Caps, packaging containers, and packaging products

Abstract

The present invention provides a cap that facilitates the opening of the second cap in a multi-layered structure and prevents it from rotating together with the first cap, as well as a packaging container and a packaging product equipped with the cap. [Solution] The cap 10 consists of a top-shaped cylindrical first cap 1 attached to the mouth 60 of the container 50, and a top-shaped cylindrical second cap 2 attached to the first cap 1 on the side opposite to the mouth 60 of the container 50. The second cap 2 is detachably attached to the first cap 1 by screwing one end threaded portion 23 into the tip threaded portion 14. As the screwing progresses between the one end threaded portion 23 and the tip threaded portion 14, a contact ring 24 provided on the second cap 2 comes into contact with the outer surface 12b of the first top plate 12 on the first cap 1, pressing against it.

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cap, a packaging container provided with the cap, and a packaged product containing contents.

Background Art

[0002] For example, the sealing of the contents in a container such as a resin bottle is generally performed by bringing an inner ring provided on the inner surface side of the cap into close contact with the inner surface of the mouth of the container, or by crimping a contact ring of the cap with the top surface of the mouth of the container. Alternatively, the above sealing is performed by crimping an outer ring provided on the outer peripheral side of the inner ring on the inner surface side of the cap with the outer surface of the mouth of the container. In these sealing methods, the sealing property is enhanced by causing elastic deformation of the resin when crimping the inner surface side of the cap to the mouth of the container.

[0003] As an example of a cap attached to the mouth of a resin container as described above, a structure in which an outer ring, a contact ring, and an inner ring are sequentially provided from the outer peripheral side to the center on the inner surface of the cap is disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a contact ring 40 provided on the lower surface side of the top plate 26 of the cap 10 is crimped to the upper surface 36 of the lip portion 28 which is the mouth of the container body 12. [[ID=​​​​​​​​

[0006] Furthermore, in recent years, caps with a multi-layered structure consisting of multiple cap parts have been proposed, unlike the caps disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2. As an example of a packaging container equipped with such a multi-layered cap, a triple-layered cap consisting of three parts: an upper cap, an inner stopper, and a lower cap, is disclosed, in which the lower cap is attached to the mouth of the container body (see, for example, Patent Document 3). The cap provided on the packaging container disclosed in Patent Document 3 has multiple holes on the top surface of the inner stopper, and is configured as a so-called watering can head, which allows the contents to be sprayed in a shower-like manner by removing the upper cap. In Patent Document 3, the attachment between the mouth of the container and the lower cap, and between the lower cap and the upper cap, is performed by screwing with threaded parts provided on each, and the inner stopper is fitted to the upper part of the lower cap so that it is interposed between the lower cap and the upper cap.

[0007] The cap disclosed in Patent Document 3 allows for the removal of the entire cap, consisting of three parts, by removing the lower cap from the container when performing tasks such as refilling the container. On the other hand, when using the contents contained in the container, only the upper cap is removed from the inner stopper, opening the top plate of the inner stopper and allowing the contents to be uniformly discharged through multiple holes. According to the cap disclosed in Patent Document 3, the opening position can be selected according to various purposes, such as discharging the contents contained in the container, washing the container, or using the contents, resulting in excellent handling. Furthermore, in the cap disclosed in Patent Document 3, the outer diameter of the upper cap is larger than the outer diameter of the lower part of the lower cap that is attached to the mouth of the container, so that there can be a difference in the torque required to open the cap between the parts. That is, by setting the opening torque of the upper cap to be smaller than the opening torque of the lower cap from the container, it becomes less likely for the lower cap and upper cap to rotate together, and the torque when closing the cap can be increased, which has the advantage of making it less likely for the contents to leak. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-301315 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-094453 [Patent Document 3] Design Registration No. 1495055 Gazette [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] However, the cap disclosed in Patent Document 3 has a large number of parts, which may lead to increased costs for materials used and other factors, as well as lower productivity. Furthermore, in the case of the triple-layered cap disclosed in Patent Document 3, the height dimension protruding from the container opening becomes large. Specifically, as shown in the "front view" and "rear view" in Patent Document 3, the height of the cap protrudes significantly more than the height of the container's handle (shoulder). As a result, the packaging container becomes bulky, which presents a problem in that it becomes difficult to display products containing contents in two or more layers, for example, in stores.

[0010] Furthermore, in the case of the cap disclosed in Patent Document 3, the diameter of the upper cap and the upper diameter of the lower cap are large, causing the cap to protrude from the side of the container, which poses a problem as it requires space when displaying them side by side in stores, etc.

[0011] To prevent the cap and the entire packaging container from becoming bulky, a so-called double-layered structure is being considered for the cap, which consists of, for example, a lower cap that is attached to the mouth of the container and has a hole on the top for discharging the contents, and an upper cap that is attached to the lower cap for sealing. By adopting such a double-layered structure, the height of the cap can be suppressed, so the cap will not protrude above the height of the shoulder, and the packaging container will not become bulky. In addition, the outline of the container can be maintained in a roughly uniform shape, so it will be easy to stack in multiple layers in places such as stores and warehouses, making it easy to handle and providing excellent space efficiency and stackability. Furthermore, by making the lower and upper caps have roughly the same outer diameter, it is possible to prevent the caps from protruding to the sides of the container, resulting in even better space efficiency and stackability. Furthermore, by adopting a double-layered structure consisting of a lower cap and an upper cap, the number of parts and work processes can be reduced, leading to improved productivity and cost reduction.

