Containers and display methods

Abstract

To provide a container and a display method which can easily maintain the attitude of a displayed commodity facing forward.SOLUTION: A container 1 made of a base material having a thickness of 2 mm or smaller and made of a hard material selected from a synthetic resin film, paper, a chip, and a metal comprises: a through-hole 2 having a thickness of 2 mm or smaller and capable of penetrating a columnar support; and a storage 3 capable of storing an object Da to be stored, and is suspended from one columnar support to be used. The through-hole 2 includes a first part 21 capable of penetrating the columnar support, and a second part 22 connected to the first part 21 on a side opposite the storage 3 side of the first part 21. The width W of a boundary part 23 between the first and second parts 21 and 22 is smaller than the diameter of the columnar support.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a container and a display method. [Background technology]

[0002] A commonly used method for displaying products at retail stores and the like is to form a through-hole in a container containing the product and suspend the container by inserting a rod-shaped support extending from a wall or shelf into the through-hole. For example, a package disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-54628 (Patent Document 1) is an example of a container suitable for such a display method, and has a circular through-hole. Also, a package disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2014-506547 (Patent Document 2) has a similar through-hole configured in a shape having a wide portion and a substantially semicircular portion provided above the wide portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-54628 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2014-506547 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to enhance the appeal of products in stores, it is desirable to display products with the front of the container, on which the product name and other information is printed, facing directly toward customers. However, when a container with a through hole as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is suspended on a cylindrical support, the container may vibrate when an external force is applied to the container, causing the container to tilt. In this case, it may be difficult for customers to see the front of the container.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for a container and a display method that allows displayed products to easily maintain a front-facing position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A container according to one aspect of the present invention is a container made of a base material of 2 mm or less in thickness and made of a material selected from synthetic resin film, paper, wood chips, and metal, and comprising a through-hole portion of 2 mm or less in thickness through which a cylindrical support can be inserted, and a storage portion capable of accommodating an object to be contained, the container being used by being suspended from one of the cylindrical supports, wherein the material has a strength sufficient to maintain the shape of the through-hole portion when the container, with the object to be contained in the storage portion, is suspended from the cylindrical support, the through-hole portion having a first portion through which the cylindrical support can be inserted, and a second portion connected to the first portion on the opposite side of the first portion from the storage portion, the boundary portion between the first portion and the second portion being the intersection of a circle defining the periphery of the first portion and a circle or polygon defining the periphery of the second portion, and the width of the boundary portion is smaller than the opening dimension of the first portion in the width direction. a part of the periphery of the through-hole portion is configured as a cut line provided in the base material of the container, and another part of the periphery of the through-hole portion is configured as a connecting part that connects a separation part separated from the base material by the cut line to the remaining part of the base material, and the connecting part is provided on the storage part side of the part It is characterized by:

[0007] Furthermore, a display method according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a display device that is made of a base material having a thickness of 2 mm or less and made of a material selected from synthetic resin film, paper, wood, or metal, and that is provided with a storage section capable of storing an object to be stored, and a through-hole section having a thickness of 2 mm or less and that has a first section and a second section that is connected to the first section on the side of the first section opposite to the storage section side, wherein the boundary section between the first section and the second section is an intersection of a circle that defines the periphery of the first section and a circle or polygon that defines the periphery of the second section, and the width of the boundary section is smaller than the opening dimension of the first section in the width direction. A part of the periphery of the through-hole portion is configured as a cut line provided in the base material, and another part of the periphery of the through-hole portion is configured as a connecting part that connects a separation part separated from the base material by the cut line to the remaining part of the base material, and the connecting part is provided on the storage part side of the part. The method includes a storage step of storing the object to be stored in a container, and a suspension step of inserting a columnar support into the first part and suspending the container on one of the cylindrical supports, and is characterized in that the shape of the through-hole portion is maintained when the container is suspended on the cylindrical support.

[0008] According to this container and this display method, the container is suspended from the cylindrical support in a position where both ends of the boundary between the first and second portions of the through-hole abut against the cylindrical support. If an external force is applied to the container and the container tilts from a forward-facing position, the container is positioned higher than its stable state, and its potential energy increases. A force (gravity) then acts on the container to restore the increased potential energy, and the container attempts to return to a forward-facing position, which is the state with the smallest potential energy within its movable range. In other words, even if the container tilts due to the application of an external force, it will naturally return to the forward-facing position, which is the most stable in terms of potential energy. This makes it easier for the displayed product to maintain a forward-facing position.

