cap

Abstract

To provide a cap and usage thereof that can reduce load on a user to seal spout with an inner plug.SOLUTION: A spout which is an example of the cap includes: a spout body 2 to which a spout 20 is formed and attached to a pouch which is an example of a container; an upper lid 3 screwed into the spout body 2; and an inner plug 29 connected to the edge of the spout 20 by a weakened line 28. The upper lid 3 has: a top plate 30; a skirt 31 formed on an outer peripheral edge of the top plate 30; and an abutting part 39 formed inside the skirt 31. The top plate 30 and / or the abutting part 39 of the upper lid 3 presses the inner plug 29 until the weakened line 28 breaks when moving to a pouch side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention is P This is related to. [Background technology]

[0002] A cap is attached to a container that contains a content such as a liquid, and allows the liquid to pass when the liquid is needed, and seals the liquid when the liquid is not needed. Of course, the cap needs to adequately seal the liquid even before the first use. For this reason, the cap is required to have high sealing performance.

[0003] In order to improve the sealing performance of the cap, particularly the sealing performance before the cap is used for the first time, it is effective to seal the spout formed in the lid body of the cap with an inner plug. However, sealing the spout with an inner plug increases the number of parts by the number of the inner plug.

[0004] In response to this, a cap has been proposed in which the inner plug can be separated from the lid body (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This cap 1 is sold as a container with a lid (attached to the container), and then a user who purchases this container with a lid separates the inner plug (separation part 4) from the lid body (fitting part 5) by rotating the top lid 3. This makes the separation easy and reliable. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2007 / 126062 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Incidentally, in the cap 1 described in Patent Document 1, the inner plug (separation part 4) is separated from the lid body (fitting part 5) by the inner plug (separation part 4) being pressed against a protruding part 409 which descends together with the top lid 3 as the top lid 3 rotates. This protruding part 409 is formed downward from the top plate (upper end wall 403b) of the top lid 3, and is therefore structurally fragile; however, if the top lid 3 is rotated manually by the user, the load is small and there is no problem.

[0007] However, if the top lid 3 is rotated by a machine, there is a risk of damage to the structurally fragile protrusion 409. For this reason, the cap 1 described in Patent Document 1 must rely on the user turning the top lid 3 by hand to rotate the top lid 3, that is, to separate the inner plug (separation part 4) from the lid body (fitting part 5) and seal the spout with the inner plug (separation part 4), which places a burden on the user.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention provides a cap that can reduce the burden on the user in sealing the spout with an inner plug. P The purpose is to provide. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, a cap according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a lid body having a spout formed therein and attached to a container; An upper cover that is screwed onto the cover body; and an inner plug separated from the spout of the lid body, the edge of the spout and / or the inner plug have a broken weakened line; The top cover is A top plate for holding an inner plug separated from the spout; A skirt formed on the outer periphery of the top plate; a contact portion and an inner peripheral screw portion formed on the inner side of the skirt, The inner plug is sandwiched inside the skirt and in contact with the top plate, so that the inner plug is held by the top plate, A space is formed between the abutting portion of the upper lid and the inner plug, The lid body has an outer peripheral screw portion, With the inner plug separated from the spout held on the top plate, the inner peripheral threaded portion of the top lid is threadedly engaged with the outer peripheral threaded portion of the lid body. Effect of the Invention

[0013] The cap P Therefore, since the top plate and / or abutment portion of the upper lid that presses the inner stopper is structurally stable, there is no need to rely on the user to make the top plate and / or abutment portion press the inner stopper to separate it from the lid body, and as a result, the burden on the user in sealing the spout with the inner stopper can be reduced. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a right side cross-sectional view showing a front view of a spout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a right-side cross-sectional view showing a side view of a spout body of the spout. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a right side cross-sectional view showing a front view of an upper cover of the spout. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a right-side cross-sectional view as viewed from the front, illustrating a separation step in a method of using the spout. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a right-side cross-sectional view showing a front view of the spout being used according to a method of using the spout. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] A cap and a method of using the cap according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Note that a spout will be described as an example of the cap.

