Hinge cap

Abstract

To improve operability when opening a package.SOLUTION: The hinge cap 1 according to the present invention comprises: a cap body 10 attached to the mouth 3 of a container body 2 and having a spout 11; a lid body 13 rotatably connected to the cap body around a hinge portion 12; a bottle opener plate 15 connected to the opening edge of the spout via a breakable weakened portion 14; and a connecting member 16 having a support portion 50 formed so as to protrude upward from the bottle opener plate and connecting the lid body and the bottle opener plate together. The bottle opener plate can be removed from the spout by successively breaking the weakened portion as the lid body is opened around the hinge portion, the support portion is positioned on the opposite side of the cap axis from the hinge portion when viewed in a plan view from the direction of the cap axis O1, a groove portion 70 recessed downwards is formed on the upper surface of the bottle opener plate so as to follow the base portion of the support portion, and the groove portion is formed on the upper surface of the bottle opener plate closer to the hinge portion than the support portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hinge cap. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a hinge cap has been known as a cap that is attached to the mouth of a container body, and that includes a cap body that is attached to the mouth of the container body in which the contents are stored and that has a spout formed therein for pouring the contents out, a lid body that is rotatably connected to the cap body around a hinge and that covers the spout so that it can be opened and closed, and a plug removal part that is connected to the opening edge of the spout via a weakened part and that closes the spout. However, with this type of hinge cap, it is necessary to remove the lid from the cap body and then pull up the pull ring, which is time-consuming and makes opening difficult.

[0003] As another type of hinge cap, for example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a hinge cap including a cap body that is attached to the mouth of a container body and has a partition wall with a dispensing tube standing upright, and a lid body that is connected to the cap body via a hinge and has a top wall with a sealing tube that seals the dispensing tube. A transfer stopper is connected to the partition wall via a breakable weakened part. The transfer stopper is integrally connected (engaged) to the top wall of the lid body via a pull-up part.

[0004] With this hinge cap, by pulling up the lid around the hinge, the transfer valve can be pulled up along with the lid, breaking the weakened portion and allowing for opening. Therefore, opening can be done at the same time as pulling up the lid, making opening less time-consuming. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-39039 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the conventional hinge caps described above, a large force is likely to be required to break the weakened portion, and there is room for improvement in the operability when opening the cap.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge cap that can improve operability when opening. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] (1) The hinge cap according to the present invention comprises a cylindrical cap body that is attached to the mouth of a container body that contains contents and has a spout formed therein for pouring the contents; a lid body that is rotatably connected to the cap body around a hinge portion and that covers the spout in an openable and closable manner; an extractor plate that is connected to the opening edge of the spout via a breakable weakened portion to close the spout; and a connecting rod that protrudes upward from the extractor plate and integrally connects the lid body and the extractor plate. and a body, wherein the extractor plate is detachable from the spout by continuously breaking the weakened portion as the lid body is opened around the hinge portion, the support portion is positioned on the opposite side of the cap axis from the hinge portion when viewed in a plan view from the cap axial direction, and a groove portion is formed on the upper surface of the extractor plate that is recessed downward along the base portion of the support portion, and the groove portion is formed on the upper surface of the extractor plate closer to the hinge portion than the support portion.

[0009] According to the hinge cap of the present invention, the puller plate and the lid body that close the spout are integrally connected via a connector, so that by rotating the lid body around the hinge, the puller plate can be rotated together with the lid body. As a result, an external force can be applied to the puller plate via the support rod as the lid body is opened, breaking the weakened portion and gradually lifting the puller plate to remove it from the spout. This allows the spout to be opened once the lid body is opened. Therefore, the spout can be opened simultaneously with the lid body opening, improving operability when opening the bottle.

[0010] In particular, the support posts are located on the opposite side of the hinge portion across the cap shaft in a plan view, allowing for efficient application of external force to the extractor plate during the initial stage of the lid opening operation, thereby facilitating the initiation of fracture of the weakened portion. Additionally, a groove is formed on the top surface of the extractor plate, closer to the hinge portion than the support posts, and along the base of the support posts. This allows the portion of the extractor plate where the support posts are formed to bend along the groove when the connecting body including the support posts is pulled upward during the lid opening operation. This allows the support posts to be displaced so as to tilt toward the hinge portion, using the groove as a fulcrum. This allows the external force transmitted from the lid to be transmitted to the weakened portion not simply by the displacement of the support posts (tilting toward the hinge portion), but also by utilizing the principle of leverage associated with the displacement of the support posts (tilting toward the hinge portion). This makes it easier to transmit a large external force to the weakened portion, further facilitating the initiation of fracture of the weakened portion. Therefore, even if the lid is opened with a light force, the weakened portion can be broken using a large opening force, thereby improving the operability when opening the lid.

