Sealing cap and removing method of sealing cap

Abstract

To improve workability of work for releasing a state where a plug is sealed.SOLUTION: A sealing cap 100 comprises: a body part 10 having a cylindrical part 11 and a sealing part 12; an annular part 20 having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the cylindrical part 11; a first connection part 30 for connecting the cylindrical part 11 and the annular part 20 at a first connection position P1; and a second connection part for connecting the cylindrical part 11 and the annular part 20 at a second connection position. The body part 10, the first connection part 30 and the second connection part are integrally formed of a resin material, and a pair of first groove parts 11a are formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical part 11, and a pair of second groove parts 12a are formed so as to extend along a second direction DR2 by sandwiching an axial line X on an outer peripheral surface of the sealing part 12. The pair of first groove parts 11a and the pair of second groove parts 12a are connected. The first connection position P1 is at a position sandwiched between the pair of first groove parts 11a, and the second connection position is at another position not sandwiched between the pair of first groove parts 11a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing cap for sealing a plug attached to an opening of a liquid storage container and a method for removing the sealing cap.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, liquids such as semiconductor high-purity chemicals and general chemical chemicals are filled in containers such as glass bottles and polyethylene tanks at production factories, and are shipped with caps (lids) attached to the filling / removing openings formed in these containers. As a method for taking out the liquid stored in such a container, a siphon tube method is known in which a gas such as air is introduced into the container, and the liquid is sent out of the container by the gas pressure.

[0003] In this method, after removing the cap attached to the filling / removing opening, a plug having a siphon tube serving as a liquid flow path and a gas supply path is attached to the opening. Then, by fitting sockets to which a tube for taking out the liquid and a tube for introducing the gas can be respectively connected to the plug, a main flow path for taking out the liquid and a sub-flow path for introducing the gas are formed in the plug and the socket attached to the opening of the container (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] The cap disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a member attached to the filling / removing opening, and an internal thread is formed on the inner peripheral surface. The cap is attached to the opening of the container by engaging the external thread formed on the outer peripheral surface of the opening of the container with the internal thread.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, since the cap disclosed in Patent Document 1 is detachably attached to the opening of the container, it is impossible to determine whether the container is unopened or already opened since it was shipped from the factory. For example, when an operator wants to take out a liquid from an unopened container, the operator cannot appropriately determine which container to select.

[0007] Also, as a cap attached to the opening of the container, for example, by adopting a structure in which cracks or the like occur partially at the time of opening and the cap cannot be attached to the opening of the container again, it is possible for the operator to determine whether the container is unopened or not. However, in order to cause cracks or the like to occur partially at the time of opening, the operator needs to use a jig (such as pliers), and the workability deteriorates.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a sealed cap and a method for removing the sealed cap that can easily determine whether or not a plug attached to the opening of a liquid storage container is in a sealed state, and can improve the workability of the work for releasing the sealed state of the plug.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following means. The sealing cap according to one aspect of the present invention is a sealing cap that seals a plug attached to an opening of a liquid storage container, and includes a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape along an axis, and a main body portion having a sealing portion that seals the upper end of the cylindrical portion and is circular in plan view along a plane orthogonal to the axis. The sealing cap also includes an annular portion formed in an annular shape centered on the axis and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion, a first connecting portion that connects the cylindrical portion and the annular portion at a first connecting position in the circumferential direction around the axis, and a second connecting portion that connects the cylindrical portion and the annular portion at a second connecting position different from the first connecting position in the circumferential direction. The main body portion, the first connecting portion, and the second connecting portion are integrally formed of a resin material. A pair of first groove portions extending along a first direction along the axis are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, and a pair of second groove portions extending across the axis along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sealing portion. The pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions are connected. The first connecting position is a position sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions, and the second connecting position is another position not sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions.

[0010] According to the sealing cap of one aspect of the present invention, an operator can release the connection state of the second connecting portion by gripping the end portion of the annular portion in the second direction and rotating the annular portion in a direction away from the sealing portion around the first connecting position. Then, with the connection state of the second connecting portion released, the operator can release the state in which the sealing cap seals the opening by gripping the end portion of the annular portion in the second direction and moving the annular portion so as to cause cracks in the pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions.

