Beverage container and lid unit

Abstract

To provide a beverage container and a lid unit in which the lid unit is detachably attached to the opening of a container body and has improved disassembly properties. [Solution] One aspect of the present invention is a beverage container comprising a container body having an opening at the top and a lid unit attached to the container body, wherein the lid unit comprises an inner plug portion that is detachably attached to the opening of the container body, a ring portion that covers the outer circumference of the inner plug portion, and a locking portion that connects the ring portion and the inner plug portion with a predetermined locking force when the inner plug portion is inserted inside the ring portion, wherein the ring portion is configured to be distorted when pressed radially inward while fixed to the inner plug portion by the locking portion, and the locking portion is configured so that the locking force is weakened by distortion of the ring portion to an extent that the ring portion and the inner plug portion can be disassembled.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage container comprising a container body and a lid unit, and to a lid unit. [Background technology]

[0002] The beverage container includes a cylindrical container made of, for example, stainless steel and a detachable lid that is attached to the opening of the container. The beverage container may contain water, tea, juice, or carbonated drinks.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a beverage container that makes it easy to clean hard-to-clean areas such as annular grooves and prevents condensation on the drinking spout by making the stopper disassemblable. This beverage container has a container body and a stopper that opens and closes the opening of the container body, the stopper having an upper stopper, an inner stopper, a stopper cover and an inner stopper gasket, the inner stopper and the stopper cover are fitted together via the inner stopper gasket, the upper stopper and the inner stopper are screwed together, and the upper stopper, the inner stopper and the stopper cover are provided so as to be disassembled.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a container stopper that makes it easy to clean the gap between the inner periphery of the stopper cover and the outer periphery of the inner stopper while making the container more compact. This container stopper includes a threaded portion that can be screwed onto and detached from the container, a stopper cover that covers the container from the axial direction, a stopper body that has an inner stopper recessed axially from the stopper cover, and a stopper cap that detachably covers the inner stopper. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-240472 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-230848 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In beverage containers, the lid unit that is detachably attached to the opening of the container body not only keeps the container body airtight but also serves as an exterior. For this reason, the lid unit tends to have a complex structure, and it is desirable that it be easily disassembled for cleaning.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a beverage container and a lid unit that are easily disassembled and that are detachably attached to the opening of the container body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is a beverage container comprising a container body having an opening at the top and a lid unit attached to the container body, wherein the lid unit comprises an inner plug portion that is removably attached to the opening of the container body, a ring portion that covers the outer circumference of the inner plug portion, and a locking portion that connects the ring portion and the inner plug portion with a predetermined locking force when the inner plug portion is inserted inside the ring portion, wherein the ring portion is configured to be distorted when pressed radially inward while fixed to the inner plug portion by the locking portion, and the locking portion is configured so that the locking force is weakened by distortion of the ring portion to an extent that the ring portion and the inner plug portion can be disassembled.

[0009] With this configuration, the ring portion of the lid unit is distorted by pressing it radially inward, weakening the locking force of the locking portion and making it easier for the ring portion and the inner plug portion to come loose from the lock.

[0010] In the beverage container, the locking portion may have a first locking portion and a second locking portion provided at positions facing each other in a first direction, which is one of the radial directions, and the ring portion may be provided at two positions facing each other in a second direction, which is the other of the radial directions and is perpendicular to the first direction, and may have a weak-strength portion having a relatively low strength in the circumferential direction. In this way, by pressing the weak-strength portion of the ring portion radially inward, the weak-strength portion deforms, and the ring portion becomes more likely to distort.

[0011] In the beverage container, the container body may have a protruding portion provided on the outer periphery, the inner plug portion may have an extending portion extending outward, and when the lid unit is attached to the container body, the ring portion may be sandwiched between the protruding portion and the extending portion, so that the ring portion will not come off when the lid unit is attached to the opening of the container body.