[0012] When the cap is constructed with the double-layered structure described above, for example, when refilling the container or cleaning the inside of the container, the lower cap is removed from the container to open the opening and perform the refilling work. At this time, the upper cap, which is still attached to the lower cap, is also removed from the container together with the lower cap. On the other hand, when using the contents contained in the container, the contents are discharged to the outside through the holes provided in the top plate of the lower cap by removing only the upper cap from the lower cap while the lower cap is attached to the mouth of the container.

[0013] However, in the case of a cap with a multi-layered structure as described above, when closing the upper cap, the inner ring located on the underside of the top plate of the upper cap may sink in, pushing down on the top plate of the lower cap from above. As a result, the top plate of the lower cap may deform, and the holes in the top plate may also deform, raising concerns that this may negatively affect the ability to discharge the contents contained in the container to the outside.

[0014] Furthermore, as the inner ring of the upper cap sinks into the top plate of the lower cap, the torque required to open the cap when removing the upper cap from the lower cap increases. In other words, the sinking described above causes a decrease in the difference between the torque required to open the cap when removing it from the lower cap and the torque required to open the cap when removing it from the mouth of the container. As a result, when attempting to open only the upper cap to use the contents of the container, the lower cap may also open together, a phenomenon known as "co-opening," which increases the frequency of this occurrence and can reduce ease of handling. In particular, if the outer diameters of the upper cap and the lower cap are approximately the same, the torque required to close them by the user's operation will also be approximately the same, making it easier for the lower cap to open together even when only the upper cap is intended to be opened.

[0015] Here, for example, if the diameter of the upper cap is made larger than the diameter of the lower cap, as disclosed in Patent Document 3, it is possible to set a torque difference during opening between the mouth of the container and the lower cap, and between the lower cap and the upper cap, thereby potentially preventing the aforementioned joint rotation. However, if the diameter of the upper cap is made larger, as in the case of Patent Document 3, the upper cap will protrude to the side of the container, resulting in poor space efficiency and stackability.

[0016] Furthermore, to prevent the upper and lower caps from rotating together as described above, it is conceivable to design the threaded portion, etc., so that the opening torque from the lower cap to the upper cap is weaker. However, if the opening torque of the upper cap is too weak, there is a greater concern that the contents may leak.

[0017] Furthermore, it is thought that the above-mentioned co-rotation can be prevented by employing, for example, a ratchet lock mechanism that rotates only in one direction between the mouth of the container and the lower cap. However, when the above-mentioned ratchet lock function is used, it becomes difficult to easily open the gap between the mouth of the container and the lower cap, which presents a problem as it makes it difficult to transfer or refill the contents of the container, as well as to clean the container.

[0018] This invention was made in view of the above problems, and provides a cap with a multi-layered structure in which each cap does not rotate together, allowing for easy opening at the desired position and offering excellent handling. Furthermore, the present invention provides a packaging container in which the above-mentioned cap is attached to the container. Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a packaged product in which contents are contained in a container provided within a packaging container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0019] To solve the above problems, the inventors conducted extensive research. As a result, they discovered that by providing a contact ring at an appropriate position on the inner surface of the top plate of the upper cap, the final closed position of the upper cap can be optimally controlled as the contact ring, provided on the upper cap, sinks into contact with the outer surface of the top plate of the lower cap as the screwing of the upper cap into the lower cap progresses. This makes it possible to set the torque difference so that the opening torque from the lower cap of the upper cap is smaller than the opening torque from the container opening of the lower cap, thereby preventing the lower cap from rotating together when the upper cap is opened, and thus completing the present invention.

[0020] That is, the present invention is a cap that is detachably attached to a mouth portion provided on a container capable of accommodating contents, and includes a capped cylindrical first cap attached to the mouth portion of the container, and a capped cylindrical second cap attached to the side of the first cap opposite to the mouth portion side of the container. The first cap includes a base end portion that is openable and attachable to the mouth portion of the container, a first top plate provided to cover a tip end portion opposite to the base end portion, a base end screw portion provided on either an inner surface or an outer surface on the base end portion side, a tip end screw portion provided on an outer surface on the tip end portion side, and one or more through holes provided so as to penetrate the first top plate and capable of discharging the contents accommodated in the container to the outside. The second cap includes an end portion that is openable and attachable to the tip end portion of the first cap, a second top plate provided to cover the other end portion opposite to the end portion, an end screw portion provided on an inner surface on the end portion side, and a rib-shaped contact ring provided on the inner surface side of the second top plate and arranged in an annular shape in a plan view. The first cap is detachably attached to the mouth portion of the container by screwing the base end screw portion. The second cap is detachably attached to the first cap by screwing the end screw portion to the tip end screw portion. As the screwing between the end screw portion and the tip end screw portion progresses, the contact ring provided on the second cap abuts against and is pressed against the outer surface side of the first top plate in the first cap. A cap is provided characterized by this.

[0021] In the above aspect, the cap of the present invention has, on the outer surface side of the first top plate, a rib-shaped lip portion that is arranged in an annular shape in a plan view near the periphery of the first top plate, and a concave portion that is arranged in an annular shape in a plan view on the inner peripheral side of the lip portion. The second cap has, on the inner surface side of the second top plate, a rib-shaped outer contact ring and an inner ring that are each arranged in an annular shape in a plan view. The outer contact ring, the inner ring, and the contact ring are arranged in concentric annular shapes in this order from the peripheral side to the center side of the second top plate. When the second cap is attached to the first cap, the outer contact ring provided on the second cap is arranged to contact the tip surface of the lip portion provided on the first cap, and the inner ring provided on the second cap is arranged to follow the inner peripheral surface side of the concave portion provided on the first cap. Such a configuration can be adopted.

