Hinge cap, and packaging container comprising the same

Abstract

To provide: an easily openable hinge cap that exhibits a tamper-evident property; and a packaging container comprising the same.SOLUTION: A hinge cap comprises: a cap body provided with an opening; a small lid that is connected to the cap body via a hinge, for closing the opening; and a tamper-evident display part that is provided at a portion opposed to the hinge to connect the cap body with the small lid. The tamper-evident display part includes a block part provided between the small lid and the cap body; a first connection part that connects the block part with a small lid part in an unopened state; and a second connection part that connects the block part with the cap body in the unopened state. One of the first connection part and the second connection part is fractured and the other of the first connection part and the second connection part is stretched, according to an operation of opening the small lid from the unopened state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hinge cap that can be attached to a spout of a packaging container, and a packaging container equipped with the hinge cap. [Background technology]

[0002] A tamper-evident configuration for a hinge cap attached to a packaging container is described, for example, in Patent Document 1. In the cap described in Patent Document 1, a strip-shaped cover member that engages with the flange of the top lid is provided on the opposite side of the cap body from the hinge connection portion, and the top lid can be opened by breaking the weakened portion of the strip-shaped cover member and peeling the strip-shaped cover member off the cap body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-289389 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The hinge cap described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the strip-shaped cover member needs to be cut and removed, which makes the opening process cumbersome and the cut strip-shaped cover member becomes waste.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge cap that is tamper-evident and can be easily opened, and a packaging container that includes the hinge cap. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The hinge cap of the present invention comprises a cap body having an opening, a small lid connected to the cap body via a hinge and closing the opening, and a tamper-evident indicator provided at a portion opposite the hinge and connecting the cap body and the small lid. The tamper-evident indicator includes a block portion provided between the small lid and the cap body, a first connecting portion that connects the block portion and the small lid portion in an unopened state, and a second connecting portion that connects the block portion and the cap body in an unopened state. When the small lid is opened from an unopened state, one of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion breaks, and the other of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion stretches.

[0007] The packaging container according to the present invention comprises a container body having a spout, and the above-described hinge cap attached to the spout. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a hinge cap that is tamper-evident and can be easily opened, and a packaging container equipped with the hinge cap. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a hinge cap according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a rear view of the hinge cap according to the embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a right side view of the hinge cap according to the embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a hinge cap according to an embodiment; [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view along the VV line shown in Figure 1 [Figure 6] Schematic cross-sectional view showing the process of opening a hinge cap [Figure 7] 10 is a front view of a hinge cap according to Modification 1. [Figure 8] 10 is a front view of a hinge cap according to Modification 2. [Figure 9] 10 is a front view of a hinge cap according to Modification 3. [Figure 10] Enlarged schematic diagram of the bridge shown in Figure 9 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] (Embodiment) A hinge cap according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a front view of the hinge cap according to the embodiment, Fig. 2 is a rear view of the hinge cap according to the embodiment, Fig. 3 is a right side view of the hinge cap according to the embodiment, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the hinge cap according to the embodiment, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the VV line shown in Fig. 1.

[0012] The hinge cap 100 is a component that closes the spout (mouth) of a container body in an openable and closable manner. Although not shown in the figures, the hinge cap 100 is attached to a container body having a spout to form a packaging container. The spout to which the hinge cap 100 is attached may be the mouth of a bottle container such as a PET bottle or glass bottle, or may be the spout tube of a bottle container, paper container, pouch, or tube container. The hinge cap 100 can be attached to the mouth of the container body or the spout alone by stoppering.

[0013] The hinge cap 100 includes a cap body 1, a small cover 2, and a tamper-evident indicator 3. The hinge cap 100 is integrally molded from resin with the tamper-evident indicator 3 connected to the cap body 1 and small cover 2 (closed state). Suitable materials for the hinge cap 100 include polypropylene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), or a blend thereof. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) may be blended to improve the rigidity of the cap body 1, hinge 4, and small cover 2. Alternatively, a resin containing one or more of these may be used as a base resin (first resin), and a resin (second resin) having low compatibility with the base resin may be added as an additive. Examples of resins having low compatibility with the base resin include cycloolefin copolymers. The advantages of blending a resin having low compatibility with the base resin will be discussed later.

[0014] The cap body 1 is attached to the mouth of the container body and has a cylindrical tubular portion 16. A notch 17 is formed in the front of the tubular portion 16 in the area facing the hinge 4 to accommodate a tamper-evident indicator 3, which will be described later. As shown in Fig. 5, an undercut 18 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion 26 to allow the cap to fit into the mouth of the container body by tapping. Instead of providing the undercut 18 on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion 26, a thread may be provided to screw into the thread on the mouth of the container body.

[0015] The small lid 2 has a flat plate portion 20 and a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 21 connected to the outer periphery of the flat plate portion 20. A curved recess is formed in the front portion of the peripheral wall portion 21, and a finger hook portion 22 consisting of a protrusion protruding toward the front side is formed at the front end of the flat plate portion 20. The finger hook portion 22 is a part that serves as a handle when opening the small lid 2. Inside the small lid 2, a protrusion 23 protruding from the inner periphery of the peripheral wall portion 21 and an annular inner ring 24 coaxial with the peripheral wall portion 21 are provided. The protrusion 23 is a part that fits into a protrusion or the like provided on the outer periphery of the container body (not shown) to keep the lid in a closed state. The inner ring 24 is a part that fits into the opening of the container body when the small lid 2 is in a closed state, providing a tight seal.