[0012] In the beverage container, the container body may have a convex portion provided at a position facing the inner wall surface of the ring portion when the lid unit is attached, whereby even when the ring portion is pressed with the lid unit attached to the opening of the container body, the convex portion acts as a stopper to prevent distortion of the ring portion.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention is a lid unit that is attached to a container body having an opening at the top, and includes an inner plug portion that is detachably attached to the opening of the container body, a ring portion that covers the outer periphery of the inner plug portion, and a locking portion that connects the ring portion and the inner plug portion with a predetermined locking force when the inner plug portion is inserted inside the ring portion, wherein the ring portion is configured to be distorted when pressed radially inward while fixed to the inner plug portion by the locking portion, and the locking portion is configured so that the locking force is weakened by the distortion of the ring portion to an extent that the ring portion and the inner plug portion can be disassembled.

[0014] With this configuration, the ring portion of the lid unit is distorted by pressing it radially inward, weakening the locking force of the locking portion and making it easier for the ring portion and the inner plug portion to come loose from the lock.

[0015] In the above-mentioned lid unit, the locking portion may have a first locking portion and a second locking portion provided at positions facing each other in a first direction, which is one of the radial directions, and the ring portion may be provided at two positions facing each other in a second direction, which is the other of the radial directions and is perpendicular to the first direction, and may have a weak-strength portion having a relatively low strength in the circumferential direction. In this way, by pressing the weak-strength portion of the ring portion radially inward, the weak-strength portion deforms and the ring portion becomes more likely to distort. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beverage container and a lid unit that are easily disassembled and that are detachably attached to the opening of the container body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a beverage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a lid unit attached to a container body. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a lid unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of the lid unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the lid unit. [Figure 6] 10(a) and 10(b) are perspective views illustrating disassembly of the lid unit. [Figure 7] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same components will be designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of components that have already been described will be omitted as appropriate.

[0019] (Configuration of beverage containers) FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a beverage container according to this embodiment. The beverage container 1 according to this embodiment includes a container body 10 and a lid unit 20 attached to the container body 10. The container body 10 has a cylindrical container body 11, which has a double structure (e.g., a vacuum insulation structure) made of, for example, stainless steel, a closed bottom 11b, and a container opening 11h at the top. In this embodiment, the side of the container body 11 where the container opening 11h is provided is referred to as the "upper" side, and the side of the container body 11 where the bottom 11b is provided is referred to as the "lower" side. The up-down direction is also referred to as the Z direction, and one of the directions (radial directions) perpendicular to the Z direction is referred to as the X direction, and the other direction (radial direction) perpendicular to the Z direction and perpendicular to the X direction is referred to as the Y direction. The container body 10 may include components other than the container body 11, such as a drinking spout attached to the container opening 11h or a cover member attached to the container body 11.

[0020] (Lid unit configuration) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the lid unit attached to the container body. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the lid unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of the lid unit. FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the lid unit. The lid unit 20 is detachably attached to the container body 10 by screwing. The lid unit 20 may also be attached to a drinking spout (not shown) provided at the container opening 11h. A female thread portion 15 is provided on the inner periphery of the container opening 11h at the top of the container body 11. Meanwhile, the lid unit 20 is provided with a male thread portion 25, and the lid unit 20 is attached to the container body 11 by screwing the male thread portion 25 into the female thread portion 15.

[0021] The lid unit 20 has an inside plug portion 21 that is detachably attached to the container opening 11h, and a ring portion 22 that covers the outer periphery of the inside plug portion 21. The inside plug portion 21 has a cylindrical inside plug body 211 that extends in the Z direction, and an upper lid 212 that covers the upper part of the inside plug body 211. The inside plug body 211 and the upper lid 212 may be joined by welding, or may be integrally molded.