[0011] (2) The groove portion is formed so as to extend along a left-right direction perpendicular to a front-to-back direction that intersects with the cap axis when viewed in a plan view from the cap axis direction, and the front-to-back direction is defined as a direction along an imaginary line that passes through a connecting axis that passes vertically through the center of the support portion, the cap axis, and the hinge portion when viewed in a plan view from the cap axis direction.

[0012] In this case, the lid can be opened in the front-to-rear direction by rotating it around the hinge. Since the groove is formed in the left-to-right direction, when the connecting body including the support rod is pulled upward to open the lid, the portion of the extractor plate where the support rod is formed can be easily bent along the groove. This makes it easier to tilt the support rod toward the hinge using the groove as a fulcrum, making it easier to break the weakened portion.

[0013] (3) The weakened portion, in a planar view from the cap axial direction, includes a fracture initiation region located on the opposite side of the support portion from the cap axis, and a fracture end region located closer to the hinge portion than the support portion, and is formed in an elliptical shape that is longer in the front-to-rear direction than in the left-to-right direction, and the weakened portion may be formed so that, in a planar view from the cap axial direction, in the fracture initiation region, it expands in the left-to-right direction at an expansion angle of less than 90 degrees as it moves from the tip end toward the fracture end region.

[0014] In this case, when the support rod is displaced so as to tilt toward the hinge portion, using the groove as a fulcrum, as the lid is opened, an external force can be concentrated on the fracture initiation region of the weakened portion, including the tip. This allows fracture of the weakened portion to proceed, starting from the tip. In particular, the weakened portion is formed in the fracture initiation region so as to expand laterally at an angle (acute angle) of less than 90 degrees from the tip toward the fracture end region. Therefore, in the initial stage of fracture, the weakened portion can be easily fractured with little resistance along the front-to-rear direction, which is the direction of the lid opening operation. Furthermore, the entire weakened portion is formed in an elliptical shape in a plan view that is long in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the entire weakened portion can be easily fractured with little resistance from the initial stage to the final stage of fracture. This further improves operability when opening the container.

[0015] (4) The weakened portion may be a thin portion formed thinner than the thickness of the puller plate, and the weakened width of the tip portion along the surface of the puller plate may be formed narrower than the weakened width of other portions of the weakened portion.

[0016] In this case, the weakened width at the tip, which is the starting point for fracture of the weakened portion, is formed to be the narrowest, so that the tip of the weakened portion can be fractured more easily, and hence fracture of the weakened portion can proceed smoothly thereafter.

[0017] (5) In a plan view seen from the cap axial direction, a portion of the support portion may be formed to have an outer shape that conforms to the shape of the weakened portion in the fracture initiation region.

[0018] In this case, because a portion of the support is contoured to fit the shape of the weakened portion in the fracture initiation region, the external force from the lid can be transmitted evenly to the weakened portion via the support in the early stages of fracture, allowing the weakened portion to fracture in a balanced manner in the fracture initiation region, allowing fracture to proceed smoothly. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The hinge cap according to the present invention can improve the operability when opening the cap, and therefore can be easily opened even by a person with weak strength, making the hinge cap easy to use. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a hinge cap according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a top view of the extractor plate taken along the line AA shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the extractor plate shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state before a connecting portion is press-formed in a manufacturing process of the hinge cap shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the lid body has been opened from the state shown in FIG. 1 and the operation of pulling the extractor plate upward has begun. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a hinge cap according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the hinge cap 1 of this embodiment comprises a cylindrical cap body 10 that is attached to the mouth 3 of a cylindrical container body 2 with a bottom in which the contents are stored and that has a spout 11 for pouring the contents out, a cylindrical lid body 13 with a top that is connected to the cap body 10 via a hinge portion 12 and that covers the spout 11 in an openable and closable manner, a puller plate 15 that is connected to the opening edge of the spout 11 via a weakened portion 14 to block the spout 11, and a connector 16 that connects the lid body 13 and the puller plate 15 together. The cap body 10, the lid body 13, the puller plate 15 and the connector 16 are integrally formed.

[0022] The contents contained in the container body 2 are not particularly limited, but suitable contents include, for example, liquid foods and liquid seasonings (soy sauce, etc.) that have fluidity. Furthermore, it is also possible to use powdered contents such as salt, powdered food seasonings, and flour, as well as granular contents such as fertilizers and herbicides.

