Screw cap

Abstract

To provide a screw cap whose TE ring detached from a lid cap is hard to fall from a nozzle part of a cap body.SOLUTION: The screw cap comprises a cap body B having a nozzle part 13 and attached to a container body A, a lid cap C screwed and attached onto the nozzle part, and a TE ring D continuously provided at a lower end of the lid cap via a breakable weakened piece 31. The nozzle part comprises a male screw part 20 screwed onto an outer peripheral surface 17a tilted to be tapered off to a tip; a TE ring fitting part 18 which is formed below the male screw part and to which the TE ring is fitted; and a positioning protrusion 22 projecting from the TE ring fitting part. The lid cap includes a female screw part 28 screwed onto an inner peripheral surface 26a corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle part. The TE ring includes a positioning recess 33 formed at an inner-peripherally lower portion and engaged with the positioning protrusion of the nozzle part. The male screw part and the female screw part can be capped when the lid cap is attached to the nozzle part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a screw cap, and more particularly to a screw cap with a TE ring that can confirm the opened state.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a cap for a container that stores contents such as honey, there is known a screw cap having a nozzle portion, a cap body attached to the container body, a lid cap screwed and attached to the nozzle portion, and a TE (tamper evident) ring connected to the lower end of the lid cap via a breakable weakened piece. When the lid cap is opened, the TE ring is separated from the lid cap, and the opened state can be confirmed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the screw cap described in Patent Document 1, when opening the lid, the rotation of the TE ring (PP band) with respect to the nozzle portion can be made impossible by the ratchet claw, and it can be surely separated from the lid cap. However, since the undercut portion for locking the TE ring to the TE ring fitting portion of the nozzle portion cannot be formed large, there is a problem that the separated TE ring easily falls off from the TE ring fitting portion of the nozzle portion.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and provide a screw cap in which the TE ring separated from the lid cap hardly falls off from the nozzle portion.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a screw cap comprising: a cap body having a nozzle portion and adapted to be attached to a container body; a lid cap screwed onto the nozzle portion; and a TE ring connected to the lower end of the lid cap via a breakable weakening piece. The nozzle portion includes an external thread portion screwed onto an outer peripheral surface that slopes towards the tip, a TE ring fitting portion formed below the external thread portion for fitting the TE ring, and a positioning convex portion protruding from the TE ring fitting portion. The lid cap has an internal thread portion screwed onto an inner peripheral surface corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle portion. The TE ring has a positioning concave portion formed in the lower inner periphery and adapted to fit with the positioning convex portion of the nozzle portion. The nozzle portion has an overhanging protrusion at the upper outer periphery of the TE ring fitting portion, and the TE ring has a ring portion mounted on the outer periphery of the TE ring fitting portion and an undercut portion protruding from the upper inner periphery of the ring portion and engaging with the overhanging protrusion. The external thread portion and the internal thread portion are configured such that the lid cap can be plugged when attached to the nozzle portion.

[0007] As an embodiment of the screw cap, the nozzle portion has a receiving step portion formed above the TE ring fitting portion, and the lid cap has a receiving protruding portion formed inside the lower end and adapted to abut against the receiving step portion of the nozzle portion. Further, The TE ring is a contact protruding portion is provided between the weakening pieces, the upper surface of which stands with a slight gap from the lower end of the lid cap. Also, the nozzle portion has a lip portion at the tip, and the lid cap has a top wall and an outer peripheral wall hanging down from the outer peripheral edge of the top wall along the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle portion. When the lid cap is attached to the nozzle portion and closed, a space is formed between the lower surface of the top wall and the tip of the lip portion.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] By adopting the above configuration, the screw cap of the present invention can plug the lid cap with a TE ring that can be broken at the lower end onto the nozzle portion of the cap body, screw the lid cap onto the nozzle portion of the cap body, and attach the TE ring in a non-rotatable manner. Furthermore, when the lid cap is rotated in the opening direction with respect to the nozzle portion of the cap body, the TE ring can be separated from the lid cap and left so as not to fall off from the TE ring fitting portion of the nozzle portion, so it is possible to confirm whether the lid cap has been opened or not.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Next, the screw cap of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings shown as examples. In the following description, with reference to FIG. 1, the upward direction is defined as "up", the downward direction is defined as "down", and the left and right directions are defined as the "radial direction".

