case

Abstract

The first and second stored items can be easily stored in the case, and the first and second stored items are held in place within the case. [Solution] The case comprises a case body (13) that houses one axial end (11a) of the first storage item (11), and a cap (14) attached to the case body (13) that houses the other end (11b) of the first storage item (11). The cap (14) comprises a top wall portion (30) that covers the other end (11b) from above, a cap peripheral wall portion (31) that extends downward from the top wall portion (30) and surrounds the first storage item (11) from all sides, and a positioning portion (32) that positions the other end (11b) in the axial direction. The positioning portion (32) is formed by an elastic member that extends downward from the top wall portion (30) inside the cap peripheral wall portion (31), and the second storage item (12) is sandwiched between the elastic member and the cap peripheral wall portion (31).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a case.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a case for storing a first stored item and a second stored item such as documents formed to be thinner than the first stored item (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The case of Patent Document 1 includes an outer case and an inner case inserted into the outer case, holds the first stored item on the surface of the inner case, and holds the second stored item on the back surface of the inner case.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in the case as described above, when performing the operation of storing the first stored item and the second stored item in the case, for example, the second stored item may fall or get caught on the case or the like, and the operation may be troublesome. Further, it is desired that the first stored item and the second stored item can be held in the case so that they do not move when the case is moved.

[0005] In view of such points, an object of the present invention is to enable the first stored item and the second stored item to be easily stored in the case and to hold the first stored item and the second stored item in the case.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The case is a case for storing a first storage item and a second storage item, comprising a case body for storing one axial end of the first storage item, and a cap attached to the case body for storing the other axial end of the first storage item, wherein the cap comprises a top wall portion that covers the other end from above, a cap peripheral wall portion that extends downward from the peripheral edge of the top wall portion and surrounds the first storage item from all sides, and a positioning portion that positions the other end in the axial direction, wherein the positioning portion is formed by an elastic member that extends downward from the top wall portion side on the inside of the cap peripheral wall portion, and the second storage item is sandwiched between the elastic member and the cap peripheral wall portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the first and second stored items can be easily stored in the case, and the first and second stored items can be held within the case. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view of a case according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] This is a plan view of the case body as seen from above. [Figure 2B] This is a cross-sectional view of the case body shown in Figure 2A, along line II-II. [Figure 3A] Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of the cap taken along line III-III. [Figure 3B] This is a view of the cap from below. [Figure 4A] This is a plan view of the first storage item, seen in the axial direction. [Figure 4B] This is a side view of the first storage item. [Figure 5A] This is a plan view of the second storage item, seen in the axial direction. [Figure 5B] This is a side view of the second storage item. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state before attaching the cap to the case body, with the first storage item set in the case body and the second storage item set in the cap. [Figure 7] It is a plan view showing the state in which the first stored item is set in the case body. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the inclined surface portion guides the first stored item. [Figure 9] It is a view of the cap seen from below with the second stored item set in the cap. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view of the case according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a plan view of the first stored item viewed in the axial direction. [Figure 12A] It is a plan view of the case body viewed from above. [Figure 12B] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XII-XII of FIG. 12A. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the first stored item is set in the case body of FIG. 12B. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV of FIG. 12A. [Figure 15] It is a view of the cap viewed axially from below. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a case according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present specification and the like, the vertical direction is the direction along the illustrated axis O (the central axis of the case 10 described later), and in the state where the case 10 is in a upright posture as shown in FIG. 1, the side where the case body 13 is located is "down", and the side where the cap 14 is located is "up". The radial direction is the direction orthogonal to the axis O in the plane perpendicular to the axis O, and the circumferential direction is the direction that circulates around the axis O in this plane.

[0010] [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a case 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The case 10 is a case for storing the first stored item 11 and the second stored item 12 having a thickness smaller than that of the first stored item 11. In FIG. 1, the second stored item 12 is shown by a virtual line.

[0011] The case 10 includes a case body 13 for storing one axial end portion 11a side of the first stored item 11, and a cap 14 attached to the case body 13 for storing the other axial end portion 11b side of the first stored item 11. Here, the axial direction of the first stored item 11 is the vertical direction.

[0012] FIG. 2A is a plan view of the case body 13 as viewed from above. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of the case body 13 shown in FIG. 2A. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 2B, the case body 13 includes a bottom portion 15 that covers the first stored item 11 from below, and a case peripheral wall portion 16 that extends upward from the peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion 15 and surrounds the first stored item 11 from the periphery. The case peripheral wall portion 16 is cylindrical. The lower surface portion of the case peripheral wall portion 16 is blocked by the circular bottom portion 15 in plan view, and the upper surface portion of the case peripheral wall portion 16 is open upward. The central axis of the case peripheral wall portion 16 coincides with the axis O that is the central axis of the case 10.

[0013] At the upper portion of the case peripheral wall portion 16, a cylindrical engaging portion 16a that engages with the cap 14 is provided. The cylindrical engaging portion 16a is a cylindrical portion formed in a stepped shape such that the inner diameter is larger than the portion below the cylindrical engaging portion 16a in the case peripheral wall portion 16. An annular inner protruding portion 16b that protrudes radially inward is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the upper portion of the cylindrical engaging portion 16a. In FIG. 2B, an enlarged view of the inner protruding portion 16b is shown. Further, the case peripheral wall portion 16 includes a cylindrical leg portion 16c that extends downward from the peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion 15 and forms the lower end of the case body 13.

[0014] The bottom portion 15 includes a holding portion 17 into which one end portion 11a fits in the axial direction, and a slant surface portion 18 that extends radially outward from the peripheral edge portion of the holding portion 17 and is connected to the case peripheral wall portion 16.

[0015] The retaining portion 17 is a recess that is recessed downwards. The retaining portion 17 comprises a recessed peripheral wall portion 20 that forms the peripheral wall of the recess, and a recessed bottom wall portion 21 that closes the bottom surface of the recessed peripheral wall portion 20.

[0016] The recessed peripheral wall portion 20 is a recess formed in the shape of a regular polygon in the axial view (plan view) of the case 10, as shown in Figure 2A. In detail, the recessed peripheral wall portion 20 is formed as a regular polygon in an axial view, comprising multiple pairs of opposing sides. These sides are vertical walls extending in the vertical direction. Here, the recessed peripheral wall portion 20 is a regular polygon having an even number of corners, and in this embodiment, the recessed peripheral wall portion 20 is a regular octagon, thus comprising four pairs of opposing sides. That is, the recessed peripheral wall portion 20 comprises a pair of sides 20a, a pair of sides 20b, a pair of sides 20c, and a pair of sides 20d as opposing sides. The pair of edges 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d are arranged at 45° intervals in the circumferential direction of the case body 13. Furthermore, the recessed bottom wall portion 21, like the recessed peripheral wall portion 20, is a regular octagon in an axial view and is arranged horizontally.

[0017] The retaining portion 17 is positioned at the center of the case peripheral wall portion 16 such that the center of the recessed peripheral wall portion 20 coincides with the axis O when viewed in the axial direction. The inclined portion 18 is a plate-like portion that extends radially outward and upward from the upper end of each side portion 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d and is connected to the case peripheral wall portion 16. There are eight inclined portions 18, corresponding to each side portion 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, and all inclined portions 18 have the same shape. The sloping portion 18 is inclined so that it is located radially inward as it moves from the top to the bottom.

[0018] Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view of the cap 14 along line III-III shown in Figure 3B. Figure 3B is a view of the cap 14 from below. The cap 14 includes a top wall portion 30 that covers the other end 11b of the first storage item 11 from above, a cap peripheral wall portion 31 that extends downward from the peripheral edge of the top wall portion 30 and surrounds the first storage item 11 from all sides, and a positioning portion 32 (elastic member) that positions the other end 11b in the axial direction.