[0023] The hinge cap 1 and the container body 2 are arranged with their respective central axes positioned on a common axis. In this embodiment, this common axis is referred to as the cap axis O1, the side of the lid body 13 along the cap axis O1 is referred to as the upper side, and the side of the container body 2 along the cap axis O1 is referred to as the lower side. In addition, in a plan view seen from the direction of the cap axis O1, the direction intersecting the cap axis O1 is referred to as the radial direction, and the direction going around the cap axis O1 is referred to as the circumferential direction. Furthermore, one of the radial directions that are perpendicular to each other is referred to as the front-rear direction L1, and the other direction is referred to as the left-right direction L2. Furthermore, in the front-rear direction L1, the side of the hinge portion 12 is referred to as the rear, and the opposite side is referred to as the front. In particular, the front-rear direction L1 is defined as the direction along an imaginary line VL (see FIG. 2) that passes through a connecting axis O2 (described later), the cap axis O1, and the hinge portion 12 in a plan view seen from the cap axis O1 direction.

[0024] 1, a first engagement protrusion 4 protruding radially outward is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2. The first engagement protrusion 4 may be formed in an annular shape, or multiple first engagement protrusions 4 may be formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. However, the present invention is not limited to the case where the first engaging projections 4 are formed, and for example, instead of the first engaging projections 4, a male screw portion may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2.

[0025] (Cap body) The cap body 10 comprises a cylindrical inner plug 20 with a top that closes the inside of the mouth 3 of the container body 2, a sealing tube 21 that fits into the inside of the mouth 3, and an attachment tube 22 that surrounds the mouth 3 from the outside in the radial direction.

[0026] The inner plug 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a top, and is made up of a disk-shaped top wall portion 20a in which the spout 11 is formed, and a peripheral wall portion 20b that is connected to the outer peripheral edge of the top wall portion 20a around the entire circumference and extends downward from the outer peripheral edge. In the illustrated example, the inside plug 20 is disposed above the mouth 3 of the container body 2. However, the position of the inside plug 20 relative to the mouth 3 of the container body 2 is not limited to this case, and the inside plug 20 may be disposed, for example, so as to be located inside the mouth 3 of the container body 2.

[0027] An annular flange 23 is formed at the lower end of the peripheral wall 20b, extending radially outward and positioned on the upper open end of the mouth 3 of the container body 2. The upper ends of the sealing tube 21 and the mounting tube 22 are integrally formed with the flange 23. As a result, the sealing tube 21 and the mounting tube 22 are integrally connected to the inside plug 20 via the flange 23.

[0028] An annular support tube 24 is formed on the flange portion 23, protruding upward and supporting the lid body 13 from below. Furthermore, an annular groove 25 that opens upward is formed on the upper end of the mounting tube 22. However, this annular groove 25 is not essential and may not be provided. Note that, if an annular groove 25 is provided, it does not have to be formed around the entire circumference and can be set as appropriate.

[0029] The sealing tube 21 and the attachment tube 22 are fitted and fixed to the mouth portion 3 by, for example, plugging the mouth portion 3 into an attachment groove 26 formed between the sealing tube 21 and the attachment tube 22. At this time, the sealing tube 21 and the attachment tube 22 sandwich the mouth portion 3 from the inside and outside, and are attached to the mouth portion 3 with a strong fitting force. The sealing tube 21 is, for example, tightly fitted inside the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2, and appropriately seals the inside of the container body 2.

[0030] In the illustrated example, the mounting tube 22 is undercut-fitted to the mouth 3 of the container body 2. Specifically, a second engagement protrusion 27 that engages with a first engagement protrusion 4 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth 3 protrudes radially inward from the inner peripheral surface at the lower end of the mounting tube 22, and the second engagement protrusion 27 is undercut-fitted to the first engagement protrusion 4. In addition, the second engagement protrusion 27 may be formed in an annular shape, or multiple second engagement protrusions 27 may be formed at intervals in the circumferential direction, as long as they are capable of undercut fitting with the first engagement protrusion 4.

[0031] However, the method of attaching the attachment tube 22 to the mouth 3 of the container body 2 is not limited to undercut fitting by stoppering, etc. For example, as mentioned above, if a male thread portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth 3 of the container body 2, the attachment tube 22 may be attached to the mouth 3 of the container body 2 by screwing by forming a female thread portion that screws into the male thread portion on the inner peripheral surface of the attachment tube 22.

[0032] An upwardly protruding pouring tube 28 is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the top wall portion 20a of the inside plug 20. The pouring tube 28 communicates with the inside of the container body 2 through the pouring outlet 11. This makes it possible to pour out the contents through the pouring tube 28. The dispensing tube 28 is disposed coaxially with the cap axis O1, and is formed so that the inner diameter of the upper end portion thereof gradually increases upward.

