Double container

Abstract

To provide a double container enabling a clean inner container having no damage to be viewed through a window of an outer container.SOLUTION: A double container 1A comprises: an inner container 2 that can store a content C; and an outer container 3 that can store the inner container 2. The outer container 3 is provided with a window 34 through which the inner container 2 can be viewed. In the inner container 2, a recess 25 is formed in a region equivalent to the window 34 in a state where the inner container 2 is stored in the outer container 3. A region of the recess 25 includes the region equivalent to the window 34, and equal to or larger in size than the region equivalent to the window 34.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a double container. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Known conventional cosmetic containers include a cap that is detachable from the container body and is provided with an applicator (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3050914 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Cosmetic containers are sometimes required to have decorative properties (design). One method for improving decorative properties is to provide a window in the body. However, since the above-mentioned conventional containers have a single container body, it is difficult to provide a window in the container body.

[0005] In contrast, if a double container is used, the outer surface of the inner container can be seen through a window formed in the outer container, which can be useful for improving decorative properties.

[0006] However, because a double container houses an inner container inside an outer container, the surface of the inner container may be scratched by the inner circumferential surface of the outer container when the inner container is housed inside. Since scratches formed on the surface of the inner container are visible through a window in the outer container, it is preferable to avoid such scratches.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a double container that allows a clean, undamaged inner container to be viewed through a window in the outer container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The double container of the present invention comprises an inner container capable of containing contents and an outer container capable of containing the inner container, the outer container being provided with a window through which the inner container can be seen, the inner container having a recess formed in an area corresponding to the window when the inner container is contained in the outer container, the recess area including the area corresponding to the window and being the same size as or larger than the area corresponding to the window.

[0009] In the double container according to the present invention, the recess is preferably a transparent recess.

[0010] In the double container according to the present invention, the surface of the recess is preferably a smooth surface.

[0011] The double container of the present invention further has an annular sealing member arranged between the inner container and the outer container, wherein the inner container has a mouth, the outer container has a mouth, a shoulder connected to the mouth, and a body connected to the shoulder, the annular sealing member is arranged between the upper end of the mouth of the inner container and the inner surface of the shoulder of the outer container, and the inner container and the outer container each have an undercut fitting portion that engages the inner container and the outer container so that the annular sealing member is compressed between the upper end of the mouth of the inner container and the inner surface of the shoulder of the outer container.

[0012] In the double container according to the present invention, the annular sealing member preferably has a fitting groove into which the opening of the inner container fits.

[0013] The double container according to the present invention may further include an inner plug that seals the inner surface of the opening of the outer container.

[0014] The double container according to the present invention may further include a cap that can be attached and detached to the mouth of the outer container, and an applicator that is attached to the cap and penetrates the inner stopper in a removable manner. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, a double container can be provided in which the clean, undamaged inner container can be seen through the window in the outer container. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a container with an applicator having a double container according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a front view showing the applicator-equipped container of FIG. 1 along the cross section AA. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a right side view showing the applicator-equipped container of FIG. 1 along the cross section BB. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing an area R1 in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 2 is a plan view showing an example of a sealing member for the double container of FIG. 1 from above. FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a bottom view showing the seal member of FIG. 5 from below. FIG. [Figure 7] 6 is a side view showing the seal member of FIG. 5 along the cross section DD. [Figure 8] 2 is a front view showing the inner container of the applicator-equipped container of FIG. 1, viewed from the front side. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a right side view showing the inner container of FIG. 8, partially in cross section. [Figure 10A] 10 is an enlarged view showing an area X in FIG. 9. FIG. [Figure 10B] 10 is an enlarged view showing an area Y in FIG. 9. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 9 taken along line E-E. [Figure 12] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the inner container of FIG. 8 from above. [Figure 13]1. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a container with an applicator having a double container according to a second embodiment of the present invention, taken along the line CC in FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a container with an applicator having a double container according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 15 is a plan view showing an example of a sealing member for the double container of FIG. 14, viewed from above. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, double containers according to various embodiments of the present invention will be described together with a container with an applicator that uses the double container as a container body. In the following description, axis O is the central axis of the container with an applicator. Each component of the container with an applicator has axis O as its central axis. In the following description, "axial direction" refers to the direction along axis O, "axis-perpendicular direction" refers to the direction perpendicular to axis O, and in particular, "radial direction" refers to the axis-perpendicular direction that has axis O as its base point. Furthermore, "upper" may refer to the direction in which the mouth of the container is oriented, and "lower" may refer to the direction in which the bottom of the container is oriented.

[0018] 1, reference numeral 1A denotes a double container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The double container 1A, together with a cap 7, constitutes a container 10 with an applicator.