[0016] First, the spout will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Next, a method of using the spout will be described with reference to Figures 1, 4 and 5. [Spout]

[0017] Fig. 1 is a right-side cross-sectional view showing a front view of the spout 1. As will be described in detail later, the spout 1 includes a spout body 2 and an upper cover 3, Fig. 2 is a right-side cross-sectional view showing a side view of the spout body 2, and Fig. 3 is a right-side cross-sectional view showing a front view of the upper cover 3. Although not shown, the spout 1 or the spout is attached to a pouch, which is an example of a container.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, the spout 1 comprises a spout body 2 (an example of a lid body) that is attached to the pouch, and an upper lid 3 that screws onto the spout body 2. The spout body 2 is formed with a spout outlet 20 through which the contents (liquid, powder, viscous material, etc.) stored in the pouch are poured out from the pouch to the outside. The spout 1 further comprises an inner plug 29 that closes the spout outlet 20 on the inside of the upper lid 3. The inner plug 29 is connected to the edge of the spout outlet 20 by a weakened line 28.

[0019] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the spout body 2 has, in order from the side closest to the spout 20, a shoulder 21, an outer peripheral screw portion 22 to which the top cover 3 is screwed, an outer protruding portion 23 that exerts a tamper tracing function (hereinafter referred to as TE function), and a welding portion 24 that is welded to the pouch. The outer peripheral screw portion 22 moves the top cover 3 toward the welding portion 24 when the top cover 3 is fastened. The outer protruding portion 23 is shaped so that its diameter gradually increases from the spout 20 side toward the welding portion 24 side, but increases sharply from the welding portion 24 side toward the spout 20 side. A weakened line 28 that connects the edge of the spout 20 in the spout body 2 to an inner plug 29 is a portion that breaks when the inner plug 29 is pressed toward the welding portion 24 side. For this reason, the weakened line 28 is in the form of a thin-walled score portion all around, or a bridge shape having intermittent gaps.

[0020] As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the top cover 3 has a top plate 30 located at the farthest position from the welded portion 24, and a skirt 31 continuing from the outer periphery of the top plate 30. The skirt 31 has, in order from the side closest to the top plate 30, an abutment portion 39 that can abut against the inner plug 29, an inner peripheral screw portion 32 that screws into the outer peripheral screw portion 22 of the spout body 2, and an inner folded portion 33 that exerts the TE function. As shown in Fig. 1, the abutment portion 39 does not abut against the inner plug 29 when the spout 1 is used, but is in a position where it abuts against the inner plug 29 when the top cover 3 is tightened. In particular, the abutment portion 39 is provided on the skirt 31, not on the top plate 30, which provides structural stability. The inner peripheral screw portion 32 moves the top cover 3 toward the welded portion 24 by screwing with the outer peripheral screw portion 22 when the top cover 3 is tightened. The inner folded portion 33 is a portion folded back inward from the end of the skirt 31 on the welding portion 24 side toward the top plate 30. Therefore, when the inner folded portion 33 moves from the spout 20 side toward the welding portion 24 side, it climbs over the outer protruding portion 23 of the spout body 2, which gradually expands in diameter, but when it moves from the welding portion 24 side toward the spout 20 side, it gets caught by the outer protruding portion 23 of the spout body 2, which rapidly expands in diameter. When the top cover 3 is rotated so as to move further toward the spout 20 side while the inner folded portion 33 is caught on the outer protruding portion 23, it is torn off so as to be separated from the other portions of the top cover 3. That is, the TE function is exerted by this tearing. As shown in FIG. 3, the skirt 31 may have a weakened portion 35 as a portion to be torn off as the TE function. The skirt 31 may have a knurled outer periphery so that the top lid 3 can be easily rotated by hand to tighten and to open the top lid 3. The top lid 3 has the same shape whether it is in a tightened state or a tightened state. [Spout manufacturing method]

[0021] Next, a method for producing the spout 1 will be described.

