Container and cap

Abstract

To provide a container and cap with excellent convenience.SOLUTION: The container comprises a fitting structure that positions an outer cap 200 at a locked position, and is configured such that, when the outer cap 200 rotates circumferentially relative to the cap body 100, the fitted state by the fitting structure is released and the outer cap 200 moves to an unlocked position, and at least one of the cap body 100 and a mouth portion 21 is provided with co-rotation preventing means for suppressing co-rotation of the outer cap 200 with the cap body 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, screw-type caps have been the norm for containers equipped with caps that can be attached and detached to the container body. In recent years, for example, in laminated tubes for toothpaste or paste seasonings, caps that are easy to use and can be attached and detached to the container body by sliding the cap linearly have become more common. The basic operation of such caps will be briefly explained with reference to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a cap according to conventional technology. In FIG. 10, each component is shown in a schematic cross-sectional view, with (a) showing the state in the middle of closing the cap, (b) showing the closed state of the cap, and (c) showing the state in which a malfunction occurs after the cap has been removed from the container body.

[0003] The cap 500 is composed of a cap main body 510 that is detachably attached to the mouth 21 of the container body 20, and an outer cap 520 that covers the outer periphery of the cap main body 510 and is configured to be slidable in the up and down direction. An engaging protrusion 512 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of a cylindrical body portion 511 of the cap main body 510, and a pressed protrusion 513 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the body portion 511. With the cap 500 configured as described above, when the outer cap 520 is pressed toward the container body 20, the pressed protrusion 513 is pressed into the tip of the cylindrical portion of the outer cap 520, and the outer cap 520 and the cap main body 510 slide together (see FIG. 10(a)). Then, when the engaging protrusion 512 passes over the stepped surface 28 from the large diameter portion to the small diameter portion on the outer peripheral surface of the container body 20, the tip of the cylindrical portion of the outer cap 520 climbs over the pressed protrusion 513, while the tip of the body portion 511 elastically deforms inward, and the engaging protrusion 512 engages with the stepped surface 28 (see FIG. 10(b)). This closes the cap 500. To open the cap 500, the outer cap 520 is pulled upward in the drawing, and when the tip of the cylindrical portion of the outer cap 520 passes over the pressed protrusion 513, the tip of the body portion 511 returns to its original state, and the engagement of the engaging protrusion 512 with the stepped surface 28 is released. Then, when the outer cap 520 is further pulled out, the outer cap 520 and the cap body 510 engage with each other via an engaging structure (not shown), and they are pulled out together.

[0004] In this manner, the cap 500 can be opened and closed by linearly sliding the cap 500 relative to the mouth 21 of the container body 20. With such a cap 500, it is difficult to adjust the force required to open and close the cap 500. To improve operability, it is desirable to make the cap 500 open and close with as little force as possible. However, in this case, even with a weak force, the cap 500 is likely to open unintentionally. Furthermore, when the cap 500 is removed from the container body 20, the cap body 510 is likely to become stuck deep inside the outer cap 520 (see FIG. 10(c)). In this state, the tip of the body 511 is elastically deformed inward, and even if an attempt is made to close the cap 500, the tip of the body 511 abuts against the tip of the mouth 21, making it impossible to close the cap 500. Therefore, it becomes necessary to pull out the cap body 510 from the outer cap 520, and depending on the size and shape, it may not be possible to pull it out with fingers, and some kind of tool must be used.

[0005] In response to this, the applicant of the present application has adopted a configuration in which the cap is basically opened and closed by sliding the cap linearly relative to the opening of the container body. A technology has been proposed that requires the cap to be rotated slightly when opening (Patent Document 2). This technology can solve the above-mentioned problems. However, with this technology, if the contents accumulate between the outer cap and the cap body when the cap is rotated slightly, causing the cap to rotate together, the original function will not be realized. Therefore, there is still room for improvement. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5390825 [Patent Document 2] Patent application 2024-32799 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a container and a cap that are highly convenient. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention employs the following means to solve the above problems.

[0009] That is, the container of the present invention is A container body; The container has a cylindrical body portion and is provided with a cap body that can be attached and detached to the opening of the container body, and an outer cap that covers the outer periphery of the body portion and is configured to be slidable in the up and down direction, A container in which the outer cap is positioned at a locking position so that the cap body is fitted to the mouth portion, and the outer cap is positioned at an unlocking position above the locking position so that the cap body is not fitted to the mouth portion, The cap body is provided with a fitting structure for positioning the outer cap at the locked position, and is configured such that when the outer cap rotates in a circumferential direction relative to the cap body, the fitting state of the fitting structure is released and the outer cap moves to the unlocked position; At least one of the cap body and the mouth portion is provided with a co-rotation suppressing means for suppressing the co-rotation of the outer cap and the cap body.

[0010] According to the present invention, the outer cap will not move to the unlocked position unless the outer cap is rotated circumferentially relative to the cap body, thereby preventing the cap from opening against the user's will. Furthermore, since the outer cap is configured to move to the unlocked position when the fitting structure is released, the cap body is prevented from becoming stuck deep inside the outer cap. Furthermore, the provision of the co-rotation prevention means makes it possible to more reliably rotate the outer cap circumferentially relative to the cap body, thereby more reliably moving the outer cap to the unlocked position.

[0011] the co-rotation suppression means is a stopper structure that restricts the rotation of the cap body relative to the mouth portion when the cap body attempts to rotate in a circumferential direction relative to the mouth portion, The stopper structure is composed of a container body side protrusion provided on the outer surface of the mouth portion and protruding radially outward, and the body portion, and when the cap body rotates circumferentially together with the outer cap while the outer cap is positioned in the locked position, the container body side protrusion and a portion of the body portion come into contact.

