Cap unit and container with cap

Abstract

The present invention provides a cap unit that allows the nozzle cap to be properly attached to the nozzle portion provided on the cap body by screwing it in while rotating the nozzle cap. [Solution] With the nozzle cap 9 fitted inside the ring portion 11a provided on the tip side of the rotating member 11, the nozzle cap 9 is mounted so as to be rotatable and swingable around the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a, and the angular range in which the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 can be tilted with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a is larger in the front-back direction than in the left-right direction of the ring portion 11a.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cap unit and a container with a cap.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a container with a cap provided with a cap unit attached to a container body having an open upper portion. Also, among cap units, there are a cap body provided with a nozzle portion that closes the upper opening portion of the container body and communicates with the inside of the container body, a nozzle cap that opens and closes the tip side of the nozzle portion, and a rotating member rotatably attached to the cap body via a hinge portion. In a state where the nozzle cap is fitted inside a ring portion provided on the tip side of the rotating member, there is one in which the nozzle cap is rotatably attached to the ring portion around an axis (for example, refer to Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] Specifically, Patent Document 1 below describes a beverage container having a container body with an opening and a lid that covers the opening, wherein the lid comprises a lid body, a cylindrical drinking spout having a through hole inward and protruding from the lid body, a cylindrical drinking spout cover that can be attached to the opening side of the drinking spout, and a plate-shaped connecting member extending in one direction to connect the lid body and the drinking spout cover, and having rigidity such that the amount of elastic deformation in the thickness direction is less than or equal to the thickness dimension, wherein the drinking spout has a drinking spout side thread on its outer circumferential surface, the drinking spout cover has a cover side thread on its inner circumferential surface that can be screwed into the drinking spout side thread, and the connecting member is provided at one end in the one direction, and the connecting member is connected to the lid body by a rotation axis extending in the width direction perpendicular to the one direction and the thickness direction of the connecting member A beverage container is disclosed, having a connecting portion that is rotatably connected as the center, and an annular holding portion provided at the other end in the one direction so as to surround the outer circumferential surface of the drinking spout cover portion, and which holds the drinking spout cover portion so as to be rotatable about an axis, wherein an annular radial gap is provided between the inner circumferential surface of the holding portion and the outer circumferential surface of the drinking spout cover portion, which includes a radial gap in one direction that allows the drinking spout cover portion to move relative to the holding portion in the one direction which is the longitudinal direction of the connecting member, and the radial gap in one direction is larger than the radial gap in the width direction included in the annular radial gap.

[0004] In the invention described in Patent Document 1 below, when attaching the drinking spout cover to the opening side of the drinking spout by rotating the connecting member around the rotation axis of the connecting part, the screw thread portion on the cover side can be easily moved to a position that does not interfere with the drinking spout. This makes it easier to attach the drinking spout cover portion to the drinking spout in a beverage container that has a screw thread portion on the outer surface of the drinking spout while the connecting member is not easily deformed. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7387212 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] By the way, in the invention described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, when attaching the mouthpiece cover to the mouthpiece, the mouthpiece cover traces an arc-shaped trajectory and approaches the protruding mouthpiece from diagonally above. In this case, the tip of the mouthpiece and the threads of the female threaded portion of the mouthpiece cover may interfere with each other, making it impossible to screw the female threaded portion of the mouthpiece cover onto the male threaded portion of the mouthpiece.

[0007] In the invention described in Patent Document 1, to address these problems, an annular radial gap is provided between the inner circumferential surface of the holding portion and the outer circumferential surface of the drinking spout cover portion, and the gap in the longitudinal direction (one direction) of the connecting member is made larger than the gap in the width direction, thereby preventing interference between the tip of the drinking spout portion and the threads of the female screw portion of the drinking spout cover portion, while facilitating the attachment of the drinking spout cover portion to the drinking spout portion.

[0008] However, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, the gap in the longitudinal direction (one direction) of the connecting member is made larger than the gap in the width direction, so the outer shape of the drinking spout cover is a perfect circle, while the inner shape of the holding part is elliptical. Therefore, in order to rotatably hold the drinking spout cover inside the holding part, it is necessary to adjust the radial gap as described above, and there are concerns that it will become difficult to control during manufacturing, such as controlling the plate thickness of the holding part and controlling the radial dimensions of the circular shape which is prone to distortion during molding.

[0009] Furthermore, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, when attaching the mouthpiece cover to the mouthpiece, in order to prevent interference between the male screw portion provided on the outer circumferential surface of the mouthpiece on the rear side (hinge side) of the mouthpiece in the longitudinal direction (one direction) and the mouthpiece cover, the mouthpiece is positioned towards the front and the hinge portion towards the rear, making it difficult to make the cap unit compact.