[0022] The inside plug body 211 is hollow and has a bottom, and the hollow portion may be used as a space for insulation or for arranging a heat insulating material. The male thread portion 25 is provided on the outer periphery of the inside plug body 211. A packing 30 is fitted into the inside plug body 211 at a position below the male thread portion 25. The packing 30 is made of an elastic material such as silicone rubber or elastomer and is provided in a ring shape, and serves to ensure a tight seal between the inside plug body 211 and the container opening 11h when the lid unit 20 is screwed onto the container body 10.

[0023] The lid unit 20 further has a locking portion 23. The locking portion 23 connects the ring portion 22 and the inner plug portion 21 with a predetermined locking force when the inner plug portion 21 is inserted inside the ring portion 22. The predetermined locking force refers to a locking force that prevents the inner plug portion 21 and the ring portion 22 from separating during normal use, such as when the lid unit 20 is attached to or detached from the container body 10. The locking portion 23 has, for example, a first claw portion 231 provided on the inner plug portion 21 side and a second claw portion 232 provided on the ring portion 22 side, and these engage with each other to connect the inner plug portion 21 and the ring portion 22.

[0024] The shapes of first claw portion 231 and second claw portion 232 are arbitrary, but engagement and disengagement are achieved by elastic deformation of one or both of them. When the engagement by locking portion 23 is released, inner plug portion 21 and ring portion 22 can be separated.

[0025] 3 and 4, in a state in which the inner plug portion 21 and the ring portion 22 are separated, the inner plug portion 21 is inserted into the ring from above the ring portion 22 and pushed in, whereby the first claw portions 231 climb over the second claw portions 232 and engage with each other, thereby connecting the inner plug portion 21 and the ring portion 22. The upper cover 212 of the inner plug portion 21 is provided with an extension portion 215 that extends radially outward from the inner plug body 211. When the inner plug portion 21 is fitted over the ring portion 22, the engagement by the locking portion 23 occurs and the extension portion 215 abuts against the upper surface of the ring portion 22, restricting vertical positional displacement of the ring portion 22.

[0026] Furthermore, the first claw portion 231 is provided in a convex shape extending downward with a predetermined width, and the second claw portion 232 is provided in a recessed portion 232a of a predetermined width provided in the circumferential direction on the inner periphery of the ring portion 22. As a result, when the first claw portion 231 engages with the second claw portion 232, the first claw portion 231 fits into the recessed portion 232a, and displacement of the ring portion 22 in the circumferential direction is restricted.

[0027] By screwing the lid unit 20 onto the container body 10, the ring portion 22 becomes part of the exterior of the beverage container 1. That is, when the lid unit 20 is screwed onto the container body 10, the inner plug body 211 is fitted inside the container opening 11h, and the packing 30 abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the container body 11. As the lid unit 20 is tightened, the packing 30 is crushed and comes into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the container body 11.

[0028] By screwing the lid unit 20 onto the container body 10, the ring portion 22 is positioned to cover the outer periphery of the upper part of the container body 11. A slightly enlarged protruding portion 115 is provided on the outer periphery of the container body 11, and by screwing the lid unit 20, the lid unit 20 can be tightened until the lower end of the ring portion 22 abuts against the protruding portion 115. When the lid unit 20 is attached to the container body 11, the ring portion 22 is sandwiched between the protruding portion 115 of the container body 11 and the extending portion 215 of the upper lid 212. This means that the ring portion 22 will not come off when the lid unit 20 is attached to the container opening 11h.

[0029] (Disassembly of the lid unit) 6(a) and (b) are perspective views illustrating disassembly of the lid unit. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the ring portion. The locking portions 23 are provided at two locations on the lid unit 20 that face each other in the X direction when viewed in the Z direction. Of the two locking portions 23, one locking portion 23 is a first locking portion 23, and the other locking portion 23 is a second locking portion 23.

[0030] As shown in Figure 6(a), when the lid unit 20 is removed from the container body 10, the ring portion 22 is configured to be distorted when pressed radially inward. It is advisable to provide recesses c on both sides in the Y direction on the outer circumferential surface of the ring portion 22. The recesses c serve as markers for the pressing position of the ring portion 22, and also allow fingers to fit into the recesses c, making it easier to press.

