freely around the axis of the connecting portion 11a. Specifically, a engaging protrusion 16 serving as an engaging portion is provided on the inner periphery of the connecting portion 11a. On the other hand, an engaging recess 17 serving as an engaging portion and engaging with the engaging protrusion 16 is provided on the outer periphery of the nozzle cap 9.

[0036] On the upper end side of the connecting portion 11a, the engaging protrusion 16 protrudes inward from the inner circumference of the entire circumference. On the other hand, the engaging recess 17 is formed between the flange portion 9f of the nozzle cap 9 and the plurality of protrusions 9g, and is recessed inward from the entire circumference of the entire circumference.

[0037] Furthermore, a vertical clearance (freeway) Sh is provided between the engaging protrusion 16 and engaging recess 17, allowing the nozzle cap 9 to tilt relative to the central axis of the connecting portion 11a and to move in the direction of its central axis. That is, in this embodiment, the vertical width of the engaging recess 17 is greater than the vertical width of the engaging protrusion 16.

[0038] Therefore, in the cover assembly 1A of this embodiment, with the engaging protrusion 16 and engaging recess 17 engaged, the nozzle cap 9 can be freely rotated around the axis of the connecting portion 11a. The installation method is such that it can tilt relative to the central axis of the connecting portion 11a and move in the direction of the central axis to the extent that the gap Sh (Sh1, Sh2) is large enough to be vertically oriented.

[0039] In addition, in the above-mentioned cover assembly 1A, although it is configured such that a locking protrusion 16 serving as a locking part is provided on the inner periphery of the connecting part 11a and a locking recess 17 serving as a locking part that engages with the locking protrusion 16 is provided on the outer periphery of the nozzle cap 9, the opposite configuration can also be adopted, that is, a locking recess is provided on the inner periphery of the connecting part 11a and a locking protrusion engaging with the locking recess is provided on the outer periphery of the nozzle cap 9.

[0040] In this embodiment of the cover assembly 1A, the nozzle cap 9 can be rotated vertically together with the rotating member 11 between the position where the liquid inlet 7a of the nozzle section 7 is blocked and the position where the liquid inlet 7a of the nozzle section 7 is open. Furthermore, in this embodiment of the cover assembly 1A, starting from the state where the nozzle cap 9 covers the nozzle section 7, the nozzle cap 9 can be installed on the nozzle section 7 by rotating the nozzle cap 9 around its axis and screwing it on.

[0041] Therefore, a second female threaded portion 18 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 9a (nozzle cap 9). On the other hand, a second male threaded portion 19 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle portion 7, which engages with the second female threaded portion 18.

[0042] Furthermore, a vertical gap Sh3 is provided between the mutually screwed second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18. Thus, when the second male thread portion 19 is screwed into the second female thread portion 18, the nozzle cap 9 can move relative to the nozzle portion 7 in the axial direction (vertical direction) according to the size of the gap Sh3.

[0043] In this embodiment, the cover assembly 1A, starting from the state where the nozzle cap 9 covers the nozzle portion 7, rotates the nozzle cap 9 toward one side of the axis (clockwise in the top view) to make the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 engage with each other.

[0044] In this embodiment of the cap assembly 1A, when the nozzle cap 9 moves from the open position toward the sealing position, the rotating member 11 rotates relative to the hinge portion 10 while moving toward the sealing position. Therefore, it gradually approaches the sealing position while an angle (a state where the central axes are not aligned) exists between the central axis of the nozzle portion 7 and the central axis of the connecting portion 11a. Furthermore, even when the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 move to the position where they begin to engage, this angle is not eliminated (their central axes are not aligned).

[0045] At this time, although the central axis AX1 of the connecting portion 11a is tilted relative to the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 in the front-back direction orthogonal to the central axis direction (left-right direction) of the hinge portion 10, the nozzle cap 9 is mounted so that it can swing freely around the entire circumference relative to the central axis AX1 of the connecting portion 11a. Therefore, the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 can be smoothly screwed together when the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 is aligned with the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9.

[0046] Furthermore, at the position where the second male threaded portion 19 and the second female threaded portion 18 are screwed together, the nozzle cap 9 can be fixed to the nozzle portion 7.