[0010] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above conventional circumstances, and aims to provide a cap unit in which a nozzle cap is rotatably attached to the cap body via a hinge portion, a ring portion is provided on the tip side of the rotating member, and a nozzle cap is rotatably attached to the inside of the ring portion, thereby enabling proper attachment of the nozzle cap to the nozzle portion provided on the cap body by screwing it in while rotating the nozzle cap, thereby simplifying control during manufacturing and providing a compact shape, as well as a capped container that enables further improvement in usability by being equipped with such a cap unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides the following means. [1] A cap unit that is attached to a container body with an open top, A cap body that closes the upper opening of the container body and is provided with a nozzle portion that communicates with the inside of the container body, A nozzle cap is detachably attached to the nozzle portion by screwing it in, thereby opening and closing the nozzle opening provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion. The cap body is rotatably attached to the cap body via a hinge portion, With the nozzle cap fitted inside the ring portion provided on the tip side of the rotating member, the nozzle cap is mounted so as to be rotatable and swingable around the central axis of the ring portion, A cap unit characterized in that the angular range in which the central axis of the nozzle cap can be tilted with respect to the central axis of the ring portion is greater in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction of the ring portion. [2] The inner circumference of the ring portion is provided with an engaging portion extending in the circumferential direction. The outer circumference of the nozzle cap is provided with an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion, extending circumferentially. Between the engaging portion and the engaged portion, which are engaged with each other, there is an axial gap that allows the nozzle cap to move relative to the ring portion. The cap unit according to [1], characterized in that the gap is larger in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction of the ring portion. [3] The cap unit according to [2], characterized in that the lower or upper surface of the engaging portion facing the engaged portion is inclined such that the gap gradually increases from the left-right position of the ring portion toward the front-rear position. [4] The inner circumference of the nozzle cap is provided with a female threaded portion. The outer circumference of the nozzle portion is provided with a male threaded portion that is screwed into the female threaded portion. The cap unit according to [1], characterized in that the starting position for screwing the male thread portion into the female thread portion is provided at a position excluding the outer circumferences facing each other in the front-rear direction of the nozzle portion. [5] The cap unit according to [4], characterized in that, in the rotational direction of the nozzle cap with respect to the central axis of the nozzle portion, the angle formed by the straight line connecting the central axis of the nozzle portion and the starting position of the screw located on the rear side of the male screw portion is greater than the angle formed by the straight line connecting the central axis of the nozzle portion and the starting position of the screw located on the front side of the male screw portion with respect to a reference line in the front-rear direction passing through the central axis of the nozzle portion. [6] The cap unit according to [1], characterized by comprising an outer cover that is detachably attached to the cap body while covering the nozzle cap attached to the nozzle portion, the rotating member, and the hinge portion. [7] A cap unit as described in any one of the above items [1] to [6], A container with a cap, comprising a container body to which the cap unit is attached. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As described above, according to the present invention, in a configuration where a ring portion is provided on the tip side of a rotating member that is rotatably attached to a cap body via a hinge portion, and a nozzle cap is rotatably attached inside the ring portion, while rotating this nozzle cap, it is possible to appropriately attach it to a nozzle portion provided on the cap body by screwing, facilitating management during manufacturing and achieving a compact shape. A cap unit is provided, and by providing such a cap unit, a container with a cap is provided that enables further improvement in usability.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] [Figure 1] It is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a container with a cap provided with a cap unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing a state where the nozzle cap is in the closed position with respect to the nozzle portion of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing a state where the nozzle cap is in the open position with respect to the nozzle portion of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It shows a state where the nozzle cap is attached to the nozzle portion of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1 by screwing. (A) is a cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction thereof, and (B) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the surrounding portion X thereof. [Figure 5] It shows a state where the nozzle cap is attached to the nozzle portion of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1 by screwing. (A) is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction thereof, and (B) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the surrounding portion Y thereof. [Figure 6] It shows the rotating member of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1. (A) is a perspective view thereof, (B) is a cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction thereof, and (C) is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction thereof. [Figure 7] It shows the nozzle cap of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1. (A) is a perspective view thereof, and (B) is a side view thereof. [Figure 8]A nozzle cap is placed over the nozzle portion of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1, showing a state where the central axis of the nozzle cap is most inclined in the front-rear direction with respect to the central axis of the ring portion. (A) is a side view along the front-rear direction, and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction. [Figure 9] In the rotating member and the nozzle cap of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1, it is a side view along the left-right direction showing a state where the central axis of the nozzle cap is most inclined in the left-right direction with respect to the central axis of the ring portion. [Figure 10] It is a top view of the cap body of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 11] It is a side view showing a state similar to the cap unit shown in FIG. 2 with the outer lid removed. [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view showing the outer lid of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 13] Showing a state where the outer lid is attached to the cap body in a state where the tightening by screwing the nozzle cap to the nozzle portion of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1 is sufficient. (A) is a cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction, and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view showing a state after the outer lid is attached to the cap body in a state where the tightening by screwing the nozzle cap to the nozzle portion of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1 is insufficient. [Figure 15] It is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the outer lid cannot be attached to the cap body when the attachment of the nozzle cap to the nozzle portion of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1 is incomplete.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As an embodiment of the present invention, for example, a capped container 100 provided with a cap unit 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 15 will be described.

[0015] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a capped container 100 equipped with a cap unit 1. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the nozzle cap 9 in the closed position relative to the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the nozzle cap 9 in the open position relative to the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1. Figure 4 shows the state in which the nozzle cap 9 is attached to the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1 by screwing it in, with (A) being a cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction and (B) being an enlarged cross-sectional view of the enclosed portion X. Figure 5 shows the state in which the nozzle cap 9 is attached to the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1 by screwing it in, with (A) being a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction and (B) being an enlarged cross-sectional view of the enclosed portion Y. Figure 6 shows the rotating member 11 of the cap unit 1, with (A) being a perspective view thereof, (B) being a cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction and (C) being a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction. Figure 7 shows the nozzle cap 9 of the cap unit 1, with (A) being a perspective view thereof and (B) being a side view thereof. Figure 8 shows the state in which the nozzle cap 9 is placed over the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1, and the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 is most inclined in the front-rear direction with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a, where (A) is a side view along the front-rear direction and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction. Figure 9 is a side view along the left-right direction showing the state in which the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 is most inclined in the left-right direction with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a of the cap unit 1. Figure 10 is a top view of the cap body 8 of the cap unit 1. Figure 11 is a side view showing the same state as the cap unit 1 shown in Figure 2 with the outer cover 12 removed. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the outer cover 12 of the cap unit 1. Figure 13 shows the state in which the outer cover 12 is attached to the cap body 8 with the nozzle cap 9 sufficiently tightened by screwing it onto the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1, where (A) is a cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the state after the outer cover 12 has been attached to the cap body 8, with the nozzle cap 9 not being sufficiently tightened by screwing it onto the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1.Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the outer cover 12 cannot be attached to the cap body 8 because the nozzle cap 9 is not properly attached to the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the capped container 100 of this embodiment comprises a cap unit 1 of this embodiment and a container body 2 to which the cap unit 1 is detachably attached.

[0017] The capped container 100 is a beverage container that can keep the beverage (liquid) contained in the container body 2 cool (or warm) thanks to the container body 2 having a vacuum insulation structure.

[0018] Specifically, the container body 2 consists of a bottomed cylindrical outer container 3 and an inner container 4 made of, for example, stainless steel, and is constructed as a double-walled container in which the inner container 4 is housed inside the outer container 3 and the edges of the two are joined together.

[0019] Furthermore, a vacuum insulation layer 5 is provided between the outer container 3 and the inner container 4. The vacuum insulation layer 5 can be formed, for example, by blocking the degassing holes provided on the bottom surface of the outer container 3 in a chamber that has been reduced to a high vacuum (vacuumed).

[0020] The container body 2 has a roughly circular bottom portion 2a, a roughly cylindrical body portion 2b that rises from the outer circumference of the bottom portion 2a, and a roughly cylindrical mouth / neck portion 2c that is tapered in diameter at the upper side of the body portion 2b.

[0021] The upper end of the mouth / neck portion 2c is circular in shape and serves as the upper opening 2d of the container body 2. Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface of the neck portion 2c (the upper side of the body portion 2b) of the container body 2 is smaller in diameter than the inner circumferential surface of the body portion 2b. In addition, a ring-shaped protrusion 6 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the neck portion 2c, projecting inward along the entire circumference of the container body 2.

