Beverage container

The beverage container design addresses spillage and grasping difficulties by using an operation button and elastic member to lift the opening/closing member, ensuring easy and secure operation.

JP7612305B2Active Publication Date: 2025-01-14ZOJIRUSHI CORPORATION
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2021096336
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2021-06-09
Publication Date
2025-01-14
Estimated Expiration
2041-06-09

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Conventional beverage containers with spring-biased opening/closing members face issues of beverage spillage during rotation and difficulty in grasping the member when closed.

Method used

A beverage container design featuring a lid with an operation button and elastic member that lifts the opening/closing member for easy grasping, using inclined surfaces for smooth rotation, and a stopper packing for sealing, along with a shutter mechanism to prevent erroneous operation.

Benefits of technology

Enables easy manual control of the opening/closing member, preventing spillage and ensuring secure closure, while allowing smooth and reliable operation.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide a beverage container with an opening and closing member covering a drinking spout that a user can easily grasp and rotate.SOLUTION: A beverage container 1 includes a bottomed cylindrical container body, and a lid body 20 covering an upper part of the container body. The lid body 20 has an opening and closing member 23, an operation button 27, and an elastic member 28. The opening and closing member 23 rotates between a closed state of covering a drinking spout 30 and an open state of opening the drinking spout 30. When opening the opening and closing member 23, a user pushes the operation button 27 backward. As a result, the operation button 27 and the opening and closing member 23 are disengaged. Thereafter, the operation button 27 moves forward due to a repulsive force of the elastic member 28. At this time, since a front surface 271 of the operation button 27 is an inclined surface, the opening and closing member 23 is pushed by the inclined surface and lifted upward. Therefore, the user can easily grasp the lifted opening and closing member 23 and rotate the same.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage container for storing a beverage therein. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a beverage container with a lid for storing a beverage inside. The beverage container has a cylindrical container body with a bottom and a lid that covers an opening at the top of the container body. The lid has a drinking spout that is a through hole and an opening / closing member that covers the drinking spout. A user of the beverage container opens the opening / closing member and drinks the beverage in the beverage container through the drinking spout.

[0003] A conventional beverage container is described, for example, in Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-047741 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In this type of beverage container, a structure is known in which a spring is attached to a hinge for rotating the opening / closing member, and the elastic force of the spring biases the opening / closing member toward the open state. However, when the opening / closing member is rotated by the elastic force of the spring, the momentum of the rotation may cause the beverage adhering to the packing of the opening / closing member to splash. Therefore, it is considered to not attach a spring to the hinge and to have the user rotate the opening / closing member manually.

[0006] However, when the opening / closing member is in a completely closed state, the user cannot place his / her hand on the lower end of the opening / closing member, which makes it difficult to grasp the opening / closing member.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a beverage container that allows a user to easily grasp and rotate an opening and closing member that covers the drinking spout. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The beverage container of the present invention is a beverage container for storing a beverage inside, and comprises a bottomed, cylindrical container body, and a lid body covering the upper part of the container body, the lid body having a lid member with a drinking spout forward of the center, an opening / closing member that rotates between a closed state that covers the drinking spout and an open state that opens the drinking spout, an operation button that can move in the front and back directions, and an elastic member that biases the operation button forward, the opening / closing member has an opening through which the operation button is inserted when in the closed state, and the front surface of the operation button is an inclined surface that slopes toward the rear as it moves upward.

[0009] According to the present invention, when the user presses the operation button backward, the operation button and the opening / closing member are disengaged. Then, as the operation button moves forward due to the repulsive force of the elastic member, the operation button is pushed by the inclined surface of the operation button and lifted upward along the rotational path of the opening / closing member. Therefore, the user can easily grasp and rotate the lifted opening / closing member.

[0010] In addition, it is preferable that the lid further includes a plug packing that seals the drinking spout while elastically deforming when the opening / closing member is in the closed state. In this case, when a user presses the operation button and the operation button and the opening / closing member are disengaged, the opening / closing member is lifted by the elastic force of the plug packing. This allows the inclined surface of the operation button to more reliably contact the lower edge of the opening / closing member.

[0011] In addition, it is preferable that the opening / closing member has a rear surface that contacts the front surface of the operation button, and the rear surface is an inclined surface that inclines toward the rear as it goes upward. In this way, by bringing the inclined surfaces into contact with each other, the opening / closing member can be lifted more smoothly while the operation button and the opening / closing member slide against each other.

[0012] It is also preferable that the cover further includes a shutter that is movable between a first position for closing the opening and a second position for opening the opening, thereby making it possible to prevent erroneous operation of the operation button.

