Cap

Abstract

To provide a cap for improving a TE property.SOLUTION: The TE band (30) has a TE rib (31) that is pushed by a body-side pushing portion (24) of the cap body (20) when the cap is opened, and a band-side upper end recessed portion (32) that is recessed on an upper end side of the TE band (30) and at least partially accommodates the TE rib (31) that is pushed and deformed by the body-side pushing portion (24) when the cap is opened.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cap including a cap body that is screwed onto a container opening, and a TE band that is attached to the container opening below the cap body. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a cap that includes a cap body that screws onto the container mouth and a TE band that is attached to the container mouth on the lower side of the cap body, and that can be opened by rotating the cap body in the opening direction relative to the container mouth (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the cap described in Patent Document 1, when the cap is opened, the weakened connecting portion is broken and the non-breakable connecting bridge is deformed, i.e., a part of the cap is deformed, thereby ensuring TE (tamper evident) properties that clearly indicate that the cap has been opened. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-217966 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, with the above-described cap, depending on the manner in which the cap is attached, it may be difficult to visually recognize deformation of a portion of the cap from the outside when the cap is opened, and there is a risk that the TE properties may not be exhibited well.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve these problems, and has an object to provide a cap that has a simple structure and improves TE performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the cap of the present invention is a cap that comprises a cap body that screws onto a container mouth portion and a TE band that is attached to the container mouth portion below the cap body, and that can be opened by rotating the cap body in the opening direction relative to the container mouth portion, and the TE band has a TE rib that is pressed by the body-side pushing portion of the cap body when the cap is opened, and a band-side upper end recess that is recessed on the upper end side of the TE band and at least partially accommodates the TE rib that is pressed and deformed by the body-side pushing portion when the cap is opened, thereby solving the above problem. Another aspect of the cap of the present invention is a cap that comprises a cap body that screws onto a container mouth portion and a TE band that is attached to the container mouth portion below the cap body, and that can be opened by rotating the cap body in the opening direction relative to the container mouth portion, wherein the TE band has a TE rib that is pressed by the body-side pushing portion of the cap body when the cap is opened, and the cap body has a body-side lower end recess that is recessed on the lower end side of the cap body and accommodates a part of the TE rib before the cap is opened, thereby solving the above problem. In any of the caps described above, the TE band may have a locking portion that can be engaged with the TE rib in a state where the TE band is housed in the band-side upper end recess. In any of the caps described above, the cap body may have a body-side lower end recess recessed at the lower end side of the cap body, which receives a part of the TE rib before the cap is opened. In any of the above caps, the TE rib may have a curved portion that is curved upward and moves closer to the front side in the opening direction, at a position that is circumferentially opposite the main body side pushing portion before the cap is opened. In any of the caps described above, the TE rib may have a thin portion closer to the base of the TE rib than the curved portion. In any of the above caps, the main body side pushing portion may be a portion that extends circumferentially from the lower end of the skirt portion of the cap main body toward the rear in the opening direction and is positioned within the main body side lower end recess. In any of the caps described above, the main body side pushing portion may have a thin portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present invention can improve the TE performance with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state before opening of the cap according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of each part when the cap is opened. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A cap 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] First, the cap 10 is formed from a synthetic resin or the like and is attached to the container mouth (in this embodiment, a spout attached to a paper pack serving as the container, not shown) of a container (not shown) for storing liquid contents such as a beverage. As shown in Figure 1, the cap comprises a cap body 20 that fits over and screws onto the container mouth, and a cylindrical TE band (tamper-evident band) 30 that fits over and is attached to the container mouth on the lower side of the cap body 20, and can be opened by rotating the cap body 20 in the opening direction (the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1) relative to the container mouth.

