Container and cap

Abstract

To provide a container which can effectively inhibit leakage of a content from a discharge hole, and to provide a cap.SOLUTION: A container 1 of the invention includes: a container body 10 which has a mouth neck part 12 and a flexible body part 11 and houses a content; and a cap 2 attached to the mouth neck part 12. The cap 2 includes: a cap body 3 including a discharge hole 36 of the content; and a lid body 4. In a plan view of the cap body 3, the discharge hole 36 has a shape elongated in one direction. The cap body 3 has: a pedestal part 34 having a step formed between itself and an outer periphery part of a top surface part 33; and a nozzle part 35 which protrudes from the pedestal part 34 to the side opposite to the container body 10 and has a cross sectional shape elongated in the same direction as the one direction. The discharge hole 36 is formed at a tip of the nozzle part 35. The lid body 4 is provided with a seal cylinder part 44. In a lid closed state, a gap between the pedestal part 34 and the seal cylinder part 44 is sealed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a container including a container body and a cap, and a cap attached to the mouth portion of the container body.

Background Art

[0002] Liquid substances such as facial wash are stored and distributed in a container having a container body with a storage space and a discharge hole communicating with the storage space. As such a container, there is known one provided with a closing member for closing the opening of the mouth portion of the container, and a discharge hole that is long in one direction provided in the closing member. Also, there is known one provided with a cap for sealing the mouth portion of the container, and a discharge hole that is long in one direction provided in the cap. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a tube container in which the tip of the mouth-neck portion made of synthetic resin is a square tubular body.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a hinge cap including a closure body having a spout with an elongated opening as a member for sealing the opening of the container, and a lid body having a spout cover for covering the spout.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] A container having a discharge hole that is long in one direction has a tendency for the contents inside the container to leak out from the discharge hole, and the contents may adhere to the inner surface of the lid even during the first use. In particular, in the case of a container in which a nozzle portion protrudes from the mouth portion or the top surface portion of the cap body, as in the containers disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the contents may leak out from the discharge hole even in a closed state with the lid closed.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention relates to providing a container and a cap that can effectively suppress the leakage of the contents from the discharge hole.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The present invention relates to a container including a container body having a mouth portion and a flexible body portion and accommodating the contents, and a cap attached to the mouth portion. As one embodiment, it is preferable that the cap has a mounting portion for the mouth portion and a cap body provided with a discharge hole for the contents, and a lid body for opening and closing the discharge hole. As one embodiment, it is preferable that the discharge hole has a shape that is long in one direction in a plan view of the cap body. As one embodiment, it is preferable that the cap body has a pedestal portion having a step with respect to the outer peripheral portion of the top surface portion, and a nozzle portion that protrudes from the pedestal portion to the side opposite to the container body and has a cross-sectional shape that is long in the same direction as the one direction. As one embodiment, it is preferable that the discharge hole is formed at the tip of the nozzle portion. As one embodiment, it is preferable that the lid body is provided with a seal cylinder portion, and in a closed state, the space between the pedestal portion and the seal cylinder portion is sealed.

[0008] The present invention also relates to a cap attached to the mouth portion of the container body. As one embodiment, a cap body having a mounting portion for the mouth portion and a discharge hole for the contents accommodated in the container body, and a lid body for opening and closing the discharge hole is preferably provided. In one embodiment, in plan view of the cap body, the discharge hole preferably has a shape that is long in one direction. In one embodiment, the cap body preferably has a pedestal portion having a step between the outer peripheral portion of the top surface portion, and a nozzle portion that protrudes from the pedestal portion to the side opposite to the container body and has a cross-sectional shape that is long in the same direction as the one direction. In one embodiment, the discharge hole is preferably formed at the tip of the nozzle portion. In one embodiment, the lid body is preferably provided with a seal cylinder portion, and in the closed lid state, the space between the pedestal portion and the seal cylinder portion is preferably sealed.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the container and the cap of the present invention, leakage of the content from the discharge hole can be effectively suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings based on its preferred embodiments. FIG. 1 shows a container 1 which is an embodiment of the container of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the container 1 of the present embodiment is a tube container for accommodating contents (not shown), and includes a container body 10 formed of a cylindrical tube body made of synthetic resin, and a cap 2 attached to the container body 10. The container body 10 has a flexible body portion 11 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "body portion 11") having an accommodation space 10S for accommodating the contents of the container 1. The body portion 11 is a cylindrical body that is long in one direction, and one end in the longitudinal direction of the body portion 11 is closed by an end seal portion 16. The end seal portion 16 is formed by joining the inner surfaces of one end in the longitudinal direction of the body portion 11. For the formation of the end seal portion 16, known joining means such as heat fusion or ultrasonic waves can be used.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the container body 10 has a neck portion forming member 14 fixed to the other end in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body portion 11, that is, the end opposite to the end seal portion 16. The neck portion forming member 14 includes a neck portion 12 having an outer diameter smaller than that of the body portion 11, and a frustum-shaped shoulder portion 13 connected to the neck portion 12 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). In the container 1, the shoulder portion 13 is located between the body portion 11 and the neck portion 12. The neck portion 12 has a cylindrical shape having a flow path for discharging the contents of the container 1 inside, and has an opening for connecting the flow path to the outside. The mouth part 12 is located outside the container 1 in the longitudinal direction further than the shoulder part 13. On the outer peripheral surface of the mouth part 12, a threaded part 12a is formed with which a cap body 3 described later is screwed. The interiors of the mouth part 12 and the shoulder part 13 communicate with the accommodation space 10S in the body part 11. When discharging the content from the container 1, the content moves from the accommodation space 10S through the shoulder part 13 toward the opening of the mouth part 12.