[0022] Although the capped container 100 of this embodiment has a generally cylindrical external shape, the external shape of the capped container 100 is not particularly limited and can be modified as appropriate to suit the size, design, etc. Furthermore, the outer surface of the container body 2 may be painted or printed.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the cap unit 1 of this embodiment comprises a cap body 8 that closes the upper opening 2d of the container body 2 described above and is provided with a nozzle portion 7 that communicates with the inside of the container body 2; a nozzle cap 9 that is detachably attached to the nozzle portion 7 by screwing, thereby opening and closing a liquid passage 7a provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion 7; a rotating member 11 that is rotatably attached to the cap body 8 via a hinge portion 10, and the nozzle cap 9 is rotatably attached to the inside of a ring portion 11a provided on the tip side of the rotating member 11a, with the nozzle cap 9 rotatably attached around the axis of the ring portion 11a; and an outer cover 12 that is detachably attached to the cap body 8 by screwing, covering the nozzle cap 9, rotating member 11, and hinge portion 10 attached to the nozzle portion 7.

[0024] In the following explanation, the "vertical direction" of the upright cap unit 1 (capped container 100) may be described as the "central axis direction" or "axis direction." Furthermore, in the radial direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the "vertical direction (axis direction)," the side where the hinge portion 10 is located will be described as the "rear side" of the cap unit 1 (capped container 100), and conversely, the side where the nozzle portion 7 is located relative to the hinge portion 10 will be described as the "front side" of the cap unit 1 (capped container 100). The direction connecting these two sides will be described as the "front-back direction" of the cap unit 1 (capped container 100), and the direction perpendicular to this front-back direction will be described as the "left-right direction" of the cap unit 1 (capped container 100). In addition, the front and rear positions in the front-back direction will be collectively described as the "front-back direction side," and the right and left positions in the left-right direction will be collectively described as the "left-right direction side."

[0025] The cap body 8 is made of, for example, a heat-resistant resin, and is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape so as to be continuous with the body portion 2b of the container body 2. It has a peripheral wall portion 8a that covers the entire outer circumference, an upper wall portion 8b that covers the upper part of the peripheral wall portion 8a, and an inner wall portion 8c that protrudes in a substantially cylindrical shape from the lower surface of the upper wall portion 8b so as to be fitted into the inside of the container body 2 through the upper opening 2d.

[0026] The cap body 8 is detachably attached to the neck portion 2c of the container body 2 by screwing it in. For this reason, a first male threaded portion 13 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the neck portion 2c (the upper side of the body portion 2b). On the other hand, a first female threaded portion 14 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 8a of the cap body 8, which is screwed into this first male threaded portion 13.

[0027] The nozzle portion 7 is located in front of the hinge portion 10 of the upper wall portion 8b and is provided to protrude upward in a substantially cylindrical shape, penetrating the upper wall portion 8b in the vertical direction. In addition, a liquid passage 7a, which serves as a drinking spout or pouring spout, is provided at the tip (upper end) side of the nozzle portion 7, opening in a circular shape.

[0028] In other words, when the cap body 8 is attached to the neck portion 2c of the container body 2, it closes the upper opening 2d of the container body 2, and the inside and outside of the container body 2 are in communication via the nozzle portion 7 (liquid passage 7a).

[0029] A water-sealing packing 15 is detachably attached to the inner lower surface of the cap body 8. The water-sealing packing 15 is a sealing member for sealing (sealing) the space between the container body 2 and the cap body 8, and is made of an elastic material such as heat-resistant rubber such as silicone rubber or elastomer.

[0030] The water-sealing packing 15 has a stepped shape along the lower surface of the upper wall portion 8b, the outer circumferential surface of the inner wall portion 8c, and the lower end surface, and is formed as a cylindrical ring overall. The water-sealing packing 15 is fitted to the lower inside surface of the cap body 8, covering it from below while in contact with the lower surface of the upper wall portion 8b and the outer circumferential surface of the inner wall portion 8c, and slightly separated from the lower end surface of the inner wall portion 8c.

[0031] On the other hand, the water-sealing packing 15 can be removed from the inside bottom surface of the cap body 8 by elastically deforming (stretching) it itself. This allows the water-sealing packing 15 and the cap body 8 to be washed separately, making it possible to maintain hygiene between the water-sealing packing 15 and the cap body 8.

[0032] Furthermore, the upper end of the water-sealing packing 15 is provided with an elastic flange portion 15a that protrudes around the entire circumference in the expanding diameter direction. When the cap body 8 is attached to the container body 2, the elastic flange portion 15a of the water-sealing packing 15 elastically deforms, so that the upper side of the packing 15 is in close contact with the lower surface of the upper wall portion 8b, and the lower side is in close contact with the upper opening 2d, both around the entire circumference. This makes it possible to create a liquid-tight seal (water-sealing) between the cap body 8 and the container body 2.

[0033] The nozzle cap 9 is made of, for example, a heat-resistant resin and has a peripheral wall portion 9a formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, a top wall portion 9b that covers the upper part of the peripheral wall portion 9a, a flange portion 9f that extends outward from the outer peripheral surface around the middle part of the peripheral wall portion 9a over its entire circumference, and a plurality of protrusions 9g that intermittently protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface on the lower end side of the peripheral wall portion 9a over its entire circumference.

[0034] The rotating member 11 is made of, for example, a heat-resistant resin, and its base end is rotatably attached to the cap body 8 via the hinge portion 10, while its tip end has a ring portion 11a that opens in a substantially circular shape.

[0035] As shown in Figures 4(A), (B) and 5(A), (B), the nozzle cap 9 is fitted inside the ring portion 11a of the rotating member 11, and is rotatably mounted around the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a, as well as being swingable around the entire circumference of the ring portion 11a.

[0036] In this context, "oscillation" refers to any movement, or a combination thereof, of the nozzle cap 9 moving vertically, moving radially, or tilting the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a, while maintaining the state in which the nozzle cap 9 is fitted inside the ring portion 11a.

[0037] Specifically, the inner circumference of the ring portion 11a is provided with an engaging projection 16, which is an engaging portion. On the other hand, the outer circumference of the nozzle cap 9 is provided with an engaging recess 17, which is an engaged portion that engages with the engaging projection 16.

[0038] As shown in Figures 6(A) and (B), the engaging projection 16 is configured to protrude inward from the inner circumferential surface along its entire circumference at the upper end of the ring portion 11a. On the other hand, as shown in Figures 7(A) and (B), the engaging recess 17 is formed between the flange portion 9f of the nozzle cap 9 and the multiple projections 9g, and is recessed inward along its entire circumference.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4(A), (B) and 5(A), (B), a vertical gap (play) Sh is provided between the engaging projection 16 and the engaging recess 17 that are engaged with each other, allowing the nozzle cap 9 to tilt with respect to the central axis of the ring portion 11a and to move in the central axis direction.

[0040] Furthermore, the vertical gap Sh is larger in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction of the ring portion 11a. In addition, the lower or upper surface (lower surface 16a in this embodiment) of the engaging projection 16 facing the engaging recess 17 is inclined so that this gap Sh gradually increases from the left-to-right position to the front-to-back position of the ring portion 11a.

