Caps, containers, and containers with caps

Abstract

The objective is to provide caps, containers, and containers with caps that have a simple structure and are easy to separate. [Solution] The cap 3 comprises a cap body 7 and an outer casing 8. The cap body 7 is detachably attached to the outer casing 8 by engaging an elastically supported second engaging portion 14b with a first engaging portion 14a provided on the outer casing 8. At the same time, when the cap body 7 is attached to the outer casing 8, the second engaging portion 14b is pressed toward the first engaging portion 14a by a pressing piece 9a, and the pressing piece 9a can release the engagement between the second engaging portion 14b and the first engaging portion 14a by separating from the second engaging portion 14b.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional container with a cap, in order to separate the container body and the exterior body, a container-side movable part and a container engagement release means are arranged between the container body and the exterior body, and the first container engagement part provided on the exterior body is engaged with the second container engagement part provided on the container-side movable part, and while pressing the second container engagement part radially outward with the first container-side pressing part provided on the container engagement release means, when the container engagement release means is pushed into the exterior body, the second container-side pressing part provided on the container engagement release means presses the container-side movable part radially inward, thereby releasing the engagement between the first container engagement part and the second container engagement part is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). According to the invention described in Patent Document 1, by pushing the container engagement release means into the exterior body, the exterior body and the container body can be easily separated.

Prior Art Documents

[0006] (1) The cap of the present invention comprises a cap body that can be attached to and detached from the mouth of a container, and an outer casing that houses the cap body inside, wherein the cap body is detachably attached to the outer casing by engaging an elastically supported second engaging portion with a first engaging portion provided on the outer casing, and when the cap body is attached to the outer casing, the second engaging portion is pressed toward the first engaging portion by a pressing piece, and furthermore, the pressing piece can release the engagement between the second engaging portion and the first engaging portion by separating from the second engaging portion.

[0007] (2) In the cap of (1) above, the first engaging portion is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the outer casing, the second engaging portion is provided on an elastic piece arranged on the outer circumferential wall of the cap body, and it is preferable that the pressing piece is removablely insertable through an insertion hole opening at the lower end of the cap body.

[0008] (3) In the cap of (1) or (2) above, it is preferable that the pressing piece is connected to an annular connecting piece that can contact the lower end of the cap body.

[0009] (4) In the cap described in (2) above, it is preferable that the insertion hole is a through hole opening to the upper part of the cap body, and the pressing piece is provided with a locking projection that can be detachably locked to the upper part of the cap body.

[0010] (5) In any one of the caps described in (1) to (4) above, it is preferable to have a rotation-retaining part that restricts the relative rotation between the cap body and the outer casing.

[0011] (6) The container of the present invention comprises a container body having a mouth and an outer casing that houses the container body inside, wherein the container body is detachably attached to the outer casing by engaging an elastically supported second engaging portion with a first engaging portion provided on the outer casing, and when the container body is attached to the outer casing, the second engaging portion is pressed toward the first engaging portion by a pressing piece, and furthermore, the pressing piece can release the engagement between the second engaging portion and the first engaging portion by separating from the second engaging portion.

[0012] (7) The container according to (6) above preferably further comprises an intermediate member that can be positioned between the container body and the outer casing, wherein the first engaging portion is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the outer casing, the second engaging portion is provided on a first elastic piece positioned on the outer circumferential wall of the intermediate member, and the pressing piece is provided on a second elastic piece positioned on the inner circumferential wall of the intermediate member.

[0013] (8) In the container of (7) above, it is preferable that the second elastic piece is provided with a stopper projection that can contact the outer surface of the inner circumferential wall.

[0014] (9) In any one of the containers described in (6) to (8) above, it is preferable to provide a rotation-retaining part that restricts the relative rotation between the outer casing and the intermediate member.

[0015] (10) In any one of the containers described in (6) to (9) above, it is preferable to have a pressing projection that restricts the relative rotation between the container body and the intermediate member.

[0016] (11) The capped container according to the present invention comprises one of the caps described in (1) to (5) above, and a container having an opening from which the cap can be attached or detached.

[0017] (12) The capped container according to the present invention comprises one of the containers described in (6) to (10) above, and a cap that can be attached to the mouth of the container.

[0018] (13) The container with a cap according to the present invention includes any one of the caps of (1) to (5) above and any one of the containers of (6) to (10) above.

Effects of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cap, a container, and a container with a cap that have a simple structure and are easy to separate.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view schematically showing a container with a cap, which is an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view schematically showing a container, which is an embodiment of the present invention, adopted in the container with a cap of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional shape of the container with a cap of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing another cross-sectional shape of the container with a cap of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view schematically showing an exterior body of the container of FIG. 2 among the containers of FIG. 2. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view schematically showing an intermediate member of the container of FIG. 2 among the containers of FIG. 2. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view schematically showing a container body of the container of FIG. 2 among the containers of FIG. 2. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view schematically showing a cap, which is an embodiment of the present invention, adopted in the container with a cap of FIG. 1. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional shape of the cap of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing another cross-sectional shape of the cap of FIG. 8. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view schematically showing an exterior body of the cap of FIG. 8 among the caps of FIG. 8. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view schematically showing a cap body of the cap of FIG. 8 among the caps of FIG. 8. [Figure 13] Figure 12 is a schematic plan view showing the cap body. [Figure 14] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view showing the fixing member of the cap. [Figure 15] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view showing the cap with the fixing member attached to the cap body. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a cap, a container, and a container with a cap, which are embodiments of one invention, will be described.

[0022] In the following explanation, "upper side" refers to the side of a capped container where the cap is located, and "lower side" refers to the side of a capped container where the container itself is located.