[0019] Figure 2 shows the AA cross section of the applicator-equipped container 1A. Referring to Figure 2, the double container 1A has an inner container 2 capable of containing the content C, an outer container 3 capable of containing the inner container 2, and an annular sealing member 4 arranged between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3.

[0020] The inner container 2 has a mouth 21. The inner container 2 also has a body 22 connected to the mouth 21. The inner container 2 further has a bottom 23 connected to the body 22. The bottom 23 is located on the opposite side of the mouth 21 in the axial direction and closes the lower end of the body 22. The inner container 2 contains, for example, liquid contents C. In this embodiment, the inner container 2 is a so-called wide-mouth container. Here, a wide-mouth container refers to a container that does not have a shoulder between the mouth 21 and the body 22, as shown in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the inner container 2 is a container in which the inner diameter of the mouth 21 is the same as the inner diameter of the body 22. In this embodiment, the inner container 2 is a transparent container. This allows the contents C to be seen through the inner container 2. However, according to the present invention, the inner container 2 can also be a translucent or opaque container. The inner container 2 can be integrally formed, for example, from resin.

[0021] The outer container 3 has a mouth 31, a shoulder 32 connected to the mouth 31, and a body 33 connected to the shoulder 32. In this embodiment, the lower end of the body 33 of the outer container 3 is open. This allows the inner container 2 to be placed in the outer container 3 through the lower end opening, as shown in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the body 33 is a container having a quadrangular shape (a square shape in this example) in plan view, as shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, the body 33 is composed of four panel-like walls and has four faces: a front face 33A, a rear face 33B, a right face 33C, and a left face 33D.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the body 33 is provided with a window 34 through which the inner container 2 can be viewed. The window 34 can be, for example, an opening (through-hole) formed in the body 33. In this embodiment, the window 34 is formed at two positions on the front faces 33A and 33B, facing each other across the axis O. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the right face 33C and the left face 33D (the left face 33D is not shown in FIG. 3) are closed and do not have a window 34. However, according to the present invention, the window 34 can be provided in at least one of the four faces (33A to 33D). That is, according to the present invention, at least one window 34 can be provided per face.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 4, the annular seal member 4 is disposed between the upper end 21e of the mouth 21 of the inner container 2 and the inner surface (lower surface) 32F of the shoulder portion 32 of the outer container 3. In this embodiment, the annular seal member 4 is also quadrangular (square in this example) in plan view, as shown in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 7, the annular seal member 4 has an inner seal portion 41, an outer seal portion 42, and a seal main body portion 43. The inner seal portion 41 and the outer seal portion 42 are spaced apart in the direction perpendicular to the axis. In this embodiment, the seal main body portion 43 connects the upper ends of the inner seal portion 41 and the outer seal portion 42. As a result, in this embodiment, a fitting groove 4G defined by the seal main body portion 43, the inner seal portion 41, and the outer seal portion 42 is formed below the seal main body portion 43. In this embodiment, the fitting groove 4G is a quadrangular (square in this example) fitting groove in bottom view (plan view) as shown in Fig. 6. The upper end portion 24 of the mouth of the inner container 2, which will be described later, can be fitted into the fitting groove 4G as shown in Fig. 4. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 7, the seal main body 43 is provided with a seal protrusion 44. In this embodiment, the seal protrusion 44 protrudes radially outward and upward from the seal main body 43. In this embodiment, the seal protrusion 44 is also a quadrangular (square in this example) seal protrusion in plan view as shown in Fig. 5.

[0024] 3, the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 each have an undercut fitting portion 5 that engages the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 so that the annular seal member 4 is compressed between the upper end (21e) of the mouth 21 of the inner container 2 and the inner surface (32F) of the shoulder portion 32 of the outer container 3. In this embodiment, the undercut fitting portion 5 is composed of a fitting protrusion 52 formed on the body portion 22 of the inner container 2 and a fitting recess 53 formed on the body portion 33 of the outer container 3. The fitting protrusion 52 is engaged with the fitting recess 53 by pushing the inner container 2 into the outer container 3 axially upward. In other words, the fitting protrusion 52 can be undercut-fitted into the fitting recess 53. This allows the inner container 2 to be fixed inside the outer container 3 with the annular seal member 4 compressed. Since the contents C are contained in the inner container 2, forming the fitting recess (53) of the undercut fitting portion 5 in the outer container 3, as in this embodiment, is preferable in terms of ensuring the internal volume of the inner container 2 without reducing the internal volume of the inner container 2. However, according to the present invention, the undercut fitting portion 5 can be composed of a fitting recess (53) formed in the body portion 22 of the inner container 2 and a fitting protrusion (52) formed in the body portion 33 of the outer container 3. In this embodiment, the undercut fitting portions 5 are disposed at two positions on the outer container 3: one on the front surface 33A side of the body portion 33 and the other on the rear surface 33B side of the body portion 33 (FIG. 3 does not show the undercut fitting portion 5 on the front surface 33A side of the body portion 33). Also, referring to FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the undercut fitting portions 5 are not disposed at two positions: one on the right surface 33C side of the body portion 33 and the other on the left surface 33D side of the body portion 33. That is, in this embodiment, the undercut fitting portions 5 are arranged at two positions facing each other across the axis O. This makes it possible to stably fix the inner container 2 to the outer container 3 while reducing the number of undercut fitting portions 5. However, according to the present invention, the undercut fitting portion 5 can be arranged on at least one of the four sides, i.e., front, rear, left, and right.

