Compact container

Abstract

To provide a compact container which suppresses leaving of contents in a container body for using the contents without waste.SOLUTION: A compact container includes a container body 2 which has a bottomed cylindrical shape having a central axis O as a center for housing contents, an inner plug 3 rotating with the container body 2 about the central axis O, and a ball body 4 which is arranged inside the container body 2 and is rotatably held on the inner plug 3. The inner plug 3 includes an upper hole 41 to expose an upper part of the ball body 4 to an upper side of the inner plug 3, a lower hole 44 to expose a lower part of the ball body 4 to a lower side of the inner plug 3 and the inside of the container body 2, a communication hole 46 for communicating between the upper hole 41 and the lower hole 44 and holding the ball body 4, and a wiper part 36 slidably making contact with an inner surface of the container body 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a compact container. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Compact containers for accommodating contents such as cosmetics are known in the art (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The airtight container described in Patent Document 1 contains a fluid content in the storage space of the container body, and a ball is rotatably contained in the communicating space of the container body. When removing the content, a puff or the like is pressed against the ball from above and the ball is rotated, so that the content adhering to the surface of the ball adheres to the puff or the like. This allows the content to be removed from the container body.

[0003] According to Patent Document 1, the contents are transferred to a puff or the like using a ball, making it easy to maintain a constant amount of content dispensed, and to obtain the same feel until the contents are used up. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-214095 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because the cover member (inner plug) for holding the ball covers the storage space from above, it is difficult for the user to notice if the contents remain on the periphery (corners) of the storage space. This can lead to the contents being left unused and wasted.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a compact container that prevents the contents of the container body from being left unused and allows the contents to be used without waste. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One embodiment of the compact container of the present invention comprises a container body having a bottomed cylindrical shape centered on a central axis and in which contents are contained, a middle stopper which is rotatable with respect to the container body about the central axis, and a ball body which is disposed within the container body and rotatably held by the middle stopper, the middle stopper having an upper hole exposing an upper portion of the ball body to the upper side of the middle stopper, a lower hole exposing a lower portion of the ball body to the lower side of the middle stopper and within the container body, a communication hole which connects the upper hole and the lower hole and holds the ball body, and a wiper portion which slidably contacts the inner surface of the container body.

[0008] According to the present invention, by rotating the inside plug around the central axis relative to the container body, the wiper part of the inside plug comes into sliding contact with the inner surface of the container body, and the contents adhering to the inner surface can be scraped off. That is, the simple operation of rotating the inside plug can promote the movement of the contents inside the container body. This prevents the contents from easily adhering to the ball and remaining in corners, etc., without being removed from the container body. Therefore, according to the compact container of the present invention, the contents of the container body can be prevented from being left unused, and the contents can be used without waste.

[0009] In the compact container, it is preferable that the ball body has a content holding portion formed in a concave or convex shape on the surface of the ball body.

[0010] In this case, the concave or convex content-holding portion increases the surface area of ​​the ball and makes it easier to capture the contents, making it easier to hold the contents on the surface of the ball. As a result, the contents attached to the surface of the ball can be efficiently removed from the container.

[0011] In the compact container, it is preferable that the container body has a transparent portion through which the inside can be seen.

[0012] In this case, the user can visually check the remaining amount of the contents from outside the container body through the transmission part. Also, since the wiper part slides along the inner surface of the container body to scrape off the contents, it is easy to check the remaining amount of the contents through the transmission part.

[0013] In the compact container, it is preferable that the wiper portion is elastically deformable and extends in a curved manner so as to contact the peripheral wall and bottom wall of the inner surface of the container body.

[0014] In this case, the wiper portion is brought into intimate contact with the inner surfaces of the peripheral wall, bottom wall, and their connecting portions (corresponding to corners) of the container body, so that the contents adhering to the inner surface of the container body can be scraped off over a wide area and stably.

[0015] The compact container is preferably provided with a lid body arranged on the upper side of the container body, the lid body covering the inner stopper from the radially outer side and having a rotating lid portion that is rotatable around the central axis, the lid body being capable of being opened and closed by rotating the rotating lid portion, and the rotating lid portion and the inner stopper being configured to rotate together around the central axis.