[0033] In the illustrated example, the protruding height of the dispensing tube 28 is not uniform over the entire circumference but varies along the circumferential direction. Specifically, the dispensing tube 28 is formed so that the top portion 28a, which has the highest protruding height, is located on the front side, and the low portion 28b, which has the lowest protruding height, is located on the rear side. As a result, the dispensing tube 28 is formed so that the top portion 28a and the low portion 28b face each other in the radial direction across the cap axis O1. Because the pouring tube 28 is formed in this manner, the contents can be easily poured out by tilting the container body 2 forward so that the top part 28a faces downward.

[0034] (lid) The lid body 13 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a top having a peripheral wall 30 and a top wall 31, and covers the entire top wall portion 20a and the dispensing tube 28 of the cap body 10 from above, and can open and close the dispensing outlet 11 by rotating around the hinge portion 12.

[0035] The lower end side of the peripheral wall 30 is detachably fitted to the support tube 24 of the cap body 10. As a result, the lid body 13 is supported in a positioned state by the support tube 24. The hinge portion 12 integrally connects the lower end of the peripheral wall 30 of the lid body 13 and the upper end of the attachment tube 22 of the cap body 10.

[0036] The hinge portion 12 is formed in the rear portion of the peripheral wall 30 and the mounting tube 22, and is disposed so as to be at the same circumferential position as the low position portion 28b of the dispensing tube 28. This makes it possible to open the lid body 13 in the radially opposite direction from the top portion 28a of the dispensing tube 28, i.e., toward the rear side.

[0037] A tab 32 protruding radially outward is formed in a front portion of the peripheral wall 30 of the lid 13, located on the opposite side of the cap axis O1 from the hinge portion 12. Therefore, by using the tab 32, the lid 13 can be easily opened and closed around the hinge portion 12.

[0038] A closure tube 33 is formed coaxially with the cap axis O1 on the top wall 31 of the lid body 13. The closure tube 33 protrudes downward and detachably fits inside the dispensing tube 28. By fitting the closure tube 33 inside the dispensing tube 28, the inside of the dispensing tube 28 can be sealed.

[0039] 1 and 2, a connecting hole 34 is formed in the top wall 31 at a portion located forward of the cap axis O1, penetrating the top wall 31 in the vertical direction. The connecting hole 34 is formed in a circular shape in a plan view, with the connecting axis O2 as its center, and is positioned above the puller plate 15. 1, the connecting hole 34 is formed in a tapered shape in vertical cross section, with the opening diameter gradually increasing from top to bottom. However, this is not limited to this, and the connecting hole 34 may be formed in a straight shape with a uniform opening diameter in the vertical direction.

[0040] 1, a connecting recess 35, which is circular in plan view and has a larger diameter than the connecting hole 34, is formed coaxially with the connecting axis O2 on the upper surface of the top wall 31. As a result, the connecting recess 35 is connected to the connecting hole 34.

[0041] (unplug plate, connector) As shown in Figure 1, the puller plate 15 is disposed inside the spout 11, coaxially arranged with the cap axis O1. As mentioned above, the puller plate 15 is connected to the opening edge of the spout 11 via the weakened portion 14. Furthermore, the puller plate 15 is integrally connected to the lid 13 via the connector 16, and can be removed from the spout 11 by breaking the weakened portion 14 as the lid 13 is opened around the hinge portion 12.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the puller plate 15 is formed in an elliptical shape in a plan view seen from the direction of the cap axis O1, with the length along the front-rear direction L1 being longer than the length along the left-right direction L2. Explain in detail. The portion of the puller plate 15 located forward of the connecting axis O2 is configured as a breaking start end 15a that is first pulled upward as the lid 13 is opened, thereby first breaking the weakened portion 14. In contrast, the portion of the puller plate 15 located on the hinge portion 12 side (rear side) is configured as a breaking end end 15b that is last pulled upward as the lid 13 is opened, thereby completing the breaking of the weakened portion 14.

[0043] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the fracture starting end 15a and the fracture finishing end 15b are arranged along the front-to-rear direction L1 and are arranged so as to be located on opposite radial sides across the cap axis O1. The fracture initiation end 15a is formed integrally with a part of the support column 50, which will be described later, and also functions as part of the support column 50. The fracture initiation end 15a, which functions as part of the support column 50, is formed in a plan view with an outer shape that follows the shape of a fracture initiation region R1 of a weakened section 14, which will be described later, and is formed in a V-shape that bulges forward. The fracture end 15b is formed in an arc shape that bulges out rearward in a plan view, with a curvature greater than that of the fracture start end 15a.