[0012] This restricts the rotation of the cap body relative to the opening, and prevents the outer cap and the cap body from rotating together.

[0013] The outer cap has a cylindrical portion that covers the outer periphery of the body portion and is configured to be slidable in the vertical direction, and below the body portion are formed a plurality of enlarged diameter portions spaced apart circumferentially, the diameter of which increases toward the lower end, and the inner surfaces of the enlarged diameter portions are provided with engaging protrusions that can engage with engaging portions provided on the outer surface of the mouth portion, so that when the outer cap slides downward relative to the cap body, the inner surface of the cylindrical portion slides over the outer surface of the enlarged diameter portions, causing the enlarged diameter portions to deform inward.

[0014] As a result, by sliding the outer cap up and down, the engaging protrusions on the cap body can be engaged with or disengaged from the engaged portion on the opening of the container body. The engaging protrusions are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the enlarged diameter portion provided below the body. The inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion of the outer cap slides against the outer circumferential surface of the enlarged diameter portion, allowing the force required to deflect or return the enlarged diameter portion to its original state to be set to a weak value.

[0015] The mouth portion may be provided with a container body side protrusion that protrudes radially outward, and the container body side protrusion and the engaging protrusion may be configured to come into contact with each other at least when the cap body attempts to rotate circumferentially together with the outer cap, thereby forming the co-rotation prevention means.

[0016] This restricts the rotation of the cap body relative to the opening, and prevents the outer cap and the cap body from rotating together.

[0017] It is also preferable that the mouth portion is provided with a plurality of container body side protrusions spaced circumferentially apart, protruding radially outward, and when the outer cap is in the locked position, at least one of the container body side protrusions is positioned between adjacent engaging protrusions in the circumferential direction, and that when the cap body rotates circumferentially together with the outer cap, the container body side protrusions and the engaging protrusions come into contact with each other, thereby forming the co-rotation prevention means.

[0018] This restricts the rotation of the cap body relative to the opening, and prevents the outer cap and the cap body from rotating together.

[0019] It is also preferable that the co-rotation suppression means is configured by providing a sliding resistance increasing protrusion on the inner surface of the cap body, which comes into contact with the outer surface of the mouth portion when the outer cap is positioned in the locked position, and is capable of increasing the sliding resistance of the cap body against the mouth portion, and by treating the contact surface of the sliding resistance increasing protrusion with the mouth portion to increase sliding resistance.

[0020] The engaging projection may also function as a sliding resistance increasing projection, or a configuration may be adopted in which a sliding resistance increasing projection is provided separately from the engaging projection.

[0021] This further restricts the rotation of the cap body relative to the opening, making it possible to prevent the outer cap and the cap body from rotating together.

[0022] The device is provided with a biasing means for biasing the outer cap upward relative to the cap body, a protrusion provided on either the outer peripheral surface of the cap body or the inner peripheral surface of the outer cap, and a fitted portion provided on the member of the cap body or the outer cap on which the protrusion is not provided, and into which the protrusion fits to position the outer cap at the lock position, and the fitting structure is formed by the protrusion and the fitted portion, and when the protrusion moves in the circumferential direction from the fitted portion, the outer cap is biased by the biasing means. It is preferable that the locking position is moved to the unlocking position above the locking position.

[0023] This allows the cap body to be disengaged from the mouth with a simple operation. Furthermore, the biasing means biases the outer cap upward relative to the cap body, preventing the cap body from becoming stuck deep inside the outer cap.

[0024] When the protrusion is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cap body, the protrusion is guided to a position directly above the fitted portion when the outer cap moves downward relative to the cap body against the biasing force of the biasing means, When the protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the outer cap, it is preferable to provide a guide portion configured to guide the protrusion to a position directly below the mating portion when the outer cap moves downward relative to the cap body against the biasing force of the biasing means.

[0025] As a result, the outer cap is urged upward relative to the cap body by the urging force of the urging means, the protrusion fits into the fitting portion, and the outer cap is positioned at the locked position.

[0026] The cap of the present invention comprises a cap body that can be attached and detached to the mouth of a container body, and an outer cap that covers the outer periphery of the cap body and is configured to be slidable in the vertical direction.When the outer cap is positioned in a locked position, the cap body is fitted to the mouth, and when the outer cap is positioned in an unlocked position above the locked position, the cap body is not fitted to the mouth.The cap is provided with an engaging structure that positions the outer cap in the locked position, and is configured so that when the outer cap rotates circumferentially relative to the cap body, the fitted state formed by the engaging structure is released and the outer cap moves to the unlocked position.The cap body is provided with a co-rotation suppression means that suppresses co-rotation of the outer cap and the cap body.

[0027] According to the present invention, the outer cap will not move to the unlocked position unless the outer cap is rotated circumferentially relative to the cap body, thereby preventing the cap from opening against the user's will. Furthermore, since the outer cap is configured to move to the unlocked position when the fitting structure is released, the cap body is prevented from becoming stuck deep inside the outer cap. Furthermore, the provision of the co-rotation prevention means makes it possible to more reliably rotate the outer cap circumferentially relative to the cap body, thereby more reliably moving the outer cap to the unlocked position.

[0028] The co-rotation suppression means may be configured by providing a sliding resistance increasing protrusion on the inner surface of the cap body that comes into contact with the outer surface of the mouth portion when the outer cap is positioned in the locked position, thereby increasing the sliding resistance of the cap body relative to the mouth portion, and by treating the contact surface of the sliding resistance increasing protrusion with the mouth portion to increase sliding resistance.

[0029] The engaging projection may also function as a sliding resistance increasing projection, or a configuration may be adopted in which a sliding resistance increasing projection is provided separately from the engaging projection.