[0016] 2, the hinge 4 is a part on the back surface of the hinge cap 100 that connects the cap body 1 and the small cover 2 and serves as a fulcrum when opening and closing the cap body 1. The shape of the hinge 4 is not particularly limited as long as it can be bent in response to the opening operation of the hinge cap 100.

[0017] Tamper-evident indicating portion 3 is a portion that provides tamper-evident properties to hinge cap 100, i.e., allows visual confirmation that hinge cap 100 has never been opened. Tamper-evident indicating portion 3 is provided inside notch 17 provided in the portion of cap body 1 facing hinge 4, and connects cap body 1 and small lid 2 before opening.

[0018] Specifically, the tamper-evident indicating unit 3 has a block portion 10, a first connecting portion 11, and a second connecting portion 12. The first connecting portion 11 and the second connecting portion are identified by the double-dashed line enclosures in FIG. 1 . The block portion 10 is disposed inside the notch 17 of the cap body 1, between the small cover 2 and the cap body 1. In an unopened state, the first connecting portion 11 connects the block portion 10 to the small cover 2, and the second connecting portion 12 connects the block portion 10 to the cap body 1. In this embodiment, the first connecting portion 11 is made up of a plurality of bridges 31, and the second connecting portion 12 is made up of a plurality of bridges 32. In this embodiment, the tensile breaking strength of the first connecting portion 11 is smaller than the tensile breaking strength of the second connecting portion 12. When the small lid 2 is opened, all of the bridges 31 constituting the first connecting portion 11 break, and the connection between the cap body 1 and the small lid 2 is released by the tamper-evident indicating portion 3. The second connecting portion 12, which has a relatively high tensile breaking strength, stretches as the small lid 2 is opened. The state change of the tamper-evident indicating portion 3 when opened will be described later.

[0019] Furthermore, bridges 14a and 14b and thin-walled portions 15a and 15b are provided between the cap main body 1 and the small lid 2 to connect them. The thin-walled portions 15a and 15b are formed by half-cuts that have relatively thin linear portions extending in the circumferential direction of the hinge cap 100 and can be broken from the front side toward the hinge 4 side when the small lid 2 is opened. The thin-walled portions 15a and 15b connect half-circumferential portions on the back side (hinge 4 side) of the cap main body 1 and the small lid 2. The bridges 14a and 14b are formed to partially connect the portion between the tamper-evident indication portion 3 and the thin-walled portions 15a and 15b within the half-circumferential portion on the front side (tamper-evident indication portion 3 side) of the cap main body 1 and the small lid 2. By further connecting the cap body 1 and the small lid 2 with bridges 14a and 14b and thin-walled portions 15a and 15b, it is possible to disperse the impact applied to the hinge cap 100 due to, for example, a dropped packaging container, and to prevent the tamper-evident indication portion 3 from being unintentionally cut off. Instead of the thin-walled portions 15a and 15b, a plurality of bridges spaced apart in the circumferential direction may be used to connect the semicircular portions on the rear side of the cap body 1 and the small lid 2.

[0020] The bridges 14a and 14b and the thin portions 15a and 15b correspond to a third connecting portion that connects the small lid 2 and the cap body 1 between the hinge 4 and the tamper-evident indicating portion 3 and breaks when the small lid 2 is opened. The number, length, and formation position of the bridges 14a and 14b and the thin portions 15a and 15b are not particularly limited.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the process of opening the hinge cap.

[0022] 6(a) shows the state before opening the small lid 2. Before opening the small lid 2, it is possible to confirm that the hinge cap 100 has never been opened by visually checking that the first connecting portion 11 of the tamper-evident indicating portion 3 is not broken.

[0023] FIG. 6(b) shows a state in which a force in the opening direction is applied to the small lid 2, for example, by placing a finger on the finger hook portion 22 of the small lid 2. The opening direction is a rotational direction (clockwise around the hinge in FIG. 6) that pulls the small lid 2 away from the cap body 1 with the hinge 4 as the fulcrum. When the force applied to the small lid 2 in the opening direction is less than the force required to break the first connecting portion 11, the first connecting portion 11, the second connecting portion 12, and the bridge 14b are stretched as shown in FIG. 6(b). When the force applied to the small lid 2 in the opening direction exceeds a certain level, the first connecting portion 11 (bridge 31), which has a relatively low tensile breaking strength, breaks first. When the small lid 2 is further moved in the opening direction, the bridge 14b breaks and the thin-walled portion 15b breaks as shown in FIG. 6(c). When the small lid 2 is pushed open in the opening direction and the thin portions 15a and 15b are completely broken, the opening of the hinge cap 100 is completed.

[0024] When the small lid 2 is opened, the first connecting portion 11 of the tamper-evident indicating portion 3 breaks, but the second connecting portion 12 stretches. At this time, as shown in Figure 6(c), the stretched second connecting portion 12 is likely to bend due to the weight of the block portion 10, causing the block portion 10 to fall forward.