[0022] In the above aspect, the outer surface side of the first top plate of the first cap and the inner surface side of the second top plate of the second cap are each shaped to have at least a part of a curved surface. When the second cap is attached to the first cap, the outer surface of the first top plate and the inner surface of the second top plate can be arranged to be in contact with each other.

[0023] The present invention provides a packaging container including a container capable of accommodating contents and a cap detachably attached to a mouth portion provided on the container, wherein the cap is the cap according to the above-described present invention.

[0024] The present invention provides a packaging product, characterized in that the container provided in the packaging container according to the above-described present invention contains contents.

Effects of the Invention

[0025] According to the cap of the present invention, as described above, a contact ring in plan view is provided on the inner surface side of the second top plate of the second cap, and as the screwing of the second cap into the first cap progresses, the contact ring provided on the second cap comes into contact with the outer surface side of the first top plate of the first cap so as to be pressed against it. With the above configuration, the final closed position of the second cap, which occurs as the contact ring of the first cap sinks into the first top plate of the first cap, can be controlled to a position where the increase in the opening torque of the second cap from the first cap is suppressed, even when the second cap is closed with high torque. As a result, the torque difference can be set so that the opening torque of the second cap from the first cap is smaller than the opening torque of the first cap from the container opening, making the second cap easier to open and preventing it from rotating together with the first cap. Therefore, a cap with excellent handling properties can be provided.

[0026] Furthermore, since the packaging container of the present invention has a cap attached to it, it is possible to provide a packaging container that is easy to handle.

[0027] Furthermore, since the contents are contained in a container provided in the packaging container according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a packaging product that is easy to handle and highly productive, similar to the case of the packaging container described above.

[0028] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] [Figure 1] Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the cap according to the present invention, and is a perspective view from above showing the first cap and the second cap assembled together. [Figure 2]Figure 2 illustrates one embodiment of the cap according to the present invention, and is a perspective view from below showing the first cap and the second cap assembled together. [Figure 3] Figure 3 illustrates one embodiment of the cap according to the present invention, and is a perspective view from above showing the first cap and the second cap separated from each other. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of the cap according to the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view AA shown in Figure 1, showing the state in which the first cap and the second cap are assembled. [Figure 5] Figure 5 illustrates one embodiment of the cap according to the present invention, and is a plan view of the first cap as seen from above. [Figure 6] Figure 6 illustrates one embodiment of the cap according to the present invention, and is a plan view of the first cap as seen from below. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of a packaging container equipped with a cap according to the present invention, and a packaged product containing contents in a container provided in the packaging container. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] The following describes embodiments of the cap, packaging container, and packaging product according to the present invention, with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In addition, the drawings used in the following description may be slightly enlarged for convenience in order to clearly illustrate the features of the cap, packaging container, and packaged product of the present invention, and the dimensional ratios of each component may differ from those of the actual product. Furthermore, the materials, dimensions, etc. exemplified in the following description are examples only, and the present invention is not limited to them. It can be implemented with appropriate modifications without changing the essence of the invention.

[0031] [Overall composition of the packaging container] First, the overall configuration of the packaging container 100 of this embodiment, which is equipped with the cap 10 of this embodiment, will be described with reference to Figure 7 (Figures 1 to 6 will also be referred to as appropriate). Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the packaging container 100 of this embodiment and a packaged product in which various contents (not shown) are contained inside the packaging container 100. As shown in Figure 7, the packaging container 100 of this embodiment is configured such that the cap 10 of this embodiment, which will be described in detail later, is attached to the mouth 60 of the container 50.

[0032] As shown in Figure 7, the container 50 has an external shape that is roughly rectangular. More specifically, the container 50 is vertically elongated overall, and on the top surface 52 side, it has a mouth 60 to which the cap 10 is attached, and a convex body 70 that can also function as a handle. Furthermore, on one side 55 side of the container 50, there is a handle body 80 used when transporting the packaging container 100 and the packaged product.

[0033] In the illustrated example, the container 50 has a bottom surface 51 which is positioned opposite the top surface 52 and serves as the contact surface of the packaging container 100, a front surface 53 and a back surface 54 which are provided so as to rise from the bottom surface 51 and are positioned opposite each other, and one side surface 55 and the other side surface 56.

[0034] As described above, the mouth portion 60 is the part to which the cap 10, which will be described in detail later in Figure 1, is attached, and is provided as an opening for storing contents in the container 50 or for discharging contents for use. The opening 60 is generally cylindrical in shape and, in Figure 7, is covered by the first cap 1 provided on the cap 10, but a threaded portion (not shown) is formed on its outer surface. This threaded portion allows the base threaded portion 13 (see Figure 2, etc.) on the first cap 1 of the cap 10 to be screwed onto the opening 60. This makes it possible to attach the first cap 1 to the opening 60 of the container 50.

[0035] As described above, the convex body 70 is provided so as to protrude from the upper surface 52 of the container 50, and in the example shown in Figure 7, it has a roughly cubic shape with irregularities on its side. More specifically, the convex body 70 is shaped so that the lower part 71 on the upper surface 52 side is narrowed, while the upper part 72 side is wider than the lower part 71. The convex body 70, having the shape described above, is configured such that, for example, a display staff member or user can grasp it by hooking their fingers onto it, thereby lifting the entire packaging container 100, including the container 50.

[0036] As described above, the handle body 80 is provided on one side 55 and has a gripping portion 81 and a through portion 82 surrounded by the gripping portion 81 and the one side 55. The handle body 80, with the above configuration, can be used, for example, by a person in charge of displaying or packing goods to grasp and transport it with their fingers, or by a user to grasp it and tilt the container 50 to discharge the contents (not shown) contained inside to the outside.