[0030] In this way, by adopting a configuration in which the sliding resistance increasing projections are provided, rotation of the cap body relative to the opening portion is restricted, and co-rotation of the outer cap and the cap body can be suppressed.

[0031] The above configurations may be combined as much as possible. [Effects of the Invention]

[0032] As described above, the present invention can improve convenience. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a cap body according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partial external view of the cap body according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an outer cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a groove provided in the outer cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a partial external view of the container body according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the container body side projections and the engagement projections according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cap according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a container according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a cap according to the prior art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] The following detailed description of the present invention will be given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, although the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of the components described in the examples are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specified.

[0035] Example 1 A cap according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cap body according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view thereof, (b) is a side view thereof (viewed in the V1 direction in (a)), and (c) is a schematic cross-sectional view thereof (cross-sectional view along the line AA in (a)). FIG. 2 is a partial external view of the cap body according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a partial view seen in the V1 direction in FIG. 1(a), and (b) is a partial view seen in the V2 direction in FIG. 1(a). FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an outer cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view thereof and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view thereof (cross-sectional view along the line BB in (a)). FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a groove provided in the outer cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a partial external view of a container body according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing each member in a schematic cross-sectional view. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the container body side projections and the engagement projections according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] In the following description, "up" means vertically up when the cap 10 is attached to the container body 20 and facing upward relative to the container body 20, and "down" means vertically down when the cap 10 is attached to the container body 20 and facing upward relative to the container body 20.

[0037] In this embodiment, a laminated tube for storing toothpaste or paste condiments will be used as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to such containers and can be applied to various types of containers, such as PET bottles, glass containers, and metal containers.

[0038] <Container> As shown in Figures 6(b) and (c), the container is made up of a container body 20 and a cap 10. Note that Figures 5 and 6(b) and (c) only show a portion of the container body 20. The container body 20 has a mouth 21. The mouth 21 is a portion that is narrower than the shoulder portion at the top of the body of the container body 20, and corresponds to a neck portion having a mouth (opening) at the tip. The inner circumferential surface of the mouth 21 is made up of a cylindrical surface. Note that this inner circumferential surface corresponds to the mouth (opening). The outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 21 is provided with an annular protrusion 22 as an engaged portion having an outer diameter larger than the cylindrical surface at the top (tip side of the mouth portion 21). The outer peripheral surface of the annular protrusion 22 in this embodiment continuously has a tapered surface 22a that increases in diameter from the upper end (tip) side of the mouth portion 21 toward the body portion, and a tapered surface 22b that decreases in diameter from the upper end side toward the body portion, and the cross section of the annular protrusion 22 is triangular. An annular groove 23 is provided below the annular protrusion 22. Note that in this embodiment, the engaged portion is formed by the annular protrusion, but the engaged portion in the present invention is not limited to the annular protrusion and can also be formed by protrusions or stepped surfaces that are provided intermittently in the circumferential direction.

[0039] <Cap> The cap 10, which is configured to be detachable from the mouth 21 of the container body 20, will now be described in detail. In this embodiment, the cap 10 is configured to be attached to the mouth 21 by a pushing action, and to be detached from the mouth 21 by a pulling action. The cap 10 is configured to be comprised of a cap body 100 and an outer cap 200.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 1 , the cap body 100 includes a top plate 110 and a cylindrical body 120 attached to the mouth 21. The top plate 110 includes a seal portion 113 configured to protrude downward and a cylindrical protrusion 114 provided radially outward of the seal portion 113. The seal portion 113 includes a cylindrical portion that can fit onto the inner circumferential surface of the mouth 21 and a closing portion that closes the lower end of the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical protrusion 114 serves to position the cap body 100 relative to the container body 20 by abutting against the tip of the mouth 21 of the container body 20. Note that if positioning is possible using the underside of the top plate 110, a configuration without the cylindrical protrusion 114 can also be adopted. The cylindrical protrusion 114 can also provide a sealing function.

[0041] On the upper surface side of the top plate 110, spring portions (first spring portion 111 and second spring portion 112) serving as biasing means are integrally provided on the top plate 110. In this embodiment, a pair of first spring portions 111 and a pair of second spring portions 112 are provided. The first spring portion 111 is composed of a pair of root portions 111a that slope away from each other as they extend upward from the top plate 110, and a pair of tip portions 111b that slope downward from the tip of the root portion 111a. The second spring portion 112 is composed of a pair of root portions 112a that slope away from each other as they extend upward from the top plate 110, and a pair of tip portions 112b that extend parallel to the top plate 110 from the tip of the root portion 112a. These first spring portions 111 and second spring portions 112 are alternately arranged at 90° intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0042] In FIG. 2, the solid lines indicate the first spring portion 111 and the second spring portion 112 in a state where no external force is applied, and the dotted lines indicate a state where they are compressed and the tip of the tip portion 111b of the first spring portion 111 is in contact with the top plate portion 110. The spring constant of the first spring portion 111 and the second spring portion 112 increases when the tips of the tip portions 111b and 112b contact the top plate portion 110. As is clear from FIG. 2, the configuration of the first spring portion 111 allows the spring constant to be increased at a stage where the amount of compression is smaller than when the configuration of the second spring portion 112 is adopted. Therefore, it is desirable to adopt the configuration of the first spring portion 111 for all springs. However, in this embodiment, the cap body 100 is configured to be resin-molded using a mold, and therefore, the two types of spring portion configurations described above are adopted from the perspective of moldability. In other words, if a configuration in which all the first spring portions 111 are used, one of the first spring portions 111 will be undercut, and it will be necessary to forcibly remove it. In contrast, by using a configuration in which the mold is opened in the front-to-back direction on the page in Figure 2(a) and in the left-to-right direction in Figure 2(b), the spring portion will not be undercut.

