Cap unit and capped container

Abstract

To provide a cap unit capable of sealing a liquid passage opening provided on the tip end side of a nozzle part from a state of partial tightening where the nozzle cap is slightly screwed onto the nozzle part. A gap that allows the nozzle cap 9 to move axially relative to the nozzle part 7 is provided between the male threaded part 19 on the nozzle part 7 side and the female threaded part 18 on the nozzle cap 9 side, which are screwed together. When the outer lid 12 is attached to the cap main body 8 while the nozzle cap 9 is slightly screwed onto the nozzle part 7 and partially tightened, the outer lid 12 abutting against the nozzle cap 9 presses down on the nozzle cap 9, causing the plug packing 20 to be pressed against the liquid passage opening 7a.

Description

TECHINICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a cap unit and a capped container.BACKGROUND

[0002] Conventionally, there have been capped containers with a cap unit that is attached to a container main body open on an upper part (see, for example, JP2010100343A and JP2020022686A).

[0003] Specifically, JP2010100343A discloses a bottle main body having a heat insulating structure, an outlet part that is removably attached to the opening part of the bottle main body from above and that allows the content liquid to flow in from inside the bottle main body and pour out from a pour spout, an outer plug that has a valve body that closes the inlet of the outlet part and puts the opening part in a plugged state, an inner plug that is removably attached to the outer plug, a locking part that locks the inner plug in a state attached to the outer plug, an operating part that opens and operates the valve body, and a cup-shaped cap that is detachably attached to the outside of the opening part of the bottle main body and covers the inner plug, outer plug, and accessory members thereof; wherein the valve body and lid have a closing tendency and are opened by the operating part and held in the open position; when the inner plug is floating from the attachment position to the outer plug, the inner plug is pressed to the attachment position of the outer plug by attaching the cap; when the valve body is in the open position, the inner plug is returned to the closed position by attaching the cap; and in the case of both conditions, when the inner plug is pushed to the outer plug, the valve body is returned to the closed position from the open position; and the valve body returns from the open position to the closed position by attaching the cap once.

[0004] On the other hand, JP2020022686A discloses a portable beverage bottle comprising a bottle main body, a lid member attached to the bottle main body in a lid-like manner and having an upwardly protruding discharge pipe part that can be used for direct drinking, and a cap pivotally attached to the lid member to enable freely swinging around a horizontal axis and has a packing for sealing an upper end part of the discharge pipe part, wherein the bottle has a cup that is detachably attached to the lid member so as to surround the discharge pipe part and the cap in a closed state, and when an attempt is made to attach (screw) the cup to the lid member while the cap is not completely locked, a small convex cap pressing part that protrudes from the inner surface of the back (bottom) wall part of the cup toward the opening part side (downward) presses the cap downward to cause swinging, and putting the cap into a closed state (locked state).

[0005] Incidentally, the inventions described in JP2010100343A and JP2020022686A are both configured so that when the liquid passage part that communicates with the inside of the container main body is incompletely opened or closed, so the liquid passage part can be guided to a closed state by attaching the outer lid such as a cap or cup.

[0006] On the other hand, the cap unit includes a cap main body that closes the upper opening part of the container main body and is provided with a nozzle part that communicates with the inside of the container main body, a nozzle cap that opens and closes the tip end side of the nozzle part, and an outer lid that can be detachably attached to the cap main body while covering the nozzle cap attached to the nozzle part.

[0007] In a configuration in which a nozzle cap is attached to a nozzle part by screwing, if the configuration described in JP2010100343A and JP2020022686A is adopted, sealing the liquid passage opening provided at the tip end side of the nozzle part by attaching the outer lid will be difficult, since the nozzle cap is not sufficiently tightened by screwing onto the nozzle part.

[0008] Furthermore, if the outer lid is attached to the cap main body when the nozzle cap is not sufficiently screwed onto the nozzle part, there is a risk that the beverage (liquid) contained in the container main body will leak from the liquid passage opening to the inside of the outer lid.

[0009] In light of the forgoing problems with the conventional technology, an object of the present invention is to provide a cap unit and a capped container that enable sealing the liquid passage opening provided on the tip end side of the nozzle part when the nozzle cap has been slightly screwed onto the nozzle part and is only partially tightening, and enable making the user aware that the liquid passage opening cannot be sealed in the pre-screwed state when the nozzle cap has not been attached by screwing at all.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following means. [1] A cap unit attached to a container main body having an open upper part, the cap unit comprising: a cap main body that closes an upper opening part of the container main body and is provided with a nozzle part that is connected to the inside of the container main body; a nozzle cap that is detachably attached to the nozzle part by screwing, thereby opening and closing a nozzle opening provided on a tip end side of the nozzle part; plug packing detachably attached to the inside of the nozzle cap, that seals the liquid passage opening; and an outer lid that is detachably attached to the cap main body in a state where the nozzle cap attached to the nozzle part is covered, wherein a gap is provided between the male threaded part on the nozzle part side and the female threaded part on the nozzle cap side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap to move in an axial direction relative to the nozzle part; and when the outer lid is attached to the cap main body while the nozzle cap is slightly threaded onto the nozzle part partway thought tightening, the outer lid abutting the nozzle cap pushes down on the nozzle cap, thereby pressing the plug packing against the liquid passage opening. [2] The cap unit according to [1], wherein when the nozzle cap is sufficiently tightened by screwing onto the nozzle part and the outer lid is attached to the cap main body, the outer lid is in a non-contact state with the nozzle cap. [3] The cap unit according to [1], wherein in a pre-threaded state in which the nozzle cap is not at all screwed onto the nozzle part, the outer lid abuts against the nozzle cap, thus preventing the outer lid from attaching to the cap main body. [4] A cap unit according to [1], wherein the outer lid is detachably attached to the cap main body by horizontally threading the male threaded part on the cap main body side and the female threaded part on the outer lid side to each other. [5] A capped container, comprising: a container main body having an open upper part, and a cap unit that can be detachably attached to the container main body, the cap unit containing: a cap main body that closes an upper opening part of the container main body and is provided with a nozzle part that is connected to the inside of the container main body; a nozzle cap that is detachably attached to the nozzle part by screwing, thereby opening and closing a nozzle opening provided on a tip end side of the nozzle part; plug packing detachably attached to the inside of the nozzle cap, that seals the liquid passage opening; and an outer lid that is detachably attached to the container main body in a state where the nozzle cap attached to the nozzle part is covered, wherein a gap is provided between the male threaded part on the nozzle part side and the female threaded part on the nozzle cap side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap to move in an axial direction relative to the nozzle part; and when the outer lid is attached to the container main body while the nozzle cap is slightly threaded onto the nozzle part partway thought tightening, the outer lid abutting the nozzle cap pushes down on the nozzle cap, thereby pressing the plug packing against the liquid passage opening. [6] The capped container unit according to [5], wherein when the nozzle cap is sufficiently tightened by screwing onto the nozzle part and the outer lid is attached to the container main body, the outer lid is in a non-contact state with the nozzle cap. [7] The capped container according to [5], wherein in a pre-threaded state in which the nozzle cap is not at all screwed onto the nozzle part, the outer lid abuts against the nozzle cap, thus preventing the outer lid from attaching to the container main body. [8] The capped container according to [5], wherein the outer lid is detachably attached to the container main body by screwing. EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

