2-piece cap

Abstract

To provide a synthetic resin cap that can suppress or eliminate clogging at the openings regardless of the processing state of the powder, while keeping costs down. [Solution] The two-piece cap of the present invention is a two-piece cap comprising an inner lid and an outer lid, wherein the opening in the inner lid is divided into a propeller opening with a blade body fixed to the inside of the inner peripheral wall and covering the opening, and a non-propeller opening in which no blade body is formed and the opening is open, and the outer lid plate of the outer lid is divided into a mesh opening that can face the propeller opening and a non-mesh opening that can face the non-propeller opening, and the outer lid is capable of relative rotation with respect to the inner lid about a central axis and is provided with a rotation restricting mechanism that can restrict the rotation of the outer lid relative to the inner lid so that the blade body does not overlap with the non-mesh opening in the axial direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for sealing a container opening, and more particularly to a two-piece type cap formed of a synthetic resin.

Background Art

[0002] For example, as a cap for sealing the opening of a container (hereinafter also referred to as "container opening") for storing powdery contents such as pepper and flour, a synthetic resin cap formed by injection molding a known resin material into a desired shape is used. The above-mentioned powdery contents can be taken out through the synthetic resin cap attached to the container opening.

[0003] Here, as exemplified in Patent Document 1 and the like, a cap capable of adjusting the amount of contents taken out by a simple operation is known. Specifically, in the cap shown in Patent Document 1, a lid body is proposed in which three types of aggregates A to C (ordinary discharge port A, small amount discharge port B, large amount discharge port C) with openings grouped by size are formed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the techniques including the above-mentioned patent documents still do not meet the market needs, and at least the following problems exist. That is, according to the cap of Patent Document 1, although the amount of contents taken out can be changed, since the powder is discharged from the opening of the container by the self-weight action of the powder during pouring, when the powder clogs the opening, the amount taken out is greatly impaired.

[0006] While it is possible to process the powder to make it less prone to clogging, processing the powder alone does not necessarily eliminate clogging, and furthermore, it results in additional costs due to the processing involved.

[0007] Thus, Patent Document 1 completely fails to acknowledge the problem of powder clogging the opening of the container, indicating significant room for improvement. One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a two-piece cap having multiple openings from which powder stored in a container can be removed, while suppressing manufacturing costs, and which can suppress or eliminate clogging of the openings regardless of the processing state of the powder. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, a two-piece cap in one embodiment of the present invention is a two-piece cap comprising: (1) an inner lid having an opening for dispensing powder and an inner circumferential wall descending from around the opening; an outer lid having an outer circumferential wall covering the outer surface of the inner circumferential wall and an outer lid plate covering the outer surface of the opening, wherein the opening is divided into a propeller opening having a blade body fixed to the inside of the inner circumferential wall and covering the opening, and a non-propeller opening where the blade body is not formed and the opening is open; the outer lid plate is divided into a mesh opening that can face the propeller opening and a non-mesh opening that can face the non-propeller opening; and the outer lid is rotatable relative to the inner lid around a central axis and is provided between the outer surface of the inner circumferential wall and the inner surface of the outer circumferential wall, and is equipped with a rotation restricting mechanism that can restrict the rotation of the outer lid relative to the inner lid so that the blade body does not overlap with the non-mesh opening in the axial direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, in a cap having multiple openings from which powder stored in a container can be removed, it is possible to suppress or eliminate clogging of the openings at the container opening regardless of the processing state of the powder, while suppressing the manufacturing cost of the cap. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the appearance of a two-piece cap according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] These are a top view and a cross-sectional view AA of a two-piece cap according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a bottom view of a two-piece cap according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the inner lid of a two-piece cap according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the inner lid at BB. [Figure 6] These are a top view and a side view of the propeller member extracted from the inner cover according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a bottom view of the propeller member extracted from the inner cover according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the propeller member at CC. [Figure 9] This is a schematic side view comparing the blade angles of propeller members according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram comparing the mounting angles of the propeller members according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of the outer lid of a two-piece cap according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a bottom view of the outer cover (with the opening / closing cover in the open position) according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] Figure 11 is a side view of the outer cover as seen from arrows P and Q. [Figure 14] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the outer cover. [Figure 15] This is a schematic diagram showing the state transitions in the rotation restricting mechanism of this embodiment. [Figure 16] These are top and side views of the propeller component, extracted from the inner cover of a modified version. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] An embodiment for preferably implementing the present invention will be described. For the sake of convenience of explanation, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are respectively defined as appropriate in the following description. Needless to say, the scope of rights of the present invention is not reduced. Regarding the configuration other than the features of the present invention described in detail below, for example, the configuration of the pouring tool disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document and other known synthetic resin caps and the structure of the container mouth may be appropriately referred to and implemented.