[0012] The specific configuration of each component of the cap 10 will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] First, as shown in Figure 1, the cap body 20 comprises a disk-shaped top surface 21, a cylindrical skirt portion 22 hanging down from the outer periphery of the top surface 21, and a threaded portion (not shown) formed on the inner periphery of the skirt portion 22 that can be threaded into a threaded portion (not shown) formed on the outer periphery of the container mouth, and is fitted onto the outside of the container mouth and threaded thereto.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the cap body 20 has a body-side lower-end recess 23 recessed into the lower end side of the cap body 20, and a body-side pushing portion 24 formed to push the TE rib 31 when the cap is opened.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the main body side lower end recess 23 is recessed on the lower end side of the skirt portion 22 of the cap main body 20, and is a portion that accommodates a part of the TE rib 31 before the cap is opened.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the main body side pushing portion 24 is a portion that pushes the TE rib 31 when the cap is opened, and in this embodiment, it extends circumferentially from the lower end of the skirt portion 22 of the cap main body 20 toward the rear in the opening direction and is formed as a portion that is positioned within the main body side lower end recess 23. As shown in FIG. 1, the main body side pushing portion 24 has a thin portion 24a at its base end that is thinner than the surrounding area. As a result, when the TE rib 31 is pressed to open the cap, the base end where the thin portion 24a is formed is deformed, causing the main body side pushing portion 24 to rotate, as shown in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the thin portion 24a is formed by removing material from the lower surface of the main body side pushing portion 24 upward, as shown in FIG.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the TE band 30 is a cylindrical part that is fitted onto the mouth of the container and is connected to the lower end of the skirt portion 22 by a plurality of weakened connecting portions 40 that can be broken when the cap is opened.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the TE band 30 has a TE rib 31 that is pressed by the main body side pushing portion 24 when the cap is opened, a band side upper end recess 32 recessed into the upper end side of the TE band 30, a locking portion 33 that can engage with the TE rib 31, and a ratchet (not shown) that is formed on the inner surface of the TE band 30 and engages with a protrusion (not shown) formed on the outer surface of the container mouth portion to limit rotation of the TE band 30 toward the rear in the opening direction relative to the container mouth portion.

[0019] The TE rib 31 is a portion that is pressed by the main body side pressing portion 24 when the cap is opened. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, it has a root portion 31a extending from the upper end of the inner surface of the band side upper end recess 32 toward the rear in the opening direction, a vertical portion 31b extending from the rear side of the root portion 31a in the opening direction toward the upper side, a curved portion 31c formed continuously with the vertical portion 31b, and a horizontal portion 31d formed continuously with the curved portion 31c and extending toward the front in the opening direction. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the curved portion 31c is formed in a position circumferentially opposite the main body side pushing portion 24 before the cap is opened, and is curved so that it moves closer to the front side in the opening direction as it extends upward. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the TE rib 31 has a thin portion 31e formed by reducing the thickness from the top surface of the base portion 31a downward, closer to the base of the TE rib 31 than the curved portion 31c (specifically, near the boundary between the base portion 31a and the vertical portion 31b). As a result, as shown in Figure 2(b), when the TE rib 31 is pressed by the main body side pushing portion 24 to open the cap, the base side where the thin portion 31e is formed is deformed, causing the TE rib 31 to rotate.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the band-side upper end recess 32 is recessed on the upper end side of the TE band 30, and is formed so as to at least partially accommodate the TE rib 31 that is pushed and deformed by the main body-side pushing portion 24 when the cap is opened (in this embodiment, it accommodates the entire TE rib 31).

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the locking portion 33 engages with the TE rib 31 when it is housed in the band side upper end recess 32, and functions as a part that maintains the TE rib 31 housed in the band side upper end recess 32.

[0022] Next, the operation of each part when the cap is opened will be described below.

[0023] First, when the user rotates the cap body 20 in the opening direction to open the cap, the cap body 20 rises, but a ratchet formed on the inner peripheral surface of the TE band 30 engages with a protrusion formed on the outer surface of the container mouth, restricting the rotation of the TE band 30. Then, the distance between the skirt portion 22 and the TE band 30 gradually increases, the weakened connecting portion 40 breaks, and the cap body 20 and the TE band 30 are separated. After that, as shown in Figure 2(b), the tip portion (end portion on the rear side in the opening direction) 24b of the body-side pushing portion 24 comes into contact with the inner surface of the curved portion 31c, and the body-side pushing portion 24 tilts downward while pushing the TE rib 31.

[0024] Then, the TE rib 31 pressed by the main body side pushing portion 24 rotates and is pushed into the band side upper end recess 32, as shown in Figures 2(c) and 2(d), and engages with the locking portion 33, so that the TE rib 31 is maintained housed in the band side upper end recess 32. In the state shown in Figure 2(d), the tip 24b of the main body side pushing portion 24 is in contact with the underside of the lateral portion 31d of the TE rib 31, so that the TE rib 31 is kept pressed into the band side upper end recess 32.