[0023] Figure 1 shows a capped container 1, which is one embodiment of the present invention. The capped container 1 comprises a container 2 and a cap 3. In this disclosure, the container 2 and the cap 3 are arranged on the same axis as the central axis O of the capped container 1 (hereinafter also simply referred to as "axis O").

[0024] Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of container 2 of container 1 with a cap.

[0025] The container 2 in Figure 2 is shown in an oblique view from above. The container 2 comprises a container body 4 having a mouth 4c and an outer casing 5 that houses the container body 4 inside. The container body 4 is a resin container made of synthetic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and is formed by, for example, injection molding. The outer casing 5 is a non-resin cylindrical member made of metal, glass, etc., and is formed by, for example, press molding if it is made of metal.

[0026] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the container 2 includes an intermediate member 6 that can be positioned between the container body 4 and the outer casing 5. The intermediate member 6, like the container body 4, is a resin container made of a synthetic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and is molded, for example, by injection molding. In this disclosure, the mouth 2a of the container 2 is composed of the mouth 4c of the container body 4 and the mouth 61 of the intermediate member 6, as described later. In this disclosure, the container 2 is a wide-mouth container with a wide opening A2.

[0027] Figure 3 schematically shows one cross-sectional shape of the container 1 with a cap. Figure 4 schematically shows another cross-sectional shape of the container 1 with a cap. Both Figures 3 and 4 show cross-sections that include axis O.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the container 2 is detachably attached to the outer casing 5 by engaging the elastically supported second engaging portion 11b (also called the "container-side second engaging portion 11b") with the first engaging portion 11a (also called the "container-side first engaging portion 11a") provided on the outer casing 5. At the same time, when the container body 4 is attached to the outer casing 5, the second engaging portion 11b is pressed toward the first engaging portion 11a by the pressing piece 67. Furthermore, as will be described later, the pressing piece 67 can release the engagement between the second engaging portion 11b and the first engaging portion 11a by separating from the second engaging portion 11b.

[0029] As shown in Figure 4, in this disclosure, the container body 4 has a storage space S2 capable of accommodating contents, and the storage space S2 is open to the outside through an opening A2 formed on the inside of the mouth 4c. In this disclosure, the container body 4 comprises a circumferential wall 4a extending annularly in the circumferential direction around the axis O, and a bottom wall 4b that closes the lower end of the circumferential wall 4a, and the storage space S2 is partitioned by the circumferential wall 4a and the bottom wall 4b. In addition, in this disclosure, the opening A2 of the mouth 4c is formed radially inward from the upper end of the circumferential wall 4a, and the container body 4 is configured as a wide-mouth container. Furthermore, in this disclosure, the mouth 4c is configured by a flange provided at the upper end of the circumferential wall 4a that protrudes radially outward and extends annularly in the circumferential direction around the axis O.

[0030] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the outer casing 5 has a storage space S5 capable of accommodating the container body 4 together with the intermediate member 6, and the storage space S5 is open to the outside through an opening A5 (see Figure 5) formed radially inward at the upper end of the outer casing 5. In this disclosure, the outer casing 5 comprises a circumferential wall 5a extending annularly in the circumferential direction around an axis O, and a bottom wall 5b closing the lower end of the circumferential wall 5a, and the storage space S5 is partitioned by the circumferential wall 5a and the bottom wall 5b. In this disclosure, the circumferential wall 5a becomes the body 2c of the container 2, and the bottom wall 5b becomes the bottom of the container 2. However, the outer casing 5 may be an outer casing without a bottom wall 5b. In addition, a first engaging portion 11a is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential wall 5a. In this disclosure, the first engaging portion 11a is a groove formed on the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential wall 5a. Furthermore, the opening A5 is formed radially inward at the upper end of the circumferential wall 5a. In this disclosure, the outer casing 5 may also be composed of a cylindrical member having only a peripheral wall 5a, with the bottom wall 5b omitted.

[0031] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, in this disclosure, the intermediate member 6 includes a mouth portion 61 from which the cap 3 can be attached and detached, and a shoulder portion 62 connected to the lower end of the mouth portion 61. In this disclosure, the mouth portion 61 has a double structure comprising an outer circumferential portion 61a, an inner circumferential portion 61b arranged radially inward of the outer circumferential portion 61a, and an annular connecting portion 61c connecting the upper end of the outer circumferential portion 61a and the upper end of the inner circumferential portion 61b. In this disclosure, a male threaded portion 61d for attaching and detaching the cap 3 is formed on the outer circumferential portion 61a. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 4, in this disclosure, a mounting hole A6 for attaching the container body 4 is formed on the inner circumferential portion 61b. In this disclosure, the mounting hole A6 is a through hole extending in the vertical direction (axial direction). In this disclosure, the intermediate member 6 can accommodate the container body 4 through the mounting hole A6 formed radially inward of the upper end of the inner circumferential portion 61b of the mouth portion 61. At this time, the container body 4 is positioned relative to the intermediate member 6 by the opening 4c of the container body 4 coming into contact with the connecting portion 61c of the intermediate member 6.

[0032] In addition, in this disclosure, the shoulder portion 62 of the intermediate member 6 is connected to the lower end of the outer peripheral portion 61a of the mouth portion 61. In this disclosure, the shoulder portion 62 is composed of a flange provided at the lower end of the outer peripheral portion 61a, which protrudes radially outward and extends annularly in the circumferential direction around the axis O. In this disclosure, the shoulder portion 62, together with the upper end of the peripheral wall 5a of the outer casing 5, constitutes the shoulder portion 2b of the container 2.