[0025] 3, in the double container 1A, a recess 25 is formed in the inner container 2 in an area corresponding to the window 34 when the inner container 2 is housed in the outer container 3. The area of ​​the recess 25 includes the area corresponding to the window 34, and is the same size as or larger than the area corresponding to the window 34.

[0026] FIG. 8 shows the inner container 2 from the front. Referring to FIG. 8, the bottom surface 25a of the recess 25 is larger than the area corresponding to the window 34. Therefore, after the inner container 2 is set inside the outer container 3, the bottom surface 25a of the recess 25 is visible through the window 34 of the outer container 3. In addition, the bottom surface 25a of the recess 25 does not come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the outer container 3 when the inner container 2 is placed inside the outer container 3. That is, after the inner container 2 is set inside the outer container 3, the clean, undamaged bottom surface 25a of the recess 25 is visible through the window 34 of the outer container 3. Therefore, with the double container 1A, the clean, undamaged surface of the inner container 2 can be seen through the window 34 of the outer container 3. However, as described above, the bottom surface 25a of the recess 25 may be the same size as the area corresponding to the window 34.

[0027] FIG. 9 shows a partial cross-section of the right side of the inner container 2. In FIG. 9, the inner container 2 is shown partially in cross-section, including the rear surface 22B side of the body 22 and the bottom 23. FIG. 10A shows an enlarged view of region X in FIG. 9. FIG. 10B shows an enlarged view of region Y in FIG. 9. Furthermore, FIG. 11 shows an E-E cross-section of FIG. 9. Referring to these figures, in this embodiment, the recess 25 is formed by a bottom surface 25a and a peripheral surface 25b continuous with the bottom surface 25a. The depth d of the recess 25 from the surface of the body 22 (the rear surface 22B in the figure) to the bottom surface 25a may be 0.05 mm. In this embodiment, as described above, the recesses 25 are formed at positions corresponding to the window 34 of the outer container 3, i.e., on both the front surface 22A and the rear surface 22B of the body 22 of the inner container 2.

[0028] In this embodiment, the recess 25 is a transparent recess. In this case, if the recess 25, specifically the bottom surface 25a of the recess 25, is scratched, the transparency is affected. Therefore, a transparent recess 25 is effective in that the clean, scratch-free surface of the inner container 2 can be seen. However, the recess 25, specifically the bottom surface 25a, may be translucent or opaque. In this embodiment, the recess 25 is molded together with the inner container 2. The recess 25 is preferably colorless and transparent, but may also be colored and transparent.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the surface of the recess 25 is a smooth surface. In this case, if scratches occur on the surface of the recess 25, specifically on the bottom surface 25a of the recess 25, the aesthetic appearance of the surface is affected. Therefore, if the recess 25 has a smooth surface, it is effective in that the clean, scratch-free surface of the inner container 2 can be visually confirmed. However, the recess 25, specifically the bottom surface 25a of the recess 25, together with the body portion 22 of the inner container 2, may be subjected to a surface treatment such as embossing.

[0030] 12 shows the inner container 2 from above. In this embodiment, the body 22 of the inner container 2 is a quadrangular (square in this example) container in plan view, as shown in FIG. 12. Specifically, the body 22, like the body 33 of the outer container 3, is composed of four panel-like walls and has four faces: a front face 22A, a rear face 22B, a right face 22C, and a left face 22D. This allows the inner container 2 to be accommodated inside the body 33 of the outer container 3 in accordance with the inner shape of the body 33, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0031] In the case of a double-walled container in which an inner container 2 is housed in an outer container 3, for example, the ability to maintain the shape of the double-walled container (shape retention) can be improved by fixing the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 together by ultrasonic welding. However, when using bonding methods such as ultrasonic welding, it is possible that inconsistencies in the bonding may prevent sufficient airtightness (sealing). On the other hand, when sealing with an annular sealing member such as a rubber packing, if the annular sealing member seals the radial gap formed between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3, it is difficult to achieve sealing unless the outer shapes of the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 are similar in shape (for example, similar circular shapes).

