Positioning cap

Abstract

The present invention provides a positioning cap 1 that can be attached to the mouth of a bottle container, a pouch container with a spout, a tube container, a bottle container, a jar container, etc. [Solution] The present invention relates to a screw-on cap for attachment to the mouth 2c of a container 3 with a flange 2e, wherein the cap 1 is a positioning cap 1 having a top plate portion 1a, a first side wall portion 1b extending downward from the outer circumference of the top plate portion 1a, a bottom plate portion 1c projecting outward in an annular manner from the outside of the lower end of the first side wall portion 1b, a second side wall portion 1d extending upward from the outer circumference of the bottom plate portion 1c, and a third side wall portion 1e extending from the lower end of the second side wall portion 1d, with slopes 1f and 1g formed on the inner side walls of the third side wall portion 1e.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a positioning cap that is attached to the mouth part of a pouch container with a spout containing contents such as liquid or cream.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in bottle containers or tube containers containing cosmetics, etc., in order to differentiate from other companies' products, the cross-section of the body part of the container body is made into an elliptical shape or a polygonal shape instead of a circular shape, and the caps to be attached are also unified into an elliptical shape or a polygonal shape to match the outer shape of the container, giving a unified shape. In this case, caps with an elliptical shape or a polygonal shape need to be set so that their orientation aligns with the body part of the container. In order to position the orientation of the cap, positioning mechanisms are installed on the cap side and the container side. For example, as a cap positioning mechanism, a screw engagement positioning device for a cap and a container described in Patent Document 1, a cap-aligned container described in Patent Document 2, etc. have been devised.

[0003] The screw engagement positioning device for a cap and a container described in Patent Document 1 forms downwardly curved ridges respectively between the lower end surface on one side of the inner cylinder part and the inner surface of the lower end on one side of the outer cylinder part, and between the lower end surface on the other side of the inner cylinder part and the inner surface of the lower end on the other side of the outer cylinder part on the center line in one plane direction of the cap composed of a circular inner cylinder part screwed to the mouth of the container and an outer cylinder part with a non-circular outer shape. Further, grooves into which the ridges on the cap side are respectively fitted are formed on the top surface of the downward shoulder on the center line in one plane direction of the container. Thereby, the ridges on the cap side are fitted into the grooves on the top surface of the downward shoulder of the container, and it has a shape that enables positioning of the cap.

[0004] The cap alignment container described in Patent Document 2 has a projection formed from an inclined surface and a vertical surface on the shoulder of the container body, and a groove formed from an inclined wall and a vertical wall on the bottom plate of the cap. When the cap is rotated, the projection and the groove fit together when the external shape of the container and the external shape of the cap match. This design allows for cap alignment by making the external shape of the cap similar to the cross-sectional shape of the body of the container, whether it is square or elliptical. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Public Gazette No. 58-31785 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Public Gazette No. 62-8942 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, the screw-fitting positioning device for caps and containers described in Patent Document 1 above requires the formation of protrusions and grooves on both the cap and container sides for mutual fitting. In this structure, repeated opening and closing of the cap causes the protrusions and grooves to collide with each other when fitting together, resulting in resin friction and a powdering phenomenon.

[0007] Furthermore, in the case of the cap alignment container described in Patent Document 2, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, when attempting to position the cap in the closing direction by rotating the screw counterclockwise, the slope forms a reverse direction, resulting in a shape where the positioning mechanism does not function. If the screw is continued to be rotated further in the closing direction in this state, it will either be tightened more than necessary or resin friction will occur. Therefore, the shape shown in Figures 1 and 2 is designed to prevent the screw from loosening once the cap is closed. Thus, in the case of the cap alignment container described in Patent Document 2, the positioning mechanism does not function, and only the screw loosening prevention mechanism is in operation.