[0037] The container 50 is made of a hollow resin member having the shape described above, and can be integrally molded by, for example, blow molding, which is a common hollow molding method, as well as by stretch blow molding or injection blow molding. Furthermore, the material of the container 50 is not particularly limited, and materials commonly used for storing liquids, powders, etc., such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate, can be appropriately adopted while considering chemical resistance and other properties.

[0038] [Cap composition] Next, the cap 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 as appropriate (and Figure 7 if necessary). Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the cap 10 of this embodiment. Figure 1 is a view from above (from the side of the second cap 2) showing the assembled state of the first cap 1 and the second cap 2, and Figure 2 is a view from below (from the side of the first cap 1) showing the assembled state of the first cap 1 and the second cap 2. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cap 10 of this embodiment, with the first cap 1 and the second cap 2 separated, viewed from above (from the second cap 2 side). Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view AA shown in Figure 1, showing the cap 10 of this embodiment with the first cap 1 and the second cap 2 assembled. Figures 5 and 6 show the first cap 1, which constitutes the cap 10 of this embodiment, as a single unit. Figure 5 is a plan view of the first cap 1 seen from above, and Figure 6 is a plan view of the first cap 1 seen from below.

[0039] The cap 10 of this embodiment is detachably attached to the opening 60 provided on a container 50 capable of containing contents not shown, as described above. The cap 10 is generally composed of a first cap 1, which is a cylindrical shape with a top and is attached to the mouth 60 of the container 50, and a second cap 2, which is a cylindrical shape with a top and is attached to the side of the first cap 1 opposite to the mouth 60 of the container 50. Furthermore, as will be described in detail later, the cap 10 is configured such that, as the screwing of the second cap 2 into the first cap 1 progresses, the contact ring 24 provided on the second cap 2 comes into contact with the outer surface 12b of the first top plate 12 on the first cap 1 so as to be pressed against it.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the first cap 1 has a base end portion 1A that is open to be attached to the mouth portion 60 of the container 50, a first top plate 12 that is provided to cover the tip portion 1B on the opposite side of the base end portion 1A, and a body portion 11. Furthermore, the first cap 1 has a threaded base portion on either the inner surface 11a or the outer surface 11b of the body portion 11 on the base end 1A side, which can be screwed onto the mouth portion 60 of the container 50. In the examples shown in Figures 2 and 4, the threaded base portion 13 is provided on the inner surface 11a side. Furthermore, the outer surface 11b of the body portion 11 on the tip portion 1B side of the first cap 1 is provided with a tip thread portion 14 that can be screwed onto the second cap 2, which will be described later. Furthermore, in the illustrated example of the first cap 1, a plurality of ribs 11c are provided on the outer surface 11b of the body 11 in the direction of the length of the cylinder, which serve as anti-slip features when the user rotates the first cap 1 with their fingers.

[0041] The first top plate 12 is provided with one or more through holes 15 that penetrate the first top plate 12, allowing the contents of the container 50 to be discharged to the outside. In the example shown in Figures 5 and 6, a central through hole 15a is provided at the center of the first top plate 12 in a plan view, and a total of 34 small-diameter through holes 15b are provided surrounding this central through hole 15a in a plan view. In the illustrated example, a total of 8 central through holes 15a are arranged in two rows in a ring shape, and a total of 18 small-diameter through holes 15b are arranged in one row in a ring shape, so that they are arranged in a total of 3 rows in a ring shape surrounding the central through hole 15a.

[0042] The diameter of the through-hole 15 provided in the first top plate 12 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to set the diameter to one that allows the contents to pass through easily, taking into account the physical properties of the contents discharged through the through-hole 15.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in the examples in Figures 3, 4, and 6, the first cap 1 is provided with a rib-shaped lip portion 16 arranged in an annular shape in plan view near the periphery of the first top plate 12 on the outer surface 12b side of the first top plate 12, and a recess 17 arranged in an annular shape in plan view on the inner circumference side of the lip portion 16. The first top plate 12 is positioned on the inner circumference side (center side) of the recess 17 in the first cap 1.

[0044] The first cap 1 has a shape in which the outer surface 12b side of the first top plate 12 has a curved surface in at least a part of it. In the example shown in Figures 3 and 4, the entire first top plate 12 is roughly curved in a way that bulges outward toward the first cap 1. As a result, when the second cap 2, described later, is attached to the first cap 1, the outer surface 12b of the first top plate 12 on the first cap 1 and the inner surface 22a of the second top plate 22 on the second cap 2, described later, are positioned to be aligned with each other. On the other hand, when the first cap 1 is attached to the mouth 60 of the container 50, the inner surface 12a of the first top plate 12 is exposed to the inside of the container 50 through the mouth 60.

[0045] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the second cap 2 has one end portion 2A that is open so as to be attachable to the tip portion 1B of the first cap 1, a second top plate 22 that is provided to cover the other end portion 2B opposite to the one end portion 2A, and a body portion 21. Furthermore, the second cap 2 is provided with a threaded end portion 23 on the inner surface 21a of the body portion 21 at one end 2A, which can be screwed onto the threaded tip portion 14 of the first cap 1.

[0046] A rib-shaped contact ring 24 is provided on the inner surface 22a side of the second top plate 22, forming an annular shape in plan view. Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 4, a rib-shaped outer contact ring 26 and an inner ring 25 are provided on the inner surface 22a side of the second top plate 22, respectively, arranged in an annular shape in plan view. In the illustrated example, the outer contact ring 26, inner ring 25, and contact ring 24 are arranged concentrically in an annular shape from the peripheral edge to the center of the second top plate 22.