[0041] Specifically, this vertical gap Sh is the difference in length (H2-H1) between the vertical width H1 of the engaging projection 16 and the vertical width H2 of the engaging recess 17, as shown in Figures 4(B) and 5(B).

[0042] The vertical width H2 of the engagement recess 17 is the length from the lower end of the flange portion 9f of the nozzle cap 9 to the upper ends of the multiple protrusions 9g. Since the lower surface of the flange portion 9f protrudes horizontally outward and the multiple protrusions 9g are also arranged horizontally, the vertical width H2 of the engagement recess 17 is constant around the entire circumference of the nozzle cap 9.

[0043] On the other hand, the vertical width H1 of the engaging projection 16 is smaller in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction of the ring portion 11a, as shown in Figures 6(B) and (C). In other words, the lower surface 16a of the engaging projection 16 is inclined in the circumferential direction so that the vertical width H1 of the engaging projection 16 gradually increases from the front-to-back direction to the left-to-right direction of the ring portion 11a.

[0044] As a result, the vertical width H1a of the engaging projection 16 at the front-rear side of the ring portion 11a is smaller than the vertical width H1b of the engaging projection 16 at the left-right side of the ring portion 11a (H1a <H1b)。

[0045] Therefore, the vertical gap Sh1(H2-H1a) at the front-to-back position of the ring portion 11a is larger than the vertical gap Sh2(H2-H1b) at the left-to-right position of the ring portion 11a (Sh1>Sh2).

[0046] In this embodiment, the lower surface 16a of the engaging projection 16 is inclined in the circumferential direction. However, by configuring the upper surface of the engaging projection 16 to be inclined in the circumferential direction, it is also possible to increase the gap Sh of the ring portion 11a in the front-rear direction more than in the left-right direction.

[0047] Furthermore, the radial gap (play) between the engaging projection 16 and the engaging recess 17 is constant over the entire circumference when the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a and the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 coincide.

[0048] In other words, the radial gap (play) Sd at the front-to-back position of the ring portion 11a, shown in an enlarged view in Figure 4(B), and the radial gap (play) Sw at the left-to-right position of the ring portion 11a, shown in an enlarged view in Figure 5(B), are the same dimension (Sd = Sw) when the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a and the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 coincide.

[0049] Therefore, the inner diameter of the engaging projection 16 of the ring portion 11a is larger than the outer diameter of the engaging recess 17 of the nozzle cap 9, and they are formed in a circular shape with a constant diameter relative to each other.

[0050] In the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the nozzle cap 9 is rotatably mounted around the axis of the ring portion 11a with the engaging projection 16 engaged with the engaging recess 17. The nozzle cap 9 is also mounted so that it can tilt relative to the ring portion 11a by an amount corresponding to the vertical gap Sh (Sh1, Sh2), and can move in the central axis direction (vertical direction). Furthermore, the nozzle cap 9 is mounted so that it can move radially relative to the ring portion 11a by an amount corresponding to the radial gaps Sd, Sw.

[0051] As a result, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the nozzle cap 9 is rotatably mounted around the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a, and the nozzle cap 9 is also pivotably mounted around the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a.

[0052] In other words, with the nozzle cap 9 fitted inside the ring portion 11a, it is possible to tilt the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a.

[0053] Furthermore, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 can be tilted more significantly in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a. That is, the angular range θ1 in which the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 can be tilted in the front-to-back direction with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a, as shown in Figures 8(A) and (B), is larger than the angular range θ2 in which the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 can be tilted in the left-to-right direction with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a, as shown in Figure 9.

[0054] Incidentally, the angular range θ1, θ2 in which the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 can be tilted with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a is controlled by the vertical gap Sh(Sh1, Sh2) between the engaging projection 16 and the engaging recess 17 described above.

[0055] On the other hand, if these angular ranges θ1 and θ2 are controlled by the radial gaps Sd and Sw between the engaging protrusion 16 and the engaging recess 17 described above, the circular shape of the ring portion 11a makes it susceptible to the effects of radial distortion during molding, resulting in unstable dimensional control.

[0056] Therefore, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the angular range θ1, θ2 in which the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 can be tilted with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a is controlled by the vertical gap Sh(Sh1, Sh2) between the engaging protrusion 16 and the engaging recess 17 described above, thereby facilitating control during manufacturing.

[0057] In the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the nozzle cap 9 is rotated vertically together with the rotating member 11 between a position that closes the liquid passage 7a of the nozzle portion 7 and a position that opens the liquid passage 7a of the nozzle portion 7. Furthermore, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the nozzle cap 9 can be attached to the nozzle portion 7 by screwing it in by rotating the nozzle cap 9 around its axis after it has been placed over the nozzle portion 7.

[0058] Therefore, a second female thread portion 18 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 9a (nozzle cap 9). On the other hand, a second male thread portion 19 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle portion 7, which is screwed into the second female thread portion 18.

[0059] The second female thread portion 18 and the second male thread portion 19 are double-start threads that are complementary to each other. When double-start threads are used, the nozzle cap 9 can be attached to and detached from the nozzle portion 7 with a small rotational operation (approximately 180° in this embodiment).

[0060] Specifically, in the double-start screw described above, there are two starting positions for the screwing of the second female thread portion 18 and the second male thread portion 19. That is, the pair of threads forming the second female thread portion 18 and the pair of threads forming the second male thread portion 19 are formed to protrude spirally at a predetermined pitch.

[0061] In the case of the second female screw portion 18, the starting end 18a of one of the pair of screw threads and the starting end 18b of the other screw thread are arranged with a phase difference of 180° around the axis of the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9. That is, the starting end 18a of the second female screw portion 18 and the starting end 18b of the other are positioned in a rotationally symmetrical position with respect to the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9.

[0062] On the other hand, with respect to the second male screw portion 19, the starting end 19a of one screw thread and the starting end 19b of the other screw thread that constitute a pair of screw threads are arranged without a 180° phase difference around the axis of the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7. In other words, the starting end 19a and the starting end 19b of the second male screw portion 19 are positioned in a rotationally asymmetrical manner with respect to the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7.

[0063] In the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 and 10, the starting ends 19a and 19b of the second male threaded portion 19, which are the starting positions for screwing the second male threaded portion 19 into the second female threaded portion 18, are located in positions that exclude the front and rear outer circumferences facing each other in the front-rear direction of the nozzle portion 7, and the threads of the second male threaded portion 19 are provided in the circumferential direction of the outer circumference of the nozzle portion 7 excluding the front and rear sides.