[0047] On the other hand, in the cover assembly 1A of this embodiment, from this state onwards, by rotating the nozzle cap 9 to the other side of the axis (counterclockwise in the top view), the engagement between the second male threaded portion 19 and the second female threaded portion 18 can be released, and the nozzle cap 9 can be removed from the nozzle portion 7.

[0048] A plug gasket 20 is detachably installed on the lower surface of the top wall portion 9b of the nozzle cap 9. The plug gasket 20 is a sealing member used to seal the liquid inlet 7a, and is made of elastic members such as heat-resistant rubber or elastomers, for example.

[0049] The plug gasket 20 has a generally cylindrical insert portion 20a, a plug portion 20b that protrudes throughout the circumference from the lower end of the insert portion 20a in the direction of increasing diameter, and a protrusion portion 20c that protrudes downward from the center of the plug portion 20b. In addition, an increasing diameter portion 20d that increases throughout the circumference is provided on the upper front end side of the insert portion 20a.

[0050] On the other hand, the nozzle cap 9 has a hole 9c that extends through the center of the top wall portion 9b in the vertical direction. At the lower end of the hole 9c, there is a circular protrusion 9d that protrudes downward from the top wall portion 9b throughout the entire circumference. On the other hand, along the upper side of the hole 9c, there is a diameter-reduced portion 9e.

[0051] When the insert 20a is inserted into the hole 9c from below, the insert 20a is fitted onto the lower surface of the top wall 9b by the engagement of the enlarged portion 20d of the insert 20a with the reduced portion 9e of the hole 9c.

[0052] In this embodiment, the cap assembly 1A can be easily installed on the lower surface (lower surface of the top wall portion 9b) of the nozzle cap 9 by pushing it upward from the inside of the nozzle cap 9 while the protrusion 20c of the plug pad 20 is being pinched.

[0053] On the other hand, in the cap assembly 1A of this embodiment, the plug pad 20 can be easily removed from the lower surface (lower surface of the top wall portion 9b) inside the nozzle cap 9 by pulling it downward while holding the protrusion 20c of the plug pad 20 in a pinched state.

[0054] Furthermore, the plug gasket 20 removed from the nozzle cap 9 can be washed separately from the nozzle cap 9, thus maintaining a hygienic relationship between the plug gasket 20 and the nozzle cap 9.

[0055] Furthermore, in order for the insert 20a to be inserted into the hole 9c, the insert 20a needs to have a certain degree of rigidity. Therefore, the bolt gasket 20 is preferably a solid component with no voids inside the insert 20a. On the other hand, the interior of the insert 20a of the bolt gasket 20 can also be hollow to reduce material usage and achieve weight reduction. In this case, a material with appropriate hardness needs to be selected to ensure rigidity.

[0056] Furthermore, with the insert portion 20a inserted into the hole portion 9c, the plug gasket 20 is installed on the lower inner surface of the nozzle cap 9. Even if the nozzle cap 9 blocks the liquid inlet 7a of the nozzle portion 7, the insert portion 20a (expanded diameter portion 20d) will still be exposed on the outside, allowing for visual confirmation that the plug gasket 20 has been installed. This makes it easy to confirm that no plug gasket 20 has been omitted from installation.

[0057] The protrusion 20c can enter the inside of the nozzle 7 from the liquid inlet 7a and protrude downward to a degree that it can be pinched by fingers. In addition, to facilitate pinching by fingers, the protrusion 20c is formed in a flat shape, for example.

[0058] Furthermore, at the front (lower) end of the protrusion 20c, a flat, long side protrudes as a flange 20e in the expanding direction. The function of the flange 20e is to prevent slippage when the protrusion 20c is pinched by the fingers and to allow the fingers to hook it.

[0059] Furthermore, the lower end of the protrusion 20c is located above the lower end of the nozzle cap 9 and below the central axis of the hinge portion 10. If the protrusion 20c is too long, it will be difficult for the protrusion 20c to enter the inside of the nozzle portion 7 from the liquid inlet 7a when the nozzle cap 9 covers the nozzle portion 7; conversely, if it is too short, it will be difficult to pinch.

[0060] In the cap assembly 1A of this embodiment, when the nozzle cap 9 blocks the liquid inlet 7a of the nozzle section 7, the plug 20b is in close contact with the liquid inlet 7a located on the front end side of the nozzle section 7 around the entire circumference.