[0008] Furthermore, in recent years, as part of efforts to address environmental issues and reduce the amount of plastic used in containers, products such as men's facial cleansers and lotions, as well as cosmetics from overseas, are now being sold in pouches with spouts. Spouted pouches include flat pouches and standing pouches, which have a gusset in an oval shape at the bottom to allow the pouch to stand on its own. The caps attached to these pouches are designed with a simple, nearly circular cross-section so that the orientation of the cap does not matter, but this comes at the expense of the decorative appearance of the cap.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and provide a positioning cap in which both a positioning mechanism and a screw loosening prevention mechanism are in operation. Furthermore, the object is to provide a positioning cap that does not cause powdering due to resin friction when the cap and container are opened and closed, and that provides the user with a click sensation when the cap is rotated in the closing direction to close it. In addition, the object is to provide a positioning cap that can be positioned and attached to containers such as pouch containers with spouts. Furthermore, the object is to provide a positioning cap that can be formed into a variety of external shapes such as elliptical and polygonal shapes, has excellent decorative appeal, and is easy for the elderly and children to open and close. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The invention described in claim 1 is a screw-on cap for attaching to the mouth of a container, wherein an elliptical flange protruding outward is formed near the lower end of the mouth, and the cap comprises a top plate portion, a cylindrical cap body having a first side wall portion extending downward from the outer circumference of the top plate portion, a bottom plate portion protruding outward in an annular manner from the outside of the lower end of the cap body, a second side wall portion extending upward from the outer circumference of the bottom plate portion, and a third side wall portion extending downward in the height direction of the flange from the lower end side of the second side wall portion, and a positioning cap having a slope formed on the inner side wall of the third side wall portion.

[0011] The invention described in claim 2 is a screw-on cap for attaching to the mouth of a container, wherein an elliptical flange protruding outward is formed near the lower end of the mouth, the cap comprises an elliptical top plate portion, a cylindrical cap body having a first side wall portion extending downward between the central axis of the top plate portion and the outer circumference of the top plate portion so as to surround the central axis of the top plate portion, and a second side wall portion extending downward from the lower end of the outer circumference of the top plate portion to a height lower than the height of the first side wall portion, and a positioning cap having a slope formed on the inner side wall of the second side wall portion.

[0012] The invention described in claim 3 is a positioning cap in which the slope comprises a closing operation guide slope and an opening operation guide slope.

[0013] The invention described in claim 3 is a positioning cap in which the dispensing member having the opening is a spout.

[0014] The invention described in claim 4 is a positioning cap in which the top surface of the flange and the bottom surface of the bottom plate portion are in contact with each other.

[0015] The invention described in claim 5 is a positioning cap in which the top surface of the flange and the lower end of the first side wall portion abut against each other. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The present invention provides a positioning cap in which both a positioning mechanism and a screw loosening prevention mechanism act to give a click feeling to a user. Further, the present invention provides a positioning cap that can form various variations such as an elliptical shape and a polygonal shape in the outer appearance shape of the cap, has excellent decorativeness, and is easy to open and close even for the elderly and children.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] The perspective view which shows the state which looked at the positioning cap of this invention from diagonally upward. [Figure 2] The perspective view which shows the state which looked at the positioning cap of this invention from diagonally downward. [Figure 3] The bottom view of the positioning cap shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] The enlarged view which shows the closing operation guide slope and the opening operation guide slope of the Y part shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] The perspective view of the spout on which the positioning cap of this invention can be mounted. [Figure 6] The perspective view which shows the state which set the positioning cap of this invention to the spout of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] The perspective view which shows the state which looked at FIG. 6 from diagonally downward. [Figure 8] The plan view which shows the state which looked at FIG. 6 from directly above. [Figure 9] The sectional view which cut FIG. 8 in the A-A direction. [Figure 10] The plan view which showed the closing direction of the positioning cap and the first flange. [Figure 11] The plan view which shows the state where the positioning cap and the first flange were closed and positioned from the state of FIG. 10. [Figure 12] The plan view which showed the opening direction of the positioning cap and the first flange. [Figure 13] The plan view which shows the state where the positioning cap and the first flange were opened and the positioning was released from the state of FIG. 12. [Figure 14] Figure 2 shows a perspective view illustrating a different embodiment 1 of the positioning cap of the present invention. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view showing a different embodiment 2 of the positioning cap of the present invention. [Figure 16] Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the view from diagonally below. [Figure 17] Figure 15 is a bottom view of the positioning cap. [Figure 18] This is a perspective view showing the positioning cap shown in Figure 14 attached to the spout shown in Figure 5. [Figure 19] Figure 18 is a plan view showing the view from directly above. [Figure 20] Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of A1-A1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] The positioning cap of the present invention is a plastic cap molded by injection molding using a resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene. The positioning cap of the present invention is a positioning cap that is attached to the mouth of a container such as a spouted pouch container of flexible packaging material containing liquid or cream-like contents such as lotion, emulsion, hand soap, or toothpaste.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the positioning cap 1 of the present invention has a top plate portion 1a and a cylindrical first side wall portion 1b extending downward from the outer circumference of the top plate portion 1a, with a screw 1g formed on the inside of the first side wall portion 1b. Furthermore, an elliptical bottom plate portion 1c is formed at the lower end of the first side wall portion 1b, projecting outward in an annular manner from the outside of the lower end. In addition, a second side wall portion 1d is formed extending upward from the outer circumference of the bottom plate portion 1c. Furthermore, a third side wall portion 1e is formed at the lower end of the second side wall portion 1d, extending downward from the lower end.