[0011] As described above, the present invention can provide a cap unit and a capped container that enable sealing the liquid passage opening provided on the tip end side of the nozzle part when the nozzle cap has been slightly screwed onto the nozzle part and is only partially tightening, and enable making the user aware that the liquid passage opening is not sealed in the pre-screwed state when the nozzle cap has not been attached by screwing at all.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view depicting a configuration of a capped container provided with a cap unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting a state in which a nozzle cap is in a closed position relative to a nozzle part of the cap unit depicted in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view depicting a state in which a nozzle cap is in a open position relative to a nozzle part of the cap unit depicted in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a side view depicting a state similar to that of the cap unit depicted in FIG. 2, with the outer lid removed; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view depicting the outer lid of the cap unit depicted in FIG. 1; FIG. 6 depicts a state in which the nozzle cap is sufficiently screwed onto the nozzle part of the cap unit depicted in FIG. 1 and the outer lid is attached to the cap main body, where (A) is a cross-sectional view along the front-back direction, and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view depicting a state after the outer lid has been attached to a cap main body, in a state in which the nozzle cap has not been sufficiently tightened by screwing onto the nozzle part of the cap unit depicted in FIG. 1; FIG. 8 depicts a state in which the nozzle cap is not completely attached to the nozzle part of the cap unit depicted in FIG. 1, and depict a state where the outer lid cannot be attached to the cap main body; where (A) is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction, and (B) is a virtual cross-sectional view depicting interference between the female thread on the inner surface of the outer lid and the male thread on the outer surface of the cap main body; and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view depicting a configuration of a capped container provided with a cap unit according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The following is a detailed description of the embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) First, as Embodiment 1 of the present invention, a capped container 100A provided with a cap unit 1A as depicted in FIG. 1 to FIG. 8 will be described.

[0014] Note that FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view depicting the configuration of the capped container 100A provided with the cap unit 1A. FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting a state in which a nozzle cap 9 is in a closed position relative to a nozzle part 7 of the cap unit 1A. FIG. 3 is a perspective view depicting a state in which a nozzle cap 9 is in an open position relative to a nozzle part 7 of the cap unit 1A. FIG.4 is a side view depicting a state similar to that of the cap unit 1A depicted in FIG. 2, with the outer lid 12 removed. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view depicting the outer lid 12 of the cap unit 1A. FIG. 6 depicts a state in which the nozzle cap 9 is sufficiently screwed onto the nozzle part 7 of the cap unit 1A and the outer lid 12 is attached to the cap main body 8, where (A) is a cross-sectional view along the front-back direction, and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view depicting a state after the outer lid 12 has been attached to a cap main body 8, in a state in which the nozzle cap 9 has not been sufficiently tightened by screwing onto the nozzle part 7 of the cap unit 1A. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view depicting a state in which the nozzle cap 9 is not completely attached to the nozzle part 7 of the cap unit 1A and the outer lid 12 cannot be attached to the cap main body 8.

[0015] As depicted in FIG. 1, the capped container 100A of the present embodiment has a cap unit 1A of the present embodiment and a container main body 2 to which the cap unit 1A is detachably attached.

[0016] The capped container 100A is a beverage container that can keep beverages (liquids) contained in the container main body 2 cool or warm by means of the container main body 2 having a vacuum insulation structure.

[0017] Specifically, the container main body 2 is configured as a double structure containing having a cylindrical outer container with an outer container 3 and an inner container 4 made of, for example, stainless steel that are mutually joined at the periphery of the opening part in a state where the inner container 4 is stored inside the outer container 3.

[0018] A vacuum insulating layer 5 is provided between the outer container 3 and the inner container 4. The vacuum insulating layer 5 can be formed, for example, by plugging the degassing hole on the bottom surface of the outer container 3 in a chamber that has been depressurized (evacuated) to a high vacuum.

[0019] The container main body 2 has a substantially circular bottom part 2a, a substantially barrel part 2b rising from the outer circumference of the bottom 2a, and a substantially cylindrical opening neck part 2c that is reduced in diameter at the upper part side of the barrel part 2b.