[0047] Furthermore, in the illustrated example, a projection 22c is provided so as to protrude from the inner surface 22a side of the second top plate 22. This projection 22c is positioned on the inner surface 22a of the second top plate 22 so as to close the central through hole 15a provided in the first top plate 12 of the first cap 1 when the second cap 2 is attached to the first cap 1. Furthermore, in the second cap 2 of the illustrated example, as in the case of the first cap 1 described above, multiple ribs 21c are provided along the length of the cylinder on the outer surface 21b of the body 21 to prevent slippage when the user rotates the second cap 2 with their fingers.

[0048] Similar to the first top plate 12 of the first cap 1, the second cap 2 has a curved shape on its inner surface 22a side, at least in part. In the examples shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, the entire second top plate 22 is roughly curved, bulging outwards from the second cap 2. As a result, when the second cap 2 is attached to the first cap 1, as described above, the first top plate 12 and the second top plate 22 are positioned to align with each other. On the other hand, the outer surface 22b of the second top plate 22 is exposed to the outside regardless of the mounting state of the first cap 1 and the second cap 2.

[0049] The first cap 1 and the second cap 2 can be molded, for example, from a resin material by injection molding or other methods. Furthermore, the materials for the first cap 1 and the second cap 2 are not particularly limited, and it is possible to appropriately use materials mainly composed of resins commonly used as cap materials, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polybutylene terephthalate, and polyamide. In this case, as with the container 50 described above, it is preferable to select the materials while considering the physical properties of the contents and taking into account chemical resistance and other characteristics.

[0050] According to the cap 10 of this embodiment, with the above configuration, first, the first cap 1 is detachably attached to the mouth 60 of the container 50 by screwing the base end threaded portion 13 into it. Then, the second cap 2 is detachably attached to the first cap 1 by screwing the one end threaded portion 23 into the tip threaded portion 14.

[0051] Here, as the threading progresses between the threaded portion 23 at one end of the second cap 2 and the threaded portion 14 at the tip of the first cap 1, the contact ring 24 provided on the second cap 2 comes into contact with the outer surface 12b of the first top plate 12 of the first cap 1, pressing against it. At this time, the contact ring 24 sinks slightly into the first top plate 12, but by controlling the amount of this sinking, the final closed position of the second cap 2 can be controlled to a position where the increase in the opening torque of the second cap 2 from the first cap 1 is suppressed, even when the second cap 2 is closed with high torque. As a result, the torque difference between them can be set so that the opening torque of the second cap 2 from the first cap 1 is smaller than the opening torque of the first cap 1 from the mouth 60 of the container 50, making it easier to open the second cap 2 and preventing it from rotating together with the first cap 1. Furthermore, by controlling the sinking of the contact ring 24 relative to the first top plate 12, it is possible to prevent the first top plate 12 from deforming.

[0052] Furthermore, in the cap 10 of this embodiment, by providing a torque difference required for opening between the first cap 1 and the mouth 60 of the container 50, and between the second cap 2 and the first cap 1, it is possible to make the outer diameter of the body 11 of the first cap 1 and the outer diameter of the body 21 of the second cap 2 approximately the same. As a result, the diameters of the body 11 of the first cap 1 and the body 21 of the second cap 2 can be made the same, for example, about φ50 mm, so that they do not protrude to the side of the container 50, resulting in excellent stackability and space efficiency, as well as excellent handling.

[0053] Furthermore, by adopting a double-layer structure consisting of only two parts, the first cap 1 and the second cap 2, the overall size of the cap 1 is reduced. As a result, when the cap 10 is attached to the mouth 60 of the container 50, the cap 10 does not protrude above the height of the convex body 70 of the container 50, nor does it protrude to the side of the container 50. This prevents the overall size of the packaging container 100 (see Figure 7) from becoming bulky. In addition, by constructing the cap 10 with a minimum number of parts, the amount of material used can be reduced, allowing for productive and inexpensive provision of the cap 10.

[0054] In this embodiment, when the second cap 2 is attached to the first cap 1, as shown in the example in Figure 4, it is more preferable that the contact ring 24 on the second top plate 22 of the second cap 2 is positioned on the peripheral side of the area where the through hole 15 is provided in the first top plate 12 of the first cap 1. By optimizing the position of the contact ring 24 in this way, when the contact ring 24 is pressed against the first top plate 12, the contents discharged from the through hole 15 of the first top plate 12 can be sealed in the space covered by the first top plate 12, the second top plate 22 of the second cap 2, and the contact ring 24. This makes it possible to prevent the contents discharged from the through hole 15 of the first top plate 12 of the first cap 1 from leaking outside the cap 10.

[0055] Furthermore, in the cap 10 of this embodiment, as shown in the example in Figure 4, it is more preferable that when the second cap 2 is attached to the first cap 1, the outer contact ring 26 provided on the second cap 2 is positioned to abut against the tip surface 16a of the lip portion 16 provided on the first cap 1. Moreover, in this embodiment, it is even more preferable that the inner ring 25 provided on the second cap 2 is positioned along the inner circumferential surface 17a side of the recess 17 provided on the first cap 1.

[0056] When the second cap 2 is attached to the first cap 1, the arrangement of the lip portion 16 and recess 17 provided on the first cap 1 and the outer contact ring 26 and inner ring 25 provided on the second cap 2 is configured as described above, making it possible to seal the contents more tightly inside the cap 10. Therefore, a more significant effect is obtained in preventing the contents from leaking outside the cap 10. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of obtaining an even more significant effect in preventing leakage of the contents as described above, it is most preferable to adopt a configuration in which the inner ring 25 provided in the second cap 2 abuts against the inner circumferential surface 17a of the recess 17 provided in the first cap 1.