[0043] 1 or 6, the body portion 120 has a configuration in which an expanded diameter portion is provided below a cylindrical portion. The expanded diameter portion is configured to expand in diameter toward the lower end at the bottom of the body portion 120. The inner peripheral surface of this expanded diameter portion is provided with engaging protrusions 121 that can engage with annular protrusions 22 serving as engaged portions provided on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 21 of the container body 20. Furthermore, a plurality of expanded diameter portions are provided circumferentially at intervals around the entire circumference. As a result, the cap body 100 is engaged with the mouth portion 21 of the container body 20 by the engaging protrusions 121 around the entire circumference.

[0044] Furthermore, a plurality of (four in this embodiment) protrusions 122 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the body portion 120. These protrusions 122 play a role in determining the positional relationship with the outer cap 200. In this embodiment, the protrusions 122 are disposed directly below the circumferential center of the first spring portion 111 and directly below the circumferential center of the second spring portion 112.

[0045] The cap body 100 is made of a resin material (for example, polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP)) that allows the expanded diameter portion below the body portion 120, the first spring portion 111, and the second spring portion 112 to have appropriate flexibility.

[0046] 3, the outer cap 200 includes a top plate 210 and a cylindrical portion 220 that covers the outer periphery of the body portion 120 of the cap main body 100 and is configured to be slidable in the vertical direction. The inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 220 includes a first cylindrical surface portion 221 that covers the cylindrical portion of the body portion 120, a tapered surface portion 222 that increases in diameter downward from the first cylindrical surface portion 221, and a second cylindrical surface portion 223 that is larger in diameter than the first cylindrical surface portion 221. The first cylindrical surface portion 221 is provided with a plurality of grooves 224 (four in this embodiment) spaced apart in the circumferential direction. These grooves 224 are configured to receive the protrusions 122 of the cap main body 100 and serve to determine the positional relationship with the cap main body 100. In this embodiment, the groove 224 is used as a configuration that fulfills this role, but as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 3(b), a through hole 224X can also be used instead of the groove.

[0047] <Attaching and detaching the cap to the container body> Attachment and detachment of the cap 10 to the container body 20 will be described with particular reference to Figures 4 to 7. In the cap 10, the cap body 100 is fitted in advance inside the outer cap 200. The cap 10 is configured so that the cap body 100 is attached to the mouth portion 21 when the outer cap 200 is in the locked position, and the cap body 100 is not attached to the mouth portion 21 when the outer cap 200 is in the unlocked position. Figure 6(a) shows the cap 10 removed from the container body 20. Figure 6(b) shows the cap 10 in the process of being closed (the outer cap 200 is in the process of moving from the unlocked position to the locked position). Figure 6(c) shows the cap 10 in the closed state.

[0048] The positional relationship between the cap body 100 and the outer cap 200, and the positional relationship between the protrusion 122 of the cap body 100 and the groove 224 of the outer cap 200 during the attachment and detachment of the cap 10 to and from the container body 20 will be described below.

[0049] Prior to this explanation, the configuration of the groove 224 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the groove 224 has an inverted U-shape when viewed from the front. A recess 224a is provided on the side of the groove 224 as a fitting portion that is recessed downward. Both side surfaces of the recess 224a are configured as inclined surfaces that slope upward in the left-right direction in FIG. 4 (corresponding to the direction in which the cap body 100 and the outer cap 200 rotate relative to each other). In addition, at a position on the side surface of the groove 224 facing the recess 224a, a slit is provided that serves as an end point for guiding the movement of the protrusion 122. 4, stopper portions 224c are provided at the bottom of the side surfaces of the groove 224 on both the left and right sides in FIG. 4 to restrict downward movement of the protrusion 122. The portions of the side surfaces of the groove 224 excluding the recess 224a, the end point curved surface portions 224b, and the stopper portions 224c function as guide portions that guide the protrusion 122 to the end point curved surface portions 224b. In this embodiment, the guide portions have linear guide portions 224A that guide the protrusion 122 parallel to the up-down direction. The linear guide portions 224A are provided on both circumferential sides of the recess 224a.

[0050] 6(a), when the outer cap 200 is in the unlocked position, the protrusion 122 is in contact with the stopper portion 224c of the groove 224 (see the protrusion 122c1 indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 4). In this embodiment, the groove 224 is provided with the stopper portion 224c, and the relationship between the protrusion 122 and the groove 224 restricts the upward movement of the outer cap 200 relative to the cap body 100 within a predetermined range.

[0051] As shown in Figure 6(a), when the outer cap 200 is in the unlocked position, the expanded diameter portion at the bottom of the body portion 120 is contained within the tapered surface portion 222 and the second cylindrical surface portion 223 of the outer cap 200.

[0052] Then, the cap 10 is fitted to the container body 20 so that the tip of the mouth portion 21 of the container body 20 is inserted inside the enlarged diameter portion of the cap body 100, and the outer cap 200 is pushed in, causing the outer cap 200 to move downward relative to the cap body 100. As described above, the enlarged diameter portion below the body portion 120 is contained inside the tapered surface portion 222 and the second cylindrical surface portion 223 of the outer cap 200, so that the tip of the mouth portion 21 does not hit a part of the enlarged diameter portion, causing that part to be significantly deformed.