[0020] An upper end part of the opening neck part 2c is opened in a circular shape as an upper opening part 2d of the container main body 2. Furthermore, the inner peripheral surface at the opening neck part 2c (upper part side of the barrel part 2b) of the container main body 2 is smaller in diameter than the inner peripheral surface of the barrel part 2b. Furthermore, the inner peripheral surface of the opening neck part 2c is provided with a ring-shaped protruding part 6 is provided around the entire circumference of the container main body 2 so as to protrude inward.

[0021] Although the capped container 100A of the present embodiment has a substantially cylindrical external shape as a whole, the external shape of the capped container 100A is not limited to any particular shape, and can be modified according to size and design. Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface of the container main body 2 may be painted or printed.

[0022] As depicted in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment contains a cap main body 8 that closes the upper opening part 2d of the container main body 2 described above and is provided with a nozzle part 7 that communicates with the inside of the container main body 2; a nozzle cap 9 that is removably attached to the nozzle part 7 by screwing, thereby opening and closing the liquid passage opening 7a provided on the tip end side of the nozzle part 7; a rotating member 11 that is rotatably attached to the cap main body 8 via a hinge part 10 and has a nozzle cap 9 attached to the inside of the ring part 11a provided on the tip end side thereof so that the nozzle cap 9 is attached so as to be rotatable around the axis of the ring part 11a; and an outer lid 12 that is removably attached to the cap main body 8 by screwing, so as to cover the nozzle cap 9 attached to the nozzle part 7 and the rotating member 11.

[0023] Note that in the following description, in the radial direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the "vertical direction" of a standing cap unit (capped container 100A), the side on which the hinge part 10 is located will be referred to as the "rear side" of the cap unit 1A (capped container 100A), and conversely, the side on which the nozzle part 7 is located relative to the hinge part 10 will be referred to as the "front side" of the cap unit 1A (capped container 100A), the direction connecting these will be referred to as the "front-back direction" of the cap unit 1A (capped container 100A), and the direction perpendicular to the front-back direction will be referred to as the "left-right direction" of the cap unit 1A (capped container 100A).

[0024] The cap main body 8 is made of, for example, a heat-resistant resin, and is formed in an approximately cylindrical shape so as to be contiguous with the barrel part 2b of the container main body 2, and includes a circumferential wall part 8a that covers the entire outer peripheral side, an upper wall part 8b that covers the upper part of the circumferential wall part 8a, and an inner wall part 8c that protrudes in an approximately cylindrical shape from the lower surface of the upper wall part 8b so as to be fitted to the inside of the container main body 2 from the upper opening part 2d.

[0025] The cap main body 8 is detachably attached by screwing to the opening neck part 2c of the container main body 2. Therefore, a first male threaded part 13 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the opening neck part 2c (upper part side of barrel part 2b). On the other hand, a first female threaded part 14 that screws into the first male threaded part 13 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the circumferential wall part 8a of the cap main body 8.

[0026] The nozzle part 7 is located in front of the hinge part 10 of the upper wall part 8b, and is provided so as to protrude upward in a substantially cylindrical shape while penetrating the upper wall part 8b in the vertical direction. Furthermore, a liquid passage opening 7a, which serves as a drinking opening or pour spout, is provided at the tip end (upper end) side of the nozzle part 7 with a circular opening.

[0027] In other words, when the cap main body 8 is attached to the opening neck part 2c of the container main body 2, the upper opening part 2d of the container main body 2 is closed and is connected to the inside and the outside of the container main body 2 via the nozzle part 7 (liquid passage opening 7a).

[0028] Watertight packing 15 is detachably attached to the inner lower surface of the cap main body 8. The watertight packing 15 is a sealing member for sealing (watertight sealing) the gap between the container main body 2 and the cap main body 8, and is made of an elastic member such as heat-resistant rubber, elastomer, or the like, for example, silicone rubber and the like.

[0029] The watertight packing 15 has a stepped shape along the lower surface of the upper wall part 8b, the outer peripheral surface and lower end surface of the inner wall part 8c, and is formed into a cylindrical ring shape as a whole. The watertight packing 15 is fitted onto the inner lower surface of the cap main body 8 so as to covering the inner lower surface from below while maintaining contact with the lower surface of the upper wall part 8b and the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall part 8c and being slightly spaced apart from the lower end surface of the inner wall part 8c.

[0030] On the other hand, the watertight packing 15 can be removed from the inner lower surface of the cap main body 8 by elastically deforming (stretching) the packing. This allows the watertight packing 15 and the cap main body 8 to be cleaned separately, and the watertight packing 15 and the cap main body 8 can be kept sanitary.

[0031] Furthermore, an elastic flange part 15a that protrudes over the entire circumference in the radial expansion direction is provided on the upper end part of the watertight packing 15. When the cap main body 8 is attached to the container main body 2, the elastic flange part 15a of the watertight packing 15 elastically deforms, and the upper surface side comes into close contact with the lower surface of the upper wall part 8b, and the lower surface side comes into close contact with the upper opening part 2d around the entire circumference. Therefore, a liquid tight seal (watertight seal) can be provided between the cap main body 8 and the container main body 2.

[0032] The nozzle cap 9 is made of, for example, a heat-resistant resin, and has a circumferential wall part 9a formed in an approximately cylindrical shape, a top wall part 9b covering the upper part of the circumferential wall part 9a, a flange part 9f extending outward from the outer peripheral surface around the middle part of the circumferential wall part 9a around the entire circumference, and a plurality of protruding parts 9g protruding outward intermittently around the entire circumference from the outer peripheral surface of the lower end side of the circumferential wall part 9a.

[0033] The rotating member 11 is made of, for example, a heat-resistant resin, and the base end side thereof is rotatably attached to the cap main body 8 via a hinge part 10, and the tip end side has a ring part 11a that opens in a substantially circular shape.