[0057] According to the cap 10 of this embodiment, as described above, it is possible to achieve both ease of opening of the second cap 2, prevention of rotation with the first cap 1, and prevention of leakage of the contents. Therefore, it is possible to provide a cap 10 that is easy to handle, space efficient and stackable during display and storage, and highly productive at a low cost.

[0058] [Packaging products] The packaged product of this embodiment is a container 50 provided in a packaging container 100 to which the cap 10 of this embodiment described above is attached, and various contents (not shown) are contained within it.

[0059] The contents to be contained in the container 50 are not particularly limited, and various liquids or powders can be contained without any restrictions, taking into consideration the diameter of the through-hole 15 in the first cap 1 that constitutes the cap 10 described above, that is, taking into consideration the passability of the through-hole 15. Examples of such contents include herbicides, insecticides, insect repellents, fungicides, deodorizers, fragrances, fertilizers, as well as laundry detergents (liquid or powder), bleaches, fabric softeners, and dishwasher detergents.

[0060] According to the packaging product of this embodiment, since the contents are contained in the packaging container 100 of this embodiment, a packaging product with excellent handling, space efficiency during display and storage, stackability, and productivity can be realized as an inexpensive product.

[0061] [Effects and Effects] As described above, according to the cap 10 of this embodiment, by adopting the above configuration, the final closed position of the second cap 2, which occurs when the contact ring 24 sinks into the first top plate 12 of the first cap 1, can be controlled to a position in which the increase in the opening torque of the second cap 2 from the first cap 1 is suppressed, even when the second cap 2 is closed with high torque. As a result, the torque difference can be set so that the opening torque of the second cap 2 from the first cap 1 is smaller than the opening torque of the first cap 1 from the mouth 60 of the container 50, making it easier to open the second cap 2 and preventing it from rotating together with the first cap 1. In addition, by controlling the sinking of the contact ring 24, deformation of the first top plate 12 of the first cap 1 can be prevented. Furthermore, by optimizing the position of the contact ring 24 on the inner surface 22a side of the second top plate 22 of the second cap 2, the contents discharged from the through hole 15 of the first top plate 12 of the first cap 1 can be sealed between the first cap 1 and the second cap 2, thereby preventing the contents from leaking to the outside of the cap 10. Furthermore, by making the cap 10 a double-layered structure consisting of only two parts, when the cap 10 is attached to the container 50, the cap 10 does not protrude above the height of the convex body 70 that forms the shoulder of the container 50, nor does it protrude to the side of the container 50, thus preventing the entire packaging container 100 from becoming bulky. In addition, by constructing the cap 10 with the minimum number of parts, it becomes possible to provide the cap 10 inexpensively and productively while suppressing the amount of material used. Therefore, it becomes possible to provide a cap 10 that is easy to handle, space-efficient and stackable during display and storage, and highly productive, at a low cost.

[0062] Furthermore, with the packaging container 100 of this embodiment, since the cap 10 of this embodiment described above is attached to the container 50, it is possible to provide a packaging container 100 that is excellent in handling, space efficiency and stackability during display and storage, and productivity, as described above, at a low cost.

[0063] Furthermore, in the case of the packaging product of this embodiment, since the contents are contained in the container 50 provided in the packaging container 100 of this embodiment described above, it is possible to provide a packaging product that is easy to handle, space efficient during display and storage, stackability, and productivity at a low cost, similar to the case of the packaging container 100 described above.

[0064] [Modified version of the present invention] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the cap of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented with various changes and modifications as long as they do not depart from the principles of the present invention and the scope of the appended claims.

[0065] For example, in the above embodiment, an example is given in which the outer surface 12b of the first top plate 12 in the first cap 1 and the inner surface 22a of the second top plate 22 in the second cap 2 are curved, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, both the outer surface 12b side of the first top plate 12 in the first cap 1 and the inner surface 22a side of the second top plate 22 in the second cap 2 may be flat, and these may be configured to be parallel to each other.

[0066] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes an example in which the contact ring 24 provided on the second cap 2 is continuously arranged in an annular manner in the circumferential direction on the inner surface 22a of the second top plate 22, the invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which, for example, a plurality of ribs are intermittently arranged in an annular manner in the circumferential direction for the contact ring. Even with such a configuration, even when the second cap is closed with high torque relative to the first cap, the closing position can be controlled so as to suppress the increase in the opening torque of the second cap from the first cap, thereby providing the effect of making the second cap easy to open and preventing it from rotating together with the first cap.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the container 50 provided in the packaging container 100 is described as being in the shape of a roughly rectangular parallelepiped as shown in Figure 7, but it is not limited to this, and for example, cylindrical, polygonal rectangular tube, or roughly conical containers may also be used, and can be adopted as appropriate. [Examples]

[0068] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples of the cap of the present invention, but the configuration of the cap of the present invention is not limited to the specifications and conditions described in the following examples.

[0069] <Examples (Examples of the present invention)> In the examples, the cap 10 according to the present invention shown in Figures 1 to 6 and the packaging container 100 shown in Figure 7 were prepared, and a direct-open torque measurement test simulating a liquid filling machine used in a factory was conducted by performing tests under the conditions described below. Specifically, the opening torque between the mouth 60 of a container 50 containing water and the first cap 1, and the opening torque between the first cap 1 and the second cap 2 were measured. Furthermore, CT images were obtained using an X-ray imaging device with the second cap 2 attached to the first cap 1, allowing for a simple confirmation of the condition of each component and the contents.