[0025] FIG. 6(d) shows the state in which the small lid 2 is closed after the hinge cap 100 has been opened. Even when the small lid 2 is closed, the second connecting portion 12 of the tamper-evident indicating portion 3 remains extended. Therefore, by visually confirming the extension of the second connecting portion 12, it is possible to know that the hinge cap 100 has been opened. Furthermore, the weight of the block portion 10 can bend the second connecting portion 12, causing the block portion 10 to fall forward. Therefore, the position of the block portion 10 also makes it easy to visually confirm that the hinge cap 100 has been opened. Note that, when the small lid 2 is reclosed, the convex portion 23 provided inside the small lid 2 engages with a convex portion (not shown) provided on the outer circumferential surface of the opening of the container body, thereby maintaining the small lid 2 in a closed state.

[0026] As described above, in the hinge cap 100 according to this embodiment, the tamper-evident indicator 3 is provided on the front side facing the hinge 4. When the hinge cap 100 is opened, the first connection portion 11 connecting the block portion 10 of the tamper-evident indicator 3 to the small cover 2 breaks, and the second connection portion 12 connecting the block portion 10 to the cap body 1 stretches. Therefore, by visually checking the state of the first connection portion 11 and / or the second connection portion 12, it is easy to know whether the hinge cap 100 has been opened. In particular, in this embodiment, because the tamper-evident indicator 3 is provided on the front side of the packaging container, it is easy to confirm that the hinge cap 100 is unopened simply by visually checking the packaging container displayed in a retail store or the like.

[0027] Furthermore, in the hinge cap 100 according to this embodiment, the block portion 10 is held to the cap body 1 via the second connecting portion 12, so unlike a system that provides a tamper band that must be cut and removed, no waste is cut and removed when the cap is opened. Furthermore, the hinge cap 100 according to this embodiment does not require the prior operation of cutting and removing the tamper band, and can be easily opened simply by opening the small lid 2. Therefore, the hinge cap 100 according to this embodiment is suitable, for example, as a cap for a packaging container that can be opened with one hand.

[0028] It is preferable that the second connection portion 12 of the tamper-evident indication portion 3 whitens as it expands. By whitening the resin that constitutes the second connection portion 12, the expanded state of the second connection portion 12 becomes easier to visually confirm, making it even easier to check whether the hinge cap 100 has been opened.

[0029] The whitening of the second connecting portion 12 due to stretching can be achieved by blending a resin with low compatibility with the base resin as an additive to the base resin. If the hinge cap 100 is molded from a resin mixture of a base resin and a resin with low compatibility with the base resin, voids (microscopic gaps) will form between the layers of the base resin and the resin with low compatibility when the second connecting portion 12 is stretched, causing the stretched portion to whiten. To make the whitening of the second connecting portion 12 due to stretching more visible, it is preferable to add a pigment to the mixed resin. The darker the color of the pigment added, the easier it is to visually observe the whitening of the stretched portion.

[0030] When molding the hinge cap 100 from a mixed resin of a base resin (first resin) and a resin (second resin) that has low compatibility with the base resin, the mixing ratio of the first resin to the second resin is preferably 100:1 to 100:30 by mass, more preferably 100:2 to 100:20. If the amount of the second resin that has low compatibility with the base resin is less than 1 part by mass per 100 parts by mass of the base resin, the whitening effect is reduced. While the amount of the second resin may exceed 30 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the base resin, a reduction in the proportion of the base resin may result in the insufficient performance of the base resin's inherent functions or an increase in raw material costs. When a resin that has low compatibility with the base resin is mixed with the base resin, not only the second connecting portion 12 but also the first connecting portion 11 whitens upon breakage. Therefore, the whitening of the first connecting portion 11 makes it easy to confirm breakage of the first connecting portion 11.

[0031] Furthermore, the tensile modulus of the mixed resin of the base resin (first resin) and the resin (second resin) having low compatibility with the base resin is preferably less than 2000 MPa. If the tensile modulus of the mixed resin is 2000 MPa or more, the second connecting portion 12 does not stretch sufficiently when the hinge cap 100 is opened, so that voids do not occur and the second connecting portion 12 is less likely to whiten.

[0032] (Variation 1) FIG. 7 is a front view of a hinge cap according to the first modification.

[0033] The hinge cap 101 according to the first modification is provided with a second connection portion 12A instead of the second connection portion 12 of the hinge cap 100 shown in FIG. 1. The first connection portion 11 is made up of multiple bridges 31 similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, but the second connection portion 12A is made up of thin-walled portions 32A that are wider than the bridges 31. The thin-walled portions 32A can be formed, for example, in the shape of a thin plate with a substantially uniform overall thickness. In the example shown in FIG. 7, two thin-walled portions 32A are provided, but the number of thin-walled portions 32A is not particularly limited as long as it is one or more.

[0034] In this modification, the tensile breaking strength of the first connection portion 11 is set to be smaller than the tensile breaking strength of the second connection portion 12A. Therefore, when the small cover 2 is opened, all of the bridges 31 constituting the first connection portion 11 break, while the second connection portion 12A stretches as the small cover 2 is opened. The thin-walled portion 32A constituting the second connection portion 12A is thin and therefore easily stretches. Furthermore, the second connection portion 12A is wider in a front view than the bridges 32 shown in FIG. 1 , making it easy to visually confirm its stretched state. Therefore, with the hinge cap 101 according to the first modification, even if the small cover 2 is resealed, it is easier to visually confirm that the cap has been opened. Furthermore, when the hinge cap 101 is formed from a material that is a mixture of a base resin and a resin with low compatibility with the base resin, the width of the whitened portion as the second connection portion 12A stretches becomes larger, making it easier to visually confirm that the cap has been opened, thereby improving tamper-evident properties.