[0034] The nozzle cap 9 is fitted inside the ring part 11a of the rotating member 11 and is attached so as to be rotatable around the axis of the ring part 11a. Specifically, an engagement protruding part 16, which is the engaging part, is provided on the inner peripheral part of the ring part 11a. On the other hand, an engagement recessed part 17, that is the engaged part that engages with the engagement protruding part 16 is provided on the outer peripheral part of the nozzle cap 9.

[0035] The engagement protruding part 16 is configured to protrude inward from the inner peripheral surface along the entire circumference at the upper end side of the ring part 11a. On the other hand, the engagement recessed part 17 is formed between the flange part 9f of the nozzle cap 9 and the plurality of protruding parts 9g, and is recessed inward along the entire circumference.

[0036] Furthermore, a vertical gap (play) Sh that allows the nozzle cap 9 to tilt relative to the center axis of the ring part 11a and move in the direction of the center axis thereof is provided between the engagement protruding part 16 and the engagement recessed part 17 that are mutually engaged. In other words, with the present embodiment, the vertical width of the engagement recessed part 17 is larger than the vertical width of the engagement protruding part 16.

[0037] Thereby, in the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, when the engagement protruding part 16 is engaged with the engagement recessed part 17, the nozzle cap 9 is attached so as to be freely rotatable around the axis of the ring part 11a, and the nozzle cap 9 is attached so as to be able to tilt relative to the center axis of the ring part 11a by an amount corresponding to the gap Sh (Sh1, Sh2), and to be able to move in the direction of the center axis.

[0038] Furthermore, the cap unit 1A is configured such that an engagement protruding part 16, which is an engaging part, is provided on the inner peripheral part of the aforementioned ring part 11a, and an engagement recessed part 17, which is an engaged part that engages with the engagement protruding part 16, is provided on the outer peripheral part of the nozzle cap 9. However, the configuration may be reversed, or in other words, a configuration in which an engagement recessed part is provided on the inner peripheral part of the ring part 11a, and an engagement protruding part that engages with the engagement recessed part is provided on the outer peripheral part of the nozzle cap 9.

[0039] In the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, the nozzle cap 9 is rotated vertically together with the rotating member 11 between a position that blocks the liquid passage opening 7a of the nozzle part 7 and a position that opens the liquid passage opening 7a of the nozzle part 7. In addition, in the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, the nozzle cap 9 can be attached to the nozzle part 7 by screwing, by rotating the nozzle cap 9 around the axis after placing the nozzle cap 9 on the nozzle part 7.

[0040] For this reason, a second female threaded part 18 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the circumferential wall part 9a (nozzle cap 9). On the other hand, the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle part 7 has a second male threaded part 19 that is screwed into the second female threaded part 18.

[0041] In addition, a gap Sh3 is provided in the vertical direction between the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 that are screwed together. As a result, when the second male threaded part 19 is threaded into the second female threaded part 18, the nozzle cap 9 can move axially (up and down) relative to the nozzle part 7 by an amount corresponding to the gap Sh3.

[0042] Furthermore, in the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 can be screwed together from a state where the nozzle cap 9 is placed on the nozzle part 7 by rotating the nozzle cap 9 to the first side around the axis (clockwise when viewed from above).

[0043] In the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, when the nozzle cap 9 moves from the open position toward the closed position, the rotating member 11 moves toward the closed position while rotating with respect to the hinge part 10. Therefore, the center axes of the nozzle part 7 and the ring part 11a approach each other while forming an angle therebetween (the center axes do not coincide). Furthermore, even if the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 move to a position where screwing together can begin, this angle is not eliminated (the center axes do not coincide with each other).

[0044] At this time, although the center axis AX1 of the ring part 11a is inclined relative to the center axis AX3 of the nozzle part 7 in the front-back direction perpendicular to the center axis direction (left-right direction) of the hinge part 10, the nozzle cap 9 is attached so as to be freely pivotable around the entire circumference relative to the center axis AX1 of the ring part 11a. Therefore, the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 can be smoothly screwed together when the center axis AX3 of the nozzle part 7 and the center axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 are aligned.

[0045] Furthermore, the nozzle cap 9 can be fixed to the nozzle part 7 at the position where the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 are completely screwed together.

[0046] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 can be unscrewed from this state, and the nozzle cap 9 can be removed from the nozzle part 7 by rotating the nozzle cap 9 to the other side around the axis (counterclockwise when viewed from above).

[0047] A plug packing 20 is detachably attached to the lower surface of the top wall part 9b of the nozzle cap 9. The plug packing 20 is a sealing member for sealing the liquid passage opening 7a, and is made of an elastic material such as heat-resistant rubber, elastomer, and the like, such as silicone rubber or the like.

[0048] The plug packing 20 has an approximately cylindrical insertion part 20a, a plug part 20b that protrudes from the lower end of the insertion part 20a in the radial expansion direction around the entire circumference, and a protruding part 20c that protrudes downward from the center part of the plug part 20b. Furthermore, an enlarged diameter part 20d having an enlarged diameter over the entire circumference is provided on the upper part tip end side of the insertion part 20a.

[0049] On the other hand, the nozzle cap 9 has a hole part 9c that passes through the center part of the top wall part 9b in the vertical direction. Furthermore, a circular protruding part 9d is provided on the lower end side of the hole part 9c, protruding downward from the top wall 9b around the entire circumference of the hole part 9c. On the other hand, a reduced diameter part 9e having the smallest diameter is provided midway on the upper part side of the hole part 9c.

[0050] The plug packing 20 is attached to the lower surface of the top wall part 9b by inserting the insertion part 20a into the hole part 9c from below and then inserting the enlarged diameter part 20d of the insertion part 20a into the reduced diameter part 9e of the hole part 9c.

