Cap unit and container with cap

Abstract

The present invention provides a cap unit that enables sealing of the liquid passage located at the tip of the nozzle portion, even when the nozzle cap is only partially screwed onto the nozzle portion during the tightening process. [Solution] A gap is provided between the male threaded portion 19 on the nozzle portion 7 side and the female threaded portion 18 on the nozzle cap 9 side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap 9 to move axially relative to the nozzle portion 7. When the outer cover 12 is attached to the cap body 8 while the nozzle cap 9 is only slightly screwed onto the nozzle portion 7, the outer cover 12, which is in 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.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a container with a cap provided with a cap unit attached to a container body having an open upper portion (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below).

[0003] Specifically, Patent Document 1 below discloses a bottle body having a heat-insulating structure, a lead-out portion that is attached to the mouth portion of the bottle body so as to be detachable from above, allows the content liquid to flow into the bottle body, and is poured out from the pouring port to the outside, and a valve body that closes the inlet of the lead-out portion, and an outer plug that closes the mouth portion in a stopper state, an inner plug that is attached to the outer plug so as to be detachable, a locking portion that locks the inner plug in a state of being attached to the outer plug, an operation portion that opens the valve body, and a cup-shaped cap that is attached to the outside of the mouth portion of the bottle body so as to be detachable from above and covers the inner plug, the outer plug, and their equipment members. The valve body and the lid have a closing habit and are opened by the operation portion and held in the open position. When the inner plug floats from the attachment position to the outer plug, it is pushed into the attachment position to the outer plug by attaching the cap. When the valve body is in the open position, it is returned to the closed position by attaching the cap. In both cases, the pushing of the inner plug into the outer plug and the return of the valve body from the open position to the closed position are performed by attaching the cap once. A thermos bottle is disclosed.

[0004] On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses a portable beverage bottle comprising a bottle body, a lid member attached to the bottle body in a lid-like manner and having a direct-drinking spout portion projecting upward, and a cap pivotally attached to the lid member so as to be swingable around a horizontal axis and having a packing for sealing the upper end of the spout portion, wherein the bottle is further equipped with a cup that is detachably attached to the lid member in a manner that surrounds the spout portion and the cap in a closed state, and if the cap is not fully locked and an attempt is made to attach (screw) the cup to the lid member, a small convex cap pressing portion provided so as to project from the inner surface of the back (bottom) wall of the cup toward the opening side (downward) presses the cap downward and swings it, thereby closing the cap (locking state). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-100343 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-022686 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Incidentally, the inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 mentioned above all have a configuration that allows the liquid-permeable portion communicating with the inside of the container body to be closed by attaching an outer lid such as a cap or cup, even when the opening and closing of the liquid-permeable portion is incomplete.

[0007] On the other hand, some cap units include a cap body that closes the upper opening of the container body and has a nozzle that communicates with the inside of the container body, a nozzle cap that opens and closes the tip of the nozzle, and an outer lid that is detachably attached to the cap body while covering the nozzle cap attached to the nozzle.

[0008] In a configuration in which a nozzle cap is attached to the nozzle portion by screwing it on, if the configuration described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above is adopted and the screwing of the nozzle cap to the nozzle portion is insufficient, it is difficult to seal the liquid passage provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion by attaching the outer cover.

[0009] Furthermore, if the nozzle cap is not sufficiently tightened by screwing it onto the nozzle, and the outer lid is attached to the cap body, there is a risk that the beverage (liquid) contained in the container body may leak out from the liquid outlet to the inside of the outer lid.