[0033] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the intermediate member 6 comprises an outer peripheral wall 63 and an inner peripheral wall 64 disposed radially inward of the outer peripheral wall 63. In this disclosure, the outer peripheral wall 63 extends downward from the lower end of the shoulder portion 62. Also, in this disclosure, the inner peripheral wall 64 is connected to the inner peripheral portion 61b of the mouth portion 61. In this disclosure, the inner peripheral wall 64 extends integrally downward from the lower end of the inner peripheral portion 61b.

[0034] In addition, as shown in Figure 3, in this disclosure, the intermediate member 6 is provided with a first elastic piece 65. The first elastic piece 65 is located on the outer peripheral wall 63 of the intermediate member 6. In this disclosure, the first elastic piece 65 is connected to the lower end of the shoulder portion 62 of the intermediate member 6 via a thin-walled piece 65a. This allows the first elastic piece 65 to swing radially relative to the shoulder portion 62 with the thin-walled piece 65a as the pivot point. In addition, a second engaging portion 11b is provided on the outer surface of the first elastic piece 65. In this disclosure, the second engaging portion 11b is a protrusion that extends from the outer surface of the first elastic piece 65. In this disclosure, the container 2 is provided with the second engaging portion 11b together with the first elastic piece 65. The two second engaging portions 11b are located radially opposite each other across the axis O, together with the first elastic piece 65. However, there only needs to be at least one pair of the second engaging portion 11b and the first elastic piece 65.

[0035] In addition, as shown in Figure 3, in this disclosure, the intermediate member 6 is provided with a second elastic piece 66. The second elastic piece 66 is positioned on the inner circumferential wall 64 of the intermediate member 6. In this disclosure, the second elastic piece 66 is connected to the lower end of the inner circumferential portion 61b of the mouth portion 61 via a thin-walled piece 66a. This allows the second elastic piece 66 to also swing radially relative to the shoulder portion 62 with the thin-walled piece 66a as the pivot point. In this disclosure, the container 2 is provided with two second elastic pieces 66. The two second elastic pieces 66 are positioned opposite each other in the radial direction, straddling the axis O. The two second elastic pieces 66 can clamp the circumferential wall 4a of the container body 4 radially inward. However, there may be two or more second elastic pieces 66.

[0036] In addition, the intermediate member 6 is provided with a pressing piece 67. In this disclosure, the pressing piece 67 is a projection provided on the outer surface of the second elastic piece 66. The pressing piece 67 can press the first elastic piece 65 radially outward by the second elastic piece 66 swinging radially outward with the thin-walled piece 66a as the pivot point. As a result, the second engaging portion 11b provided on the first elastic piece 65 can be firmly engaged (fitted) with the first engaging portion 11a provided on the outer casing 5. In this disclosure, a plurality of pressing pieces 67 can be provided in the circumferential direction, as will be described later.

[0037] Figure 6 schematically shows the intermediate member 6. The intermediate member 6 in Figure 6 is shown in a perspective view from below. In this disclosure, the second elastic piece 66 is provided with a stopper projection 68 that can contact the outer circumferential surface of the inner circumferential wall 64. In this disclosure, the second elastic piece 66 can swing radially through a notch hole C6 formed in the inner circumferential wall 64. In this disclosure, the stopper projection 68 is a projection extending circumferentially (widthwise) from the second elastic piece 66. In this disclosure, the stopper projection 68 is positioned radially outward from the inner circumferential wall 64, as shown in Figure 6. As a result, the radial inward swing of the second elastic piece 66 is limited by the stopper projection 68 contacting the notch edge 64e of the inner circumferential wall 64.

[0038] Furthermore, the capped container 1 of this disclosure is equipped with a rotation-retaining portion 12 that restricts the relative rotation between the outer casing 5 and the intermediate member 6. Figure 6 shows the intermediate member side rotation-retaining portion (also referred to as the "intermediate member side first rotation-retaining portion") 12b provided on the intermediate member 6. In this disclosure, the intermediate member side rotation-retaining portion 12b is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the outer circumferential wall 63. In this disclosure, the intermediate member side rotation-retaining portion 12b is a projection that extends downward from the shoulder portion 62 and protrudes radially outward. Also, Figure 5 shows the outer casing side rotation-retaining portion (also referred to as the "cap outer casing side rotation-retaining portion") 12a provided on the outer casing 5. In this disclosure, the outer casing side rotation-retaining portion 12a is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential wall 5a. In this disclosure, the outer casing side rotation-retaining portion 12a is a recess that extends downward from a step 5c located below the upper end of the circumferential wall 5a and is recessed radially outward. In this disclosure, the anti-rotation portion 12 is composed of a pair of anti-rotation portions 12a on the exterior body side and anti-rotation portions 12b on the intermediate member side. In this disclosure, the container 2 has four anti-rotation portions 12. However, there only needs to be at least one anti-rotation portion 12. As shown in Figure 4, in this disclosure, the anti-rotation portion 12 restricts relative rotation around the axis O between the exterior body 5 and the intermediate member 6 by fitting the anti-rotation portion 12a on the exterior body side to the anti-rotation portion 12b on the intermediate member side.

[0039] Furthermore, the capped container 1 of this disclosure is provided with a pressing projection 13 that restricts the relative rotation between the container body 4 and the intermediate member 6. Figure 7 shows the pressing projection 13 provided on the container body 4. In this disclosure, the pressing projection 13 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 4a. In this disclosure, the pressing projection 13 is a projection that extends downward from the mouth 4c and protrudes radially outward. In this disclosure, the container 2 is provided with four pressing projections 13. However, there may be at least two pressing projections 13. As shown in Figure 4, in this disclosure, the pressing projection 13 restricts the relative rotation between the container body 4 and the intermediate member 6 around the axis O by pressing the inner circumferential surface of the inner circumferential portion 61b of the mouth 61 of the intermediate member 6 radially outward.

