Beverage containers and stoppers

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of improving a fitting force between a plug packing and a plug of a beverage container by a method different from a conventional method.SOLUTION: A beverage container 1 includes a container body 10, and a cover unit 20 fixed to a top of the container body 10. The cover unit 20 has: a cover portion 42 that covers an upper opening of the container body 10; and an annular plug packing 24 interposed between the cover portion 42 and an upper end portion of the container body 10. The cover portion 42 has an upwardly recessed annular groove 420 on its lower surface. The plug packing 24 fits into the groove 420. The plug packing 24 has a plurality of projections 50 projecting outward from an annular outer peripheral surface. Thereby, a fitting force of the plug packing 24 is partially improved at a position where the projections 50 are arranged in a circumferential direction. Since the fitting force is improved only in a part of the circumferential direction, it is easier to attach and detach the plug packing 24 compared to a case where the fitting force is improved in an entire circumferential direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage container capable of storing a beverage therein, and a stopper gasket used for the beverage container. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, beverage containers (water bottles) for storing and carrying beverages such as tea or mineral water are known. Conventional beverage containers are described, for example, in Patent Document 1. The beverage container in Patent Document 1 has a straw, and a user of the beverage container can drink the beverage in the beverage container through the straw. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-51781 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The beverage container in Patent Document 1 discloses a closure member generally called a stopper gasket between the opening at the top of the container body and the stopper that covers the opening of the container body. It is preferable to place a stopper gasket between the container body and the stopper that covers the opening of the container body to prevent leakage of beverage, not limited to straw-type beverage containers.

[0005] When cleaning a beverage container or filling it with beverage, the container body and the cap are removed. At this time, if the cap gasket is not tightly fitted to the cap, there is a risk that the cap gasket will come off and fall.

[0006] To simply improve the fitting force to the plug, possible methods include increasing the contact area between the inner peripheral surface of the plug gasket and the portion that comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface, or increasing the radial dimension of the plug gasket. However, increasing the contact area increases the vertical dimension of the plug gasket, which is problematic. Furthermore, increasing the radial dimension of the plug gasket makes it difficult to install and remove.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that can improve the fitting force between the stopper gasket and the stopper body of a beverage container using a method different from conventional methods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The beverage container of the present invention is capable of storing a beverage therein and comprises a cylindrical container body with a bottom that extends in the vertical direction, and a stopper body fixed to the top of the container body, the stopper body having a cover portion that covers the opening at the top of the container body, and an annular stopper gasket interposed between the cover portion and the upper end of the container body, the cover portion having an annular groove on its underside that is concave upward, the stopper gasket fitting into the groove, and the stopper gasket having a plurality of protrusions that protrude outward from its annular outer peripheral surface.

[0009] In this beverage container, the fitting force is partially improved at the position where the protrusion is arranged in the circumferential direction. Since the fitting force is improved only in a part of the circumferential direction, it is easier to attach and remove than when the fitting force is improved over the entire circumferential direction.

[0010] In particular, it is preferable that the plug gasket has at least four of the protrusions. This improves the fitting force at four or more locations in the circumferential direction. In other words, since the fitting force is improved in four directions in the circumferential direction, non-uniformity of the fitting force in the circumferential direction is less likely to occur.

[0011] It is also preferable that the plurality of protrusions are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, which makes it easier to achieve a uniform fitting force in the circumferential direction.

[0012] The protrusion may be disposed on only a portion of the stopper gasket in the vertical direction, and may be disposed above the center of the stopper gasket in the vertical direction. In this way, even if the protrusion is disposed on only a portion of the stopper gasket in the vertical direction, the fitting force between the stopper gasket and the stopper body can be improved. In this case, it is preferable that the protrusion is disposed on the upper part that fits with the stopper body even when the stopper gasket is slightly loose.

[0013] Furthermore, the stopper gasket has a recess that recesses inward from the outer circumferential surface around the entire circumference, and the protrusion is positioned above the recess. The presence of the recess allows for vertical misalignment between the container body and the stopper to be absorbed. Therefore, it is preferable that the mating force below the recess is not too strong. By positioning the protrusion for increasing the mating force above the recess, the mating force between the stopper gasket and the stopper can be increased while preventing the mating force below the recess from being too strong.