[0010] This invention has been proposed in view of the above conventional circumstances, and aims to provide a cap unit and a container with a cap that enable sealing of the liquid passage provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion from a state in which the screwing of the nozzle cap to the nozzle portion has progressed only slightly during the tightening process, and that enable the user to realize that the liquid passage cannot be sealed when the nozzle cap has not been screwed on at all. [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 liquid passage provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion. A stopper packing is detachably attached to the inside of the nozzle cap to seal the liquid passage, The nozzle cap attached to the nozzle portion is covered by an outer cover that is detachably attached to the cap body, A gap is provided between the male threaded portion on the nozzle side and the female threaded portion on the nozzle cap side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap to move axially relative to the nozzle. A cap unit characterized in that, when the outer cover is attached to the cap body while the nozzle cap is partially screwed onto the nozzle portion, the outer cover, which is in contact with the nozzle cap, pushes down on the nozzle cap, thereby pressing the stopper packing against the liquid passage opening. [2] The cap unit according to [1], characterized in that when the outer cover is attached to the cap body while the nozzle cap is sufficiently tightened by screwing it onto the nozzle portion, the outer cover is in a state of non-contact with the nozzle cap. [3] The cap unit according to [1], characterized in that, in the pre-screw state in which the nozzle cap is not screwed onto the nozzle portion at all, the outer cover comes into contact with the nozzle cap, making it impossible to attach the outer cover to the cap body. [4] The cap unit according to [1], characterized in that the outer lid is detachably attached to the cap body by screwing the male threaded portion on the cap body side and the female threaded portion on the outer lid side together in a horizontal direction. [5] A container body with an open top, The container body is equipped with a cap unit that can be detachably attached to it, The cap unit comprises a cap body that closes the upper opening of the container body and has 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 liquid passage provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion. A stopper packing is detachably attached to the inside of the nozzle cap to seal the liquid passage, The container comprises an outer lid that is detachably attached to the container body, covering the nozzle cap attached to the nozzle portion, A gap is provided between the male threaded portion on the nozzle side and the female threaded portion on the nozzle cap side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap to move axially relative to the nozzle. A capped container characterized in that, when the outer lid is attached to the container body while the nozzle cap is partially screwed onto the nozzle portion, the outer lid, which is in contact with the nozzle cap, pushes down on the nozzle cap, thereby pressing the stopper packing against the liquid port. [6] The capped container according to [5], characterized in that when the outer lid is attached to the container body with sufficient tightening of the nozzle cap by screwing it onto the nozzle portion, the outer lid is in a state of non-contact with the nozzle cap. [7] The container with a cap according to [5], characterized in that, in the pre-screw state in which the nozzle cap is not screwed onto the nozzle portion at all, the outer lid comes into contact with the nozzle cap, making it impossible to attach the outer lid to the container body. [8] The container with a cap according to [5], characterized in that the outer lid is detachably attached to the container body by screwing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As described above, the present invention provides a cap unit and a container with a cap that enable sealing of the liquid passage provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion from a state in which the screwing of the nozzle cap to the nozzle portion has progressed only slightly during the tightening process, and that enable the user to notice that the liquid passage is not sealed in the pre-screwed state before the nozzle cap is attached at all. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a capped container equipped with a cap unit according to the first 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 is a side view showing the same state as the cap unit shown in FIG. 2 with the outer lid removed. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view showing the outer lid of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] It shows 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 thereof, and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction thereof. [Figure 7] 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 8] It shows a state where the outer lid cannot be attached to the cap body in a state where the attachment of the nozzle cap to the nozzle portion of the cap unit shown in FIG. 1 is incomplete, (A) is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction thereof, and (B) is a virtual cross-sectional view showing interference between the female thread on the inner surface of the outer lid and the male thread on the outer surface of the cap body. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a capped container provided with a cap unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) First, as the first embodiment of the present invention, for example, a capped container 100A provided with a cap unit 1A shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 will be described.

[0015] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a capped container 100A equipped with a cap unit 1A. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the state in which the nozzle cap 9 is in the closed position relative to the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1A. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the state in which the nozzle cap 9 is in the open position relative to the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1A. Figure 4 is a side view showing the same state as the cap unit 1A shown in Figure 2, with the outer lid 12 removed. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the outer lid 12 of the cap unit 1A. Figure 6 shows the state in which the outer lid 12 is attached to the cap body 8 with the nozzle cap 9 sufficiently tightened by screwing into the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1A, where (A) is a cross-sectional view along the front-to-back direction and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the left-to-right direction. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the state after the outer lid 12 has been attached to the cap body 8 with the nozzle cap 9 not sufficiently tightened by screwing into the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1A. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the outer cover 12 cannot be attached to the cap body 8 when the nozzle cap 9 is not fully attached to the nozzle portion 7 of the cap unit 1A.

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

[0017] The capped container 100A 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 narrowed 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 100A of this embodiment has a generally cylindrical external shape, the external shape of the capped container 100A 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 1A 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 11, with the nozzle cap 9 rotatably attached around the axis of the ring portion 11a; and an outer cover 12 that covers the nozzle cap 9 and rotating member 11 attached to the nozzle portion 7, and is detachably attached to the cap body 8 by screwing.