[0012] [Two-piece type cap] While referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 and the like, the two-piece type cap 100 of the present embodiment will be described. The two-piece type cap 100 in the present embodiment has a function of engaging with the container mouth of a known container in which a powdery content (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "powder") is stored and sealing the container mouth.

[0013] As will be described later, the two-piece type cap 100 of the present embodiment can also be applied as a spout. That is, the two-piece type cap 100 of the present embodiment can be applied, for example, as a mouthplug of a known pouch container. In this case, for example, an attachment portion to which the above-mentioned pouch container is heat-sealed may be formed on the lower end side of the outer lid 20 constituting the two-piece type cap 100.

[0014] Examples of the "container" suitable for the present embodiment include known containers such as bottles formed of synthetic resin such as PET, glass, or metal, and having a pour spout (container mouth) through which the content can be taken out. Further, when the two-piece type cap 100 of the present embodiment is applied as a spout, a known pouch container can be exemplified as a suitable "container". Examples of the "powder" as the content suitable for the present embodiment include various known powdery or granular substances that can be stored in the above-mentioned containers, such as powdery foods such as flour, powdery seasonings such as sugar, or granular chemicals.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1 and other figures, the two-piece cap 100 of this embodiment consists of an inner lid 10 and an outer lid 20. In Figure 1(b), the internal structure of the two-piece cap 100 is schematically illustrated by showing a cross-section of the outer lid 20. As will be described later, it is preferable that the two-piece cap 100 of this embodiment includes an opening (mesh opening) through which a plurality of openings are formed, allowing a relatively small amount of powder to be removed, and an opening (non-mesh opening) through which, for example, a single large opening is formed, allowing a relatively large amount of powder to be removed.

[0016] The two-piece cap 100 of this embodiment may be formed by injection molding of a known synthetic resin material such as low-density PE (polyethylene), high-density PE, PP (polypropylene), or a mixed resin of PE and PP. The inner lid 10 and outer lid 20 constituting the two-piece cap 100 may be formed from the same type of resin material, or the inner lid 10 may be molded from a synthetic resin having a relatively higher hardness than the outer lid 20.

[0017] <Inner lid 10> Referring to Figures 4 to 10, the inner lid 10 constituting the two-piece cap 100 of this embodiment will be described in detail. As can be seen, for example from Figure 4, the inner lid 10 of this embodiment can engage with the container (container opening) or constitute the container opening (in the case of a spout).

[0018] As shown in Figure 4, a blade body 40 is provided in the opening of the inner lid 10 in this embodiment. The outer ends EP (EP1 to EP6) of the blades 42 to 44, which will be described later, are each connected to the inner surface of the inner circumferential wall 11. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the blade body 40 is formed integrally with the inner circumferential wall 11 by injection molding, but it may also be formed separately from the inner circumferential wall 11 and fixed to the inner surface of the inner circumferential wall 11 via known bonding means (such as adhesive or welding). Because the blade body 40 is fixed to the inner lid 10 in this way, dimensional errors are suppressed, making it easier for each blade to press against the mesh opening 22A, and it is also possible to increase the rigidity of the blade body 40.

[0019] Such an inner lid 10 comprises an opening 12 through which the aforementioned powder is removed, and an inner circumferential wall 11 that descends from around the opening 12. The inner circumferential wall 11 is provided with an engaging portion 11a that engages with the container opening from which the powder stored in the container is dispensed. In this embodiment, the engaging portion 11a is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the inner circumferential wall 11. Examples of the engaging portion 11a include a known screw. Furthermore, as shown in the figure, the outer circumferential surface of the inner circumferential wall 11 (upper side 11b) is provided with a rotation restricting rib 31 which constitutes part of the rotation restricting mechanism 30 described later.