[0014] Furthermore, the stopper gasket of the present invention is an annular stopper gasket that is interposed between the upper end of a cylindrical container body with a bottom that extends vertically in a beverage container capable of storing a beverage inside, and a cover part that covers the opening at the top of the container body and has a stopper body fixed to the top of the container body, and the stopper gasket fits into an annular groove that is concave upward and provided on the underside of the cover part, and has multiple protrusions that protrude outward from the annular outer surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, the mating force is partially improved at the radial position where the protrusion is arranged. By improving the mating force only in a portion of the circumferential direction, attachment and detachment are easier than when the mating force is improved over the entire circumferential direction, and the plug gasket is less likely to fall off the plug. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of the beverage container. [Figure 2] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a beverage container. [Figure 3] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a beverage container. [Figure 4] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a beverage container. [Figure 5] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a beverage container. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that, hereinafter, the opening side of the container body faces upward, and the direction in which the container body extends will be referred to as the up-down direction. Furthermore, in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, the operating part of the cover unit is defined as the front side (front side), and the front-rear direction will be defined. Furthermore, within the horizontal direction, the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction will be defined as the left-right direction. Note that the definitions of these directions do not limit the posture of the beverage container 1 when in use.

[0018] <1. Beverage container configuration> Fig. 1 is a front view of a beverage container 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention in a closed state. Figs. 2 to 5 are longitudinal cross-sectional views of the beverage container 1 along the line AA. Specifically, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the beverage container 1 in a closed state. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the beverage container 1 in a first state during an opening operation. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the beverage container in a second state during an opening operation. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the beverage container 1 in an open state.

[0019] This beverage container 1 is a container (water bottle) that can store a beverage (liquid) such as tea or mineral water inside and can be carried around. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the beverage container 1 of this embodiment includes a container body 10, a cover unit 20, and a straw 30. The beverage stored inside the beverage container 1 can be consumed through the straw 30. The container body 10, cover unit 20, and straw 30 are detachable from one another. A user can disassemble the beverage container 1 into the container body 10, cover unit 20, and straw 30, wash them, and then reassemble them after washing.

[0020] The container body 10 is a main body component 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 extends vertically. That is, the container body 10 has a disk-shaped bottom 11 and a 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, with a vacuum layer between the inner and outer surfaces. This allows the beverage stored inside the container body 10 to be kept hot or cold. The container body 10 also has a male thread 13 on the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the side wall 12.

[0021] A bottom cover 14 made of resin is attached to the lower end of the container body 10. The bottom cover 14 is a cup-shaped member with a through-hole in the center of the bottom. The bottom cover 14 covers the outer periphery of the bottom 11 of the container body 10 and the lower end of the side wall 12. This protects the lower end of the container body 10 from impact.

[0022] The cover unit 20 is a stopper having a stopper body 21, a lid portion 22, an operating portion 23, a stopper gasket 24, and a sealing member 25. The cover unit 20 is fixed to the top of the container body 10. The stopper body 21, the lid portion 22, and the operating portion 23 are each formed from a synthetic resin that is resistant to elastic deformation. The stopper gasket 24 and the sealing member 25 are formed from an elastomer or the like that has elasticity.

[0023] The stopper body 21 has a cylindrical fixing part 41, a cover part 42 that covers the upper part of the fixing part 41, and two handles 43. The fixing part 41 has a female thread 411 on its inner circumferential surface. The fixing part 41 and the container body 10 are fixed together by threading the female thread 411 onto the male thread 13 of the container body 10. In this way, the cover unit 20 is fixed to the container body 10.

[0024] The cover portion 42 is a disk-shaped portion that covers the opening at the top of the container body 10. The space surrounded by the container body 10 and the cover portion 42 forms an internal space 100 for storing a beverage.

[0025] The cover portion 42 has a cylindrical wall portion 421 on its underside. An annular groove 420 is formed by this cylindrical wall portion 421 and the inner circumferential surface of the fixing portion 41 near the upper end portion. The groove 420 is recessed upward from the underside of the cover portion 42. A stopper gasket 24 is fitted inside the groove 420. The underside of the stopper gasket 24 contacts the upper end portion of the container body 10. In this way, the stopper gasket 24 prevents the beverage from leaking between the container body 10 and the stopper body 21. The detailed configuration of the stopper gasket 24 will be described later.

[0026] The cover part 42 also has a lid connecting part 422 at its rear end, which protrudes upward from the top surface. The lid part 22 is connected to the lid connecting part 422 so as to be rotatable around a first rotation shaft 220 provided on the lid connecting part 422.