[0024] In the following explanation, of the upright cap unit 1A (container with cap 100A), the radial direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the "vertical direction" is defined as follows: the side where the hinge portion 10 is located is defined as the "rear side" of the cap unit 1A (container with cap 100A); the side where the nozzle portion 7 is located relative to the hinge portion 10 is defined as the "front side" of the cap unit 1A (container with cap 100A); the direction connecting these two sides is defined as the "front-back direction" of the cap unit 1A (container with cap 100A); and the direction perpendicular to this front-back direction is defined as the "left-right direction" of the cap unit 1A (container with cap 100A).

[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] The nozzle cap 9 is fitted inside the ring portion 11a of the rotating member 11 and is rotatably mounted around the axis of the ring portion 11a. 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.

[0036] 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, 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.

[0037] Furthermore, a vertical gap (play) Sh is provided between the engaging projection 16 and the engaging recess 17, which 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. In other words, in this embodiment, the vertical width of the engaging recess 17 is greater than the vertical width of the engaging projection 16.

[0038] As a result, in the cap unit 1A of this embodiment, the nozzle cap 9 is rotatably mounted around the axis of the ring portion 11a with the engaging recess 17 engaged with the engaging projection 16, and the nozzle cap 9 is mounted so that it can tilt with respect to the central axis of the ring portion 11a by an amount corresponding to the upper and lower gap Sh (Sh1, Sh2), and can move in the direction of that central axis.

[0039] Furthermore, in the cap unit 1A 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.

[0040] In the cap unit 1A of this embodiment, 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 1A 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] Furthermore, a gap Sh3 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 Sh3.

[0043] Furthermore, in the cap unit 1A of this embodiment, by rotating the nozzle cap 9 in one direction around its axis (clockwise when viewed from above) from the state in which the nozzle cap 9 is placed over the nozzle portion 7, the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 are screwed together.

[0044] In the cap unit 1A of this embodiment, when the nozzle cap 9 moves from the open position toward the closed position, the rotating member 11 rotates relative to the hinge portion 10 as it moves toward the closed position. As a result, an angle is created between the central axis of the nozzle portion 7 and the central axis of the ring portion 11a (their central axes do not coincide) as they approach each other. Furthermore, this angle is not resolved even when the second male screw portion 19 and the second female screw portion 18 move to the position where they begin to screw together (their central axes do not coincide).

[0045] In this case, 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 perpendicular to the central axis direction (left-right direction) of the hinge portion 10, but the nozzle cap 9 is pivotably mounted around the entire circumference of the ring portion 11a with respect to the central axis AX1. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly screw the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 together while aligning the central axis AX3 of the nozzle portion 7 and the central axis AX2 of the nozzle cap 9.

[0046] 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.

[0047] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1A 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] In the cap unit 1A 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.

[0053] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1A of this embodiment, the stopper packing 20 can be easily removed from the inner lower 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] In the cap unit 1A 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 entire circumference of the liquid passage 7a located on the tip side of the nozzle portion 7.

[0061] Here, the plug portion 20b has a hemispherical shape with a convex lower end, and on its upper side, it has an upper rib 20f that protrudes upward in a concentric manner with the insertion 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 insertion portion 20a and the upper rib 20f.

[0062] 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 side of the top wall portion 9b.

[0063] 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 able to elastically deform and bend.

[0064] Furthermore, the stopper portion 20b has a reduced effective deflection length and is pressed against by the circular protrusion 9d from above and the tip of the nozzle portion 7 from below, 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.

[0065] The outer lid 12 is made of, for example, 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 100A and also functions as a cup for pouring and drinking the beverage dispensed from the liquid outlet 7a.

[0066] 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.

[0067] Furthermore, the third male threaded portion 21 and the third female threaded portion 22 are not spirally connected, but are screwed (locked) together horizontally. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the third male threaded portion 21 consists of two threads that form complementary shapes without inclination, and 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 threaded portion 21. Furthermore, a stepped portion 8d is provided on the outer circumference of the cap body 8 so as to slope downward toward the outside, with respect to the opening 12c of the outer cover 12.

[0068] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, the third female thread portion 22 consists of two complementary threads, and is composed of threads that protrude horizontally from opposing positions on the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 12b without any inclination. In addition, 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.

[0069] In the cap unit 1A of this embodiment, with the outer cover 12 placed over the cap body 8, the outer cover 12 is rotated clockwise around its axis 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.

[0070] Then, at the position where the third male thread portion 21 and the third female thread portion 22 are screwed together, 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-out portion to the right of the locking recess 24 in Figure 5) overcomes the locking projection 23, and the locking projection 23 is locked into the locking recess 24, thereby providing a click sensation.