[0051] In the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, the plug packing 20 can be easily attached to the inner lower surface of the nozzle cap 9 (lower surface of the top wall part 9b) by pinching the protruding part 20c of the plug packing 20 and pushing upward from the inside of the nozzle cap 9.

[0052] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, the plug packing 20 can be easily removed from the inner lower surface of the nozzle cap 9 (lower surface of the top wall part 9b) by pinching the protruding part 20c of the aforementioned plug packing 20 and pulling downward.

[0053] Furthermore, the plug packing 20 removed from the nozzle cap 9 can be washed separately from the nozzle cap 9, so the gap between the plug packing 20 and the nozzle cap 9 can be kept hygienic.

[0054] Note that in order to insert the insertion part 20a into the hole part 9c, the insertion part 20a must have a certain degree of rigidity. Therefore, the plug packing 20 is preferably a solid member without a cavity inside the insertion part 20a. On the other hand, the plug packing 20 can be made lighter by making the inside of the insertion part 20a hollow, thereby reducing the amount of material used. In this case, a material with an appropriate hardness must be selected to ensure rigidity.

[0055] Furthermore, when the insertion part 20a is inserted into the hole part 9c, the plug packing 20 is attached to the inner lower surface of the nozzle cap 9, so that even if the nozzle cap 9 is blocking the liquid passage opening 7a of the nozzle part 7, the insertion part 20a (enlarged diameter part 20d) is exposed to the outside, so visually checking whether or not the plug packing 20 is attached is possible. Thereby, a missing plug packing 20 can be easily confirmed.

[0056] The protruding part 20c can enter the inside of the nozzle part 7 through the liquid passage opening 7a, and protrudes downward to an extent that can be pinched by fingers. Furthermore, the protruding part 20c is formed, for example, in a flat plate shape to enable easily holding by the fingers.

[0057] Furthermore, the long side of the flat plate shape is provided as a flange part 20e that protrudes in the radial expansion direction at the tip (lower end) of the protruding part 20c. The flange part 20e provides anti-slip function and finger grip function when the protruding part 20c is pinched by the fingers.

[0058] Furthermore, the lower end side of the protruding part 20c is located above the lower end of the nozzle cap 9 and below the center axis of the hinge part 10. If the protruding part 20c is too long, inserting the nozzle cap 9 into the inside of the nozzle part 7 through the liquid passage opening 7a will be difficult when placing the nozzle cap 9 on the nozzle part 7, but conversely, if the protruding part 20c is too short, grasping will be difficult.

[0059] In the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, when the nozzle cap 9 blocks the liquid passage opening 7a of the nozzle part 7, the plug part 20b is in tight contact with the entire circumference of the periphery of the liquid passage opening 7a located at the tip end side of the nozzle part 7.

[0060] Herein, the plug part 20b is hemispherical with a downward protruding shape, and has an upper rib 20f on the upper part side that is concentric with the insertion part 20a and protrudes upward. When the plug packing 20 is attached to the inner lower surface of the nozzle cap 9, the circular protruding part 9d is inserted into the valley part between the insertion part 20a and the upper rib 20f.

[0061] Therefore, when the plug part 20b comes into close contact with the periphery of the tip end side of the nozzle part 7, the plug part 20b is pressed down from above by the circular protruding part 9d, and the upper end of the upper rib 20f abuts against the lower surface side of the top wall part 9b.

[0062] Thereby, the center side (protruding part 20c side) of the plug part 20b is easily elastically deformed upward, and only the outer peripheral side of the plug part 20b that abuts the tip end side of the nozzle part 7 can elastically deform and bend.

[0063] Furthermore, the effective deflection length of the plug part 20b is reduced, and the plug part 20b is pressed from above by the circular protruding part 9d and from below by the tip end side of the nozzle part 7, so that the plug part 20b adheres more firmly to the periphery of the tip end side of the nozzle part 7. Thereby, the liquid passage opening 7a can be reliably sealed by the plug packing 20.

[0064] The outer lid 12 is made of, for example, a heat-resistant resin, and has a substantially circular bottom wall part 12a and a cylindrical circumferential wall part 12b that rises upward (downward in FIG. 1) from the periphery of the bottom wall part 12a, and is formed overall as a cylinder with bottom. The outer lid 12 protects the upper part of the capped container 100A and also has a function as a cup into which the beverage dispensed from the liquid passage opening 7a can be poured and drunk.

[0065] The outer lid 12 is detachably attached to the cap main body 8 by screwing with the bottom wall part 12a facing upward. Therefore, a third male threaded part 21 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the circumferential wall part 8a of the cap main body 8. On the other hand, a third female threaded part 22 that screws into the third male threaded part 21 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the circumferential wall part 12b of the outer lid 12.

[0066] Furthermore, the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 do not extend spirally, but are configured to be screwed (engaged) together in a horizontal direction. Specifically, as depicted in FIG. 4, the third male threaded part 21 is made of double threads that are complementary and have no inclination, and is configured with screw grooves that are cut out horizontally from opposing positions on the outer peripheral surface of the circumferential wall part 8a. In addition, a locking protruding part 23 is provided protruding from the inside of the thread groove, just before the end of the third male threaded part 21. Additionally, a step 8d, against which the opening part 12c of the outer lid 12 abuts, is provided on the outer peripheral part of the cap main body 8 so as to be inclined downward and outward along the entire circumference.

[0067] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, the third female threaded part 22 is made of a double-threaded thread that are mutually complementary and is made of threads that extend horizontally without inclination from opposing positions on the inner peripheral surface of the circumferential wall part 12b. In addition, a locking recessed part 24 with a portion of the screw threads removed is provided in front of the end of the third female threaded part 22.

[0068] In the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, when the outer lid 12 is placed on the cap main body 8, the outer lid 12 is rotated to one side around the axis (right-hand rotation) at a position where the opening part 12c of the outer lid 12 abuts the step part 8d, so the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 are screwed together.