[0011] When cracks occur in the pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions, a part of the sealing portion is split, and the state in which the sealing cap seals the plug is released. The sealing cap with a part of the sealing portion split cannot be reused to seal the plug again. Therefore, the operator can easily determine that the state in which the plug attached to the opening of the liquid storage container is sealed has been released.

[0012] Further, the operator can easily cause cracks in the pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions by applying sufficient force while manually gripping the annular portion with the connecting state of the second connecting portion released. Therefore, the workability of the work for releasing the state in which the plug is sealed can be improved. When performing the work of releasing the state in which the plug is sealed by the sealing cap, since it is not necessary for the operator to use a jig (such as pliers) to cause cracks or the like in a part of the sealing cap, the workability is improved.

[0013] In the sealing cap according to one aspect of the present invention, the annular portion includes an annular member that is connected to the cylindrical portion by the first connecting portion and is disposed at a first position in the first direction, a gripping member disposed at a second position in the first direction, and a pair of connecting members that connect the annular member and the gripping member, and it is preferable that the second position is a position closer to the plane on which the sealing portion is disposed than the first position.

[0014] According to the sealing cap of this configuration, in the first direction along the axis, the second position where the gripping member is gripped is a position closer to the plane on which the sealing portion is disposed than the first position where the annular member is disposed. Therefore, the operator can easily perform the operation of rotating the annular portion in a direction away from the sealing portion around the first connection position by gripping the gripping member, and can release the connection state of the second connection portion.

[0015] In the sealing cap of this configuration, in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, it is preferable that the length of the gripping member is longer than the length of the region of the sealing portion sandwiched between the pair of second groove portions.

[0016] According to the sealing cap of this aspect, the operator can easily grip the gripping member that is longer than the length of the region of the sealing portion sandwiched between the pair of second groove portions. Therefore, the workability of the work for releasing the state in which the plug is sealed by the sealing cap is improved.

[0017] In the sealing cap according to one aspect of the present invention, a third connecting portion is provided for connecting the cylindrical portion and the annular portion at a third connecting position different from the first connecting position in the circumferential direction. The second connecting position and the third connecting position are positions that coincide in the second direction, and are preferably positions that are different in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

[0018] According to the sealing cap of this configuration, since the second connecting position and the third connecting position are positions that coincide in the second direction, the force applied by the operator to the annular portion via the gripping member acts equally on the second connecting position and the third connecting position. Since both the connecting state of the second connecting portion and the connecting state of the third connecting portion are released at substantially the same timing, the workability of the operation of releasing the state in which the plug is sealed by the sealing cap is improved.

[0019] In the sealing cap according to one aspect of the present invention, the first groove portion is formed from a third position above the first position in the first direction upward to a position where it is connected to the second groove portion. It is preferable that a pair of notches connected to the pair of first groove portions are formed in the cylindrical portion from the third position downward in the first direction to the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion.

[0020] According to the sealing cap of this configuration, a pair of notches connected to the pair of first groove portions are formed in the cylindrical portion from a third position above the first position in the first direction downward to the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion. Therefore, by transmitting the force applied by the operator to the annular portion to the first connecting portion, cracks can be easily generated in the pair of first groove portions connected to the pair of notches. As a result, the workability of the operation of releasing the state in which the plug is sealed by the sealing cap is improved.

[0021] In the sealing cap according to one aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that a protruding portion fixed to the plug is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion.

[0022] According to the sealing cap of this configuration, when there are no cracks in the pair of first groove portions, the plug can be appropriately maintained in a sealed state by fixing the protrusion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion to the plug. Further, when there are cracks in the pair of first groove portions, the state in which the plug is sealed can be appropriately released because the protrusion is not fixed to the plug.

[0023] A method for removing a sealing cap according to an aspect of the present invention is a method for removing a sealing cap that seals a plug attached to an opening of a liquid storage container. The sealing cap includes a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape along an axis, a main body portion having a sealing portion that seals the upper end of the cylindrical portion and is circular in plan view arranged along a plane orthogonal to the axis, an annular portion formed in an annular shape centered on the axis and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion, a first connecting portion that connects the cylindrical portion and the annular portion at a first connection position in the circumferential direction around the axis, and a second connecting portion that connects the cylindrical portion and the annular portion at a second connection position different from the first connection position in the circumferential direction. The main body portion, the first connecting portion, and the second connecting portion are integrally formed of a resin material. A pair of first groove portions extending along a first direction along the axis are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, and a pair of second groove portions extending across the axis along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sealing portion. The pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions are connected. The first connection position is a position sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions, and the second connection position is another position not sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions. A step of gripping the end portion of the annular portion in the second direction and rotating the annular portion in a direction away from the sealing portion around the first connection position to release the connection state of the second connecting portion, and a step of gripping the end portion of the annular portion in the second direction and moving the annular portion so as to cause cracks in the pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions to release the state in which the cap seals the opening are provided.