[0071] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1A 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 recess 24 and the locking projection 23 are released, the screwing (locking) of the third male screw portion 21 and the third female screw portion 22 is released, and the outer cover 12 can be removed from the cap body 8.

[0072] In the cap unit 1A of this embodiment, which has the above configuration, as shown in Figures 6(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.

[0073] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1A of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, 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.

[0074] 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.

[0075] On the other hand, when the outer cover 12 is attached to the cap body 8 from this state, as shown in Figure 7, 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 7 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.

[0076] 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.

[0077] Therefore, in the cap unit 1A 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.

[0078] On the other hand, in the cap unit 1A of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, 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.

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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 interference between the third male thread portion 21 and the third female thread portion 22, as shown in Figure 8(B), making it impossible to screw (lock) the outer cover 12 onto the cap body 8.

[0081] Therefore, in the cap unit 1A 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 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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] 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 downward as shown in Figure 7. 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 downward 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.

[0084] 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.

[0085] As shown in Figure 7, 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.

[0086] 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 4 and 5, the end position of the screw can be clearly defined in accordance with the locking 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.

[0087] As described above, in the cap unit 1A of this embodiment, when the outer cover 12 is attached to the cap body 8 while the nozzle cap 9 is only slightly screwed into the nozzle portion 7, the outer cover 12, which is in 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.

[0088] 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.

[0089] Therefore, the capped container 100A of this embodiment can be made even easier to use by incorporating the cap unit 1A of this embodiment described above.

[0090] (Second embodiment) Next, as a second embodiment of the present invention, a capped container 100B equipped with a cap unit 1B, as shown in Figure 9, will be described.

[0091] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a capped container 100B equipped with a cap unit 1B. In the following description, parts equivalent to those in the capped container 100A equipped with the cap unit 1A will not be described, and the same reference numerals will be used in the drawings.

[0092] As shown in Figure 9, the capped container 100B of this embodiment, equipped with the cap unit 1B, has a configuration in which the outer lid 12A is detachably attached to the container body 2, and otherwise has basically the same configuration as the capped container 100A equipped with the cap unit 1A.

[0093] Specifically, the outer cover 12A is detachably attached to the container body 2 by screwing it in, while covering the nozzle cap 9 and rotating member 11 attached to the nozzle portion 7, as well as the cap body 8.

[0094] Therefore, a third male threaded portion 21A is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the neck portion 2c of the container body 2, below the first male threaded portion 13. On the other hand, a third female threaded portion 22A is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 12b of the outer lid 12A, which is screwed into the third male threaded portion 21A. In this embodiment, the third male threaded portion 21A and the third female threaded portion 22A that are screwed into it are not spirally extended, as in the third male threaded portion 21 and the third female threaded portion 22 in the first embodiment, but are screwed (locked) into each other in a horizontal direction.

[0095] In the capped container 100B of this embodiment, which has the configuration described above, when the outer lid 12A is attached to the container body 2 with sufficient tightening of the nozzle cap 9 by screwing it onto the nozzle portion 7, the outer lid 12A is in a state of non-contact with the nozzle cap 9, similar to the cap unit 1A described above.

[0096] On the other hand, even when the outer lid 12A is attached to the container body 2 in an insufficient state where the nozzle cap 9 is only slightly screwed into the nozzle portion 7, the basic effect is the same as in the case of the cap unit 1A described above, although the difference is that the outer lid 12A is attached to the container body 2 instead of the cap body 8.

[0097] In other words, when the outer lid 12A is attached to the container body 2 while the second male thread portion 19 and a portion of the second female thread portion 18 are partially screwed together, the outer lid 12A, which is in contact with the nozzle cap 9, pushes down the nozzle cap 9. Specifically, the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 12a of the outer lid 12A and the upper surface of the top wall portion 9b of the nozzle cap 9 come into contact, and by pushing the outer lid 12A downwards as shown in Figure 9 and rotating it in one direction around the axis (clockwise when viewed from above), the third male thread portion 21A and the third female thread portion 22A become screwed (locked) together.

[0098] 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.

[0099] Therefore, in the capped container 100B equipped with the cap unit 1B 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.

[0100] On the other hand, in the case of a capped container 100B equipped with the cap unit 1B of this embodiment, we will describe the case in which the outer lid 12A is attached to the container body 2 when the nozzle cap 9 has not been screwed (attached) to the nozzle portion 7 at all.

[0101] First, the nozzle cap 9 is placed over the tip of the nozzle portion 7, and the second female thread portion 18 is placed on the upper end of the second male thread portion 19, so that the second male thread portion 19 and the second female thread portion 18 are not screwed together at all. If an attempt is made to attach the outer lid 12A to the container body 2 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 21A and the third female thread portion 22A to interfere with each other, making it impossible to screw the outer lid 12A onto the container body 2.