[0035] (Variation 2) FIG. 8 is a front view of a hinge cap according to the second modification.

[0036] The hinge cap 102 according to the second modification is provided with a second connection portion 12B instead of the second connection portion 12 of the hinge cap 100 shown in FIG. 1. The second connection portion 12B is composed of a plurality of bridges 32B. As shown in FIG. 8, the bridges 32B are formed so as to extend obliquely in a front view. More specifically, the bridges 32B are formed so as to be inclined such that the connection portion between the bridges 32B and the block portion 10 and the connection portion between the bridges 32B and the cap body 1 are not aligned in a direction parallel to the central axis of the cap body 1 (the vertical direction in FIG. 8). When the connection portion between the bridges 32B and the block portion 10 and the connection portion between the bridges 32B and the cap body 1 are thus offset from each other, the resistance of the bridges 32B to the force pulling the small cover 2 in the opening direction is reduced. Therefore, the hinge cap 102 according to the second modification can extend the second connection portion 12B with a weaker force than when the bridges 32 are formed so as to extend parallel to the central axis of the cap body 1 as shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, as the small lid 2 is opened, the bridge 32B rises and stretches (the extension direction of the bridge 32B approaches a direction parallel to the central axis of the cap body 1), thereby improving the extension rate of the second connection portion 12B and making it easier to visually confirm that the cap has been opened.

[0037] Because the second connecting portion 12B is easily stretched, if the hinge cap 102 is made of a material that is a mixture of a base resin and a resin that is less compatible with the base resin, the length of the portion that whitens as it stretches will increase. In this case, it will be easier to visually determine that the package has been opened, improving tamper-evident properties.

[0038] 8, the bridge 32B is formed in the shape of an oblique column with a triangular cross section, but the cross section of the bridge 32B is not limited to a triangle and may be any shape. For example, the cross section of the bridge 32B may be a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, or a polygon with pentagons or more sides.

[0039] Furthermore, the bridge 32B does not necessarily have to be formed in a straight line, and can be formed in any shape, such as a curved line, as long as the positions of both ends are offset.

[0040] 8, the four bridges 32B are formed symmetrically, but they may be formed asymmetrically. The number of bridges 32B is arbitrary, and the inclination direction is not limited to that in the example of FIG. 8.

[0041] (Variation 3) FIG. 9 is a front view of a hinge cap according to Modification 3, and FIG. 10 is an enlarged schematic view of the bridge shown in FIG.

[0042] The hinge cap 103 according to the third modification is provided with a first connection portion 11A instead of the first connection portion 11 of the hinge cap 100 shown in FIG. 1. The first connection portion 11A is composed of a plurality of bridges 31A. As shown in FIG. 10, the bridges 31A are tapered upward. More specifically, the bridges 31A are formed so that their cross-sectional area decreases from the connection point between the bridges 31A and the block portion 10 to the connection point between the bridges 31A and the small cover 2. By making the cross-sectional area of ​​the connection point between the bridges 31A and the small cover 2 smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connection point between the bridges 31A and the block portion 10, the tensile breaking strength of the connection point between the bridges 31A and the small cover 2 can be made lower than the tensile breaking strength of the connection point between the bridges 31A and the block portion 10. When the bridge 31A is constructed in this manner, the breaking point of the bridge 31A that constitutes the first connection portion 11A can be designated as the connection point with the small lid 2, and the force required to open the bridge can be reduced compared to when the bridge is constructed using a columnar body with a constant cross-sectional area.

[0043] In this modification, the tensile breaking strength of the first connecting portion 11A is smaller than the tensile breaking strength of the second connecting portion 12, so when the small lid 2 is opened, all of the bridges 31A constituting the first connecting portion 11A break, while the second connecting portion 12 stretches when the small lid 2 is opened. As a result, similar to the example shown in Fig. 6(c), the stretched second connecting portion 12 is easily bent due to the weight of the block portion 10, and the block portion 10 falls forward, so that even if the small lid 2 is resealed, it is easy to visually confirm that the package has been opened.

[0044] 9 and 10, the bridge 31A is formed in a triangular pyramid shape, but the cross-sectional shape of the bridge 31A is not limited to a triangle and may be any shape. For example, the bridge 31A may be formed in a circular cone shape or a pyramid shape.

[0045] In addition, in the example shown in Figures 9 and 10, the bridge 31A is formed so that its cross-sectional area decreases uniformly from the block portion 10 side to the small lid 2 side, but the bridge 31A may be formed so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the bridge 31A decreases in stages, or the bridge 31A may be formed so that the cross-sectional area of ​​a predetermined range on the block portion 10 side is constant and the cross-sectional area of ​​a predetermined range on the small lid 2 side decreases toward the small lid 2 side.

[0046] 9 and 10 may be reversed, and the bridge 31A may be formed so that the cross-sectional area decreases from the connection point between the bridge 31A and the small cover 2 toward the connection point between the bridge 31A and the block portion 10. In this case, the first connection portion 11A can be broken at the connection point between the bridge 31A and the block portion 10.

