Spout

Abstract

To provide a spout capable of easily stopping pouring-out of a content.SOLUTION: A spout 10 comprises a cylindrical flexible straw part 40 extending downward from a base 30 fitted to a pouch P and disposed in the pouch P to guide content pouring-out. The lower end 40b of the straw part 40 is formed into a flat shape in which a ratio of an inner diameter of the base in a thickness direction Z to an inner diameter of the base in a lateral direction X thereof is smaller than that of the upper end 40a of the straw part 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a spout that is attached to a pouch and functions as a spout.

[0002] Conventionally, it is known to attach a spout to a pouch and use it as a spout, the spout having a base that is attached to the pouch, a spout that extends upward from the base and is positioned outside the pouch, and a cylindrical straw that extends downward from the base and is positioned inside the pouch to guide the pouring of the contents (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3178287 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, for large pouches containing contents such as shampoo or liquid detergent with a capacity sufficient for multiple refills, there has been a demand for the ability to temporarily stop the dispensing of the contents during the refilling process, for example, to check the amount of contents in the product.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve these problems, and has as its object to provide a spout that has a simple structure and allows easy stopping of the pouring of the contents. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the spout of the present invention is a spout comprising a base portion attached to a pouch, a pouring portion extending upward from the base portion and positioned outside the pouch, and a flexible tubular straw portion extending downward from the base portion and positioned within the pouch to guide the pouring of the contents, wherein the lower end portion of the straw portion is formed flat such that the ratio of the inner diameter in the thickness direction of the base to the inner diameter in the left-right direction of the base is smaller than that of the upper end portion of the straw portion, thereby solving the above-mentioned problem. Another aspect of the spout of the present invention is a spout comprising a base portion attached to a pouch, a pouring portion extending upward from the base portion and positioned outside the pouch, and a flexible tubular straw portion extending downward from the base portion and positioned within the pouch to guide the pouring of the contents, wherein the straw portion has thin-walled portions that extend in the vertical direction at both left-right ends of the base portion and reach the lower end of the straw portion, thereby solving the above-mentioned problem.

[0007] In any of the spouts described above, the straw portion may be formed so that its thickness decreases downward. In any of the spouts described above, the straw portion may have thin-walled portions that extend in the up-down direction at both left-right ends of the base and reach the lower end of the straw portion. In any of the spouts described above, the straw portion may have an inner surface groove portion that extends in the vertical direction at both left-right ends of the base and reaches the lower end of the straw portion, and the thin-walled portion may be a portion formed by forming the inner surface groove portion. In any of the spouts described above, the inner surface groove portion may be formed so that the groove depth and circumferential width increase downward. In any of the spouts described above, the straw portion may have inner flat portions formed on both sides in the thickness direction of the base portion so as to reach the lower end of the straw portion. In any of the spouts described above, the inner flat portion may be formed so that its width in the left-right direction of the base increases downward. In any of the spouts described above, the straw portion may have outer flat portions formed on both sides in the thickness direction of the base portion so as to reach the lower end of the straw portion. In any of the spouts described above, the outer surface flat portion may be formed so that its width in the left-right direction of the base increases downward. In any of the spouts described above, the inner shape of the straw portion may be formed to change smoothly downward, so as to transition continuously from the shape at the upper end of the straw portion to the shape at the lower end of the straw portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the dispensing of the contents can be easily stopped with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a spout according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the straw portion. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the cross-sectional shape of the straw portion. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the straw part is pinched near the lower end. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A spout 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the base left-right direction X, the base up-down direction Y, and the base thickness direction Z are perpendicular to one another.

[0011] First, the spout 10 is attached to a pouch P formed into a bag shape by heat welding overlapping films at predetermined locations, and functions as an outlet for the contents contained in the pouch P. As shown in Figure 1, the spout 10 has a spout body 20 that is attached to the pouch P, and a cap 60 that is detachably attached to the spout body 20.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the spout body 20 has a base 30 that is attached to the pouch P, a flexible cylindrical straw portion 40 that extends downward from the base 30 and is positioned within the pouch P to guide the contents out, and a pouring portion 50 that extends upward from the base 30 and is positioned outside the pouch P.