[0020] In this embodiment, the inner lid 10 is configured to be screwed onto the container opening via the engaging portion 11a, but the engagement method between the inner lid 10 and the container opening is not limited to the above. For example, it may be fitted onto the container opening and secured with a rib or the like. In other words, the "engagement between the inner lid and the container opening" in this embodiment includes known mounting methods in which a cap is fixed to the container opening, such as screwing or fitting as described above.

[0021] As can be understood from Figures 4 and 5, the opening 12 is divided into a propeller opening 12A, which is fixed to the inside of the inner peripheral wall 11 and has a blade body 40 that covers the opening, and a non-propeller opening 12B, which does not have a blade body 40 and the opening is open. As can be understood from Figure 4, the proportion (occupied area) of the propeller opening 12A in the opening 12 may be larger than the proportion (occupied area) of the non-propeller opening 12B in the opening 12.

[0022] <Blade body 40> Next, with reference to Figures 4 to 10, the blade body 40 constituting the inner lid 10 of this embodiment will be described. As described above, the blade body 40 is provided on the inner circumferential surface side of the inner circumferential wall 11 (upper side 11b) of the inner lid 10. As described above, since the inner lid 10 of this embodiment is screwed and fixed to the container opening, when the outer lid 20 is rotated by the user, the outer lid 20 rotates relative to the container and the inner lid 10.

[0023] More specifically, the blade body 40 of this embodiment, as shown in the figure, comprises an engagement cylinder portion 41 positioned in the center and facing the outer cover plate 22 of the outer cover 20, which will be described later, and blades (a group of blades consisting of the first pressing blade 42 to the third pressing blade 44) extending radially from the engagement cylinder portion 41.

[0024] As can be seen from Figure 4 and other figures, the engaging cylinder portion 41 has an insertion opening into which the engaged cylinder portion 23 of the outer cover 20 is inserted, and a projection Pt positioned in the center of the insertion opening that can be inserted into the engaged cylinder portion 23. The shape of the insertion opening in the engaging cylinder portion 41 in this embodiment corresponds to the shape of the outer shape of the engaged cylinder portion 23 described above. As described above, since the outer cover 20 rotates around its axis relative to the inner cover 10, the insertion opening and projection Pt of the engaging cylinder portion 41 and the engaged cylinder portion 23 are arranged concentrically, and their cross-sections are circular.

[0025] Next, Figures 6 to 10 will be used to describe in detail the multiple groups of blades that make up the blade body 40. The blade body 40 of this embodiment comprises multiple types of blades that differ from each other in shape or in how they are connected to the engaging cylinder portion 41.

[0026] =First Pressing Blade= As can be seen from Figures 5 and 6, the first pressing blade 42 is provided so as to extend radially from the engaging cylinder portion 41. As can be seen from Figures 1 and 5, the first pressing blade 42 is configured to have the function of pressing the powder inside the container against the mesh opening 22A when the outer lid 20 rotates clockwise relative to the inner lid 10 (with the container facing downwards). In this embodiment, "clockwise" and "counterclockwise" refer to the direction when the container is inverted so that the opening of the container faces downwards.

[0027] The first pressing blade 42 is inclined such that when the outer cover 20 rotates clockwise relative to the inner cover 10, the side facing forward is at an acute angle with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 22A. As shown in Figure 6, the angle (inclination angle α) that the side facing forward of the first pressing blade 42 makes with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 22A is preferably in the range of 40° to 60°, and particularly preferably around 45°. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the blade body 40 is provided with a plurality of the first pressing blades 42 described above along the circumferential direction, as shown in the figure.

[0028] =Second Pressing Blade= As can be seen from Figures 5 and 6, the second pressing blade 43 is provided so as to extend radially from the engaging cylinder portion 41. As can be seen from Figures 1 and 5, the second pressing blade 43 is configured to have the function of pressing the powder against the mesh opening 22A when the outer lid 20 rotates counterclockwise relative to the inner lid 10 (with the container facing downwards).