[0019] The cap peripheral wall portion 31 is cylindrical. The upper surface of the cap peripheral wall portion 31 is closed by a circular top wall portion 30 in a plan view, and the lower surface of the cap peripheral wall portion 31 is open downwards. The central axis of the cap peripheral wall portion 31 coincides with axis O.

[0020] The lower end of the cap peripheral wall portion 31 is the cap-side engaging portion 31a, which engages with the cylindrical engaging portion 16a of the case body 13. The cap-side engaging portion 31a is a cylindrical portion formed in a stepped shape on the cap peripheral wall portion 31 such that its outer diameter is smaller than the portion above the cap-side engaging portion 31a. The outer circumferential surface of the cap-side engaging portion 31a is provided with an annular outer projection 31b that protrudes radially outward. Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface 31c of the cap peripheral wall portion 31 extends straight from the upper end to the lower end of the inner circumferential surface 31c, and no protrusions such as ribs are provided on the inner circumferential surface 31c.

[0021] Referring to Figure 1, the cap 14 is attached to the case body 13 by the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical engaging portion 16a of the case body 13 engaging with the outer circumferential surface of the cap-side engaging portion 31a. In detail, the cap 14 is prevented from coming off in the axial direction when it is inserted into the cylindrical engagement portion 16a until the outer projection 31b (Figure 3A) moves over the inner projection 16b (Figure 2B) below it.

[0022] The positioning portion 32 is formed by an elastic piece 33 that extends downward from the top wall portion 30 inside the cap peripheral wall portion 31. In detail, the positioning section 32 is formed by arranging multiple elastic pieces 33 in an annular shape around the cap 14 with the axis O as the center. In this embodiment, the elastic pieces 33 are arranged at eight locations at 45° intervals in the circumferential direction. A gap is provided between adjacent elastic pieces 33 in the circumferential direction of the cap 14.

[0023] The elastic piece 33 is a plate-like portion that extends downward from the top wall portion 30. The elastic piece 33 is positioned so that its thickness direction is oriented in the radial direction of the cap 14. Furthermore, the vertical length of the elastic piece 33 is greater than the circumferential length of the elastic piece 33 relative to the cap 14.

[0024] The elastic piece 33 includes a first extension portion 33a extending downward from the top wall portion 30, and a second extension portion 33b extending diagonally from the lower end of the first extension portion 33a so as to be located radially inward as it extends downward. The second extension portion 33b bends in an arc shape from the lower end of the first extension portion 33a and extends diagonally downward toward the axis O. The lower surface of the second extension 33b is a slope that inclines so as it extends upward, it is positioned radially outward. In an axial view, the lower edge 33c of the second extension 33b is formed in an arc shape along a virtual circle C (Figure 3B) centered on the axis O.

[0025] Referring to Figure 3A, the first extension portion 33a extends diagonally so that it is located radially outward as it extends downward. Therefore, the distance between the first extension portion 33a and the inner circumferential surface 31c of the cap circumferential wall portion 31 increases as it extends upward. Furthermore, the distance between the elastic piece 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c of the cap peripheral wall portion 31 is smallest at the boundary portion 33d between the first extension portion 33a and the second extension portion 33b.

[0026] Figure 4A is a plan view of the first storage item 11 as seen in the axial direction. Figure 4B is a side view of the first storage item 11. The first stored item 11 is a container. This container is, for example, a container for storing medicine such as eye drops. The first storage item 11 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape when viewed in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axial direction. In detail, the first storage container 11 has a rectangular shape when viewed in the axial direction. That is, the outer shape of the first storage container 11 when viewed in the axial direction is rectangular, comprising a pair of long sides 11c and a pair of short sides 11d. Figure 4A is a plan view of the first storage container 11 when viewed in the axial direction, and the cross-sectional shape of the first storage container 11 when viewed in the axial direction is rectangular, just as in the plan view. Furthermore, the axial length (vertical direction) of the first stored item 11 is greater than the length of the long side 11c. The short side 11d is shorter than the long side 11c.

[0027] As shown in Figure 4A, the four corners 11e of the first storage container 11 in the axial view are chamfered portions that are beveled in an arc shape. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4B, when the long side 11c is viewed from the side, the four corners 11f of the first storage container 11 are beveled edges with an arc shape. In addition, although not shown, when the short side 11d is viewed from the side, the four corners of the first storage container 11 are beveled edges with an arc shape.

[0028] Figure 5A is a plan view of the second storage item 12 as seen in the axial direction. Figure 5B is a side view of the second storage item 12. The second storage item 12 is a plate-shaped article, and its thickness t2 is smaller than the thickness t1 of the first storage item 11 (Figure 4A). The second storage item 12 is, for example, a document attached to the first storage item 11. In this embodiment, the second storage item 12 is a package insert describing the efficacy of the eye drops, which is the first storage item 11, and is made of paper folded into a strip. The second storage item 12, as shown in Figure 5B, has a rectangular shape that is elongated vertically when viewed from the side.

[0029] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the state before the cap 14 is attached to the case body 13, with the first storage item 11 set in the case body 13 and the second storage item 12 set in the cap 14. Figure 7 is a plan view showing the state with the first storage item 11 set in the case body 13. Referring to Figures 2A, 2B, 6, and 7, the first storage item 11 is set in the case body 13 by fitting one end 11a axially to the holding portion 17 of the case body 13.

[0030] In detail, the first storage object 11 is held in the holding portion 17 by the pair of short sides 11d at one end 11a being sandwiched between a pair of opposing sides 20a, and by the lower surface of the end 11a abutting against the recess bottom wall portion 21. In this state, the rotation of the end 11a around the axis O is restricted by the short sides 11d being sandwiched between the sides 20a, and the four corners 11e in the axial view abutting against four of the eight corners of the regular octagonal recess peripheral wall portion 20. In Figure 7, one end 11a is held between the edge portion 20a by both of the pair of short sides 11d. However, as long as the end 11a can be properly held by the pair of short sides 11d, a small gap may exist between the short sides 11d and the edge portion 20a, and this state is also included in the definition of being held between the edges.

[0031] Since the length of the long side 11c of one end 11a is equal to the distance between the pair of sides 20a, when one end 11a is sandwiched between the pair of sides 20a, a gap is formed between the long side 11c side of one end 11a and the other sides 20b, 20c, and 20d.

[0032] In Figure 7, one end 11a is held between a pair of edges 20a, but one end 11a can be held between any one pair of edges from the four pairs of edges 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d. For example, the first storage item 11 may be rotated 90° from the state in Figure 7 so that a pair of short sides 11d are held between a pair of edges 20c. Thus, since one end 11a can be held between any one of the pair of edges 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, when inserting one end 11a into the holding part 17 from above, it is not necessary to strictly control the rotational position of the first stored item 11 around the axis O, and one end 11a can be held between any of the pair of edges 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d. For this reason, the first stored item 11 can be easily set into the case body 13.

[0033] Furthermore, referring to Figure 6, the case body 13 is formed to be relatively shallow in the vertical direction, and when the first storage item 11 is held in the holding part 17, more than half of the axial length of the first storage item 11 protrudes upward from the upper end of the case peripheral wall 16. In this way, because the case body 13 is relatively shallow, the holding part 17 is easily visible from above, and the case peripheral wall 16 does not easily interfere with the insertion of the first storage item 11. For this reason, one end 11a can be easily fitted into the holding part 17.