Example

[0011] In FIG. 1, A is the container body, B is the cap body having the nozzle portion 13, which is mounted on the container body A, C is the lid cap screwed and mounted on the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B, and D is a TE ring that is breakably connected to the lower end of the lid cap C and locked to the nozzle portion 13.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the container body A includes a mouth portion 1 for mounting the cap body B and a bottomed body portion 2. In the mouth portion 1, a ring-shaped partition wall 3 continuously provided at the upper end of the inner circumference and a close contact cylinder 4 standing on the inner edge of the partition wall 3 are formed, and a male thread 5 is screwed on the outer circumference.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the cap body B includes an outer cylinder 10 mounted on the outer circumference of the mouth portion 1 of the container body A, a ring-shaped upper wall 11 continuously provided inward from the upper end of the inner circumference of the outer cylinder 10 and closing the mouth portion 1, an inner cylinder 12 vertically provided from the lower surface of the upper wall 11 and whose outer circumference is inserted into the inner circumference of the close contact cylinder 4, a nozzle portion 13 standing from the inner edge of the upper wall 11, mounting the lid cap C to close the lid, and fitting the TE ring D at the lower part of the outer circumference. An internal thread 14 that is screwed with the external thread 5 of the mouth portion 1 is screwed on the inner circumference of the outer cylinder 10.

[0014] The nozzle portion 13 forms a spout for pouring out the content stored in the container body A at the inner edge of the upper wall 11, and extends upward obliquely with a taper from the spout, and has a cylindrical base portion 15 whose upper end of the inner circumference becomes the nozzle opening 15a, a lip portion 16 that expands in diameter from the upper end of the base portion 15 and curves outward, a lid cap mounting portion 17 formed in the middle of the outer circumference of the base portion 15 for mounting the lid cap C, and a TE ring fitting portion 18 formed below the lid cap mounting portion 17 for fitting the TE ring D.

[0015] The lid cap mounting portion 17 forms an outer circumferential surface 17a inclined at an angle α (a gradient of 5° in this embodiment) and a receiving step portion 17b horizontally extending outward from the lower end of the outer circumferential surface 17a, and a male thread portion 20 is screwed on the outer circumferential surface 17a. The male screw portion 20 is formed asymmetrically from an inclined upper surface 20a, whose cross-section is not vertically symmetric like a normal thread and whose upper surface is formed with a steep inclination, and a flat lower surface 20b, whose lower surface is formed substantially flat.

[0016] The TE ring fitting portion 18 has an outer peripheral surface that is a circumferential surface hanging down from the outer end of the receiving step portion 17b of the lid cap mounting portion 17. An overhanging protrusion 21 for locking the TE ring D is provided protruding at the upper part of the outer periphery. A plurality of positioning protrusions 22 that fit with the inner circumference of the TE ring D and prevent rotation are provided protruding in the radial direction on the circumferential surface of the TE ring fitting portion 18 below the overhanging protrusion 21.

[0017] In this embodiment, four positioning protrusions 22 are arranged at 90° intervals. As shown in FIGS. 2(b) and 3(a), the positioning protrusions 22 at opposing locations are grouped as one set, and are formed divided into two sets of a positioning protrusion 22a and a positioning protrusion 22b with different circumferential widths from the other sets adjacent in the circumferential direction.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the lid cap C includes a disc-shaped top wall 25 and an outer peripheral wall 26 that extends downward and outward at an angle α (a gradient of 5° in this embodiment) such that at least the inner circumferential surface 26a is parallel to the outer peripheral surface 17a of the lid cap mounting portion 17 of the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B, and is mounted on the lid cap mounting portion 17 of the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B. A sealing cylinder 27, whose outer periphery is inserted into the nozzle opening 15a of the nozzle portion 13 when the lid is closed, is vertically provided on the lower surface of the top wall 25.

[0019] Also, when the lid is closed, the inner side of the lower end surface of the outer peripheral wall 26 abuts against the receiving step portion 17b of the lid cap mounting portion 17 of the nozzle portion 13, completing the closing of the lid, and is formed so as to form a space β between the lower surface of the top wall 25 and the upper end surface of the lip portion 16 of the nozzle portion 13.