[0010] In this way, the shape of the boundary portion is determined by the shapes of the first portion and the second portion, so there is no need to form the boundary portion separately. Therefore, the shape of the through-hole portion does not increase, so the container can be made compact. Furthermore, since the through-hole portion can be easily formed, the container can be manufactured efficiently.

[0011] In another configuration, the width of the boundary portion is preferably 1.0 mm or more and 4.9 mm or less.

[0012] This method can stabilize the position of the container on most of the cylindrical supports already installed in retail stores, etc. This is because the diameter of the cylindrical supports used in retail stores, etc. is typically about 5 to 7 mm.

[0014] In this way, the connecting part is provided below the through-hole part, and therefore the connecting part does not come into contact with the cylindrical support, preventing the connecting part from sliding on the cylindrical support and tilting the container. Also, since the part cut off from the base material to provide the through-hole part does not separate from the container, the cut-off part is not generated as waste, and the trouble of disposing of that waste can be reduced.

[0015] As another configuration, it is preferable that, in a position where the device is suspended from the cylindrical support body, the opening dimension of the through-hole portion in the up-down direction is larger than the opening dimension of the through-hole portion in the left-right direction.

[0016] This configuration makes it difficult for the through-hole portion to become engaged with the cylindrical support body at a location other than the boundary between the first and second portions, so that the product can be displayed facing forward simply by inserting the through-hole portion into the cylindrical support body and then releasing the container.

[0017] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which is given with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing a through-hole portion and a separation portion of a container according to the present embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the periphery of the through-hole portion in the container according to the present embodiment in an exhibited state. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a display posture stabilization mechanism for containers according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing modified examples of the through-hole portion; [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the through-hole portion; [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view of a container according to Comparative Examples 1 to 6; [Figure 8] Perspective views of containers according to comparative examples 7 to 12 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] An embodiment of a container and a display method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, an example will be described in which the container according to the present invention is applied to a container 1 that can store a group of interdental cleaning tools Da and display them in a store.

[0020] [Container configuration] First, the configuration of a container 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the container 1 has a blister B made of a 0.3 mm thick synthetic resin film (an example of a substrate) and a sealing seal S that seals the back side of the blister B. The blister B has a through-hole 2 and a storage section 3. The container 1, which stores a group of interdental cleaning tools Da (stored objects) in the storage section 3, is displayed by being suspended from a cylindrical support with the cylindrical support inserted into the through-hole 2. In the following description, the up-down direction is defined based on the orientation of the container 1 when it is displayed. In other words, the side of the container 1 on which the through-hole 2 is provided is defined as the "upper" side.

[0021] The through-hole portion 2 is provided as a through-hole penetrating the blister B. Therefore, the thickness of the through-hole portion 2 is 0.3 mm, corresponding to the thickness of the synthetic resin film constituting the blister B. The through-hole portion 2 has a first portion 21 configured as a part of a circle with a radius R1 of 4.0 mm and a second portion 22 configured as a part of a circle with a radius R2 of 2.5 mm. The second portion 22 is connected to the first portion 21 above the first portion 21 (i.e., the side opposite the storage portion 3). The overall opening dimension L of the through-hole portion 2 in the vertical direction is 9.2 mm, and the opening dimension in the horizontal direction is 8.0 mm, which corresponds to twice the radius R1. Therefore, the opening dimension L of the through-hole portion 2 in the vertical direction is larger than the opening dimension L of the through-hole portion 2 in the horizontal direction.

[0022] A boundary 23 between the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 is defined as a line segment connecting two intersections 23a, 23b of a circle of radius R1 that defines the periphery of the first portion 21 and a circle of radius R2 that defines the periphery of the second portion 22. In this embodiment, the width W of the boundary 23 is 4.9 mm. That is, the width W of the boundary 23 is smaller than the opening dimension of the first portion 21 in the width direction, which is 8.0 mm (twice the radius R1); more specifically, the width W of the boundary 23 is 61% of the opening dimension of the first portion 21 in the width direction.

[0023] 2, the through-hole portion 2 is formed by providing a cut line 24 in the synthetic resin film that constitutes the blister B. Therefore, part of the periphery of the first portion 21 and the entire periphery of the second portion 22 (part of the periphery of the through-hole portion 2) are defined as the cut line 24. Because the cut line 24 does not form a closed curve, the separation portion 25 separated from the synthetic resin film by the cut line 24 is not completely separated, but is connected to the synthetic resin film main body via the connection portion 26. Here, the connection portion 26 is provided on the lower side of the first portion 21 (i.e., on the storage portion 3 side).

[0024] The storage section 3 is formed by bending the synthetic resin film that constitutes the blister B, and forms a space capable of storing the interdental cleaning tool group Da. The back side of the storage section 3 is open, and after the interdental cleaning tool group Da is stored through the opening, the opening is closed with a sealing seal S.