[0013] The body part 11 of the present embodiment is a tube body that can be press-deformed (squeezed). That is, the body part 11 has flexibility that can be compressed by pressing. Along with this pressing, the internal pressure (the pressure in the accommodation space 10S) of the body part 11 increases, so that the content accommodated in the container body 10 (the body part 11) can be discharged to the outside of the container 1. From the viewpoint of more surely obtaining the press-deformability, it is preferable that the body part 11 includes a resin layer made of a flexible resin. Examples of the flexible resin include polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Further, the body part 11 may be constituted by a laminate or a composite including a resin layer and a barrier layer. As the barrier layer, a layer made of an aluminum foil or a barrier resin can be used.

[0014] In the container 1 of the present embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the container body 10 (the body part 11) coincides with the discharge direction V in which the content accommodated in the container 1 is discharged to the outside. In the container body 10, the discharge direction V is the direction from the body part 11 toward the mouth part 12.

[0015] In the container 1, the cap 2 is attached to the mouth part 12 of the container body 10 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The cap 2 includes a cap body 3 and a lid body 4 connected to the cap body 3 via a hinge part 5 (not shown in FIGS. 6 and 7). Each of the cap body 3 and the lid body 4 has a substantially circular planar shape (see FIG. 4). The cap body 3 includes a top surface portion 33, an attachment portion 38 that is screwed to the neck portion 12, and an outer cylinder 30 that has a space between it and the attachment portion 38 and surrounds the attachment portion 38. The attachment portion 38 and the outer cylinder 30 are cylindrical portions that project from the top surface portion 33 toward the container body 10 side in the longitudinal direction of the container 1. On the inner peripheral surface of the attachment portion 38, a cap-side thread portion 38a that is screwed to the thread portion 12a of the neck portion 12 is formed. The cap body 3 is attached to the neck portion 12 via the attachment portion 38. The outer cylinder 30 forms the outer peripheral surface of the cap body 3 and projects from the peripheral edge of the top surface portion 33 toward the container body 10 side in the closed lid state where the lid body 4 of the cap 2 is closed. The outer cylinder 30 of the present embodiment has a recessed portion 30a in which a part of the circumferential direction of the cap body 3 is recessed radially inward (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0016] The cap body 3 of the present embodiment includes an inner cylinder 37 that has a space between it and the attachment portion 38 and is surrounded by the attachment portion 38. The inner cylinder 37 is a cylindrical portion that projects from the top surface portion 33 toward the container body 10 side in the closed lid state and has a shorter protruding length than the attachment portion 38. The inner cylinder 37 of the present embodiment has an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the neck portion 12, and in the state where the cap body 3 is attached to the neck portion 12, the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 37 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the neck portion 12 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Such a configuration is preferable in that the neck portion 12 can be hermetically sealed.

[0017] An annular recess 31 is formed along the peripheral edge portion of the top surface portion 33 on the top surface portion 33 of the cap body 3 of the present embodiment (see FIG. 3). The annular recess 31 is formed on the surface of the top surface portion 33 on the lid body 4 side. In the closed lid state, the edge on the container body 10 side of the lid outer cylinder 40 described later abuts against the annular recess 31 (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0018] The cap body 3 of the present embodiment has a nozzle portion 35 that protrudes from the top surface portion 33 to the side opposite to the container body 10. The nozzle portion 35 has a shape that is long in one direction in plan view, and the cross-sectional shape (horizontal cross-sectional shape) is also long in the one direction (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The nozzle portion 35 is a cylindrical portion, and a discharge hole 36 for discharging the content to the outside of the container 1 is formed at the tip portion. When the nozzle portion 35 is viewed from the second direction D2 described later, the protruding height of the nozzle portion 35 is constant (see FIG. 2). That is, the tip portion of the nozzle portion 35 is parallel to the horizontal direction and extends along the horizontal direction. Thereby, the dischargeability of the content C when the content that has moved to the neck portion 12 is discharged to the outside of the container 1 from the discharge hole 36 of the nozzle portion 35 can be made more stable.

[0019] In plan view, the discharge hole 36 has a shape that is long in one direction. In the plan view of the cap 2, the longitudinal direction of the discharge hole 36 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the nozzle portion 35 (see FIG. 4). With such a configuration, the container 1 can discharge the content C widely from the discharge hole 36, so that the content C can be applied uniformly and over a wide range. Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the discharge hole 36 is also referred to as the hole longitudinal direction LD.