[0029] The second pressing blade 43 is inclined such that when the outer cover 20 rotates counterclockwise relative to the inner cover 10, the side facing forward is at an acute angle with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 22A. The angle (inclination angle α) that the side facing forward of the second pressing blade 43 makes with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 22A is preferably in the range of 40° to 60°, and particularly preferably around 45°. Thus, the inclination angle of the first pressing blade 42 with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 22A may be the same as the inclination angle of the second pressing blade 43 with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 22A.

[0030] As shown in the figure, the blade body 40 of this embodiment may have a plurality of the second pressing blades 43 described above along the circumferential direction. Furthermore, it is preferable that the first pressing blades 42 and the second pressing blades 43 of this embodiment are arranged alternately along the circumferential direction, as shown in Figure 4 and other figures.

[0031] =Third Pressing Blade= As can be seen from Figures 5 and 6, the third pressing blade 44 is provided so as to extend radially from the engaging cylinder portion 41. The third pressing blade 44 is provided along the boundary (central median strip 24) between the mesh opening 22A and the non-mesh opening 22B of the outer cover 20, which will be described later.

[0032] The third pressing blade 44 is inclined at an angle β such that the side facing forward becomes acute with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 22A when the outer cover 20 rotates relative to it. As shown in Figure 9, the inclination angles α of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 22A may be set to be smaller than the inclination angle β of the third pressing blade 44 with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 22A.

[0033] Furthermore, as can be seen from Figures 6 and 10(a), it is preferable that the centerlines CL1 (centerlines that divide the blade in the width direction) of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 of this embodiment are connected to the engaging cylinder portion 41 by integrating their base ends so that they form a V shape, extending eccentrically with respect to the central axis O of the engaging cylinder portion 41.

[0034] In this configuration, the blade group does not extend radially from the central axis O of the engagement cylinder 41, but is eccentrically connected to the engagement cylinder 41 by being shifted from the central axis O of the engagement cylinder 41 so that the powder can be drawn into or scraped into the inside of the blades. As a result, compared to the case where the center line of the pressing blade passes through the central axis O of the engagement cylinder 41 (the case in Figure 10(b)), it is possible to evenly press the powder being pressed into the mesh opening 22A without shifting it radially outward.

[0035] =Base Blade= As can be seen from Figures 6 to 9, the blade body 40 of this embodiment may include a base blade 45 formed by integrating parts of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43. As described above, the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 of this embodiment are inclined eccentrically from the central axis O of the engagement cylinder portion 41 and symmetrically with respect to the axial direction. Therefore, the base blade 45 is formed by integrating the parts of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 that are on the engagement cylinder portion 41 side and on the mesh opening 22A side. The base blade 45 is configured to extend radially from the engagement cylinder portion 41 and to be able to contact the mesh opening 22A.

[0036] When viewed from above, as shown in Figure 6, the upper surfaces of the first pressing blade 42, the second pressing blade 43, and the base blade 45 face the mesh opening 22A in a Y-shape. At this time, the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 extend eccentrically with respect to the central axis O of the engaging cylinder portion 41 and are connected to the engaging cylinder portion 41 and the base blade 45 such that at least a portion of them (the upper surface on the mesh opening 22A side) forms a V-shape.

[0037] In this way, the upper surfaces of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 form a V shape, and when the upper surface of the base blade 45 is added to these, the above-mentioned "Y shape" is formed on the upper surface on the mesh opening 22A side. By providing the base blade 45 on the blade body 40, as shown in Figure 9, the base blade 45 has the function of damming (retaining) the powder, which prevents the powder from spilling out into the surroundings.

[0038] When viewed from below (from below in the Z direction), as shown in Figure 7, the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 may be connected to the engaging cylinder portion 41 in such a way that their lower surfaces form a V shape. By directly connecting parts of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 (the other parts being connected to the base blade 45) to the engaging cylinder portion 41, the area for pressing the powder against the mesh opening 22A can be maximized.

[0039] In this embodiment, the group of blades (first pressing blade 42 to third pressing blade 44) is preferably a plate-like body extending radially from the engagement cylinder portion 41, but at least a portion of it may be curved so as to be convex downward toward the mesh opening 22A.

