Refillable container

Abstract

To provide a refillable container that allows for easy attachment and detachment of replacement containers while keeping running costs down. [Solution] The refillable container 1 comprises a container body 2 having a hollow cylindrical neck portion 22 and a hollow portion 23, a hollow cylindrical main portion 41, a flange portion 42 that protrudes annularly around the main portion around a cylindrical axis 100, a peripheral wall portion 43 that hangs down from the lower outer peripheral edge of the flange portion and circles around the cylindrical axis, a tab portion 45 that has a width w in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall portion and protrudes downward from the peripheral wall portion, with the boundary between the peripheral wall portion and the flange portion being the base portion 44, and a cap 3 that is attached to the neck portion, the neck portion has a groove-shaped thin-walled portion 27 that has a width in the circumferential direction and extends in the vertical direction, the peripheral wall portion has a groove-shaped broken portion 46 that maintains the circumferential width of the tab portion in the region where the tab portion is formed and extends to the base portion, the refillable container 1 in which the tab portion is detachably housed in the hollow portion with the tab portion engaging with the thin-walled portion, and when the tab portion is pulled forward the broken portion breaks and the tab portion is separated from the peripheral wall portion with the tab portion connected to the flange portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refillable container. Specifically, it relates to a set-type refillable container.

Background Art

[0002] When the contents of a refillable container are used up, the entire container does not need to be discarded. Instead, only the contents or only a separate container containing the contents can be replaced, allowing the container or most of the container to be used continuously. Thereby, only the minimum amount of waste is generated, promoting waste reduction and resource conservation. Of course, for users, after purchasing a refillable container initially, they only need to purchase a new replacement container filled with the contents, which can greatly reduce the running cost when continuously using the contents.

[0003] A so-called "set type" refillable container that only replaces the above-mentioned separate container (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "replacement container") has the advantage that the contents can be quickly refilled with only a simple operation of replacing the replacement container, compared to a refillable container that only refills the contents.

[0004] As a general set-type refillable container, for example, a detachable container described in Patent Document 1 below can be mentioned. In the detachable container described in this Patent Document 1, a refill container, which is a replacement container, is fitted into the container body. Also, refillable containers that are easy to replace the replacement container, such as the double container described in Patent Document 1 below and the refill container described in Patent Document 2, have also been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] In the detachable container described in Patent Document 1, when removing the refill container, the user presses their finger against the inner surface on the front side of the refill container and pushes it upwards toward the user. If an oily substance is attached to the inner surface of the refill container, the user's finger may slip, so it is desirable to remove the attached contents beforehand. In other words, with the detachable container described in Patent Document 1, the contents will adhere to the user's fingers each time the refill container is replaced, regardless of the lubricity of the contents. On the other hand, the refillable container referred to as a double container described in Patent Document 2, and the refill container described in Patent Document 2, have a structure that allows the replacement container to be removed without soiling the fingers.

[0007] Specifically, the double-walled container described in Patent Document 2 above is configured such that the inner container, which corresponds to the replacement container, is provided with a pivotable movable part via a pivot, and as one side of the movable part is pulled up relative to the pivot, the other side is pressed against the outer container, which corresponds to the container body, causing the inner container to move upward and the inner container fitted into the outer container to detach.

[0008] The refill container described in Patent Document 3 is provided with a gripping portion with a partially threaded section on the inner container (replacement container) so that the engagement is released in the initial stage of rotation and the inner container can be easily removed by applying only a small rotational force thereafter. The neck portion of the inner container (container body) is provided with a threaded recess into which the gripping portion fits. When the gripping portion is rotated, it is guided along the slope of the threaded recess, causing the inner container to lift upward and making it easy to remove.

[0009] However, the refillable container described in Patent Document 2 involves integrally molding the inner container, which has a complex movable mechanism. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the inner container is high, making it difficult to reduce the running costs, which is the original advantage of refillable containers. It is also possible to make the movable part a separate component, but in this case, the number of parts and manufacturing processes will increase, making it difficult to manufacture the inner container cheaply.

[0010] The refill container described in Patent Document 3 requires the formation of a screw-recessed recess in the inner container and a gripping portion in the inner container. Furthermore, the shapes of the inner container and the inner container must be molded with high precision so that when the inner container is rotated, the gripping portion is guided by its own shape along the shape of the screw-recessed recess. Consequently, the manufacturing cost of the replacement container is high for the refill container described in Patent Document 3, making it difficult to reduce running costs. In addition, the container body of the refill container described in Patent Document 3 has a complex shape, which also increases the manufacturing cost of the container body.