[0032] In contrast, with the double container 1A, as shown in FIG. 4, the annular sealing member 4 is compressed between the upper end 21e of the mouth 21 of the inner container 2 and the inner surface 32F of the shoulder 32 of the outer container 3, thereby sealing the inner container 2 and the outer container 3. That is, with the double container 1A, the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 are not sealed by adhesive. Therefore, with the double container 1A, there is no concern that the sealability will be reduced due to uneven adhesion. Furthermore, with the double container 1A, the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 are sealed in the axial direction, as shown in FIG. 4 and other figures. Therefore, even if there is variation in the outer dimensions or shapes between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 in the radial direction, the sealability between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 is ensured. Therefore, with the double container 1A, the sealability between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 can be improved.

[0033] In this embodiment, the annular seal member 4 has a seal protrusion 44. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the seal protrusion 44 is firmly pressed against the inner surface 32F of the shoulder portion 32. This further improves the seal between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the inner surface 32F of the shoulder portion 32 of the outer container 3 is also provided with a seal protrusion 35. The seal protrusion 35 is positioned so as to be located radially inward of the seal protrusion 44 of the annular seal member 4 when the annular seal member 4 is compressed. The seal protrusion 35 protrudes downward from the inner surface 32F of the shoulder portion 32 and is firmly pressed against the seal protrusion 44 as shown in FIG. 4. This further improves the seal between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 according to this embodiment.

[0034] 3, the double container 1A can be assembled in a compressed state between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 by simply pushing the inner container 2 into the outer container 3 to undercut-fit the inner container 2 and the outer container 3. Therefore, the double container 1A can be easily assembled.

[0035] In this embodiment, the annular seal member 4 has a fitting groove 4G into which the opening 21 of the inner container 2 fits, as shown in FIG. 4 . When the opening 2 of the inner container 2 is fitted into the fitting groove 4G, the annular seal member 4 is easily attached to the opening 21 of the inner container 2. This improves the ease of setting the annular seal member 4 to the opening 21 of the inner container 2. Furthermore, since the annular seal member 4 is pre-attached to the opening 21 of the inner container 2, it also improves the ease of setting the annular seal member 4 between the opening 21 of the inner container 2 and the shoulder 32 of the outer container 3. Furthermore, since the annular seal member 4 is pre-attached to the opening 21 of the inner container 2, it is possible to prevent the annular seal member 4 from falling off after setting it in place. Additionally, according to this embodiment, in addition to the seal body 43, the inner seal portion 41 of the annular seal member 4 seals the inner surface of the inner container 2, and the outer seal portion 42 seals the radial gap between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3. As a result, according to this embodiment, the sealing performance between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 can be further improved.

[0036] In this embodiment, the mouth 21 of the inner container 2 is formed with an upper mouth end 24. The upper mouth end 24 has a radial width thinner than that of the mouth 21. Specifically, the upper mouth end 24 is formed by a circumferential groove 2G that extends downward from the upper end 21e of the mouth 21 and annularly extends around the axis O. In this embodiment, the circumferential groove 2G is formed on the outer surface of the mouth 21. In this embodiment, the fitting groove 4G of the annular seal member 4 fits into the upper mouth end 24. As a result, according to this embodiment, even when the annular seal member 4 is fitted into the mouth 21, it is possible to prevent the radial gap between the inner container 2 and the outer container 3 from widening. This allows the radial dimension of the double container 1A to be kept compact.

