Cap unit and beverage container

Abstract

To provide a cap unit which can maintain a good threadedly engaging state between a cap unit and a container body while enabling a ring member to rotate around a hinge to improve convenience and stop the ring member at a given position, and to provide a beverage container.SOLUTION: A cap unit 3A is threadedly engaged with a neck part of a container body, which is open at an upper part, to be detachably attached thereto and includes: a cap body 9 which closes an upper opening of the container body; an annular ring member 11 disposed on the upper side of the cap body 9; and a hinge 12 which connects the ring member 11 with the cap body 9 in a manner that the ring member 11 may rotate around a hinge center axis A. The hinge 12 has a biasing part 19 which may elastically deform. The biasing part 19 biases the ring member 11 toward one side as seen in a hinge axis direction, in which the hinge center axis A extends, relative to the cap body 9.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cap unit and a beverage container.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a cap unit as a plug body that is detachably attached to the neck portion of a container body with an open upper portion by screwing is known. An annular ring member (a handle portion) that can be hung on a hand or the like is rotatably attached to the cap unit via a hinge (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also, a configuration in which the ring member is fixed (integrated) to the lid body of the cap unit and stands upright is also known (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). By providing such a ring member, it is possible to carry the beverage container without grasping the container body by passing a finger through the ring member or hanging a carabiner and suspending it.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Non-Patent Documents

[0004]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] As in Non-Patent Document 1, if the ring member is fixed to the lid and remains upright, the vertical dimensions become bulky, making it cumbersome when carrying beverage containers in a bag. In this respect, as in Patent Document 1, if the ring member is rotatable around a hinge, the bulkiness in the vertical dimensions can be reduced by folding the ring member (storage state), making it easier to make the container compact and improving convenience.

[0006] However, when carrying the container by putting a finger through the ring member, or when the beverage container is dropped, a force may be applied to the ring member in the circumferential direction (the direction in which the screw is released). In such cases, the cap unit may rotate, potentially causing the screw connection with the container body to become unstable. Furthermore, there is a request to allow the rotational position of the ring component around the hinge to be stopped (stationary) at any desired position, depending on how the user uses it.

[0007] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a cap unit and a beverage container that enhance convenience by allowing the ring member to rotate freely around the hinge, while maintaining a good screw-on state between the cap unit and the container body, and further allowing the ring member to be stopped at any desired position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] [Aspect 1 of the present invention] A cap unit that is detachably attached by screwing to the neck of a container body having an open top, comprising: a cap body that closes the upper opening of the container body; an annular ring member positioned above the cap body; and a hinge that rotatably connects the ring member to the cap body about a hinge central axis, wherein the hinge has an elastically deformable biasing portion, and the biasing portion biases the ring member relative to the cap body toward one side in the direction of the hinge axis from which the hinge central axis extends.

[0009] [Aspect 2 of the present invention] The cap unit according to embodiment 1, comprising: a mouth-forming member provided on the cap body having a liquid-passing port that communicates with the inside of the container body; a lid positioned between the cap body and the ring member in the vertical direction to cover the liquid-passing port, and rotatably connected to the cap body via the hinge while biased in the opening direction around the hinge central axis; and a lid locking mechanism for fixing the lid in a closed position relative to the cap body.

[0010] [Aspect 3 of the present invention] The cap unit according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the hinge comprises a cap bearing portion provided on the cap body, a ring bearing portion provided on the ring member and arranged adjacent to the cap bearing portion in the hinge axial direction, and a hinge shaft that pivotally supports the cap bearing portion and the ring bearing portion so as to be able to rotate relative to each other around the hinge central axis.

[0011] [Aspect 4 of the present invention] The cap unit according to embodiment 2, wherein the hinge comprises a cap bearing portion provided on the cap body, a lid bearing portion provided on the lid, a ring bearing portion provided on the ring member and arranged in the same direction as the cap bearing portion and the lid bearing portion in the hinge axis direction, and a hinge shaft that pivotally supports the cap bearing portion, the lid bearing portion and the ring bearing portion so as to be able to rotate relative to each other around the hinge central axis.

[0012] [Aspect 5 of the present invention] The cap unit according to embodiment 3, wherein the hinge has a housing recess provided in one of the cap bearing portion and the ring bearing portion and extending in the direction of the hinge axis, the housing recess for housing the biasing portion, and a sealing portion for sealing the biasing portion in the housing recess.