[0024] According to the method for removing the sealing cap according to one aspect of the present invention, an operator can hold the end portion of the annular portion in the second direction and rotate the annular portion in a direction away from the sealing portion around the first connection position, thereby releasing the connection state of the second connection portion. Then, with the connection state of the second connection portion released, the operator holds the end portion of the annular portion in the second direction and moves the annular portion so as to cause cracks in the pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions, thereby releasing the state in which the cap seals the opening portion.

[0025] When cracks occur in the pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions, a part of the sealing portion is divided, and the state in which the sealing cap seals the plug is released. The sealing cap with a part of the sealing portion divided cannot be reused to seal the plug again. Therefore, the operator can easily determine that the state in which the plug attached to the opening of the liquid storage container is sealed has been released.

[0026] In addition, since the operator can easily cause cracks in the pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions by applying sufficient force while holding the annular portion by hand with the connection state of the second connection portion released, the workability of the work for releasing the state in which the plug is sealed can be improved. When performing the work of releasing the state in which the plug is sealed by the sealing cap, since it is not necessary for the operator to use a jig (such as pliers) to cause cracks or the like in a part of the sealing cap, the workability is improved.

Effects of the Invention

[0027] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sealing cap and a method for removing the sealing cap that can easily determine whether the plug attached to the opening of the liquid storage container is in a sealed state and improve the workability of the work for releasing the state in which the plug is sealed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Hereinafter, the sealing cap 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the sealing cap 100 according to one aspect of the present invention is attached to the plug 200. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the sealing cap 100 is removed from the plug 200 shown in FIG. 1.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plug 200 is a device attached to an opening 310 formed in the upper surface 301 of the liquid storage container 300. The opening 310 is formed in a cylindrical shape around an axis X extending along a first direction DR1 which is the vertical direction. An internal thread 310a that engages with an external thread 210a of the plug 200 described later is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the opening 310.

[0031] The plug 200 includes a plug body 210, a siphon tube 220 connected to the plug body 210, a cover member 230, a valve 240, a spring 250, and a spring fixing member 260. The plug body 210 is a member formed in a cylindrical shape around the axis X, and an external thread 210a that engages with the internal thread 310a of the opening 310 is formed on the outer peripheral surface. The plug body 210 is attached to the opening 310 of the liquid storage container 300 by engaging the external thread 210a with the internal thread 310a.

[0032] The siphon tube 220 is a member formed in a tubular shape around the axis X, and is connected to the lower end of the plug body 210 at the upper end in the first direction DR1. The cover member 230 is a cylindrical member attached for dust prevention of the liquid flow path 211 of the plug body 210 communicating with the siphon tube 220 and the tip of the valve 240.

[0033] The valve 240 is a member that abuts against the plug body 210 so as to close the upper end of the liquid flow path 211 of the plug body 210 by the biasing force generated by the spring 250. When a socket (not shown) is attached to the plug 200, the valve 240 is given a biasing force that opposes the biasing force of the spring 250 and separates from the plug body 210, allowing liquid to flow between the socket and the plug 200. The position of the lower end of the spring 250 in the first direction DR1 is fixed by the spring fixing member 260.

[0034] Next, referring to FIGS. 3 to 8, the sealing cap 100 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sealing cap 100 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from above. FIG. 4 is a front view of the sealing cap 100 shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the sealing cap 100 shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing cap 100 taken along the line A-A shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing cap 100 taken along the line B-B shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view of the C portion of the sealing cap 100 shown in FIG. 6.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the sealing cap 100 includes a main body portion 10, an annular portion 20, a first connecting portion 30, a second connecting portion 40, and a third connecting portion 50, and these are members integrally formed of a resin material (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene).