[0016] In this case, when the lid is opened or closed, the rotating lid part is rotated about the central axis, and the inside plug rotates about the central axis together with the rotating lid part, and the wiper part can scrape off the contents adhering to the inner surface of the container body. In other words, the movement of the contents adhering to the inner surface of the container body can be promoted by the operation of opening and closing the lid body during normal use. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the compact container of the above aspect of the present invention, the contents of the container body can be prevented from being left unused, and the contents can be used without waste. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a compact case of the present embodiment, showing a lid body in a closed state and an inner lid in a closed state. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the compact case of this embodiment, showing the lid in an open state and the inner lid in a closed state, with part of the lid and the contents removal tool omitted. [Diagram 3] 3 is a top view of the compact case of this embodiment, showing the lid body and the inner lid in an open state. Note that the contents removal tool is omitted from the illustration. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the upper member of the inside plug. [Figure 6] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Fig. 1. Note that the vicinity of the outer hinge is omitted from the illustration. [Figure 7] 7 is a side view of the compact case of this embodiment, showing the lid in an open state, with a portion of the lid, an inner lid, and a contents removal tool omitted from the illustration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] A compact case 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. The compact case 1 of this embodiment is a portable container with a lid that contains contents C, such as cosmetics, and is a flat container that is circular in plan view. The contents C have fluidity and are, for example, liquid, gel, jelly, etc. Note that the contents C are not shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 6.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 1, the compact container 1 is a bottomed cylindrical container body 2 centered on a central axis O, and includes a container body 2 in which contents C are stored, an inner plug 3 rotatable about the central axis O with respect to the container body 2, a ball body 4 disposed in the container body 2 and rotatably held by the inner plug 3, an inner lid 5, an inner hinge 8, a lid body 6, an outer hinge 7, and a contents removal tool 9. The container body 2, the inner plug 3, the inner lid 5, and the lid body 6 are disposed coaxially with each other, with the central axis O of the compact container 1 as a common axis. The central axis O may be referred to as the container axis O.

[0021] In this embodiment, the direction in which the central axis O extends, i.e., the direction parallel to the central axis O, is referred to as the up-down direction. In Fig. 1, of the up-down direction, the direction from the container body 2 to the lid body 6 is referred to as the upper side, and the direction from the lid body 6 to the container body 2 is referred to as the lower side. In a plan view seen from the top and bottom, the direction perpendicular to the central axis O is called the radial direction. Within the radial direction, the direction approaching the central axis O is called the radially inner direction, and the direction away from the central axis O is called the radially outer direction. The direction rotating around the central axis O is called the circumferential direction.

[0022] The container body 2 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The container body 2 has a peripheral wall 21, a bottom wall 22, a connection portion 23, a sliding groove 24, a male thread portion 25, a step portion 26, and a transmission portion 27.

[0023] The peripheral wall 21 is cylindrical and centered on the central axis O. The bottom wall 22 is disk-shaped and centered on the central axis O. In this embodiment, the dimension (wall thickness) of the peripheral wall 21 in the radial direction is larger than the dimension (wall thickness) of the bottom wall 22 in the up-down direction.

[0024] The connection portion 23 is a wall portion that connects the lower end of the peripheral wall 21 and the outer circumferential end of the bottom wall 22. The inner surface of the connection portion 23 corresponds to a corner portion of the inner surface of the container body 2 that is located between the peripheral wall 21 and the bottom wall 22. The inner surface of the connection portion 23 is a concave curved surface. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, in a cross-sectional view (longitudinal cross-sectional view) along the central axis O, the inner surface of the connection portion 23 has a concave curved shape that extends radially inward as it approaches the lower side.

[0025] The slide groove 24 is recessed downward from the upper end surface of the peripheral wall 21 and extends in the circumferential direction. The slide groove 24 is a circular ring-shaped groove having the central axis O as its center. The male thread portion 25 is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 21 .

[0026] The step portion 26 is disposed at an upper portion of the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 21. The step portion 26 is recessed radially outwardly from a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 21 other than the upper portion. The step portion 26 is also recessed downward from the upper end surface of the peripheral wall 21. The step portion 26 is annular about the central axis O.

[0027] As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the container body 2 has a transparent portion 27 through which the inside can be seen. The transparent portion 27 is made of a transparent or semi-transparent material such as resin or glass. The transparent portion 27 passes through the wall of the container body 2. The transparent portion 27 extends from the outer surface to the inner surface of the container body 2. Therefore, a user can see the inside of the container body 2 through the transparent portion 27 from outside the container body 2. In this embodiment, the transparent portion 27 extends radially between the outer surface and the inner surface of the container body 2.

[0028] In this embodiment, the transmission portion 27 is disposed in the connection portion 23 of the wall portion of the container body 2. That is, the transmission portion 27 extends from the outer surface to the inner surface of the connection portion 23. In addition, the circumferential dimension of the transmission portion 27 is larger than the vertical dimension of the transmission portion 27.

[0029] A plurality of transmitting portions 27 are provided at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, two transmitting portions 27 are provided at positions that are rotationally symmetrical by 180° about the central axis O. That is, the plurality of transmitting portions 27 are arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction.

[0030] 1, the inside plug 3 has an upper member 31 arranged to cover the upper opening of the container body 2, and a lower member 32 arranged below the upper member 31. The upper member 31 and the lower member 32 are each substantially disk-shaped about a central axis O. The upper member 31 and the lower member 32 are fixed to each other by undercut fitting or the like.

[0031] The upper member 31 has a top plate portion 33, a sliding rib 34, a sealing tube 35, a wiper portion 36, a first engagement portion 37, a lower member retaining tube 38, a ball surrounding tube 39, a ball upper retaining tube 40, and an upper hole 41.

[0032] The top plate portion 33 is disposed above the peripheral wall 21 and bottom wall 22 of the container body 2. The top plate portion 33 covers the contents C contained in the container body 2 from above. The top plate portion 33 has an outer peripheral wall portion 33a and a cover wall portion 33b.