[0034] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the inclined surface 18 guiding the first stored item 11. As shown in Figure 8, when the first storage item 11 is lowered from above toward the holding portion 17, if the position of one end 11a shifts radially relative to the recessed peripheral wall portion 20, the lower surface of the one end 11a comes into contact with the inclined surface portion 18. As a result, the one end 11a is guided toward the holding portion 17 along the inclined surface portion 18 that descends toward the holding portion 17. Therefore, the one end 11a can be easily fitted into the holding portion 17. In particular, one end portion 11a of this embodiment can contact the inclined surface portion 18 via a chamfered corner portion 11f. As a result, one end portion 11a moves smoothly along the inclined surface portion 18 and is guided toward the holding portion 17.

[0035] Figure 9 is a view of the cap 14 from below with the second storage item 12 set in the cap 14. In Figure 9, the position of the first storage item 11 when it is stored in the case 10 is illustrated by dashed lines. Referring to Figures 3A, 3B, 5A, 5B, 6, and 9, the second storage item 12 is held in place by the cap 14 by the upper end portion 12a of the second storage item 12 being sandwiched between the elastic piece 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c of the cap peripheral wall portion 31.

[0036] More specifically, as shown in Figure 9, the distance between the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface 31c of the elastic piece 33 in the radial direction is greater than the thickness t2 of the second storage object 12. The width W (Figure 5A) of the second storage object 12 is large enough to cover the multiple elastic pieces 33 arranged in the circumferential direction from the radial outside. The upper end portion 12a of the second storage object 12 is bent into a substantially arc shape by the central portion 12b in the width direction of the upper end portion 12a being pushed radially outward by one of the elastic pieces 33, and both ends 12c in the width direction of the upper end portion 12a are in contact with the inner circumferential surface 31c, thus being sandwiched between the elastic piece 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c. In this state, a gap is formed between the central portion 12b and the inner circumferential surface 31c. In Figure 9, one elastic piece 33 is in contact with the upper end portion 12a, but the upper end portion 12a may be sandwiched between multiple elastic pieces 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c.

[0037] More specifically, the elastic piece 33 has its upper end portion 12a sandwiched between the boundary portion 33d, which is the radially outermost part of the elastic piece 33, and the inner circumferential surface 31c. Above and below the boundary portion 33d, a radial gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the elastic piece 33 and the upper end portion 12a.

[0038] When the elastic piece 33 is clamping the upper end 12a, it is elastically deformed radially inward from its upper end due to the reaction force from the upper end 12a. The elastic piece 33 clamps the upper end 12a due to the restoring force of this elastic deformation. Furthermore, the second storage item 12 is inserted between the elastic piece 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c until its upper end 12a abuts against the lower surface of the top wall portion 30.

[0039] The second storage item 12 is held between the elastic piece 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c by having its upper end portion 12a inserted from below between the elastic piece 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c. When inserting the upper end portion 12a between the elastic piece 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c, if the upper end of the upper end portion 12a contacts the lower surface of the second extension portion 33b, the upper end portion 12a is guided radially outward and upward along the slope of the lower surface of the second extension portion 33b, toward the boundary portion 33d and the inner circumferential surface 31c. Therefore, the upper end portion 12a can be easily inserted between the elastic piece 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c.

[0040] Furthermore, a radial gap is provided between the first extension portion 33a and the upper end portion 12a of the elastic piece 33, and the elastic piece 33 does not contact the upper end portion 12a above the boundary portion 33d. Therefore, frictional resistance can be reduced when inserting the upper end portion 12a between the elastic piece 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c, and the upper end portion 12a can be easily inserted.

[0041] As shown in Figure 6, when the second storage item 12 is set in the cap 14, the second storage item 12 extends downward along the inner circumferential surface 31c, and the lower end portion 12d of the second storage item 12 protrudes below the lower end of the cap circumferential wall portion 31. The axial length (vertical direction) of the cap peripheral wall portion 31 is greater than the axial length of the case peripheral wall portion 16 (Figure 6). Because the cap peripheral wall portion 31 is formed to be long in the axial direction in this way, the second stored item 12 can be guided by the inner circumferential surface 31c of the cap peripheral wall portion 31 over a wide range in the vertical direction. Therefore, when attaching the cap 14 to the case body 13, the vibration of the second stored item 12 can be suppressed.

[0042] Referring to Figure 6, the process of storing the first storage item 11 and the second storage item 12 in the case 10 is performed by attaching the cap 14, in which the second storage item 12 is set, to the case body 13, in which the first storage item 11 is set. In the state shown in Figure 6, the cap 14 is positioned such that the surface of the second storage item 12 in the thickness direction faces the long side 11c of the first storage item 11, as shown in Figure 9. By lowering the cap 14 toward the case body 13 in this state, it is possible to avoid the second storage item 12 coming into contact with the first storage item 11.

[0043] When the cap 14 is lowered from the state shown in Figure 6 and the outer surface of the cap-side engaging portion 31a engages with the inner surface of the cylindrical engaging portion 16a, the cap 14 is attached to the case body 13, and the first storage item 11 and the second storage item 12 are stored in the case 10, as shown in Figure 1. In this state, the lower end portion 12d of the second storage item 12 is stored in the case body 13. In case 10, the inner surface of the cylindrical engaging portion 16a engages with the outer surface of the cap-side engaging portion 31a, thus preventing the lower end portion 12d of the second storage item 12 from contacting the cylindrical engaging portion 16a when the cap-side engaging portion 31a is engaged with the cylindrical engaging portion 16a. As a result, the cap 14 with the second storage item 12 set inside can be easily attached to the case body 13. For example, if the cylindrical engaging portion 16a engages with the inner circumferential surface of the cap-side engaging portion 31a, the cylindrical engaging portion 16a is more likely to come into contact with the lower end portion 12d of the second stored item 12.

[0044] As shown in Figure 1, when the first storage item 11 and the second storage item 12 are stored in the case 10, the second storage item 12 is held in place by being sandwiched between the elastic piece 33 and the inner circumferential surface 31c. In this state, the first storage item 11 is held by the holding part 17 and its upward movement is restricted by the positioning part 32 which overlaps the upper surface of the first storage item 11 from above.

[0045] As shown in Figure 9, the diameter of the virtual circle C formed by the combination of the lower edges 33c of the multiple elastic pieces 33 is smaller than the length of the long side 11c of the first storage item 11. Therefore, the lower edges 33c of the multiple elastic pieces 33 can be properly brought into contact with the upper surface of the first storage item 11, and the first storage item 11 can be effectively held by the elastic pieces 33. Furthermore, since the elastic piece 33 has a bent shape with a first extension 33a and a second extension 33b, it can bend more significantly in the axial direction compared to, for example, the case where the elastic piece 33 is straight. As a result, dimensional errors in the case 10 and the first contents 11 can be absorbed by the bending of the elastic piece 33, and the first contents 11 can be held securely. In Figure 1, a small gap is provided between the lower edge 33c of the elastic piece 33 and the upper surface of the first storage item 11. When the first storage item 11 is slightly displaced upward, the lower edge 33c contacts the upper surface of the first storage item 11, restricting its movement. Alternatively, the lower edge 33c of the elastic piece 33 may be in constant contact with the upper surface of the first storage item 11.