[0027] The cover part 42 is provided with a straw hole 423, a first pressure adjustment hole 424, and a second pressure adjustment hole 425 that penetrate in the vertical direction. The straw 30 is fitted into the straw hole 423. This fixes the straw 30 to the cover part 42. The straw hole 423, the first pressure adjustment hole 424, and the second pressure adjustment hole 425 are each positioned more inward than the groove 420 when viewed in the vertical direction. The first pressure adjustment hole 424 is positioned forward of the straw hole 423 and the second pressure adjustment hole 425. The second pressure adjustment hole 425 is positioned behind the first pressure adjustment hole 424 and forward of the straw hole 423. Details of the first pressure adjustment hole 424 and the second pressure adjustment hole 425 will be described later.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the handles 43 extend from the fixing part 41 on both the left and right sides. When drinking a beverage from the beverage container 1, the operating part 23 is operated to open the lid part 22, and the beverage inside is drunk by holding the upper part of the straw 30 in the mouth. At this time, the beverage container 1 can be stably supported by grasping the handle 43. The handle 43 may be provided on only the left or right side, or the beverage container 1 may not have a handle 43 at all.

[0029] The lid portion 22 is connected to the cover portion 42 of the plug body 21 so as to be able to open and close. The lid portion 22 is movable between a position shown in FIG. 2 (hereinafter referred to as the closed position P1) and a position shown in FIG. 5 (hereinafter referred to as the open position P2). The lid portion 22 is biased in the direction from the closed position P1 toward the open position P2 by a spring (not shown). In its natural state, the lid portion 22 is disposed in the open position P2. The lid portion 22 rotates around a first rotation shaft 220 extending left and right. In the closed state, the lid portion 22 covers the cover portion 42 and the upper part of the straw 30. Furthermore, the lid portion 22 is opened in conjunction with the opening operation of the operating portion 23.

[0030] Specifically, the lid portion 22 has a dome-shaped portion 221, a blocking portion 222, and a fitting portion 223. The dome-shaped portion 221 is a dome-shaped portion that protrudes upward. In the closed state, the upper portion of the straw 30 is accommodated in the space between the cover portion 42 and the dome-shaped portion 221. The rear end of the dome-shaped portion 221 is connected to the lid connection portion 422 of the cover portion 42 of the plug main body 21 so as to be rotatable about the first rotation shaft 220.

[0031] The blocking portion 222 extends from the underside of the dome-shaped portion 221. In the closed state, the blocking portion 222 extends downward from the underside of the lid portion 22. In the closed state, the blocking portion 222 presses and crushes the straw 30 against the cover portion 42, blocking the beverage flow path inside the straw 30.

[0032] The fitting portion 223 has a protrusion 224 extending forward from the front end of the dome-shaped portion 221, and a claw portion 225 attached below the protrusion 224. In the closed state, the fitting portion 223 holds a first protrusion 232 (described later) of the operating portion 23. Specifically, the first protrusion 232 fits between the protrusion 224 and the claw portion 225, thereby fixing the lid portion 22 to the operating portion 23.

[0033] The operating unit 23 is disposed on the front side of the cover unit 20. The operating unit 23 is rotatably fixed to the plug body 21. The operating unit 23 is rotatable between a position shown in FIG. 2 (hereinafter referred to as the closed position Q1) and a position shown in FIG. 5 (hereinafter referred to as the open position Q2). The operating unit 23 is biased by a spring (not shown) in the direction from the open position Q2 toward the closed position Q1. Therefore, the operating unit 23 is disposed in the closed position Q1 in its natural state. The operating unit 23 rotates around a second rotation shaft 230 extending in the left-right direction. The operating unit 23 has a plate-shaped button portion 231, a first protrusion 232, and a second protrusion 233.

[0034] Button portion 231 is a plate-like portion located in front of second rotation shaft 230. In the closed state, when the lower portion of button portion 231 is pressed from the front to the rear, operation portion 23 rotates, disengaging first protrusion 232 from fitting portion 223, and lid portion 22 is released from operation portion 23, resulting in an open state. The movement of each portion during this opening operation will be described later.

[0035] The first protrusion 232 extends rearward from the upper rear surface of the button portion 231 and is located above the second rotation shaft 230. The tip (rear end) of the second protrusion 233 extends rearward beyond the first pressure adjustment hole 424 of the cover portion 42 in the closed position Q1. Therefore, a portion of the second protrusion 233 is located above the first pressure adjustment hole 424 in the closed position Q1. A seal member 25 is attached to the underside of the portion of the second protrusion 233. As a result, the seal member 25 closes the upper portion of the first pressure adjustment hole in the closed position Q1. The seal member 25 is fixed to the second protrusion 233 by being press-fitted from below into a hole provided in the second protrusion 233.