[0053] During the process of pushing in the outer cap 200, the first spring portion 111 and the second spring portion 112 come into contact with the top plate portion 210 of the outer cap 200, and the cap body 100 is pushed in together with the outer cap 200. As a result, the seal portion 113 is fitted into the inner circumferential surface of the mouth portion 21, and the cylindrical protrusion 114 abuts against the tip of the mouth portion 21 of the container body 20. Furthermore, when the outer cap 200 slides downward relative to the cap body 100, the inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 220 slides over the outer circumferential surface of the enlarged diameter portion, causing the enlarged diameter portion to deform inward, and the engaging protrusion 121 engages with the annular protrusion 22. In this way, the enlarged diameter portion is configured to deform inward before the outer cap 200 is positioned at the locked position.

[0054] It should be noted that the first spring portion 111 and the second spring portion 112 may be in contact with the top plate portion 210 of the outer cap 200 even in the unlocked position.

[0055] As the outer cap 200 is further pushed in, the first spring portion 111 and the second spring portion 112 are further compressed while the cap body 100 remains stationary relative to the opening portion 21, and the outer cap 200 moves further downward relative to the cap body 100 (see FIG. 6(b)). In this manner, during the process of pushing the outer cap 200, the protrusion 122 is guided by the guide portion of the groove 224 and moves to the end-point curved surface portion 224b, as indicated by the solid arrow c1 in FIG. 4. The dotted line indicates the protrusion 122c2 during movement, and the dotted line indicates the protrusion 122c3 after moving to the end-point curved surface portion 224b. In this manner, when the outer cap 200 moves downward relative to the cap body 100 against the biasing forces of the first spring portion 111 and the second spring portion 112 serving as the biasing means, the guide portion guides the protrusion 122 to a position directly above the recess 224a serving as the fitted portion.

[0056] Then, when the force applied to the outer cap 200 is stopped, the outer cap 200 rises relative to the cap body 100 due to the biasing force of the first spring portion 111 and the second spring portion 112. , the outer cap 200 moves to the locked position. As described above, FIG. 6(c) shows the state in which the outer cap 200 is positioned at the locked position, thereby closing the cap 10. During this process, as shown by the solid arrow c2 in FIG. 4, the protrusion 122 moves directly downward to the recessed portion 224a. As a result, the protrusion 122 becomes engaged with the recessed portion 224a (see the protrusion 122c4 shown by the dotted line in FIG. 4). After the protrusion 122 is engaged with the recessed portion 224a, even if a force acts to move the outer cap 200 in the vertical direction relative to the cap body 100, the protrusion 122 moves only between the recessed portion 224a and the end curved surface portion 224b. Therefore, the state in which the engaging protrusion 121 is engaged with the annular protrusion 22 is maintained, and the cap 10 will not come off from the container body 20.

[0057] To remove the cap 10 from the container body 20, simply rotate the outer cap 200 slightly relative to the cap body 100 and then pull it out. Rotating the outer cap 200 generates a force that rotates the cap body 100 and the outer cap 200 relative to each other from the locked position, disengaging the projection 122 from the recess 224a. As shown by the dotted arrow O1 in FIG. 4, the projection 122 slides along the inclined surface that is the side surface of the recess 224a (see the projection 122o1 shown by the dotted line in the figure) and exits the recess 224a (see the projection 122o2 shown by the dotted line in the figure). Because both side surfaces of the recess 224a are inclined upward in the direction of rotation, the outer cap 200 can be smoothly rotated relative to the cap body 100.

[0058] Thereafter, when the rotation of the outer cap 200 is stopped, the biasing force of the first spring portion 111 and the second spring portion 112 causes the outer cap 200 to rise relative to the cap body 100, and the outer cap 200 moves to the unlocked position. During this process, as shown by the dotted arrow O2 in FIG. 4, the protrusion 122 is guided by the guide portion of the groove 224 to a position where it abuts against the stopper portion 224c. Note that the dotted line indicates the protrusion 122o3 during movement, and the dotted line indicates the protrusion 122o4 after it has moved to the stopper portion 224c. Thereafter, the cap 10 can be removed from the container body 20 by pulling it out of the container body 20.

[0059] As described above, when the protrusion 122 moves in the circumferential direction from the recess 224a serving as the fitted portion, the outer cap 200 is urged by the first spring portion 111 and the second spring portion 112 serving as the urging means to move to the unlocked position above the locked position. Furthermore, when the outer cap 200 is in the unlocked position, the protrusion 122 is located in the guide portion below the recess 224a.

[0060] <<Means to prevent co-rotation>> As described above, when removing the cap 10 from the container body 20, it is sufficient to rotate the outer cap 200 slightly relative to the cap body 100 and then pull it out. However, when rotating the outer cap 200, there is a risk that the outer cap 200 and the cap body 100 may rotate together. If the outer cap 200 and the cap body 100 rotate together, the protrusion 122 of the cap body 100 will remain engaged with the recess 224a of the groove 224 of the outer cap 200, and the outer cap 200 will remain in the locked position.

[0061] Therefore, in this embodiment, the cap body 100 and the mouth portion 21 are provided with a co-rotation suppression means for suppressing the co-rotation of the outer cap 200 and the cap body 100. More specifically, the co-rotation suppression means according to this embodiment is configured by a stopper structure that restricts the rotation of the cap body 100 relative to the mouth portion 21 when the cap body 100 tries to rotate in the circumferential direction relative to the mouth portion 21. This stopper structure is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 21 and includes a container body side protrusion 25 that protrudes radially outward, and a body portion 120 of the cap body 100. The container body side projection 25 according to this embodiment is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction within the annular groove 23 provided in the mouth portion 21 (see FIG. 5).

[0062] With the above configuration, even if the cap body 100 attempts to rotate circumferentially together with the outer cap 200 when the outer cap 200 is in the locked position, the container body-side projection 25 comes into contact with a portion of the body portion 120, thereby restricting the rotation of the cap body 100 relative to the mouth portion 21. This prevents the cap body 100 from rotating together with the outer cap 200 in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the "portion of the body portion 120" that comes into contact with the container body-side projection 25 corresponds to the engaging projection 121. In other words, the container body-side projection 25 comes into contact with the engaging projection 121 at least when the cap body 100 attempts to rotate circumferentially together with the outer cap 200. This configuration will be described in more detail below.