[0069] Furthermore, at the position where the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 are completely screwed together, the locking protruding part 23 is locked to the locking recessed part 24, thereby preventing the outer lid 12 from unintentionally separating or loosening, and enabling fixing the outer lid 12 to the cap main body 8 while providing a clicking sensation when passed over. More specifically, the tip end side of the third female threaded part 22 (separated portion on the right side of the locking recessed part 24 in FIG.5) rides over the locking protruding part 23, and the locking protruding part 23 is locked into the locking recessed part 24, thereby providing a clicking sensation.

[0070] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, the engagement between the locking recessed part 24 and the locking protruding part 23 is released, and then the screw engagement (locking) between the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 is released, by rotating the outer lid 12 from this state to the second side around the axis (counterclockwise when viewed from above), thus enabling removal of the outer lid 12 from the cap main body 8.

[0071] In the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment having the aforementioned configuration, as depicted in FIG. 6 (A) and (B), when the nozzle cap 9 is sufficiently tightened by screwing onto the nozzle part 7 and the outer lid 12 is attached to the cap main body 8, the outer lid 12 will be in a state of non-contact with the nozzle cap 9.

[0072] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 7, a case is described where the outer lid 12 is attached to the cap main body 8 when the nozzle cap 9 is partially screwed onto the nozzle part 7 and is in an insufficient state.

[0073] First, the nozzle cap 9 is rotated slightly to one side about the axis (clockwise when viewed from above), so that the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 begin to partially screw together. In this half-threaded state, the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 are not completely threaded together, and thus the adhesion between the plug part 20b of the plug packing 20 and the periphery of the tip end side of the nozzle part 7 is weak. Therefore, the liquid passage opening 7a is not securely sealed via the plug packing 20, and if, for example, the capped container 100A is vertically inverted or shaken vigorously, there is a possibility that the beverage (liquid) contained in the container main body 2 will leak from the liquid passage opening 7a to the inside of the outer lid 12.

[0074] On the other hand, when the outer lid 12 is attached to the cap main body 8, the outer lid 12 comes into contact with the nozzle cap 9 from above, as depicted in FIG. 7, and the outer lid 12 in contact with the nozzle cap 9 presses the nozzle cap 9 down from this state. Specifically, the inner surface side of the bottom wall part 12a of the outer lid 12 is abutted against the upper surface side of the top wall part 9b of the nozzle cap 9, and the outer lid 12 is then pushed downward from this state as depicted in FIG. 7, while being rotated to one side around the axis (clockwise when viewed from above), so that the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 are screwed together (engaged).

[0075] At this time, the nozzle cap 9 is pressed down against the nozzle part 7 by the amount of the gap (play) in the vertical direction between the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18. As a result, the plug part 20b of the plug packing 20 is bent due to elastic deformation, and the plug packing 20 is pressed against the liquid passage opening 7a.

[0076] Therefore, in the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, the liquid passage opening 7a provided on the tip end side of the nozzle part 7 can be sealed with the plug packing 20 even when the nozzle cap 9 has been slightly screwed onto the nozzle part 7 and is in an insufficient state of tightening.

[0077] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 8, the case is described where the outer lid 12 is attached to the cap main body 8 in a pre-threaded state where the nozzle cap 9 is not screwed (attached) to the nozzle part 7 at all.

[0078] First, the nozzle cap 9 is placed on the tip end side of the nozzle part 7. In this state, the second female threaded part 18 is placed on the upper end of the second male threaded part 19, and the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 are not threaded together at all. In this state before being screwed together, the plug part 20b of the plug packing 20 and the tip end side of the nozzle part 7 are not in close contact with each other, or even if they are in close contact with each other, the contact is very weak. Therefore, the liquid passage opening 7a can not tightly closed by the plug packing 20, and if, for example, the capped container 100A is vertically inverted or shaken vigorously, there is a possibility that the beverage (liquid) contained in the container main body 2 will leak from the liquid passage opening 7a to the inside of the outer lid 12.

[0079] If an attempt is made to attach the outer lid 12 to the cap main body 8 from this state, the lower surface of the second female threaded part 18 will abut against the upper surface of the second male threaded part 19, causing interference between the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 as depicted in FIG. 8 (B), and thereby the outer lid 12 cannot be screwed onto (engaged with) the cap main body 8.

[0080] Therefore, in the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment, the outer lid 12 cannot be attached to the cap main body 8 in the pre-screwed state where the nozzle cap 9 is not attached to the nozzle part 7 at all. In this case, the user can recognize that the nozzle cap 9 is not completely attached to the nozzle part 7, and by being made aware of this state, can retightening the nozzle cap 9 to the nozzle part 7, or not carry the capped container 100A.

[0081] Here, the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 are not formed in a spiral shape like a normal screw, but are configured to be screwed (engaged) together horizontally. Therefore, the vertical position at which the outer lid 12 can be attached to the cap main body 8 can be clearly defined.

[0082] If the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 are screwed together in a spiral manner, even if the screw is slightly engaged and screwed together, the outer lid 12 will move downward during rotation of the outer lid 12 relative to the cap main body 8, as depicted in FIG. 7. Therefore, if the outer lid 12 is attached when the nozzle cap 9 is only slightly screwed onto the nozzle part 7 and is in an insufficient state, the outer lid 12 will rotate and lower while abutting against the nozzle cap, causing the nozzle cap 9 to be pressed against the nozzle part 7 more strongly than necessary. In this case, the position at which screwing ends will vary depending on how tightly the user tightens the screw, so the position at which the attachment is complete cannot be easily determined.