[0013] [Aspect 6 of the present invention] The cap unit according to embodiment 4, wherein the hinge has a housing recess provided in one of the lid bearing portion and the ring bearing portion and extending in the direction of the hinge axis, the housing recess for housing the biasing portion, and a sealing portion for sealing the biasing portion in the housing recess.

[0014] 〔Aspect 7 of the present invention〕 The cap unit according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6, wherein the ring member can be stopped at an arbitrary open position around the hinge central axis by the biasing force of the biasing portion.

[0015] 〔Aspect 8 of the present invention〕 The cap unit according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7, wherein one side in the hinge axis direction corresponds to the tightening side in the circumferential direction where the cap unit and the container body are screwed together, and the other side in the hinge axis direction corresponds to the loosening side in the circumferential direction.

[0016] 〔Aspect 9 of the present invention〕 A beverage container comprising the cap unit according to any one of Aspects 1 to 8 and the container body to which the cap unit is attached.

Advantages of the Invention

[0017] According to the cap unit and the beverage container of one aspect of the present invention, while making the ring member rotatable around the hinge to improve convenience, the screwed state between the cap unit and the container body can be maintained well, and the ring member can be stopped at an arbitrary position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a beverage container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the beverage container. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the beverage container, and shows the storage state of the ring member. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the beverage container, and shows the open state of the ring member. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a part of the beverage container. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a part of the beverage container. [[ID=4 [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the cap unit. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the cap unit. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a part of the cap body and the cap bearing section. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a beverage container according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a beverage container, illustrating the closed state (closed position) of the lid and the stored state of the ring member. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a beverage container, illustrating the open state of the lid and the open state of the ring member. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a side view showing a part of a beverage container, illustrating the closed state (closed position) of the lid and the open state of the ring member. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a perspective view showing a portion of a beverage container. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a partial cross-sectional view (longitudinal section) showing a part of a beverage container. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a partial cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view) showing a part of a beverage container. [Figure 17] Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view showing the cap unit. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view showing the cap unit. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a perspective view showing the axis cover of the first hinge. [Figure 20] Figure 20 is a perspective view showing a part of the cap body and the cap bearing section. [Figure 21] Figure 21 is a perspective view showing a part of the cap body and the cap bearing section. [Figure 22] Figure 22 is a perspective view showing a part of the ring member and the ring bearing portion. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] <First Embodiment> A cap unit 3A and a beverage container 1A equipped therewith according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. In the following description, the cap unit 3A may be simply referred to as the cap, and the beverage container 1A may be simply referred to as the container.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the beverage container 1A of this embodiment comprises a cap unit 3A and a bottomed cylindrical container body 2A to which the cap unit 3A is attached. The cap unit 3A is detachably attached to the neck portion 2c, which is the opening of the container body 2A, by screwing it in.

[0021] The cap unit 3A comprises a cylindrical cap body 9 having a top wall (top wall), a stopper portion 10 fixed to the cap body 9, a watertight packing 14 that seals the space between the container body 2A and the cap body 9, an annular ring member 11, and a hinge 12 that connects the ring member 11 to the cap body 9 so as to be rotatable around the hinge central axis A. The cap unit 3A and the container body 2A are arranged coaxially with respect to the central axis C of the cap unit 3A.

[0022] In this embodiment, the direction in which the central axis C extends is referred to as the vertical direction. Of the vertical directions, the direction from the bottom surface 2a of the container body 2A toward the top wall 9b of the cap body 9 is referred to as the upper side, and the direction from the top wall 9b toward the bottom surface 2a is referred to as the lower side. The direction perpendicular to the central axis C is called the radial direction. Within the radial direction, the direction approaching the central axis C is called the radially inward direction or simply the inward direction, and the direction moving away from the central axis C is called the radially outward direction or simply the outward direction.

[0023] Furthermore, within the radial direction, the direction passing through the hinge 12 and the central axis C is called the front-to-back direction. Within the front-to-back direction, the direction from the hinge 12 toward the central axis C is called the front side, and the direction from the central axis C toward the hinge 12 is called the rear side. Furthermore, within the radial direction, the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction is called the left-to-right direction. As shown in Figure 2, when a beverage container 1A is in an upright position with the top wall portion 9b of the cap body 9 facing vertically upward, and viewed from the front, the direction to the left is called the left side, and the direction to the right is called the right side. Note that the position in which the top wall portion 9b of the cap body 9 faces vertically downward is called the inverted position.