[0013] Each component of the spout body 20 will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the base 30 is a portion whose cross-sectional shape is boat-shaped (specifically, a shape in which approximately triangular protrusions are formed that protrude outward in the left-right direction X from near both ends of the cylindrical portion of the base) or diamond-shaped, and is positioned between the front and back films that make up the pouch P, and is fixed to the pouch P by being heat-sealed to the front and back films.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 3, the base 30 has a cylindrical (round) pouring hole 31 in this embodiment that communicates with the pouring hole of the straw part 40 and the pouring hole 51 of the pouring part 50. Each of these pouring holes is formed so that its central axis extends along the vertical direction Y.

[0016] As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the base 30 and straw portion 40 in this embodiment are formed symmetrically with respect to a plane defined by the base's left-right direction X and up-down direction Y, and are also formed symmetrically with respect to a plane defined by the base's thickness direction Z and up-down direction Y.

[0017] The straw part 40 is a cylindrical part that forms a flow path for the contents inside the pouch P. The straw portion 40 is formed from a flexible material such as an elastomer (or a flexible synthetic resin), and as shown in Figure 6(b), in order to temporarily stop the pouring of the contents midway, the user can pinch the straw portion 40 from the outside of the pouch P in the base thickness direction Z and elastically deform it, specifically, so that the inner surfaces facing the base thickness direction Z come into contact with each other.

[0018] 5, the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40 is formed in a flat shape such that the ratio of the inner diameter Rz in the base thickness direction Z to the inner diameter Rx in the base left-right direction X is smaller than that of the upper end 40a of the straw portion 40, and in this embodiment, the straw portion 40 is formed so that the ratio of the inner diameter in the base thickness direction Z to the inner diameter in the base left-right direction X decreases downward. More specifically, the inner shape of the straw portion 40 is formed so that it changes smoothly (i.e., without forming a step) downward, so as to continuously transition from the shape at the upper end 40a of the straw portion 40 to the shape at the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40 (excluding the areas where the inner surface grooves 42 and inner surface flat portions 43 described below are formed). By forming the straw part 40 in this manner, it is possible to ensure that the flow path at the lower end part 40b of the straw part 40 is closed while maintaining smooth pouring of the contents. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the spout hole at the upper end 40a of the straw part 40 is circular, as shown in FIG.

[0019] Here, the above-mentioned "inner diameter Rx in the base left-right direction X" refers to the maximum dimension among the across dimensions of the inner surface of the straw portion 40 in the base left-right direction X, as shown in Figure 5, and in this embodiment, it is the across dimension in the base left-right direction X at the center position in the base thickness direction Z between the inner surfaces of the straw portion 40. More specifically, when an inner surface groove portion 42 is formed as in this embodiment, the above-mentioned "inner diameter Rx in the left-right direction X of the base" means the dimension excluding the inner surface groove portion 42 (i.e., the dimension when the inner surface groove portion 42 is not formed), as shown in FIG. 5. Similarly, the above-mentioned "inner diameter Rz in the base thickness direction Z" refers to the maximum dimension among the across dimensions of the inner surface of the straw portion 40 in the base thickness direction Z, as shown in Figure 5, and in this embodiment, it is the across dimension in the base thickness direction Z at the center position in the base left-right direction X between the inner surfaces of the straw portion 40.

[0020] The lower end 40b of the straw portion 40 is also formed flat in terms of the outer surface shape of the straw portion 40; that is, as can be seen from Figure 5, the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40 is formed flat in such a way that the ratio of the outer diameter in the base thickness direction Z to the outer diameter (diameter of the outer surface) in the base left-right direction X is smaller than that of the upper end 40a of the straw portion 40; in this embodiment, the straw portion 40 is formed so that the ratio of the outer diameter in the base thickness direction Z to the outer diameter in the base left-right direction X decreases as it goes downward.

[0021] The above-mentioned "outer diameter in the left-right direction X of the base" refers to the maximum dimension among the dimensions across the outer surface of the straw portion 40 in the left-right direction X of the base, and the above-mentioned "outer diameter in the thickness direction Z of the base" refers to the maximum dimension among the dimensions across the outer surface of the straw portion 40 in the thickness direction Z of the base.

[0022] As can be seen from FIGS. 3 to 5, the straw part 40 is formed so that its thickness decreases downward, which makes it easier to elastically deform the straw part 40 on the lower end part 40b side of the straw part 40.

[0023] Furthermore, as can be seen from Figure 5, the thickness of the straw portion 40 is formed uniformly or approximately uniformly in its circumferential direction (except for the portion where the thin-walled portion 41 described later is formed). In other words, at each cross section of the straw portion 40 cut by a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Y at each position in the vertical direction Y, the thickness of the straw portion 40 is formed uniformly or approximately uniformly in its circumferential direction.