[0070] [1] Sample of the cap prepared in the example (1) 1st Cap 1 (a) Outer diameter (maximum diameter at the position of the outer surface 11b of the body 11): 47 mm (b) Inner diameter (maximum diameter at the position of the base thread portion 13): 44 mm (c) Tip diameter (maximum outer diameter at the position of the threaded tip 14): 39 mm (d) Shape of the outer surface 12b of the first top plate 12: curved surface with radius R30 (2) Second cap 2 (a) Outer diameter (maximum diameter at the position of the outer surface 21b of the body 21): 43 mm (b) Inner diameter (maximum diameter at the position of the threaded portion 23 at one end): 37 mm (c) Shape of the inner surface 22a of the second top plate 22: curved surface with radius R31 (d) Height of contact ring 24: 1.5 mm (3) Container 50 (a) Contents: 2L (b) Maximum outer diameter of opening 60 (outer diameter of screw threads): 43 mm (c) Inner diameter of opening 60: 34 mm (d) Height of the opening 60 (height from the top surface 52): 27 mm

[0071] [2] Test conditions and methods Using samples of the above-described examples, each test was conducted under the conditions and methods shown below, and the evaluation results are shown in Table 1 (number of samples: n=30).

[0072] (1) Opening torque (a) Measuring instrument: Manufactured by NIDEK Drive Technology, part number TNJ-10 (b) Measurement location: (i) Between the mouth 60 of the container 50 and the base threaded portion 13 of the first cap 1 (ii) Between the tip threaded portion 14 of the first cap 1 and the one end threaded portion 23 of the second cap 2 (c) Tightening torque when closing: 350 N·cm (d) Number of rotations when closing the cap: 100 rpm

[0073] (2) Confirmation of the cap's condition using CT images (visual inspection of CT images) (a) X-ray imaging device: RF Corporation, model number NAOMi-CT (b) Things to check: (i) Whether or not the first top plate 12 is deformed in the first cap 1 (ii) Condition of the contents (whether or not there is leakage)

[0074] <Comparative Example> In the comparative example, except that a sample without a contact ring on the inner surface side of the second top plate in the second cap was used, the opening torque between each component was measured under the same test conditions and methods as in the above embodiment, and CT images were acquired using an X-ray imaging device. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0075] <Evaluation Results> Table 1 below shows a summary of the evaluation results for the above examples and comparative examples.

[0076] [Table 1]

[0077] As shown in Table 1, the cap 10 of the embodiment with the configuration according to the present invention had an opening torque between the mouth 60 of the container 50 and the base end threaded portion 13 of the first cap 1, which was 580 N·cm (maximum: 730 N·cm, minimum: 500 N·cm) on average across all samples (n=30). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the opening torque between the tip threaded portion 14 of the first cap 1 and the one end threaded portion 23 of the second cap 2 was 160 N·cm (maximum: 170 N·cm, minimum: 150 N·cm) on average across all samples (n=30). In this embodiment, the difference between the opening torque between the mouth 60 of the container 50 and the base end threaded portion 13 of the first cap 1 and the opening torque between the tip threaded portion 14 of the first cap 1 and the one end threaded portion 23 of the second cap 2 was 420 N·cm (maximum: 560 N·cm, minimum: 350 N·cm) on average across all samples (n=30).

[0078] In this embodiment, it was confirmed that the opening torque between the tip threaded portion 14 of the first cap 1 and the one-end threaded portion 23 of the second cap 2 is smaller than the opening torque between the mouth 60 of the container 50 and the base threaded portion 13 of the first cap 1. Therefore, even when the tightening torque for closing between each component is set to a relatively high 350 N·cm, the opening torque of the second cap 2 can be suppressed. In particular, the maximum opening torque between the tip threaded portion 14 of the first cap 1 and the one-end threaded portion 23 of the second cap 2 was 170 N·cm, and the minimum opening torque between the mouth 60 of the container 50 and the base threaded portion 13 of the first cap 1 was 500 N·cm. The large difference between these values ​​clearly prevented the caps from rotating together. Furthermore, the fact that the maximum opening torque when opening the second cap 2 is 170 N·cm revealed that the second cap 2 can be easily opened regardless of the user's age or gender.

[0079] Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the CT images above confirm that the cap 10 of this embodiment has a clearance between the outer surface 12b of the first top plate 12 and the inner surface 22a of the second top plate 22 that is almost exactly as designed. This is a larger clearance than that of the comparative example cap described later, and is thought to be because the contact ring 24 has the effect of separating the first top plate 12 and the second top plate 22.

[0080] When the cap 10 and container 50 of this embodiment were turned upside down, the contents of the container 50, consisting of water, were held back by the contact ring 24. In other words, it was confirmed that the contents were sealed in the space between the contact ring 24, the first top plate 12, and the second top plate 22, and were sealed without leakage, without reaching the position of the inner ring 25.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, no deformation occurred in either the first top plate 12 of the first cap 1 or the second top plate of the second cap 2.

[0082] On the other hand, as shown in Table 1, in the comparative example cap, which does not have a contact ring on the second cap, the opening torque between the mouth of the container and the base threaded portion of the first cap was 350 N·cm (maximum: 400 N·cm, minimum: 300 N·cm) on average across all samples (n=30). Furthermore, for the comparative example cap, the opening torque between the threaded end of the first cap and the threaded end of the second cap was 250 N·cm (maximum: 280 N·cm, minimum: 240 N·cm) on average across all samples (n=30). Furthermore, for the comparative example cap, the difference between the opening torque between the mouth of the container and the base threaded portion of the first cap and the opening torque between the other end threaded portion of the first cap and the first end threaded portion of the second cap was 100 N·cm (maximum: 120 N·cm, minimum: 60 N·cm) on average across all samples (n=30).

[0083] In the comparative example, among all 30 samples, several samples showed that the first cap rotated together with the second cap when opening the second cap. This is thought to be because the difference between the opening torque of the first cap and the opening torque of the second cap was generally small, and in particular, the minimum torque difference was about 60 N·cm, making it prone to joint rotation.