[0024] The direction that revolves around the central axis C is called the circumferential direction. The circumferential direction corresponds to the direction in which the cap unit 3A and the container body 2A are screwed together (screw direction). As shown in Figure 1, one side T1 of the circumferential direction corresponds to the tightening side of the screw direction, and the other side T2 of the circumferential direction corresponds to the loosening side of the screw direction (unscrew direction). For this reason, in this embodiment, one side T1 of the circumferential direction may be called the tightening side T1 of the circumferential direction, and the other side T2 of the circumferential direction may be called the loosening side T2 of the circumferential direction. More specifically, in a top view of the beverage container 1A from above, one side of the circumferential direction (tightening side) T1 is a clockwise direction around the central axis C, and the other side of the circumferential direction (loosening side) T2 is a counterclockwise direction around the central axis C.

[0025] Furthermore, the central axis C is both the central axis of the cap unit 3A and the central axis of the neck portion 2c of the beverage container 1A. To distinguish it from the hinge central axis A, the central axis C may also be referred to as the cap central axis C or the container central axis C.

[0026] The hinge axis A of hinge 12 is positioned behind the central axis C. The central axis C and the hinge central axis A are in a torsional position relative to each other. The direction in which the hinge central axis A extends is called the hinge axis direction. The hinge axis direction corresponds to the left-right direction. One side of the hinge axis direction corresponds to the right side, and the other side corresponds to the left side. The hinge central axis A extends in the tangential direction of a virtual circle (not shown) centered on the central axis C. Therefore, one side of the hinge axis direction corresponds to the circumferential tightening side T1, and the other side of the hinge axis direction corresponds to the circumferential loosening side T2 (see Figure 6).

[0027] The direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A is called the hinge radial direction. Within the hinge radial direction, the direction approaching the hinge central axis A is called the inner side of the hinge radial direction, and the direction moving away from the hinge central axis A is called the outer side of the hinge radial direction. The direction in which the hinge rotates around its central axis A is called the hinge circumferential direction.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the beverage container 1A is capable of keeping the beverage (liquid contents, liquid) contained in the container body 2A warm or cold through the container body 2A having a vacuum insulation structure. The container body 2A is a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open top. The container body 2A may contain contents other than beverages.

[0029] Specifically, the container body 2A consists of a double-walled container, comprising a bottomed cylindrical outer container 4 and an inner container 5 made of, for example, stainless steel, with the inner container 5 housed inside the outer container 4 and the openings of the two containers joined together.

[0030] Furthermore, a vacuum insulation layer 6 is provided between the outer container 4 and the inner container 5. The vacuum insulation layer 6 can be formed, for example, by blocking a degassing hole provided in the center of the bottom surface of the outer container 4 in a chamber that has been reduced to a high vacuum (vacuumed).

[0031] The container body 2A has a substantially disc-shaped bottom portion 2a, a substantially cylindrical body portion 2b whose lower end is connected to the outer circumference of the bottom portion 2a, and a neck portion 2c positioned above the body portion 2b and having a smaller diameter than the body portion 2b.

[0032] The inner circumference of the neck portion 2c is smaller in diameter than the inner circumference of the body portion 2b. The upper end of the neck portion 2c opens in a circular shape as the upper opening 2d of the container body 2A. As shown in Figure 3, the neck portion 2c has a female screw portion 7, a protruding portion 8, and a shoulder portion 2e.

[0033] The female screw portion 7 is located on the inner circumference of the neck portion 2c. The protruding portion 8 is located on the inner circumference of the neck portion 2c and is situated below the female thread portion 7. The protruding portion 8 projects radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the neck portion 2c and extends along the entire circumference. The protruding portion 8 is annular with a central axis C and protrudes furthest inward on the neck portion 2c.

[0034] The shoulder portion 2e is positioned on the outer periphery of the orifice portion 2c. The shoulder portion 2e is tapered, decreasing in diameter towards the upper side. The portion of the orifice portion 2c located above the shoulder portion 2e is roughly cylindrical, extending in the vertical direction.