[0020] The outer peripheral wall 26 is provided with an internal thread portion 28 that engages with the male thread portion 20 of the nozzle portion 13 in the middle of the inner peripheral surface 26a. At the lower end of the inner peripheral surface 26a, a receiving protrusion portion 29 that protrudes inward so that the lower end surface is flush with the lower end surface of the outer peripheral wall 26 and abuts against the receiving step portion 17b of the lid cap mounting portion 17 is provided at a plurality of positions (in this embodiment, 12 positions at equal intervals in the circumferential direction). The internal thread portion 28 is asymmetrically formed by a flat upper surface 28a whose cross section is not vertically symmetric like a normal thread and whose upper surface is formed substantially flat, and an inclined lower surface 28b whose lower surface is formed with a steep inclination.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the TE ring D includes a ring portion 30 that is mounted on the outer periphery of the TE ring fitting portion 18 of the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B. On the upper surface of the ring portion 30, a plurality of (in this embodiment, 4 positions at 90° intervals) weakening pieces 31 that are breakably connected to the lower end surface of the outer peripheral wall 26 of the lid cap C are provided, and between the weakening pieces 31 (in this embodiment, 4 positions), abutting protrusion portions 32 that are erected with a slight gap from the lower end surface of the outer peripheral wall 26 are provided on the upper surface.

[0022] In the ring portion 30, positioning recesses 33 that are recessed at positions (in this embodiment, 4 positions at 90° intervals) that engage with the positioning convex portions 22 provided in the TE ring fitting portion 18 are provided at the lower inner periphery. At the upper inner peripheral ends between the positioning recesses 33 (in this embodiment, 4 positions), undercut portions 34 that engage with the overhanging protrusion portion 21 of the TE ring fitting portion 18 when the lid is closed and prevent it from coming off are protruding. Also, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2(b) and 4(b), the positioning recesses 33 are also formed in two sets of a positioning recess 33a and a positioning recess 33b whose circumferential widths are changed so as to engage with the positioning convex portions 22a and 22b whose circumferential widths are changed.

[0023] Next, the usage mode and effects of this embodiment will be described. First, in the screw cap of this embodiment, the cap body B and the lid cap C are molded separately, and the lid cap C and the TE ring D are integrally molded.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 4, the integrally formed lid cap C and the TE ring D in this embodiment are such that the inner peripheral surface 26a and the female screw portion 28 of the outer peripheral wall 26 of the lid cap C are formed to be inclined at an angle α (a gradient of 5° in this embodiment). Therefore, when viewed from below the TE ring D, there is no overlapping portion between the female screw portion 28 and the undercut portion 34. When separating from the mold during molding, after the mold of the female screw portion 28 of the lid cap C is forcefully removed, it does not affect the undercut portion 34 and the TE ring D. Thus, the ring portion 30 is not expanded outward, nor is the TE ring D pulled, and the weakening piece 31 is not broken.

[0025] Align and plug the lid cap C, in which the TE ring D is integrally formed, onto the upper part of the formed cap body B to form a screwed cap with the lid closed. When aligning, as shown in Fig. 2(b), the positioning concave portions 33a and 33b of the TE ring D that respectively match with the positioning convex portions 22a and 22b of the TE ring fitting portion 18 of the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B are aligned from above, so that the alignment is more accurate.

[0026] When plugging the lid cap C onto the cap body B, the outer peripheral surface 17a and the male screw portion 20 of the lid cap mounting portion 17 of the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B, and the inner peripheral surface 26a and the female screw portion 28 of the outer peripheral wall 26 of the lid cap C are inclined in parallel at an angle α (a gradient of 5° in this embodiment). Therefore, from the state at the time of alignment shown in Fig. 5(a), when the lid cap C is pushed into the cap body B, the female screw portion 28 of the lid cap C does not contact or slide on the inclined upper surface 20a of the male screw portion 20 except near the end of plugging, and contacts and overrides the male screw portion 20 at each location near the end of plugging. As shown in Fig. 2(a), at the end of plugging, the female screw portion 28 of the lid cap C and the male screw portion 20 of the cap body B are fitted and screwed together.

[0027] During plugging, the undercut portion 34 of the ring portion 30 of the TE ring D abuts against the overhanging projection 21 of the TE ring fitting portion 18 of the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B, creating resistance. However, the abutting projection 32 of the ring portion 30 abuts against the lower end surface of the outer peripheral wall 26 of the lid cap C, pushing down the TE ring D. As a result, the undercut portion 34 can overcome the overhanging projection 21 without breaking the weakening piece 31 that connects the lid cap C and the TE ring D.