[0084] Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the CT images above show that the clearance between the outer surface of the first top plate and the inner surface of the second top plate of the comparative example cap was smaller than the design value, and was smaller than that of the cap 10 of the above embodiment which is equipped with a contact ring 24. When the cap and container of the comparative example were turned upside down, the water contents contained in the container were blocked at the inner ring. In other words, it was confirmed that the contents were almost completely sealed in the space between the inner ring, the first top plate, and the second top plate.

[0085] In the comparative example, it was confirmed that even in a cap configuration without a contact ring, leakage of the contents can be largely prevented by the inner ring. On the other hand, if a configuration is adopted in which the contact ring 24 abuts against the outer surface 12b of the first top plate 12, as in the cap 10 of this embodiment, multiple damming effects can be obtained by the contact ring 24, inner ring 25, and outer contact ring 26, so it is thought that the effect of preventing leakage of contents can be obtained more significantly.

[0086] In the comparative example, as described above, the clearance between the outer surface of the first top plate and the inner surface of the second top plate was relatively small. In particular, it was confirmed that the clearance was small near the central through-hole of the first top plate. This is thought to be because deformation occurred in the first top plate of the first cap when the second cap, which does not have a contact ring on the second top plate, was attached to the first cap.

[0087] From the results of the above embodiments, it has become clear that by adopting a configuration in which the contact ring provided on the second cap abuts against the first top plate of the first cap, as in the cap according to the present invention, the second cap becomes easier to open and rotation with the first cap can be prevented. Furthermore, it has become clear that by adopting the cap configuration according to the present invention, leakage of the contents outside the cap can be prevented. [Industrial applicability]

[0088] The cap of the present invention, despite being a multi-layered cap, allows for easy opening at the desired position without each cap rotating together, resulting in excellent handling. Furthermore, it prevents leakage of the contents contained in the container, and offers superior space efficiency, stackability, and productivity during display. Therefore, the cap of the present invention is particularly suitable for applications such as attaching to the mouth of a container capable of holding various contents, such as liquids or powders. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] 10…Cap 1...1st Cap 1A…Proximal end 1B...Tip 11... Torso 11a…Inner surface 11b...outer surface 11c... Rib 12…First top plate 12a...Inner self 12b...Outer surface 13... Base end threaded section 14... Threaded tip 15…Through-hole (multiple through-holes) 15a...Center through hole 15b…Small diameter through hole 16…Lip area 16a…Tip surface 17…recess 17a...Inner peripheral surface 2…Second cap 2A…One end 2B…Other end 21... Torso 21a…Inner surface 21b...outer surface 21c... Rib 22...Second top plate 22a...Inner surface 22b…External surface 22c…protrusion 23... One end threaded section 24... Contact ring 25…Inner ring 26…Outer contact ring 100...Packaging containers 50…Container 51...Bottom 52…Top surface 53...Front 54...Back 55...one side 56…Other aspects 60...Mouth 70...convex body 71...Lower part 72... Top 80... Handle body 81...Gripping part 82... Penetration

Claims

1. A cap that is detachably attached to the opening of a container capable of holding contents, It consists of a first cap with a top that is attached to the mouth of the container, and a second cap with a top that is attached to the first cap on the side opposite to the mouth of the container. The first cap is A base end that is open to be attached to the mouth of the container, A first top plate is provided to cover the tip opposite to the base end, A threaded base portion provided on either the inner or outer surface of the base end, The tip thread portion provided on the outer surface of the tip side, The container includes one or more through-holes that penetrate the first top plate and allow the contents contained in the container to be discharged to the outside, The aforementioned second cap is One end of the first cap is open so as to be attachable to the tip, A second top plate is provided to cover the other end opposite to the aforementioned one end, The threaded portion at one end is provided on the inner surface of the end side, The second top plate includes a rib-shaped contact ring provided on its inner surface and arranged in an annular shape in plan view, The first cap is detachably attached to the mouth of the container by screwing the base threaded portion into it. The second cap is detachably attached to the first cap by screwing the one-end threaded portion into the tip threaded portion, and as the screwing progresses between the one-end threaded portion and the tip threaded portion, the contact ring provided on the second cap comes into contact with the outer surface of the first top plate on the first cap.

2. The first cap is further provided with a rib-shaped lip portion arranged in an annular shape in plan view near the peripheral edge of the first top plate on the outer surface side of the first top plate, and a recess arranged in an annular shape in plan view on the inner circumference side of the lip portion. The second cap is further provided with a rib-shaped outer contact ring and an inner ring arranged in an annular shape in plan view on the inner surface side of the second top plate, and the outer contact ring, the inner ring, and the contact ring are arranged concentrically in this order from the peripheral edge side toward the center side of the second top plate. The cap according to claim 1, characterized in that when the second cap is attached to the first cap, the outer contact ring provided on the second cap is arranged to abut against the tip surface of the lip portion provided on the first cap, and the inner ring provided on the second cap is arranged to follow the inner circumferential surface of the recess provided on the first cap.

3. The outer surface of the first top plate in the first cap and the inner surface of the second top plate in the second cap each have a curved shape in at least a portion of them. The cap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the second cap is attached to the first cap, the outer surface of the first top plate and the inner surface of the second top plate are arranged to be aligned with each other.

4. A packaging container comprising a container capable of holding contents and a cap that is detachably attached to the opening of the container, A packaging container characterized in that the cap is the cap described in claim 1 or claim 2.

5. A packaged product characterized in that the contents are contained in a container provided in the packaging container described in claim 4.

Images