Double container

Abstract

To provide a double container, which is configured so that respective flow passages for contents and gas can be secured in an inner container, even if contraction deformation of the inner container progresses as contents decrease.SOLUTION: A double container comprises an inner container 12 that is reduced in volume and deformed as stored contents decrease, and an outer container 11 in which the inner container is interiorly arranged, and also comprises an outdoor air introduction hole 17 through which outdoor air is introduced to a space between the outer container and the inner container as the contents decrease, in which a mouth part 13, a trunk part 16 and a bottom part 14 are arranged along a container shaft O in this order from an upper side toward a lower side. At least the trunk part of the outer container is formed to be elastically deformable, and a lateral protrusion portion 21 protruding toward outside in a radial direction and extending continuously over the whole length in a circumferential direction is formed on the trunk part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dual container. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, for example, there has been known a double container which includes an inner container that reduces in volume as the contained contents decrease, and an outer container within which the inner container is placed, and which has a mouth, body, and bottom arranged in that order from top to bottom along the axial direction of the container, and which has an outside air inlet hole for introducing outside air between the outer container and the inner container as the contents decrease, and in which at least the body of the outer container is formed to be elastically deformable. In this type of double container, when pouring out the contents, the double container is changed from an upright position to a pouring position in which the mouth is located at the bottom and the bottom is located at the top, and the body of the outer container is elastically deformed radially inward while the gas in the headspace is moved toward the bottom and the contents toward the mouth. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-18892 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As the inner container shrinks and deforms with the decrease in contents, the flow paths for the gas and contents within the inner container narrow. Therefore, when the double container is changed from the upright position to the pouring position when there is only a small amount of contents remaining, the aforementioned movement of the gas and contents slows down, and it may take a long time for the contents to be poured out. In this type of double container, a label may be attached to the outer periphery of the body, in which case the position of the contents in the inner container cannot be visually confirmed, and when pouring the contents, the body of the outer container may be elastically deformed inward in the radial direction by mistake before the contents reach the mouth. In this case, only gas or a mixture of the contents and gas is poured out from the mouth. In the former case, when the remaining small amount of contents in the inner container is poured out, the gas on the bottom side cannot push out the contents on the mouth side, so the remaining amount of contents increases, and in the latter case, there is a risk that the contents may scatter.

[0005] The present invention provides a double container that can ensure flow paths for the contents and gas within the inner container even if the inner container shrinks and deforms as the contents decrease. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A double container according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an inner container that undergoes volumetric deformation as the contents contained therein decrease, and an outer container in which the inner container is fitted, and has a mouth, a body, and a bottom arranged in that order from top to bottom along the container axial direction, and an outside air inlet hole that introduces outside air between the outer container and the inner container as the contents decrease, at least the body of the outer container is formed to be elastically deformable, and the body is formed with a horizontal protrusion that protrudes radially outward and extends continuously along the entire circumferential length.

[0007] The body is formed with horizontal ridges that protrude radially outward and extend continuously over the entire circumferential length, so that when the inner container undergoes volumetric deformation as the contents decrease, at least the parts of the inner surface of the inner container that form the horizontal ridges do not overlap in the radial direction, and when the inner container shrinks and deforms as the contents decrease, parts of the inner surface of the inner container that face each other in the radial direction can be prevented from overlapping over a wide area. This makes it possible to ensure flow paths for the contents and gas within the inner container even when the inner container shrinks and deforms as the contents decrease. Since the horizontal protrusion portion protrudes radially outward rather than being a groove recessed radially inward, it is possible to facilitate restoration of deformation of the body portion of the outer container that has elastically deformed radially inward, and also to make it less likely for bending tendencies extending circumferentially to occur.

[0008] The body portion may be formed with a plurality of vertical grooves that are recessed radially inward and extend in an axial direction of the container, spaced apart in the circumferential direction over the entire circumferential length.

[0009] The body portion is formed with a number of vertical grooves that are recessed radially inward and extend in the container axial direction, spaced apart circumferentially over the entire circumferential length. Therefore, when the inner container undergoes volumetric deformation as the contents are reduced, at least those portions of the inner surface of the inner container that are located between adjacent vertical grooves in the circumferential direction do not radially overlap with radially opposing portions, and it is possible to reliably prevent radially opposing portions of the inner surface of the inner container from overlapping over a wide area as the shrinkage deformation of the inner container progresses as the contents are reduced.

[0010] The transverse ridges and the longitudinal grooves may intersect each other.

[0011] Since the horizontal protrusions and the vertical grooves intersect each other, the horizontal protrusions can prevent the parts of the inner surface of the inner container that are located between adjacent vertical grooves in the circumferential direction and serve as a flow path for the contents or gas from being crushed in the circumferential direction when the inner container undergoes volumetric deformation as the contents decrease.