[0083] On the other hand, the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 are configured to be screwed (engaged) together horizontally, so the height at which the outer lid 12 begins to screw (rotate) relative to the cap main body 8 is the same as the height at which screwing is completed. Therefore, in the same case, the force pressing the nozzle cap 9 against the nozzle part 7 is constant and does not change even when screwing (locking) progresses.

[0084] Note that as depicted in FIG. 7, if the outer lid 12 is attached to the cap main body 8 in a state where the nozzle cap 9 has only slightly progressed in threading onto the nozzle part 7 and is in a state of insufficient tightening, when the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 are screwed (engaged) together horizontally, the nozzle cap 9 pushes the outer lid 12 upward due to the elastic force of the plug packing 20 against the nozzle part 7. Therefore, the fastening force between the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 is increased, and loosening of the outer lid 12 is prevented.

[0085] Furthermore, at the position where the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 are completely screwed together, the locking protruding part 23 is locked into the locking recessed part 24, and the user can recognize by a clicking sensation that the outer lid 12 has been completely fixed to the cap main body 8. Furthermore, as depicted in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the end position of the screw can be clearly defined in accordance with the engagement position of the locking recessed part 24 and the engagement protruding part 23. Therefore, the position at which attachment is completed does not change depending on the user, and thus is obvious.

[0086] As described above, in the cap unit 1 of the present embodiment, when the outer lid 12 is attached to the cap main body 8 in a state where the nozzle cap 9 is only partially tightened and is not sufficiently tightened because screwing onto the nozzle part 7 is only slightly performed, the outer lid 12 abutted against the nozzle cap 9 presses down on the nozzle cap 9, causing the plug packing 20 to be pressed against the liquid passage opening 7a.

[0087] Thereby, the plug packing 20 can seal the liquid passage opening 7a, preventing the beverage (liquid) contained in the container main body 2 from leaking from the liquid passage opening 7a to the inside of the outer lid 12.

[0088] Therefore, usability can be further enhanced by providing the capped container 100A of the present embodiment with the cap unit 1A of the present embodiment as described above.(Second embodiment)

[0089] Next, as a second embodiment of the present invention, a capped container 100B equipped with a cap unit 1B as depicted in FIG. 9 will be described.

[0090] Note that FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view depicting the configuration of the capped container 100B provided with the cap unit 1B. In the following description, a description of components equivalent to those of the above capped container 100A having a cap unit 1A shall be omitted and the same symbols shall be used in the drawings.

[0091] The capped container 100B equipped with the cap unit 1B of the present embodiment has a configuration in which the outer lid 12A is removably attached to the container main body 2, as depicted in FIG. 9, but otherwise has basically the same configuration as the capped container 100A equipped with the cap unit 1A described above.

[0092] Specifically, the outer lid 12A is detachably attached to the container main body 2 by screwing, in a state that covers the nozzle cap 9, the rotating member 11 attached to the nozzle part 7, and the cap main body 8.

[0093] Therefore, a third male threaded part 21A is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the opening neck part 2c of the container main body 2 below the first male threaded part 13. On the other hand, a third female threaded part 22A that screws into the third male threaded part 21A is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the circumferential wall part 12b of the outer lid 12A. Note that the third male threaded part 21A and the third female threaded part 22A that is screwed thereto in the present embodiment are configured to be screwed (engaged) together horizontally, rather than extending spirally, similar to the third male threaded part 21 and the third female threaded part 22 of the first embodiment.

[0094] In the capped container 100B equipped with the cap unit 1B of the present embodiment having the aforementioned configuration, similar to the cap unit 1A described above, when the nozzle cap 9 is sufficiently tightened by screwing onto the nozzle part 7 and the outer lid 12A is attached to the container main body 2, the outer lid 12A will be out of contact with the nozzle cap 9.

[0095] On the other hand, the difference is that the outer lid 12A is attached to the container body 2 rather than the cap main body 8 even when the outer lid 12A is attached to the container main body 2 when the nozzle cap 9 has only been slightly screwed onto the nozzle part 7 and is in an insufficient state of tightening, but the basic effect is the same as in the case of the cap unit 1A described above.

[0096] In other words, when the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 begin to partially thread together, the outer lid 12A will be attached to the container main body 2 so the outer lid 12A abutting against the nozzle cap 9 will press down on the nozzle cap 9. Specifically, the inner surface side of the bottom wall part 12a of the outer lid 12A is abutted against the upper surface side of the top wall part 9b of the nozzle cap 9, and the outer lid 12A is then pushed downward from this state as depicted in FIG. 9, while being rotated to one side around the axis (clockwise when viewed from above), so that the third male threaded part 21A A and the third female threaded part 22A are screwed together (engaged).

[0097] At this time, the nozzle cap 9 is pressed down against the nozzle part 7 by the amount of the gap (play) in the vertical direction between the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18. As a result, the plug part 20b of the plug packing 20 is bent due to elastic deformation, and the plug packing 20 is pressed against the liquid passage opening 7a.

[0098] Therefore, in the capped container 100B having a cap unit 1B of the present embodiment, the liquid passage opening 7a provided on the tip end side of the nozzle part 7 can be sealed with the plug packing 20 even when the nozzle cap 9 has been slightly screwed onto the nozzle part 7 and is in an insufficient state of tightening.

[0099] On the other hand, in the case of a capped container 100B equipped with the cap unit 1B of the present embodiment, the case is described where the outer lid 12A is attached to the container body 2 in a pre-threading state in which the nozzle cap 9 has not been screwed (attached) to the nozzle part 7 at all.

[0100] First the nozzle cap 9 is placed on the tip end side of the nozzle part 7, second female threaded part 18 is placed on the upper end of the second male threaded part 19, and the second male threaded part 19 and the second female threaded part 18 are not threaded together at all. If an attempt is made to attach the outer lid 12A to the container main body 2 from this state, the lower surface of the second female threaded part 18 will abut against the upper surface of the second male threaded part 19, causing interference between the third male threaded part 21A and the third female threaded part 22A, and thereby the outer lid 12A cannot be screwed onto the container main body 2.