[0033] The outer peripheral wall portion 33a is disposed on the outer periphery of the top plate portion 33. The outer peripheral wall portion 33a is in the shape of an annular plate centered on the central axis O. The outer peripheral wall portion 33a is disposed on the upper side of the peripheral wall 21. The lower surface of the outer peripheral wall portion 33a is in slidable contact with the upper end surface of the peripheral wall 21.

[0034] 3 and 4, the outer peripheral wall portion 33a has a notch portion 33c. The notch portion 33c is disposed in a portion of the outer peripheral wall portion 33a that is located on the opposite side of the inner hinge 8 across the central axis O. The notch portion 33c is formed so as to cut out an upper surface and an outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall portion 33a. The notch portion 33c has an inclined surface shape that is positioned downward as it extends radially outward.

[0035] 1, the cover wall portion 33b is disposed radially inward of the outer peripheral wall portion 33a. The cover wall portion 33b is disk-shaped and centered on the central axis O. The cover wall portion 33b is disposed above and away from the bottom wall 22. The cover wall portion 33b is located radially inward of the peripheral wall 21 and overlaps with the peripheral wall 21 when viewed from the radial direction. The cover wall portion 33b covers the contents C contained in the container body 2 from above.

[0036] The outer periphery of the cover wall portion 33b is connected to the lower end of the inner periphery of the outer periphery wall portion 33a. The outer periphery of the cover wall portion 33b extends downward from the connection portion with the outer periphery wall portion 33a toward the inside in the radial direction. In this embodiment, the outer periphery of the cover wall portion 33b extends in a curved shape in the vertical cross section shown in FIG. 1. More specifically, in this vertical cross section, the upper surface of the outer periphery of the cover wall portion 33b forms a concave curved shape. The portion of the cover wall portion 33b other than the outer periphery is a flat plate extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis O.

[0037] The sliding rib 34 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the outer circumferential wall portion 33a and extends in the circumferential direction. The sliding rib 34 is cylindrical and centered on the central axis O. The sliding rib 34 is inserted into the sliding groove 24. The sliding rib 34 fits into the sliding groove 24 so as to be slidable in the circumferential direction. The sliding rib 34 is restricted from slipping out of the sliding groove 24 upward by an undercut fit.

[0038] The seal tube 35 protrudes downward from the inner peripheral portion of the lower surface of the outer peripheral wall portion 33a. The seal tube 35 is cylindrical and centered on the central axis O. The seal tube 35 is disposed radially inward from the sliding rib 34. The seal tube 35 fits into the inner peripheral surface of the step portion 26.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 5, the wiper portion 36 protrudes downward from the outer periphery of the lower surface of the cover wall portion 33b. That is, the wiper portion 36 extends downward from the top plate portion 33. The wiper portion 36 is plate-shaped extending in the up-down direction and is elastically deformable. A plurality of wiper portions 36 are provided and aligned in the circumferential direction. As shown in Fig. 6, in this embodiment, six wiper portions 36 are arranged at equal intervals from each other in the circumferential direction.

[0040] 1, when the inside plug 3 is attached to the container body 2, the wiper portion 36 is elastically deformed by contact with the inner surface of the container body 2, and extends in a J-shape to fit the shape of the inner surface of the container body 2. More specifically, the wiper portion 36 elastically deforms to come into intimate contact with the inner surface of the container body 2, a portion of the inner surface that is located below the step portion 26 of the peripheral wall 21, the connection portion 23, and the outer periphery of the bottom wall 22. In other words, the wiper portion 36 extends in a curved manner to come into contact with the inner surface of the container body 2, including the peripheral wall 21 and the bottom wall 22. The wiper portion 36 comes into slidable contact with the inner surface of the container body 2.

[0041] Furthermore, the wiper portion 36 is in slidable contact with a portion (the connection portion 23 in this embodiment) of the inner surface of the container body 2 where the transmission portion 27 is arranged. Therefore, the transmission portion 27 extends across the portion of the inner surface of the container body 2 where the wiper portion 36 slides and the outer surface of the container body 2.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the wiper portion 36 has a wiper body 36a and a scraping rib 36b. The wiper body 36a is a plate extending downward from the lower surface of the cover wall portion 33b. The upper end of the plate surface of the wiper body 36a faces the radial direction, and the lower end faces the up-down direction. As shown in Fig. 6, in a cross section (horizontal cross section) perpendicular to the central axis O, the wiper body 36a extends in the circumferential direction.

[0043] 1 and 6, the scraping rib 36b is disposed on one of the pair of plate surfaces of the wiper body 36a that faces radially outward and downward (outer surface). The scraping rib 36b protrudes from the outer surface of the wiper body 36a and extends along the direction in which the wiper body 36a extends. The scraping rib 36b is in slidable contact with the inner surface of the container body 2.

[0044] As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 7, the first locking portion 37 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall portion 33a (top plate portion 33). In this embodiment, the first locking portion 37 is rib-shaped. The first locking portion 37 protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall portion 33a and extends in the up-down direction. A plurality of first locking portions 37 are provided at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. The multiple first locking portions 37 are arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction.