[0028] Also, the lid cap C and the TE ring D are formed to be inclined at an angle α so that, when viewed from below the TE ring D, there is no overlap between the ring portion 30 and the undercut portion 34 and the female screw portion 28 of the lid cap C. Therefore, during plugging, the male screw portion 20 of the cap body B does not abut against the ring portion 30 and the undercut portion 34, and the TE ring D is not pushed out or up to break the weakening piece 31.

[0029] At the end of plugging, the female screw portion 28 of the outer peripheral wall 26 of the lid cap C is screwed with the male screw portion 20 of the lid cap mounting portion 17 of the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B. At the same time, the inner side of the lower end surface of the outer peripheral wall 26 and the lower end surface of the receiving projection 29 abut against the receiving step portion 17b of the lid cap mounting portion 17, completing the plugging and mounting the lid cap C on the cap body B.

[0030] Also, at the end of plugging, the lower end surface of the outer peripheral wall 26 abuts against the receiving step portion 17b of the lid cap mounting portion 17, and the lid cap C is not pushed into the cap body B. Therefore, the TE ring D connected to the outer peripheral wall 26 of the lid cap C via the weakening piece 31 is not pushed in. The undercut portion 34 of the ring portion 30 of the TE ring D overcomes the overhanging projection 21 of the TE ring fitting portion 18 of the cap body B and engages. At the same time, the positioning recess 33 of the ring portion 30 and the positioning projection 22 of the TE ring fitting portion 18 are fitted together. The lid cap C is mounted on the TE ring fitting portion 18 of the cap body B with the TE ring D connected without breaking the weakening piece 31 and being non-rotatable.

[0031] The screw cap of this embodiment can attach the cap C to the cap body B by screwing the female screw portion 28 of the lid cap C with the male screw portion 20 of the cap body B. Also, a TE ring D connected to the lid cap C without breaking the weakening piece 31 can be non-rotatably attached to the TE ring fitting portion 18 of the cap body B.

[0032] Also, when viewed from below the TE ring D, there is no overlapping portion between the ring portion 30, the undercut portion 34, and the female screw portion 28 of the lid cap C, and it is preferable that the male screw portion 20 of the cap body B is not affected during screwing. The undercut portion 34 can be formed larger, and it is possible to prevent the TE ring fitting portion 18 of the cap body B from coming off the overhanging portion 21 when opening the lid.

[0033] By screwing, the screw cap with the lid cap C attached to the cap body B becomes a container with the screw cap attached by screwing the outer cylinder 10 of the cap body B to the mouth portion 1 of the container body A filled with the contents.

[0034] When the screw cap of this embodiment is closed, the inner side of the lower end surface of the outer peripheral wall 26 of the lid cap C abuts against the receiving step portion 17b of the lid cap mounting portion 17 of the nozzle portion 13, and a space β is formed between the lower surface of the top wall 25 and the upper end surface of the lip portion 16 of the nozzle portion 13. Therefore, even if the container or the closed screw cap is dropped and an impact is applied from the outside of the top wall 25 of the lid cap C, the lower part of the outer peripheral wall 26 is not pushed in due to the contact between the outer peripheral wall 26 of the lid cap C and the receiving step portion 17b of the lid cap mounting portion 17 of the nozzle portion 13, and the vicinity of the top wall 25 is deformed by the amount of the space β to absorb the impact. Thus, no load is applied to the weakening piece 31 connecting the lid cap C and the TE ring D, and it is possible to prevent the weakening piece 31 from breaking.

[0035] Next, to use the container with the screw cap of this embodiment attached, the lid cap C is rotated in the opening direction with respect to the cap body B. When the lid cap C is rotated, the lid cap C rises relative to the cap body B by screwing the female screw portion 28 on the outer peripheral wall 26 of the lid cap C and the male screw portion 20 of the lid cap mounting portion 17 of the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B.

[0036] With respect to the rotation of the lid cap C, the TE ring D connected to the lid cap C is mounted so as not to rotate with respect to the TE ring fitting portion 18 of the cap body B and to prevent it from coming off. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 5(b), as the lid cap C rises, it breaks the weakening piece 31 and separates the TE ring D from the lid cap C.