[0040] Furthermore, the surface of the blade group (first pressing blade 42 to third pressing blade 44) that presses the powder (for example, the upper pressing surface shown in Figure 6, etc.) may be roughened with multiple protrusions or ribs, for example. This makes it possible to efficiently press the powder into the mesh opening 22A without letting it escape. On the other hand, the surface of the blade group (first pressing blade 42 to third pressing blade 44) that does not press the powder (for example, the bottom non-pressing surface shown in Figure 7) may be processed or coated to reduce frictional resistance to the powder. Thus, the blades of this embodiment may have different surface properties on the pressing surface and the non-pressing surface, and the pressing surface may be configured to have higher frictional resistance than the non-pressing surface.

[0041] The group of blades constituting the blade body 40 may be positioned with a slight clearance CL (for example, 1 mm to several mm) from the mesh opening 22A, as shown in Figure 9. This reduces frictional resistance due to contact between the mesh opening 22A and the blades, thereby improving the user's operability. However, in cases where the frictional resistance is negligible, such as when using materials, the group of blades may be in contact with and slide against the mesh opening 22A.

[0042] <Outer lid 20> Next, with reference to Figures 11 to 14, the outer lid 20 constituting the two-piece cap 100 of this embodiment will be described in detail. As can be seen from these figures, the outer lid 20 of this embodiment has the function of covering the inner lid 10 described above and sealing the spout of the container opening, and is composed of an outer peripheral wall 21, an outer lid plate 22, an engaged cylindrical portion 23, a central median strip 24, a mesh opening lid 25, a non-mesh opening lid 26, a central semicircular portion 27, and an engaging wall 28, etc.

[0043] The outer peripheral wall 21 is configured to cover the outer surface of the inner peripheral wall 11. The outer peripheral wall 21 is capable of rotating around its axis (in the θz direction in Figure 12) relative to the inner peripheral wall 11, subject to the limitations imposed by the rotation restricting mechanism 30 described later. The outer shape of the outer peripheral wall 21 may be a rectangular tube with a polygonal cross-section, or a cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section and appropriate anti-slip processing.

[0044] The outer cover plate 22 is configured to cover the outer surface of the opening 12 in the inner cover 10 when it engages with the inner cover 10 described above. As shown in Figure 11, the outer cover plate 22 in this embodiment is divided into a mesh opening 22A that can face the propeller opening 12A of the inner cover 10 and a non-mesh opening 22B that can face the non-propeller opening 12B of the inner cover 10.

[0045] Of these, the mesh opening 22A is provided with a central semicircular portion 27 corresponding to the engaged cylindrical portion 23 described above. The central median strip 24 is a strip-shaped region of the outer cover plate 22 that passes through the center and separates the mesh opening 22A from the non-mesh opening 22B. On one side of this central median strip 24, a mesh opening cover 25 capable of closing the mesh opening 22A is provided. On the other side of this central median strip 24, a non-mesh opening cover 26 capable of closing the non-mesh opening 22B is provided. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, the aforementioned engaging cylindrical portion 23 extends downward from the center of the outer cover plate 22 on the back side (inner cover side) of the central median strip 24 and the central semicircular portion 27.

[0046] The mesh opening 22A is an opening in which a portion of the outer cover plate 22 is formed in a mesh pattern and has multiple through holes (openings). The shape of the openings constituting the mesh opening 22A may be a circular hole with a circular cross-section, or it may be a rectangular hole with a cross-section such as a square or hexagon. Furthermore, the individual openings constituting the mesh opening 22A may have a configuration in which the diameter of the opening changes along the axial direction (Z direction in the figure) (for example, the diameter of the outer surface located on the outside of the container ≥ the diameter of the inner surface located on the inside of the container). In this way, if the diameter of the outer surface of each opening is greater than or equal to the diameter of the inner surface, clogging of the powder when removing it from the container can be suppressed. In addition, the edges of the individual openings constituting the mesh opening 22A may be chamfered or rounded.

[0047] As can be seen from these figures, the area occupied by the non-mesh opening 22B in the outer cover plate 22 may be about the same as the area occupied by the mesh opening 22A. For example, the ratio of mesh openings 22A to non-mesh openings 22B in the outer cover plate 22 may be about 5:5. Thus, as shown in Figure 11 and other figures, the outer cover plate 22 may have non-mesh openings 22B with an overall size similar to that of the mesh opening 22A, arranged alongside the mesh opening 22A in the circumferential direction.