[0064] As a result, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, since the threads of the second male thread portion 19 are not provided on the outer circumference of the rear side of the nozzle portion 7, when the rotating member 11 is rotated toward the nozzle portion 7 relative to the cap body 8 and the nozzle cap 9 is placed over the nozzle portion 7, interference between the threads of the second female thread portion 18 and the threads of the second male thread portion 19 on the rear side is prevented, and the nozzle cap 9 can be properly guided to the starting position for screwing.

[0065] Furthermore, by preventing interference between the threads of the second female thread portion 18 and the threads of the second male thread portion 19 on the rear side, it is possible to reduce the distance between the nozzle portion 7 and the hinge portion 10. As a result, the nozzle portion 7 and the hinge portion 10 can be housed inside the outer cover 12, making the cap unit 1 a compact design.

[0066] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, since the threads of the second male thread portion 19 are not provided on the outer circumference of the front side of the nozzle portion 7, when drinking the beverage (liquid) in the container body 2 through the nozzle portion 7, the mouthfeel to the nozzle portion 7 is not obstructed by the threads of the second male thread portion 19, making it possible to achieve a good mouthfeel.

[0067] Furthermore, a gap (play) is provided in the vertical direction between the second male threaded portion 19 and the second female threaded portion 18, which are screwed together. As a result, when the second male threaded portion 19 is screwed into the second female threaded portion 18, the nozzle cap 9 can move axially (vertically) relative to the nozzle portion 7 by an amount corresponding to the gap.

[0068] In the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4(A), (B) and 5(A), (B), the rotating member 11 is rotated relative to the cap body 8 toward the nozzle portion 7, and the nozzle cap 9 is placed over the nozzle portion 7. By rotating the nozzle cap 9 in one direction around its axis (clockwise when viewed from above), the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 are screwed together.

[0069] At this time, although the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a is inclined with respect to the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 in the front-rear direction of the ring portion 11a, the nozzle cap 9 is attached to the ring portion 11a so as to be able to swing in the front-rear direction with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly screw together the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 while aligning the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 with the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9.

[0070] In other words, in order to smoothly screw together the second male threaded portion 19 and the second female threaded portion 18, the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 and the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 must be aligned.

[0071] On the other hand, the nozzle cap 9 is fitted onto the nozzle portion 7 from diagonally above while the rotating member 11 rotates toward the nozzle portion 7 relative to the cap body 8, so the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 and the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a do not coincide. In particular, the rotating member 11 is made of a highly rigid resin such as polypropylene, and cannot be significantly elastically deformed itself.

[0072] In contrast, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the nozzle cap 9 is pivotably mounted around the entire circumference of the ring portion 11a with respect to its central axis AX1. This allows the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 to be tilted in the front-rear direction with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a, while the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 and the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 are aligned, enabling the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 to be smoothly screwed together.

[0073] In the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, when the cap body 8 is viewed from above, in the rotational direction of the nozzle cap 9 with respect to the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7, the angle β formed by the straight line T2 connecting the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 and the other starting end 19b, which is the starting position of the screw thread located on the rear side of the second male screw portion 19, is larger than the angle α formed by the straight line T1 connecting the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 and the one starting end 19a, which is the starting position of the screw thread located on the front side of the second male screw portion 19, with respect to a reference line T0 in the front-rear direction passing through the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 (α < β).

[0074] Specifically, one starting end 19a and the other starting end 19b of the second male threaded portion 19 are positioned in a rotationally asymmetrical manner with respect to the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7. That is, one starting end 19a of the second male threaded portion 19 is located at a position rotated by angle α from the foremost part of the nozzle portion 7. In contrast, the other starting end 19b of the second male threaded portion 19 is located at a position rotated by angle β from the rearmost part of the nozzle portion 7. Furthermore, angle β is set to be larger than angle α.

[0075] Here, the second female thread portion 18 and the second male thread portion 19 are made of double-start threads as described above. When they are made of double-start threads, the second female thread portion 18 and the second male thread portion 19 may not be properly screwed together due to a condition known as "uneven threading," where only one of the pair of threads engages and the other thread does not engage.

[0076] In particular, as the rotating member 11 rotates toward the nozzle portion 7 relative to the cap body 8, and the nozzle cap 9 is placed over the nozzle portion 7 from diagonally above, the starting position of the screw threads on the rear side of the nozzle portion 7, which is closer to the hinge portion 10, starts screwing earlier than the starting position of the screw threads on the front side of the nozzle portion 7, which is further away from the hinge portion 10, making it easier for uneven threading to occur.

[0077] In contrast, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, by setting the angle β to be larger than the angle α, the start of screwing on the rear side of the nozzle portion 7 can be delayed and the start of screwing on the front side of the nozzle portion 7 can be advanced, compared to when angles α and β are set to the same angle, or when angle α is set to be larger than angle β.

[0078] As a result, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the aforementioned uneven threading while coordinating the start of threading on the rear side of the nozzle portion 7 with the start of threading on the front side of the nozzle portion 7.

[0079] Furthermore, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, when the cap body 8 is viewed from above, the distance L in the front-rear direction between the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 and one of the starting ends 19a on the front side of the nozzle portion 7 is greater than the distance M in the front-rear direction between the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 and the other starting end 19b on the rear side of the nozzle portion 7 (L>M).

[0080] As a result, similar to the case where angle β is set to be greater than angle α as described above, the start of threading on the rear side of the nozzle portion 7 can be delayed and the start of threading on the front side of the nozzle portion 7 can be advanced, thereby preventing the occurrence of uneven threading as described above. In addition, of the second male thread portion 19, the thread starting from one starting end 19a will have a larger engagement allowance than the thread starting from the other starting end 19b.

[0081] The angle α is preferably 20° to 70°, and more preferably 30° to 60°. On the other hand, the angle β is preferably 0.5° to 8° larger than the angle α. Since the outer circumference of the nozzle portion 7 in the front-rear direction does not have threads for the second male thread portion 19, if the angles α and β become too small, the aforementioned uneven engagement is likely to occur. On the other hand, if the angles α and β become too large, the amount of thread engagement between the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 decreases, making it difficult to ensure the strength of the screw connection.

[0082] Furthermore, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the nozzle cap 9 is placed over the nozzle portion 7 from diagonally above while the rotating member 11 rotates toward the nozzle portion 7 relative to the cap body 8. In the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the angular range θ2 in which the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 can be tilted in the left-right direction relative to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a shown in Figure 9 is made smaller, and the angular range θ1 in which the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 can be tilted in the front-back direction relative to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a shown in Figure 8 is made larger. In other words, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the angular range θ1 is larger than the angular range θ2. This makes it possible to enhance the effect of suppressing the occurrence of uneven gripping as described above.