[0020] Next, an example of a dispensing member 2 of the container 3 to which the positioning cap 1 is attached will be shown and explained in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 5, the dispensing member 2 is a spout that is heat-welded to the opening of the flexible packaging material of the film sheet. However, the dispensing member 2 is not limited to a spout.

[0021] The dispensing member 2 shown in Figure 5 consists of a cylindrical body 2a having an open mouth portion 2c, a screw 2b that screws into the side wall of the cylindrical body 2a, and a first flange 2e that protrudes outward in an elliptical shape near the lower end of the cylindrical body 2a. Figures 5 and 6 show the positioning cap 1 attached to the dispensing member 2 (spout), and the screw 1g and the screw 2b are formed to screw into each other. The first flange 2e has an elliptical shape that is substantially the same as the bottom plate portion 1c, so that during the screwing process, the first flange 2e fits into the space formed between the inside of the third side wall portion 1e and the bottom plate portion 1c.

[0022] Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, on the elliptical inner side wall of the third side wall portion 1e, a closing operation guide slope 1f and an opening operation guide slope 1g are formed symmetrically on both sides, extending from near the center in the short direction to near the center in the long direction of the ellipse, to guide the positioning cap 1 in the opening and closing direction. The positional relationship for further positioning will be explained in more detail in Figures 10 and 11. The shaded portion in Figures 10 and 11 is the first flange 2e, and shows the positioning cap 1 as viewed from the bottom. As shown in Figure 10, when the positioning cap 1 is rotated in the closing direction, a part of the outer surface of the first flange 2e and the closing operation guide slope 1f come into contact and are guided by the inclination of the closing operation guide slope 1f. Furthermore, as the positioning cap 1 is rotated in the closing direction, as shown in Figure 11, the first flange 2e fits into the space between the bottom plate portion 1c and the third side wall portion 1e. This results in a positioning cap 1 that provides the user with a click sensation.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the first flange 2e fitted into the space is held and secured by opposing inner wall surfaces Z of the third side wall portion 1e, so that the positioning cap 1 does not come off unintentionally due to vibrations during transport or impacts from the side. In addition, by using the positioning cap 1, it is possible to provide a positioning cap 1 that does not suffer from screw loosening, which is a problem specific to screw caps.

[0024] Furthermore, Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting Figure 8 in the direction of AA. As shown in Figures 7 and 9, the top surface of the first flange 2e and the bottom surface of the bottom plate portion 1c come into contact with each other, allowing for more stable holding. For this reason, the length of the third side wall portion 1e extending downward should be approximately the thickness of the first flange 2e in the height direction.

[0025] Furthermore, when the positioning cap 1 is to be opened, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, rotating the positioning cap 1 in the opening direction guides a portion of the lower end of the third side wall 1e onto the top surface of the first flange 2e, following the gentle slope of the opening guidance slope 1g. This allows the positioning cap 1 to be opened with little force, making it easy for the elderly and children to open and close. For this reason, the closing guidance slope 1f is formed near the center of the longitudinal direction of the elliptical inner side wall of the third side wall 1e, and the opening guidance slope 1g is formed as a gentle slope connecting from near the center of the short direction of the ellipse to the closing guidance slope 1f.

[0026] Now, let's explain in more detail the relationship between the closing operation guide slope 1f and the opening operation guide slope 1g. Figure 4 shows only the closing operation guide slope 1f and the opening operation guide slope 1g extracted from the Y portion enclosed by the square frame in Figure 3. The closing operation guide slope 1f forms a slope that extends from near the center of the longitudinal direction of the ellipse to the short direction of the ellipse, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, so that the first flange 2e can be guided when the positioning cap 1 is rotated in the closing direction. The range in which the closing operation guide slope 1f effectively guides the first flange 2e is the range of the dashed arrow a shown in Figure 4. The opening operation guide slope 1g forms a slope that extends from the short direction of the ellipse to the longitudinal direction of the ellipse, so that the first flange 2e can be guided when the positioning cap 1 is rotated in the opening direction. The range in which the opening operation guide slope 1g effectively guides the first flange 2e is the range of the dashed arrow b shown in Figure 4. Thus, the closing motion guidance slope 1f and the opening motion guidance slope 1g are connected to each other as a single slope, and a portion of the area indicated by arrow a and a portion of the area indicated by arrow b coexist with each other, each fulfilling a specific function.