[0020] From the viewpoint of applying the content C over a wider range while maintaining the operability when discharging the content C, the dimensions of the discharge hole 36 are preferably within the following ranges. In plan view, for the discharge hole 36, the length L1 in the hole longitudinal direction LD (see FIG. 5) is preferably 8 times or more, more preferably 12 times or more, preferably 38 times or less, more preferably 34 times or less, preferably 8 times or more and 38 times or less, more preferably 12 times or more and 34 times or less of the length L2 in the short direction (see FIG. 5). The length L2 in the short direction of the discharge hole 36 in the present embodiment is the length in the second direction D2 of the discharge hole 36 described later. In a plan view, the discharge hole 36 has a length L2 (see FIG. 5) in the short side direction, which is preferably 0.5 mm or more, more preferably 0.7 mm or more, preferably 3 mm or less, more preferably 2 mm or less, preferably 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less, and more preferably 0.7 mm or more and 2 mm or less.

[0021] The discharge hole 36 of the present embodiment is a slit that is long in one direction (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The discharge hole 36 is not limited to such a form, and can have any planar shape that is long in one direction. For example, on the condition that it is a shape that is long in one direction, it may be a polygon such as a quadrilateral or an ellipse, or a shape having a straight line portion and a curved portion such as a semi-circle, a shape composed of a curved portion such as a crescent moon, a wavy shape, a rectangle having a plurality of constricted portions, etc.

[0022] The cap body 3 of the present embodiment has a pedestal portion 34 having a step with the outer peripheral portion of the top surface portion 33 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). This pedestal portion 34 is a columnar portion formed at approximately the center of the cap body 3. The pedestal portion 34 of the present embodiment protrudes from the top surface portion 33 to the side opposite to the container body 10. Further, a nozzle portion 35 protrudes from the pedestal portion 34 to the side opposite to the container body 10. The nozzle portion 35 is formed at approximately the center of the pedestal portion 34. The pedestal portion 34 may have ribs formed on the outer peripheral surface that extend in the circumferential direction and protrude radially outward.

[0023] From the viewpoint of making the coating operation on the coating target S easier, the protruding height H2 (see FIG. 11) of the nozzle portion 35 is preferably 2 mm or more and 10 mm or less, and more preferably 4 mm or more and 8 mm or less. The protruding height H2 of the nozzle portion 35 is the length between the top surface portion of the pedestal portion 34 and the tip of the nozzle portion 35 in the discharge direction V (see FIG. 11).

[0024] The lid 4 opens and closes the discharge hole 36, and includes a top surface 46 of the lid 4 (hereinafter also referred to as the "lid top surface portion 46"), a lid outer cylinder 40 that protrudes from the lid top surface portion 46 toward the cap body 3 in the closed lid state, and a seal cylinder portion 44 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The lid outer cylinder 40 forms the outer peripheral surface of the lid 4 and is a cylindrical portion that protrudes from the peripheral edge of the lid top surface portion 46 toward the cap body 3. The outer diameter of the lid outer cylinder 40 corresponds to the outer diameter of the cap body 3 and covers the top surface portion 33 including the discharge hole 36 in the closed lid state. The lid top surface portion 46 closes the opening on the side opposite to the cap body 3 of the cylindrical lid outer cylinder 40 in the closed lid state. In the closed lid state, the annular tip portion of the lid outer cylinder 40 is arranged in the annular recess 31 of the cap body 3 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). That is, the lid outer cylinder 40 and the annular recess 31 overlap. The seal cylinder portion 44 is a cylindrical portion that is spaced radially inward from the lid outer cylinder 40. In the closed lid state, the seal cylinder portion 44 is arranged so as to surround the pedestal portion 34 including the nozzle portion 35.

[0025] The lid top surface portion 46 of the present embodiment has an extension portion 41 that extends radially outward in a part in the circumferential direction (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Thereby, the lid 4 has a hat shape with the extension portion 41 as a flange portion. In the closed lid state, the positions of the extension portion 41 and the recessed portion 30a coincide in the circumferential direction. Thereby, since the finger that picks the extension portion 41 can be applied to the recessed portion 30a, the operation of opening the lid 4 becomes easy.

[0026] The lid 4 of this embodiment is rotatably connected to the cap body 3 via the hinge portion 5 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The hinge portion 5 is composed of a member in the form of a plate-like piece that can be folded in two. One of both ends of the plate-like piece is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 30 of the cap body 3, and the other of both ends of the plate-like piece is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the lid outer cylinder 40 of the lid 4. The hinge portion 5 is formed with a linear bending portion at the center of the hinge portion 5 in a plan view. By unfolding or bending the hinge portion 5, the lid 4 connected to the hinge portion 5 is made to rotate with respect to the cap body 3. That is, the bending portion serves as the rotation axis HL of the hinge portion 5 (see FIG. 4). By the rotation of this hinge portion 5, the lid 4 is opened and closed.