[0083] In other words, when attaching the nozzle cap 9 to the nozzle portion 7 by screwing it in, in order to align the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 with the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9, it is preferable to increase the angular range θ1 in which the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 can be tilted in the front-rear direction with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a described above. In order to suppress the occurrence of the aforementioned uneven mounting, it is preferable to minimize the angular range θ2 in which the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9 can be tilted in the left-right direction with respect to the central axis AX1 of the ring portion 11a.

[0084] As described above, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, by aligning the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 and the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9, the second male thread portion 19 on the nozzle portion 7 side and the second female thread portion 18 on the nozzle cap 9 side do not engage unevenly, and screwing can be started appropriately.

[0085] Then, at the position where the second male threaded portion 19 and the second female threaded portion 18 are fully threaded together, the nozzle cap 9 can be fixed to the nozzle portion 7.

[0086] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, from this state, the nozzle cap 9 can be removed from the nozzle unit 7 by rotating the nozzle cap 9 in the other direction around its axis (counterclockwise when viewed from above), thereby releasing the screw engagement between the second male screw portion 19 and the second female screw portion 18.

[0087] As shown in Figures 1, 4(A), and 5(A), a stopper packing 20 is detachably attached to the lower surface of the top wall portion 9b of the nozzle cap 9. The stopper packing 20 is a sealing member for sealing the liquid passage port 7a and is made of an elastic material such as heat-resistant rubber such as silicone rubber or elastomer.

[0088] The plug packing 20 has a substantially cylindrical insertion portion 20a, a plug portion 20b that protrudes from the lower end of the insertion portion 20a in the diameter direction along its entire circumference, and a protruding portion 20c that protrudes downward from the center of the plug portion 20b. In addition, an enlarged diameter portion 20d that enlarges along its entire circumference is provided on the upper tip side of the insertion portion 20a.

[0089] On the other hand, the nozzle cap 9 has a hole 9c that penetrates vertically through the center of the top wall portion 9b. Furthermore, a circular protrusion 9d is provided at the lower end of the hole 9c, projecting downward from the top wall portion 9b around the entire circumference of the hole 9c. Meanwhile, a smallest diameter portion 9e is provided midway along the upper side of the hole 9c.

[0090] The plug packing 20 is attached to the lower surface of the top wall portion 9b by inserting the fitting portion 20a into the hole portion 9c from below, and then fitting the enlarged diameter portion 20d of the fitting portion 20a into the reduced diameter portion 9e of the hole portion 9c.

[0091] In the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the stopper packing 20 can be easily attached to the lower inner surface (lower surface of the top wall portion 9b) of the nozzle cap 9 by pinching the protruding portion 20c of the stopper packing 20 and pushing it upward from the inside of the nozzle cap 9.

[0092] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the stopper packing 20 can be easily removed from the lower inner surface (lower surface of the top wall portion 9b) of the nozzle cap 9 by pinching the protruding portion 20c of the stopper packing 20 and pulling it downwards.

[0093] Furthermore, since the stopper packing 20 removed from the nozzle cap 9 can be washed separately from the nozzle cap 9, it is possible to maintain hygiene between the stopper packing 20 and the nozzle cap 9.

[0094] Furthermore, in order to insert the insertion portion 20a into the hole 9c, the insertion portion 20a needs to have a certain degree of rigidity. For this reason, it is preferable that the plug packing 20 be a solid material with no void inside the insertion portion 20a. On the other hand, it is also possible to reduce the amount of material and lighten the plug packing 20 by making the inside of the insertion portion 20a hollow. In this case, it is necessary to select a material with appropriate hardness to ensure rigidity.

[0095] Furthermore, with the insertion portion 20a inserted into the hole 9c, the stopper packing 20 is attached to the inner lower surface of the nozzle cap 9. This means that even when the nozzle cap 9 is blocking the liquid passage 7a of the nozzle portion 7, the insertion portion 20a (enlarged diameter portion 20d) is exposed to the outside, allowing for visual confirmation of whether the stopper packing 20 is installed. This makes it easy to confirm that the stopper packing 20 has not been forgotten.

[0096] The protruding portion 20c can enter the inside of the nozzle portion 7 from the liquid passage opening 7a and protrudes downward to the extent that it can be grasped with fingers. Furthermore, the protruding portion 20c is formed, for example, in a flat shape to make it easier to grasp with fingers.

[0097] Furthermore, at the tip (lower end) of the protruding portion 20c, the longer side of the flat plate shape is provided as a flange portion 20e, protruding in the radial direction. The flange portion 20e functions as an anti-slip surface and finger grip when the protruding portion 20c is pinched with the fingers.

[0098] Furthermore, the lower end of the protrusion 20c is located above the lower end of the nozzle cap 9 and below the central axis of the hinge portion 10. If the protrusion 20c is too long, it becomes difficult to insert the nozzle cap 9 into the inside of the nozzle portion 7 from the liquid passage 7a when placing it over the nozzle portion 7, and conversely, if it is too short, it becomes difficult to grasp.

[0099] In the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, when the nozzle cap 9 closes the liquid passage 7a of the nozzle portion 7, the stopper portion 20b is in close contact with the area around the liquid passage 7a located on the tip side of the nozzle portion 7 over its entire circumference.

[0100] Here, the plug portion 20b has a hemispherical shape with a convex lower end, and on its upper side, there is an upper rib 20f that protrudes upward in a concentric manner with the fitting portion 20a. When the plug packing 20 is attached to the lower inner surface of the nozzle cap 9, the circular protrusion 9d is inserted into the valley between the fitting portion 20a and the upper rib 20f.

[0101] Therefore, when the plug portion 20b is in close contact with the surrounding area of ​​the tip side of the nozzle portion 7, the plug portion 20b is pressed down from above by the circular protrusion 9d, and the upper end of the upper rib 20f comes into contact with the lower surface of the top wall portion 9b.

[0102] As a result, the central side (protruding portion 20c side) of the plug portion 20b becomes less prone to elastic deformation upward, and only the outer circumference of the plug portion 20b that contacts the tip side of the nozzle portion 7 becomes elastically deformable and bendable.

[0103] Furthermore, the stopper portion 20b has a reduced effective deflection length and is pressed from above by the circular protrusion 9d and from below by the tip of the nozzle portion 7, resulting in a stronger seal around the tip of the nozzle portion 7. This makes it possible to reliably seal the liquid passage 7a via the stopper packing 20.

[0104] The outer lid 12 is made of, for example, a heat-resistant resin and has a substantially circular bottom wall portion 12a and a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 12b that rises upward (downward in Figure 1) from around the bottom wall portion 12a, forming an overall bottomed cylindrical shape. The outer lid 12 protects the top of the capped container 100 and also functions as a cup for pouring and drinking the beverage dispensed from the liquid outlet 7a.

[0105] The outer cover 12 is detachably attached to the cap body 8 by screwing it in with its bottom wall portion 12a facing upwards. For this reason, a third male screw portion 21 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 8a of the cap body 8. On the other hand, a third female screw portion 22 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 12b of the outer cover 12, which is screwed into this third male screw portion 21.