[0048] Note that the ratio of mesh openings 22A to non-mesh openings 22B is not limited to the ratio described above, and may be set to any ratio, such as 6:4. In this case, the ratio of propeller openings 12A to non-propeller openings 12B in the inner lid 10 can be determined so that the non-mesh openings 22B and propeller openings 12A do not overlap in the Z direction.

[0049] As shown in Figure 1 and other figures, when the inner lid 10 and the outer lid 20 are assembled, the engaged cylindrical portion 23 of the outer lid 20 is inserted into the engaged cylindrical portion 41 of the inner lid 10. This engaged cylindrical portion 23 is a hollow cylinder, and the projection Pt of the blade body 40 described above can be inserted into the cylinder via a known undercut or the like.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2 and other figures, when the inner lid 10 and the outer lid 20 are assembled, the upper side 11b of the inner circumferential wall 11 of the inner lid 10 and the engaging wall 28 of the outer lid 20 come into close contact. In this embodiment, the engaging wall 28 has a structure in which a portion is cut out in the circumferential direction, and the end of this cut-out engaging wall 28 constitutes the rotation restricting groove 32, which will be described later. This allows the outer cover 20 to rotate relative to the inner cover 10 around its central axis (Z-axis).

[0051] As can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, when the inner cover 10 and the outer cover 20 are assembled, the propeller opening 12A of the inner cover 10 overlaps with the mesh opening 22A of the outer cover 20 in the axial direction (Z direction), and the non-propeller opening 12B of the inner cover 10 overlaps with the non-mesh opening 22B of the outer cover 20 in the axial direction.

[0052] Therefore, the powder stored in the container can be removed, for example, with the non-mesh opening lid 26 closed and the mesh opening lid 25 open, and the container opening facing downwards, through the propeller opening 12A and the mesh opening 22A. Similarly, the powder inside the container can be removed, for example, with the mesh opening lid 25 closed and the non-mesh opening lid 26 open, and the container opening facing downwards, through the non-propeller opening 12B and the non-mesh opening 22B.

[0053] As shown in Figure 13, the mesh opening lid 25 is configured to open and close from the end of the central median strip 24, and has the function of closing or opening the spout of the container opening. Furthermore, as shown in the figure, the non-mesh opening cover 26 of this embodiment may be provided with a rib rb that can be fitted into the non-mesh opening 22B.

[0054] <Rotation Restriction Mechanism 30> Next, with reference to Figures 4, 5, 12, and 14, the rotation restricting mechanism 30 that constitutes the two-piece cap 100 will be described. That is, in the two-piece cap 100 of this embodiment, with the engaged cylindrical portion 23 of the outer cap 20 inserted into the engaging cylindrical portion 41 of the inner cap 10, the outer cap 20 can rotate relative to the inner cap 10 under the constraint of this rotation restricting mechanism 30.

[0055] Such a rotation restricting mechanism 30 is provided between the outer surface of the inner peripheral wall 11 of the inner cover 10 and the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall 21 of the outer cover 20. The rotation restricting mechanism 30 of this embodiment has the function of restricting the rotation of the outer cover 20 relative to the inner cover 10 so that the blade body 40 (propeller opening 12A) does not overlap with the non-mesh opening 22B in the axial direction.

[0056] Specifically, as can be understood from Figures 4 and 12, the rotation restricting mechanism 30 of this embodiment comprises a rotation restricting rib 31 provided on one of the outer surfaces of the inner circumferential wall 11 and the inner surface of the outer circumferential wall 21, and a rotation restricting groove 32 provided on the other of the outer surfaces of the inner circumferential wall 11 and the inner surface of the outer circumferential wall 21, capable of accommodating the rotation restricting rib 31. More specifically, in this embodiment, as can be understood from the above figures, the rotation restricting rib 31 is provided on the outer surface of the inner circumferential wall 11, and the rotation restricting groove 32 is provided at the end of the engaging wall 28 located on the inner surface of the outer circumferential wall 21.