[0036] The main body portion 10 has a cylindrical portion 11 formed in a cylindrical shape along the axis X, and a sealing portion 12 that seals the upper end of the cylindrical portion 11 and is disposed along a plane orthogonal to the axis X. The sealing portion 12 is formed in a circular shape in plan view. The upper end portion of the cylindrical portion 11 and the outer edge of the sealing portion 12 are connected over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction around the axis X.

[0037] A recess 11d capable of accommodating the upper end of the plug body 210 is formed in the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion 11. As shown in FIG. 6, the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 11 is D1, the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 11 is D2, and the outer diameter of the sealing portion 12 is D2.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, a pair of first groove portions 11a extending along a first direction DR1 along the axis X are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 11. A pair of second groove portions 12a are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sealing portion 12 so as to extend across the axis X along a second direction DR2 orthogonal to the first direction DR1 along the axis X. The upper ends of the pair of first groove portions 11a in the first direction DR1 and the ends of the pair of second groove portions 12a in the second direction DR2 are connected so as to form a continuous groove portion.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 8, the thickness t2 of the sealing portion 12 in the region where the second groove portion 12a is formed is set, for example, to satisfy the following formula (1) with respect to the thickness t1 of the sealing portion 12 in the region where the second groove portion 12a is not formed. 0.2·t1≦t2≦0.5·t1 (1)

[0040] Although formula (1) shows the relationship between the thickness t1 of the sealing portion 12 in the region where the second groove portion 12a is not formed and the thickness t2 of the sealing portion 12 in the region where the second groove portion 12a is formed, the same shall apply to the cylindrical portion 11.

[0041] The annular portion 20 is a member formed in an annular shape along a circumferential direction CD centered on the axis X. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the annular portion 20 has an inner diameter D3 larger than the outer diameter D2 of the cylindrical portion 11. The annular portion 20 includes an annular member 21, a gripping member 22, and a pair of connecting members 23. The annular member 21, the gripping member 22, and the pair of connecting members 23 are integrally formed of a resin material.

[0042] The annular member 21 is a member that is connected to the cylindrical portion 11 by a first connecting portion 30 and is disposed at a first position X1 in the first direction DR1 (see FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 3, the annular member 21 is annularly formed within a range of an angle θ from a position P4 to a position P5 in the circumferential direction CD around the axis X. The angle θ is set, for example, within a range of 180 degrees or more and 300 degrees or less centered on the first connection position P1.

[0043] The gripping member 22 is a member that an operator grips with a finger when removing the sealing cap 100 from the plug 200, and is disposed at the second position X2 in the first direction DR1. The second position X2 is a position closer to the plane on which the sealing portion 12 is disposed than the first position X1. The second position X2 is, for example, the same position as the position where the plane on which the sealing portion 12 is disposed is located. As shown in FIG. 3, in the third direction DR3, the length L1 of the gripping member 22 is longer than the length L2 of the region of the sealing portion 12 sandwiched between the pair of second groove portions 12a.

[0044] The pair of connecting members 23 are members that connect the positions P4 and P5 of the annular member 21 and both end portions of the gripping member 22 in the third direction. The connecting member 23 is disposed in the region from the first position X1 to the second position X2 so as to connect the annular member 21 disposed at the first position X1 in the first direction DR1 and the gripping member 22 disposed at the second position X2 in the first direction DR1.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 3, the first connecting portion 30 is a member that connects the cylindrical portion 11 and the annular portion 20 at the first connecting position P1 in the circumferential direction CD around the axis X. The first connecting position P1 is a position sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions 11a in the third direction DR3 that is orthogonal to the first direction DR1 and the second direction DR2.

[0046] The second connecting portion 40 is a member that connects the cylindrical portion 11 and the annular portion 20 at a second connecting position P2 different from the first connecting position P1 in the circumferential direction CD. The second connecting position P2 is another position not sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions 11a in the third direction DR3.

[0047] The third connecting portion 50 is a member that connects the cylindrical portion 11 and the annular portion 20 at a third connecting position P3 different from the first connecting position P1 in the circumferential direction CD. The third connecting position P3 is another position not sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions 11a in the third direction DR3. The second connecting position P2 and the third connecting position P3 are positions that coincide in the second direction DR2 and are different positions arranged so as to sandwich the position of the axis X in the third direction DR3.

[0048] The second connection position P2 and the third connection position P3 are set at any position within a range of 60 degrees or more and 120 degrees or less along the circumferential direction CD from the first connection position P1, for example. As shown in FIG. 3, it is particularly preferable that the second connection position P2 and the third connection position P3 are positions 90 degrees apart from the first connection position P1 along the circumferential direction CD.