[0106] The third male threaded portion 21 and the third female threaded portion 22 are double-start threads that form a complementary shape with no inclination between them. When double-start threads are used, the outer cover 12 can be attached to and detached from the cap body 8 with a small rotational operation (approximately 180° in this embodiment).

[0107] Furthermore, the third male threaded portion 21 and the third female threaded portion 22 are not spirally extended, but are instead screwed (locked) together horizontally.

[0108] Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, the third male screw portion 21 is composed of screw grooves cut horizontally from opposing positions on the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 8a. In addition, a locking projection 23 is provided protruding from the inside of the screw groove just before the end of the third male screw portion 21. Furthermore, a stepped portion 8d is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the cap body 8, which the opening 12c of the outer cover 12 abuts against, and which slopes downward toward the outside along its entire circumference.

[0109] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 12, the third female thread portion 22 is composed of threads that protrude horizontally from opposing positions on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 12b, without any inclination. Furthermore, a locking recess 24 is provided just before the end of the third female thread portion 22, which cuts out a portion of the threads.

[0110] In the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, with the outer cover 12 placed over the cap body 8, the outer cover 12 is rotated to one side around its axis (clockwise when viewed from above) when the opening 12c of the outer cover 12 is in contact with the stepped portion 8d, thereby causing the third male thread portion 21 and the third female thread portion 22 to be screwed together.

[0111] Then, at the position where the screwing of the third male thread portion 21 and the third female thread portion 22 is completed, the locking projection 23 is locked into the locking recess 24, thereby preventing the outer cover 12 from unintentionally coming off or loosening, and allowing the outer cover 12 to be fixed to the cap body 8 while providing a click sensation when it is overcome. More specifically, the tip side of the third female thread portion 22 (the spaced portion to the right of the locking recess 24 in Figure 12) overcomes the locking projection 23, and the locking projection 23 is locked into the locking recess 24, thereby providing a click sensation.

[0112] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, from this state, by rotating the outer cover 12 in the other direction around the axis (counterclockwise when viewed from above), the locking state between the locking recess 24 and the locking projection 23 is released, and the screwing (locking) between the third male screw portion 21 and the third female screw portion 22 is released, making it possible to remove the outer cover 12 from the cap body 8.

[0113] In the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, which has the configuration described above, as shown in Figures 13(A) and (B), when the outer cover 12 is attached to the cap body 8 with sufficient tightening of the nozzle cap 9 by screwing it onto the nozzle portion 7, the outer cover 12 is in a state of non-contact with the nozzle cap 9.

[0114] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 14, we will describe the case in which the outer cover 12 is attached to the cap body 8 when the nozzle cap 9 is only slightly screwed into the nozzle portion 7 and is in an insufficiently tightened state.

[0115] First, by slightly rotating the nozzle cap 9 in one direction around its axis (clockwise when viewed from above), a portion of the second male threaded portion 19 and the second female threaded portion 18 begin to screw together. In this partially screwed state, the screwing of the second male threaded portion 19 and the second female threaded portion 18 is not yet complete, and the seal between the stopper portion 20b of the stopper packing 20 and the surrounding area of ​​the tip side of the nozzle portion 7 is weak. As a result, the liquid port 7a is not securely sealed through the stopper packing 20, and if, for example, the container 100A with the cap is turned upside down or shaken vigorously, the beverage (liquid) contained in the container body 2 may leak from the liquid port 7a to the inside of the outer lid 12.

[0116] On the other hand, when the outer cover 12 is attached to the cap body 8 from this state, the outer cover 12 comes into contact with the nozzle cap 9 from above, and the outer cover 12 in contact with the nozzle cap 9 pushes the nozzle cap 9 down. Specifically, the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 12a of the outer cover 12 comes into contact with the upper surface of the top wall portion 9b of the nozzle cap 9, and by pushing the outer cover 12 downward as shown in Figure 14 and rotating it in one direction around the axis (clockwise when viewed from above), the third male screw portion 21 and the third female screw portion 22 become screwed (locked) together.

[0117] At this time, the nozzle cap 9 is pushed down relative to the nozzle portion 7 by the amount of vertical gap (play) between the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18. As a result, the stopper portion 20b of the stopper packing 20 bends due to elastic deformation, and the stopper packing 20 is pressed against the liquid passage opening 7a.

[0118] Therefore, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to seal the liquid passage 7a provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion 7 with the stopper packing 20 even when the nozzle cap 9 is only slightly screwed onto the nozzle portion 7 and is in an insufficient state during tightening.

[0119] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 15, we will describe the case in which the outer cover 12 is attached to the cap body 8 when the nozzle cap 9 has not been screwed (attached) to the nozzle portion 7 at all.

[0120] First, the nozzle cap 9 is placed over the tip of the nozzle portion 7. In this state, the second female thread portion 18 is placed on the upper end of the second male thread portion 19, and the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 are not screwed together at all. In this pre-screwed state, the stopper portion 20b of the stopper packing 20 and the tip of the nozzle portion 7 are not in close contact, or if they are in close contact, it is very weak. As a result, the liquid port 7a cannot be sealed through the stopper packing 20, and if the capped container 100A is inverted or shaken vigorously, for example, the beverage (liquid) contained in the container body 2 may leak from the liquid port 7a to the inside of the outer lid 12.

[0121] If an attempt is made to attach the outer cover 12 to the cap body 8 from this state, the lower surface of the second female thread portion 18 and the upper surface of the second male thread portion 19 come into contact, causing the third male thread portion 21 and the third female thread portion 22 to interfere with each other, making it impossible to screw (lock) the outer cover 12 onto the cap body 8.

[0122] Therefore, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, the outer cover 12 cannot be attached to the cap body 8 when the nozzle cap 9 is not attached to the nozzle portion 7 at all and is in a pre-screw state. In this case, it is possible to recognize that the attachment of the nozzle cap 9 to the nozzle portion 7 is incomplete, and the user can be alerted to this by either tightening the nozzle cap 9 to the nozzle portion 7 or refraining from carrying the capped container 100A.

[0123] Here, the third male threaded portion 21 and the third female threaded portion 22 are not formed in a spiral shape like a normal screw, but are configured to be screwed (locked) together horizontally. Therefore, it is possible to clearly define the vertical position in which the outer cover 12 can be attached to the cap body 8.

[0124] If the third male threaded portion 21 and the third female threaded portion 22 were a helical screw fit, even a slight engagement of the threads would cause the outer cover 12 to rotate relative to the cap body 8, moving downwards. Therefore, if the outer cover 12 is attached when the nozzle cap 9 is only slightly screwed onto the nozzle portion 7, the outer cover 12 will rotate downwards while contacting the nozzle cap, pressing the nozzle cap 9 against the nozzle portion 7 more forcefully than necessary. In this case, the end position of the screw threads will vary depending on how far the user tightens it, making it difficult to define the position where the attachment is complete.