[0022] First, two components constituting the spout 1 are molded. One of the two components is the spout body 2 and the inner plug 29 connected to the spout outlet 20 of the spout body 2 by a weakened line 28 as shown in FIG. 2, and the other is the top lid 3 screwed onto the spout body 2 as shown in FIG. 3. For example, if the spout 1 is made of resin, injection molding is used for the molding. Then, the top lid 3 is placed on the spout body 2 to which the inner plug 29 is connected, and the top lid 3 is tightened until the abutment portion 39 of the top lid 3 comes into contact with the inner plug 29, thereby manufacturing the spout 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0023] The spout 1 may be in a state where the welded portion 24 of the spout body 2 is attached to the pouch, or may be in a state where the welded portion 24 is not yet attached to the pouch.

[0024] In this way, with the spout 1, the top plate 30 and / or abutment portion 39 of the top lid 3 that presses against the inner stopper 29 is structurally stable, so there is no need to rely on the user to have the top plate 30 and / or abutment portion 39 press against the inner stopper 29 to separate it from the spout body 2, and as a result, the burden on the user in sealing the spout 20 with the inner stopper 29 is reduced.

[0025] Although the spout 1 has been described so far, the present invention is not limited to this and may be applied to any cap. In the case of a cap, the above description should be interpreted such that the pouch is replaced with a container and the spout body 2 is replaced with a lid body.

[0026] Also, the spout 1 has been described as having the top lid 3 screwed in until just before the abutment portion 39 of the top lid 3 comes into contact with the inner plug 29, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the spout 1 may have the top lid 3 slightly screwed in (the inner peripheral screwed portion 32 is slightly screwed into the outer peripheral screwed portion 22), the top lid 3 may be simply placed on the spout body 2 but not screwed in (the inner peripheral screwed portion 32 is not screwed into the outer peripheral screwed portion 22), or the top lid 3 may not be placed on the spout body 2. [How to use the spout]

[0027] A method of using the spout 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0028] Fig. 4 is a right-side cross-sectional view in a front view illustrating the state after the inner plug 29 has been separated from the edge of the spout 20 in the spout body 2 that constitutes the spout 1. Fig. 5 is a right-side cross-sectional view in a front view illustrating the state in which the inner plug 29 separated from the spout 20 is held by the top plate 30 of the top lid 3 (i.e., the spout 1 in a state after it has been used).

[0029] First, the method of using the spout 1 includes a separation step in which the top plate 30 and / or the abutment portion 39 of the top cover 3 presses the inner plug 29, thereby breaking the weakened line 28 connecting the edge of the spout 20 and the inner plug 29, and separating the inner plug 29 from the spout 20. Specifically, from the spout 1 in a state in which the top cover 3 is placed on the spout body 2 and slightly tightened as shown in FIG. 1, the top cover 3 is moved toward the welded portion 24 side (pouch side) by further tightening the top cover 3 as shown in FIG. The abutment portion 39 of the top cover 3 moving toward the welded portion 24 presses the inner plug 29, thereby breaking the weakened line 28 (see FIG. 1) formed on the edge of the spout 20. The top plate 30 may press the inner plug 29 instead of the abutment portion 39, or the abutment portion 39 and the top plate 30 may press the inner plug 29. Through the separation process, a portion of the inner plug 29 enters the pouring outlet 20 and seals the pouring outlet 20 .

[0030] Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the method of using the spout 1 further includes a holding step of holding the inner plug 29 separated from the spout 20 on the top plate 30 of the top cover 3. In this holding step, after the separation step, the top cover 3 is further tightened to make the abutment portion 39 climb over the inner plug 29 and move the abutment portion 39 until it comes into contact with the shoulder portion 21 of the spout body 2. As a result, the top plate 30 of the top cover 3 comes into contact with the inner plug 29, and the inner plug 29 is held by the top plate 30. Meanwhile, the inner folded portion 33 of the top cover 3 climbs over the outer protruding portion 23 of the spout body 2 and is in a state immediately before being caught by the outer protruding portion 23. In this way, the spout 1 shown in FIG. 1 is in a state after use, as shown in FIG. 5. Note that, when the inner plug 29 is held by the top plate 30, a space is formed between the abutment portion 39 of the top cover 3 and the inner plug 29.