[0027] Hereinafter, the direction along the rotation axis HL of the hinge portion 5 is also referred to as the rotation axis direction HD. Also, the direction along the hole longitudinal direction LD is also referred to as the first direction D1, and the direction orthogonal to the first direction D1 is also referred to as the second direction D2. In this embodiment, the second direction D2 coincides with the rotation axis direction HD.

[0028] The cap 2 of this embodiment has a pedestal portion 34 on the cap body 3 and a seal cylinder portion 44 on the lid 4, together with the discharge hole 36 that is long in one direction (see FIGS. 2 and 3). In the closed lid state, the seal cylinder portion 44 protrudes toward the top surface portion 33 of the cap body 3 and is arranged around the pedestal portion 34. In such a state, the space between the pedestal portion 34 and the seal cylinder portion 44 is sealed (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The seal may be a line seal between the top surface of the pedestal portion 34 and the tip of the seal cylinder portion 44. Alternatively, the seal may be a surface seal between the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal portion 34 and the inner peripheral surface of the seal cylinder portion 44, or may be either one or both of a line seal between a rib extending in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal portion 34 and the inner peripheral surface of the seal cylinder portion 44 and a line seal between the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal portion 34 and a rib extending in the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface of the seal cylinder portion 44. This seal closes the space 44S (hereinafter also referred to as the "seal cylinder space 44S") defined by the top surface of the pedestal portion 34 and the inner peripheral surface of the seal cylinder portion 44, so that the airtightness of the space 44S is obtained, and the air (air pressure) in the space 44S pushes the content C in the discharge hole 36 back into the container body 10. Thereby, even if the discharge hole 36 has a shape that is long in one direction, the leakage of the content C from the discharge hole 36 can be effectively suppressed. Such an effect (hereinafter also referred to as the "leakage suppression effect") is also effective when the container 1 is stored in a high temperature environment of 40°C to 50°C. More specifically, the air in the head space in the container body 10 expands due to high temperature, the internal pressure of the container body 10 rises, and the content C is likely to leak out of the discharge hole 36. However, due to the airtightness of the seal cylinder space 44S, a leakage prevention effect is achieved. The leakage prevention effect is also effective in suppressing the adhesion of the content C to the lid body 4 of the container 1 during storage. For example, when the lid body 4 is opened at the first use of the container 1, it is advantageous in that the inner surface of the lid body 4 (the inner surface of the lid top surface portion 46) can have a clean appearance. On the other hand, the containers disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not maintain the airtightness of the space around the nozzle portion protruding from the top surface of the neck portion or the cap body, so an air pressure that pushes the content C back into the container body does not occur in the space around the nozzle portion. Therefore, the content is likely to leak from the discharge hole, and there is a risk that the leakage of the content C will become prominent particularly during storage in a high temperature environment.

[0029] From the viewpoint of further improving the airtightness of the seal cylinder space 44S, it is preferable that the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal portion 34 and the inner peripheral surface of the seal cylinder portion 44 are in close contact in the closed lid state. That is, it is preferable that the cap 2 in the closed lid state has the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal portion 34 and the inner peripheral surface of the seal cylinder portion 44 surface-sealed (see FIGS. 6 and 7). From the viewpoint of further improving the airtightness of the seal cylinder space 44S and the viewpoint of making the lid opening operation easier, the dimensions of the pedestal portion 34 and the seal cylinder portion 44 are preferably within the following ranges. The overlapping height H1 (see Fig. 6) of the sealing cylinder part 44 and the pedestal part 34 in the closed lid state is preferably 75% or more and 95% or less, more preferably 80% or more and 90% or less, with respect to the protruding height H3 (see Fig. 6) of the pedestal part 34. Such overlapping height H1 is the length in which the sealing cylinder part 44 and the pedestal part 34 overlap in the discharge direction V in the closed lid state. The protruding height H3 of the pedestal part 34 is the length between the top surface part 33 and the top surface of the pedestal part 34 in the discharge direction V (see Fig. 6). The overlapping height H1 (see Fig. 6) of the sealing cylinder part 44 and the pedestal part 34 in the closed lid state is preferably 1.5 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less, more preferably 2 mm or more and 4 mm or less. The protruding height H3 (see Fig. 6) of the pedestal part 34 is preferably 2 mm or more and 5 mm or less, more preferably 3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less. The protruding height H4 of the sealing cylinder part 44 is preferably 4 mm or more and 15 mm or less, more preferably 7 mm or more and 12 mm or less. The protruding height H4 of the sealing cylinder part 44 is the length between the opposing surface of the cap body 3 on the lid top surface part 46 in the closed lid state and the tip of the sealing cylinder part 44 in the normal direction to the opposing surface (see Fig. 6).