[0063] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the container body side projections 25 and the engagement projections 121 when the container is viewed from above and below. The mouth portion 21 of the container body 20 is provided with a plurality of container body side projections 25 that protrude radially outward and are spaced apart circumferentially. In the example shown in FIG. 7(a), regardless of the circumferential positional relationship between the mouth portion 21 and the cap body 100, when the outer cap 200 is in the locked position, at least one of the container body side projections 25 is positioned between adjacent engagement projections 121 as viewed circumferentially. In FIG. 7(a), the container body side projection 25a is positioned between adjacent engagement projections 121, and the other container body side projection 25b is in contact with the engagement projection 121. This configuration can be appropriately set by the number and arrangement of the container body side projections 25 and the engagement projections 121, as well as their circumferential dimensions. When such a configuration is adopted, when the cap body 100 rotates circumferentially together with the outer cap 200, the container body-side projection 25 butts against the engaging projection 121. That is, one of both circumferential side surfaces of the container body-side projection 25 butts against the other of both circumferential side surfaces of the engaging projection 121. In FIG. 7(a), the container body-side projection 25aX indicated by the dotted line shows the state in which it butts against the engaging projection 121. This restricts the rotation of the cap body 100 relative to the mouth portion 21. Therefore, the outer cap 200 and the cap body 100 are prevented from rotating together.

[0064] Note that the container body side projections 25b also come into contact with the engaging projections 121, resulting in a high sliding resistance between them. Therefore, depending on the usage environment, when the cap body 100 attempts to rotate circumferentially together with the outer cap 200, the rotation of the cap body 100 relative to the mouth portion 21 may be restricted by the sliding resistance acting between the multiple container body side projections 25b and the engaging projections 121. However, if it is desired to more reliably have the container body side projections 25a abut against the engaging projections 121, it is advisable to make the height of all of the container body side projections 25 as low as possible in order to reduce the sliding resistance acting between the container body side projections 25b and the engaging projections 121.

[0065] In the example shown in FIG. 7(b), when the outer cap 200 is in the locked position, all of the container body protrusions 25 are positioned between adjacent engagement protrusions 121 in the circumferential direction (see solid lines), or all of the container body protrusions 25 are in contact with the engagement protrusions 121 (see dotted lines). This configuration can be appropriately set depending on the number and arrangement of the container body protrusions 25 and engagement protrusions 121, as well as their circumferential dimensions. When this configuration is adopted, when all of the container body protrusions 25 are positioned between adjacent engagement protrusions 121, they behave in the same way as the container body protrusions 25a. When all of the container body protrusions 25 are in contact with the engagement protrusions 121, they behave in the same way as the container body protrusions 25b. Even when all of the container body side protrusions 25 come into contact with the engaging protrusions 121, if you want to suppress co-rotation by the sliding resistance between them, it is desirable to set the sliding resistance between the container body side protrusions 25 and the engaging protrusions 121 to be sufficiently high.

[0066] When the outer cap 200 is in the locked position and all of the container body projections 25 are only partially in contact with the engaging projections 121, the sliding resistance acting therebetween is small. Therefore, as the cap body 100 rotates relative to the mouth 21, all of the container body projections 25 may slide against the engaging projections 121 and then separate from the engaging projections 121. In this case, all of the container body projections 25 subsequently behave in the same manner as the container body projections 25a described above, so the rotation of the cap body 100 relative to the mouth 21 is still restricted.

[0067] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, a configuration is adopted in which the shape of the groove 224 is symmetrical in the figure. As a result, when removing the cap 10 from the container body 20, the outer cap 200 may be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the cap body 100. The trajectory of the protrusion 122 relative to the groove 224 in Fig. 4 is shown when the outer cap 200 is rotated counterclockwise relative to the cap body 100. Needless to say, the trajectory when the outer cap 200 is rotated clockwise relative to the cap body 100 will be symmetrical in Fig. 4.

[0068] Example 2 Figure 8 shows Example 2 of the present invention. In Example 1 above, an expanded diameter portion is provided below the body portion of the cap body, and an engaging protrusion is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the expanded diameter portion. In this example, an engaging protrusion is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the body portion without providing an expanded diameter portion below the body portion. The other configurations and functions are the same as in Example 1, so the same components are designated by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0069] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cap according to Example 2 of the present invention. Note that in FIG. 8, only a cross section of a portion of the cap body is shown, and depth lines are omitted. Similarly to Example 1, the cap 10A according to this example also includes a cap body 100A and an outer cap 200A. An engaging protrusion 121A is provided on the lower inner circumferential surface of the body portion 120 of the cap body 100A. Although not specifically shown, a plurality of slits are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction so that the portion of the lower body portion 120 where the engaging protrusion 121A is provided can easily deform inward, and the engaging protrusion 121A is provided between the slits. Furthermore, a pressed protrusion 123 is provided on the lower outer circumferential surface of the body portion 120 of the cap body 100A.

[0070] With the above configuration, by moving the outer cap 200A downward relative to the cap body 100A, the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 220 of the outer cap 200A presses the pressed protrusion 123, causing the lower portion of the body portion 120 to deform inward. As a result, similar to the first embodiment, the engaging protrusion 121A can be engaged with the annular protrusion 22 (not shown in FIG. 8) provided on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 21 of the container body 20.