[0035] Although the beverage container 1A of this embodiment has a generally cylindrical external shape as shown in Figure 1, the external shape of the beverage container 1A is not particularly limited and can be modified as appropriate to suit the size, design, etc. Furthermore, the outer surfaces (surfaces) of the container body 2A, the cap body 9, and the ring member 11 may be painted or printed.

[0036] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the cap unit 3A is attached to the neck portion 2c of the container body 2A and constitutes a stopper that closes the upper opening 2d of the container body 2A. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the stored state of the ring member 11 of the cap unit 3A, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the open state of the ring member 11 of the cap unit 3A. Both Figures 3 and 4 represent longitudinal cross-sectional views parallel to (including) the central axis C.

[0037] In this embodiment, the stored state of the ring member 11 shown in Figure 3 represents one orientation of the ring member 11, where the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 and the top wall portion 9b of the cap body 9 (described later) face each other. The open state of the ring member 11 shown in Figure 4 represents another orientation of the ring member 11 (i.e., the orientation in which the ring member 11 functions as a handle), where the stored ring member 11 is rotated around the hinge central axis A and opened (released), making the ring member 11 grippable by the user. In the open state of the ring member 11, the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 and the top wall portion 9b of the cap body 9 do not face each other.

[0038] The cap body 9 is a component that closes the upper opening 2d of the container body 2A, and is made of a heat-resistant resin such as polypropylene (PP). The cap body 9 has a peripheral wall portion 9a and a top wall portion 9b.

[0039] The peripheral wall portion 9a is cylindrical in shape, extending vertically so as to be continuous with the body portion 2b of the container body 2A. Specifically, in this embodiment, the peripheral wall portion 9a is a tapered cylindrical shape, decreasing in diameter towards the top. The peripheral wall portion 9a surrounds the outer circumference of the mouth / neck portion 2c from the radially outer side to the entire circumference. The lower end of the peripheral wall portion 9a covers the shoulder portion 2e from above.

[0040] The top wall portion 9b is connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 9a and covers the upper opening 2d of the container body 2A from above. The top wall portion 9b is roughly plate-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis C. A gap is provided in the vertical direction between the top wall portion 9b and the upper opening 2d.

[0041] The top wall portion 9b has an outer peripheral groove (storage recess) 9c. The outer peripheral groove 9c is located on the outer periphery of the top wall portion 9b. The outer peripheral groove 9c is recessed below the portion of the top wall portion 9b other than the outer peripheral groove 9c and extends in the circumferential direction. The outer peripheral groove 9c is annular with respect to the central axis C. When viewed from above, the outer peripheral groove 9c has a substantially polygonal shape, and in this embodiment, it has a substantially quadrilateral shape. However, it is not limited to this, and although not specifically shown, the outer peripheral groove 9c may have a substantially circular shape when viewed from above. The outer peripheral groove 9c is located on the outer periphery of the upper end of the cap body 9 and opens upward and radially outward.

[0042] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in a longitudinal section view parallel to the central axis C, the wall surface (inner wall of the groove) of the outer perimeter groove 9c extends downward as it extends radially outward. Specifically, in this embodiment, the outer perimeter groove 9c has a concave curved shape in this longitudinal section view. That is, the wall surface of the outer perimeter groove 9c is a concave curved surface. However, it is not limited to this, and although not specifically shown, the outer perimeter groove 9c (wall surface) may have a substantially cylindrical side wall facing radially outward and a substantially planar bottom wall facing upward.

[0043] The inner stopper 10 is made of a heat-resistant resin such as polypropylene (PP). The inner stopper 10 is integrated with the cap body 9 to close the upper opening 2d. As shown in Figure 3, the inner stopper 10 is a bottomed cylindrical shape and is integrally attached to the lower surface of the top wall portion 9b of the cap body 9 by welding or the like. The inner stopper 10 is placed inside the neck portion 2c of the container body 2A. An insulating material S is placed inside the inner stopper 10. It is also possible to replace the insulating material S inside the inner stopper 10 with an air layer.

[0044] The inner plug portion 10 has a male threaded portion 13 and a flange portion 10a. The male threaded portion 13 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the inner stopper portion 10. In the beverage container 1A of this embodiment, the inner stopper portion 10 (cap unit 3A) is detachably attached to the container body 2A by screwing the male threaded portion 13 and the female threaded portion 7 together.