[0057] As can be seen from Figure 12, the rotation restricting groove 32 in this embodiment is provided with one groove end 32a and the other groove end 32b so that the propeller opening 12A does not overlap with the non-mesh opening 22B, corresponding to the boundary (central median strip 24) between the mesh opening 22A and the non-mesh opening 22B. This allows the rotation restricting mechanism 30 to restrict the amount of rotation around the central axis of the outer cover 20 so that the propeller opening 12A does not overlap with the non-mesh opening 22B.

[0058] The engagement sets, each consisting of a pair of rotation-restricting ribs 31 and a rotation-restricting groove 32 that constitute the rotation-restricting mechanism 30 described above, may be provided in multiple quantities in the circumferential direction. That is, referring together to Figures 4 and 12, the engagement sets of this embodiment include a first engagement set consisting of a rotation-restricting rib 31 and a rotation-restricting groove 32 provided on the propeller opening 12A and the mesh opening 22A side, and a second engagement set consisting of a rotation-restricting rib 31 and a rotation-restricting groove 32 provided on the non-propeller opening 12B and the non-mesh opening 22B side.

[0059] In this case, as shown in Figure 4 and other figures, it is preferable that the first engagement set and the second engagement set are arranged symmetrically (180° rotational symmetry) with respect to the central axis described above. By providing multiple engagement sets consisting of a pair of rotation-restricting ribs 31 and rotation-restricting grooves 32 in the circumferential direction, the rotation-restricting function of the outer cover 20 relative to the inner cover 10 can be maintained even if, for example, one of the engagement sets deteriorates or deforms.

[0060] <Method for extracting powder using mesh openings and propeller openings in cooperation> Next, with reference to Figure 15, the method for removing powder using the two-piece cap 100 of this embodiment will be described. As described above, when the user removes the powder stored in the container through the mesh opening 22A, for example, the non-mesh opening lid 26 is closed and the mesh opening lid 25 is open, and the container is held upside down. Then, for example, when the user holds the upside-down container and rotates the outer lid 20 clockwise around the central axis relative to the inner lid 10, the rotation restricting rib 31 moves within the rotation restricting groove 32 and stops rotating at the other groove end 32b.

[0061] At this time, the mesh opening 22A of the outer cover 20 rotates clockwise relative to the blade body 40 in synchronization with the rotation of the outer cover 20. This allows each blade of the blade body 40 to press the powder against the mesh opening 22A.

[0062] Furthermore, for example, if the user rotates the outer cover 20 counterclockwise around the central axis relative to the inner cover after the rotation restricting rib 31 has stopped at the other groove end 32b, the rotation restricting rib 31 reverses direction within the rotation restricting groove 32 and stops rotating when it reaches one of the groove ends 32a. In the same manner as described above, the mesh opening 22A of the outer cover 20 rotates counterclockwise relative to the blade body 40 in synchronization with the rotation of the outer cover 20.

[0063] If the user holds the container upside down and repeats the above actions, the powder stored in the container will first pass through the blade body 40 by its own weight and reach the mesh opening 22A. Of the powder that reaches the mesh opening 22A, the powder that is relatively small in diameter and smaller than the opening will pass through the mesh opening 22A and be removed from the container. On the other hand, powder that has a relatively larger diameter due to aggregation or other reasons may remain, for example, with at least a portion of it protruding from the opening of the mesh opening 22A.

[0064] In response to this, if the user keeps the container facing downwards as described above, grips the outer lid 20, and rotates it clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the inner lid 10, each blade of the blade body 40 will press the powder against the mesh opening 22A in sync with the rotation of the outer lid 20. In this way, on the back side of the mesh opening 22A, the blade body 40 presses the powder inside the container against the mesh opening 22A, thereby facilitating the removal of the powder from the container. In this example, the outer lid 20 is shown rotating around the central axis relative to the inner lid 10, but it is sufficient for the inner lid 10 and the outer lid 20 to rotate relative to each other. For example, the outer lid 20 may be fixed and the inner lid 10 or the container may be rotated around the central axis.

[0065] According to the two-piece cap 100 of this embodiment described above, it is possible to remove powder stored in the container while suppressing or eliminating clogging of the opening with the powder, without requiring any special processing of the powder to suppress clogging of the opening, thereby reducing costs.

[0066] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear to any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and these are also understood to fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0067] <Variation> Hereinafter, a modified two-piece cap 100 suitable for the above-described embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 16. As shown in Figure 16, the modified two-piece cap 100 is mainly characterized by further comprising a vibration-applying mechanism capable of vibrating the mesh opening 22A of the outer cover 20.