[0044] The pair of intermediate portions 15c of the puller plate 15, which are arranged along the left-right direction L2 and located on opposite radial sides of the cap axis O1, are formed in an arc shape that bulges outward in the left-right direction L2 in a plan view. Therefore, the puller plate 15 has the widest length along the left-right direction L2 at the intermediate portions 15c in the front-rear direction L1, including the intermediate portions 15c. The intermediate portions 15c are formed to extend in the front-rear direction L1 with a curvature that is greater than the curvature of the break-end end portions 15b.

[0045] The puller plate 15 is formed to have an outer shape that smoothly and continuously connects the above-mentioned break start end 15a, break end end 15b, and pair of intermediate portions 15c along the circumferential direction. The spout 11 formed in the top wall portion 20 a of the cap body 10 is formed to have an opening size larger than the outer size of the puller plate 15 .

[0046] 1 to 3, the connector 16 is integrally formed with the puller plate 15 and is also integrally connected to the lid body 13. The connector 16 includes a support part 50 formed to protrude upward from the puller plate 15, and a connecting part 60 that integrally connects the upper end of the support part 50 and the lid body 13.

[0047] The support pillar 50 is disposed on the opposite side of the hinge portion 12 across the cap axis O1 in plan view. Specifically, the support pillar 50 is formed to protrude upward from the extractor plate 15 so as to be disposed coaxially with the connecting axis O2. The support pillar 50 protrudes to a height such that its upper end contacts the top wall 31 of the lid body 13 from below. A recessed portion 50a recessed upward is formed in the lower end of the support portion 50. However, the recessed portion 50a is not essential and may not be provided.

[0048] The support column 50 has a front wall 51 facing forward, which is contoured to conform to the shape of the fracture initiation region R1 of the weakened portion 14, and is formed in a V-shape that protrudes forward in a plan view. The base (lower end) of the front wall 51 of the support column 50 functions as the fracture initiation end 15a of the puller plate 15, as described above. As shown in FIG. 3 , the widths (thicknesses) W3a and W3b of the front wall 51 in the fracture initiation region R1 may be set to be equal to or greater than the weakened widths W1 and W2 of the weakened portion 14, which will be described later, but are preferably set to 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm. In the illustrated example, the width varies in accordance with the shape of the front wall 51, with the width W3a at the tip end being wider (thicker) than the width W3b of the remaining portion. 1 to 3, a pair of side walls 52 of the support pillar 50 facing the left-right direction L2 are formed to extend along the front-rear direction L1. Furthermore, a rear wall 53 of the support pillar 50 facing rearward is formed to extend along the left-right direction L2. Furthermore, the support column 50 is formed so as to narrow from the bottom to the top, but this is not limited to this, and the support column 50 may be formed straight along the vertical direction.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 1, the connecting portion 60 is integrally connected to the lid body 13 by being locked to the lid body 13. Connecting portion 60 is formed to protrude further upward from the upper end of support portion 50, and includes a first locking portion 61 arranged inside connecting hole 34 formed in top wall 31, and a second locking portion 62 arranged inside connecting recess 35. The upper end surface of second locking portion 62 is formed flush with the upper end surface of top wall 31 of lid 13, and is locked in a state of contact with the bottom of connecting recess 35 from above.

[0050] The connecting body 16 configured as described above is movable following the lid body 13, and the extractor plate 15 can be moved around the hinge portion 12 together with the lid body 13. During the manufacture of the hinge cap 1, the connecting portion 60 is formed in a triangular shape in a side view so as to protrude above the top wall 31 of the lid body 13, as shown in Fig. 4. From this state, the portion of the connecting portion 60 that protrudes above the top wall 31 can be pressed and crushed while being heated, for example, with a hot plate, as indicated by arrow F in Fig. 4, to form the connecting portion 60 having the first locking portion 61 and the second locking portion 62, as shown in Fig. 1.

[0051] (groove) As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the upper surface of the puller plate 15 is formed with a groove 70 recessed downward along the base of the support 50. The groove 70 is formed on the upper surface of the puller plate 15, closer to the hinge part 12 than the support post 50. Specifically, the groove 70 is formed in the base part of the rear wall 53 of the support post 50, and is formed linearly in the left-right direction L2. The depth of the groove 70 is, for example, about half the thickness of the puller plate 15. Furthermore, the groove 70 is formed linearly in the left-right direction L2 with a constant opening width, and reaches the peripheral edge of the puller plate 15. The depth and width of the groove 70 may be changed as appropriate.