[0024] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the straw portion 40 has inner surface grooves 42 that extend along the vertical direction Y at both ends of the base in the left-right direction X and reach the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40, and with the formation of these inner surface grooves 42, the straw portion 40 has thin-walled portions 41 (thinner than surrounding areas) that extend along the vertical direction Y at both ends of the base in the left-right direction X and reach the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40.

[0025] As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the inner surface groove portion 42 is formed so that the groove depth increases and the circumferential width increases as it goes downward, making it easier to close the straw portion 40 on the lower end portion 40b side of the straw portion 40. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the inner surface groove portion 42 (thin portion 41) is formed over the entire area of ​​the straw portion 40 in the up-down direction Y.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the straw portion 40 has a pair of inner flat portions 43 formed on both sides in the base thickness direction Z so as to reach the lower end portion 40b of the straw portion 40. This makes it easier to close the straw portion 40 by pinching it in the base thickness direction Z, as shown in Figure 6(b), by bringing the inner surfaces of the straw portion 40 into contact with each other.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, each of the inner flat portions 43 is formed parallel to the left-right direction X of the base, straddling the center position of the base in the left-right direction X. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, each inner flat portion 43 is formed so that its width in the left-right direction X of the base increases as it extends downward, which makes it easier to close the straw portion 40, particularly at the lower end 40b side of the straw portion 40. As shown in FIG. 3, each inner flat portion 43 is formed to be inclined so as to approach the inside in the thickness direction Z of the base portion as it extends downward.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the straw portion 40 has outer flat portions 44 formed on both sides in the base thickness direction Z so as to reach the lower end portion 40b of the straw portion 40. This makes it easier for the user to pinch the straw portion 40 from the outside and elastically deform it, as shown in Figure 6(b).

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, each outer surface flat portion 44 is formed across the center position of the base in the left-right direction X, and in this embodiment, it is formed across the entire vertical direction Y of the straw portion 40 and is formed parallel to the base in the left-right direction X. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, each outer surface flat portion 44 is formed so that its width in the left-right direction X of the base increases as it goes downward, and as shown in Figure 3, it is formed so that it slopes inward in the thickness direction Z of the base as it goes downward, thereby guiding the user to hold the straw portion 40 on the lower end 40b side of the straw portion 40 when pouring has stopped.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the spout portion 50 is a cylindrical portion having a cylindrical (round hole) spout hole 51. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a threaded portion 52 that can be engaged with a cap 60 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the spouting portion 50.

[0031] In the spout 10 of this embodiment obtained in this manner, the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40 is formed in a flat shape such that the ratio of the inner diameter Rz in the thickness direction Z of the base to the inner diameter Rx in the left-right direction X of the base is smaller than that of the upper end 40a of the straw portion 40. This makes it possible to improve the ability to stop the pouring of the contents without making any changes to the existing design of the base 30 or the pouring portion 50 above the straw portion 40. In other words, when the user pinches the straw portion 40 in the thickness direction Z of the base from the outside of the pouch P and elastically deforms it in order to temporarily stop the pouring of the contents midway, it is easy to close the area near the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40, making it possible to easily and reliably stop the pouring.

[0032] Furthermore, the straw portion 40 has thin-walled portions 41 that extend along the vertical direction Y at both ends of the base in the left-right direction X and reach the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40, making it easier to clamp the straw portion 40 in the base thickness direction Z and elastically deform it, and also preventing gaps from occurring on both sides of the spout hole of the straw portion 40 in the base left-right direction X when attempting to clamp and close the straw portion 40 in the base thickness direction Z. That is, when attempting to close the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40 formed (cylindrical in the illustrated example) by pinching it as shown in Figure 6(a), gaps S are likely to form on both sides of the base of the pouring hole in the left-right direction X, but when thin-walled portions 41 are formed on both ends of the base in the left-right direction X as shown in Figure 6(b), it is possible to prevent such gaps S from forming on both sides of the base of the pouring hole in the left-right direction X.

[0033] Furthermore, the straw portion 40 has an inner surface groove portion 42 that extends along the vertical direction Y at both ends of the base in the left-right direction X and reaches the lower end portion 40b of the straw portion 40, and when the thin-walled portion 41 is formed by forming the inner surface groove portion 42, it is possible to more reliably prevent the formation of the gap S as described above on both sides of the base in the left-right direction X of the pouring hole.

[0034] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims. Furthermore, the spout 10 may be constructed by arbitrarily combining the configurations of the above-described embodiments and the modified examples described below.