[0045] The flange portion 10a protrudes radially outward from the lower end of the inner plug portion 10 and extends around the entire circumference in the circumferential direction. The flange portion 10a is positioned inside the protruding portion 8 and faces the protruding portion 8 in the radial direction.

[0046] The water-sealing packing 14 is attached to the outer circumference of the inner stopper portion 10. The water-sealing packing 14 is a ring-shaped sealing member that seals the space between the container body 2A and the inner stopper portion 10, and is made of an elastic material such as heat-resistant rubber such as silicone rubber or elastomer. The inner circumference of the water-sealing packing 14 has an inner circumferential recess 14a that is recessed radially outward, extending around the entire circumference. The water-sealing packing 14 is attached to the inner stopper portion 10 by fitting the inner circumferential recess 14a into the flange portion 10a.

[0047] An elastic flange portion 14b is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the water-sealing packing 14, protruding radially outward. The elastic flange portion 14b is positioned on the outer circumferential surface of the water-sealing packing 14 and extends around its entire circumference. Two elastic flange portions 14b are provided side by side in the vertical direction. When the cap unit 3A is attached to the container body 2A, the elastic flange portion 14b elastically deforms and adheres tightly to the protruding portion 8 of the container body 2A around its entire circumference. As a result, the water-sealing packing 14 is able to create a liquid-tight seal between the protruding portion 8 (container body 2A) and the inner stopper portion 10 (cap unit 3A).

[0048] The water-sealing packing 14 can be elastically deformed by stretching it and removed from the flange portion 10a. This allows the cap unit 3A and the water-sealing packing 14 to be cleaned separately, and the space between the water-sealing packing 14 and the inner plug portion 10 can be kept hygienic.

[0049] Furthermore, the water-sealing packing 14 is not limited to the shape described above. For example, the number of elastic flange portions 14b is not limited to the two described above, but can be one or three or more. Also, the water-sealing packing 14 is not limited to the configuration in which the elastic flange portions 14b described above are provided, and its shape and other aspects can be modified as appropriate.

[0050] The inner plug portion 10, the heat insulating material S, and the water-sealing packing 14 can each be said to be components of the cap body 9. In this case, the cap body 9 further comprises the inner plug portion 10, the heat insulating material S, and the water-sealing packing 14.

[0051] In the beverage container 1A of this embodiment, with the inner stopper portion 10 fitted into the inside of the container body 2A through the upper opening 2d, the cap body 9 (cap unit 3A) can be attached to the container body 2A by screwing the female screw portion 7 and the male screw portion 13 together, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, by rotating the cap body 9 (cap unit 3A) relative to the container body 2A to one side (tightening side) T1 in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, from the state in which the cap unit 3A is attached to the container body 2A, the cap body 9 (cap unit 3A) can be rotated relative to the container body 2A to the other side (loosening side) T2 in the circumferential direction, thereby releasing the screw engagement between the female screw portion 7 and the male screw portion 13 and allowing the cap unit 3A to be removed from the container body 2A.

[0052] The ring member 11 is made of a heat-resistant resin such as polypropylene (PP). The ring member 11 is annular in shape with a central axis C. The ring member 11 has a substantially polygonal shape, and in this embodiment it has a substantially quadrilateral shape. However, it is not limited to this, and although not specifically shown, the ring member 11 may have a substantially circular shape. The ring member 11 may also be referred to as a handle or the like.

[0053] As shown in Figure 3, the ring member 11 is positioned on the upper side of the cap body 9. Specifically, in the stored state of the ring member 11 shown in Figure 3, the ring member 11 is positioned on the top wall portion 9b, and more specifically, on the outer circumference of the top wall portion 9b, i.e., on the outer circumference groove 9c. At least the lower portion of the ring member 11 is housed in the outer circumference groove 9c. That is, in the stored state of the ring member 11, at least a part of the ring member 11 is housed in the outer circumference groove (storage recess) 9c.