[0068] The vibration-applying mechanism described above is provided on at least one of the upper surface of the blade body 40 facing the mesh opening 22A, and the bottom surface of the mesh opening 22A facing the blade body 40. More specifically, the vibration-applying mechanism in this modified example may be one or more protrusions 46 provided on the upper surface of the blade body 40 and projecting toward the mesh opening 22A.

[0069] One or more protrusions 46 can interfere with the openings provided in the mesh opening 22A when the outer lid 20 rotates around its central axis relative to the inner lid 10, and ride up over the openings, thereby imparting vibration to the mesh opening 22A. In this way, the vibration-imparting mechanism (protrusions 46) imparts vibration to the mesh opening 22A when the outer lid 20 rotates, which allows the powder stored in the container to be removed while further suppressing clogging of the openings with powder.

[0070] The one or more protrusions 46 constituting the vibration-impregnating mechanism may be provided on the bottom surface of the mesh opening 22A facing the blade body 40, instead of on the top surface of the blade body 40, so as to be able to interfere with the blade body 40. Alternatively, the one or more protrusions 46 constituting the vibration-impregnating mechanism may be provided on both the top surface of the blade body 40 and the bottom surface of the mesh opening 22A. [Industrial applicability]

[0071] The present invention is suitable for realizing a two-piece cap that can be attached to a container for storing powders such as wheat flour, and that allows for the removal of powder stored in the container while suppressing or eliminating clogging of the opening of the dispensing port. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 100 2-piece type cap 10 Inner lid 20 Outer lid 30 Rotation suppression mechanism 40 Blade Body

Claims

1. An inner lid comprising an opening having an opening from which powder is removed, and an inner circumferential wall descending from around the opening, A two-piece cap comprising an outer cover having an outer periphery wall covering the outer surface of the inner periphery wall and an outer cover plate covering the outer surface of the opening, The opening is divided into a propeller opening, which has a blade body fixed to the inside of the inner peripheral wall and covering the opening, and a non-propeller opening, which does not have a blade body and the opening is open. The outer cover plate is divided into a mesh opening that can face the propeller opening and a non-mesh opening that can face the non-propeller opening. The outer cover is capable of relative rotation with respect to the inner cover around its central axis. A rotation restricting mechanism is provided between the outer surface of the inner peripheral wall and the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall, which can restrict the rotation of the outer cover relative to the inner cover so that the blade body does not overlap with the non-mesh opening in the axial direction. A two-piece cap characterized by the following features.

2. The aforementioned blade body is A first pressing blade presses the powder inside the container against the mesh opening when the outer lid rotates clockwise relative to the inner lid, A second pressing blade presses the powder against the mesh opening when the outer lid rotates counterclockwise relative to the inner lid, A two-piece cap according to claim 1, comprising the above.

3. The first pressing blade is inclined such that when the outer lid rotates clockwise relative to the inner lid, the side facing forward is at an acute angle with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening, The two-piece cap according to claim 2, wherein the second pressing blade is inclined such that when the outer lid rotates counterclockwise relative to the inner lid, the advancing side of the blade is at an acute angle with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening.

4. A two-piece cap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the upper surface of the blade body facing the mesh opening and the bottom surface of the mesh opening facing the blade body is provided with a vibration-applying mechanism for vibrating the mesh opening.

5. The two-piece cap according to claim 4, wherein the vibration-applying mechanism is one or more protrusions provided on the upper surface of the blade body and projecting toward the mesh opening.

6. The two-piece cap according to claim 4, wherein the inner circumferential wall of the inner lid is provided with an engaging portion that engages with the container opening.

7. The blade body has an engagement cylinder portion in the center facing the outer cover plate, The outer cover plate has a central engaged cylindrical portion that can engage with the engaging cylindrical portion, A two-piece cap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the outer lid rotates relative to the inner lid under the constraint of the rotation restricting mechanism while the engaging cylinder portion is inserted into the engaged cylinder portion.

8. The two-piece cap according to claim 6, wherein the outer end of the blade body is connected to the inner surface of the inner circumferential wall.

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