[0011] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a refillable container that allows for easy attachment and detachment of replacement containers without soiling hands, while suppressing running costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] One aspect of the present invention for achieving the above objective is a refillable container comprising a container body, a replacement container, and a cap. The container body is a hollow cylindrical shape with its axis running vertically, and has a neck portion to which the cap is detachably attached, and a hollow portion with an opening at the upper end of the neck portion into which the replacement container is inserted. The aforementioned replacement container has a hollow cylindrical main part with its upper end open, with the vertical direction as the axis of the cylinder; a flange that protrudes annularly around the axis of the cylinder around the main part; a peripheral wall that hangs down from the lower outer peripheral edge of the flange and circles around the axis of the cylinder; and a tab that has a width in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall and protrudes downward from the peripheral wall, with the boundary between the peripheral wall and the flange as its base. The neck portion has a groove-shaped thin-walled portion that has width in the circumferential direction and extends in the vertical direction, The peripheral wall portion has a groove-shaped fracture in the region where the tab portion is formed, which maintains the circumferential width of the tab portion and extends to the base portion. The replacement container has a tab portion that engages with the thin-walled portion, and a main portion that is detachably housed in the hollow portion. When the tab portion is pulled forward, the fractured portion breaks, and the tab portion is separated from the peripheral wall portion while still connected to the flange portion. It is a refillable container.

[0013] The peripheral wall portion and the tab portion may have groove-shaped recesses formed in the circumferential direction on the inside when viewed from the outside, and the neck portion may have a protrusion that engages with the recess, making it a refillable container.

[0014] A refillable container can also be provided, in which a finger rest portion is formed at the lower end of the tab portion, protruding outward from the cylindrical shaft. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, a refillable container is provided that allows for easy attachment and detachment of replacement containers while suppressing running costs. Further effects will be described below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1A] This is a perspective view showing the refillable container according to the embodiment with the cap attached. [Figure 1B] This is a perspective view of the refillable container according to the embodiment, when disassembled into its individual parts. [Figure 1C] This is a perspective view showing the refillable container according to the embodiment with the cap removed. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the replacement container, which constitutes the refillable container according to the embodiment, as seen from below. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing the refillable container according to the embodiment with the cap removed. [Figure 4] It is a diagram for explaining how to remove the replacement container in the refillable container according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing other embodiments of the replacement container.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings used in the following description, the same or similar parts may be denoted by the same reference numerals and redundant descriptions may be omitted. In some drawings, parts that are not necessary may not be denoted by reference numerals in other drawings. ===Embodiment=== <Configuration of the container> FIGS. 1A to 1C show a refillable container (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "container 1") according to an embodiment. FIG. 1A is an external view of container 1 with cap 3 attached, and FIG. 1B is a view when container 1 is disassembled into components (2, 3, 4). FIG. 1C is an external view of container 1 with cap 3 removed. In FIG. 1C, cap 3 is omitted.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1A, container 1 with cap 3 attached has a cylindrical appearance. As shown in FIG. 1B, container 1 is composed of a container body 2, a replacement container 4, and a cap 3. Each of the container body 2, the cap 3, and the replacement container 4 is made of an integrally molded resin product. Cap 3 is detachably attached to container body 2, and as shown in FIG. 1C, replacement container 4 is detachably attached to container body 2.

[0019] Here, the extension direction of the cylindrical shaft (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "shaft 100") of the cylindrical container 1 with the cap 3 attached is defined as the vertical direction, and the vertical directions are defined assuming that the cap 3 is attached to the top of the container body 2. Furthermore, for the cap 3 and replacement container 4, which are detachable from the container body 2, the direction of the shaft 100 and the vertical directions are defined based on the state in which they are attached to the container body 2. For example, even if the container is inverted, the extension direction of the shaft 100 and the vertical directions are maintained. The container 1 according to this embodiment is assembled with the container body 2, cap 3, and replacement container 4 arranged coaxially, as shown in Figure 1B.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1B, the container body 2 in this embodiment is generally a bottomed, two-stage cylindrical shape that widens towards the lower end, and has a hollow cylindrical body 21 with a widened diameter at the lower end and a hollow cylindrical neck 22 with a reduced diameter at the upper end. The container body 2 has a hollow section 23 inside in which a replacement container 4 is housed, and this hollow section 23 opens at the upper end of the neck 22. A male thread 24 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the neck 22, which screws into a female thread (not shown) formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cap 3. In addition, the mouth 25 at the upper end of the neck 22 is thinned in an annular shape near the opening 26. Furthermore, the neck 22 has a shallow groove-like area (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "thin-walled section 27") that extends downward to the boundary with the body 21 while maintaining the thickness of the mouth 25, and in which the male thread 24 is not formed.