[0046] As described above, according to the first embodiment to which the present invention is applied, the case 10 is a case for storing a first storage item 11 and a second storage item 12, and comprises a case body 13 for storing one axial end 11a side of the first storage item 11, and a cap 14 attached to the case body 13 for storing the other axial end 11b side of the first storage item 11. The cap 14 comprises a top wall portion 30 that covers the other end 11b from above, a cap peripheral wall portion 31 that extends downward from the peripheral edge of the top wall portion 30 and surrounds the first storage item 11 from all sides, and a positioning portion 32 that positions the other end 11b in the axial direction. The positioning portion 32 is formed by an elastic member (a collection of elastic pieces 33) that extends downward from the top wall portion 30 side inside the cap peripheral wall portion 31, and the second storage item 12 is sandwiched between the elastic member and the cap peripheral wall portion 31. With this configuration, the second storage item 12 can be held in place by the cap 14 by being sandwiched between the elastic piece 33 of the positioning part 32 and the cap peripheral wall 31. In this state, the cap 14 can be attached to the case body 13, and the second storage item 12 and the first storage item 11 can be stored in the case 10. Therefore, when attaching the cap 14 to the case body 13, it is possible to prevent the second storage item 12 from falling out of the cap 14 or from getting caught on the case body 13 or the first storage item 11, and the first storage item 11 and the second storage item 12 can be easily stored in the case 10. Furthermore, within the case 10, the second storage item 12 can be held by the elastic piece 33 and the cap peripheral wall 31, and the first storage item 11 can be held by the positioning part 32, so the first storage item 11 and the second storage item 12 can be held securely within the case 10.

[0047] Furthermore, the elastic member is formed by arranging a plurality of elastic pieces 33 in an annular shape around the circumferential direction of the cap 14. Each elastic piece 33 includes a first extension portion 33a extending downward from the top wall portion 30, and a second extension portion 33b extending diagonally from the lower end of the first extension portion 33a so as to be located radially inward as it extends downward. With this configuration, since the elastic member is formed by arranging multiple elastic pieces 33 in an annular shape around the circumferential direction of the cap 14, the amount of material required to construct the elastic member can be reduced, and the elastic pieces 33 can bend more easily when the second storage item 12 is sandwiched between the elastic pieces 33 and the cap circumferential wall portion 31, making it easy to set the second storage item 12 between the elastic pieces 33 and the cap circumferential wall portion 31. In addition, since the second extension portion 33b extends diagonally so that it is positioned radially inward as it goes downward, the inclination of the second extension portion 33b can guide the second storage item 12 between the elastic pieces 33 and the cap circumferential wall portion 31 when the second storage item 12 is sandwiched between the elastic pieces 33 and the cap circumferential wall portion 31. For this reason, it is easy to set the second storage item 12 between the elastic pieces 33 and the cap circumferential wall portion 31.

[0048] Furthermore, the first extension portion 33a extends diagonally so that it is located radially outward as it extends downward. With this configuration, the first extension portion 33a extends diagonally so that it is positioned radially outward as it goes downward, so the upper part of the first extension portion 33a moves radially inward relative to the portion that holds the second storage item 12 between the elastic piece 33 and the cap peripheral wall portion 31. As a result, the frictional resistance when inserting the second storage item 12 between the elastic piece 33 and the cap peripheral wall portion 31 can be reduced, and the second storage item 12 can be easily set between the elastic piece 33 and the cap peripheral wall portion 31.

[0049] Furthermore, the first storage item 11 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axial direction, and the case body 13 includes a bottom portion 15 that covers one end portion 11a from below, and a case peripheral wall portion 16 that extends upward from the peripheral edge of the bottom portion 15 and surrounds the first storage item 11 from all sides. The bottom portion 15 has a holding portion 17 into which one end portion 11a fits in the axial direction, and the holding portion 17 is a recess formed in the shape of a regular polygon in an axial view by having multiple sets of pairs of opposing side portions 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, and one end portion 11a is held between the side portions 20a. With this configuration, the first storage item 11, which has a square cross-section, is held between the edges 20a of the regularly polygonal recess, so that the rotation of the first storage item 11 with the axial direction as the center of rotation is restricted and the first storage item 11 can be held in a predetermined position. For this reason, when attaching the cap 14, which holds the second storage item 12, to the case body 13, the first storage item 11 is prevented from interfering with the second storage item 12, and the work of storing the first storage item 11 and the second storage item 12 in the case 10 becomes easier.

[0050] Furthermore, the first storage container 11 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape with a pair of long sides 11c and a pair of short sides 11d, and one end 11a is sandwiched between a pair of short sides 11d that face each other. With this configuration, as the first storage item 11, which has a rectangular cross-section, is moved toward the holding part 17, one pair of short sides 11d of one end 11a can be clamped by one of the multiple pairs of opposing sides 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d (for example, side 20a). Therefore, when fitting one end 11a of the first storage item 11 into the holding part 17, the first storage item 11 can be fitted into the holding part 17 without strictly controlling the rotational position of the first storage item 11 relative to the holding part 17, and the first storage item 11 can be easily set into the case body 13.

[0051] Furthermore, the bottom portion 15 is provided with a slanted portion 18 that extends from the upper ends of the side portions 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d toward the case peripheral wall portion 16, and the slanted portion 18 is inclined so that it is located radially inward as it goes from top to bottom. With this configuration, when fitting the first stored item 11 into the holding part 17, one end 11a can be guided toward the holding part 17 by the inclined surface 18, and the one end 11a can be easily fitted into the holding part 17.

[0052] Furthermore, a portion of the second storage item 12 (the lower end portion 12d) is stored inside the case body 13, and the cap 14 is attached to the case body 13 by the cap-side engaging portion 31a at the lower end of the cap peripheral wall portion 31 engaging with the cylindrical engaging portion 16a of the case peripheral wall portion 16, and the cylindrical engaging portion 16a engages with the outer circumferential surface of the cap-side engaging portion 31a. With this configuration, the cylindrical engaging portion 16a of the case body 13 engages with the outer circumferential surface of the cap-side engaging portion 31a. Therefore, when attaching the cap 14, which holds the second stored item 12, to the case body 13, it is possible to prevent the second stored item 12 from coming into contact with the cylindrical engaging portion 16a of the case body 13. As a result, the cap 14 can be easily attached to the case body 13.

[0053] [Second Embodiment] A second embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to Figures 10 to 15. In this second embodiment, parts configured in the same way as in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the structure of the elastic member 275 and the retaining member 251.

[0054] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of case 210 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Case 210 is a case for storing a first storage item 211 and a second storage item 212 which is thinner than the first storage item 211. In Figure 1, the second storage item 212 is shown by a dashed line.

[0055] The case 210 comprises a case body 213 that houses one axial end 211a of the first storage item 211, and a cap 214 attached to the case body 213 that houses the other axial end 211b of the first storage item 211. Here, the axial direction of the first storage item 211 is the vertical direction.

[0056] Figure 11 is a plan view of the first storage item 211 as seen in the axial direction. The first stored item 211 is a container. This container is, for example, a container for storing medicine such as eye drops. The first storage unit 211 comprises a bottle-shaped bottle section 241 for storing liquid contents such as eye drops, and a bottle cap 242 attached to the mouth of the upper end of the bottle section 241.

[0057] The bottle portion 241 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed in the axial direction. More specifically, the bottle portion 241 has a substantially rectangular outer shape when viewed in the axial direction. That is, the outer shape of the first container 211 when viewed in the axial direction is formed in a substantially rectangular shape with a pair of long sides 211c and a pair of short sides 211d. Furthermore, the axial length (vertical direction) of the first storage item 211 is greater than the length of the long side 211c. The short side 211d is shorter than the long side 211c.

[0058] The outer circumferential surface on the long side 211c of the bottle portion 241 includes a lower projection 241a that protrudes radially outward from the lower end of the outer circumferential surface, an upper projection 241b that protrudes radially outward from the upper end of the outer circumferential surface, and an intermediate portion 241c that is recessed inward relative to the upper projection 241b and the lower projection 241a, between the upper projection 241b and the lower projection 241a. The upper protrusion 241b and the lower protrusion 241a are provided vertically with a constant width along the entire length of the longer side 211c.