[0040] Figure 8 shows a schematic representation of the cap 3 of the capped container 1. The cap 3 in Figure 3 is shown in an oblique view from below.

[0041] The cap 3 comprises a cap body 7 that can be attached to and detached from the mouth 2a of the container 2, and an outer casing (also called the "cap-side outer casing") 8 that houses the cap body 7 inside. The cap body 7 is a resin component made of synthetic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and is molded, for example, by injection molding. The outer casing 8 is a non-resin cylindrical component made of metal, glass, or the like, and is molded, for example, by press molding if it is made of metal.

[0042] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the cap 3 is equipped with a fixing member 9 that can be attached to or removed from the cap body 7. The fixing member 9 is a resin member made of a synthetic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and is molded, for example, by injection molding.

[0043] Figure 9 schematically shows one cross-sectional shape of cap 3. Figure 10 schematically shows another cross-sectional shape of cap 3. Both Figures 9 and 10 show cross-sections that include axis O.

[0044] As shown in Figure 9, the cap 3 allows the cap body 7 to be detachably attached to the outer casing 8 by engaging the elastically supported second engaging portion (also called the "cap-side second engaging portion") 14b with the first engaging portion (also called the "cap-side first engaging portion") 14a provided on the outer casing 8. At the same time, when the cap body 7 is attached to the outer casing 8, the second engaging portion 14b is pressed toward the first engaging portion 14a by the pressing piece 9a, and the pressing piece 9a can release the engagement between the second engaging portion 14b and the first engaging portion 14a by separating from the second engaging portion 14b.

[0045] As shown in Figure 10, in this disclosure, the cap body 7 comprises an outer peripheral wall 7a and an inner peripheral wall 7b located radially inward of the outer peripheral wall 7a. The upper end of the inner peripheral wall 7b is closed by a top wall 7c. In this disclosure, the cap body 7 further comprises a bottom wall 7f extending annularly in the circumferential direction around an axis O. In this disclosure, the outer peripheral wall 7a and the inner peripheral wall 7b each extend upward from the upper end of the bottom wall 7f. A female thread portion 7d for attaching and detaching from the mouth 2a of the container 2 is formed on the inner surface of the inner peripheral wall 7b. As shown in Figure 4, in this disclosure, the cap 3 can be removably screwed onto the male thread portion 61d of the container 2 by the female thread portion 7d of the cap 3. In this disclosure, the cap 3 comprises a sealing member S. The sealing member S is located on the lower surface of the top wall 7c of the cap body 7. As a result, when the mouth 2a of the container 2 is closed with the cap 3, the opening A2 is sealed by the sealing member S.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, in this disclosure, the exterior body 8 comprises a peripheral wall 8a extending annularly in the circumferential direction around the axis O, and a top wall 8b that closes the upper end of the peripheral wall 8a. However, in this disclosure, the exterior body 8 may also be composed of a cylindrical member consisting only of the peripheral wall 8a, with the top wall 8b omitted. In addition, a first engaging portion 14a is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 8a. In this disclosure, the first engaging portion 14a is a groove formed on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 8a.

[0047] In addition, as shown in Figure 9, the cap body 7 in this disclosure includes an elastic piece 7e. The elastic piece 7e is located on the outer peripheral wall 7a of the cap body 7. In this disclosure, the elastic piece 7e is connected to the upper end of the bottom wall 7f of the cap body 7 via a thin piece 7g. This allows the elastic piece 7e to swing radially relative to the bottom wall 7f with the thin piece 7g as the pivot point. In addition, a second engaging portion 14b is provided on the outer surface of the elastic piece 7e. In this disclosure, the second engaging portion 14b is a protrusion that extends from the outer surface of the elastic piece 7e. In this disclosure, the cap body 7 includes the second engaging portion 14b together with the elastic piece 7e. The two second engaging portions 14b are located radially opposite each other across the axis O, together with the elastic piece 7e. However, there only needs to be at least one pair of second engaging portions 14b and elastic piece 7e.

[0048] Furthermore, the cap body 7 is provided with an insertion hole A7 that opens at the lower end of the cap body 7. In this disclosure, the insertion hole A7 is a through hole that opens in the upper part of the cap body 7. The insertion hole A7 penetrates the bottom wall 7f in the vertical direction (axial direction). The pressing piece 9a can be removably inserted into the bottom wall 7f of the cap body 7 through the insertion hole A7.

[0049] Figure 12 schematically shows the cap body 7. The cap body 7 in Figure 12 is shown in a perspective view from below. In this disclosure, the elastic piece 7e can swing radially through the notch hole C7 formed in the outer peripheral wall 7a. Figure 13 also schematically shows the cap body 7 in a plan view from above. As shown in Figure 13, in this disclosure, the insertion hole A7 is narrower than the circumferential width of the notch C7. As a result, in this disclosure, the bottom wall 7f has an edge portion 7f1 formed between the outer peripheral wall 7a and the insertion hole A7, which forms the circumferential end of the insertion hole A7.

[0050] Figure 14 shows a schematic representation of the fixing member 9. The fixing member 9 in Figure 14 is shown in an oblique view from above.

[0051] In this disclosure, the pressing piece 9a is provided on the fixing member 9. In this disclosure, in addition to the pressing piece 9a, the fixing member 9 includes an annular connecting piece 9b that extends annularly in the circumferential direction around the axis O. In this disclosure, the pressing piece 9a is connected to the connecting piece 9b. In this disclosure, the pressing piece 9a extends upward from the upper end of the connecting piece 9b. Furthermore, in this disclosure, guide poles 9c are provided on both sides of the pressing piece 9a in the circumferential direction. The two guide poles 9c each extend upward from the upper end of the connecting piece 9b. In this disclosure, the fixing member 9 includes the pressing piece 9a together with the guide poles 9c. The two pressing pieces 9a are arranged radially opposite each other across the axis O, together with the guide poles 9c. However, there may be at least one pair of pressing pieces 9a and guide poles 9c.