[0037] Furthermore, after rotating the lid cap C to unscrew the female screw portion 28 and the male screw portion 20 and detaching the lid cap C from the cap body B, when the container is tilted, the contents in the container body A can be poured out from the nozzle opening 15a at the base 15 of the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B. Furthermore, the contents can also be discharged by squeezing the body portion 2 of the container body A.

[0038] After using the contents, stop squeezing the body portion 2 of the container body A, return the container to the upright state, and screw the lid cap C onto the cap body B again to close the lid. In this way, the outer periphery of the sealing cylinder 27 of the lid cap C seals the nozzle opening 15a at the base 15 of the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B to seal the inside of the container.

[0039] When opening the lid for the first time, the weakening piece 31 is broken from the lid cap C and the TE ring D remains on the nozzle portion 13 of the cap body B. Therefore, by visually checking the broken state of the weakening piece 31 from the outside, it is possible to confirm whether the container has been opened.

Industrial Applicability

[0040] The screw cap of the present invention integrally forms a lid cap and a TE ring, plugs a lid cap with a breakable TE ring continuously provided at the lower end onto the nozzle portion of the cap body, screws the lid cap onto the nozzle portion of the cap body, and can mount the TE ring so that it cannot rotate. Furthermore, when the lid cap is rotated in the opening direction with respect to the nozzle portion of the cap body, the TE ring can be separated from the lid cap and left so as not to fall off from the TE ring fitting portion of the nozzle portion. Therefore, it is possible to confirm whether the lid cap has been opened, and it is suitable as a screw cap that can be widely used for containers such as food and drink containers.

Explanation of Signs

[0041] A Container body B Cap body C Lid cap D TE ring α Angle β Space 1 Mouth part 2 Body part 3 Partition wall 4 Close contact cylinder 5 Male screw 10 Outer cylinder 11 Upper wall 12 Inner cylinder 13 Nozzle portion 14 Female screw 15 Base portion 15a Nozzle opening 16 Lip portion 17 Lid cap mounting portion 17a Outer peripheral surface 17b Receiving step portion 18 TE ring fitting portion 20 Male screw portion 20a Inclined upper surface 20b Flat lower surface 21 Overcoming protrusion 22, 22a, 22b Positioning protrusions 25 Top wall 26 Outer peripheral wall 26a Inner peripheral surface 27 Sealing cylinder 28 Female screw portion 28a Flat upper surface 28b Inclined lower surface 29 Receiving protrusion 30 Ring portion 31 Weakening piece 32 Contact protrusion Positioning recesses 33, 33a, 33b 34 Undercut portion

Claims

1. It includes a cap body having a nozzle part and attached to the container body, a lid cap screwed and attached to the nozzle part, and a TE ring continuously provided via a breakable weakening piece at the lower end of the lid cap. The nozzle part has an external thread part screwed on an outer peripheral surface inclined to taper, a TE ring fitting part formed below the external thread part for fitting the TE ring, and a positioning convex part protruding from the TE ring fitting part. The lid cap has an internal thread part screwed on an inner peripheral surface corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle part. The TE ring has a positioning concave part formed at the lower part of the inner circumference and fitting with the positioning convex part of the nozzle part. The nozzle part has an overhanging protrusion on the upper part of the outer circumference of the TE ring fitting part. The TE ring has a ring part mounted on the outer circumference of the TE ring fitting part, and an undercut part protruding from the upper part of the inner circumference of the ring part and engaging with the overhanging protrusion. The external thread part and the internal thread part are characterized in that they can be plugged when the lid cap is attached to the nozzle part, which is a screw cap.

2. The nozzle part has a receiving step part formed above the TE ring fitting part. The lid cap has a receiving protrusion formed inside the lower end and contacting the receiving step part of the nozzle part, which is the screw cap according to Claim 1.

3. The TE ring is characterized in that there is a contact protrusion between the weakening pieces, and the upper surface stands with a slight gap from the lower end of the lid cap, which is the screw cap according to Claim 1 or 2.

4. The nozzle part has a lip part at the tip. The lid cap has a top wall and an outer peripheral wall hanging down along the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle part from the outer peripheral edge of the top wall. When the lid cap is attached to the nozzle part and closed, a space is formed between the lower surface of the top wall and the tip of the lip part, which is the screw cap according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

Images