[0059] The bottle cap 242 is cylindrical in shape and positioned in the center of the bottle section 241 in a plan view. One end 211a is the lower end of the bottle portion 241, and the other end 211b is the upper end of the bottle cap 242.

[0060] The second storage item 212 is a plate-shaped article, and its thickness t2 (Figure 15) is smaller than the thickness t1 (Figure 11) of the first storage item 211. The second storage item 212 is, for example, a document attached to the first storage item 211. In this second embodiment, the second storage item 212 is a package insert describing the efficacy of the eye drops, which is the first storage item 211, and is made of paper folded into a strip. The second storage item 212, as shown in Figure 10, has a long, rectangular shape in the vertical direction when viewed from the side.

[0061] Figure 12A is a plan view of the case body 213 seen from above. Figure 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII of Figure 12A. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the case body 213 of Figure 12B with the first storage item 211 set inside. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV of Figure 12A. Figure 14 illustrates the case body 213 with the first storage item 211 set inside. Referring to Figures 10 to 14, the case body 213 comprises a bottomed cylindrical outer case portion 250 and a retaining member 251 housed in the outer case portion 250.

[0062] The outer case portion 250 comprises a bottom portion 255 that covers the first stored item 211 from below, and a case peripheral wall portion 256 that extends upward from the periphery of the bottom portion 255 and surrounds the first stored item 211 from all sides. The outer case portion 250 is made of synthetic resin, and the bottom portion 255 and the case peripheral wall portion 256 are integrally formed by resin molding using a mold. The case peripheral wall portion 256 is cylindrical. The lower surface of the case peripheral wall portion 256 is closed by a circular bottom portion 255 in a plan view, and the upper surface of the case peripheral wall portion 256 is open upwards. The central axis of the case peripheral wall portion 256 coincides with axis O, which is the central axis of the case 210.

[0063] A cylindrical engaging portion 256a that engages with the cap 214 is provided at the upper part of the case peripheral wall portion 256. The cylindrical engaging portion 256a is a cylindrical portion formed in a stepped manner on the case peripheral wall portion 256 such that its inner diameter is larger than the lower part of the cylindrical engaging portion 256a. The inner circumferential surface of the upper part of the cylindrical engaging portion 256a is provided with an annular inner projection 256b that protrudes radially inward. Furthermore, the case peripheral wall portion 256 is provided with cylindrical leg portions 256c that extend downward from the peripheral edge of the bottom portion 255 and form the lower end of the case body 213.

[0064] The retaining member 251 comprises a bottom wall portion 257 provided substantially horizontally along the bottom portion 255, a cylindrical outer peripheral retaining portion 258 extending upward from the periphery of the bottom wall portion 257, a flange portion 259 extending radially outward from the upper end of the outer peripheral retaining portion 258, an outer peripheral portion 260 extending downward from the periphery of the flange portion 259, and an annular bottom contact portion 261 projecting downward from the periphery of the bottom wall portion 257.

[0065] The retaining member 251 is a separate component from the outer case portion 250 and is fixed to the outer case portion 250. The retaining member 251 is fixed inside the outer case portion 250 by the bottom contact portion 261 contacting the upper surface of the bottom portion 255 and the outer peripheral portion 260 fitting into the inner peripheral surface of the case peripheral wall portion 256. The retaining member 251 is located below the cylindrical engaging portion 256a. In this way, since the retaining member 251, which is separate from the outer case portion 250, is fixed to the outer case portion 250, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of sink marks in the outer case portion 250 during resin molding.

[0066] The bottom wall portion 257 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape so as to cover the lower surface of one end portion 211a of the first stored item 211 when viewed in the axial direction. The outer peripheral holding portion 258 fits onto the outer circumference of one end portion 211a to hold the one end portion 211a. The outer peripheral retaining portion 258 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in an axial view, following the outer shape of the bottle portion 241. More specifically, the outer peripheral retaining portion 258 is formed in a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape, comprising a pair of long-side retaining walls 262 along a pair of long sides 211c (Figure 11) and a pair of short-side retaining walls 263 along a pair of short sides 211d (Figure 11). The center of the outer peripheral retaining portion 258 in an axial view coincides with the axis O.

[0067] Each long-side retaining wall 262 includes a leaf spring portion 264 that extends along the outer circumference of one end 211a and is cantilevered. More specifically, the leaf spring portion 264 is a plate-like portion that extends from the upper part of the long-side retaining wall 262 to the lower part of the long-side retaining wall 262. The leaf spring portion 264 includes an upper end 264a that serves as the fulcrum of the cantilever support, a free end 264b which is the lower end of the leaf spring portion 264, and a pair of side edge portions 264c that connect the upper end 264a and the free end 264b vertically.

[0068] The leaf spring portion 264 is formed by providing notches 265 in the long-side retaining wall 262 along the free end 264b and a pair of side edges 264c. In addition, the portion of the notch 265 along the free end 264b also cuts out a part of the peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 257.

[0069] An inner projection 264d is provided at the lower part of the leaf spring portion 264, projecting radially inward from the outer peripheral holding portion 258. The inner projection 264d extends over the entire length of the free end portion 264b.

[0070] As shown in Figure 13, each short-side retaining wall 263 extends straight up and down along the bottle portion 241, and the lower end to the upper end of the short-side retaining wall 263 is in close contact with the outer circumference of the short side 211d at one end 211a.

[0071] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, when one end 211a is set on the retaining member 251, the lower surface of the end 211a abuts against the bottom wall portion 257, and the outer circumference of the end 211a fits into the outer circumference retaining portion 258, thereby holding the end 211a in place on the retaining member 251. In detail, the long-side retaining wall 262 holds one end 211a by having a pair of leaf spring portions 264 clamp a pair of lower protrusions 241a. The leaf spring portions 264 are in contact with the lower protrusions 241a via inner protrusions 264d and are elastically deformed by being pushed radially outward by the lower protrusions 241a. The leaf spring portions 264 firmly hold one end 211a by the elastic force of the leaf spring portions 264 restoring themselves.

[0072] As shown in Figure 14, the leaf spring portion 264 has an inner projection 264d that clamps the lower projection 241a, so a radial gap S is formed between the intermediate portion 241c of the bottle portion 241 and the long side retaining wall 262 above the lower projection 241a. A display portion (not shown) can be provided on the portion of the intermediate portion 241c that faces the gap S. This display portion is, for example, a label or print that displays information about the contents of the first stored item 211. By providing a display portion on the portion that faces the gap S in this way, contact between the display portion and the long side retaining wall 262 can be suppressed, and peeling or abrasion of the display portion can be suppressed.

[0073] Figure 15 is a view of the cap 214 from below in the axial direction. The cross-section of the cap 214 shown in Figure 10 is the XX cross-section in Figure 15. Referring to Figures 10 and 15, the cap 214 comprises a cap body 270 and a positioning member 271 (positioning part) fixed inside the cap body 270.

[0074] The cap body 270 comprises a top wall portion 272 that covers the other end 211b of the first storage item 211 from above, and a cap peripheral wall portion 273 that extends downward from the periphery of the top wall portion 272 and surrounds the first storage item 211 from all sides. The cap body 270 is made of synthetic resin, and the top wall portion 272 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273 are integrally formed by resin molding using a mold.

[0075] The cap peripheral wall portion 273 is cylindrical. The upper surface of the cap peripheral wall portion 273 is closed by a circular top wall portion 272 in a plan view, and the lower surface of the cap peripheral wall portion 273 is open downwards. The central axis of the cap peripheral wall portion 273 coincides with axis O.