[0012] The body portion may be provided with a squeeze region including a central portion of the body portion in the container axial direction and the body portion of the outer container formed to be elastically deformable, and the horizontal protrusion portion may be provided in the squeeze region.

[0013] Since the horizontal protrusion portion is provided in a squeeze region of the body that is pressed radially inward when the contents are poured out, even if the inner container undergoes contraction and deformation as the contents decrease, the effect of securing flow paths for the contents and gas within the inner container is significantly achieved. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the above-described aspect of the present invention, even if the inner container undergoes contraction and deformation as the content decreases, flow paths for the content and gas within the inner container can be secured. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view including a partial vertical cross section of a double container shown as one embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the outside in a radial direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, a double container according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1, the double container 1 according to this embodiment includes an inner container 12 that undergoes volume reduction deformation as the contained contents decrease, and an outer container 11 in which the inner container 12 is housed. The outer surface of the inner container 12 is provided so as to be separable from the inner surface of the outer container 11. In the example shown in the figure, the inner container 12 is highly flexible and is laminated on the inner surface of the outer container 11 in a manner that allows it to be peeled off. A gap may be provided between the inner surface of the outer container 11 and the outer surface of the inner container 12.

[0017] The double container 1 is formed by integrally blow molding the outer preform and the inner preform in a state where the inner preform for forming the inner container 12 is fitted into the outer preform for forming the outer container 11. In other words, the double container 1 is a biaxially stretched blow container.

[0018] The inner container 12 and the outer container 11 are made of synthetic resin material, and may be made of the same material or different materials. Examples of synthetic resin materials include PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), nylon (polyamide), and EVOH (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer).

[0019] The double container 1 has a mouth 13, a shoulder 15, a body 16, and a bottom 14. The mouth 13, the shoulder 15, the body 16, and the bottom 14 are arranged in this order coaxially with a common axis. Hereinafter, this common axis will be referred to as the container axis O, the side of the mouth 13 of the double container 1 along the container axis O will be referred to as the upper side, and the side of the bottom 14 of the double container 1 will be referred to as the lower side. The direction intersecting the container axis O as viewed from the container axis O direction will be referred to as the radial direction, and the direction going around the container axis O as viewed from the container axis O direction will be referred to as the circumferential direction.

[0020] The mouth 13 of the double container 1 is formed by stacking the mouth of the inner container 12 and the mouth of the outer container 11, the shoulder 15 of the double container 1 is formed by stacking the shoulder of the inner container 12 and the shoulder of the outer container 11, the body 16 of the double container 1 is formed by stacking the body of the inner container 12 and the body of the outer container 11, and the bottom 14 of the double container 1 is formed by stacking the bottom of the inner container 12 and the bottom of the outer container 11. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, it is assumed that both the inner container 12 and the outer container 11 have the same shape.

[0021] The size of the double container 1 in the direction of the container axis O is, for example, 115 mm or more and 220 mm or less. The capacity of the double container 1 is, for example, 150 ml or more and 600 ml or less. In the illustrated example, the size of the double container 1 in the direction of the container axis O is about 180 mm, and the double container 1 is for a capacity of 300 ml. The mouth 13 of the double container 1 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending upward from the upper end of the shoulder portion 15 . A flange portion that protrudes radially outward and extends continuously over the entire circumferential length is formed at the upper end of the mouth of the inner container 12. The flange portion is placed on the upper opening edge of the mouth of the outer container 11.

[0022] A male threaded portion 18 to which a cap (not shown) is screwed, and a sealed protrusion 19 to which a peripheral wall portion of the cap (not shown) is fitted are formed from top to bottom on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth of the outer container 11. The sealed protrusion 19 protrudes radially outward from the mouth of the outer container 11 and extends continuously over the entire circumferential length. An airtight seal is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the sealed protrusion 19 and the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion of the cap (not shown). The cap may be fitted to the mouth of the outer container 11 by undercut fitting.

[0023] An outside air introduction hole 17 is formed at the mouth of the outer container 11 to introduce outside air between the outer container 11 and the inner container 12 as the content decreases. The outside air introduction hole 17 is located at the radially outermost part of the sealed protrusion 19, and is located above the sealing surface that extends continuously over the entire circumferential length. The position where the outside air introduction hole 17 is formed is not limited to the mouth of the outer container 11, but may be, for example, the body, shoulder, or bottom of the outer container 11 other than the mouth, or may be between the upper opening edge of the mouth of the outer container 11 and the underside of the flange portion of the mouth of the inner container 12, etc.