[0025] [Display method] Next, we will explain the method for displaying the group of interdental cleaning tools Da using the container 1. The display method according to this embodiment includes a storage step of storing the group of interdental cleaning tools Da in the container 1, and a suspension step of suspending the container 1 storing the group of interdental cleaning tools Da on a cylindrical support. However, the method for storing the group of interdental cleaning tools Da in the container 1 in the storage step is as described above.

[0026] The container 1 containing the interdental cleaning tool group Da is suspended from a cylindrical support P that is installed on a retail store shelf or the like. More specifically, the container 1 is suspended from the cylindrical support P in such a manner that the cylindrical support P is inserted into the through-hole portion 2, with the through-hole portion 2 serving as a support portion for the entire container 1 (FIG. 3).

[0027] Here, the diameter Dp of the cylindrical support P is 6.1 mm. That is, the diameter Dp of the cylindrical support P is larger than the width W of the boundary 23 between the first portion 21 and the second portion 22. Due to the above-mentioned relationship between the diameter Dp and the width W, when the container 1 is suspended from the cylindrical support P, the container 1 is most stable when both ends 23a, 23b of the boundary 23 abut against the cylindrical support P.

[0028] [Stabilizing display posture] Finally, we will explain why the display posture of the interdental cleaning tool group Da is stable when it is displayed using the container 1. As mentioned above, when the container 1 is suspended from the cylindrical support P, it is stable in a posture in which both ends 23a, 23b of the boundary 23 abut against the cylindrical support P (FIG. 4(a)). At this time, the cylindrical support P abuts against the container 1 at two points Pa, Pb. The distance between the two points Pa, Pb is equal to the width W of the boundary 23. Furthermore, the line connecting the two points Pa, Pb is perpendicular to the axis X of the cylindrical support P.

[0029] Now, let us consider a case where an external force is applied to the container 1, tilting it from a forward orientation (tilt angle θ) (Figure 4(b)). In this case, the cylindrical support P abuts at two points Pc and Pd, the distance between which is equal to the width W of the boundary 23. Here, the line connecting the two points Pc and Pd is tilted with respect to the axis X of the cylindrical support P. Therefore, the height Hb of the two points Pc and Pd, where the separation distance is equal to the width W, is higher than the height Ha of the two points Pa and Pb when the container 1 is forward-facing. Therefore, the container 1 is positioned higher than in its stable state, and its potential energy increases. Subsequently, a force (gravity) acts on the container 1 to restore the increased potential energy, and the container 1 attempts to return to the state with the smallest potential energy within its movable range, i.e., its forward-facing orientation. Therefore, even if the container 1 is temporarily tilted, it will automatically return to its forward-facing orientation.

[0030] In this way, the container 1 can be maintained in a front-facing position, ie, a position that allows the interdental cleaning tool group Da to be most suitably displayed to the consumer.

[0031] [Modification of the through hole portion] Here, modified examples of the through-hole portion will be described.

[0032] The through-hole portion 4 shown in Fig. 5 has a shape in which a circle with a radius of 4.0 mm and a circle with a radius of 1.5 mm are connected by two straight lines. That is, the first portion 41 is configured as a part of a circle with a radius of approximately 4.0 mm, and the second portion 42 is configured as a shape in which a triangle with a semicircle with a radius of 1.5 mm is joined to form a vertex. The width of the boundary 43 between the first portion 41 and the second portion 42 is 4.9 mm, as in the above embodiment.

[0033] When the container 1 having the through-hole portion 4 shown in FIG. 5 is suspended from the cylindrical support P, if the container 1 is tilted from the front, the distance between the cylindrical support P and the container 1 becomes longer. That is, the position of the contact point on the container 1 is lower than when it is facing forward. At this time, the position of the cylindrical support remains unchanged, so the container 1 is in a higher position than when it is facing forward, and a force (gravity) acts to restore the increased potential energy, causing the container 1 to return to the state where the potential energy is smallest within its movable range, i.e., to the forward-facing position. Therefore, just as explained in the above embodiment, the container 1 will automatically return to the forward-facing position.

[0034] In the through-hole portion 5 shown in FIG. 6, the first portion 51 is configured as a part of a circle with a radius of 4.0 mm, and the second portion 52 is configured as a rounded rectangle with a width of 4.7 mm and a height of 2.5 mm. The width of the boundary 53 between the first portion 51 and the second portion 52 is 4.9 mm, similar to the above embodiment.