[0049] By setting the second connection position P2 and the third connection position P3 at positions more than 90 degrees away from the first connection position P1, the position of the first direction DR1 in which the gripping member 22 is arranged can be surely held at the same position as the sealing portion 12 of the cylindrical portion 11. On the other hand, since the circumferential distance CD between the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50 with respect to the gripping member 22 becomes shorter, the force required for the operator to release the connection state of the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50 increases.

[0050] Also, by setting the second connection position P2 and the third connection position P3 at positions less than 90 degrees away from the first connection position P1, the circumferential distance CD between the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50 with respect to the gripping member 22 becomes longer, so that the force required for the operator to release the connection state of the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50 can be reduced.

[0051] By setting the second connection position P2 and the third connection position P3 at positions 90 degrees apart from the first connection position P1 along the circumferential direction CD, while holding the position of the first direction DR1 in which the gripping member 22 is arranged at the same position as the sealing portion 12 of the cylindrical portion 11, it is possible to prevent the force required for the operator to release the connection state of the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50 from becoming excessively large.

[0052] Next, a pair of cutouts 11b formed in the cylindrical portion 11 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The pair of cutouts 11b are formed to facilitate causing cracks in the pair of first groove portions 11a when the operator grips the gripping member 22 and applies a force to the first connecting portion 30.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 7, a pair of first groove portions 11a are formed from a third position X3 above a first position X1 in a first direction DR1 upward to a position where they are connected to a pair of second groove portions 12a. In the cylindrical portion 11, a pair of notch portions 11b connected to the pair of first groove portions 11a are formed from the third position X3 in the first direction DR1 downward to the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion 11. Therefore, by transmitting the force applied by the operator to the annular portion 20 to the first connecting portion 30, cracks can be easily generated in the pair of first groove portions 11b connected to the pair of notch portions 11b.

[0054] Next, the protrusion 11c formed on the cylindrical portion 11 will be described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged view of the D portion of the sealing cap 100 shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 9, a protrusion 11c fixed to the plug 200 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 11. The protrusion 11c is formed in the entire region or a part of the circumferential direction CD around the axis X.

[0055] When the operator attaches the sealing cap 100 to the plug 200, after the protrusion 11c contacts the plug 200 and the cylindrical portion 11 elastically deforms outward in the radial direction (the second direction DR2 shown in FIG. 9) centered on the axis X, the shape of the cylindrical portion 11 is restored, and the protrusion 11c engages with the plug 200 (see FIG. 1).

[0056] When the cylindrical portion 11 elastically deforms when the sealing cap 100 is attached to the plug 200, and cracks are generated in the pair of first groove portions 11a due to the elastic deformation, the function of the sealing cap 100 to seal the plug 200 will be impaired. The pair of notch portions 11b described above have the function of not generating cracks in the pair of first groove portions 11a when the sealing cap 100 is attached to the plug 200. By concentrating the elastic deformation generated in the cylindrical portion 11 on the pair of notch portions 11b when the sealing cap 100 is attached to the plug 200, it is possible to prevent the elastic deformation generated in the cylindrical portion 11 from being transmitted to the pair of first groove portions 11a and causing cracks.

[0057] Next, a method for removing the sealing cap 100 attached to the plug 200 from the plug 200 will be described. The operator grips the gripping member 22 of the sealing cap 100 attached to the plug 200, and releases the connected state in which the annular member 21 of the annular portion 20 is connected to the cylindrical portion 11 by the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50. As shown in FIG. 4, the operator grips the gripping member 22 disposed at the end portion of the annular portion 20 in the second direction DR2, and rotates the annular portion 20 along the fourth direction DR4 about the first connection position P1 to release the connected state of the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50.

[0058] When the force in the direction in which the operator moves the gripping member 22 in the fourth direction DR4 acts on the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50 and exceeds the force for breaking the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50, the connected state of the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50 is released and the state shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 is obtained. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the sealing cap 100 viewed from above, showing a state in which the connected state of the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50 is released. FIG. 11 is a front view of the sealing cap 100 shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sealing cap 100 shown in FIG. 10.