[0052] Figure 15 schematically shows the state in which the fixing member 9 is attached to the cap body 7. The attachment state in Figure 15 is shown in a perspective view from above. As shown in Figure 15, in this disclosure, the guide pole 9c can be exposed between the elastic piece 7e and the inner circumferential wall 7b by passing through the insertion hole A7 along the guide surface F7 formed on the back surface (radially inner surface) and bottom wall 7f of the elastic piece 7e. As a result, as shown in Figure 15, when the fixing member 9 is attached to the cap body 7, the pressing piece 9a is exposed between the elastic piece 7e and the inner circumferential wall 7b, thereby restricting the elastic piece 7e from swinging radially inward.

[0053] In addition, in this disclosure, the pressing piece 9a is provided with a locking projection 9d that can be detachably locked to the upper portion of the cap body 7. In this disclosure, the locking projection 9d is provided on the circumferential outer surface of the guide pole 9c. In this disclosure, the circumferential length (width) between the two locking projections 9d provided on both sides of the pressing piece 9a is greater than the circumferential length (width) of the insertion hole A7. In contrast, in this disclosure, the guide pole 9c extends upward from the pressing piece 9a. In this disclosure, the locking projection 9d is provided at the upper end of the guide pole 9c that protrudes upward from the pressing piece 9a. As a result, the locking projection 9d can be swung circumferentially (widthwise) together with the upper end of the guide pole 9c, with the pressing piece 9a as the pivot point. Therefore, when the pressing piece 9a of the fixing member 9 is inserted into the insertion hole A7 of the cap body 7 together with the guide pole 9c, the locking projection 9d can pass through the insertion hole A7 by overcoming the edge 7f1 of the bottom wall 7f of the cap body 7 due to the elastic deformation of the upper end of the guide pole 9c. After passing through the insertion hole A7, the locking projection 9d returns to its original position together with the upper end of the guide pole 9c, and the fixing member 9 is prevented from coming off the cap body 7 by the locking projection 9d.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the capped container 1 of this disclosure further includes a rotation-retaining portion (also referred to as the "cap-side rotation-retaining portion") 15 that restricts the relative rotation between the cap body 7 and the outer casing 8. Figure 11 shows the outer casing-side rotation-retaining portion (also referred to as the "cap outer casing-side rotation-retaining portion") 15a provided on the outer casing 8. In this disclosure, the outer casing-side rotation-retaining portion 15a is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 8a. In this disclosure, the outer casing-side rotation-retaining portion 15a is a recess that extends upward from a step 8c located below the lower end of the peripheral wall 8a and is recessed radially outward. Also, Figure 13 shows the cap body-side rotation-retaining portion 15b provided on the cap body 7. In this disclosure, the cap body-side rotation-retaining portion 15b is provided on the bottom wall 7f. In this disclosure, the cap body side anti-rotation portion 15b is a projection that extends upward from the bottom wall 7f and protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall 7a. In this disclosure, the anti-rotation portion 15 is composed of a pair of an outer casing side anti-rotation portion 15a and a cap body side anti-rotation portion 15b. In this disclosure, the cap 3 is provided with four anti-rotation portions 15. However, there may be at least one anti-rotation portion 15. As shown in Figure 10, in this disclosure, the anti-rotation portion 15 restricts relative rotation around the axis O between the cap body 7 and the outer casing 8 by fitting the outer casing side anti-rotation portion 15a into the cap body side anti-rotation portion 15b.

[0055] (Example of container 2 assembly) For example, as shown in Figure 3, the container 2 can be easily assembled using the container body 4, the outer casing 5, and the intermediate member 6. One example of how to assemble the container 2 is as follows.

[0056] First, the outer circumferential wall 63 of the intermediate member 6 shown in Figure 6 is inserted through the opening A5 formed in the outer casing 5 shown in Figure 5. At this time, as shown in Figure 4, the insertion of the intermediate member 6 can be done without rotation relative to the outer casing 5 by engaging (fitting) the anti-rotation portion 12b of the intermediate member 6 with the anti-rotation portion 12a of the outer casing 5.

[0057] As shown in Figure 4, the intermediate member 6 can be inserted until its shoulder portion 62 contacts the step 5c of the outer casing 5. As shown in Figure 3, the second engaging portion 11b of the intermediate member 6 engages with the first engaging portion 11a of the outer casing 5 at the position where the shoulder portion 62 of the intermediate member 6 contacts the step 5c of the outer casing 5. This allows the intermediate member 6 to be temporarily assembled to the outer casing 5.

[0058] Next, the peripheral wall 4a of the container body 4 shown in Figure 7 is inserted through the mounting hole A6 of the intermediate member 6. At this time, as shown in Figure 4, the insertion of the container body 4 is prevented from rattling by the pressing projection 13 of the container body 4 pressing against the inner peripheral portion 61b of the opening 61 of the intermediate member 6, and can be performed without rotation relative to the intermediate member 6.