[0045] 1, the lower member holding tube 38 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the cover wall portion 33b. The lower member holding tube 38 is annular about a central axis O and extends in the vertical direction. The lower member holding tube 38 is disposed radially inward of the wiper portion 36.

[0046] The ball surrounding tube 39 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the cover wall portion 33b. The ball surrounding tube 39 is cylindrical and extends in the vertical direction. The ball surrounding tube 39 is disposed radially inward of the lower member holding tube .

[0047] A plurality of ball surrounding cylinders 39 are provided. One of the plurality of ball surrounding cylinders 39 is arranged coaxially with the central axis O. The other ball surrounding cylinders 39 are arranged radially outside the one ball surrounding cylinder 39. In this embodiment, a plurality of the other ball surrounding cylinders 39 are provided side by side in the circumferential direction. The plurality of other ball surrounding cylinders 39 are arranged in the circumferential direction so as to surround the one ball surrounding cylinder 39 from the radial outside. Specifically, six of the other ball surrounding cylinders 39 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (see Figs. 3 and 6). That is, a total of seven ball surrounding cylinders 39 are provided.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 1, the ball-upper retaining cylinder 40 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the cover wall portion 33b. The ball-upper retaining cylinder 40 is tapered and has a diameter that decreases toward the upper side. As shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of ball-upper retaining cylinders 40 are provided.

[0049] One of the multiple ball-over-holding cylinders 40 is arranged coaxially with the central axis O. The other ball-over-holding cylinders 40 are arranged radially outside the one ball-over-holding cylinder 40. In this embodiment, the other ball-over-holding cylinders 40 are arranged in a circumferential direction. The other ball-over-holding cylinders 40 are arranged in a circumferential direction so as to surround the one ball-over-holding cylinder 40 from the radial outside. Specifically, six of the other ball-over-holding cylinders 40 are arranged at equal intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. In other words, a total of seven ball-over-holding cylinders 40 are provided.

[0050] The number of ball-over-holding cylinders 40 is the same as the number of ball-surrounding cylinders 39. In this embodiment, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, each ball-over-holding cylinder 40 is disposed within each ball-surrounding cylinder 39. Note that, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, the lower end of each ball-over-holding cylinder 40 may be disposed so as to overlap with each ball-surrounding cylinder 39.

[0051] As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the upper hole 41 is disposed at the upper end opening of the ball upper holding cylinder 40. The upper hole 41 is a circular hole. The upper hole 41 opens to the upper side of the top plate portion 33, that is, opens to the upper side of the inside plug 3. A plurality of upper holes 41 are provided. Each upper hole 41 is disposed at the upper end opening of each ball upper holding cylinder 40, and seven upper holes 41 are provided in this embodiment.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 1, the lower member 32 has a support wall portion 42, a lower ball retaining cylinder 43, a lower hole 44, and a sealing projection 45.

[0053] The support wall portion 42 is supported by the upper member 31 by undercut fitting or the like. The support wall portion 42 has a cylindrical large diameter portion 42a that fits into the lower member retaining cylinder 38 and a cylindrical small diameter portion 42b that is sandwiched between adjacent ball surrounding cylinders 39.

[0054] The ball under holding cylinder 43 is connected to the lower end of the support wall portion 42 and protrudes downward from the support wall portion 42. The ball under holding cylinder 43 is a tapered cylinder whose diameter decreases toward the bottom. As shown in Fig. 6, a plurality of ball under holding cylinders 43 are provided.

[0055] One of the multiple under-ball holding tubes 43 is arranged coaxially with the central axis O. The other under-ball holding tubes 43 are arranged radially outside the one under-ball holding tube 43. In this embodiment, the other under-ball holding tubes 43 are arranged side by side in the circumferential direction. The other under-ball holding tubes 43 are arranged in the circumferential direction so as to surround the one under-ball holding tube 43 from the radial outside. Specifically, six of the other under-ball holding tubes 43 are arranged at equal intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. That is, a total of seven under-ball holding tubes 43 are provided.

[0056] The number of under-ball holding cylinders 43 is the same as the number of ball surrounding cylinders 39. In addition, the number of under-ball holding cylinders 43 is the same as the number of above-ball holding cylinders 40. As shown in Fig. 1, the above-ball holding cylinders 40, the ball surrounding cylinders 39, and the under-ball holding cylinders 43 are aligned in the vertical direction and are coaxially arranged so that their central axes coincide with each other.

[0057] In this embodiment, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, the upper end portion of each ball under holding cylinder 43 is arranged to overlap with each ball surrounding cylinder 39. Also, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, a portion other than the upper end portion of each ball under holding cylinder 43 is arranged within each ball surrounding cylinder 39. Also, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, each ball under holding cylinder 43 is arranged to overlap with each ball above holding cylinder 40.