[0061] Here, the plug portion 20b has a hemispherical shape with a convex lower part, and an upper rib 20f that is concentric with the insert portion 20a and protrudes upward. When the plug gasket 20 is installed on the lower surface of the inner side of the nozzle cap 9, the circular protrusion 9d is inserted into the valley between the insert portion 20a and the upper rib 20f.

[0062] Therefore, when the plug portion 20b is in close contact with the front end side of the nozzle portion 7, the plug portion 20b is pressed from above by the circular protrusion 9d, and the upper end of the upper rib portion 20f abuts against the lower surface side of the top wall portion 9b.

[0063] Therefore, the central side (protrusion 20c side) of the plug 20b is less likely to elastically deform upwards, while only the outer peripheral side of the plug 20b that abuts against the front end side of the nozzle 7 can elastically deform and flex.

[0064] Furthermore, since the actual bending length of the plug portion 20b is shortened, and it is pressed from above by the circular protrusion 9 and from below by the front end side of the nozzle portion 7, it can more strongly seal against the periphery of the front end side of the nozzle portion 7. In this way, the liquid inlet 7a can be reliably sealed through the plug gasket 20.

[0065] The outer cover 12 is made of, for example, heat-resistant resin and has a generally circular bottom wall portion 12a and a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 12b that rises upward (or downward in Figure 1) from around the bottom wall portion 12a, forming an overall cylindrical bottom. The outer cover 12 protects the upper part of the covered container 100A and can be used as a cup to pour and drink beverages poured from the liquid inlet 7a.

[0066] The outer cover 12 is mounted to the cap body 8 with its bottom wall portion 12a facing upwards by screwing on. Therefore, a third male thread portion 21 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 8a of the cap body 8. On the other hand, a third female thread portion 22 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 12b of the outer cover 12, which engages with the third male thread portion 21.

[0067] Furthermore, the third male thread portion 21 and the third female thread portion 22 do not extend in a spiral shape, but are configured to be screwed (locked) together in the horizontal direction. (Same paragraph 0067) Specifically, as shown in FIG4, the third male thread portion 21 is composed of complementary double-strand threads that are not inclined to each other, and is formed by grooves that are slotted together in the horizontal direction from opposite positions on the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 8a. In addition, a locking protrusion 23 protruding from the inner side of the thread groove is provided before the end of the third male thread portion 21 (near the end). Furthermore, a step portion 8d is provided on the outer peripheral part of the cap body 8, which can be abutted by the opening portion 12c of the outer cover 12. The step portion 8d is inclined outward and downward throughout the entire circumference.

[0068] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, the third male thread portion 21 is composed of complementary double threads, and the third female thread portion 22 is composed of threads that extend in a horizontal direction without inclination to each other on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 12b. In front of the end of the third female thread portion 22 (near the end), there is a locking recess 24 formed by slotting a part of the thread.

[0069] In the cover assembly 1A of this embodiment, from the state where the outer cover 12 is covered on the cap body 8, at the position where the opening 12c of the outer cover 12 abuts against the step portion 8d, the third male thread portion 21 and the third female thread portion 22 are screwed together by rotating the outer cover 12 to one side (right-hand) around the axis.

[0070] At the point where the third male thread 21 and the third female thread 22 are fully engaged, the locking protrusion 23 engages with the locking recess 24, thereby preventing the outer cover 12 from unintentionally falling off or loosening, and providing a clicking sensation when flipped over, while simultaneously securing the outer cover 12 to the cap body 8. More specifically, the front end of the third female thread 22 (the part on the right side of the locking recess 24 in Figure 5 that is separated) flips over the locking protrusion 23 and locks the locking protrusion 23 into the locking recess 24, thereby providing a clicking sensation.

[0071] On the other hand, in the cover assembly 1A of this embodiment, from this state, by rotating the outer cover 12 to the other side of the axis (considered as counterclockwise in the top view), the locking state of the locking recess 24 and the locking protrusion 23 is first released, and then the engagement (locking) of the third male threaded portion 21 and the third female threaded portion 22 is released, and the outer cover 12 can be removed from the cap body 8.