[0047] Furthermore, the second connection portion 12A of the hinge cap 101 according to the first modification may be applied instead of the second connection portion 12 of the hinge cap 103 according to the third modification. As described above, when the second connection portion 12A is configured with the thin-walled portion 32A, the thin-walled portion 32A is easily stretchable and wide, making it easy to visually confirm the deformed state of the second connection portion 12A. Therefore, when the second connection portion 12A of FIG. 7 is applied to the hinge cap 103 according to the third modification, it can be opened with little force and it is easy to confirm that it has been opened. When the hinge cap 103 is formed from a mixture of two resins with low compatibility and whitens when stretched, it is even easier to visually confirm that it has been opened, and tamper-evident properties are improved.

[0048] Moreover, the second connection portion 12B of the hinge cap 102 according to Modification 2 shown in Fig. 8 may be applied instead of the second connection portion 12 of the hinge cap 102 according to Modification 3. With this configuration, the first connection portion 11A can be easily broken when the package is opened, and the fact that the package has been opened can be easily confirmed visually by the extension of the second connection portion 12B.

[0049] In the above-described embodiment and Modifications 1 to 3, the tensile breaking strength of the first connecting portion is set lower than that of the second connecting portion, so that the first connecting portion breaks and the second connecting portion stretches. However, the tensile breaking strength of the second connecting portion may be set lower than that of the first connecting portion, so that the second connecting portion breaks and the first connecting portion stretches as the small cover 2 is opened. That is, it is sufficient that the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are configured so that one of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion breaks and the other of the first connecting portion stretches as the small cover 2 is opened. The difference in tensile breaking strength between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion can be set by varying their cross-sectional areas. Even when the first connecting portion is configured to stretch, molding the hinge cap using a mixed resin of a base resin and a resin with low compatibility with the base resin whitens the stretched portion of the first connecting portion, making it easier to visually check the stretched state.

[0050] In the above embodiment (FIG. 1), both the first and second connecting portions are formed with the same number of bridges. However, when the first and second connecting portions are formed with bridges, the number of bridges may be any number as long as one of them is configured to break and the other to extend. Furthermore, the number of bridges in the first and second connecting portions does not have to be the same. Furthermore, one of the first and second connecting portions may be a breakable bridge, and the other may be an extendable thin-walled portion. For example, one or both of the first and second connecting portions may be formed with any number of bridges greater than or equal to one, or one or both of the first and second connecting portions may be formed with any number of thin-walled portions greater than or equal to one. [Example]

[0051] Examples of specific implementations of the present invention will be described below.

[0052] (Examples 1-1 to 1-11) Polypropylene (PP) as the base resin and cycloolefin copolymer (COC) as the whitening additive resin were blended in the blending ratios shown in Table 1 to mold the hinge caps shown in Figures 1 to 5. The width of the block portion when viewed from the front of the hinge cap was 8.0 mm. The first and second connection portions each had five bridges, which were arranged approximately evenly across the width of the block portion. The bridges constituting the first and second connection portions had a triangular prism shape with a cross section that was an isosceles triangle convex toward the outside of the hinge cap, and the width W1 (length of the base of the triangle in the cross section) and thickness of the bridge (height of the triangle in the cross section) constituting the first connection portion were set to the dimensions shown in Table 1.

[0053] Table 1 shows the resin compounding ratios and bridge dimensions for each example and comparative example.

[0054] [Table 1]

[0055] A container body was prepared, with a spout welded to the roof of a Gabel-top paper container. A hinge cap according to each example and comparative example was attached to the spout of the container body by stoppering to produce a package. A hook-shaped jig was attached to a tensile tester, and the tip of the hook-shaped jig was hooked onto the finger loop of the hinge cap of the vertically standing package. The finger loop of the hinge cap was pulled vertically upward at a pulling rate of 50 mm / min, and the force required to break either the first or second connection of the tamper-evident indicator was used as the evaluation value for initial opening strength. An initial opening strength of 5 to 20 N indicates good openability.

[0056] The hinge caps according to each example and comparative example were partially cut to prepare a first sample in which the block portion was connected to the small lid via the first connection portion, and a second sample in which the block portion was connected to the cap body via the second connection portion. The block portion of the first sample was clamped between the tensile tester's jig and pulled along the direction corresponding to the axial direction of the hinge cap to measure the tensile breaking strength of the first connection portion. The block portion of the second sample was also clamped between the tensile tester's jig and pulled along the direction corresponding to the axial direction of the hinge cap to measure the tensile breaking strength of the second connection portion. The absolute value of the difference between the tensile breaking strength of the second connection portion and the tensile breaking strength of the first connection portion was calculated.

[0057] In addition, the cut portion of the tamper-evident display (first connection portion or second connection portion) and the presence or absence of whitening in the stretched portion were visually evaluated.

[0058] Table 2 shows the evaluation results of each example and each comparative example.

[0059] [Table 2]

[0060] [Table 3]

[0061] In all of the hinge caps according to Examples 1-1 to 1-11, one of the first and second connection portions broke and the other stretched, so it was easy to confirm whether the hinge cap had been opened by visually checking whether the stretched portion of the tamper-evident indicator was present. Furthermore, in Examples 1-1 to 1-7, 1-10, and 1-11, the addition of cycloolefin copolymer to polypropylene caused the stretched portion of the tamper-evident indicator to whiten, making it easy to confirm from the appearance whether the hinge cap had been opened. The hinge caps according to Examples 1 to 11 all had an initial opening strength of 5 to 20 N, so no great force was required to break the tamper-evident indicator, and the hinge caps could be easily opened.