[0013] It is also preferable that the shutter has a convex portion or a concave portion, and the opening / closing member further has a first concave portion that engages with the convex portion or a first convex portion that engages with the concave portion when the shutter is arranged at the first position, and a second concave portion that engages with the convex portion or a second convex portion that engages with the concave portion when the shutter is arranged at the second position. This makes it possible to maintain the position of the shutter at the first position or the second position. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the shutter from moving unintentionally. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, when the user presses the operation button backward, the operation button and the opening / closing member are disengaged. Then, as the operation button moves forward due to the repulsive force of the elastic member, the operation button is pushed by the inclined surface of the operation button and lifted upward along the rotational path of the opening / closing member. Therefore, the user can easily grasp and rotate the lifted opening / closing member. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the beverage container. [Diagram 2] 11 is a front view of the cover when the opening / closing member is in a closed state. FIG. [Diagram 3] 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the cover when the opening / closing member is in a closed state. FIG. [Figure 4]11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the cover when the operation button is pressed. FIG. [Diagram 5] 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the cover when a finger is released from the operation button. FIG. [Figure 6] 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lid when the opening / closing member is in an open state. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] <1. Beverage container composition> Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a beverage container 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The beverage container 1 is a tumbler with a lid that can store a beverage (liquid) such as tea or mineral water inside. A user of the beverage container 1 can carry the beverage container 1 with the beverage stored in it in a bag or the like, and can open an opening / closing member 23 (described later) of the beverage container 1 to drink the beverage inside as needed. As shown in Fig. 1, the beverage container 1 includes a container body 10 and a lid body 20.

[0018] The container body 10 is a main body part that stores a beverage inside. The container body 10 is made of, for example, stainless steel. The container body 10 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom. That is, the container body 10 has a disk-shaped bottom 11 and a substantially cylindrical side wall 12 that extends upward from the edge of the bottom 11. The bottom 11 and the side wall 12 each have a double structure, and have a vacuum layer between the inner surface and the outer surface. This allows the beverage stored inside the container body 10 to be kept warm or cold.

[0019] The outer peripheral surface of the side wall portion 12 has a shape of an inverted truncated cone. That is, the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the side wall portion 12 gradually increases as it goes upward. The outer diameter of the upper end portion of the container body 10 is larger than the outer diameter of the lower end portion of the container body 10. By making the outer peripheral surface of the side wall portion 12 into a tapered shape that gradually increases in diameter as it goes upward, it is possible to prevent the container body 10 from slipping out of the user's hand when the user grasps the outer peripheral surface of the side wall portion 12.

[0020] The inner circumferential surface of the side wall portion 12 has a first inner circumferential surface 121, an inclined surface 122, and a second inner circumferential surface 123. The first inner circumferential surface 121 is a cylindrical surface centered on the central axis A of the container body 10. A full water line 124 indicating the upper limit of the beverage that can be stored is formed near the upper end of the first inner circumferential surface 121. The inclined surface 122 is a surface that expands radially outward as it extends upward from the upper end of the first inner circumferential surface 121. The inner diameter of the inclined surface 122 gradually expands as it extends upward.

[0021] The second inner circumferential surface 123 is a cylindrical surface centered on the central axis A. The second inner circumferential surface 123 extends upward from the upper end of the inclined surface 122. The inner diameter of the second inner circumferential surface 123 is larger than the inner diameter of the first inner circumferential surface 121. The second inner circumferential surface 123 is formed with a female thread 13. The female thread 13 is a spiral groove.

[0022] The lid body 20 is a component that covers the opening at the top of the container body 10. The lid body 20 is detachable from the top of the container body 10. A user carries the beverage container 1 with the lid body 20 attached to the container body 10. In addition, the user removes the lid body 20 from the container body 10 when refilling the beverage or cleaning the beverage container 1. With the lid body 20 attached to the container body 10, a portion of the lid body 20 is inserted into the opening at the top of the container body 10.

[0023] Fig. 2 is a front view of the lid body 20. Figs. 3 to 6 are vertical cross-sectional views of the lid body 20. As shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the lid body 20 of this embodiment has a lower member 21, an upper member 22, an opening / closing member 23, a ring packing 24, a plug packing 26, an operation button 27, an elastic member 28, and a shutter 29. The lower member 21, the upper member 22, the opening / closing member 23, the operation button 27, and the shutter 29 are each made of a synthetic resin that is not easily elastically deformed.

[0024] The lower member 21 is a substantially cylindrical member that constitutes the lower part of the lid body 20. With the lid body 20 attached to the container body 10, the lower member 21 is inserted into the opening at the top of the container body 10. A male thread 210 that can be screwed into the female thread 13 of the container body 10 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the lower member 21. The male thread 210 is a helical protrusion. The lid body 20 is attached to the container body 10 by screwing the male thread 210 into the female thread 13 of the container body 10.