[0036] The straw 30 forms a conduit for sucking up the beverage stored in the internal space 100 of the container body 10. The straw 30 is fixed to the stopper body 21 of the cover unit 20. Specifically, the straw 30 is fixed so as to penetrate the cover portion 42 of the stopper body 21. The straw 30 of this embodiment has a first straw member 31 and a second straw member 32. The first straw member 31 has a cylindrical portion 311, a flange portion 312, a fitting groove 313, and a flap 314. The second straw member 32 is cylindrical. The first straw member 31 is made of a flexible material with elasticity, such as an elastomer. The upper portion 311a of the cylindrical portion 311 forms a drinking opening that the user holds in their mouth. The second straw member 32 is made of a material that is less likely to deform than the first straw member 31.

[0037] The interior of the cylindrical portion 311 serves as a flow path for the beverage. The interior of the second straw member 32 also serves as a flow path for the beverage. By press-fitting the upper part of the second straw member 32 into the lower part of the cylindrical portion 311, the first straw member 31 and the second straw member 32 are fixed together, and the interior of the cylindrical portion 311 and the interior of the second straw member 32 communicate with each other, forming a flow path.

[0038] The flange portion 312 is an annular portion that expands radially from midway along the length of the cylindrical portion 311. The fitting groove 313 is a groove that is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 311 and extends in an annular shape in the circumferential direction. The fitting groove 313 is adjacent to the upper side of the flange portion 312. The edge of the straw hole 423 provided in the cover portion 42 of the cover unit 20 fits into the fitting groove 313.

[0039] When attaching the straw 30 to the cover unit 20, the first straw component 31 is brought close to the cover part 42 from below, and the upper part of the cylindrical part 311 is inserted into the straw hole 423. Then, the straw hole 423 is positioned so that the edge of the straw hole 423 fits into the fitting groove 313. When the edge of the straw hole 423 fits into the fitting groove 313, the upper surface of the flange part 312 is positioned along the lower surface of the cover part 42. In this way, the flange part 312 prevents the first straw component 31 from shifting upward relative to the cover part 42.

[0040] The flange portion 312 has a flap 314 that extends forward of the cylindrical portion 311. The first straw member 31, including the flap 314, is formed from a flexible material. The thickness of the flap 314 is smaller than the thickness of the flange portion 312. This makes the flap 314 more easily deformable. The upper surface of the flap 314 is disposed along the lower surface of the cover portion 42. The upper surface of the flap 314 also covers the lower portion of the second pressure adjustment hole 425.

[0041] <2. Opening operation and the first and second pressure adjustment holes> Next, the opening operation of the beverage container 1 when in use and the first pressure adjustment hole 424 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0042] In a straw-type beverage container such as beverage container 1, if the only communication opening between the internal space 100 of beverage container 1 and the external space is the beverage flow path inside the straw 30, the pressure in the internal space 100 drops when the beverage is being sipped, making it difficult to sip. For this reason, it is preferable to provide a vent hole other than the straw 30 that communicates between the internal space 100 and the external space. Furthermore, in a lidded straw-type beverage container designed for portability such as beverage container 1, if there is no vent hole other than the straw 30 between the internal space 100 and the external space, the pressure in the internal space 100 increases in the closed state due to temperature changes, etc., and there is a risk that the beverage will spray out of the straw 30 when the lid is opened. On the other hand, if a vent hole is provided other than the straw 30, there is a risk that the beverage will leak from the internal space 100 to the outside through the vent hole. Therefore, in this beverage container 1, the cover part 42 is provided with the first pressure adjustment hole 424 and the second pressure adjustment hole 425, and a mechanism for preventing leakage of beverage from these pressure adjustment holes 424, 425 is provided.

[0043] 2, the lid portion 22 covers the upper part of the cover portion 42 of the plug body 21, and is fixed to the closed position P1 by the operating portion 23. The first protrusion 232 of the operating portion 23 fits into the fitting portion 223 of the lid portion 22, thereby fixing the lid portion 22 to the operating portion 23. Specifically, the first protrusion 232 fits between the protrusion 224 and the claw portion 225, thereby fixing the lid portion 22 to the operating portion 23.