[0052] As described above, the groove portion 70 is formed in the puller plate 15, so that the breakage starting end portion 15a side of the puller plate 15 where the support portion 50 is formed can be bent upward along the groove portion 70.

[0053] (Weakened part) 1 to 3, the weakened portion 14 is formed in an annular shape corresponding to the outer shape of the puller plate 15, and connects the outer peripheral edge of the puller plate 15 to the opening edge of the spout 11 around the entire circumference. The weakened portion 14 is a thin-walled portion that is thinner than the top wall portion 20a and the puller plate 15, and is easily broken. In the example shown, the weakened portion 14 extends continuously around the entire circumference with a uniform thickness.

[0054] In a plan view, the weakened portion 14 includes a fracture initiation region R1 located forward on the opposite side of the support portion 50 from the cap axis O1, and a fracture termination region R2 located rearward on the hinge portion 12 side of the support portion 50, and is formed in an elliptical shape that is longer in the front-to-back direction L1 than in the left-to-right direction L2. In a plan view, the weakened portion 14 is formed in the fracture start region R1 so as to expand in the left-right direction L2 at an expansion angle θ (see FIG. 3) of less than 90 degrees from the tip portion 14a, which is sharpened toward the front, toward the fracture end region R2 (rear). Furthermore, the weakened width W1 (see FIG. 3) of the tip portion 14a of the weakened portion 14 (the width of the weakened portion 14 along the plane of the puller plate 15) is formed to be narrower than the weakened width W2 (see FIG. 3) of the other portions of the weakened portion 14.

[0055] (protruding wall, hanging wall) 1 and 2, the puller plate 15 of this embodiment is formed with a protruding wall 80 that protrudes upward. Correspondingly, the top wall 31 of the lid body 13 is formed with a hanging wall 81 that protrudes downward.

[0056] The protruding wall 80 is disposed in a portion of the puller plate 15 that is located rearward of the groove portion 70, and is formed along the peripheral edge of the puller plate 15. Specifically, the protruding wall 80 is formed so as to extend continuously along the peripheral edge of the puller plate 15 from one intermediate portion 15c via the fracture end portion 15b to the other intermediate portion 15c. As a result, the protruding wall 80 is formed in a C-shape that opens forward in a plan view. The protruding wall 80 is formed so that its protruding height is lower than that of the support column 50 .

[0057] Because the protruding wall 80 is formed, the portion of the puller plate 15 located rearward of the groove portion 70 (including the middle portion 15c and the breaking end end portion 15b) is formed with high rigidity and is structured to be less susceptible to bending deformation, for example.

[0058] The hanging wall 81 is formed to protrude downward from the lower surface of the top wall 31, and is formed in a C-shape that opens forward in a plan view, corresponding to the protruding wall 80. The hanging wall 81 is formed to face the protruding wall 80 from above so as to contact the upper end surface of the protruding wall 80 from above. Furthermore, the lower end of the hanging wall 81 is undercut-fitted into the upper end of the protruding wall 80. As a result, the protruding wall 80 and the hanging wall 81 are combined integrally.

[0059] (Function of hinge cap) The operation of the hinge cap 1 configured as above will now be described. The hinge cap 1 is attached to the mouth 3 of the container body 2 using a stoppering machine (not shown) or the like after the contents have been filled into the container body 2, for example, at a high temperature. Thereafter, the entire container body 2 to which the hinge cap 1 is attached is, for example, heat sterilized and then cooled with cooling water or the like.

[0060] When the product is unopened during transportation or distribution, as shown in Figure 1, a plug plate 15 connected to the opening edge of the spout 11 via a weakened portion 14 closes the spout 11. This allows the inside of the container body 2 to be sealed, and makes it possible to appropriately prevent the contents from leaking to the outside.

[0061] Next, when pouring out the contents, the lid 13 is opened around the hinge 12 using the tab 32 or the like, as shown by the arrow N1 in Figure 5. At this time, the top wall 31 of the lid 13 and the extractor plate 15 are integrally connected via the connector 16, so the extractor plate 15 can be rotated around the hinge 12 together with the lid 13. As a result, an external force can be applied to the puller plate 15 as the lid 13 is opened, and the puller plate 15 is pulled upward while breaking the weakened portion 14, allowing it to be gradually removed from the spout 11. This makes it possible to open the spout 11 when the lid 13 opening operation is completed. Therefore, the spout 11 can be opened at the same time as the lid 13 opening operation, improving operability when opening the bottle.