[0030] When the inner peripheral surface of the sealing cylinder part 44 and the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal part 34 are sealed, it is preferable that press-fitting ribs 44a made of convex parts are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the sealing cylinder part 44 (see Fig. 7). The press-fitting ribs 44a are formed at the height position where the sealing cylinder part 44 and the pedestal part 34 overlap in the discharge direction V in the closed lid state, and are press-bonded by the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal part 34. Thereby, the airtightness of the sealing cylinder part space 44S can be further improved. Also, since a clicking feeling is generated when the press-fitting ribs 44a are press-bonded, the usability can be improved. The press-fitting ribs 44a may be formed continuously on the entire circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the sealing cylinder part 44, or may be formed on a part of the circumferential direction of the sealing cylinder part 44. In the latter case, as long as the sealing performance can be substantially ensured, the press-fitting ribs 44a may be partially discontinuously formed in the circumferential direction of the sealing cylinder part 44.

[0031] The pedestal portion 34 has a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion whose outer diameter is smaller than that of the large-diameter portion, and it is preferable that the large-diameter portion overlaps the small-diameter portion in the discharge direction V and the large-diameter portion is located closer to the nozzle portion 35 side than the small-diameter portion. With such a configuration, on the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal portion 34, the large-diameter portion becomes a stepped portion with respect to the small-diameter portion, and by engaging the press-fit rib 44a with the stepped portion in the closed state, the airtightness of the seal cylinder portion space 44S can be further improved. Furthermore, it is preferable that the outer diameter of the large-diameter portion gradually decreases toward the nozzle portion 35 side in the discharge direction V, that is, the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion is formed in a tapered shape, from the viewpoint of making the lid closing operation smoother. The large-diameter portion near the stepped portion can function as the aforementioned rib formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal portion 34 by contacting the inner peripheral surface of the seal cylinder portion 44. From the viewpoint of further improving the airtightness of the seal cylinder portion space 44S, the rib formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal portion 34 may engage with the press-fit rib 44a of the seal cylinder portion 44. In this case, the rib formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal portion 34 may be formed continuously around the entire circumference of the pedestal portion 34, or may be formed on a part of the circumferential direction of the pedestal portion 34.

[0032] In the lid body 4 of the present embodiment, the lid top surface portion 46 has a lid convex portion 47 protruding toward the cap body 3 side (container body 10 side) on the surface facing the cap body 3 in the closed state (see FIGS. 6, 7, and 8). The lid convex portion 47 of the present embodiment has a central convex portion 47a and a pair of side convex portions 47b, 47b located on both sides of the central convex portion 47a, and is provided radially inward of the seal cylinder portion 44. In a plan view in the closed state, the central convex portion 47a and each of the pair of side convex portions 47b, 47b extend along one direction, more specifically, the first direction D1 (hole longitudinal direction LD) (see FIG. 4). That is, the extending direction of the lid convex portion 47 and the hole longitudinal direction LD coincide. The side convex portions 47b, 47b of the present embodiment are joined at their ends in the extending direction (hole longitudinal direction LD), forming an annular convex portion in plan view (see Fig. 8(a)). Alternatively, the side convex portions 47b, 47b may have ends in their extending direction (hole longitudinal direction LD) that are not joined and are spaced apart from each other. In this case, the lid convex portion 47 is composed of three convex portions 47a, 47b, 47b that are long in the hole longitudinal direction LD.

[0033] In the cap 2 of the present embodiment, the central convex portion 47a overlaps with the discharge hole 36 in plan view in the closed lid state. In the closed lid state of this cap 2, the central convex portion 47a is inserted into the discharge hole 36. That is, in the closed lid state, since the discharge hole 36 is blocked by the central convex portion 47a, leakage of the content C from the discharge hole 36 can be further suppressed.

[0034] Also, in the cap 2 of the present embodiment, in the closed lid state, the side convex portions 47b, 47b are close to the peripheral portion along the hole longitudinal direction LD of the nozzle portion 35. That is, in the closed lid state, the side convex portions 47b, 47b abut or are close to the peripheral portion along the longitudinal direction (hole longitudinal direction LD) of the nozzle portion 35 (see Figs. 6 and 7). Thereby, in the closed lid state, the tip portion along the hole longitudinal direction LD of the nozzle portion 35 is sandwiched between the pair of side convex portions 47b, 47b, so that deformation of the nozzle portion 35 in the closed lid state where the lid body 4 is closed by the rotation of the hinge portion 5 is suppressed, and leakage of the content C passing through the nozzle portion 35 can be further suppressed. When, in the closed lid state, the side convex portions 47b, 47b are close to the peripheral portion along the hole longitudinal direction LD of the nozzle portion 35, the length between the side convex portions 47b, 47b in the second direction D2 and the peripheral portion along the hole longitudinal direction LD of the nozzle portion 35 is preferably 0.1 mm or less, more preferably 0.05 mm or less.