[0072] In the cover assembly 1A of this embodiment having the above configuration, as shown in Figures 6(A) and (B), when the outer cover 12 is installed on the cover body 8, the outer cover 12 and the nozzle cover 9 are in a non-contact state when the nozzle cap 9 is fully locked by the screwing of the nozzle part 7.

[0073] On the other hand, regarding the cover assembly 1A of this embodiment, as shown in FIG7, the case where the outer cover 12 is installed on the cover body 8 is described when the nozzle cap 9 is only partially locked during the screwing of the nozzle part 7.

[0074] First, by slightly rotating the nozzle cap 9 to one side of the axis (clockwise in the top view), a portion of the second male thread 19 and the second female thread 18 are brought into a state of initial engagement. During this engagement, the second male thread 19 and the second female thread 18 are not yet fully engaged, and the seal between the plug portion 20b of the plug gasket 20 and the periphery of the front end of the nozzle portion 7 is weak. Therefore, the plug gasket 20 cannot reliably seal the liquid inlet 7a. For example, if the capped container 100AA is inverted or shaken violently, the beverage (liquid) contained in the container body 2 may leak from the liquid inlet 7a into the inner side of the outer cap 12.

[0075] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, from this state onwards, since the outer cover 12 is installed on the cap body 8, the outer cover 12 abuts against the nozzle cap 9 from above, and the outer cover 12 abutting against the nozzle cap 9 presses the nozzle cap 9 downwards. Specifically, the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 12a of the outer cover 12 abuts against the upper surface of the top wall portion 9b of the nozzle cap 9, and in this state, as shown in Figure 7, the outer cover 12 is pushed downwards while rotating the cover 12 toward one side of the axis (clockwise in the top view), thereby making the third male thread portion 21 and the third female thread portion 22 mutually engaged (locked).

[0076] At this time, the nozzle cap 9 will push the nozzle part 7 downwards by a gap (clearance) in the vertical direction between the second male thread part 19 and the second female thread part 18. As a result, the plug part 20b of the plug gasket 20 will bend due to elastic deformation, and the plug gasket 20 will be pressed to the liquid inlet 7a.

[0077] Therefore, in this embodiment, the cover assembly 1A can be sealed by the plug gasket 20 when the screw engagement between the nozzle cap 9 and the nozzle part 7 is in a state of only slightly tightening.

[0078] On the other hand, as shown in FIG8, in the cover assembly 1A of this embodiment, the case in which the outer cover 12 is installed on the cover body 8 before the nozzle cap 9 is completely screwed into the nozzle part 7 is explained.

[0079] First, the nozzle cap 9 is positioned so that it covers the front end of the nozzle portion 7. In this position, the second female thread 18 is placed on top of the second male thread 19, and the second male thread 19 and the second female thread 18 are not fully engaged. Before engagement, the plug portion 20b of the plug gasket 20 is not tightly sealed to the front end of the nozzle portion 7, or if it is, the seal is very weak. Therefore, the plug gasket 20 cannot seal the liquid inlet 7a. For example, if the capped container 100A is inverted or shaken violently, the beverage (liquid) inside the container body 2 may leak from the liquid inlet 7a to the inside of the outer cap 12.

[0080] If the outer cover 12 is attempted to be installed on the cap body 8 in this state, the lower surface of the second female threaded portion 18 abuts against the upper surface of the second male threaded portion 19, as shown in Figure 8(B), and the third male threaded portion 21 and the third female threaded portion 22 interfere with each other, resulting in the outer cover 12 being unable to be screwed (locked) onto the cap body 8.

[0081] Therefore, in this embodiment, before the nozzle cap 9 is fully screwed onto the nozzle part 7, the outer cover 12 cannot be installed onto the cap body 8. In this situation, it can be recognized that the nozzle cap 9 is not fully installed onto the nozzle part 7, thereby reminding the user to re-lock the nozzle cap 9 or avoid carrying the covered container 100A, etc.

[0082] Here, the third male thread 21 and the third female thread 22 are not formed in a spiral shape like ordinary threads, but are configured to screw (lock) each other in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the position of the outer cover 12 installed on the cap body 8 in the vertical direction can be clearly defined.