[0024] The shoulder portion 15 extends radially outward as it goes downward from the lower end of the mouth portion 13. A plurality of vertical partition grooves 15a are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction in the shoulder portion 15. The shoulder portion 15 has a curved shape that protrudes radially outward in a vertical cross-sectional view along the container axis O. The bottom portion 14 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The peripheral wall of the bottom portion 14 extends radially inward from the top to the bottom. A peripheral groove 16f is formed at the connection between the bottom portion 14 and the body portion 16, and extends continuously over the entire circumferential length.

[0025] The upper end 16a and the lower part 16b of the body 16 extend straight in the direction of the container axis O. The outer peripheral surfaces of the upper end 16a and the lower part 16b form the maximum outer diameter part of the double container 1. The outer diameter of this maximum outer diameter part is, for example, 58 mm or more and 74 mm or less. In the illustrated example, the outer diameter of the maximum outer diameter part of the double container 1 is about 66 mm.

[0026] In the body 16, the size of an upper end 16a in the container axis O direction is smaller than the size of a lower part 16b in the container axis O direction. In the body 16, an intermediate portion (squeezed region) 16c located between the upper end portion 16a and the lower portion 16b is located radially inward from the upper end portion 16a and the lower portion 16b. In the body 16, the size of the intermediate portion 16c in the container axis O direction is larger than the size of the lower portion 16b in the container axis O direction. Each connection portion between the intermediate portion 16c and the upper end portion 16a and the lower portion 16b is a step portion 16g. Each step portion 16g extends radially inward toward the intermediate portion 16c along the container axis O direction. Note that the step portion 16g may extend straight in the radial direction, for example.

[0027] The intermediate portion 16c of the body portion 16 includes a central portion of the body portion 16 in the direction of the container axis O. The intermediate portion 16c of the body portion 16 extends straight along the direction of the container axis O. At least the intermediate portion (body portion) of the outer container 11 is formed to be elastically deformable. The middle portion 16c of the body portion 16 may be formed in a constricted shape that extends radially inward from both ends in the direction of the container axis O.

[0028] A horizontal protrusion 21 is formed in the middle portion 16c of the body portion 16, protruding radially outward and extending continuously over the entire circumferential length.

[0029] The horizontal protrusion 21 extends straight in the circumferential direction. The horizontal protrusion 21 is located radially inward from the upper end 16a and the lower part 16b of the body 16. The outer peripheral surface of the horizontal protrusion 21 may be located at the same radial position as the outer peripheral surfaces of the upper end 16a and the lower part 16b of the body 16. The horizontal protrusion 21 has a trapezoidal shape that decreases in size in the container axis O direction toward the radially outward direction in a vertical cross section along the container axis O direction. The horizontal protrusion 21 may have a curved protrusion toward the radially outward direction in the vertical cross section.

[0030] Two horizontal protrusions 21 are provided at a distance in the direction of the container axis O. The distance between the two horizontal protrusions 21 in the direction of the container axis O is large enough to allow at least the index finger and middle finger to be positioned side by side in the direction of the container axis O. This distance is larger than the distance in the direction of the container axis O between the upper horizontal protrusion 21 and the upper end 16a of the body 16, and the distance in the direction of the container axis O between the lower horizontal protrusion 21 and the lower part 16b of the body 16. When pouring out the contents, the portion of the middle portion 16c of the body portion 16 that is located between the two horizontal protrusions 21 is pressed radially inward.

[0031] A first longitudinal groove portion (longitudinal groove portion) 16d and a second longitudinal groove portion (longitudinal groove portion) 16e, which are recessed radially inward and extend in the container axis O direction, are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction over the entire circumferential length of the intermediate portion 16c of the body portion 16. The first longitudinal groove portion 16d and the second longitudinal groove portion 16e extend straight along the container axis O direction. The first longitudinal groove portion 16d and the second longitudinal groove portion 16e are alternately provided at intervals in the circumferential direction. The first longitudinal groove portion 16d and the second longitudinal groove portion 16e are provided over the entire length of the intermediate portion 16c of the body portion 16 in the container axis O direction. The first longitudinal groove portion 16d and the second longitudinal groove portion 16e extend continuously over the entire length of the container axis O direction. The first longitudinal groove portion 16d and the second longitudinal groove portion 16e have the same depth, and the groove width of the first longitudinal groove portion 16d is wider than the groove width of the second longitudinal groove portion 16e.