[0035] In any of the above-mentioned modified examples, when the container 1 is suspended from the cylindrical support P with the cylindrical support P inserted through the through-hole portion, the container 1 is stabilized in a position where the boundary between the first and second portions abuts against the cylindrical support P. Therefore, the effect of stabilizing the display position described above is achieved in any of the above-mentioned modified examples. In this way, the shapes of the first and second portions of the through-hole portion in the present invention can be selected arbitrarily as long as the width of the boundary between the first and second portions is smaller than the opening dimension of the first portion in the width direction.

[0036] Other Embodiments Finally, other embodiments of the container and display method according to the present invention will be described. Note that the configurations disclosed in the following embodiments can be applied in combination with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no contradiction occurs.

[0037] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the blister B provided with the through-hole portion 2 is made of a synthetic resin film. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the through-hole portion may also be provided in a container made of a material such as paper, wood, or metal, as long as it has a thickness of 2 mm or less.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the width W of the boundary 23 between the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 of the through-hole portion 2 is 4.9 mm. However, the width of the boundary between the first and second portions of the through-hole portion is not particularly limited as long as it is smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical support from which the container is suspended. However, considering that the diameter of cylindrical supports used in retail stores and the like is typically 5 to 7 mm, the width of the boundary between the first and second portions is preferably 1.0 mm to 4.9 mm. Furthermore, considering that the first portion can accommodate a cylindrical support, if the width of the boundary between the first and second portions is 80% or less of the opening dimension in the width direction of the first portion, the width of the boundary between the first and second portions is likely to be smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical support, thereby more effectively stabilizing the display posture.

[0039] In the above embodiment, the separation portion 25 separated from the synthetic resin film by the cut line 24 is connected to the synthetic resin film main body via the connecting portion 26. However, as shown in FIG. Considering the generation of waste, the above embodiment is preferable, but is not essential for the present invention, and therefore, without being limited to the above configuration, the through-hole portion may be formed in a manner that completely separates a portion of the substrate.

[0040] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the opening dimension in the up-down direction of the through-hole portion 2 is larger than the opening dimension in the left-right direction of the through-hole portion 2. However, the size relationship between the opening dimensions in the up-down direction and the left-right direction of the through-hole portion is not particularly limited.

[0041] Regarding other configurations, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and that the scope of the present invention is not limited thereby. Those skilled in the art will easily understand that appropriate modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, other embodiments modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention are naturally included in the scope of the present invention. [Example]

[0042] The present invention will be further described below by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0043] In Examples 1 to 5 and the Reference Example, a container 1 having the shape shown in Fig. 1 was used. The thicknesses of Examples 1 to 5 and the Reference Example are as shown in Table 1. As described above, the container 1 is provided with a through-hole portion 2 (Figs. 1 and 2).

[0044] Containers 1A having the shape shown in FIG. 7 were used as Comparative Examples 1 to 6. The thicknesses of Comparative Examples 1 to 6 are as shown in Table 1. Container 1A is similar to container 1 except that a circular through-hole 2A with a radius of 4.0 mm is provided instead of through-hole 2. In through-hole 2A, separating portion 25A is connected to the synthetic resin film via connecting portion 26A located above through-hole 2A. Comparative Examples 1 to 6 are examples of conventional containers.

[0045] Container 1B having the shape shown in FIG. 8 was used as Comparative Examples 7 to 12. The thickness of each of Comparative Examples 7 to 12 is as shown in Table 1. Container 1B is similar to container 1 except that circular through-hole portion 2B with a radius of 4.0 mm is provided instead of through-hole portion 2A. In through-hole portion 2B, separating portion 25B is connected to the synthetic resin film via connecting portion 26B located below through-hole portion 2A. Comparative Examples 7 to 12 are examples of conventional containers.

[0046] [Impact resistance test] The containers of each of the Examples, Reference Examples, and Comparative Examples were suspended from a cylindrical support with a diameter of 6.1 mm in a front-facing position and allowed to stand still. A strong impact was then applied to the container, shaking it so that it was tilted at approximately 60 degrees, and the time required for the container to stand still was measured. Furthermore, it was visually confirmed whether the container was facing forward when it stood still. The above test was performed six times for each of the containers of the Examples, Reference Examples, and Comparative Examples. Table 1 shows the number of times the container returned to a front-facing position out of the six tests, and indicators A to D, which represent the average time required for the container to stand still. Indicators A to D represent the following, respectively. A: The average time to stop is less than 10 seconds B: The average time to stop is between 10 and 20 seconds C: The average time to stop is between 20 and 30 seconds D: The average time to stop is 30 seconds or more

[0047] [Exhibitability test] Each container of the Examples, Reference Examples, and Comparative Examples was manually suspended from a cylindrical support with a diameter of 6.1 mm. At least 20 seconds after the container was released, the size of the angle (corresponding to θ in Figure 4) formed between the container and the cylindrical support in a planar view was measured. The above test was performed six times for each container of the Examples, Reference Examples, and Comparative Examples. Table 1 shows the range of the angle measured in the six measurements. The measured angle value was taken as a positive value when the container was tilted clockwise in a planar view, and a negative value when the container was tilted counterclockwise.