[0035] From the viewpoint of further improving the above effects, the lid convex portion 47 preferably has the following dimensions. The protruding height H5 of the central convex portion 47a from the lid top surface 46 (see Fig. 8(b)) is preferably 5% or more and 40% or less, more preferably 10% or more and 30% or less, with respect to the protruding height H2 of the nozzle portion 35 (see Fig. 11). The protruding height H5 of the central convex portion 47a from the lid top surface 46 (see Fig. 8(b)) is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 3 mm or less, more preferably 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less. The protruding height H6 of the side convex portion 47b (see Fig. 8(b)) is preferably 5% or more and 50% or less, more preferably 10% or more and 40% or less, with respect to the protruding height H2 of the nozzle portion 35 (see Fig. 11). The protruding height H6 of the side convex portion 47b (see Fig. 8(b)) is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 3.5 mm or less, more preferably 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less. The protruding heights H5 and H6 of the central convex portion 47a and the side convex portions 47b are the lengths between the tops of the central convex portion 47a and the side convex portions 47b along the normal direction to the lid top surface 46 and the lid top surface 46. The protruding heights H5 and H6 of the central convex portion 47a and the side convex portions 47b may be the same or different.

[0036] From the viewpoint of further suppressing the liquid leakage of the content C, for each of the central convex portion 47a and the pair of side convex portions 47b, the ratio of the protruding height from the lid body (lid top surface 46) to the width (protruding height / width) is preferably 3 or less, more preferably 1.5 or less, and is also preferably 0.1 or more, more preferably 0.3 or more, and is also preferably 0.1 or more and 3 or less, more preferably 0.3 or more and 1.5 or less. Such a ratio is the ratio (H5 / W5) of the protruding height H5 (see Fig. 8(a)) to the width W5 (see Fig. 8(a)) of the central convex portion 47a and the ratio (H6 / W6) of the protruding height H6 (see Fig. 8(a)) to the width W6 (see Fig. 8(a)) of the side convex portion 47b. The widths W5 and W6 are the lengths in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the central convex portion 47a and the side convex portions 47b, 47b.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 9, the container 1 of the present embodiment can apply the content C along a certain direction by moving the container 1 in one direction while widely discharging the content C from the discharge hole 36. In such an application operation, the visual direction (line of sight) of the user may be a line of sight from the end seal portion 16 side toward the discharge hole 36. From the viewpoint of further improving the visibility of the application site on the application target S and the content C discharged from the discharge hole 36 in such a state, it is preferable that the hole longitudinal direction LD and the rotation axis direction HD in the cap 2 intersect. Thereby, when visually observing from the end seal portion 16 side to the discharge hole 36 side, that is, when the user's line of sight is generally along the discharge direction V, it becomes difficult for the lid body 4 rotated with respect to the cap body 3 to block the line of sight. As a result, the operability can be further improved, and when discharging and applying the content C, the content C can be surely applied to a desired site. From the viewpoint of further improving the operability when discharging the content C, in a plan view, the angle θ1 (see Fig. 4) of the hole longitudinal direction LD with respect to the rotation axis direction HD is preferably 30° or more and 150° or less, more preferably 60° or more and 120° or less, and still more preferably 80° or more and 100° or less. As shown in Fig. 4, in the cap of the present embodiment, the hole longitudinal direction LD and the rotation axis direction HD are orthogonal to each other.

[0038] It is preferable that the longitudinal direction LD of the discharge hole 36 has an angle with respect to the compression direction (pressing direction) of the body portion 11 of the container body 10. Thereby, it becomes easy to visually observe the entire content C discharged in a long state in one direction from the discharge hole 36, and the operability when applying to the application target while compressing the body portion 11 can be improved. From the viewpoint of further improving such operability, the angle of the longitudinal direction LD of the discharge hole 36 with respect to the compression direction of the body portion 11 is preferably 30° or more and 150° or less, more preferably 60° or more and 120° or less, and still more preferably 80° or more and 100° or less. The compression direction of the body portion 11 is the direction in which the body portion 11 is compressed when discharging the content C, and is a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the end seal portion 16.

[0039] It is preferable that the end seal portion 16, which is formed at one end of the body portion 11 in the longitudinal direction and on the side opposite to the neck portion 12, extends along the longitudinal direction LD of the discharge hole 36 (see FIG. 10). With such a configuration, since the compression direction of the body portion 11 and the hole longitudinal direction LD are orthogonal, it becomes easier to visually observe the content C discharged from the discharge hole 36, and the operation of pressing the body portion 11 by hand becomes easier. In particular, when the moving direction of the hand holding the container 1 is outward in the left - right direction of the user, the visibility of the discharge hole 36 during the coating operation can be further improved.

[0040] The cap 2 preferably includes a locking mechanism 51 that maintains the state in which the hinge portion 5 is rotated by 180° or more from the closed state (see FIG. 11). The locking mechanism 51 of the present embodiment is for detachably locking the open state of the lid body 4, and is constituted by a locking convex portion 52 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 30 and a locking groove 53 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lid outer cylinder 40 (see FIGS. 11 and 12). Such a locking mechanism 51 has these locking convex portion 52 and locking groove 53 formed at the portion where the outer cylinder 30 and the lid outer cylinder 40 come into contact when the lid body 4 is rotated by 180° or more with respect to the top surface portion 33 of the cap body 3 from the closed state (when the hinge portion 5 is rotated by 180° or more). With such a configuration, when the hinge portion 5 is rotated by 180° or more, the locking groove 53 of the outer cylinder 30 and the locking groove 53 of the lid outer cylinder 40 are engaged, and the state in which the hinge portion 5 is rotated by 180° or more can be maintained. As a result, the open state can be maintained better, and the visibility of the coating site on the coating target S and the content C discharged from the discharge hole 36 can be further improved, so that the discharge of the content C from the discharge hole 36 and the operability during coating (see FIG. 9) can be further improved. Note that, conversely to the present embodiment, the locking convex portion 52 may be formed on the lid outer cylinder 40 and the locking groove 53 may be formed on the outer cylinder 30 in the locking mechanism 51.