[0044] In the beverage container 1, there are only three communication openings that connect the internal space 100 to the outside: the beverage flow path in the straw 30 fitted in the straw hole 423, the first pressure adjustment hole 424, and the second pressure adjustment hole 425.

[0045] In the closed state, the operating unit 23 is disposed in the closed position Q1 and is biased in a direction to remain in the closed position Q1. This biases the tip of the second protrusion 233 of the operating unit 23 downward. As a result, the seal member 25 attached to the underside near the tip of the second protrusion 233 closes the upper part of the first pressure adjustment hole 424. Because the first pressure adjustment hole 424 is closed in this manner, leakage of beverage from the internal space 100 to the outside through the first pressure adjustment hole 424 is suppressed in the closed state.

[0046] As described above, the seal member 25 is fixed to the second protruding portion 233 by being press-fitted from below into a hole provided in the second protruding portion 233. Therefore, when the seal member 25 is pressed against the first pressure adjustment hole 424 by the second protruding portion 233 during the closing operation, the seal member 25 does not shift in the vertical direction. In this way, because the shifting of the seal member 25 relative to the operating portion 23 is suppressed, it is not necessary to increase the fitting strength for fixing the seal member 25 to the operating portion 23. Therefore, by increasing the fitting strength, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of installation defects of the seal member 25.

[0047] The lower surface of seal member 25 is curved and protrudes slightly downward. Therefore, even if a slight misalignment occurs between first pressure adjustment hole 424 and seal member 25 due to dimensional errors during manufacturing or misalignment between parts during use, the lower surface of seal member 25 can come into contact with the edge of the upper part of first pressure adjustment hole 424. As a result, seal member 25 can close the upper part of first pressure adjustment hole 424 without leakage.

[0048] Furthermore, regardless of whether the lid part 22 and the operating part 23 are open or closed, the lower part of the second pressure adjustment hole 425 is blocked by the flap 314. However, since the flap 314 is not pressed against the second pressure adjustment hole 425, there is a risk that the flap 314 will move downward and separate from the second pressure adjustment hole 425 if the beverage container 1 is subjected to an impact such as being dropped or vibrated.

[0049] Therefore, in this beverage container 1, in the closed state, the straw 30 is configured to close the upper part of the second pressure adjustment hole 425. Specifically, when the lid part 22 is arranged in the closed position P1, the upper part 311a of the cylindrical part 311 of the first straw member 31 is pressed toward the upper surface of the cover part 42 by the closing part 222 of the lid part 22. As a result, the upper part 311a of the cylindrical part 311 is crushed from the side, closing the beverage flow path inside the cylindrical part 311, and the side of the straw 30 closes the upper part of the second pressure adjustment hole 425. That is, in the closed state, the closing part 222 presses the straw 30 against the second pressure hole 425, closing the upper part of the second pressure adjustment hole 425.

[0050] In this manner, in the closed state, the beverage flow path in the straw 30, the first pressure adjustment hole 424, and the second pressure adjustment hole, which are communication ports that connect the internal space 100 of the beverage container 1 with the outside, are all blocked. Therefore, in the closed state, leakage of beverage from the internal space 100 is suppressed.

[0051] Next, the movement of each part when the lid part 22 is opened from the closed state to the open state will be described.

[0052] The first state shown in FIG. 3 is a state in which the operating unit 23 is slightly rotated at the very beginning of the opening operation. When the user presses the button 231, as shown in FIG. 3, in the first state, the tips of the first protrusion 232 and the second protrusion 233 are pushed upward. As a result, the tip of the first protrusion 232 slightly pushes up the protrusion 224 of the lid unit 22. At the same time, the seal member 25 fixed to the underside near the tip of the second protrusion 233 moves away from the upper surface of the cover unit 42. Therefore, the top of the first pressure adjustment hole 424 is opened, and the internal space 100 is connected to the external space. As a result, the pressure difference between the internal space 100 and the external space is reduced before the beverage flow path of the straw 30 is opened, and the beverage is prevented from escaping from the internal space 100 through the straw 30 when the straw 30 is opened.

[0053] The second state shown in Fig. 4 is a state closer to the open state than the first state during the opening operation. When the operating unit 23 rotates further from the second state shown in Fig. 4, the first protrusion 232 comes out of the fitting portion 223 of the lid unit 22, and the lid unit 22 is released from the operating unit 23. Specifically, the tip (rear end) of the first protrusion 232 moves forward beyond the claw portion 225, and the claw portion 225 is no longer pressed by the first protrusion 232. As a result, the lid unit 22 rotates around the first rotation shaft 220 toward the open position P2 due to the above-mentioned biasing force.