[0031] When opening the spout 1 in the state after use shown in Fig. 5, by rotating the top lid 3 in the direction opposite to the fastening direction, the inner folded portion 33 gets caught on the outer protruding portion 23, and the inner folded portion 33 is torn off so as to be separated from the other parts of the top lid 3. The outer peripheral threaded portion 22 and the inner peripheral threaded portion 32, the shoulder portion 21 and the abutment portion 39 are designed so that the rotation of the top lid 3 required from the state shown in Fig. 5 until it is torn off is 550° to 570°. Of course, it is also designed so that when the top lid 3 is further rotated after the torn off, the abutment portion 39 will pull the inner plug 29 away from the spout 20 (unseal the spout 20).

[0032] In this way, according to the method of using the spout 1, the top plate 30 and / or the abutment portion 39 of the top cover 3 that presses the inner plug 29 is structurally stable, so there is no need to rely on the user for the separation process, and as a result, the burden on the user can be reduced.

[0033] Furthermore, since the separating step and the holding step are carried out successively by fastening the upper lid 3, the use of the spout 1 can be further simplified.

[0034] In addition, since a space is formed between the abutment portion 39 of the spout 1 after use and the inner plug 29, even if the spout 1 after use receives an impact on the top cover 3 due to being dropped, etc., the impact is unlikely to be transmitted to the inner plug 29, so that the sealing of the spout 20 can be maintained stably.

[0035] Although the shape of the abutment portion 39 was not described in detail in the above embodiment, it is preferable that the abutment portion 39 be a continuous annular shape around the entire circumference. This is because, by having the abutment portion 39 be a continuous annular shape around the entire circumference, the pressure applied from the abutment portion 39 to the inner plug 29 to break the weakened line 28 and the pressure applied from the abutment portion 39 to the inner plug 29 to separate the inner plug 29 from the spout 20 (to release the seal of the spout 20) become uniform around the entire circumference.

[0036] In addition, in the above embodiment, the shape of the inner plug 29 was not described in detail, but as shown in Fig. 1, it is preferable that the portion of the inner plug 29 projecting from the spout 20 is rounded on the top plate 30 side rather than being angular, and is angular on the welded portion 24 side. This is because with this shape, when the spout 1 is used, the abutment portion 39 moving toward the welded portion 24 side can easily climb over the inner plug 29, and when the top lid 3 is opened, the abutment portion 39 moving toward the top plate 30 side can easily pull the inner plug 29 away from the spout 20 (unseal the spout 20).

[0037] Furthermore, the above-mentioned embodiment is illustrative in all respects and is not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. Among the caps and their methods of use described in the above-mentioned embodiment, the configurations other than those described as the first and second inventions in the "Means for solving the problem" are optional and can be deleted or modified as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1 Spout 2 Spout body 3 Top lid 20 spout 21 Shoulder 22 Outer peripheral screw joint 23 Inner protrusion 24 Welded area 28 Line of weakness 29 Inner plug 30 Tabletop 31 Skirt 32 Inner screw thread 33 Inside folding part 35 Weakened part 36 Knurling 39 Contact part

Claims

[Claim 1] A lid body having a spout formed therein and attached to the container; An upper cover that is screwed onto the cover body; and an inner plug separated from the spout of the lid body, the edge of the spout and / or the inner plug have a broken weakened line; The top cover is A top plate for holding an inner plug separated from the spout; A skirt formed on the outer periphery of the top plate; a contact portion and an inner peripheral screw portion formed on the inner side of the skirt, The inner plug is sandwiched inside the skirt and in contact with the top plate, so that the inner plug is held by the top plate, A space is formed between the abutting portion of the upper lid and the inner plug, The lid body has an outer peripheral screw portion, A cap characterized in that, with the inner plug separated from the spout being held on a top plate, the inner peripheral threaded portion of the top lid and the outer peripheral threaded portion of the lid body are threadedly engaged with each other.

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