[0125] On the other hand, since the third male threaded portion 21 and the third female threaded portion 22 are configured to be screwed (locked) together horizontally, the height at which the outer cover 12 begins to screw (rotate) onto the cap body 8 and the height at which the screwing is completed are the same. For this reason, in the same case, the force pressing the nozzle cap 9 against the nozzle portion 7 remains constant and does not change even as the screwing (locking) progresses.

[0126] As shown in Figure 14, when attaching the outer cover 12 to the cap body 8 in an insufficiently tightened state where the nozzle cap 9 is only slightly screwed into the nozzle portion 7, the elastic force of the stopper packing 20 against the nozzle portion 7 causes the nozzle cap 9 to push the outer cover 12 upward when the third male screw portion 21 and the third female screw portion 22 are screwed (locked) into each other horizontally. As a result, the fastening force between the third male screw portion 21 and the third female screw portion 22 increases, preventing the outer cover 12 from loosening.

[0127] Furthermore, when the third male thread portion 21 and the third female thread portion 22 are screwed together, the locking projection 23 engages with the locking recess 24, allowing the user to recognize that the outer cover 12 has been secured to the cap body 8 by a click sensation. Also, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the end position of the screw can be clearly defined in accordance with the engagement position of the locking recess 24 and the locking projection 23. Therefore, the position of completion of installation does not vary depending on the user, and is clear.

[0128] As described above, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, when the outer cover 12 is attached to the cap body 8 while the nozzle cap 9 is not sufficiently tightened by screwing it onto the nozzle portion 7, the outer cover 12 that comes into contact with the nozzle cap 9 pushes down on the nozzle cap 9, causing the stopper packing 20 to be pressed against the liquid passage opening 7a.

[0129] This allows the stopper packing 20 to seal the liquid port 7a, preventing the beverage (liquid) contained in the container body 2 from leaking out of the liquid port 7a to the inside of the outer lid 12.

[0130] As described above, in the cap unit 1 of this embodiment, a ring portion 11a is provided on the tip side of a rotating member 11 which is rotatably attached to the cap body 8 via a hinge portion 10, and a nozzle cap 9 is rotatably attached inside the ring portion 11a. This configuration prevents the second male thread portion 19 on the nozzle portion 7 side and the second female thread portion 18 on the nozzle cap 9 side from engaging on one side, making it possible to screw them together properly and easily. Furthermore, the nozzle portion 7 and the hinge portion 10 can be housed inside the outer cover 12, making the cap unit 1 a compact configuration.

[0131] Therefore, by providing the cap unit 1 of this embodiment with the cap container 1 described above, it is possible to simplify management during manufacturing and further improve usability.

[0132] It should be noted that the present invention is not necessarily limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0133] For example, in the cap unit 1 described above, the outer lid 12 is detachably attached to the cap body 8 by screwing it on, but it may also be configured in which the outer lid 12 is omitted, or in which the outer lid 12 is detachably attached to the container body 2 by screwing it on.

[0134] Furthermore, in the cap unit 1 described above, an engaging projection 16, which is an engaging portion, is provided on the inner circumference of the ring portion 11a, and an engaging recess 17, which is an engaged portion that engages with the engaging projection 16, is provided on the outer circumference of the nozzle cap 9. However, the opposite configuration is also possible, namely, an engaging recess is provided on the inner circumference of the ring portion 11a, and an engaging projection that engages with the engaging recess is provided on the outer circumference of the nozzle cap 9.

[0135] Furthermore, the outer lid 12 is not limited to being detachably attached to the cap body 8 or container body 2 by screwing, but may also be detachably attached to the cap body 8 or container body 2 by, for example, fitting.

[0136] In the above embodiment, the present invention is illustrated as being applied to a beverage container that has heat retention and cooling functions due to the container body 2 having the vacuum insulation structure described above. However, the present invention can be broadly applied to a capped container that comprises a container body and a cap unit that can be detachably attached to the container body. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0137] 1…Cap unit 2…Container body 7…Nozzle part 7a…Liquid port 8…Cap body 9…Nozzle cap 11…Rotating member 12…Outer lid 16…Engaging projection (engaging part) 17…Engaging recess (engaged part) 18…Second female thread part 19…Second male thread part 20…Stopper packing 21…Third male thread part 22…Third female thread part 100…Container with cap

Claims

1. A cap unit that is attached to a container body with an open top, A cap body that closes the upper opening of the container body and is provided with a nozzle portion that communicates with the inside of the container body, A nozzle cap is detachably attached to the nozzle portion by screwing it in, thereby opening and closing the nozzle opening provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion. The cap body is rotatably attached to the cap body via a hinge portion, With the nozzle cap fitted inside the ring portion provided on the tip side of the rotating member, the nozzle cap is mounted so as to be rotatable and swingable around the central axis of the ring portion, A cap unit characterized in that the range of angles over which the central axis of the nozzle cap can be tilted relative to the central axis of the ring portion is greater in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction of the ring portion.

2. The inner circumference of the ring portion is provided with an engaging portion extending in the circumferential direction. The outer circumference of the nozzle cap is provided with an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion, extending circumferentially. Between the engaging portion and the engaged portion, which are engaged with each other, there is an axial gap that allows the nozzle cap to move relative to the ring portion. The cap unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the gap is larger in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction of the ring portion.

3. The cap unit according to claim 2, characterized in that the lower or upper surface of the engaging portion facing the engaged portion is inclined such that the gap gradually increases from the left-right position of the ring portion toward the front-rear position.

4. The inner circumference of the nozzle cap is provided with a female threaded portion. The outer circumference of the nozzle portion is provided with a male threaded portion that is screwed into the female threaded portion. The cap unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the starting position for screwing the male screw portion into the female screw portion is provided at a position excluding the outer circumferences facing each other in the front-rear direction of the nozzle portion.

5. The cap unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, in the rotational direction of the nozzle cap with respect to the central axis of the nozzle portion, the angle formed by the straight line connecting the central axis of the nozzle portion and the starting position of the screw located on the rear side of the male screw portion is greater than the angle formed by the straight line connecting the central axis of the nozzle portion and the starting position of the screw located on the front side of the male screw portion with respect to a reference line in the front-rear direction passing through the central axis of the nozzle portion.

6. The cap unit according to claim 1, further comprising an outer cover that is detachably attached to the cap body while covering the nozzle cap attached to the nozzle portion, the rotating member, and the hinge portion.

7. A cap unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A container with a cap, comprising a container body to which the cap unit is attached.

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