[0054] On the other hand, in the second state, the second protrusion 233 pushes upward near the tip of the upper portion 311a of the cylindrical portion 311 of the straw 30. Furthermore, if the first straw member 31 is an elastic member, the first straw member 31 will attempt to return to its original shape extending upward from the state in which it was elastically deformed by the closing portion 222. As a result, the lid portion 22 rotates toward the open position P2, and when the force pressing the upper portion 311a of the cylindrical portion 311 downward by the closing portion 222 is no longer applied, the upper portion 311a of the cylindrical portion 311 extends upward and assumes a position that makes it easy to inhale and drink, as in the open state shown in Figure 5. Furthermore, the top of the second pressure adjustment hole 425 is opened.

[0055] After reaching the open state shown in Fig. 5, the operating part 23 is returned to the closed position Q1 by the biasing force. As a result, the first pressure adjustment hole 424 is blocked by the seal member 25. Meanwhile, the second pressure adjustment hole 425 is open at the top but blocked at the bottom by the flap 314 of the first straw member 31. In this way, in the open state after the lid part 22 is opened, both the first pressure adjustment hole 424 (only the top) and the second pressure adjustment hole 425 (only the bottom) are blocked. Therefore, the only communication port between the internal space 100 and the outside is the beverage flow path inside the straw 30.

[0056] In this state, if the beverage container 1 is accidentally knocked over, the beverage is unlikely to flow out from the straw 30 because there is no air inlet into the internal space 100. Therefore, even if the beverage container 1 is accidentally knocked over, the beverage is prevented from spilling.

[0057] On the other hand, the flap 314 that closes the lower part of the second pressure adjustment hole 425 is thinner and more easily deformed than the flange portion 312. Therefore, the tip end portion (front end portion) of the flap 314 can bend downward around the base end portion (rear end portion) that is the connection point with the flange portion 312.

[0058] When the pressure in the internal space 100 decreases as a beverage is drawn through the straw 30, the pressure on the underside of the flap 314 becomes lower than that of the external space. Meanwhile, the pressure on the upper side of the flap 314, i.e., within the second pressure adjustment hole 425, is the same as that of the external space, so the difference in air pressure causes a downward force to act on the flap 314 from the upper side. This causes the tip of the flap 314 to bend downward. Then, when the tip of the flap 314 separates from the lower surface of the cover portion 42, the second pressure adjustment hole 425 connects the internal space 100 to the external space. This reduces the pressure difference between the internal space 100 and the external space, making it easier to draw the beverage through the straw 30. In this way, the flap 314 temporarily opens the lower portion of the second pressure adjustment hole 425 when the pressure difference between the internal space 100 of the container body 10 and the external space increases.

[0059] In this beverage container 1, the flap 314 is formed integrally with the cylindrical portion 311 that forms the beverage flow path. This makes it possible to block the second pressure adjustment hole 425 and prevent beverage leakage without increasing the number of parts, and also to prevent a pressure drop in the internal space 100 when a beverage is being consumed.

[0060] <3. About the stopper packing> Next, the plug gasket 24 will be described with reference to Figs. 6 to 9. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the cover unit 20. Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the cover unit 20. Fig. 8 is a top view of the plug gasket 24. Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the plug gasket 24 at the BO-B' cross section. Note that in Figs. 6 and 7, the gripping portion 52 of the plug gasket 24 is not shown.

[0061] The stopper gasket 24 is an annular member for preventing leakage of beverage at the connection point between the container body 10 and the stopper body 21. The stopper gasket 24 is interposed between the cover portion 42 of the stopper body 21 and the upper end portion of the container body 10. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the stopper gasket 24 fits into an annular groove 420 provided on the underside of the cover portion 42 of the stopper body 21. This fixes the stopper gasket 24 to the stopper body 21.

[0062] 8 and 9, plug gasket 24 has an annular portion 51, a gripping portion 52, and a plurality of protrusions 50. Annular portion 51, gripping portion 52, and a plurality of protrusions 50 are integrally formed.

[0063] The annular portion 51 is a ring-shaped portion. The annular portion 51 has a recess 511 that recesses inward from the outer peripheral surface around the entire circumference in the circumferential direction. The recess 511 is located approximately in the center of the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 51 in the up-down direction.