[0076] The lower end of the cap peripheral wall portion 273 is the cap-side engaging portion 273a, which engages with the cylindrical engaging portion 256a of the case body 213. The cap-side engaging portion 273a is a cylindrical portion formed in a stepped manner on the cap peripheral wall portion 273 such that its outer diameter is smaller than the portion above the cap-side engaging portion 273a. The outer circumferential surface of the cap-side engaging portion 273a is provided with an annular outer projection 273b that protrudes radially outward.

[0077] The cap 214 is attached to the case body 213 by the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical engaging portion 256a of the case body 213 engaging with the outer circumferential surface of the cap-side engaging portion 273a. For details, refer to Figure 10. The cap 214 is prevented from coming off in the axial direction when it is inserted into the cylindrical engagement portion 256a until the outer projection 273b moves over the inner projection 256b downwards.

[0078] The positioning member 271 positions the other end 211b of the first storage item 211 in the axial direction. The positioning member 271 is formed by an elastic member 275 that extends downward from the top wall portion 272 side inside the cap peripheral wall portion 273. The elastic member 275 is a separate component from the cap body 270 and is fixed to the cap body 270. The elastic member 275 is made of a material with higher elasticity than the material of the cap body 270, and is made of elastomer composed of polyethylene (low-density polyethylene such as LDPE or LLDPE).

[0079] The elastic member 275 integrally comprises a fixing portion 276 fixed to the upper end inside the cap body 270, a cylindrical portion 277 extending downward from the fixing portion 276, and a lower surface portion 278 that closes the lower surface of the cylindrical portion 277.

[0080] The fixing portion 276 comprises a fixing portion peripheral wall 276a that abuts against the lower surface of the top wall portion 272 and fits into the inner peripheral surface 273c of the cap peripheral wall portion 273, and an annular base portion 276b that extends radially inward from the lower end of the fixing portion peripheral wall 276a.

[0081] The cylindrical portion 277 comprises a straight cylindrical portion 279 extending downward from the radially inner peripheral edge of the base portion 276b with substantially the same diameter, and a tapered portion 280 extending downward from the lower end of the straight cylindrical portion 279. The tapered portion 280 is formed in a tapered shape, with its outer diameter decreasing as it extends downward. The central axis of the cylindrical portion 277 coincides with axis O. The lower portion 278 is a circular wall that closes the lower surface of the tapered portion 280. The diameter of the lower portion 278 is smaller than the diameter of the upper surface of the bottle cap 242. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 277 is smaller than that of the cap peripheral wall portion 273, and a radial gap is formed between the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 277 and the inner surface 273c of the cap peripheral wall portion 273.

[0082] The tapered portion 280 comprises multiple thickened portions 281 provided in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 277, and multiple thinned portions 282 arranged between the multiple thickened portions 281 and provided in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 277, with a plate thickness smaller than that of the thickened portions 281. In detail, the thickened portions 281 are provided in multiple locations (9 in this embodiment) at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The thinned portions 282 are arranged alternately with the thickened portions 281 in the circumferential direction and are provided in multiple locations (9 in this embodiment) at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0083] As shown in Figure 15, when the cylindrical portion 277 is viewed from below in the axial direction, the thickened portion 281 extends radially from the axis O, which is the center of the cylindrical portion 277, while the thinned portion 282 is formed in a trapezoidal shape that tapers downward between adjacent thickened portions 281. The thin-walled portion 282 is formed with a smaller plate thickness by recessing the surface of the tapered portion 280 inward relative to the thick-walled portion 281. In the circumferential direction, the width of the thin-walled portion 282 is greater than the width of the thick-walled portion 281. Furthermore, the sum of the areas of the multiple thin-walled portions 282 is greater than the sum of the areas of the multiple thick-walled portions 281.

[0084] The cylindrical portion 277 is a closed cylinder with a circumferential surface, and does not have an opening that penetrates the tapered portion 280 radially, nor an opening that penetrates the linear cylindrical portion 279 radially.

[0085] Referring to Figures 10 and 15, the second storage item 212 is held in the cap 214 by being sandwiched between the cylindrical portion 277 and the inner circumferential surface 273c of the cap peripheral wall portion 273. The second storage item 212 is also inserted between the cylindrical portion 277 and the inner circumferential surface 273c until the upper end portion 212a abuts against the lower surface of the base portion 276b.

[0086] In detail, the distance between the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface 273c of the linear cylindrical portion 279 in the radial direction is greater than the thickness t2 of the second storage object 212. Also, the width W of the second storage object 212 is greater than the diameter of the linear cylindrical portion 279. The upper end portion 212a of the second storage object 212a is sandwiched between the cylindrical portion 277 and the inner circumferential surface 273c, with the central portion 212b in the width direction of the upper end portion 212a being pushed radially outward by the linear cylindrical portion 279, and both ends 212c in the width direction of the upper end portion 212a being in contact with the inner circumferential surface 273c. In this state, a radial gap is formed between the central portion 212b and the inner circumferential surface 273c.

[0087] When the upper end portion 212a is clamped, the cylindrical portion 277 elastically deforms radially inward due to the reaction force from the upper end portion 212a. The restoring force of this elastic deformation causes the cylindrical portion 277 to clamp the upper end portion 212a between itself and the inner circumferential surface 273c. The rigidity of the cylindrical portion 277 is adjusted to be suitable for holding the upper end portion 212a by having multiple thin-walled portions 282 in the circumferential direction of the tapered portion 280. Therefore, the upper end portion 212a can be clamped well by the cylindrical portion 277.

[0088] The second storage item 212 has its upper end 212a inserted from below between the cylindrical portion 277 and the inner circumferential surface 273c. When inserting the upper end portion 212a between the cylindrical portion 277 and the inner circumferential surface 273c, if the upper end of the upper end portion 212a comes into contact with the tapered portion 280, the upper end portion 212a is guided radially outward and upward along the inclination of the tapered portion 280, toward the space between the straight cylindrical portion 279 and the inner circumferential surface 273c. As a result, the upper end portion 212a can be easily inserted between the straight cylindrical portion 279 and the inner circumferential surface 273c.

[0089] Furthermore, the cylindrical portion 277 does not have an opening that passes through the tapered portion 280 in the radial direction, nor an opening that passes through the straight cylindrical portion 279 in the radial direction. This prevents the upper end portion 212a from getting caught on the tapered portion 280 and the straight cylindrical portion 279 when inserting it between the cylindrical portion 277 and the inner circumferential surface 273c. As a result, the upper end portion 212a can be easily inserted between the cylindrical portion 277 and the inner circumferential surface 273c.

[0090] Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface 273c of the cap peripheral wall portion 273 extends straight from the lower end of the inner circumferential surface 273c to the height position of the straight cylindrical portion 279, and no protrusions such as ribs are provided on the inner circumferential surface 273c in this section. As a result, the upper end portion 212a is prevented from getting caught on protrusions, and the upper end portion 212a can be easily inserted between the cylindrical portion 277 and the inner circumferential surface 273c.

[0091] As shown in Figure 10, when the second storage item 212 is set in the cap 214, the second storage item 212 extends downward along the inner circumferential surface 273c, and the lower end portion 212d of the second storage item 212 protrudes below the lower end portion of the cap circumferential wall 273. The axial length (vertical direction) of the cap peripheral wall portion 273 is greater than the axial length of the case peripheral wall portion 256 (Figure 10). Because the cap peripheral wall portion 273 is formed to be long in the axial direction in this way, the second storage item 212 can be guided by the inner circumferential surface 273c of the cap peripheral wall portion 273 over a wide range in the vertical direction. Therefore, when attaching the cap 214 to the case body 213, the vibration of the second storage item 212 can be suppressed.