[0058] The lower hole 44 is disposed at the lower end opening of the ball lower holding tube 43. The lower hole 44 is a circular hole. The lower hole 44 opens to the lower side of the lower member 32, that is, opens to the lower side of the inside plug 3. The lower hole 44 also opens into the container body 2. The opening area of ​​the lower hole 44 is smaller than the opening area of ​​the upper hole 41. In other words, the opening area of ​​the upper hole 41 is larger than the opening area of ​​the lower hole 44. A plurality of lower holes 44 are provided. Each lower hole 44 is disposed at the lower end opening of each ball lower holding tube 43, and seven lower holes 44 are provided in this embodiment.

[0059] The sealing protrusions 45 protrude upward from the lower end opening (inner peripheral edge) of the ball under holding cylinder 43. The sealing protrusions 45 are in the shape of a circular ring centered on the central axis of the ball under holding cylinder 43. A plurality of sealing protrusions 45 are provided. Each sealing protrusion 45 is disposed at the lower end opening of each ball under holding cylinder 43, and seven sealing protrusions 45 are provided in this embodiment.

[0060] The inner plug 3 also has a communication hole 46. The communication hole 46 is a through hole that passes through the inner plug 3 in the vertical direction, and is defined by the inner circumferential surfaces of the ball upper holding tube 40, the ball surrounding tube 39, and the ball lower holding tube 43. The communication hole 46 communicates between the upper hole 41 and the lower hole 44. A plurality of communication holes 46 are provided. The number of communication holes 46 is the same as the number of sets of the ball upper holding tube 40, the ball surrounding tube 39, and the ball lower holding tube 43 that are lined up in the vertical direction, and is seven in this embodiment.

[0061] The ball body 4 is spherical. The ball body 4 is surrounded by the inner peripheral surfaces (i.e., the communicating holes 46) of the ball upper holding cylinder 40, the ball surrounding cylinder 39, and the ball lower holding cylinder 43. The outer diameter of the ball body 4 is larger than the inner diameter of the upper hole 41 and is larger than the inner diameter of the lower hole 44. The communicating holes 46 hold the ball body 4 rotatably.

[0062] An upper portion of the ball body 4 is exposed to the upper side through the upper hole 41. In other words, the upper hole 41 exposes the upper portion of the ball body 4 to the upper side of the inner plug 3. Specifically, the upper portion of the ball body 4 protrudes upward from the upper hole 41. A lower portion of the ball body 4 is exposed to the lower side and within the container body 2 through the lower hole 44. In other words, the lower hole 44 exposes the lower portion of the ball body 4 to the lower side of the inner plug 3 and within the container body 2.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 3, the ball 4 has a content holding portion 4a formed in a concave or convex shape on the surface of the ball 4. A plurality of content holding portions 4a are provided on the surface of the ball 4. The plurality of content holding portions 4a are arranged at intervals from one another on the surface of the ball 4. In this embodiment, the content holding portions 4a are dimple-shaped. The provision of the content holding portions 4a makes it easier for the ball 4 to hold the content C on its surface. Note that the content holding portions 4a are not shown in the figures other than FIG. 3.

[0064] A plurality of ball bodies 4 are provided. The number of ball bodies 4 is the same as the number of communication holes 46. Specifically, one of the plurality of ball bodies 4 is arranged coaxially with the central axis O. The other ball bodies 4 other than the one are arranged radially outside the one ball body 4. In this embodiment, a plurality of the other ball bodies 4 are provided side by side in the circumferential direction. The plurality of other ball bodies 4 are arranged in the circumferential direction so as to surround the one ball body 4 from the radial outside. Specifically, six of the other ball bodies 4 are arranged at equal pitches spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. That is, a total of seven ball bodies 4 are provided.

[0065] 6, in this embodiment, the number (six) of the other ball bodies 4 aligned in the circumferential direction is the same as the number (six) of the wiper portions 36. The other ball bodies 4 and the wiper portions 36 are disposed adjacent to each other in the radial direction.

[0066] 1 and 3, the inner lid 5 is disposed above the inner plug 3. The inner lid 5 is substantially disk-shaped and centered on a central axis O. As shown in Fig. 1, the inner lid 5 covers the cover wall portion 33b of the inner plug 3, the ball-upper retaining cylinder 40, the upper hole 41, and the upper portion of the ball body 4 from above in an openable and closable manner.

[0067] The inner lid 5 has an inner lid main body 51 , a fitting cylinder 52 , a pressing cylinder 53 , and an operating piece 57 . The inner lid body 51 is disk-shaped and centered on the central axis O. The outer periphery of the lower surface of the inner lid body 51 contacts the upper surface of the outer periphery wall 33a from above. The portion of the inner lid body 51 other than the outer periphery, i.e., the portion located radially inward from the outer periphery, is disposed above the cover wall 33b.

[0068] The inner lid body 51 has a curved wall portion 54, a first pressing portion 55, and a second pressing portion 56. The curved wall portion 54 is a dome-shaped wall portion that opens downward and bulges upward. When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the curved wall portion 54 is circular. The curved wall portion 54 covers the ball upper holding tube 40, the upper hole 41, and the upper portion of the ball body 4 from above. The inner surface of the curved wall portion 54 (the surface facing downward) is a concave curved surface, specifically, a concave hemispherical surface.