[0062] After opening, the container body 2 can be tilted forward so that the top portion 28a of the dispensing tube 28 faces downward. This allows the contents inside the container body 2 to be poured out from the top portion 28a of the dispensing tube 28. After the contents have been poured out, the lid 13 can be closed around the hinge portion 12, allowing the closing tube 33 to be used to properly seal the dispensing tube 28.

[0063] In particular, in the hinge cap 1 of this embodiment, the support post 50 is disposed on the opposite side of the hinge portion 12 across the cap axis O1 in a plan view. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5 , an external force can be efficiently applied to the puller plate 15 in the initial stage of the opening operation of the lid body 13, thereby urging the weakened portion 14 to begin breaking. Additionally, a groove 70 is formed on the upper surface of the puller plate 15, closer to the hinge portion 12 than the support post 50, along the base of the support post 50. This allows the portion of the puller plate 15 where the support post 50 is formed to be bent upward along the groove 70, as indicated by arrow N2 in FIG. 5 , when the connecting body 16 including the support post 50 is pulled upward as the lid body 13 is opened. Therefore, the support post 50 can be displaced so as to tilt toward the hinge portion 12 (rearward) using the groove 70 as a fulcrum.

[0064] As a result, the external force transmitted from the cover 13 is not simply transmitted to the weakened portion 14, but rather the external force can be transmitted to the weakened portion 14 via the fracture initiation end 15a by utilizing the principle of leverage that accompanies the displacement of the support portion 50 (inclination toward the hinge portion 12). Therefore, a large external force can be easily transmitted to the weakened portion 14, further accelerating the initiation of fracture of the weakened portion 14. Therefore, even if the lid 13 is opened with a light force, the weakened portion 14 can be broken using a large opening force, improving the operability when opening the lid.

[0065] As described above, the hinge cap 1 of this embodiment can improve the operability when opening the cap, making it easy to open even for people with weak strength, such as children, women, and the elderly, making the hinge cap 1 easy to use.

[0066] Furthermore, according to the hinge cap 1 of this embodiment, the groove 70 is formed along the left-right direction L2 that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction L1, which is the opening and closing direction of the lid body 13. Therefore, when the connecting body 16 including the support post 50 is pulled upward as the lid body 13 is opened, the portion of the extractor plate 15 where the support post 50 is formed can be easily and smoothly bent along the groove 70. Therefore, the support post 50 can be more easily tilted toward the hinge part 12 with the groove 70 as a fulcrum. This makes it even easier to break the weakened portion 14.

[0067] Furthermore, the portion of the puller plate 15 located rearward of the groove 70 is made highly rigid by the protruding wall 80, and is prevented from floating upward by the hanging wall 81 formed on the lid 13. Therefore, when the lid 13 is opened, an external force can be concentrated and transmitted to the support post 50, making it easy to bend the portion of the puller plate 15 where the support post 50 is formed along the groove 70, and also easy to tilt the support post 50 toward the hinge part 12 using the groove 70 as a fulcrum.

[0068] Furthermore, when the support column 50 is displaced so as to tilt toward the hinge section 12, an external force can be applied in a concentrated manner to the fracture initiation region R1 including the tip 14a of the weakened section 14 via the fracture initiation end 15a of the puller plate 15. This allows the fracture of the weakened section 14 to progress, with the tip 14a as the fracture initiation point.

[0069] In particular, the weakened portion 14 is formed in the breaking start region R1 so as to expand in the left-right direction L2 at an expansion angle (acute angle) θ of less than 90 degrees from the tip 14a toward the breaking end region R2. Therefore, in the initial stage of breaking, the weakened portion 14 can be easily broken with little resistance along the front-rear direction L1, which is the direction of the opening operation of the lid body 13. Furthermore, the entire weakened portion 14 is formed into an elliptical shape in a plan view that is long in the front-rear direction L1. Therefore, from the initial stage to the final stage of breaking, the entire weakened portion 14 can be easily broken with little resistance. This further improves the operability when opening.

[0070] Furthermore, because the front wall 51, which is part of the support 50, is contoured to fit the shape of the weakened portion 14 in the fracture initiation region R1, in the early stages of fracture, the external force from the lid 13 can be transmitted evenly to the weakened portion 14 via the support 50. This allows the weakened portion 14 to fracture in a balanced manner in the fracture initiation region R1, allowing the fracture to proceed smoothly.

[0071] Furthermore, since the weakened width W1 at the tip 14a, which is the starting point of fracture of the weakened portion 14, is the narrowest, it is possible to further easily fracture the tip 14a of the weakened portion 14. Therefore, thereafter, fracture of the weakened portion 14 can proceed smoothly.