[0092] Furthermore, referring to Figures 13 and 14, the vertical depth of the case body 213 is relatively shallow, and when the first storage item 211 is held by the holding member 251, more than half of the axial length of the first storage item 211 protrudes upward from the upper end of the case peripheral wall 256. In this way, because the case body 213 is relatively shallow, the outer peripheral holding portion 258 is easily visible from above, and the case peripheral wall 256 does not easily interfere with the insertion of the first storage item 211. For this reason, one end 211a can be easily fitted into the outer peripheral holding portion 258.

[0093] Referring to Figures 10, 13, and 15, the process of storing the first storage item 211 and the second storage item 212 in the case 210 is performed by attaching the cap 214, in which the second storage item 212 is set, to the case body 213, in which the first storage item 211 is set. When attaching the cap 214 to the case body 213, the cap 214 is positioned above the case body 213 with the thickness-direction surface of the second storage item 212 being approximately parallel to the long side 211c of the first storage item 211. By lowering the cap 214 toward the case body 213 in this state, it is possible to avoid the second storage item 212 coming into contact with the first storage item 211.

[0094] When the cap 214 is lowered toward the case body 213 and the outer surface of the cap-side engaging portion 273a engages with the inner surface of the cylindrical engaging portion 256a, the cap 214 is attached to the case body 213, as shown in Figure 10, and the first storage item 211 and the second storage item 212 are stored in the case 210. In this state, the lower end portion 212d of the second storage item 212 is stored in the case body 213. In case 210, the inner surface of the cylindrical engaging portion 256a engages with the outer surface of the cap-side engaging portion 273a. This prevents the lower end portion 212d of the second storage item 212 from contacting the cylindrical engaging portion 256a when the cap-side engaging portion 273a is engaged with the cylindrical engaging portion 256a. As a result, the cap 214 with the second storage item 212 set inside can be easily attached to the case body 213. For example, if the cylindrical engaging portion 256a engages with the inner circumferential surface of the cap-side engaging portion 273a, the cylindrical engaging portion 256a is more likely to come into contact with the lower end portion 212d of the second stored item 212.

[0095] As shown in Figure 10, when the first storage item 211 and the second storage item 212 are stored in the case 210, the second storage item 212 is held in place by being sandwiched between the cylindrical portion 277 and the inner circumferential surface 273c. In this state, the first storage item 211 is held by the holding member 251 and its upward movement is restricted by the positioning member 271 which overlaps the upper surface of the first storage item 211 from above. The elastic member 275, which functions as a positioning member 271, has its rigidity adjusted by having multiple thin-walled portions 282 in the circumferential direction of its tapered portion 280, allowing it to elastically deform appropriately in the axial direction. As a result, dimensional errors in the case 210 and the first stored item 211 can be absorbed by the deflection of the elastic member 275, and the first stored item 211 can be held securely.

[0096] As described above, according to a second embodiment to which the present invention is applied, the case 210 is a case for storing a first storage item 211 and a second storage item 212 which is thinner than the first storage item 211, and comprises a case body 213 that stores one axial end 211a side of the first storage item 211 and a cap 214 attached to the case body 213 that stores the other axial end 211b side of the first storage item 211. The cap 214 comprises a top wall portion 272 that covers the other end 211b from above, a cap peripheral wall portion 273 that extends downward from the periphery of the top wall portion 272 and surrounds the first storage item 211 from all sides, and a positioning member 271 that positions the other end 211b in the axial direction. The positioning member 271 is formed by an elastic member 275 that extends downward from the top wall portion 272 side inside the cap peripheral wall portion 273, and the second storage item 212 is sandwiched between the elastic member 275 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273. With this configuration, the second storage item 212 can be held in place by the cap 214 by being sandwiched between the elastic member 275 of the positioning member 271 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273. In this state, the cap 214 can be attached to the case body 213, and the second storage item 212 and the first storage item 211 can be stored in the case 210. Therefore, when attaching the cap 214 to the case body 213, it is possible to prevent the second storage item 212 from falling out of the cap 214 or from getting caught on the case body 213 or the first storage item 211, and the first storage item 211 and the second storage item 212 can be easily stored in the case 210. Furthermore, within the case 210, the second storage item 212 can be held by the elastic member 275 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273, and the first storage item 211 can be held by the positioning member 271, thus ensuring that the first storage item 211 and the second storage item 212 are well held within the case 210.

[0097] Furthermore, the elastic member 275 includes a cylindrical portion 277 extending downward from the top wall portion 272 and a lower surface portion 278 that closes the lower surface of the cylindrical portion 277. The second storage item 212 is sandwiched between the cylindrical portion 277 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273. The cylindrical portion 277 includes a plurality of thickened portions 281 provided in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 277, and a plurality of thinned portions 282 arranged between the plurality of thickened portions 281 and provided in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 277, with a plate thickness smaller than that of the thickened portions 281. With this configuration, the elastic member 275 holds the second storage item 212 between itself and the cap peripheral wall portion 273 by the cylindrical portion 277, thus preventing the second storage item 212 from getting caught on the cylindrical portion 277, and allowing the second storage item 212 to be easily set between the cylindrical portion 277 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273. Furthermore, since the cylindrical portion 277 has multiple thick-walled portions 281 and thin-walled portions 282 in the circumferential direction, the rigidity of the cylindrical portion 277 can be adjusted by the thin-walled portions while maintaining the shape of the cylindrical portion 277 by the thick-walled portions 281, allowing the cylindrical portion 277 to bend appropriately. As a result, the bending of the cylindrical portion 277 allows the second storage item 212 and the first storage item 211 to be properly held.

[0098] Furthermore, the cylindrical portion 277 is formed in a tapered shape, with its outer diameter decreasing as it goes downward from the top wall portion 272 side. With this configuration, since the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 277 is smaller towards the bottom, the second storage item 212 can be easily set from below between the cylindrical portion 277 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273.

[0099] Furthermore, when the cylindrical portion 277 is viewed from below in the axial direction, the thickened portion 281 extends radially from the center of the cylindrical portion 277, while the thinned portion 282 is formed in a trapezoidal shape that tapers downward between adjacent thickened portions 281. With this configuration, the thick-walled portion 281 and the thin-walled portion 282 can be efficiently arranged in the tapered cylindrical portion 277, which has a smaller outer diameter as it goes downwards.

[0100] Furthermore, the top wall portion 272 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273 are made of synthetic resin, and the elastic member 275 is a separate component from the top wall portion 272 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273, and is equipped with a fixing portion 276 that is fixed to the top wall portion 272 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273, with the cylindrical portion 277 extending downward from the fixing portion 276. With this configuration, the elastic member 275 is a separate component from the top wall portion 272 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273, and is fixed to at least one of the top wall portion 272 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273 by the fixing portion 276. This suppresses the occurrence of sink marks in the synthetic resin top wall portion 272 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273. As a result, the appearance of the cap 214 can be improved, giving it a more premium feel. In addition, the cylindrical portion 277 can be easily attached to the cap 214 via the fixing portion 276.

[0101] Furthermore, the case body 213 is provided with an outer peripheral holding portion 258 that fits onto the outer circumference of one end 211a, and the outer peripheral holding portion 258 is provided with a leaf spring portion 264 that extends along the outer circumference of the one end 211a and is cantilevered, and the one end 211a is held in place by the outer peripheral holding portion 258 by the elastic force of the leaf spring portion 264. With this configuration, the elastic force of the leaf spring portion 264 of the outer peripheral holding portion 258 firmly holds one end 211a of the first stored item 211 to the case body 213.