[0064] When the cover unit 20 is attached to the container body 10, the upper end of the container body 10 comes into contact with the lower surface of the stopper gasket 24. The container body 10 and the cover unit 20 are attached by threading the male thread 13 of the container body 10 into the female thread 411 of the stopper body 21. At this time, it is necessary to ensure that the lower surface of the stopper gasket 24 and the upper end of the container body 10 come into contact with each other to prevent leakage of the beverage.

[0065] The annular portion 51 has the recess 511, which makes it easier for the annular portion 51 to shrink in the vertical direction. The annular portion 51 is designed to be in a slightly shrunk state when the cover unit 20 is attached to the container body 10. In this way, even if there is a dimensional error during manufacturing or misalignment between the parts due to use, it is possible to absorb misalignment in the vertical direction between the container body 10 and the stopper body 21.

[0066] The gripping portion 52 is disposed below the annular portion 51. When the plug packing 24 is attached in the groove 420 of the cover portion 42, the gripping portion 52 is disposed below the groove 420. The gripping portion 52 has an outer edge portion 521 connected to the lower end of the annular portion 51, and a plate-like portion 522 extending from the outer edge portion 521 inward of the annular portion 51. The outer edge portion 521 is disposed below a part of the circumferential side of the annular portion 51 and a part of the radially inner side of the annular portion 51.

[0067] When removing the plug gasket 24 from the plug body 21, the user grasps the plate-shaped portion 522 of the grip portion 52 and pulls downward. In this way, since the plug gasket 24 has the grip portion 52, the plug gasket 24 can be easily removed.

[0068] When cleaning the beverage container 1 or when pouring a beverage into it, the container body 10 and the cover unit 20 including the stopper body 21 are removed. At this time, if the stopper gasket 24 is not securely fitted to the stopper body 21, there is a risk that the stopper gasket 24 will come off and fall. On the other hand, the stopper gasket 24 can be removed from the stopper body 21 and washed. For this reason, the stopper gasket 24 is required to be easy to remove from and attach to the stopper body 21.

[0069] If the objective is simply to improve the fitting force to the plug body 21, possible methods include increasing the contact area between the inner peripheral surface of the plug gasket 24 and the outer peripheral surface of the wall portion 421, or increasing the degree of control over the diameter of the plug gasket 24. However, increasing the contact area poses the problem of increasing the vertical dimensions of the plug gasket 24 and the wall portion 421. Furthermore, increasing the degree of control over the plug gasket 24 poses the problem of making it difficult to remove and install the plug gasket 24.

[0070] Therefore, in this beverage container 1, the plug gasket 24 has a plurality of protrusions 50 that protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 51. Each of the plurality of protrusions 50 protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 51.

[0071] In this way, by providing multiple protrusions 50 on the outer peripheral surface of annular portion 51, the force pressing the inner peripheral surface of annular portion 51 against the outer peripheral surface of wall portion 421 increases radially inside protrusions 50. As a result, the fitting force of plug gasket 24 with groove 420 is improved only in the part of the circumferential direction where protrusions 50 are arranged.

[0072] In this way, the fitting force is improved only in a portion of the circumferential direction, which makes it easier to attach and remove stopper gasket 24 compared to when the fitting force is improved over the entire circumferential direction. Furthermore, the fitting force of stopper gasket 24 into groove 420 is improved without increasing the contact area between stopper gasket 24 and wall portion 421 or increasing the degree of control over the diameter dimension of stopper gasket 24. Therefore, the fitting force of stopper gasket 24 into groove 420 is improved without increasing the vertical dimension of beverage container 1 or making it difficult to attach stopper gasket 24.

[0073] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the plug gasket 24 has ten protrusions 50. Therefore, the force that presses the inner circumferential surface of the annular portion 51 against the outer circumferential surface of the wall portion 421 is large at the radially inner side of each of the ten protrusions 50. It is preferable that the number of protrusions 50 is at least four or more. In this way, the fitting force is improved at four or more locations in the circumferential direction. In other words, because the fitting force is improved in four directions in the circumferential direction, non-uniformity of the fitting force in the circumferential direction is less likely to occur.