[0027] Next, the positioning cap 1 of the present invention will be described again, using the case where it is attached to a pouch container 3 with a spout as an example. As shown in Figures 5 and 9, the pouch container 3 with a spout consists of a cylindrical body 2a and a welding portion 2d integrally formed on the lower end side of the cylindrical body 2a for heat welding the film sheet of the pouch container 3. The first flange 2e is formed on the cylindrical body 2a, and a pair of plate-shaped neck hangers 2g are formed on the cylindrical body 2a between the upper part of the welding portion 2d and the lower part of the first flange 2e to allow it to be clamped from the left and right. Furthermore, the upper end of the cylindrical body 2a is an open mouth 2c, and a screw 2b is formed on a part of the outer surface of the cylindrical body 2a, projecting spirally in the circumferential direction, so that the mouth 2c can be sealed with the positioning cap 1. Although not shown, the projection of a part of the screw 2b may be eliminated, and a drainage slit that serves as a vertical passage may be provided inside the screw 2b.

[0028] Furthermore, in order to prevent liquid leakage when the contents are liquid, as shown in Figure 9, an inner ring 1h may be formed that protrudes downward in a ring shape from the inside of the top plate portion 1a of the positioning cap 1, thereby sealing the opening portion 2c from the inside, or a ring-shaped protruding contact ring 1i may be formed on the inside of the top plate portion 1a so that the opening portion 2c can be sealed from the inside or from the top surface. In addition, a second flange 2f may be provided between the lower end of the neck hanging portion 2g and the welded portion 2d.

[0029] Furthermore, the positioning cap 1 of the present invention can be made into a variety of shapes, such as by making the outer peripheral wall of the second side wall portion 1d larger, elliptical, or polygonal, thus providing a positioning cap 1 with excellent decorative properties. Moreover, even when used by the elderly or infants who have weak opening and closing strength, the cap can be made to a size that is easy to grip with the fingers, thus providing a positioning cap 1 that is easier to open and close.

[0030] Next, Figure 14 shows a different embodiment 1 of the positioning cap 1 of the present invention. The positioning cap 11 shown in Figure 14 has a top plate portion 1a and a cylindrical first side wall portion 1b extending downward from the outer circumference of the top plate portion 1a, and a screw 1g is formed on the inside of the first side wall portion 1b. Furthermore, an elliptical bottom plate portion 11c is formed at the lower end of the first side wall portion 1b, projecting outward in an annular manner from the outside of the lower end. Furthermore, a second side wall portion 1d is formed extending upward from the outer circumference of the bottom plate portion 11c. Furthermore, a third side wall portion 1e is formed at the lower end side of the second side wall portion 1d, extending downward from the lower end side. Multiple drainage holes 1k are opened in the bottom plate portion 11c. The drainage holes 1k are used when, after filling the container with contents and attaching the positioning cap 11 to the mouth portion 2c of the container 3, the container 3 may become soiled with splashes of contents, etc., and a process of rinsing with water may be performed. The positioning cap 11 of the present invention is shaped in such a way that water can be easily drained from the drainage hole 1k even when a process of rinsing with water is performed. In this case, water drainage can be made even easier by forming a recessed drainage passage in a part of the top surface of the first flange 2e that abuts the bottom surface of the bottom plate portion 11c, or by forming a hole through a part of the first flange 2e.

[0031] Furthermore, Figures 15 to 20 show a different embodiment 2 of the positioning cap 1 of the present invention. The positioning cap 12 shown in Figures 15 to 17 has a cap body having an elliptical top plate portion 12a and a first side wall portion 12b that extends downward in a cylindrical shape from the bottom surface of the top plate portion 12a, with the central axis of the top plate portion 12a as the base axis and surrounding the central axis. In addition, a second side wall portion 12d is formed that extends downward from the lower end of the outer circumference of the top plate portion 12a, below the height of the first side wall portion 12b. Furthermore, on the lower inner side wall of the second side wall portion 12d, a closing operation guidance slope 1f and an opening operation guidance slope 1g are formed at symmetrical positions on the left and right sides, from near the center in the short direction of the ellipse to near the center in the long direction, to guide the positioning cap 12 in the opening and closing direction.