[0048] [Test results] As shown in Table 1, in the impact resistance test, the containers returned to a frontal orientation in all six runs in Examples 1 to 5 and the Reference Example. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 1 to 12, there were cases where the containers did not return to a frontal orientation. In particular, the thinner the blister B, the more difficult it was to return to a frontal orientation (Comparative Examples 1 to 3 and 7 to 9). Furthermore, the time required for the containers to come to rest was less than 10 seconds (A) in all Examples 1 to 6, whereas the time required for the containers to come to rest was longer in the Comparative Examples (Comparative Examples 1 to 4 and 7 to 9) in which the blister B was thinner.

[0049] In addition, in the displayability test, the tilt of the container was within ±5° in all six runs for Examples 1 to 5 and the Reference Example, whereas in Comparative Examples 1 to 12, there were cases where the container tilted significantly.

[0050] [Table 1]

[0051] The above test results show that the problem of conventional containers (Comparative Examples 1 to 12) being prone to tilting is particularly pronounced when the thickness of blister B is thin. Furthermore, it was found that even when the thickness of blister B is thin, tilting of the container can be suitably prevented according to Examples 1 to 5. [Industrial Applicability]

[0052] The present invention can be used, for example, in containers for storing small products such as interdental cleaning tools and displaying them in stores. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1: Container 2: Through-hole section 21:First part 22:Second part 23: Boundary 24: Cut line 25: Separation part 26:Connection part 3: Storage section 4: Through-hole portion (modified example) 5: Through-hole portion (modified example) P: Cylindrical support B: Blister S: Sealing seal Da: Interdental cleaning tools

Claims

1. It is composed of a substrate having a thickness of 2 mm or less and made of a material selected from a synthetic resin film, paper, wood chips, or metal; a through-hole portion having a thickness of 2 mm or less through which a cylindrical support member can be inserted; a storage section capable of storing an object to be stored, A container used by being suspended from one of the cylindrical supports, the material has a strength sufficient to maintain the shape of the through-hole portion when the container containing the object to be contained in the containing portion is suspended from the cylindrical support body, The through-hole portion is a first portion through which the cylindrical support member can be inserted; a second portion connected to the first portion on the opposite side of the first portion to the housing portion side, a boundary portion between the first portion and the second portion is an intersection point between a circle defining a periphery of the first portion and a circle or a polygon defining a periphery of the second portion, the width of the boundary portion is smaller than the opening dimension of the portion in the width direction; a portion of a periphery of the through-hole portion is configured as a score line provided in the base material of the container; the other portion of the periphery of the through-hole portion is configured as a connecting portion that connects a separation portion separated from the base material by the cut line to a remaining portion of the base material, The connecting portion is a container provided on the storage portion side of the first portion.

2. 2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the width of the boundary portion is 1.0 mm or more and 4.9 mm or less.

3. 3. The container according to claim 1, wherein, in a position where the container is suspended from the cylindrical support, the opening dimension of the through-hole portion in the vertical direction is larger than the opening dimension of the through-hole portion in the horizontal direction.

4. a container that is made of a base material having a thickness of 2 mm or less and made of a material selected from a synthetic resin film, paper, wood, or metal, and that is capable of accommodating an object to be accommodated; and a through-hole portion having a thickness of 2 mm or less and that has a first portion and a second portion that is connected to the first portion on the side of the first portion opposite to the accommodating portion, wherein a boundary portion between the first portion and the second portion is an intersection of a circle that defines the periphery of the first portion and a circle or polygon that defines the periphery of the second portion, and the width of the boundary portion is smaller than the opening dimension of the first portion in the width direction, and a portion of the periphery of the through-hole portion is configured as a cut line provided in the base material, and another portion of the periphery of the through-hole portion is configured as a connecting portion that connects a separation portion that is separated from the base material by the cut line to the remainder of the base material, and the connecting portion is configured as a a suspending step of inserting a cylindrical support into the first portion and suspending the container on the cylindrical support; A display method in which the shape of the through-hole portion is maintained when the container is suspended from the cylindrical support.

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