[0074] In this embodiment, the plurality of protrusions 50 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, thereby making it possible to improve the fitting force uniformly over the entire circumferential direction of the annular portion 51.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 9 , the protrusion 50 is disposed at the upper end of the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 51. In this way, even if the protrusion 50 is disposed on only a portion of the plug gasket 24 in the vertical direction, the fitting force between the plug gasket 24 and the groove 420 can be improved. Note that the protrusion 50 is preferably disposed above the center of the plug gasket 24 in the vertical direction. In this way, if the plug gasket 24 comes off for some reason, the upper portion where the protrusion 50 is disposed, which has a higher fitting force, will remain in the groove 420. Therefore, unintentional detachment of the plug gasket 24 from the plug body 21 can be prevented.

[0076] Furthermore, when the stopper gasket 24 has a recess 511 as in this embodiment, the protrusion 50 is preferably positioned above the recess 511. When the container body 10 and the stopper body 21 are attached, the portion of the annular portion 51 below the recess 511 is pushed upward by the upper end of the container body 10. At this time, if the fitting force of the portion below the recess 511 is large, this portion will be difficult to deform, and it may be difficult to position the container body 10 and the stopper body 21 in the correct positions. For this reason, the protrusion 50 is preferably positioned above the recess 511.

[0077] <4. Modifications> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0078] The beverage container 1 of the above embodiment has the sealing member 25 that closes the first pressure adjustment hole 424 from above and opens at the beginning of the opening operation, the flap 314 that closes the second pressure adjustment hole 425 from below, the configuration of the closing portion 222 and straw 30 for closing the second pressure adjustment hole 425 in the closed state, and the stopper gasket 24 having multiple protrusions 50. However, since each of these elements is an independent element, it is sufficient for the beverage container of the present invention to have at least one of these elements.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the plug packing 24 has ten protrusions 50, and it has been described that the number of protrusions 50 is preferably four or more, but the present invention is not limited to this. The number of protrusions 50 may be three or less, four to nine, or eleven or more.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the protrusions 50 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. The intervals between the protrusions 50 in the circumferential direction do not necessarily have to be equal.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the vertical position of the protrusion 50 is the upper end of the plug packing 24, but the present invention is not limited to this. The protrusion 50 may be disposed over the entire vertical length of the annular portion 51 of the plug packing 24, or may be disposed at a position other than the upper end, such as approximately the center or the lower end in the vertical direction.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the plug gasket 24 has the recess 511 on the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 51, but the present invention is not limited to this. The plug gasket of the present invention does not have to have a recess.

[0083] Furthermore, the beverage container 1 in the above embodiment was a portable beverage container with a straw. However, the configuration of the stopper gasket of the present invention may be used in beverage containers of other types. For example, the stopper gasket of the present invention may be used in a beverage container with a simple structure in which a cylindrical lid with a cap is attached to the top of the container body and a drink is directly placed on the opening at the top of the container body. In this case, the stopper gasket of the present invention is press-fitted and fixed into an annular groove on the underside of the lid, and the underside of the stopper gasket comes into contact with the upper end of the container body in the closed state, thereby preventing beverage leakage from between the lid and the container body.

[0084] Furthermore, the detailed shape of the beverage container may differ from that shown in the drawings of the present application. Furthermore, the elements appearing in the above-described embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate within the scope of not causing any contradiction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1 beverage container 10 Container body 20 Cover unit (plug) 21 Stopper body 22 Lid 24 Plug packing 30 straws 42 Cover part 50 convex part 51 Circular section 420 Groove 511 recess

Claims

1. A beverage container capable of storing a beverage therein, a cylindrical container body with a bottom extending in the vertical direction; a stopper fixed to the top of the container body; Equipped with The plug is a cover portion that covers an opening at the top of the container body; a ring-shaped plug gasket interposed between the cover portion and the upper end portion of the container body; and The cover portion has an annular groove recessed upward on its lower surface, The plug packing is fitted into the groove, The stopper gasket of the beverage container has a plurality of protrusions protruding outward from the annular outer peripheral surface.

2. 2. The beverage container of claim 1, The beverage container, wherein the stopper packing has at least four of the protrusions.

3. The beverage container according to claim 1 or claim 2, The plurality of protrusions are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the beverage container.

4. A beverage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The beverage container, wherein the convex portion is disposed on only a portion of the stopper gasket in the vertical direction, and is disposed above the center of the stopper gasket in the vertical direction.

5. 5. The beverage container of claim 4, The plug packing has a recess recessed inward from the outer circumferential surface over the entire circumferential direction, The beverage container, wherein the convex portion is positioned above the concave portion.

6. A beverage container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A straw that penetrates the cover portion from top to bottom; An openable lid that covers the cover and the straw in a closed state; The beverage container further comprises:

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