[0101] Therefore, in the capped container 100B having the cap unit 1B of the present embodiment, the outer lid 12A cannot be attached to the container main body 2 in the pre-screwed state where the nozzle cap 9 is not attached to the nozzle part 7 at all. In this case, the user can recognize that the nozzle cap 9 is not completely attached to the nozzle part 7, and by being made aware of this state, can retightening the nozzle cap 9 to the nozzle part 7, or not carry the capped container 100B.

[0102] As described above, in the capped container 100B having the cap unit 1B of the present embodiment, when the outer lid 12A is attached to the container main body 2 in a state where the nozzle cap 9 is not sufficiently tightened by screwing onto the nozzle part 7, the outer lid 12A abutted against the nozzle cap 9 presses down on the nozzle cap 9, causing the plug packing 20 to be pressed against the liquid passage opening 7a.

[0103] Thereby, the plug packing 20 can seal the liquid passage opening 7a, preventing the beverage (liquid) contained in the container main body 2 from leaking from the liquid passage opening 7a to the inside of the outer lid 12A.

[0104] Therefore, a capped container 100B including the cap unit 1B of the present embodiment can be made even easier to use. Furthermore, other effects that can be obtained are the same as those of the cap unit 1A.

[0105] Note that the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made without departing from the purpose of the invention.

[0106] For example, with the above cap units 1A and 1B, the nozzle cap 9 is attached to the ring part 11a of the aforementioned rotating member 11 so as to be freely rotatable around the axis, but the rotating member 11 may be omitted and the nozzle cap 9, which is removable from the cap main body 8, may be detachably attached to the nozzle part 7 by screwing.

[0107] Furthermore, the outer lid 12, 12A is not limited to a configuration that can be removably attached to the cap main body 8 or the container main body 2 by screwing, but a configuration that can be removably attached to the cap main body 8 or the container main body 2 by insertion, for example, is also possible.

[0108] Note that the above embodiment depicts an application where the present invention is applied to a beverage container having a heat / cold insulation function provided by the container main body 2 having the aforementioned vacuum insulation structure, but the present invention can be widely applied to a capped container having a container main body and a cap unit that can be freely attached and detached to the container main body.DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

[0109] 1A, 1B. Cap unit 2. Container main body 7. Nozzle part 7a. Liquid passage opening 8. Cap main body 9. Nozzle cap 11. Rotating member 12. Outer lid 18. Second female threaded part 19. Second male threaded part 20. Plug packing 21, 21A. Third male threaded part 22, 22A. Third female threaded part 100A, 100B. Capped container

Claims

1. A cap unit attached to a container main body having an open upper part, the cap unit comprising: a cap main body that closes an upper opening part of the container main body and is provided with a nozzle part that is connected to the inside of the container main body; a nozzle cap that is detachably attached to the nozzle part by screwing, thereby opening and closing a nozzle opening provided on a tip end side of the nozzle part; plug packing detachably attached to the inside of the nozzle cap, that seals the liquid passage opening; and an outer lid that is detachably attached to the cap main body in a state where the nozzle cap attached to the nozzle part is covered, wherein a gap is provided between the male threaded part on the nozzle part side and the female threaded part on the nozzle cap side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap to move in an axial direction relative to the nozzle part; and when the outer lid is attached to the cap body while the nozzle cap is slightly threaded onto the nozzle part partway thought tightening, the outer lid abutting the nozzle cap pushes down on the nozzle cap, thereby pressing the plug packing against the liquid passage opening.

2. The cap unit according to claim 1, wherein when the nozzle cap is sufficiently tightened by screwing onto the nozzle part and the outer lid is attached to the cap main body, the outer lid is in a non-contact state with the nozzle cap.

3. The cap unit according to claim 1, wherein in a pre-threaded state in which the nozzle cap is not at all screwed onto the nozzle part, the outer lid abuts against the nozzle cap, thus preventing the outer lid from attaching to the cap main body.

4. A cap unit according to claim 1, wherein the outer lid is detachably attached to the cap main body by horizontally threading the male threaded part on the cap main body side and the female threaded part on the outer lid side to each other.

5. A capped container, comprising: a container main body having an open upper part, and a cap unit that can be detachably attached to the container main body, the cap unit containing: a cap main body that closes an upper opening part of the container main body and is provided with a nozzle part that is connected to the inside of the container main body; a nozzle cap that is detachably attached to the nozzle part by screwing, thereby opening and closing a nozzle opening provided on a tip end side of the nozzle part; plug packing detachably attached to the inside of the nozzle cap, that seals the liquid passage opening; and an outer lid that is detachably attached to the container main body in a state where the nozzle cap attached to the nozzle part is covered, wherein a gap is provided between the male threaded part on the nozzle part side and the female threaded part on the nozzle cap side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap to move in an axial direction relative to the nozzle part; and when the outer lid is attached to the container main body while the nozzle cap is slightly threaded onto the nozzle part partway thought tightening, the outer lid abutting the nozzle cap pushes down on the nozzle cap, thereby pressing the plug packing against the liquid passage opening.

6. The capped container unit according to Claim 5, wherein when the nozzle cap is sufficiently tightened by screwing onto the nozzle part and the outer lid is attached to the container main body, the outer lid is in a non-contact state with the nozzle cap.

7. The capped container according to claim 5, wherein in a pre-threaded state in which the nozzle cap is not at all screwed onto the nozzle part, the outer lid abuts against the nozzle cap, thus preventing the outer lid from attaching to the container main body.

8. The capped container according to claim 5, wherein the outer lid is detachably attached to the container main body by screwing.

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