[0062] In the hinge cap of Comparative Example 1-1, the first connection portion had low breaking strength and the second connection portion had high breaking strength, so the first connection portion broke easily, but the second connection portion did not stretch. The broken first connection portion turned white, but the second connection portion did not. Therefore, compared to the Examples, it was not easy to visually check the tamper-evident indicator to see if the hinge cap had been opened.

[0063] In the hinge cap of Comparative Example 1-2, the breaking strength of the first connection part was too small, so the tamper-evident indication part broke during handling or transportation, and the packaging container could not be made tamper-evident. As in Comparative Example 1-1, the broken first connection part whitened, but the second connection part did not. Therefore, compared to the Examples, it was not easy to visually check the tamper-evident indication part to see if the hinge cap had been opened.

[0064] The hinge cap according to Comparative Example 1-3 had a high initial opening strength due to the excessively high tensile breaking strength of the first and second connecting parts, making it impossible to open. Furthermore, the first and second connecting parts did not stretch, so no whitening occurred, and it was not easy to visually check the tamper-evident display part to see if the hinge cap had been opened.

[0065] (Examples 2-1 to 2-11) The base resin, polypropylene (PP), and the whitening additive resin, cycloolefin copolymer (COC), were blended in the blending ratios listed in Table 4 to form the hinge cap shown in Figure 7. The width of the block portion of the hinge cap when viewed from the front was 8.0 mm. The first connection portion consisted of five bridges, arranged approximately evenly across the width of the block portion. The second connection portion consisted of two thin-walled portions, arranged symmetrically about the center of the block portion. The bridges constituting the first connection portion had a triangular prism shape with a cross-sectional shape that was an isosceles triangle convex toward the outside of the hinge cap. The bridge width W3 (the length of the base of the triangle in the cross-sectional view) and bridge thickness (the height of the triangle in the cross-sectional view) were set to the dimensions listed in Table 4. The width W4 and thickness of the thin-walled portions constituting the second connection portion were also set to the dimensions listed in Table 4. The width W4 of the thin-walled portions was the maximum width of the connection between the pair of outermost thin-walled portions and the block portion when viewed from the front of the hinge cap. The width W4 is the dimension when the hinge cap is viewed from the front, and is the dimension of the projection surface of the thin-walled portion onto a plane that includes the rotation axis of the hinge and is parallel to the central axis of the cap body.

[0066] [Table 4]

[0067] A container body was prepared, with a spout welded to the roof of a Gabel-top paper container. A hinge cap according to each example and comparative example was attached to the spout of the container body by stoppering, to produce a packaging container. A hook-shaped jig was attached to a tensile tester, and the tip of the hook-shaped jig was hooked onto the finger loop of the hinge cap of the packaging container, which was held upright. The finger loop of the hinge cap was pulled vertically upward at a pulling rate of 50 mm / min, causing either the first or second connection of the tamper-evident indicator to break. The cut location (first or second connection) of the tamper-evident indicator and the presence or absence of whitening in the stretched portion were visually evaluated.

[0068] Tables 5 and 6 show the evaluation results of each example and each comparative example.

[0069] [Table 5]

[0070] [Table 6]

[0071] In all of the hinge caps according to Examples 2-1 to 2-11, one of the first and second connection portions broke and the other stretched, so it was possible to easily confirm whether the hinge cap had been opened by visually checking whether the stretched portion of the tamper-evident indication portion was present. Furthermore, in Examples 2-1 to 2-7, 2-10, and 2-11, the addition of cycloolefin copolymer to polypropylene caused the stretched portion of the tamper-evident indication portion to turn white, making it easy to confirm from the appearance whether the hinge cap had been opened.

[0072] In the hinge cap according to Comparative Example 2-1, the width of the bridge constituting the first connection part was smaller than the width of the bridge in each of the Examples, so the first connection part broke without stretching the second connection part. The broken first connection part turned white, but the second connection part did not stretch or turn white. Therefore, compared to the Examples, it was not easy to visually check the tamper-evident indicator to see if the hinge cap had been opened.

[0073] In the hinge cap of Comparative Example 2-2, the breaking strength of the first connection part was too small, so the tamper-evident indication part broke during handling or transportation without stretching the second connection part, and the packaging container could not be made tamper-evident. As in Comparative Example 2-1, the broken first connection part whitened, but the second connection part did not stretch or whiten, so compared to the Examples, it was not easy to visually check the tamper-evident indication part to see if the hinge cap had been opened.

[0074] The hinge cap according to Comparative Example 2-3 had too high a tensile breaking strength of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, and therefore had a high initial opening strength, making it impossible to open.