[0069] A plurality of curved wall portions 54 are provided. The number of curved wall portions 54 is the same as the number of ball upper retaining cylinders 40, the same as the number of upper holes 41, and the same as the number of ball bodies 4. That is, in this embodiment, a total of seven curved wall portions 54 are provided. Each curved wall portion 54 is disposed directly above each ball body 4.

[0070] The first pressing portion 55 is disposed at the lower end opening of the curved wall portion 54. The first pressing portion 55 protrudes downward from the lower end opening of the curved wall portion 54. The first pressing portion 55 is in the shape of a circular ring when viewed from below (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 1, the first pressing portion 55 contacts the ball-top holding tube 40 from above and from the outside. The first pressing portion 55 presses the outer peripheral surface of the ball-top holding tube 40 to bring the inner peripheral surface of the ball-top holding tube 40 into close contact with the surface of the ball body 4.

[0071] The second pressing portion 56 is disposed on the inner surface of the curved wall portion 54. The second pressing portion 56 protrudes downward from the inner surface of the curved wall portion 54. The second pressing portion 56 is in the shape of a circular ring when viewed from below (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 1, the second pressing portion 56 contacts the upper portion of the ball body 4 from above. The second pressing portion 56 presses the upper portion of the ball body 4 from above, causing the lower portion of the ball body 4 to adhere closely to the seal protrusion 45.

[0072] The first pressing portion 55 presses the ball-top retaining tube 40, and the second pressing portion 56 presses the ball body 4, thereby sealing between the ball-top retaining tube 40 and the ball body 4, and between the sealing protrusion 45 and the ball body 4. That is, when the inner lid 5 is closed to cover the inner plug 3 from above, that is, when the inner lid 5 is in the closed state, communication between the upper hole 41 and the lower hole 44 through the communication hole 46 is blocked.

[0073] 4, when the inner lid 5 is opened and the inner plug 3 is exposed upward, that is, when the inner lid 5 is in the open state, small gaps are provided between the ball-top retaining tube 40 and the ball 4, and between the sealing projection 45 and the ball 4, respectively, and the above-mentioned sealed state is released. Then, by rotating the ball 4 within the communication hole 46, the contents C attached to the ball 4 move from the lower hole 44 through the communication hole 46 to the upper hole 41, and can be taken out from the upper part of the ball 4 to the outside of the container body 2.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 1, the fitting tube 52 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the inner lid main body 51. The fitting tube 52 is cylindrical and centered on the central axis O. The fitting tube 52 fits into the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall portion 33a. The fitting tube 52 is disposed radially outside the multiple curved wall portions 54. When viewed from below, the fitting tube 52 surrounds the multiple curved wall portions 54 from the radial outside (see FIG. 3).

[0075] 1, the pressing tube 53 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the inner lid body 51. The pressing tube 53 is cylindrical and centered on the central axis O. The pressing tube 53 is located outside the multiple curved wall portions 54 and inside the fitting tube 52 in the radial direction.

[0076] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the operation piece 57 is plate-shaped. The operation piece 57 protrudes radially outward from a portion of the circumferential direction of the presser tube 53. Specifically, the operation piece 57 protrudes radially outward from a portion of the upper end of the presser tube 53 that is located on the opposite side of the inner hinge 8 with the central axis O therebetween, and extends in the circumferential direction. The radial outer end of the operation piece 57 is located radially outward from the outer periphery of the inner lid main body 51. When the inner lid 5 is in the closed state, the operation piece 57 is located directly above the cutout portion 33c, although not shown in particular. A user can open and close the inner lid 5 by operating the operation piece 57.

[0077] The inner hinge 8 connects a circumferential portion of the outer periphery of the inside plug 3 to a circumferential portion of the outer periphery of the inner lid 5 so as to be rotatable around the hinge axis of the inner hinge 8. Specifically, the inner hinge 8 connects a circumferential portion of the outer periphery wall portion 33a to a circumferential portion of the outer periphery of the inner lid main body 51 so as to be rotatable.

[0078] 1, the lid body 6 is disposed on the upper side of the container body 2. The lid body 6 is in the shape of a cylinder with a top centered on a central axis O. The lid body 6 covers the upper opening of the container body 2, the inner plug 3, and the inner lid 5 from above in an openable and closable manner.

[0079] The cover body 6 has an upper cover 61 , a rotating cover portion 62 , and a mirror 63 . The top cover 61 has a disk shape centered on a central axis O. The top cover 61 is disposed above the inner cover 5. The top cover 61 has an annular protrusion 64 and a hinge connection portion 65.

[0080] The annular protrusion 64 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the upper lid 61. The annular protrusion 64 is annular about the central axis O, and specifically, cylindrical (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 1, the lower end surface of the annular protrusion 64 contacts the upper end surface of the pressing tube 53 from above. That is, when the lid body 6 is closed to cover the inner lid 5 from above, that is, when the lid body 6 is in the closed state, the annular protrusion 64 presses the pressing tube 53 from above. Therefore, when the lid body 6 is in the closed state, the lid body 6 presses the inner lid 5 downward.