[0031] By pressing and deforming the ring portion 22, the locking force of the locking portions 23 that lock the inside plug portion 21 and the ring portion 22 is weakened to the extent that they can be disassembled. That is, when the ring portion 22 is pressed inward from both sides in the Y direction, the ring portion 22 is slightly crushed in the Y direction, shortening the diameter of the ring portion 22 in the Y direction while lengthening the diameter in the X direction. In other words, by pressing the ring portion 22, the ring portion 22 becomes elliptical with the X direction as the major axis and the Y direction as the minor axis. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the locking force of the locking portions 23 provided at two locations in the X direction is weakened, and the ring portion 22 and the inside plug portion 21 can be disassembled.

[0032] Here, it is preferable to provide low-strength portions 225 at two opposing locations in the Y direction of the ring portion 22. The low-strength portions 225 are portions of the ring portion 22 that have relatively low strength in the circumferential direction. As one example, ribs 227 for increasing strength are provided on the inner periphery of the ring portion 22, and the ribs 227 are not provided in the low-strength portions 225. As another example, the thickness of the low-strength portions 225 of the ring portion 22 is made thinner than the thickness of the other portions. As another example, the material of the ring portion 22 is made to have higher toughness than the other portions. In this way, by pressing the low-strength portions 225 of the ring portion 22 radially inward, the low-strength portions 225 are compressed, making the ring portion 22 more likely to distort. Note that the low-strength portion 225 may be provided at one location in the Y direction.

[0033] As ring portion 22 warps and its diameter in the X direction increases, first claw portion 231 and second claw portion 232 move away from each other in the X direction, weakening the locking force. When first claw portion 231 and second claw portion 232 are disengaged, inner plug portion 21 and ring portion 22 are separated. Even before first claw portion 231 and second claw portion 232 are disengaged, inner plug portion 21 can be easily unlocked by gently pushing inner plug portion 21 up from below in a state where the locking force has been weakened.

[0034] Here, an inclined surface s inclined upward and outward may be provided on both or one of the first claw portion 231 and the second claw portion 232. By providing such an inclined surface s, when fitting the inside plug portion 21 into the ring portion 22, the inclined surface s draws the first claw portion 231 radially inward relative to the second claw portion 232, making it easier for the inside plug portion 21 to climb over the second claw portion 232. On the other hand, when disassembling the lid unit 20, if the ring portion 22 is distorted and the engagement between the first claw portion 231 and the second claw portion 232 is released, the inside plug portion 21 will slide up along the inclined surface s and automatically float up and separate from the ring portion 22.

[0035] 7, it is advisable to provide a mark M at the position of the locking portion 23 of the ring portion 22. This makes it easier to fit the inner plug portion 21 into the ring portion 22 by aligning the first claw portion 231 of the inner plug portion 21 with the position of the second claw portion 232 of the ring portion 22 using the mark M as a guide.

[0036] 2, it is preferable to provide a protrusion 117 at a position on the container body 11 that faces the inner wall surface of the ring portion 22 when the lid unit 20 is attached to the container body 10. This allows the protrusion 117 to act as a stopper, preventing distortion of the ring portion 22 even when the ring portion 22 is pressed with the lid unit 20 attached to the container body 10.

[0037] As described above, according to this embodiment, the lid unit 20, which is made up of the inner plug portion 21 and the ring portion 22, can be easily disassembled by distorting the ring portion 22. In other words, compared to a configuration in which the inner plug portion 21 and the ring portion 22 are assembled by screwing them together, this configuration allows for one-touch disassembly and assembly, which improves the workability of cleaning the lid unit 20 and assembling it after cleaning.