[0072] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The embodiments and their modifications include, for example, those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are equivalent.

[0073] For example, in the above embodiment, the cap body 10 is provided with the dispensing tube 28, but the dispensing tube 28 is not essential and may not be provided. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the connecting portion 60 integrally connects the support portion 50 and the lid body 13 by locking them together has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this case. For example, the support portion 50 and the lid body 13 may be integrally connected by fastening the upper end of the support portion 50 to the lid body 13 by welding or the like. In this case, the fastened portion functions as the connecting portion 60. Furthermore, when the upper end of the support portion 50 and the lid body 13 are integrally connected by locking or welding using the connecting portion 60, the connecting portion 60 may be a separate member.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the protruding wall 80 and the hanging wall 81 are formed has been described as an example, but these are not essential and may not be provided. However, forming the protruding wall 80 and the hanging wall 81 is preferable because it not only increases the rigidity of the portion of the puller plate 15 located behind the groove portion 70, but also prevents the puller plate 15 from floating upward in the initial stage of opening. In addition, forming the protruding wall 80 and the hanging wall 81 prevents the contents from unintentionally entering the upper surface side of the puller plate 15 when the lid 13 is opened or closed. In this respect, it is also preferable to form the protruding wall 80 and the hanging wall 81.

[0075] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the weakened portion 14 is formed to have a uniform thickness around the entire circumference, but this is not limited to this. For example, the weakened portion 14 may be formed so that the thickness of the tip portion 14a of the weakened portion 14 is the thinnest. In this case, coupled with the fact that the weakened width W1 of the tip portion 14a of the weakened portion 14 is formed to be the narrowest, the weakened portion 14 can be more easily broken from the tip portion 14a. It is also possible to form the weakened portion 14 so that the weakened width is uniform over the entire circumference and the thickness of the tip end portion 14a is the thinnest. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] L1…Anteroposterior direction L2…Left and right direction O1...Cap shaft O2…Connection shaft R1: fracture initiation region R2: Break end region W1: Weakened width at the tip of the weakened part W2: Weakened width excluding the tip of the weakened part 1... Hinge cap 2...Container body 3... Mouth of the container body 10...Cap body 11…Spout 12...Hinge part 13...lid body 14...Weakened part 14a...Tip 15...Uncork board 16...Connection body 50…Strut part 70...Groove

Claims

1. a cylindrical cap body that is attached to the mouth of the container body in which the contents are stored and that has a spout formed therein for pouring the contents; a lid body that is rotatably connected to the cap body around a hinge portion and that covers the spout in an openable and closable manner; a plug plate that is connected to an opening edge portion of the spout via a breakable weakened portion to close the spout; a connecting body having a support portion formed so as to protrude upward from the extractor plate and integrally connecting the lid body and the extractor plate, The extractor plate is detachable from the spout while continuously breaking the weakened portion in accordance with the opening operation of the lid body around the hinge portion, the support pillar is disposed on the opposite side of the cap shaft from the hinge portion in a plan view seen from the cap axial direction, A groove recessed downward along the base of the support rod is formed on the upper surface of the puller plate, The hinge cap is characterized in that the groove portion is formed on the upper surface of the extractor plate closer to the hinge portion than the support portion.

2. The hinge cap according to claim 1, the groove portion is formed to extend along a left-right direction perpendicular to a front-rear direction intersecting with the cap axis in a plan view seen from the cap axial direction, The front-to-rear direction is defined as the direction along an imaginary line passing through the connecting axis that passes through the center of the support portion in the vertical direction, the cap axis, and the hinge portion when viewed in a plan view from the cap axis direction.

3. The hinge cap according to claim 2, the weakened portion includes, in a plan view seen from the cap axial direction, a fracture start region located on the opposite side of the support rod from the cap axis, and a fracture end region located on the hinge portion side of the support rod, and is formed in an elliptical shape that is longer in the front-rear direction than in the left-right direction, The weakened portion is formed so as to expand in the left-right direction at an angle of less than 90 degrees in the fracture start region from the tip end toward the fracture end region when viewed in a plan view from the cap axial direction.

4. The hinge cap according to claim 3, The weakened portion is a thin-walled portion formed thinner than the thickness of the pull-out plate, The weakened width of the tip portion along the plane of the extractor plate is formed to be narrower than the weakened width of other portions of the weakened portion.

5. The hinge cap according to claim 3 or 4, A hinge cap, wherein, in a plan view seen from the cap axial direction, a portion of the support portion is formed to have an outline that conforms to the shape of the weakened portion in the fracture initiation region.

Images