[0071] In this embodiment, the engaging protrusion 121A can function as a co-rotation suppression means / stopper structure, similarly to the above-described embodiment 1. Note that the same configurations as those in embodiment 1 can be adopted for the configurations other than those related to the engaging protrusion 121A (configurations of the biasing means, protrusions, grooves, etc.), and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0072] The cap 10A according to this embodiment configured as described above can also achieve the same effects as those of the first embodiment.

[0073] Example 3 FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment, the co-rotation suppression means This example shows a case where the container body side protrusions that make up the topper structure are configured to extend in the vertical direction within the annular groove provided in the mouth. However, the arrangement of the container body side protrusions is not particularly limited. This example shows a configuration in which the arrangement of the container body side protrusions is different from that of Example 1. The other configurations and functions are the same as those of Example 1, so the same components are given the same symbols and their descriptions are omitted.

[0074] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a container according to Example 3 of the present invention, where (a) is a part of an external view of the container body according to Example 3 of the present invention, and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the cap of the container when the cap is closed.

[0075] In this embodiment, the container body side projection 25X that constitutes the co-rotation suppression means / stopper structure is provided on the tapered surface 22a of the annular projection 22. Also in this embodiment, as in embodiment 1, the engagement projection 121 that is part of the body portion 120 of the cap body 100 constitutes the co-rotation suppression means / stopper structure. The mechanism by which the container body side projection 25X and the engagement projection 121 function as the co-rotation suppression means / stopper structure is the same as in embodiment 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0076] As described above, the arrangement of the protrusions on the container body side that constitute the co-rotation suppression means / stopper structure is not particularly limited. Also, in each embodiment, the case where the engaging protrusions 121 are used as "part of the body portion 120" that constitutes the co-rotation suppression means / stopper structure is shown. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a dedicated portion (such as a protrusion) that fulfills the function of the co-rotation suppression means / stopper structure is provided without using the engaging protrusions 121.

[0077] (others) In the above-described embodiments, in order to form a co-rotation suppression means / stopper structure, a configuration has been shown in which the container body side protrusions 25, 25X are provided on the mouth 21 of the container body 20. However, a configuration can also be adopted in which a portion for forming the co-rotation suppression means / stopper structure is not provided on the container body 20, and a portion for forming the co-rotation suppression means / stopper structure is provided only on the cap body 100.

[0078] For example, as shown in the partially enlarged view circled in FIG. 6( c), a configuration can be adopted in which a sliding resistance increasing protrusion 125 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cap body 100. This protrusion contacts the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 21 when the outer cap 200 is in the locked position, thereby increasing the sliding resistance of the cap body 100 relative to the mouth portion 21. By adopting such a configuration, the sliding resistance increasing protrusion 125 alone can function as a co-rotation suppressing means and stopper structure, even without providing a container body-side protrusion on the mouth portion 21. While the arrangement of the sliding resistance increasing protrusion is not particularly limited, it is desirable to prevent the sliding resistance increasing protrusion from increasing when the cap 10 is slid up and down relative to the container body 20. The sliding resistance increasing protrusion 125 shown in the figure is configured to contact the tapered surface 22 a of the annular protrusion 22 when the outer cap 200 is in the locked position. With this configuration, the sliding resistance increasing projection 125 does not contact the container body 20 when the cap 10 is slid up and down relative to the container body 20, but contacts the tapered surface 22a when the outer cap 200 is in the locked position. This allows the function of a co-rotation suppression means and a stopper structure to be fulfilled. It is also preferable to employ a configuration in which the contact surface of the sliding resistance increasing projection 125 with the opening 21 is treated to increase sliding resistance. For example, sandblasting can be performed to roughen the tip surface of the sliding resistance increasing projection 125, thereby increasing sliding resistance. Furthermore, by treating the contact surface of the engaging projection 121 with the opening 21 to increase sliding resistance, the engaging projection 121 can also function as a sliding resistance increasing projection.

[0079] Furthermore, in order to define the positional relationship between the cap body 100 and the outer cap 200, the first embodiment described above has a configuration in which the protrusion 122 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cap body 100 and the groove 224 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cap 200. As mentioned above, the hole 224X may be used instead of the groove 224.

[0080] Although not specifically shown, a configuration may be adopted in which a protrusion is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cap, and a groove or hole into which the protrusion enters is provided on the cap body, which is the component without the protrusion. In this case, similar effects to those of Example 1 can be achieved by providing a mating portion and a guide portion on the side surface of the groove or the inner wall surface of the hole, as in Example 1. Needless to say, a stopper portion may be provided on the side surface of the groove or the inner wall surface of the hole, as in Example 1. For example, when using the groove shaped as shown in FIG. 4 above, a groove having a shape that is the upside-down inversion of the groove shown in FIG. 4 may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cap body. Note that, in this configuration, the mating portion is formed as a recessed portion recessed upward, and both side surfaces of this recess are formed as inclined surfaces that slope downward as the cap body and the outer cap rotate relative to each other. Furthermore, the operation of the cap body and the outer cap when attaching or detaching the cap to or from the container body is the same as in Example 1, except that the operation of the protrusion and the groove is reversed. Therefore, when the outer cap moves downward relative to the cap body against the biasing force of the spring portion, which is the biasing means, the protrusion is guided by the guide portion to a position directly below the mating portion. Furthermore, when the outer cap is in the unlocked position, the protrusion is positioned above the mating portion on the guide portion. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 10, 10A, 10B, 10C: Cap 100, 100A, 100B, 100C: Cap body 110: Top plate 111: First spring part 111a: Base 111b:Tip 112: Second spring part 112a: Base 112b:Tip 113: Seal part 114: Cylindrical protrusion 120: Torso 121,121A: Engaging protrusion 122,122X,122c1,122c2,122c3,122c4,122o1,122o2,122o3,122o4:Protrusion 123: Pressurized protrusion 125: Protrusion for increasing sliding resistance 200, 200A, 200B, 200C: Outer cap 210: Top plate 211: First spring part 212: Second spring part 220: Cylindrical part 221: 1st cylindrical surface part 222: Tapered surface 223:Second cylindrical surface part 224: Groove 224A, 224C: Linear guide section 224P, 224Q, 224R: Groove 224a: recess 224b: Curved surface for end point 224c: Stopper part 224X:hole 300: Spring material 310: Discoid part 311: First spring part 312: Second spring part 20: Container body 21: Mouth 22: Ring-shaped protrusion 22a: Tapered surface 22b: Tapered surface 23: Annular groove 25,25X,25a,25aX,25b: Container body side protrusion