[0081] The annular projection 64 has a first locking projection 64a. The first locking projection 64a protrudes radially outward from a lower end portion of the annular projection 64 and extends in the circumferential direction.

[0082] The hinge connection portion 65 has a portion 65a that protrudes radially outward from a portion of the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the top cover 61, and a portion 65b that extends downward from this portion 65a and is connected to the outer hinge 7.

[0083] The rotating lid part 62 is generally cylindrical with a top and centered on the central axis O. The rotating lid part 62 covers the inner plug 3 and the inner lid 5 from the radial outside. The rotating lid part 62 is rotatable about the central axis O relative to the top lid 61. The rotating lid part 62 has a top wall part 62a, a peripheral wall part 62b, a second locking projection 62c, a second locking part 62d, and a female screw part 62e.

[0084] The top wall portion 62a has a circular ring plate shape centered on the central axis O. The top wall portion 62a is disposed below the upper lid 61. The upper surface of the top wall portion 62a is in slidable contact with the lower surface of the upper lid 61.

[0085] The peripheral wall portion 62b is cylindrical and extends in the vertical direction, centered on the central axis O. An upper end of the peripheral wall portion 62b is connected to the outer periphery of the top wall portion 62a. The peripheral wall portion 62b surrounds the outer periphery wall portion 33a and the peripheral wall 21 from the radially outer side.

[0086] The second locking projection 62c protrudes radially inward from the inner periphery of the top wall portion 62a and extends in the circumferential direction. The second locking projection 62c contacts the first locking projection 64a from above. The first locking projection 64a and the second locking projection 62c are locked together, thereby restricting the downward movement (detachment) of the rotating lid portion 62 from the top lid 61.

[0087] The second locking portion 62d is disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 62b. As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the second locking portion 62d is rib-shaped. The second locking portion 62d protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 62b and extends in the up-down direction. A plurality of second locking portions 62d are provided at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. The plurality of second locking portions 62d are arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction.

[0088] 1, when the rotating lid portion 62 is rotated about the central axis O, the second locking portion 62d comes into contact with the first locking portion 37 from the circumferential direction. Therefore, the rotating lid portion 62 and the inside plug 3 are configured to rotate together about the central axis O.

[0089] The female thread portion 62e is disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 62b. The female thread portion 62e is disposed below the second locking portion 62d. The female thread portion 62e is disposed at the lower end portion of the peripheral wall portion 62b. The female thread portion 62e is screwed into the male thread portion 25 of the container body 2.

[0090] By rotating the rotating lid part 62 to one side (one side in the circumferential direction) about the central axis O, the female screw part 62e and the male screw part 25 are screwed together, and the lid body 6 can be closed. By rotating the rotating lid part 62 to the other side (the other side in the circumferential direction) about the central axis O, the female screw part 62e and the male screw part 25 are released from the screwed together, and the lid body 6 can be opened. In other words, the lid body 6 can be opened and closed by rotating the rotating lid part 62.

[0091] 1 and 3, the mirror 63 is fixed to the lower surface of the upper cover 61 by adhesive or the like. In this embodiment, the mirror 63 is disk-shaped. The mirror 63 is fitted into the annular protrusion 64 on the radially inner side.

[0092] The outer hinge 7 connects a circumferential portion of the outer periphery of the container body 2 to a hinge connection portion 65 of the lid body 6 so as to be rotatable about a hinge axis of the outer hinge 7 .

[0093] 1, the content removal tool 9 is, for example, a puff. The content removal tool 9 is used when removing the content C attached to the ball body 4 by transferring it therefrom to the outside of the container body 2. The content removal tool 9 can be housed between the inner lid 5 and the mirror 63.

[0094] Next, a procedure (method) for removing the contents C from the compact case 1 will be described. First, as shown in Fig. 1, with the lid body 6 in a closed state and the inner lid 5 in a closed state, the user rotates the rotating lid part 62 about the central axis O to release the screw engagement between the male screw part 25 and the female screw part 62e. At this time, the inner plug 3 rotates together with the rotating lid part 62, and the wiper part 36 slides in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the container body 2, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 6. After the screw engagement between the male screw part 25 and the female screw part 62e is released, the lid body 6 is rotated about the outer hinge 7 to open the lid body 6 as shown in Fig. 2.

[0095] Next, the user operates the operating piece 57 to rotate the inner lid 5 about the inner hinge 8, so that the inner lid 5 is also opened as shown in FIG. Once the inner lid 5 is in the open state, as shown in Fig. 4, the user brings the contents removal tool 9 into contact with the upper part of the ball body 4 and rotates the ball body 4. By rotating the ball body 4, the contents C contained in the container body 2 move from the lower hole 44 through the communication hole 46 and the upper hole 41 to the upper part of the ball body 4, i.e., to the upper side of the top plate part 33. The user can remove the contents C attached to the upper part of the ball body 4 from the container by attaching (transferring) the contents C to the contents removal tool 9.