[0038] Although the present embodiment and its application examples have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these examples. For example, the container body 11 and the ring portion 22 are not limited to being circular when viewed in the Z direction, and other shapes such as elliptical are also applicable. Furthermore, any embodiment or application example described above in which a person skilled in the art appropriately adds, deletes, or modifies components, or appropriately combines features of each embodiment, is also within the scope of the present invention as long as it includes the gist of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0039] The beverage container 1 and lid unit 20 according to the present invention can be suitably used as a container for various substances other than beverages, such as liquids, powders, solids, and creams. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1...Beverage container 10...Container body 11...Container body 11b…Bottom 11h…Container opening 15...Internal thread 20...Lid unit 21...Inner plug 22...Ring section 23...Latching part 25...Male thread 30...Gasket 115...Protruding part 117...Convex part 211...Inner plug body 212...Top lid 215...extension part 225…Low strength part 227...Rib 231...First claw part 232...Second claw part 232a...recess M...Mark c...recessed part s…Slope surface

Claims

1. A beverage container comprising a container body having an opening at the top and a lid unit attached to the container body, The lid unit is an inner plug portion that is detachably attached to the opening of the container body and that is formed by bonding or integrally forming an inner plug body and an upper lid provided on an upper portion of the inner plug body; a ring-shaped member that covers an outer periphery of the inner plug portion and does not have a thread portion for screwing with the container body; a locking portion that connects the ring portion and the inner plug portion with a predetermined locking force in a state where the inner plug portion is inserted inside the ring portion; Equipped with the ring portion is configured to be deformed by being pressed radially inward while being fixed to the inside plug portion by the locking portion, the locking portion is configured such that the locking force is weakened to such an extent that the ring portion and the inner plug portion can be disassembled due to distortion of the ring portion when the inner plug portion including the upper lid is locked to the ring portion, The beverage container can be disassembled by distorting the ring portion, disengaging the engagement by the engagement portion, and automatically lifting the inside plug portion from the ring portion.

2. The locking portion includes a first locking portion and a second locking portion that are provided at positions facing each other in a first direction that is one of the radial directions, The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the ring portion has two pressing positions that face each other in a second direction that is another of the radial directions and perpendicular to the first direction, and the pressing positions have a low-strength portion that is relatively weak in the circumferential direction.

3. The container body has a protruding portion provided on the outer periphery, The inner plug portion has an extension portion that extends outward, 2. The beverage container according to claim 1, wherein when the lid unit is attached to the container body, the ring portion is sandwiched between the protruding portion and the extending portion.

4. 2. The beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the container body has a protrusion provided at a position facing the inner wall surface of the ring portion when the lid unit is attached.

5. A lid unit attached to a container body having an opening at the top, an inner plug portion that is detachably attached to the opening of the container body and that is formed by bonding or integrally forming an inner plug body and an upper lid provided on an upper portion of the inner plug body; a ring-shaped member that covers an outer periphery of the inner plug portion and does not have a thread portion for screwing with the container body; a locking portion that connects the ring portion and the inner plug portion with a predetermined locking force in a state where the inner plug portion is inserted inside the ring portion; Equipped with the ring portion is configured to be deformed by being pressed radially inward while being fixed to the inside plug portion by the locking portion, the locking portion is configured such that the locking force is weakened to such an extent that the ring portion and the inner plug portion can be disassembled due to distortion of the ring portion when the inner plug portion including the upper lid is locked to the ring portion, The lid unit is disassembled by distorting the ring portion, thereby disengaging the engagement by the engagement portion and automatically lifting the inner plug portion from the ring portion.

6. The locking portion includes a first locking portion and a second locking portion that are provided at positions facing each other in a first direction that is one of the radial directions, The lid unit described in claim 5, wherein the ring portion has pressing positions provided at two locations opposite each other in a second direction which is another of the radial directions and perpendicular to the first direction, and has a low-strength portion at the pressing position which has relatively low strength in the circumferential direction.

Images