[0102] Therefore, in the capped container 100B equipped with the cap unit 1B of this embodiment, the outer lid 12A cannot be attached to the container body 2 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 100B.

[0103] As described above, in the capped container 100B equipped with the cap unit 1B of this embodiment, when the outer lid 12A is attached to the container body 2 while the nozzle cap 9 is not sufficiently tightened by screwing it onto the nozzle portion 7, the outer lid 12, which is in contact with the nozzle cap 9, pushes down the nozzle cap 9, causing the stopper packing 20 to be pressed against the liquid passage opening 7a.

[0104] 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 12A.

[0105] Therefore, the capped container 100B equipped with the cap unit 1B of this embodiment makes it possible to further improve ease of use. In addition, the other effects obtained are the same as those of the cap unit 1A described above.

[0106] 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.

[0107] For example, in the cap units 1A and 1B described above, the nozzle cap 9 is rotatably attached around its axis to the ring portion 11a of the rotating member 11 described above. However, the rotating member 11 may be omitted, and a removable nozzle cap 9 may be attached to the cap body 8 and the nozzle portion 7 by screwing them together.

[0108] Furthermore, although the outer lids 12 and 12A are configured to be detachably attached to the cap body 8 or container body 2 by screwing, the configuration is not limited to such screwing; for example, they may be detachably attached to the cap body 8 or container body 2 by fitting or other means.

[0109] 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]

[0110] 1A, 1B…Cap unit 2…Container body 7…Nozzle part 7a…Liquid port 8…Cap body 9…Nozzle cap 11…Rotating member 12…Outer lid 18…Second female thread part 19…Second male thread part 20…Stopper packing 21, 21A…Third male thread part 22, 22A…Third female thread part 100A, 100B…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 liquid passage provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion. A stopper packing is detachably attached to the inside of the nozzle cap to seal the liquid passage, The nozzle cap attached to the nozzle portion is covered by an outer cover that is detachably attached to the cap body, A gap is provided between the male threaded portion on the nozzle side and the female threaded portion on the nozzle cap side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap to move axially relative to the nozzle. A cap unit characterized in that, when the outer cover is attached to the cap body while the nozzle cap is partially screwed onto the nozzle portion, the outer cover, which is in contact with the nozzle cap, pushes down on the nozzle cap, thereby pressing the stopper packing against the liquid passage opening.

2. The cap unit according to claim 1, characterized in that when the outer cover is attached to the cap body while the nozzle cap is sufficiently tightened by screwing it onto the nozzle portion, the outer cover is in a state of non-contact with the nozzle cap.

3. The cap unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the pre-screw state in which the nozzle cap is not screwed onto the nozzle portion at all, the outer cover comes into contact with the nozzle cap, making it impossible to attach the outer cover to the cap body.

4. The cap unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer lid is detachably attached to the cap body by screwing the male threaded portion on the cap body side and the female threaded portion on the outer lid side together in a horizontal direction.

5. A container body with an open top, The container body is equipped with a cap unit that can be detachably attached to it, The cap unit comprises a cap body that closes the upper opening of the container body and has 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 liquid passage provided on the tip side of the nozzle portion. A stopper packing is detachably attached to the inside of the nozzle cap to seal the liquid passage, The container comprises an outer lid that is detachably attached to the container body, covering the nozzle cap attached to the nozzle portion, A gap is provided between the male threaded portion on the nozzle side and the female threaded portion on the nozzle cap side, which are screwed together, allowing the nozzle cap to move axially relative to the nozzle. A capped container characterized in that, when the outer lid is attached to the container body while the nozzle cap is partially screwed onto the nozzle portion, the outer lid, which is in contact with the nozzle cap, pushes down on the nozzle cap, thereby pressing the stopper packing against the liquid port.

6. The container with a cap according to claim 5, characterized in that when the outer lid is attached to the container body with sufficient tightening of the nozzle cap by screwing it onto the nozzle portion, the outer lid is in a state of non-contact with the nozzle cap.

7. The container with a cap according to claim 5, characterized in that, in the pre-screw state in which the nozzle cap is not screwed onto the nozzle portion at all, the outer lid comes into contact with the nozzle cap, making it impossible to attach the outer lid to the container body.

8. The container with a cap according to claim 5, characterized in that the outer lid is detachably attached to the container body by screwing.

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