[0021] The replacement container 4 has a main section 41 in which the contents are stored, with a hemispherical bottom that is convex downwards on the lower end of a hollow cylinder, and a flange section 42 that protrudes in an annular shape radially outward from the axis 100 at the upper end of the main section 41. The flange section 42 is continuous with a peripheral wall section 43 that hangs downward from the outer edge and is formed in a vertically flattened hollow cylindrical shape. As also shown in Figure 1C, the peripheral wall section 43 has a width w in the circumferential direction and is provided with a tab section 45 that protrudes downward in a tongue shape with the boundary with the flange section 42 as the base section 44. The tab section 45 is provided with a fracture section 46 that is formed linearly and thinly upward from both ends in the circumferential direction of the region that protrudes from the peripheral wall section 43 to the boundary with the flange section 42 on the peripheral wall section 43 when viewed from the outer front.

[0022] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the replacement container 4 as seen from below. As shown in Figure 2, when the replacement container 4 is viewed from below, the space between the main part 41 and the peripheral wall part 43 is an annular groove with the lower surface of the flange part 42 as its base. On the lower surface of this flange part 42, in the area where the tab part 45 is formed, a thin-walled portion (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "connecting part 47") with a narrow rectangular groove cross-section is formed. In addition, a notch 48 is formed on the lower end surface of the tab part 45, which is cut out and thinned so as to open to the side facing the main part 41. As shown in Figure 1C, the replacement container 4 is inserted into the hollow part 23 of the container body 2 with the main part 41 while the tab part 45 engages with the thin-walled portion 27 of the container body 2.

[0023] Figure 3 shows the state in which the replacement container 4 is attached to the container body 2. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the container body 2 with the replacement container 4 attached, cut along a plane including the axis 100, and corresponds to the cross-section taken by arrow aa in Figure 1B. Figure 3 also shows an enlarged view of the area within the circle (101, 102). As shown in Figure 3, in the replacement container 4, the height from the lower surface of the flange portion 42 to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 43 is equal to the height of the mouth portion 25 of the neck portion 22 of the container body 2. When the replacement container 4 is attached to the container body 2, the mouth portion 25 is held between the outer peripheral surface of the main portion 41 and the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 43, while the upper end surface of the neck portion 22 abuts against the lower surface of the flange portion 42. When the replacement container 4 is attached to the container body 2, the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 43 and the outer surface of the tab portion 45 of the replacement container 4 become flush with the neck portion 22 of the container body 2. Furthermore, in the container 1 according to the embodiment, undercut recesses (49a, 49b) are formed on the back side of the peripheral wall portion 43 and the tab portion 45. Note that the recess 49a of the peripheral wall portion 43 and the recess 49b of the tab portion 45 are located at different positions in the vertical direction. Therefore, when viewed from above, the recess 49a formed in the peripheral wall portion 43 is C-shaped around the axis 100, and the recess 49b formed in the tab portion 45 is arc-shaped. Of course, the respective recesses (49a, 49b) may be located at the same position in the vertical direction.

[0024] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 1B, protrusions (28a, 28b) that engage with the recesses (49a, 49b) are formed in an annular shape around the axis 100 on the outer circumferential surface of the mouth 25 of the container body 2. Then, as shown in Figure 3, when the replacement container 4 is attached to the container body 2, the protrusions (28a, 28b) and recesses (49a, 49b) engage to prevent the replacement container 4 from accidentally falling off. <Removing the replacement container> In the container 1 according to the embodiment, the replacement container 4 is fitted into the hollow portion 23 of the container body 2 from above. Therefore, to remove the replacement container 4, it is necessary to pull the replacement container 4 upward. In the container 1 according to the embodiment, the above-mentioned tab portion 45 is provided to allow the replacement container 4 to be easily pulled upward.

[0025] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1C and 2, the tab portion 45 of the replacement container 4 has a fractured portion 46 from the region protruding from the peripheral wall portion 43 to the boundary with the flange portion 42 on the peripheral wall portion 43. Also, as shown in Figure 2, the above-mentioned connecting portion 47 is formed near the base portion 44 of the tab portion 45, and in the region where the notch portion 48 is formed, it is separated from the outer surface of the thin-walled portion 27 of the container body 2, as shown in Figure 3.

[0026] To remove the replacement container 4, first, the tab portion 45 is lifted towards the user by placing a finger or nail on the notch 48 of the tab portion 45. At this time, the thin-walled connecting portion 47 acts as a fulcrum, making it easier to lift the tab portion 45. As the tab portion 45 is lifted, the breaking portion 46 breaks, and finally the tab portion 45 is separated from the peripheral wall portion 43 while still connected to the flange portion 42. Figure 4 shows the container 1 in the state after the tab portion 45 has been separated.