[0075] (Examples 3-1 to 3-11) The base resin, polypropylene (PP), and the whitening additive resin, cycloolefin copolymer (COC), were blended in the blending ratios shown in Table 7 to mold the hinge cap shown in Figure 8. The width of the block portion when viewed from the front of the hinge cap was 8.0 mm. The first connecting section was composed of five bridges. The second connecting section was composed of four bridges. The bridges constituting the first connecting section had a triangular prism shape with a cross-sectional shape that was an isosceles triangle convex toward the outside of the hinge cap. The bridge width W5 (the length of the base of the triangle in the cross-sectional shape) and bridge thickness (the height of the triangle in the cross-sectional shape) were set to the dimensions shown in Table 7. The bridges constituting the second connecting section had a triangular prism shape with a cross-sectional shape that was an oblique triangular prism. The arrangement widths W6 and W7 (see Figure 8) of the pair of bridges positioned outermost when viewed from the front of the hinge cap were set to the dimensions shown in Table 7. The bridge arrangement width W6 is the maximum width of the connection between the pair of outermost bridges and the block portion when viewed from the front of the hinge cap, and the bridge arrangement width W7 is the maximum width of the connection between the pair of outermost bridges and the cap body when viewed from the front of the hinge cap. Both bridge arrangement widths W6 and W7 are dimensions when viewed from the front of the hinge cap, and are dimensions when projected onto a plane that includes the hinge rotation axis and is parallel to the central axis of the cap body. Of the four bridges that make up the second connection section, the two innermost bridges are formed so that they are approximately parallel to the adjacent outer bridges when viewed from the front of the hinge cap. The width W8 of each bridge that makes up the second connection section (the length of the base of the triangle in cross section) and the thickness of the bridge (the height of the triangle in cross section) were also set to the dimensions shown in Table 7.

[0076] [Table 7]

[0077] A container body was prepared, with a spout welded to the roof of a Gabel-top paper container. A hinge cap according to each example and comparative example was attached to the spout of the container body by stoppering to produce a package. A hook-shaped jig was attached to a tensile tester, and the tip of the hook-shaped jig was hooked onto the finger loop of the hinge cap of the vertically standing package. The finger loop of the hinge cap was pulled vertically upward at a pulling rate of 50 mm / min, and the force required to break either the first or second connection of the tamper-evident indicator was used as the evaluation value for initial opening strength. An initial opening strength of 5 to 20 N indicates good openability.

[0078] In addition, the cut portion of the tamper-evident indicator (first connection portion or second connection portion) and the presence or absence of whitening in the stretched portion were visually evaluated.

[0079] Tables 8 and 9 show the evaluation results of each example and each comparative example.

[0080] [Table 8]

[0081] [Table 9]

[0082] In all of the hinge caps according to Examples 3-1 to 3-11, one of the first and second connection portions broke and the other stretched, so it was easy to confirm whether the hinge cap had been opened by visually checking whether the stretched portion of the tamper-evident indication portion was present. Furthermore, in Examples 3-1 to 3-7, 3-10, and 3-11, the addition of cycloolefin copolymer to polypropylene caused the stretched portion of the tamper-evident indication portion to turn white, making it easy to confirm from the appearance whether the hinge cap had been opened.

[0083] The dimensions and number of bridges constituting the first connection portion in the hinge caps of Examples 3-1 to 3-11 were the same as those of the hinge caps of Examples 1-1 to 3-11. However, in the hinge caps of Examples 3-1 to 3-11, the bridges constituting the second connection portion were formed at an angle, reducing the resistance of the second connection portion acting when the small cover was lifted. Therefore, the initial opening strength of the hinge caps of Examples 3-1 to 3-11 was reduced compared to the corresponding Examples 1-1 to 1-11, and they were superior in terms of ease of opening.

[0084] In the hinge cap according to Comparative Example 3-1, the width of the bridge constituting the first connection part was smaller than the width of the bridge in each of the Examples, so the first connection part broke without stretching the second connection part. The broken first connection part turned white, but the second connection part did not stretch or turn white. Therefore, compared to the Examples, it was not easy to visually check the tamper-evident indicator to see if the hinge cap had been opened.

[0085] In the hinge cap of Comparative Example 3-2, the breaking strength of the first connection part was too small, so the tamper-evident indication part broke during handling or transportation without stretching the second connection part, and the packaging container could not be made tamper-evident. As in Comparative Example 3-1, the broken first connection part whitened, but the second connection part did not stretch or whiten, so compared to the Examples, it was not easy to visually check the tamper-evident indication part to see if the hinge cap had been opened.

[0086] The hinge cap according to Comparative Example 3-3 had too high a tensile breaking strength of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, and therefore had a high initial opening strength, making it impossible to open.

[0087] (Examples 4-1 to 4-11) The base resin, polypropylene (PP), and the whitening additive resin, cycloolefin copolymer (COC), were blended in the blending ratios listed in Table 7 to mold the hinge cap shown in Figure 9. The width of the block portion when viewed from the front of the hinge cap was 8.0 mm. The first connection portion consisted of five bridges, arranged approximately evenly across the width of the block portion. However, unlike Figure 9, the second connection portion consisted of four bridges, arranged approximately evenly across the width of the block portion. The bridges constituting the first connection portion had a triangular truncated pyramid shape with a cross section of an isosceles triangle convex outward from the hinge cap, and the cross-sectional area decreased from the container body side to the block portion side. As shown in Figure 10, the width W9 (the length of the base of the triangle in the cross section) and the thickness T1 (the height of the triangle in the cross section) of the connection portion between the bridge constituting the first connection portion and the block portion were set to the dimensions listed in Table 10. In addition, the width W10 (length of the base of the triangle in cross section) of the connection point between the bridge constituting the first connection part and the cap body and the thickness T2 of the bridge (height of the triangle in cross section) were set to the dimensions shown in Table 10. The bridge constituting the second connection part has a triangular prism shape whose cross section is an isosceles triangle that is convex on the outside of the hinge cap, and the width W11 (length of the base of the triangle in cross section) and thickness of the bridge (height of the triangle in cross section) of the bridge constituting the second connection part were set to the dimensions shown in Table 10.