[0059] After the state shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 is obtained, the operator grips the gripping member 22 at the end portion of the annular portion 20 in the second direction DR2, and moves the annular portion 20 so as to cause cracks in the pair of first groove portions 11a and the pair of second groove portions 12a, thereby releasing the state in which the sealing cap 100 seals the opening 310 of the liquid storage container 300. For example, the operator moves the gripping member 22 upward along the first direction DR1 from the state shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 to cause cracks in the pair of first groove portions 11a.

[0060] Further, after causing cracks in the pair of first groove portions 11a, the operator moves the gripping member 22 in a direction away from the first connection position P1 along the second direction DR2 (from right to left in FIG. 11), thereby causing cracks in the pair of second groove portions 12a to obtain the state shown in FIGS. 13 to 15. As shown in FIGS. 13 to 15, when cracks occur in the pair of first groove portions 11a and the pair of second groove portions 12a, the region sandwiched between the pair of second groove portions 12a separates from the sealing portion 12, and a gap is formed in a part of the sealing portion 12. When the state shown in FIGS. 13 to 15 is obtained, the state in which the protrusion 11c engages with the plug 200 is released.

[0061] According to the sealing cap 100 of the present embodiment described above, the following operations and effects are achieved. According to the sealing cap 100 of the present embodiment, the operator can release the connection state of the second connecting portion 40 by gripping the end portion of the annular portion 20 in the second direction DR2 and rotating the annular portion 20 in a direction away from the sealing portion 12 about the first connection position P1. Then, with the connection states of the second connecting portion 40 and the third connecting portion 50 released, the operator grips the end portion of the annular portion 20 in the second direction DR2 and moves the annular portion 20 so as to cause cracks in the pair of first groove portions 11a and the pair of second groove portions 12a, thereby releasing the state in which the sealing cap 100 seals the opening 310.

[0062] When cracks occur in the pair of first groove portions 11a and the pair of second groove portions 12a, a part of the sealing portion 12 is divided, and the state in which the sealing cap 100 seals the plug 200 is released. The sealing cap 100 with a part of the sealing portion 12 divided cannot be reused to seal the plug 200 again. Therefore, the operator can easily determine that the state in which the plug 200 attached to the opening 310 of the liquid storage container 300 is sealed has been released. Further, the operator can easily cause cracks in the pair of first groove portions 11a and the pair of second groove portions 12a by applying sufficient force while gripping the annular portion 20 by hand with the connection state of the second connecting portion 40 released. Therefore, the workability of the work for releasing the state in which the plug 200 is sealed can be improved.

[0063] According to the sealing cap 100 of the present embodiment, in the first direction DR1 along the axis X, the second position X2 where the gripping member 22 is gripped is closer to the plane where the sealing portion 12 is disposed than the first position X1 where the annular member 21 is disposed. Therefore, the operator can easily perform the operation of rotating the annular portion 20 in a direction away from the sealing portion 12 around the first connection position P1 by gripping the gripping member 22, and can release the connection state of the second connecting portion 40.

[0064] According to the sealing cap 100 of the present embodiment, the operator can easily grip the gripping member 22 that is longer than the length L2 of the region of the sealing portion 12 sandwiched between the pair of second groove portions 12a. Therefore, the workability of the work for releasing the state in which the plug 200 is sealed by the sealing cap 100 is improved.

[0065] According to the sealing cap 100 of the present embodiment, since the second connection position P2 and the third connection position P3 coincide in the second direction DR2, the force applied by the operator to the annular portion 20 via the gripping member 22 acts equally on the second connection position P2 and the third connection position P3. Since both the connection state of the second connecting portion 40 and the connection state of the third connecting portion 50 are released at substantially the same timing, the workability of the work for releasing the state in which the plug 200 is sealed by the sealing cap 100 is improved.

[0066] According to the sealing cap 100 of the present embodiment, in the cylindrical portion 11, a pair of notches 11b connected to the pair of first groove portions 11a are formed from a third position X3 above the first position X1 in the first direction DR1 downward to the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion 11. Therefore, by transmitting the force applied by the operator to the annular portion 20 to the first connecting portion 30, cracks can be easily generated in the pair of first groove portions 11b connected to the pair of notches 11b. Thereby, the workability of the work for releasing the state in which the plug 200 is sealed by the sealing cap 100 is improved.