[0027] When the tab portion 45 is detached, the engagement between the recess 49b of the tab portion 45 and the protrusion 28b of the container body 2 is released, and a portion of the peripheral wall portion 43 is cut out to the boundary of the flange portion 42. As a result, some of the force that was gripping the mouth 25 of the container body 2 with the peripheral wall portion 43 and the main portion 41 is released. Consequently, the engagement between the recess 49a and the protrusion 28a is also loosened, and the replacement container 4 can be pulled out of the hollow portion 23 of the container body 2 simply by pulling up the detached tab portion 45 with light force. Of course, the replacement container 4 can also be removed from the container body 2 by pinching the tab portion 45 and pulling the replacement container 4 upward to make it float relative to the container body 2, and then holding the floated portion with your hand and pulling the replacement container 4 further upward.

[0028] Thus, the container 1 according to this embodiment has a simple structure in which a tab portion 45 that can be detached while connected to the flange portion 42 is provided on the replacement container 4, and the inherent advantage of a refillable container, which is to reduce running costs, is not compromised. Furthermore, the replacement container 4 can be easily removed without soiling one's hands. ===Other Examples=== Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways without departing from its essence. For example, the above embodiment is described in detail in order to explain the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner and is not necessarily limited to having all the configurations described. Some of the configurations of the embodiment can be added to, deleted from, or replaced with other configurations.

[0029] For example, in the above embodiment, the tab portion 45 of the replacement container 4 was provided at one location on the peripheral wall portion 43, but the tab portion 45 may be formed at multiple locations as long as the cap 3 can be attached to the neck portion 22 of the container body 2.

[0030] As shown in Figure 5, the replacement container 14 may have a finger rest 142 that protrudes radially outward from the lower end of the tab portion 141. By placing their fingers on this finger rest 142, users can more easily pull up the tab portion 141. In the above embodiment, the container body 2 had a two-tiered cylindrical external shape, but naturally, the shape of the container body 2 can be changed as appropriate, as long as it has a structure that includes a hollow section 23 in which the replacement container 4 is housed. Also, in the above embodiment, the container body 2, cap 3, and replacement container 4 were generally hollow cylindrical, but they may be rectangular tubular as long as the replacement container 4 and cap 3 are attached to the container body 2 sequentially from above.

[0031] The structure for attaching the cap 3 to the neck portion 22 is not limited to a screw cap type, in which a male thread 24 formed on the neck portion 22 is screwed into a female thread formed on the cap 3, as used in the container 1 according to the embodiment. For example, a well-known snap-fit ​​type may also be used. In any case, it is sufficient that the cap 3 can be attached to and detached from the neck portion 22. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 1 Refillable container, 2 Container body, 3 Cap, 4, 14 Replacement container, 21 Body, 22 Neck, 23 Hollow section, 24 Male screw, 25 Mouth, 27 Thin-walled section, 28a, 28b protrusion, 41 main part, 42 flange, 43 peripheral wall, 44 base of tab , 45, 141 tab section, 46 fracture section, 47 connecting section, 48 notch section, 49a, 49b recess, 100 cylindrical shaft, 142 finger rest

Claims

1. A refillable container comprising a container body, a replacement container, and a cap, The container body is a hollow cylindrical shape with its axis running vertically, and has a neck portion to which the cap is detachably attached, and a hollow portion with an opening at the upper end of the neck portion into which the replacement container is inserted. The aforementioned replacement container has a hollow cylindrical main part with its upper end open, with the vertical direction as the axis of the cylinder; a flange that protrudes annularly around the axis of the cylinder around the main part; a peripheral wall that hangs down from the lower outer peripheral edge of the flange and circles around the axis of the cylinder; and a tab that has a width in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall and protrudes downward from the peripheral wall, with the boundary between the peripheral wall and the flange as its base. The neck portion has a groove-shaped thin-walled portion that has width in the circumferential direction and extends in the vertical direction, The peripheral wall portion has a groove-shaped fracture in the region where the tab portion is formed, which maintains the circumferential width of the tab portion and extends to the base portion. The replacement container has a tab portion that engages with the thin-walled portion, and a main portion that is detachably housed in the hollow portion. When the tab portion is pulled forward, the fractured portion breaks, and the tab portion is separated from the peripheral wall portion while still connected to the flange portion. Refillable container.

2. The refillable container according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall portion and the tab portion have groove-shaped recesses formed in the circumferential direction on the inner side when viewed from the outside, and the neck portion has a protrusion that engages with the recess.

3. The refillable container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a finger rest is formed at the lower end of the tab portion, protruding outward relative to the cylindrical shaft.

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