[0025] In the cap 10 of this embodiment obtained in this manner, the TE band 30 has a TE rib 31 that is pressed by the body-side pushing portion 24 of the cap body 20 when the cap is opened, and a band-side upper end recess 32 that is recessed on the upper end side of the TE band 30 and at least partially accommodates the TE rib 31 that is pressed and deformed by the body-side pushing portion 24 when the cap is opened. This allows for greater design freedom for the TE rib 31, such as allowing the size of the TE rib 31 to be designed larger, and also allows the TE rib 31 to move significantly when the cap is opened, so that the state in which the TE rib 31 is housed within the band-side upper end recess 32 after opening ensures good TE performance, indicating that the cap 10 has been opened.

[0026] Furthermore, the cap body 20 has a body-side lower-end recess 23 recessed at the lower end of the cap body 20, which accommodates a portion of the TE rib 31 before the cap is opened. This improves the design freedom of the TE rib 31, for example, by allowing the TE rib 31 to be designed to be larger in size, and also allows the TE rib 31 to move significantly when the cap is opened, further improving the visibility of the TE rib 31 accommodated within the band-side upper-end recess 32.

[0027] Furthermore, since the TE band 30 has a locking portion 33 that can engage with the TE rib 31 when it is housed in the band side upper end recess 32, the TE rib 31 can be prevented from returning to its state before opening after the cap is opened, thereby improving the TE properties.

[0028] Furthermore, the TE rib 31 has a curved portion 31c that is positioned circumferentially opposite the main body side pushing portion 24 before the cap is opened and is curved so that it moves closer to the front side in the opening direction as it extends upward, so that the main body side pushing portion 24 can smoothly push the TE rib 31 into the band side upper end recess 32.

[0029] The above describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the present invention as described in the claims, such as constructing the cap 10 by any combination of the configurations of the above or below embodiments and modified examples.

[0030] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the container mouth to which the cap 10 is attached is described as a spout attached to a paper carton serving as a container, but the specific form of the container mouth is not limited to this and may be anything, such as the mouth of a PET bottle.

[0031] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the body side pushing portion 24 is described as a portion that extends circumferentially from the lower end of the skirt portion 22 of the cap body 20 toward the rear in the opening direction, but the specific form of the body side pushing portion 24 is not limited to the above, and may be any portion that is a part of the cap body 20 and is capable of pushing the TE rib 31 when the cap is opened. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 10 ··· Cap 20 ··· Cap body 21...Top section 22 ··· Skirt part 23 Recessed portion at bottom end of main body 24 ··· Body side pushing part 24a Thin section 24b...Tip 30 TE band 31 TE Rib 31a ... root part 31b Vertical section 31c ··· Curved section 31d... Horizontal part 31e Thin section 32 ··· Recessed portion at upper end of band side 33 Locking portion 40... Weakened connection

Claims

1. A cap comprising a cap body that is screwed onto a container mouth portion and a TE band that is attached to the container mouth portion on the lower side of the cap body, and that can be opened by rotating the cap body in an opening direction relative to the container mouth portion, The TE band is characterized by having a TE rib that is pressed by the main body side pushing portion of the cap body when the cap is opened, and a band side upper end recess that is recessed on the upper end side of the TE band and at least partially accommodates the TE rib that is pressed and deformed by the main body side pushing portion when the cap is opened.

2. 2. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the TE band has a locking portion that can be engaged with the TE rib when the TE band is housed in the band-side upper end recess.

3. The cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the cap body has a body-side lower end recess recessed at the lower end side of the cap body, which accommodates a portion of the TE rib before the cap is opened.

4. The cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the TE rib has a curved portion that is curved upward and moves toward the front side in the opening direction, at a position circumferentially opposite the main body side pushing portion before the cap is opened.

5. 5. The cap according to claim 4, wherein the TE rib has a thin portion closer to the base of the TE rib than the curved portion.

6. The cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body side pushing portion extends circumferentially from the lower end of the skirt portion of the cap main body toward the rear side in the opening direction and is positioned within the main body side lower end recess.

7. 7. The cap according to claim 6, wherein the main body side pushing portion has a thin portion.

8. A cap comprising a cap body that is screwed onto a container mouth portion and a TE band that is attached to the container mouth portion on the lower side of the cap body, and that can be opened by rotating the cap body in an opening direction relative to the container mouth portion, The TE band has a TE rib that is pressed by a main body side pressing portion of the cap main body when the cap is opened, The cap body is characterized in that it has a body-side lower end recess recessed at the lower end side of the cap body, which accommodates a part of the TE rib in a state before the cap is opened.

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