[0083] If the third male thread 21 and the third female thread 22 are helically threaded, the outer cover 12 will move downwards as shown in Figure 7 as it rotates relative to the cap body 8, as soon as there is a slight hook and the screwing begins. Therefore, if the outer cover 12 is installed in an insufficiently tight state during the screwing of the nozzle cap 9 onto the nozzle part 7, the outer cover 12 will rotate and move downwards while abutting against the nozzle cap 9, resulting in excessively pressing the nozzle cap 9 against the nozzle part 7. At this time, because the final locking position will change depending on the degree of tightening by the user, it is difficult to regulate the position after installation.

[0084] On the other hand, since the third male thread portion 21 and the third female thread portion 22 are configured to engage (lock) with each other in the horizontal direction, the starting position of the engagement (return) of the outer cover 12 relative to the cap body 8 is at the same height as the completed engagement position. Therefore, under the same circumstances, the pressing pressure of the nozzle cap 9 on the nozzle portion 7 is fixed and will not change during the engagement (locking) process.

[0085] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, when the outer cover 12 is installed on the cap body 8 during the insufficient tightening of the nozzle cap 9 onto the nozzle part 7, the nozzle cap 9 will push the outer cover 12 upwards due to the elastic reaction force of the bushing gasket 20 on the nozzle part 7, as the third male thread 21 and the third female thread 22 are horizontally engaged (locked). Therefore, the locking force of the third male thread 21 and the third female thread 22 increases, preventing the outer cover 12 from loosening.

[0086] Furthermore, at the point where the third male thread 21 and the third female thread 22 are fully engaged, the locking protrusion 23 engages with the locking recess 24, allowing the user to identify the completion of the fixation of the outer cover 12 relative to the cap body 8 through a click-sensitive feel. Moreover, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the termination position of the thread can be clearly defined by the engagement positions of the locking recess 24 and the locking protrusion 23. Therefore, the completed installation position will not change due to different users, making it more clearly identifiable.

[0087] As described above, in the case of the cap assembly 1A of this embodiment, when the outer cover 12 is installed on the cap body 8, the outer cover 12, which abuts against the nozzle cap 9, presses the nozzle cap 9 downward, thereby pressing the plug gasket 20 against the liquid inlet 7a.

[0088] In this way, the liquid inlet 7a can be sealed by the plug gasket 20 to prevent the beverage (liquid) contained in the container body 2 from leaking out of the liquid inlet 7a into the inside of the outer cover 12.

[0089] Therefore, the lidded container 100A of this embodiment, having the lid assembly 1A of this embodiment described above, further enhances ease of use.

[0090] (Second Embodiment) Next, as a second embodiment of the present invention, a lidded container 100B having, for example, the lid assembly 1B shown in FIG9 will be described.

[0091] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a covered container 100B equipped with a lid assembly 1B. Furthermore, in the following description, parts identical to those in the covered container 100A equipped with the lid assembly 1A described above will be omitted from the description and will be indicated with the same symbols on the drawings.

[0092] As shown in FIG9, the lidded container 100B having the lid assembly 1B of this embodiment is configured such that the outer lid 12A is installed on the container body 2 in a detachable manner, and the rest is basically the same as the lidded container 100A having the lid assembly 1A.

[0093] Specifically, in addition, the cover 12A is installed on the container body 2 in a detachable manner by screwing on the nozzle cap 9 and the rotating member 11 installed on the nozzle part 7 and the cap body 8.

[0094] Therefore, a third male thread 21A is provided on the outer peripheral surface lower than the first male thread 13 of the neck 2c of the container body 2. On the other hand, a third female thread 22A that can be screwed into the third male thread 21A is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 12b of the outer cover 12A. It is worth noting that the third male thread 21A and its screwed third female thread 22A in this embodiment are the same as the third male thread 21 and third female thread 22 in the first embodiment, and are not spirally extended, but are screwed into each other horizontally (locked).

[0095] In the lidded container 100B of the lid assembly 1B of this embodiment having the above-described configuration, similar to the lid assembly 1A, when the outer cover 12A is installed on the container body 2, the outer cover 12A and the nozzle cover 9 are in a non-contact state when the nozzle cap 9 is fully locked in the screw engagement with the nozzle portion 7.