[0059] Insertion of the container body 4 is possible until the opening 4c of the container body 4 contacts the connecting portion 61c of the intermediate member 6, as shown in Figure 4. At this time, as shown in Figure 3, the second elastic piece 66 of the intermediate member 6 holds the peripheral wall 4a of the container body 4 from the radially outside and swings radially outward with the thin-walled piece 66a as the peripheral wall 4a is inserted downward. In this disclosure, as shown in Figure 3, the pressing piece 67 of the intermediate member 6 presses the first elastic piece 65 of the intermediate member 6 radially outward at the position where the opening 4c of the container body 4 contacts the connecting portion 61c of the intermediate member 6. That is, as shown in Figure 3, the pressing piece 67 is held radially between the first elastic piece 65 and the second elastic piece 66 at the position where the opening 4c of the container body 4 contacts the connecting portion 61c of the intermediate member 6. As a result, the second elastic piece 66 of the intermediate member 6 presses the peripheral wall 4a of the container body 4 radially inward, thereby firmly holding the container body 4. At the same time, the second engaging portion 11b of the intermediate member 6 presses the first engaging portion 11a of the outer casing 5 radially outward due to the radial outward swinging of the first elastic piece 65, thus also making the engagement between the first engaging portion 11a of the outer casing 5 and the second engaging portion 11b of the intermediate member 6 firm. In this way, the container body 4 can be firmly assembled to the outer casing 5 via the intermediate member 6. Note that in Figure 3, one of the two pressing pieces 67 is shown pressing the first elastic piece 65 radially outward at a position on the depth side of the drawing.

[0060] As described above, the container 2 can be easily assembled using the container body 4, the outer casing 5, and the intermediate member 6, as shown in Figure 2.

[0061] (Example of sorting in container 2) Container 2 can be easily separated by disassembling it into the container body 4, the outer casing 5, and the intermediate member 6. One example of a method for separating container 2 is as follows:

[0062] When disassembling container 2, for example, the opening 4c of the container body 4 is used as a finger grip, and the container body 4 is pulled upward from the intermediate member 6. For example, referring to Figure 3, when the pulling force of the container body 4 becomes greater than the holding force of the second elastic piece 66 against the peripheral wall 4a, the container body 4 can be pulled out from the intermediate member 6. In this way, the container body 4 can be separated from the outer casing 5 and the intermediate member 6.

[0063] Next, when the container body 4 is pulled out from the intermediate member 6, the first elastic piece 65 of the intermediate member 6 can be swung radially inward with the thin-walled piece 65a as the pivot point. Therefore, for example, if the opening 61 of the intermediate member 6 is pinched with fingers and pulled out from the outer casing 5, the second engaging portion 11b of the intermediate member 6 can easily overcome the first engaging portion 11a of the outer casing 5 due to the radially inward swing of the first elastic piece 65. This allows the intermediate member 6 to be easily pulled out from the outer casing 5. Finally, the outer casing 5 and the intermediate member 6 can be separated.

[0064] According to the container 2, the container body 4 can be detachably attached to the outer casing 5 by engaging the elastically supported second engaging portion 11b with the first engaging portion 11a provided on the outer casing 5. At the same time, when the container body 4 is attached to the outer casing 5, the container 2 can be easily assembled by pressing the second engaging portion 11b toward the first engaging portion 11a with the first elastic piece 65. Furthermore, according to the container 2, the pressing piece 67 can release the engagement between the second engaging portion 11b and the first engaging portion 11a by separating it from the second engaging portion 11b. In other words, according to the container 2, the container 2 can be assembled and disassembled without using other components such as a movable lid part and a lid engagement release means, as in the conventional method.

[0065] Therefore, container 2 provides a container with a simple structure that is easy to separate, and furthermore, a container with a cap. Also, container 2 provides a container with a simple structure that is easy to assemble, and furthermore, a container with a cap.

[0066] Furthermore, by using an intermediate member 6 equipped with a first elastic piece 65 and a second elastic piece 66, the container 2 can achieve both the holding of the container body 4 and the firm engagement of the first engaging portion 11a and the second engaging portion 11b with a simple configuration. In addition, by using the intermediate member 6, versatility can be provided for the container body used as the container body 4 or the outer casing used as the outer casing 5.

[0067] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, in this disclosure, the second elastic piece 66 is provided with a stopper projection 68 that can contact the outer surface of the inner circumferential wall 64. In this case, the second elastic piece 66 is not allowed to swing significantly radially inward, making it easier to insert the container body 4. Therefore, in this case, assembly and sorting become easier.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the container 2 is equipped with a rotation-retaining part 12 that limits the relative rotation between the outer casing 5 and the intermediate member 6. In this case, the relative rotation between the outer casing 5 and the intermediate member 6 is limited, making the container easier to use. In addition, the rotation-retaining part 12 serves as a guide during assembly and sorting, making assembly and sorting easier.

[0069] Furthermore, the container 2 is equipped with a pressing projection 13 that restricts the relative rotation between the container body 4 and the intermediate member 6. In this case, the relative rotation between the container body 4 and the intermediate member 6 is restricted, making the container easier to use. In addition, the pressing projection 13 serves as a guide during assembly and sorting, making assembly and sorting easier.

[0070] (Example of assembly of cap 3) For example, as shown in Figure 8, the cap 3 can be easily assembled using the cap body 7, the outer casing 8, and the fixing member 9. One example of how to assemble the cap 3 is as follows.

[0071] First, the outer circumferential wall 7a of the cap body 7 shown in Figure 12 is inserted through the opening A8 formed at the lower end of the outer casing 8 shown in Figure 11. At this time, as shown in Figure 10, the cap body 7 can be inserted without rotating relative to the outer casing 8 by engaging (fitting) the anti-rotation portion 15b of the cap body 7 with the anti-rotation portion 15a of the outer casing 8.

[0072] As shown in Figure 10, the cap body 7 can be inserted until the bottom wall 7f of the cap body 7 contacts the step 8c of the outer casing 8. As shown in Figure 9, the second engaging portion 14b of the cap body 7 engages with the first engaging portion 14a of the outer casing 8 at the position where the bottom wall 7f of the cap body 7 contacts the step 8c of the outer casing 8. This allows the cap body 7 to be temporarily assembled to the outer casing 8.