[0025] The upper member 22 is a substantially disk-shaped member located above the lower member 21. The lower member 21 described above has a plurality of claw portions 211. The claw portions 211 extend upward from the outer periphery of the lower member 21, and their tips protrude radially outward. The upper member 22 has step portions 221 with which the claw portions 211 can engage. The plurality of claw portions 211 engage with the step portions 221. This causes the upper member 22 and the lower member 21 to be fixed and integrated together.

[0026] The lower member 21 and the upper member 22 are an example of the "lid member" in the present invention. That is, in this embodiment, the "lid member" is composed of two members, the lower member 21 and the upper member 22. However, the "lid member" may be composed of a single member, or may be composed of three or more members. The lower member 21 and the upper member 22 have a drinking spout 30. The drinking spout 30 is a through hole that passes through the lower member 21 and the upper member 22 in the vertical direction. In addition, the drinking spout 30 is located forward (on the pouring side) of the center of the lower member 21 and the upper member 22.

[0027] The opening / closing member 23 is a member for opening and closing the drinking spout 30 of the upper member 22. The opening / closing member 23 rotates about a hinge 222 provided on the upper member 22 between a closed state in which the drinking spout 30 is covered and an open state in which the drinking spout 30 is opened. Note that no spring is provided on the hinge 222. Therefore, the opening / closing member 23 does not open automatically by the elastic force of a spring, but is manually moved between the closed state and the open state by the user.

[0028] The opening / closing member 23 has a top plate portion 231 and a front wall portion 232 extending downward from a front end (front end in the closed state) of the top plate portion 231. An opening 233 is provided in the front wall portion 232. The opening 233 is a rectangular through-hole that penetrates the front wall portion 232 in the front-rear direction (front-rear direction in the closed state).

[0029] The ring packing 24 is a sealing member for preventing the beverage from leaking out from between the container body 10 and the lid body 20. The ring packing 24 is annular about the central axis A. The ring packing 24 is made of an elastically stretchable elastomer.

[0030] The ring packing 24 is fixed to a position lower than the male screw 210 of the lower member 21. When the male screw 210 of the lid body 20 is screwed into the female screw 13 of the container body 10, the ring packing 24 comes into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the container body 10. More specifically, the ring packing 24 elastically deforms and adheres closely to the boundary between the first inner circumferential surface 121 and the inclined surface 122. This seals the gap between the upper end of the first inner circumferential surface 121 and the ring packing 24.

[0031] The plug gasket 26 is a sealing member for sealing the drinking spout 30 when the opening / closing member 23 is in the closed state. The plug gasket 26 is made of an elastically stretchable elastomer. As shown in FIG. 3, the plug gasket 26 has a fixing portion 31 and a lip portion 32.

[0032] The fixing part 31 is fixed to the lower surface of the opening / closing member 23 (the lower surface in the closed state). More specifically, the fixing part 31 is fixed to the lower surface of the opening / closing member 23 with an adhesive. This integrates the opening / closing member 23 and the plug gasket 26. The bonding surfaces of the opening / closing member 23 and the fixing part 31 have an uneven shape. This increases the area of ​​the bonding surface, allowing the fixing part 31 to be firmly fixed to the opening / closing member 23.

[0033] The lip portion 32 is a thin-walled portion that can be elastically deformed. The lip portion 32 protrudes outward and downward from the peripheral edge of the lower end of the fixed portion 31. When the opening / closing member 23 is in the closed state, the lip portion 32 of the plug gasket 26 comes into contact with the edge of the drinking spout 30. More specifically, the upper surface of the edge of the drinking spout 30 is an inclined surface that gradually decreases in diameter toward the drinking spout 30. The lip portion 32 comes into close contact with this inclined surface while elastically deforming. This seals the drinking spout 30.

[0034] The operation button 27 is a member that the user presses when opening the opening / closing member 23. The operation button 27 is movable in the front-rear direction relative to the lower member 21 and the upper member 22. The operation button 27 moves in the front-rear direction between a protruding position shown in Figs. 3 and 6 and a retracted position shown in Fig. 4. The protruding position is located forward (on the pouring side) of the retracted position. In addition, a front surface 271 of the operation button 27 is a surface that is inclined in the front-rear direction. More specifically, the front surface 271 of the operation button 27 is an inclined surface that is inclined so as to approach the rear as it goes upward.