[0096] On the other hand, the outer cover 12A is installed on the container body 2 in the case where the screwing of the nozzle cap 9 onto the nozzle part 7 is only slightly insufficient. The configuration is different in that the outer cover 12A is installed on the container body 2 instead of the cap body 8, but its basic effect is the same as that of the cover assembly 1A described above.

[0097] That is, with a portion of the second male thread 19 and the second female thread 18 engaged, by installing the outer cover 12A onto the container body 2, the outer cover 12A, which abuts against the nozzle cap 9, will press the nozzle cap 9 down. Specifically, the inner side of the bottom wall portion 12a of the outer cover 12A abuts against the upper side of the top wall portion 9b of the nozzle cap 9, and while pushing the outer cover 12A downward as shown in FIG. 9, it rotates around one side of the axis (clockwise in the top view), thereby making the third male thread 21A and the third female thread 22A mutually engaged (locked).

[0098] At this time, the nozzle cap 9 will be pressed down relative to the nozzle part 7, and the degree of pressing down is the vertical gap (clearance) between the second male thread part 19 and the second female thread part 18. As a result, the plug part 20b of the plug gasket 20 will bend due to elastic deformation, and the plug gasket 20 will be pressed against the liquid inlet 7a.

[0099] Therefore, the capped container 100B with the cap assembly 1B of this embodiment can seal the liquid inlet 7a provided on the front end side of the nozzle part 7 by means of the plug gasket 20, even when the screwing of the nozzle cap 9 onto the nozzle part 7 is only slightly insufficient.

[0100] On the other hand, regarding the lidded container 100B having the lid assembly 1B of this embodiment, the case in which the outer cover 12A is installed on the container body 2 before the nozzle cap 9 is completely screwed onto the nozzle part 7 will be described.

[0101] First, the nozzle cap 9 is placed over the front end of the nozzle part 7, so that the second female thread part 18 is placed on the upper end of the second male thread part 19, forming a state where the second male thread part 19 and the second female thread part 18 are completely not screwed together. When attempting to install the outer cover 12A onto the container body 2 in this state, the lower part of the second female thread part 18 abuts against the upper part of the second male thread part 19, causing the third male thread part 21A and the third female thread part 22A to interfere with each other, making it impossible for the outer cover 12A to be screwed onto the container body 2.

[0102] Therefore, in the case of the covered container 100B with the cover assembly 1B of this embodiment, the outer cover 12A cannot be installed on the container body 2 before the nozzle cap 9 is fully screwed onto the nozzle part 7. In this situation, the user can be aware that the nozzle cap 9 is not fully installed on the nozzle part 7, and thus be reminded to re-lock the nozzle cap 9 onto the nozzle part 7, or avoid carrying the covered container 100B, etc.

[0103] As described above, when the outer cover 12A of the cap assembly 1B of this embodiment is installed on the container body 2 in a state where the nozzle cap 9 is not fully screwed onto the nozzle portion 7, the outer cover 12A, which abuts against the nozzle cap 9, presses down on the nozzle cap 9, thereby causing the plug gasket 20 to be pressed against the liquid inlet 7a.

[0104] In this way, the liquid inlet 7a can be sealed by the plug gasket 20 to prevent the beverage (liquid) contained in the container body 2 from leaking out of the liquid inlet 7a to the inside of the outer cover 12A.

[0105] Therefore, the lidded container 100B with the lid assembly 1B of this embodiment can further improve ease of use. In addition, other benefits are the same as those of the lid assembly 1A described above.

[0106] Furthermore, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the intent of the present invention.

[0107] For example, although the above-mentioned cover assemblies 1A and 1B are configured such that the nozzle cap 9 can be freely rotated about an axis relative to the connecting part 11a of the rotating member 11, the rotating member 11 can also be omitted, and the nozzle cap 9, which can be detached from the cap body 8, can be detachably installed on the nozzle part 7 by screwing.

[0108] Furthermore, although the outer covers 12 and 12A are configured to be detachably and freely installed on the cap body 8 or the container body 2 via screwing, they are not limited to this screwing method. For example, they can also be detachably installed on the cap body 8 or the container body 2 by means of embedding.

[0109] Furthermore, although the above embodiments illustrate the use of a container body 2 with a vacuum insulation structure to provide heat preservation and cold preservation functions for beverage containers, the present invention can be widely applied to containers with a lid that has a container body and a lid assembly that can be detachably installed on the container body.