[0067] According to the sealing cap 100 of the present embodiment, when no crack has occurred in the pair of first groove portions 11a, the plug 200 can be appropriately maintained in a sealed state by fixing the protrusion 11c formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 11 to the plug 200. Further, when a crack has occurred in the pair of first groove portions 11a, the state in which the plug 200 is sealed can be appropriately released because the protrusion 11c is not fixed to the plug 200.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0068] 10 Main body portion 11 Cylindrical portion 11a First groove portion 11b Notch 11c Protrusion 11d Recess 12 Sealing portion 12a Second groove portion 20 Annular portion 21 Annular member 22 Gripping member 23 Connecting member 30 First connecting portion 40 Second connecting portion 50 Third connecting portion 100 Sealing cap 200 Plug 210 Plug body 210a Male thread 211 Liquid flow path 220 Siphon tube 230 Cover member 240 Valve 250 Spring 300 Liquid storage container 301 Upper surface 310 Opening 310a Female thread CD circumferential direction D2 Outer diameter D3 Inner diameter DR1 First direction DR2 Second direction DR3 Third direction DR4 Fourth direction P1 First connection position P2 Second connection position P3 Third connection position X axis X1 First position X2 Second position X3 Third position t1, t2 Thickness θ Angle

Claims

1. A sealing cap for sealing a plug attached to an opening of a liquid storage container, a main body portion having a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape along an axis and a sealing portion having a circular shape in a plan view disposed along a plane orthogonal to the axis and sealing an upper end of the cylindrical portion, an annular portion formed in an annular shape centered on the axis and having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the cylindrical portion, a first connecting portion connecting the cylindrical portion and the annular portion at a first connecting position in a circumferential direction around the axis, a second connecting portion connecting the cylindrical portion and the annular portion at a second connecting position different from the first connecting position in the circumferential direction, and the main body portion, the first connecting portion, and the second connecting portion are integrally formed of a resin material, a pair of first groove portions extending along a first direction along an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion are formed, a pair of second groove portions are formed on an outer peripheral surface of the sealing portion so as to extend across the axis along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions are connected, the first connecting position is a position sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions, and the second connecting position is another position not sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions. A sealing cap.

2. The annular portion, an annular member connected to the cylindrical portion by the first connecting portion and disposed at a first position in the first direction, a gripping member disposed at a second position in the first direction, and a pair of connecting members connecting the annular member and the gripping member, and the sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the second position is a position closer to a plane on which the sealing portion is disposed than the first position.

3. The sealing cap according to claim 2, wherein in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, a length of the gripping member is longer than a length of a region of the sealing portion sandwiched between the pair of second groove portions.

4. A third connecting portion connecting the cylindrical portion and the annular portion at a third connecting position different from the first connecting position in the circumferential direction is provided, the second connecting position and the third connecting position are positions that coincide in the second direction and are different positions in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. The sealing cap according to claim 1 or claim 2.

5. The first groove portion is formed from a third position above the first position in the first direction upward to a position connected to the second groove portion upward. The sealing cap according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein a pair of notches connected to the pair of first groove portions are formed in the cylindrical portion from the third position downward in the first direction to the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion.

6. The sealing cap according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a protrusion fixed to the plug is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion.

7. A method for removing a sealing cap that seals a plug attached to an opening of a liquid storage container, wherein the sealing cap has a main body portion including a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape along an axis, and a sealing portion that seals the upper end of the cylindrical portion and is arranged along a plane orthogonal to the axis and has a circular shape in plan view, an annular portion formed in an annular shape centered on the axis and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion, a first connecting portion that connects the cylindrical portion and the annular portion at a first connecting position in the circumferential direction around the axis, a second connecting portion that connects the cylindrical portion and the annular portion at a second connecting position different from the first connecting position in the circumferential direction, the main body portion, the first connecting portion, and the second connecting portion are integrally formed of a resin material, a pair of first groove portions extending along a first direction along the axis are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, a pair of second groove portions are formed in the sealing portion so as to extend across the axis along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions are connected, the first connecting position is a position sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions, the second connecting position is another position not sandwiched between the pair of first groove portions, a step of gripping the end portion of the annular portion in the second direction and rotating the annular portion in a direction away from the sealing portion about the first connecting position to release the connected state of the second connecting portion, a step of gripping the end portion of the annular portion in the second direction and moving the annular portion so as to cause cracks in the pair of first groove portions and the pair of second groove portions to release the state in which the sealing cap seals the opening.

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