[0032] The horizontal protrusion 21 intersects with the first vertical groove 16d and the second vertical groove 16e. In the illustrated example, the horizontal protrusion 21 intersects with the first vertical groove 16d and the second vertical groove 16e at right angles. The horizontal protrusion 21 protrudes radially outward from the bottom surfaces of the first vertical groove 16d and the second vertical groove 16e so as to divide the first vertical groove 16d and the second vertical groove 16e in the container axis O direction. The horizontal protrusion 21 protrudes radially outward from the openings of the first vertical groove 16d and the second vertical groove 16e on the outer circumferential surface of the body 16, and also protrudes radially outward from a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the body 16 that is located between the first vertical groove 16d and the second vertical groove 16e that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction.

[0033] As described above, according to the double container 1 of this embodiment, the body 16 is formed with the horizontal ridges 21 that protrude radially outward and extend continuously over the entire circumferential length, so that when the inner container 12 undergoes volumetric deformation as the contents decrease, at least the parts of the inner surface of the inner container 12 that form the horizontal ridges 21 do not overlap radially, and when the inner container 12 shrinks and deforms as the contents decrease, the parts of the inner surface of the inner container 12 that face each other radially can be prevented from overlapping over a wide area when the inner container 12 shrinks and deforms as the contents decrease. This ensures that flow paths for the contents and gas within the inner container 12 are maintained, even when the inner container 12 shrinks and deforms as the contents decrease.

[0034] Since the horizontal protrusion portion 21 is not a groove recessed radially inward but protrudes radially outward, it is possible to easily restore the deformation of the body portion of the outer container 11 that has elastically deformed radially inward, and also to make it less likely that a fold extending in the circumferential direction will occur.

[0035] The body 16 is formed with a plurality of first vertical grooves 16d and second vertical grooves 16e that are recessed radially inward and extend in the direction of the container axis O, and are spaced apart circumferentially over the entire circumferential length. Therefore, when the inner container 12 undergoes volumetric deformation as the contents decrease, at least the portions of the inner surface of the inner container 12 that are located between the first vertical grooves 16d and the second vertical grooves 16e that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction do not radially overlap with radially opposing portions, and it is possible to reliably prevent the radially opposing portions of the inner surface of the inner container 12 from overlapping over a wide area as the shrinkage deformation of the inner container 12 progresses as the contents decrease.

[0036] Since the horizontal protrusion 21 intersects with the first vertical groove 16d and the second vertical groove 16e, the horizontal protrusion 21 can prevent the portion of the inner surface of the inner container 12 that is located between the first vertical groove 16d and the second vertical groove 16e that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and serves as a flow path for the contents or gas from being crushed in the circumferential direction when the inner container 12 undergoes volume reduction and deformation as the contents decrease.

[0037] Since the horizontal protrusion portion 21 is provided in the middle portion 16c of the body portion 16, which is pressed radially inward when the contents are poured out, the effect of securing flow paths for the contents and gas within the inner container 12 is significantly achieved, even if the inner container 12 undergoes contraction and deformation as the contents decrease.

[0038] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0039] The horizontal protrusions 21 may be inclined with respect to the circumferential direction. The horizontal protrusion 21 may be provided in one piece or in three or more pieces. At least one of the first longitudinal groove 16d and the second longitudinal groove 16e may not be provided in the intermediate portion 16c of the body portion 16. The first longitudinal groove 16d and the second longitudinal groove 16e may be inclined with respect to the container axis O direction. The horizontal protrusion 21, the first vertical groove 16d and the second vertical groove 16e may be provided separately from each other.

[0040] In addition, within the scope of the invention, the components in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with well-known components, and the above-described embodiments and the above-described variations may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1 double container 11 Outer container 12 Inner container 13 Mouth 14 Bottom 16 Torso 16c Middle part (squeeze area) 16d 1st vertical groove part (vertical groove part) 16e Second longitudinal groove (longitudinal groove) 17. Outside air intake 21 Horizontal protrusion O Container axis

Claims

1. The container has an inner container that undergoes volume reduction deformation as the amount of content contained therein decreases, and an outer container in which the inner container is housed, and the container has a mouth, a body, and a bottom that are arranged in this order from top to bottom along an axial direction of the container, an outside air introduction hole for introducing outside air between the outer container and the inner container as the content decreases; At least a body portion of the outer container is formed to be elastically deformable, The double container has a horizontal protrusion formed on the body portion, the horizontal protrusion protruding radially outward and extending continuously over the entire circumferential length.

2. The double container according to claim 1, wherein the body portion has a plurality of vertical grooves formed therein, the vertical grooves being recessed radially inward and extending in the axial direction of the container, at intervals in the circumferential direction over the entire circumferential length.

3. The double container according to claim 2 , wherein the horizontal ridges and the vertical grooves intersect with each other.

4. The body portion is provided with a squeeze region including a central portion of the body portion in a container axial direction and a body portion of the outer container formed to be elastically deformable, The double container according to claim 1 , wherein the horizontal protrusion is provided in the squeeze region.

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