[0035] The elastic member 28 is a member for biasing the operation button 27 forward. For example, a coil spring capable of expanding and contracting in the front-rear direction is used as the elastic member 28. However, instead of a coil spring, a leaf spring or rubber may be used as the elastic member 28. The elastic member 28 is inserted between the operation button 27 and the upper member 22 in a state in which it is compressed in the front-rear direction beyond its natural length. Therefore, the elastic repulsive force of the elastic member 28 constantly presses the operation button 27 forward (towards the protruding position).

[0036] When the user rotates the opening / closing member 23 from the open state shown in Fig. 6 to the closed state, the lower edge of the front wall portion 232 of the opening / closing member 23 comes into contact with the front surface 271 of the operation button 27 as shown in Fig. 5. Then, the operation button 27 is pushed by the front wall portion 232 and moves backward once. After that, when the opening / closing member 23 reaches the closed state and the opening 233 of the front wall portion 232 and the operation button 27 overlap, the operation button 27 protrudes forward again by the repulsive force of the elastic member 28 and is inserted into the opening 233 of the front wall portion 232. As a result, the opening / closing member 23 and the operation button 27 engage with each other as shown in Fig. 3, and the opening / closing member 23 is maintained in the closed state.

[0037] On the other hand, when opening the opening / closing member 23 from the closed state shown in FIG. 3, the user presses the front surface 271 of the operation button 27 exposed in the opening 233 backward as shown in FIG. 4. This moves the operation button 27 from the protruding position to the retracted position, and disengages the opening / closing member 23 from the operation button 27. At this time, the plug packing 26, which is an elastic body, returns to its natural state from the compressed state. Due to the elastic force of the plug packing 26, the opening / closing member 23 is slightly lifted from the closed state. As a result, the lower edge portion of the front wall portion 232 of the opening / closing member 23 is disposed in front of the front surface 271 of the operation button 27.

[0038] Thereafter, when the user releases his / her finger from the operation button 27, the operation button 27 protrudes forward again from the retracted position due to the repulsive force of the elastic member 28. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the front surface 271 of the operation button 27 comes into contact with the lower edge of the front wall portion 232 of the opening / closing member 23. Then, as the operation button 27 moves forward, the front wall portion 232 of the opening / closing member 23 moves upward along the inclined front surface 271 of the operation button 27. As a result, the opening / closing member 23 is further lifted. Therefore, the user can easily grasp the lifted opening / closing member 23, and can easily rotate the grasped opening / closing member 23 to the open state shown in FIG. 6.

[0039] In particular, in the opening / closing member 23 of this embodiment, the rear surface 234 of the lower edge is a surface that is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction. More specifically, the rear surface 234 of the lower edge of the opening / closing member 23 is an inclined surface that is inclined so as to approach the rear as it goes upward in the closed state. Then, the front surface 271 of the operation button 27 contacts the rear surface 234 of the opening / closing member 23. In this way, by bringing the inclined surfaces into contact with each other, the front wall portion 232 of the opening / closing member 23 can be smoothly slid relative to the operation button 27. Therefore, the opening / closing member 23 can be lifted more smoothly while the front wall portion 232 is sliding relative to the operation button 27.

[0040] The shutter 29 is a member for closing the opening 233 of the opening / closing member 23. The shutter 29 is a substantially rectangular plate-like member. The shutter 29 is held in a state in which it can slide up and down on the front wall portion 232 of the opening / closing member 23. The shutter 29 is movable between a first position in which the opening 233 is closed and a second position in which the opening 233 is opened. When the shutter 29 is placed in the first position, the front surface 271 of the operation button 27 is covered by the shutter 29. In this state, the user cannot touch the operation button 27. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the operation button 27 from being operated erroneously. On the other hand, when the shutter 29 is placed in the second position, the opening 233 is opened and the front surface 271 of the operation button 27 is exposed. In this state, the user can press the operation button 27 to open the opening / closing member 23.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 2, the shutter 29 has a pair of minute protrusions 291 on the left and right edges. On the other hand, the opening / closing member 23 has a pair of minute first recesses 235 and a pair of minute second recesses 236 provided above the first recesses 235. When the shutter 29 is placed in the first position, the protrusions 291 engage with the first recesses 235. This allows the opening / closing member 23 to be maintained in the first position. When the shutter 29 is placed in the second position, the protrusions 291 engage with the second recesses 236. This allows the opening / closing member 23 to be maintained in the second position.

[0042] The shutter 29 may have a minute recess instead of the protrusion 291. In that case, the opening / closing member 23 may have a first protrusion that engages with the recess of the shutter 29 when the shutter 29 is arranged at the first position, and a second protrusion that engages with the recess of the shutter 29 when the shutter 29 is arranged at the second position.