[0041] From the viewpoint of better maintaining the open state, the rotation angle θ2 (see FIG. 11) of the hinge portion 5 whose rotation state is maintained by the lock mechanism 51 is preferably more than 180° and 190° or less. Such a rotation angle θ2 is the angle of the lid body 4 (lid outer cylinder 40) with respect to the top surface portion 33 of the cap body 3 (see FIG. 11). In the closed state, the rotation angle is 0°.

[0042] As described above, in the cap 2 of the present embodiment, in a plan view, the hole longitudinal direction LD and the rotation axis direction HD of the hinge portion intersect. When closing the cap 2 in such a state, the lid body 4 is rotated around the rotation axis HL so as to approach the cap body 3. During this operation, since the central convex portion 47a is gradually inserted into the discharge hole 36 along the hole longitudinal direction LD from the hinge portion 5 side, the closing operation can be easily performed.

[0043] The container 1 of the present embodiment can discharge and apply the content C while bringing the tip of the nozzle portion 35 protruding from the top surface portion 33 into contact with the application target S. When the application target S is the skin, from the viewpoint of softening the contact with the skin, it is preferable that the corner portion of the tip of the nozzle portion 35 has an R shape in a cross-sectional view along the short side direction (second direction D2) of the discharge hole 36 (see FIG. 7).

[0044] In the cap 2 of the present embodiment, in a plan view, the recessed portion 30a of the outer cylinder 30 and the extending portion 41 of the lid outer cylinder 40 are formed at positions facing the hinge portion 5 in the circumferential direction of the cap and on the extension line of the extending direction of the discharge hole 36. With such a configuration, it becomes easier to grasp the open and closed positions of the cap 2 in the circumferential direction, so that the opening and closing operation of the lid body 4 and the discharge operation of the content C can be performed more easily.

[0045] Examples of the content C contained inside the container 1 include, for example, cosmetics such as lotion, emulsion, essence, sunscreen, hand cream, makeup remover, etc., hair care products such as shampoo, conditioner, hair dye, hair styling agent, hair growth agent, etc., skin cleansing agents such as facial cleanser, body soap, and hand soap, detergents such as food detergent and laundry detergent, oral cleansing agents such as toothpaste, softeners, bleaching agents, fragrances such as aroma oil, liquid pharmaceuticals such as bath agents and eye drops, supplements, detergents for cleaning baths, toilets, and floors, liquid foods such as soup, sauce, dressing, etc., and powder foods, etc.

[0046] From the viewpoint of further improving the dischargeability from the discharge hole 36, the viscosity of the content C is preferably 15,000 mPa·s or more and 180,000 mPa·s or less, more preferably 25,000 mPa·s or more and 140,000 mPa·s or less. With such a configuration, the content C can be discharged more stably from the discharge hole 36 that is long in one direction, and it becomes easier to apply the content C over a wide range. The viscosity of the content C is measured under the conditions of a temperature of 30°C using a helical viscometer (TVB-10 manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.), spindle: T-C, rotation speed: 5 rpm, and measurement time: 1 min. The measurement is repeated three times, and the average value is adopted as the viscosity.

[0047] Examples of the forming material of the cap 2 include, but are not limited to, polyolefins such as PE (polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene), polyesters such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), synthetic resins such as polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and polylactic acid. The cap 2 of the present embodiment is integrally formed with a cap body 3, a hinge portion 5, and a lid body 4. Such a configuration is advantageous in terms of the manufacturing efficiency, manufacturing cost of the cap 2, and the operability when opening and closing the lid body 4 in that parts such as the hinge portion 5 are not separate members. The cap 2 can be manufactured by an injection molding method using a mold.

[0048] In the container body 10 of the present embodiment, the tube body constituting the body portion 11 and the like is formed by extrusion molding of a synthetic resin. Alternatively, the container body 10 may be formed by rounding a sheet-shaped molded body into a cylindrical shape and fusing the side edges that are overlapped. The container body 10 of the present embodiment is formed by joining a neck portion forming member 14 molded separately from the body portion 11 to one end portion of the body portion 11. Alternatively, the container body 10 may have the neck portion forming member 14 and the body portion 11 integrally molded.