[0073] Next, as shown in Figure 9, the pressing piece 9a of the fixing member 9 shown in Figure 14 is inserted together with the guide pole 9c through the insertion hole A7 of the cap body 7. At this time, as shown in Figure 15, the insertion of the pressing piece 9a can be performed without rotation relative to the cap body 7 by engaging (fitting) the guide pole 9c with the insertion hole A7 together with the pressing piece 9a, using the guide pole 9c and the guide surface F7 as guides. Furthermore, in this disclosure, the pressing piece 9a can pass through the insertion hole A7 by the locking projection 9d provided on the guide pole 9c overcoming the edge 7f1 of the bottom wall 7f of the cap body 7.

[0074] Insertion of the fixing member 9 is possible until the connecting piece 9b of the fixing member 9 contacts the bottom wall 7f of the cap body 7, as shown in Figure 9. In this disclosure, the pressing piece 9a of the fixing member 9 can press the elastic piece 7e of the cap body 7 radially outward at the position where the connecting piece 9b of the fixing member 9 contacts the bottom wall 7f of the cap body 7, as shown in Figure 9. That is, as shown in Figure 9, the pressing piece 9a can be held radially between the elastic piece 7e and the inner circumferential wall 7b at the position where the connecting piece 9b of the fixing member 9 contacts the bottom wall 7f of the cap body 7. This firmly holds the pressing piece 9a between the elastic piece 7e and the inner circumferential wall 7b, and restricts the radial inward swing of the elastic piece 7e. As a result, the second engaging portion 14b of the cap body 7 presses the first engaging portion 14a of the outer casing 8 radially outward, thereby strengthening the engagement between the first engaging portion 14a of the outer casing 8 and the second engaging portion 14b of the cap body 7. This allows the cap body 7 to be firmly assembled to the outer casing 8 via the fixing member 9.

[0075] Therefore, the cap 3 can be easily assembled using the cap body 7, the outer casing 8, and the fixing member 9, as shown in Figure 8.

[0076] (Example of sorting cap 3) The cap 3 can be easily separated by disassembling it into the cap body 7, the outer casing 8, and the fixing member 9. One example of a method for separating the cap 3 is as follows:

[0077] When disassembling the cap 3, for example, hook your finger onto the connecting piece 9b of the fixing member 9 and pull the fixing member 9 downward from the cap body 7. For example, referring to Figure 15, when the pulling force of the fixing member 9 becomes greater than the holding force on the guide pole 9c (pressing piece 9a) of the insertion hole A7, the fixing member 9 can be moved downward from the cap body 7. Furthermore, in this disclosure, the locking projection 9d provided on the guide pole 9c overcomes the edge 7f1 of the bottom wall 7f of the cap body 7, allowing the fixing member 9 to be pulled out from the cap body 7. This allows the fixing member 9 to be separated from the cap body 7 and the outer casing 8.

[0078] Next, referring to Figure 9, when the fixing member 9 is pulled out from the cap body 7, the elastic piece 7e of the cap body 7 can be swung radially inward with the thin-walled piece 7g as the pivot point. Therefore, for example, if you hook your finger on the inner circumferential wall 7b of the cap body 7 and pull the cap body 7 down from the outer casing 8, the second engaging portion 14b of the cap body 7 can easily overcome the first engaging portion 14a of the outer casing 8 due to the radially inward swing of the elastic piece 7e. As a result, the cap body 7 can be easily pulled out from the outer casing 8. Finally, the cap body 7 and the outer casing 8 can be separated.

[0079] With the cap 3, the cap body 7 can be detachably attached to the outer casing 8 by engaging the elastically supported second engaging portion 14b with the first engaging portion 14a provided on the outer casing 8. At the same time, with the cap body 7 attached to the outer casing 8, the cap 3 can be easily assembled by pressing the second engaging portion 14b toward the first engaging portion 14a with the pressing piece 9a. Furthermore, with the cap 3, the pressing piece 9a can release the engagement between the second engaging portion 14b and the first engaging portion 14a by separating it from the second engaging portion 14b. In other words, with the cap 3, the cap 3 can be assembled and disassembled without using other components such as a lid-side movable part and a lid engagement release means, as in the conventional method.

[0080] Therefore, according to cap 3, it is possible to provide a cap with a simple structure that is easy to separate, and by extension, a container with a cap. Furthermore, according to cap 3, it is possible to provide a cap with a simple structure that is easy to assemble, and by extension, a container with a cap.

[0081] Furthermore, by using a fixing member 9 equipped with an elastic piece 7e, the cap 3 can achieve a strong engagement between the first engaging portion 14a and the second engaging portion 14b with a simple configuration. In addition, by using the fixing member 9, versatility can be provided for the cap body used as the cap body 7 or the outer casing used as the outer casing 8.

[0082] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the pressing piece 9a is connected to an annular connecting piece 9b that can contact the lower end of the cap body 7. In this case, multiple pressing pieces 9a provided on the connecting piece 9b can be extended and retracted simultaneously in a single operation. Therefore, in this case, assembly and separation become easier.

[0083] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the insertion hole A7 is a through hole opening to the upper part of the cap body 7, and the pressing piece 9a is equipped with a locking projection 9d that can be detachably locked to the upper part of the cap body 7. This prevents the fixing member 9 from unexpectedly falling out of the cap body 7, and when separating the parts, the locking projection 9d of the fixing member 9 fits into the cap body 7, allowing the user to hook their fingers onto the fixing member 9 and easily pull out the cap body 7 and the fixing member 9 from the outer casing 8. In other words, the locking projection 9d can function as a retainer for the fixing member 9.