[0043] <2. Modifications> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0044] In the above embodiment, the plug gasket 26 seals the drinking spout 30 by bringing the annular lip portion 32 into contact with the periphery of the drinking spout 30. However, the plug gasket 26 may also seal the drinking spout 30 by bringing a hemispherical protrusion into contact with the drinking spout 30.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the rear surface 234 of the lower edge of the opening / closing member 23 is an inclined surface. However, this portion of the opening / closing member 23 does not have to be an inclined surface. In other words, the opening / closing member 23 may have a structure in which the front surface 271 of the operation button 27 comes into contact with the rear corner of the lower edge of the opening / closing member 23.

[0046] Also, the cover body 20 in the above embodiment has the shutter 29 to prevent erroneous operation of the operation button 27. However, erroneous operation of the operation button 27 may be prevented by a method other than the shutter 29. For example, the cover body 20 may be provided with a lock mechanism that stops movement of the operation button 27 in the front-rear direction.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the outer circumferential surface of the container body 10 has a tapered shape that gradually expands in diameter toward the top. However, the outer circumferential surface of the container body may be a straight cylindrical surface.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the inner circumferential surface of the container body 10 has the first inner circumferential surface 121, the inclined surface 122, and the second inner circumferential surface 123. However, the inner circumferential surface of the container body may be a straight cylindrical surface that does not have an inclined surface.

[0049] Furthermore, the beverage container 1 in the above embodiment is of a type (internal thread type) in which a female thread 13 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the upper part of the container body 10, and a male thread 210 provided on the lid body 20 is screwed into the female thread 13. However, the beverage container may be of a type (external thread type) in which a male thread is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the upper part of the container body, and a female thread provided on the lid body is screwed into the male thread.

[0050] Furthermore, the beverage container 1 in the above embodiment is a tumbler having a lid 20. However, the beverage container may be a stainless steel mug.

[0051] In addition, the detailed shape of the beverage container may differ from that shown in each drawing of the present application. Furthermore, the elements appearing in the above-mentioned embodiment and modified examples may be appropriately combined within a range not causing a contradiction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1 beverage container 10 Container body 11 Bottom 12 Side wall 20 Lid 21 Lower member 22 Upper member 23 Opening and closing members 24 Ring packing 26 Plug packing 27 Operation Buttons 28 Elastic Members 29 Shutter 30 Mouth 222 Hinge 231 Top plate 232 Front wall 233 Aperture 234 Rear 235 First recess 236 Second Recess 271 Front 291 Convex A center axis

Claims

1. A beverage container for storing a beverage therein, A cylindrical container body with a bottom; A lid for covering an upper portion of the container body; Equipped with The lid body is A lid member attached to the container body and having a drinking spout forward of the center; an operation button movable in a front-rear direction relative to the cover member; an opening / closing member that rotates relative to the lid member and the operation button between a closed state that covers the drinking spout and an open state that opens the drinking spout; an elastic member that biases the operation button forward; having The opening and closing member is an opening into which the operation button is inserted when the operation button is in the closed state; having The opening / closing member is not biased toward an open state, A beverage container, wherein the front surface of the operation button is an inclined surface that inclines so as to approach the rear as it extends upward.

2. 2. The beverage container of claim 1, The lid body is A plug packing that seals the drinking spout while elastically deforming when the opening / closing member is in the closed state. The beverage container further comprises:

3. A beverage container according to claim 1 or 2, the opening / closing member has a rear surface that comes into contact with the front surface of the operation button, The rear surface of the beverage container is an inclined surface that slopes upward and toward the rear.

4. A beverage container for storing a beverage therein, A cylindrical container body with a bottom; A lid for covering an upper portion of the container body; Equipped with The lid body is A lid member having a drinking spout located forward of the center; An opening / closing member that rotates between a closed state that covers the drinking spout and an open state that opens the drinking spout; An operation button that can be moved forward and backward; an elastic member that biases the operation button forward; having The opening and closing member is an opening into which the operation button is inserted when the operation button is in the closed state; having The front surface of the operation button is an inclined surface that is inclined so as to approach the rear as it goes upward, The lid body is a shutter movable between a first position for closing the opening and a second position for opening the opening; The beverage container further comprises:

5. 5. The beverage container of claim 4, The shutter has a convex portion or a concave portion, The opening and closing member is a first recess that engages with the protrusion when the shutter is disposed at the first position, or a first protrusion that engages with the recess; a second recess that engages with the protrusion when the shutter is disposed at the second position, or a second protrusion that engages with the recess; The beverage container further comprises:

Citation Information

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