[0110] 1A, 1B: Cover assembly 100A, 100B: Containers with lids 2: Container body 2a: Bottom 2b: Ontology part 2c: mouth and neck 2d: Upper opening 3: Outer container 4: Content Container 5: Vacuum insulation layer 6: Overhang part 7: Nozzle section 7a: Liquid inlet 8: Cap body 8a: Peripheral wall 8b: Upper wall portion 8c: Inner wall portion 8d: Step difference section 9: Nozzle cap 9a: Peripheral wall section 9b: Top wall 9c: Hole 9d: Circular convex part 9e: Reduction section 9f: Flange portion 9g: Protrusion 10: Hinge section 11: Rotating component 11a: Connecting part 12,12A: Outer cover 12a: Bottom wall portion 12b: Peripheral section 12c: Opening 13: First male thread section 14: First female thread section 15: Water-stopping gasket 15a: Elastic flange portion 16: Engaging protrusion 17: Engagement recess 18: Second female thread section 19: Second male thread section 20: Bolt gasket 20a: Embedded part 20b: Bolt part 20c: Protrusion 20d: Expanded diameter section 20e: Flange portion 20f: Upper rib 21,21A: Third male thread section 22,22A: Third female thread portion 23: Locking protrusion 24: Locking recess AX1, AX2, AX3: Central axes

Claims

1. A lid assembly for mounting on an open upper portion of a container body, comprising: A cap body blocks the upper opening of the container body and has a nozzle part that communicates with the inside of the container body; A nozzle cap is detachably and removably installed to the nozzle portion by screwing on, to open and close the liquid inlet located at the front end of the nozzle portion; a plug gasket is detachably installed inside the nozzle cap to seal the liquid inlet; an outer cover is detachably installed on the cap body while covering the nozzle cap installed on the nozzle portion; a gap is provided between the male threaded portion on the nozzle portion side and the female threaded portion on the nozzle cap side, allowing the nozzle cap to move relative to the nozzle portion in the axial direction; when the outer cover is installed on the cap body, the outer cover abutting against the nozzle cap presses the nozzle cap down, thereby causing the plug gasket to press against the liquid inlet.

2. As in the cover component of request item 1, where, When the nozzle cap is fully tightened by the screw thread on the nozzle part, the outer cover is not in contact with the nozzle cap when it is installed on the cap body.

3. As in request item 1, the cover component, where, Before the nozzle cap is fully screwed onto the nozzle portion, the outer cover abuts against the nozzle cap, preventing the outer cover from being installed on the cap body.

4. As in request item 1, the cover component, where, The male threaded portion on the cap body side and the female threaded portion on the outer cover side are screwed together horizontally, thereby allowing the outer cover to be easily installed on the cap body.

5. A lidded container, comprising: A container body, with an opening at the top; And a cover assembly that can be easily installed and detached from the container body; The cap assembly includes: a cap body that seals the upper opening of the container body and has a nozzle portion that communicates with the inside of the container body; A nozzle cap is detachably and removably installed on the nozzle portion via a screw thread to open and close the liquid inlet located at the front end of the nozzle portion; a plug gasket is detachably and removably installed on the inside of the nozzle cap to seal the liquid inlet; and an outer cover is detachably and removably installed on the container body while covering the nozzle cap installed on the nozzle portion; a gap is provided between the male thread portion on the nozzle portion side and the female thread portion on the nozzle cap side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap to move relative to the nozzle portion in the axial direction; when the outer cover is installed on the container body, in a state where the screw thread of the nozzle cap on the nozzle portion is only slightly tightened, the outer cover abutting against the nozzle cap presses down on the nozzle cap, thereby causing the plug gasket to press against the liquid inlet.

6. As in request item 5, a covered container, wherein, When the nozzle cap is fully tightened to the nozzle portion, the outer cover is not in contact with the nozzle cap when the outer cover is installed on the container body.

7. As in request item 5, a covered container, wherein, Before the nozzle cap is fully engaged with the nozzle portion, the outer cover abuts against the nozzle cap, preventing the outer cover from being installed on the container body.

8. As in request item 5, a covered container, wherein, The outer cover can be easily installed and removed from the container body via screws.

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