[0037] The double container 1A according to this embodiment further includes an inner stopper 6 that seals the inner surface of the mouth 31 of the outer container 3. The inner stopper 6 is formed of an elastic material such as an elastomer. In this embodiment, the inner stopper 6 is a squeezing member having a squeezing piece 6a. The inner stopper 6 has an inner stopper body 6b that seals the inner surface of the mouth 31 of the outer container 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the inner stopper body 6b has an annular shape. The squeezing piece 6a is an annular elastic membrane formed on the inside of the inner stopper body 6b. An opening A6 is formed on the inside of the squeezing piece 6a. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inner stopper 6 has a flange portion 6c that seals the upper end of the mouth 31 of the outer container 3.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the double container 1A further includes a cap 7 that is detachable from the mouth 31 of the outer container 3, and an applicator 8 that is attached to the cap 7 and that removably penetrates the inside stopper 6. In this embodiment, the cap 7 is removably screwed onto the mouth 31 of the outer container 3. In this embodiment, the applicator 8 includes an applicator portion 8a and an axial member 8b. The axial member 8b is fixed to the cap 7. The applicator portion 8a is fixed to the tip (lower end) of the axial member 8b. The applicator portion 8a can be formed, for example, from a sponge, brush, comb, or spatula. In this embodiment, the applicator portion 8a and the axial member 8b penetrate the opening A6 of the inside stopper 6 and are squeezed by the squeezing piece 6a of the inside stopper 6 when pulled upward through the opening A6. In this embodiment, the applicator-equipped container 10 has the cap 7 attached to the mouth 31 of the outer container 3. Furthermore, the mouth 21 of the inner container 2 is held in place by the shoulder 32 of the outer container 3. As a result, even if the applicator 8 is pulled out from the stopper 6 attached to the mouth 21 of the inner container 2 by removing the cap 7 from the outer container 3, the inner container 2 will not come off from the outer container 3.

[0039] 13 is a side view showing a container with an applicator 10 having a double container 1B according to a second embodiment of the present invention, taken along the line CC in FIG. 1. The double container 1B according to this embodiment is a diamond-shaped container whose diagonals coincide with each other in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions in a plan view. The double container 1B has the same configuration as the other double containers 1A, including the undercut fitting portion 5.

[0040] FIG. 14 is a plan view of a container with applicator 10 having a double container 1C according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The double container 1C is a circular container in plan view. The double container 1C also has the same configuration as the other double containers 1A and 1B, including the undercut fitting portion 5. The E-E cross section of the container with applicator 10 according to this embodiment is the same as that of FIG. 2 or 3. FIG. 15 is a plan view showing an example of the annular seal member 4 according to the double container 1C from above. In this embodiment, the annular seal member 4 is an annular seal member having a circular ring shape in plan view, as shown in FIG. 15. The basic configuration of the annular seal member 4 is substantially the same as that of the annular seal members 4 according to other embodiments.

[0041] The above describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. In the above-described embodiments, the double container of the present invention has been described as a container body of a container with an applicator for applying cosmetics, for example, but is not limited to a container body of a container with an applicator. For example, the double container of the present invention can be used as a beverage container with the opening A6 of the inner stopper 6 as a drinking spout. In this case, the wiping piece 6a and the applicator 8 can be omitted. Furthermore, the contents C are not limited to cosmetics. Furthermore, the various configurations employed in the above-described embodiments can be mutually interchangeable or combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1A to 1C: double container (container body), 2: inner container, 2G: circumferential groove, 21: mouth, 22: body, 23: bottom, 24: upper end of mouth of inner container 2, 25: recess, 25a: bottom surface of recess, 25b: circumferential surface of recess, 3: outer container, 31: mouth, 32: shoulder, 33: body, 34: window, 4: annular seal member, 41: inner seal portion, 42: outer seal portion, 43: seal body portion, 44: seal protrusion, 5: undercut fitting portion, 52: fitting protrusion portion, 53: fitting recess, 6: inner plug, 6a: wiping piece, 6b: inner plug body, 6c: flange portion, 7: cap, 8: applicator, 8a: applicator portion, 8b: shaft member, A6: Opening of inner stopper, C: Contents

Claims

1. The container has an inner container capable of accommodating contents and an outer container capable of accommodating the inner container, The outer container is provided with a window through which the inner container can be viewed, a recess is formed in the inner container in a region corresponding to the window when the inner container is housed in the outer container, the region of the recess includes the region corresponding to the window, and is the same size as or larger than the region corresponding to the window; The container further includes an annular seal member disposed between the inner container and the outer container, The inner container has a mouth portion, the outer container has a mouth, a shoulder connected to the mouth, and a body connected to the shoulder, the annular sealing member is disposed between an upper end of the mouth of the inner container and an inner surface of the shoulder of the outer container, The inner container and the outer container each have an undercut fitting portion that engages the inner container and the outer container so that the annular sealing member is compressed between the upper end of the mouth of the inner container and the inner surface of the shoulder portion of the outer container.

2. 2. The double container according to claim 1, wherein the recess is a transparent recess.

3. 3. The double container according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the recess is a smooth surface.

4. 4. The double container according to claim 1, wherein the annular sealing member has a fitting groove into which the opening of the inner container fits.

5. 5. The double container according to claim 1, further comprising an inner plug for sealing the inner surface of the opening of the outer container.

6. 6. The double container according to claim 5, further comprising a cap detachable from the opening of the outer container, and an applicator attached to the cap and adapted to removably penetrate the inner plug.

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