[0102] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and unless otherwise specifically limited in the above description, various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the spirit of the present invention as described in the claims. For example, the configurations of the embodiments described above can be added or deleted as appropriate, and the configuration of one embodiment can be provided in other embodiments. Furthermore, the effects in the embodiments described above are merely illustrative of the effects that may arise from the present invention, and do not mean that the effects of the present invention are limited to the effects described above.

[0103] In the first embodiment described above, the first storage object 11 was described as having a rectangular cross-sectional shape, but the cross-sectional shape of the first storage object may also be square. In this case, the holding portion is formed in the shape of a regular square in an axial view, with two pairs of opposing sides, and one end of the first storage object can be held between these sides.

[0104] Furthermore, although the first embodiment described above assumes that the recessed peripheral wall portion 20 is a regular octagon, the present invention is not limited thereto. When the cross-sectional shape of the first storage item 11 in an axial view is rectangular, the recessed peripheral wall portion 20 only needs to be a regular polygon with an even number of corners, and can be changed according to the size of the first storage item 11. The shape of the recessed peripheral wall portion 20 can be, for example, a regular hexagon, a regular octagon, a regular decagon, a regular dodecagon, etc. Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the first storage item 11 was described as having a rectangular cross-sectional shape in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axial direction, but it is sufficient if the basic shape of the cross-section is rectangular. As long as one end 11a can be fitted into the holding part 17, for example, the cross-sectional shape of the first storage item 11 may have recesses or protrusions in the middle of the axial direction. Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the fixing portion 276 is fixed to the top wall portion 272 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273, but it is not limited to this, and the fixing portion 276 only needs to be fixed to at least one of the top wall portion 272 and the cap peripheral wall portion 273. Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the elastic member 275 includes a lower portion 278 that closes the lower surface of the cylindrical portion 277, but the lower portion 278 may also have an opening. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 10: Case 11: First storage item 11a: One end 11b: Other end 11c: Long side 11d: Short side 11e,11f: Corner 12: Second storage item 12a: Upper end 12b: Central part 12c: Both ends 12d: Bottom end 13: Case body 14: Cap 15: Bottom 16: Case peripheral wall 16a: Cylindrical engagement part 16b: Inner protrusion 16c: Legs 17: Holding part 18: Sloping section 20: Peripheral wall portion of recess 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d: Side part 21: Recessed bottom wall 30: Top and Wall Section 31: Cap peripheral wall 31a: Cap-side engaging portion 31b: Outer protrusion 31c: Inner surface 32: Positioning part (elastic member) 33: Elastic piece 33a: First extension part 33b: Second extension part 33c: lower edge 33d: Boundary 210: Case 211: First storage item 211a: One end 211b: Other end 211c: Long side 211d: Short side 212: Second storage item 212a: Upper end 212b: Central part 212c: End 212d: Bottom end 213: Case body 214: Cap 241: Bottle section 241a: Lower protrusion 241b: Upper protrusion 241c: Middle part 242: Bottle cap 250: Outer case section 251: Retaining member 255: Bottom 256: Case peripheral wall 256a: Cylindrical engagement part 256b: Inner protrusion 256c: Legs 257: Bottom wall section 258: Outer periphery holding part 259: Flange section 260: Outer perimeter 261: Bottom contact part 262: Long side retaining wall 263: Short side retaining wall 264: Leaf spring section 264a: Upper end 264b: Free end 264c: Side edge 264d: Inner protrusion 265: Notch 270: Cap body 271: Positioning member (positioning part) 272: Top and Wall Section 273: Cap peripheral wall 273a: Cap-side engagement part 273b:Outer protrusion 273c: Inner surface 275: Elastic material 276: Fixed part 276: Fixed part peripheral wall 276b: Base section 277: Cylindrical part 278: Bottom part 279: Linear cylindrical section 280: Tapered section 281:Thick part 282: Thin-walled section C: Virtual Yen O: Axis line S: Gap W: Width t1: thickness t2: Thickness

Claims

1. A case for storing a first item and a second item which is less thick than the first item, The device comprises a case body for housing one axial end of the first stored item, and a cap attached to the case body for housing the other axial end of the first stored item. The cap comprises a top wall portion that covers the other end from above, a cap peripheral wall portion that extends downward from the peripheral edge of the top wall portion and surrounds the first stored item from all sides, and a positioning portion that positions the other end in the axial direction. The positioning portion is formed by an elastic member that extends downward from the top wall side on the inside of the cap peripheral wall, The second storage item is a case sandwiched between the elastic member and the cap peripheral wall.

2. The elastic member is formed by arranging a plurality of elastic pieces in an annular shape around the cap. The case according to claim 1, wherein the elastic piece comprises a first extension portion extending downward from the top wall portion and a second extension portion extending diagonally from the lower end of the first extension portion so as to be located radially inward as it extends downward.

3. The case according to claim 2, wherein the first extension extends diagonally so as it extends downward, it is located radially outward.

4. The first storage item has a rectangular cross-sectional shape when viewed in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axial direction. The case body comprises a bottom portion that covers one end from below, and a case peripheral wall portion that extends upward from the peripheral edge of the bottom portion and surrounds the first stored item from all sides. The bottom portion is provided with a retaining portion into which the one end fits in the axial direction, The holding portion is a recess formed in the shape of a regular polygon in an axial view, comprising multiple pairs of opposing sides. The case according to claim 1, wherein the one end is held between the edges.

5. The first storage container has a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides, and its cross-sectional shape is formed to be rectangular. The case according to claim 4, wherein the one end is sandwiched between a pair of the short sides that are opposite to each other.

6. The bottom portion includes a sloping portion extending from the upper end of the edge portion toward the case peripheral wall portion, The case according to claim 4, wherein the inclined portion is tilted so as it is positioned radially inward from the top to the bottom.

7. A portion of the second contents is stored inside the case body. The cap is attached to the case body by the cap-side engaging portion at the lower end of the cap peripheral wall engaging with the cylindrical engaging portion of the case peripheral wall. The case according to claim 4, wherein the cylindrical engaging portion engages with the outer circumferential surface of the cap-side engaging portion.

8. The elastic member comprises a cylindrical portion extending downward from the top wall portion and a lower portion that closes the lower surface of the cylindrical portion. The second storage item is held between the cylindrical portion and the cap peripheral wall portion. The case according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion comprises a plurality of thickened portions provided in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion, and a plurality of thinned portions provided in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion, arranged between the plurality of thickened portions, and having a plate thickness smaller than that of the thickened portions.

9. The case according to claim 8, wherein the cylindrical portion is tapered, with its outer diameter decreasing as it goes downward from the top wall side.

10. The case according to claim 9, in which, when the cylindrical portion is viewed from below in the axial direction, the thick-walled portion extends radially in the radial direction with respect to the center of the cylindrical portion, and the thin-walled portion is formed in a trapezoidal shape that tapers downward between adjacent thick-walled portions.

11. The top wall portion and the cap peripheral wall portion are made of synthetic resin. The elastic member is a component formed separately from the top wall portion and the cap peripheral wall portion, and includes a fixing portion that is fixed to at least one of the top wall portion and the cap peripheral wall portion. The case according to claim 8, wherein the cylindrical portion extends downward from the fixing portion.

12. The case body is provided with an outer peripheral retaining portion that fits onto the outer circumference of one end, The outer peripheral holding portion includes a leaf spring portion that extends along the outer circumference of one end and is cantilevered. The case according to claim 8, wherein the one end is held in place by the elastic force of the leaf spring portion by the outer peripheral holding portion.

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