[0084] Furthermore, the cap 3 is equipped with a rotation-retaining part 15 that limits the relative rotation between the cap body 7 and the outer casing 8. In this case, the relative rotation between the cap body 7 and the outer casing 8 is limited, making it easier to use as a cap. In addition, the rotation-retaining part 15 serves as a guide during assembly and sorting, making assembly and sorting easier.

[0085] The capped container 1 only needs to include a cap 3 and a container with an opening from which the cap 3 can be attached and detached. In this case, the container can be a single-layer container or other container without an outer casing.

[0086] Furthermore, the container with a cap 1 may comprise a container 2 and a cap that can be attached to the opening 2a of the container 2. In this case, the cap may be a cap without an external body, such as a cap.

[0087] The capped container 1 of this disclosure comprises a cap 3 and a container 2. In this case, the cap 3 and the container 2 can be provided in a simple configuration, making it possible to provide a capped container that is easy to separate.

[0088] As described above, exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been stated, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the first engaging portion 11a and the second engaging portion 11b of the container-side engaging portion 11 can have their recesses and protrusions swapped. Similarly, the first engaging portion 14a and the second engaging portion 14b of the cap-side engaging portion 14 can also have their recesses and protrusions swapped. Furthermore, the anti-rotation portion 12 can also have its recesses and protrusions swapped. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] 1: Container with cap, 2: Container, 3: Cap, 4: Container body, 4a: Peripheral wall, 4b: Bottom wall, 4c: Mouth (mouth of container), 5: Outer casing, 5a: Peripheral wall, 5b: Bottom wall, 5c: Step, 6: Intermediate member, 61: Mouth (mouth of container), 61a: Outer part, 61b: Inner part, 61c: Connecting part, 61d: Male thread part, 62: Shoulder (shoulder of container), 63: Outer peripheral wall, 64: Inner peripheral wall, 65: First elastic piece, 65a: Thin-walled piece, 66: Second elastic piece, 66a: Thin-walled piece, 67: Pressing piece, 68: Stopper projection, 7: Cap body, 7a: Outer peripheral wall, 7b: Inner peripheral wall, 7c: Top wall, 7d: Female thread part, 7e: Pressing piece, 7f: Bottom wall, 7f1: Edge of the bottom wall forming the circumferential end of the insertion hole, 8: Outer body, 8a: Peripheral wall, 8b: Top wall, 9: Fixing member, 9a: Pressing piece, 9b: Connecting piece, 9c: Guide pole, 9d: Locking projection, 11: Container-side engaging part, 11a: First engaging part (container-side first engaging part), 11b: Second engaging part (container-side second engaging part), 12: Anti-rotation part, 12a: Outer body-side anti-rotation part (cap outer body-side anti-rotation part), 12b: Intermediate member-side anti-rotation part (also called "intermediate member-side first anti-rotation part"), 13: Pressing projection, 14: Cap-side engaging part, 14a: First engaging part (cap-side first engaging part), 14b: Second engaging part (cap-side second engaging part), 15: Anti-rotation part (cap side anti-rotation part), 15a: Outer body side anti-rotation part (cap outer body side anti-rotation part), 15b: Cap body side anti-rotation part, A2: Opening, A5: Opening, A6: Mounting hole, A7: Insertion hole, A8: Opening, F7: Guide surface, O: Axis (central axis of the container with cap), S: Seal member

Claims

1. A cap comprising a cap body that can be attached to and detached from the mouth of a container, and an outer casing that houses the cap body inside, A cap wherein the cap body is detachably attached to the outer casing by engaging an elastically supported second engaging portion with a first engaging portion provided on the outer casing, and when the cap body is attached to the outer casing, the second engaging portion is pressed toward the first engaging portion by a pressing piece, and the pressing piece can release the engagement between the second engaging portion and the first engaging portion by separating from the second engaging portion.

2. The first engaging portion is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the outer casing, The second engaging portion is provided on an elastic piece arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cap body, Furthermore, the pressing piece is removablely insertable through an insertion hole opening at the lower end of the cap body, as described in claim 1.

3. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the pressing piece is connected to an annular connecting piece that can contact the lower end of the cap body.

4. The insertion hole is a through hole that opens into the upper part of the cap body. The cap according to claim 2, wherein the pressing piece is provided with a locking projection that can be detachably locked to the upper portion of the cap body.

5. The cap according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation-retaining portion that restricts relative rotation between the cap body and the outer casing.

6. A container comprising a container body having an opening and an outer casing that houses the container body inside, A container wherein the container body is detachably attached to the outer casing by engaging an elastically supported second engaging portion with a first engaging portion provided on the outer casing, and when the container body is attached to the outer casing, the second engaging portion is pressed toward the first engaging portion by a pressing piece, and further, the pressing piece releases the engagement between the second engaging portion and the first engaging portion by separating from the second engaging portion.

7. The container further comprises an intermediate member that can be positioned between the container body and the outer casing. The first engaging portion is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the outer casing, The second engaging portion is provided on the first elastic piece arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the intermediate member, Furthermore, the container according to claim 6, wherein the pressing piece is provided on a second elastic piece arranged on the inner circumferential wall of the intermediate member.

8. The container according to claim 6, wherein the second elastic piece is provided with a stopper projection that can contact the outer surface of the inner circumferential wall.

9. The container according to claim 6, further comprising a rotation-retaining portion that restricts relative rotation between the outer casing and the intermediate member.

10. The container according to claim 6, further comprising a pressing projection that restricts relative rotation between the container body and the intermediate member.

11. A capped container comprising a cap as described in claim 1 and a container having an opening from which the cap can be attached or detached.

12. A capped container comprising the container described in claim 6 and a cap that can be attached to the mouth of the container.

13. A capped container comprising the cap described in claim 1 and the container described in claim 6.

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