[0035] For example, the material constituting the spout body 20 needs to be such that at least the straw portion 40 is made of a flexible material such as an elastomer so that the user can pinch the straw portion 40 and elastically deform it when dispensing is stopped, and the other portions (base portion 30, dispensing portion 50) may be made of any material, such as a synthetic resin such as PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene) or an elastomer. Specifically, the entire spout body 20 may be molded from a flexible material such as an elastomer, or the straw portion 40 may be molded from a flexible material such as an elastomer, while the other portions (base portion 30, spout portion 50) may be molded from a different material such as a synthetic resin. When the straw portion 40 and the other portions (base portion 30, spout portion 50) are molded from different materials, it is possible to mold the spout body 20 by two-color molding. The cap 60 may be made of a synthetic resin such as PP or PE.

[0036] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the pouch P to which the spout 10 is attached is described as being a large pouch (e.g., a pouch with a capacity of 2 to 3 L) that contains contents such as liquid detergent or shampoo in a refillable amount for multiple uses, but the pouch P to which the spout 10 of the present invention is attached is not limited to such large pouches and may be any type.

[0037] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 etc., it has been described that the thin-walled portion 41 is formed by forming an inner surface groove portion 42 in the straw portion 40, but the specific form of the thin-walled portion 41 is not limited to this, and for example, it may be formed by forming an outer surface groove portion (not shown) on the outer peripheral surface of the straw portion 40 that extends along the up-down direction Y at both ends of the base in the left-right direction X and reaches the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40, or it may be formed by forming both an inner surface groove portion 42 and an outer surface groove portion (not shown) in the straw portion 40.

[0038] As a modified example, in addition to (or instead of) the thin-walled portion 41, a thin-walled portion extending along the vertical direction Y and reaching the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40 may be formed at a position other than the thin-walled portion 41 (for example, location b shown in Figure 5), in which case it becomes even easier to block the area around the lower end 40b of the straw portion 40. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 10 ··· Spout 20 ··· Spout body 30... base 31 ... Outlet hole 40 Straw part 40a... Upper end 40b... Bottom end 41 Thin-walled section 42 Inner groove 43 ··· Inner flat part 44 ··· External flat part 50 ··· Pour part 51 ... Outlet hole 52 ··· Threaded part 60 ··· Cap P··· Pouch X...Base left and right direction Y... Vertical direction Z: Base thickness direction

Claims

1. A spout comprising: a base portion attached to a pouch; a pouring portion extending upward from the base portion and disposed outside the pouch; and a flexible cylindrical straw portion extending downward from the base portion and disposed within the pouch to guide pouring of contents, A spout characterized in that the lower end of the straw portion is formed flat, with the ratio of the inner diameter in the thickness direction of the base to the inner diameter in the left-right direction of the base being smaller than that of the upper end of the straw portion.

2. 2. The spout according to claim 1, wherein the straw portion is formed so that its thickness decreases downward.

3. 2. The spout according to claim 1, wherein the straw portion has thin-walled portions extending in the up-down direction at both left-right ends of the base portion and reaching the lower end of the straw portion.

4. The straw portion has inner surface grooves that extend in the vertical direction at both ends of the base portion in the left-right direction and reach the lower end of the straw portion, The spout according to claim 3, wherein the thin-walled portion is a portion formed by forming the inner surface groove.

5. The spout according to claim 4, wherein the inner surface groove portion is formed so that the groove depth and circumferential width increase downward.

6. The straw portion has inner flat portions formed on both sides in the thickness direction of the base portion so as to reach the lower end of the straw portion, The spout according to claim 1, wherein the inner flat portion is formed so that its width in the left-right direction of the base increases downward.

7. The straw portion has flat outer surfaces formed on both sides in the thickness direction of the base portion so as to reach the lower end of the straw portion, The spout according to claim 1, wherein the outer flat portion is formed so that its width in the left-right direction of the base increases downward.

8. The spout according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner shape of the straw portion is formed so as to smoothly change downward, so as to continuously transition from the shape at the upper end of the straw portion to the shape at the lower end of the straw portion.

9. A spout comprising: a base portion attached to a pouch; a pouring portion extending upward from the base portion and disposed outside the pouch; and a flexible cylindrical straw portion extending downward from the base portion and disposed within the pouch to guide pouring of contents, The spout is characterized in that the straw portion has thin-walled portions that extend in the vertical direction at both left-right ends of the base and reach the lower end of the straw portion.

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