Claims

1. A container body; a cap body having a cylindrical body portion and detachably attached to the opening of the container body; an outer cap configured to cover the outer periphery of the body portion and be slidable in the up and down direction; Equipped with A container in which the outer cap is positioned at a locking position so that the cap body is fitted to the mouth portion, and the outer cap is positioned at an unlocking position above the locking position so that the cap body is not fitted to the mouth portion, The cap body is provided with a fitting structure for positioning the outer cap at the locked position, and is configured such that when the outer cap rotates in a circumferential direction relative to the cap body, the fitting state of the fitting structure is released and the outer cap moves to the unlocked position; A container characterized in that at least one of the cap body and the mouth portion is provided with a co-rotation suppression means for suppressing the co-rotation of the outer cap and the cap body.

2. the co-rotation suppression means is a stopper structure that restricts the rotation of the cap body relative to the mouth portion when the cap body attempts to rotate in a circumferential direction relative to the mouth portion, The stopper structure is a container body side protrusion provided on an outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion and protruding radially outward; The body portion; It consists of The container according to claim 1, characterized in that when the outer cap is positioned in the locked position and the cap body rotates circumferentially together with the outer cap, the container body side protrusion comes into contact with a portion of the body portion.

3. The outer cap has a cylindrical portion that covers the outer periphery of the body portion and is configured to be slidable in the up and down direction, A plurality of enlarged diameter portions are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction below the body portion, the diameter of which increases toward the lower end, and an engaging protrusion is provided on the inner peripheral surface of each enlarged diameter portion, which is capable of engaging with an engaged portion provided on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion; The container according to claim 1, characterized in that when the outer cap slides downward relative to the cap body, the inner surface of the cylindrical portion slides against the outer surface of the enlarged diameter portion, causing the enlarged diameter portion to deform inward.

4. The opening is provided with a container body side protrusion that protrudes radially outward, The container described in claim 3, characterized in that the co-rotation prevention means is configured so that the container body side protrusion and the engaging protrusion come into contact with each other at least when the cap body attempts to rotate circumferentially together with the outer cap.

5. The opening has a plurality of container body side projections that project radially outward and are spaced apart in the circumferential direction, The container described in claim 3, characterized in that when the outer cap is positioned in the locked position, at least one of the container body side protrusions is positioned between adjacent engaging protrusions when viewed circumferentially, and when the cap body rotates circumferentially together with the outer cap, the container body side protrusion and the engaging protrusion come into contact with each other, thereby forming the co-rotation prevention means.

6. When the outer cap is positioned at the lock position, the inner circumferential surface of the cap body can come into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the mouth portion, thereby increasing the sliding resistance of the cap body relative to the mouth portion. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the co-rotation suppression means is formed by providing a protrusion for increasing sliding resistance, and by treating the contact surface of the protrusion for increasing sliding resistance with the mouth portion to increase sliding resistance.

7. a biasing means for biasing the outer cap upward relative to the cap body; a protrusion provided on either an outer peripheral surface of the cap body or an inner peripheral surface of the outer cap; a fitting portion provided on one of the cap body and the outer cap on which the protrusion is not provided, the fitting portion fitting the protrusion to position the outer cap at the lock position; Equipped with The projection and the fitted portion constitute the fitting structure, 2. The container according to claim 1, wherein when the protrusion moves circumferentially from the fitted portion, the outer cap is urged by the urging means to move to the unlocked position above the locked position.

8. When the protrusion is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cap body, the protrusion is guided to a position directly above the fitted portion when the outer cap moves downward relative to the cap body against the biasing force of the biasing means, The container described in claim 7, characterized in that when the protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the outer cap, a guide portion is provided that is configured to guide the protrusion to a position directly below the mating portion when the outer cap moves downward relative to the cap body against the biasing force of the biasing means.

9. a cap body that is detachable from the opening of the container body; an outer cap that covers the outer periphery of the cap body and is configured to be slidable in the up and down direction; Equipped with When the outer cap is positioned at a locking position, the cap body is fitted to the mouth portion, and when the outer cap is positioned at an unlocking position above the locking position, the cap body is not fitted to the mouth portion, The cap body is provided with a fitting structure for positioning the outer cap at the locked position, and is configured such that when the outer cap rotates in a circumferential direction relative to the cap body, the fitting state of the fitting structure is released and the outer cap moves to the unlocked position; The cap is characterized in that the cap body is provided with a co-rotation suppression means for suppressing co-rotation of the outer cap and the cap body.

10. The cap described in claim 9, characterized in that the inner surface of the cap body is provided with a sliding resistance increasing protrusion that contacts the outer surface of the mouth portion when the outer cap is positioned in the locked position and is capable of increasing the sliding resistance of the cap body relative to the mouth portion, and the contact surface of the sliding resistance increasing protrusion with the mouth portion is treated to increase sliding resistance, thereby forming the co-rotation suppression means.

Images