[0088] [Table 10]

[0089] A container body was prepared, with a spout welded to the roof of a Gabel-top paper container. A hinge cap according to each example and comparative example was attached to the spout of the container body by stoppering, to produce a packaging container. A hook-shaped jig was attached to a tensile tester, and the tip of the hook-shaped jig was hooked onto the finger loop of the hinge cap of the packaging container, which was held upright. The finger loop of the hinge cap was pulled vertically upward at a pulling rate of 50 mm / min, causing either the first or second connection of the tamper-evident indicator to break. The cut location (first or second connection) of the tamper-evident indicator and the presence or absence of whitening in the stretched portion were visually evaluated.

[0090] Tables 11 and 12 show the evaluation results of each example and each comparative example.

[0091] [Table 11]

[0092] [Table 12]

[0093] In all of the hinge caps according to Examples 4-1 to 4-11, one of the first and second connection parts broke and the other stretched, so it was easy to confirm whether the hinge cap had been opened by visually checking whether the stretched part of the tamper-evident indication part was present. Furthermore, in Examples 4-1 to 4-7, 4-10, and 4-11, the addition of cycloolefin copolymer to polypropylene caused the stretched part of the tamper-evident indication part to turn white, making it easy to confirm from the appearance whether the hinge cap had been opened.

[0094] In Examples 4-1 to 4-6 and 4-8 to 4-11, the bridge constituting the first connecting portion was broken at the connection point with the small cover having the smaller cross-sectional area, out of both end portions thereof.

[0095] In the hinge cap according to Comparative Example 4-1, the width of the bridge constituting the first connection part was smaller than the width of the bridge in each of the Examples, so the first connection part broke without stretching the second connection part. The broken first connection part turned white, but the second connection part did not stretch or turn white. Therefore, compared to the Examples, it was not easy to visually check the tamper-evident indicator to see if the hinge cap had been opened.

[0096] In the hinge cap of Comparative Example 4-2, the breaking strength of the first connection part was too small, so the tamper-evident indication part broke during handling or transportation without stretching the second connection part, and the packaging container could not be made tamper-evident. As in Comparative Example 4-1, the broken first connection part whitened, but the second connection part neither stretched nor whitened, so compared to the Examples, it was not easy to visually check the tamper-evident indication part to see if the hinge cap had been opened.

[0097] The hinge cap according to Comparative Example 4-3 had too high a tensile breaking strength of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, and therefore had a high initial opening strength, making it impossible to open. [Industrial Applicability]

[0098] The present invention can be used as a hinge cap for a packaging container having a mouth. The hinge cap according to the present invention can be suitably used for packaging containers that contain powdery, granular, solid, or semi-solid contents, such as food, hair care products, or hand care products. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1 Cap body 2 small lid 3 Tamper evident display 4 hinges 10 Block section 11, 11A 1st connection part 12, 12A, 12B Second connection part 14a, 14b Bridge (third connection part) 15a, 15b Thin-walled section (third connection section) 31, 31A Bridge 32 Thin-walled section 100, 101, 102, 103 Hinge caps

Claims

1. a cap body having an opening; a small lid connected to the cap body via a hinge and closing the opening; a tamper-evident indicator provided at a portion facing the hinge and connecting the cap body and the small lid; The tamper-evident display unit a block portion provided between the small lid and the cap body; a first connecting portion that connects the block portion and the small lid in an unopened state; a second connecting portion that connects the block portion and the cap body in an unopened state, A hinge cap in which, when the small lid is opened from an unopened state, one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion breaks and the other of the first connection portion and the second connection portion stretches.

2. The hinge cap according to claim 1 , wherein the first connecting portion breaks and the second connecting portion stretches when the small cover is opened from an unopened state.

3. The hinge cap according to claim 1 , wherein the other of the first connection portion and the second connection portion whitens as it is stretched.

4. The hinge cap according to claim 3, wherein the cap body, the small lid, and the tamper-evident indicator are integrally molded from a mixed resin comprising a first resin and a second resin having low compatibility with the first resin.

5. the mixing ratio of the first resin to the second resin is 100:1 to 100:30; The hinge cap according to claim 4 , wherein a mixed resin obtained by mixing the first resin and the second resin has a tensile modulus of elasticity of less than 2000 MPa.

6. The hinge cap according to claim 1 , further comprising a third connection portion between the hinge and the tamper-evident indicator, the third connection portion connecting the small cover and the cap body and breaking when the small cover is opened.

7. the first connecting portion comprises at least one bridge connecting the block portion and the small cover; The hinge cap according to claim 2 , wherein the second connecting portion is a thin portion that is wider than the bridge.

8. the first connecting portion includes at least one first bridge connecting the block portion and the small cover; the second connecting portion includes at least one second bridge connecting the block portion and the cap body; The hinge cap according to claim 2 , wherein a connection point between the second bridge and the block portion and a connection point between the second bridge and the cap body are not aligned in a direction parallel to a central axis of the cap body.

9. the first connecting portion comprises at least one bridge connecting the block portion and the small cover; 3. The hinge cap according to claim 2, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the bridge decreases from the connection point of the bridge and the block portion to the connection point of the bridge and the small cover.

10. a container body having a spout; A packaging container comprising the hinge cap according to any one of claims 1 to 9 attached to the spout.

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