[0049] As described above, the present invention has been described based on its preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, the cap 2 in the above-described embodiment is one in which the cap body 3, the lid body 4, and the hinge portion 5 are integrally molded, but these parts do not have to be integrally molded. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the lid body 4 is connected to the cap body 3 via the hinge portion 5, but the lid body 4 may be screwingly engageable with the cap body 3. In this case, screw threads that are screwingly engageable with each other are formed on the inner surface of the lid outer cylinder 40 and the outer peripheral surface of the cap body 3. Also, the lid convex portion 47 in the above-described embodiment is composed of a central convex portion 47a and a pair of side convex portions 47b, 47b located on both sides of the central convex portion 47a, but the lid convex portion 47 may not include the pair of side convex portions 47b, 47b and may be composed only of the central convex portion 47a. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the lid top surface portion 46 has the lid convex portion 47 protruding toward the cap body 3 side (container body 10 side) on the surface facing the cap body 3 in the closed lid state, but instead of the lid convex portion 47, it may have a blocking portion that liquid-tightly closes the discharge hole 36. In this case, the blocking portion can be made of, for example, an elastomer resin.

[0050] Although the container 1 of the above-described embodiment was a tube container, it may be a squeezable container such as a squeezable blow bottle. In this case, the squeezable container includes a flexible body portion 11, and by pressing the body portion 11, the content C can be discharged from the discharge hole 36. Examples of such container forms include, in addition to tube containers, flexible containers such as blow bottle containers, blow tube containers, and pouch containers. The forming material of the flexible body portion 11 of these containers may be a sheet made of a general-purpose synthetic resin such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), or nylon, or a multilayer body or composite body formed by laminating or combining a sheet made of the synthetic resin with another sheet such as a barrier resin, aluminum foil, or paper material.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0051] 1 Container 2 Cap 3 Cap Body 4 Lid 5 Hinge Portion 10 Container Body 10S Accommodation Space 11 Flexible Body Portion 12 Neck Portion 12a Threaded Portion 13 Shoulder 14 Neck Portion Forming Member 16 End Seal Portion 30 Outer Cylinder 30a Depressed Portion 31 Annular Recess 33 Top Surface 34 Pedestal Portion 35 Nozzle Portion 36 Discharge Hole 37 Inner Cylinder 38 Attachment Portion 38a Cap-Side Threaded Portion 40 Lid Outer Cylinder 41 Extension Portion 44 Seal Cylinder Portion 44S Seal Cylinder Portion Space 46 Lid Top Surface 47 Lid Projection 47a Central Projection 47b Side Projection 51 Lock mechanism 52 Lock projection 53 Lock groove

Claims

1. A container comprising a container body having a neck portion and a flexible body portion and accommodating a content, and a cap attached to the neck portion, the cap has a cap body having an attachment portion for the neck portion and a discharge hole for the content, and a lid body for opening and closing the discharge hole, When viewed in a plan view of the cap body, the discharge hole has a shape that is elongated in one direction, the cap body has a base portion having a step between itself and an outer periphery of a top surface portion, and a nozzle portion protruding from the base portion toward an opposite side to the container body and having a cross-sectional shape that is long in the same direction as the one direction, The discharge hole is formed at a tip portion of the nozzle portion, The container has a tubular seal portion provided on the lid body, and when the lid is in a closed state, a seal is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the base portion and an inner peripheral surface of the tubular seal portion.

2. The lid body is connected to the cap body via a hinge portion, The cover has a central protrusion extending in the one direction. The container according to claim 1 , wherein in the closed state, the central protrusion is inserted into the discharge hole.

3. The cover is provided with a pair of side protrusions located on both sides of the central protrusion, and each of the pair of side protrusions extends along the one direction, The container according to claim 2 , wherein in the closed state, the side protrusion abuts against or is adjacent to a peripheral edge portion along a longitudinal direction of the nozzle portion.

4. The container according to claim 3 , wherein the central protrusion and the pair of side protrusions each have a ratio of a protruding height from the lid to a width (protruding height / width) of 3 or less.

5. The lid body is connected to the cap body via a hinge portion, The container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cap is formed by integrally molding the cap body, the hinge portion, and the lid body.

6. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the length of the discharge hole in the longitudinal direction is eight or more times the length of the discharge hole in the lateral direction in a plan view.

7. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the discharge hole has a length in a short side direction of 3 mm or less in a plan view.

8. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein in a cross-sectional view along the short side direction of the discharge hole, a corner of the tip of the nozzle portion is rounded.

9. A cap attached to a neck portion of a container body, a cap body having an attachment portion for the neck portion and an outlet hole for the contents contained in the container body; and a lid for opening and closing the discharge hole, When viewed in a plan view of the cap body, the discharge hole has a shape that is elongated in one direction, the cap body has a base portion having a step between itself and an outer periphery of a top surface portion, and a nozzle portion protruding from the base portion toward an opposite side to the container body and having a cross-sectional shape that is long in the same direction as the one direction, The discharge hole is formed at a tip portion of the nozzle portion, The cap has a tubular seal portion provided on the lid body, and in a closed state, a seal is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the base portion and an inner peripheral surface of the tubular seal portion.

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