[0032] Figures 18 to 20 show the positioning cap 12 of Embodiment 2 set on the spout. When the positioning cap 12 is rotated in the closing direction, a part of the outer surface of the first flange 2e and the closing operation guide slope 1f come into contact and are guided along the slope of the closing operation guide slope 1f. Furthermore, as the positioning cap 12 is rotated in the closing direction, as shown in Figures 18 and 20, the first flange 2e fits into the lower inner end of the second side wall portion 12d. This makes the positioning cap 12 capable of providing the user with a click sensation.

[0033] Furthermore, similar to the positioning cap 1 described earlier, the first flange 2e, which is fitted inside the second side wall portion 12d, is held and secured by opposing inner wall surfaces Z of the second side wall portion 12d. This design prevents the positioning cap 12 from coming off unintentionally due to vibrations during transport or impacts from the side. Additionally, by using the positioning cap 12, it is possible to provide a positioning cap 12 that does not suffer from screw loosening, which is a problem specific to screw caps.

[0034] Furthermore, Figure 20 shows a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting Figure 19 in the A1-A1 direction. As the top surface of the first flange 2e and the lower end 12c of the first side wall portion 12b come into contact with each other, the object can be held more stably. For this reason, the length of the second side wall portion 12d extending downward should be greater than the length of the first side wall portion 12b extending downward, by an amount closer to the thickness of the first flange 2e in the height direction.

[0035] Although not shown in the illustration, the positioning caps 1, 11, and 12 of the present invention can be used to align the orientation of any container having an elliptical flange or step, such as tube containers, bottle containers, or wide-mouthed jar containers used for cosmetic creams.

[0036] As described above, the positioning caps 1, 11, and 12 of the present invention are positioning caps 1, 11, and 12 in which both a positioning mechanism and a screw loosening prevention mechanism are in operation, and the powdering phenomenon caused by resin friction when opening and closing the positioning caps 1, 11, and 12 and the container 3 does not occur. In addition, the user can be given a click sensation when rotating the positioning caps 1, 11, and 12 in the closing direction to close the caps. Furthermore, the external shape of the positioning caps 1, 11, and 12 can be made large, or a variety of variations such as elliptical or polygonal shapes can be made, so they have excellent decorative appeal and positioning caps 1, 11, and 12 that are easy for the elderly and children to open and close. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1 Positioning cap 11 Positioning cap 12 Positioning cap 1a Top panel 12a Top panel 1b First side wall part 12b First side wall part 1c Bottom plate part 11c bottom plate part 12c bottom end 1d Second side wall part 12d second side wall part 1e Third side wall part 1F Closing Operation Guidance Slope 1g Opening motion guidance slope 1h screw 1i Contact Ring 1j inner ring 1k drain hole 2. Dispensing component (spout) 2a Cylinder body 2b Screw 2c Mouth 2d weld 2e First flange 2f Second flange 2g Neck part 3 containers Z Wall

Claims

1. A screw-on cap that attaches to the mouth of a container, Near the lower end of the aforementioned opening, an elliptical flange protruding outward is formed. The cap comprises a top plate portion, a cylindrical cap body having a first side wall portion extending downward from the outer circumference of the top plate portion, a bottom plate portion projecting outward in an annular shape from the outside of the lower end of the cap body, a second side wall portion extending upward from the outer circumference of the bottom plate portion, and a third side wall portion extending in the height direction of the flange from the lower end of the second side wall portion. A positioning cap characterized by having a slope formed on the inner side wall of the third side wall portion.

2. A screw-on cap that attaches to the mouth of a container, Near the lower end of the aforementioned opening, an elliptical flange protruding outward is formed. The cap comprises an elliptical top plate portion and a cylindrical cap body having a first side wall portion that extends downward between the central axis of the top plate portion and the outer circumference of the top plate portion, so as to surround the central axis of the top plate portion. A second side wall portion is formed extending from the lower end of the outer circumference of the top plate portion to a height lower than the height of the first side wall portion. A positioning cap characterized by having a slope formed on the inner side wall of the second side wall portion.

3. The positioning cap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the slope comprises a closing operation guide slope and an opening operation guide slope.

4. The positioning cap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the dispensing member having the opening is a spout.

5. The positioning cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the top surface of the flange and the bottom surface of the bottom plate portion are in contact with each other.

6. The positioning cap according to claim 2, characterized in that the top surface of the flange and the lower end of the first side wall portion are in contact with each other.

Images