[0096] Next, the user applies the contents C attached to the contents removal tool 9 to a target object such as the human skin (not shown). After the desired application is completed, the inner lid 5 is closed and the lid body 6 is closed by reversing the above procedure.

[0097] According to the compact container 1 of the present embodiment described above, by rotating the inside plug 3 around the central axis O relative to the container body 2, as shown in Fig. 2, the wiper portion 36 of the inside plug 3 comes into sliding contact with the inner surface of the container body 2, and the contents C adhering to the inner surface can be scraped off. That is, the simple operation of rotating the inside plug 3 can promote the movement of the contents C inside the container body 2. This makes it easier for the contents C to adhere to the ball body 4, and prevents them from remaining in corners or the like without being removed from the container body 2. Therefore, according to the compact case 1 of this embodiment, the contents C in the case body 2 are prevented from being left unused, and the contents C can be used without waste.

[0098] In this embodiment, the ball body 4 has a content holding portion 4a on the surface thereof. In this case, the concave or convex content-holding portion 4a increases the surface area of ​​the ball 4 and makes it easier to capture the contents C, making it easier to hold the contents C on the surface of the ball 4. Therefore, the contents C adhering to the surface of the ball 4 can be efficiently removed outside the container.

[0099] In this embodiment, the container body 2 has a transmission portion 27 through which the inside can be visually observed. 7, the user can visually check the remaining amount of contents C from outside the container body 2 through the transmission portion 27. In addition, since the wiper portion 36 slides on the inner surface of the container body 2 to scrape off the contents C, it is easy to check the remaining amount of contents C through the transmission portion 27.

[0100] In this embodiment, the wiper portion 36 is elastically deformable and extends in a curved manner so as to come into contact with the peripheral wall 21 and the bottom wall 22 of the inner surface of the container body 2 . In this case, the wiper portion 36 is brought into intimate contact with the inner surfaces of the peripheral wall 21, the bottom wall 22, and the connecting portions 23 (corresponding to the corners) of the container body 2. Therefore, the contents C adhering to the inner surface of the container body 2 can be scraped off over a wide area and stably.

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the wiper portion 36 has the scraping ribs 36b, the contents C adhering to the inner surface of the container body 2 can be scraped off more stably.

[0102] In this embodiment, the lid body 6 can be opened and closed by rotating the rotating lid part 62, and the rotating lid part 62 and the inside plug 3 are configured to rotate together about the central axis O. In this case, when the lid 6 is opened or closed, by rotating the rotating lid part 62 about the central axis O, the inner plug 3 rotates about the central axis O together with the rotating lid part 62, and the contents C adhering to the inner surface of the container body 2 can be scraped off by the wiper part 36. In other words, the movement of the contents C adhering to the inner surface of the container body 2 can be promoted by opening and closing the lid 6 during normal use.

[0103] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the configuration may be modified within the scope of the present invention, for example as described below.

[0104] In the above embodiment, an example has been given in which the transmission portion 27 is disposed at the connection portion 23 among the wall portions of the container body 2, but this is not limiting. The transmission portion 27 may be disposed at the peripheral wall 21 or the bottom wall 22 of the container body 2. In addition, the number of transmission portions 27 provided in the container body 2 is not limited to multiple, and may be only one. It is more preferable that the transmission portion 27 is located at a portion of the inner surface of the container body 2 where the wiper portion 36 slides.

[0105] In the above embodiment, the first locking portion 37 and the second locking portion 62d are ribbed, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, one of the first locking portion 37 and the second locking portion 62d may be a rib and the other may be a groove that engages with the rib.

[0106] In addition, within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described embodiments and variations may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 1...compact container, 2...container body, 3...inner plug, 4...ball body, 4a...contents holding portion, 6...lid body, 21...periphery wall, 22...bottom wall, 27...transmitting portion, 36...wiper portion, 41...upper hole, 44...lower hole, 46...communicating hole, 62...rotating lid portion, C...contents, O...central axis

Claims

1. A container body having a bottomed cylindrical shape centered on a central axis and capable of accommodating contents; The container body and an inside plug that is rotatable around the central axis; a ball body disposed in the container body and rotatably held by the inner plug; The inner plug is an upper hole for exposing an upper portion of the ball body to an upper side of the inside plug; a pilot hole for exposing a lower portion of the ball body below the inside plug and within the container body; a communication hole that communicates the upper hole and the lower hole and holds the ball; and a wiper portion that slidably contacts the inner surface of the container body. Compact container.

2. The ball has a content holding portion formed in a concave or convex shape on the surface of the ball.

2. The compact container of claim 1.

3. The container body has a transparent portion through which the inside can be visually observed. The compact container according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The wiper portion is elastically deformable and curves to contact the peripheral wall and the bottom wall of the inner surface of the container body. The compact container according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A lid body is provided on the upper side of the container body, The lid body has a rotating lid portion that covers the inside plug from the radial outside and is rotatable around the central axis, The cover body can be opened and closed by rotating the rotating cover part, The rotating lid portion and the inside plug are configured to rotate together around the central axis. The compact container according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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