[0054] The lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 is annular with respect to the central axis C. The lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 is shaped to conform to the shape of the top wall portion 9b of the cap body 9 that the lower surface 11a faces. That is, the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 is shaped to conform to the groove shape of the outer peripheral groove 9c that the lower surface 11a faces. Specifically, in the vertical cross-sectional view shown in Figure 3, the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 extends upward as it moves radially inward. In this embodiment, the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 has a convex curved shape in this vertical cross-sectional view. That is, the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 is a convex curved surface. However, it is not limited to this, and although not specifically shown, the ring member 11 may have a substantially planar lower surface facing downward and a substantially cylindrical inner circumferential surface facing radially inward.

[0055] In this embodiment, the inner circumference of the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 faces the radially outward-facing wall surface of the outer circumferential groove 9c. The inner circumference of the ring member 11 and the wall surface of the outer circumferential groove 9c fit together. In this embodiment, since the ring member 11 and the outer circumferential groove 9c are polygonal in shape, their fitting prevents relative rotation between the ring member 11 and the outer circumferential groove 9c in the circumferential direction.

[0056] The outer circumferential surface 11b of the ring member 11 extends radially inward as it is directed upward. That is, the outer circumferential surface 11b of the ring member 11 is a tapered surface that decreases in diameter as it is directed upward. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, when the ring member 11 is in the retracted state, the outer circumferential surface 11b of the ring member 11 is positioned substantially flush with the peripheral wall portion 9a of the cap body 9 so as to be continuous with the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 9a of the cap body 9 (to form a single continuous surface). That is, the outer circumferential surface 11b of the ring member 11 is positioned to be continuous with the peripheral wall portion 9a of the cap body 9.

[0057] The ring member 11 has a flat portion 11c and a concave portion 11d on its upper surface. The flat portion 11c is located on the outer periphery of the upper surface of the ring member 11. The flat portion 11c is annular in shape with the central axis C at its center. The flat portion 11c is substantially planar in shape, extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis C.

[0058] The concave portion 11d is located on the upper surface of the ring member 11, excluding the outer circumference, that is, in the portion located inside the flat portion 11c. The concave portion 11d is recessed below the flat portion 11c. The concave portion 11d is annular with respect to the central axis C. In the longitudinal section view shown in Figure 3, the concave portion 11d extends upward as it moves radially outward. Specifically, the concave portion 11d has a concave curve shape in this longitudinal section view. That is, the concave portion 11d has a concave curved surface shape. The inner circumference of the concave portion 11d is formed to smoothly connect to the portion of the top wall 9b located inside the outer circumference groove 9c.

[0059] In this embodiment, the lower portion of the ring member 11 is positioned within the outer peripheral groove 9c, the outer peripheral surface 11b is formed to be continuous with the peripheral wall portion 9a, and the concave portion 11d is formed to be continuous with the inner portion of the top wall portion 9b. Thus, the aesthetic appearance is enhanced while still providing the ring member 11. Furthermore, because the outer surface (surface) of the ring member 11 has irregularities, as shown in Figure 4, when the ring member 11 is in an open state and the user puts their finger through the ring member 11 to grip it, it is less likely to slip and is easier to grip stably.

[0060] Although not specifically shown in the figures, when the ring member 11 is in the retracted state, the upper surface of the ring member 11 may be arranged to be continuous with the top wall portion 9b of the cap body 9. That is, the upper surface of the ring member 11 and the upper surface of the top wall portion 9b of the cap body 9 may be arranged substantially flush with each other so as to form a single continuous surface. In this case, when the ring member 11 is in its retracted state, it does not protrude from the top surface or outer circumference of the cap unit 3A. Therefore, the retracted ring member 11 can be more integrated with the external shape of the cap unit 3A. This results in a better external design for the cap unit 3A.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1, 5, 7, and 8, the ring member 11 has a ring rear end 11e connected to the hinge 12, a ring front end 11f located furthest forward when the ring member 11 is in a retracted state, and a pair of ring side ends 11g connecting the ring rear end 11e and the ring front end 11f.

[0062] Then, at least one of the ring rear end 11e, the ring front end 11f, and the pair of ring side ends 11g is positioned in the outer circumferential groove (storage recess) 9c. More specifically, the outer circumferential groove 9c has a rear end positioning section 9e where the ring rear end 11e is positioned, a front end positioning section 9f where the ring front end 11f is positioned, and a pair of side end positioning sections 9g where the pair of ring side ends 11g are positioned. In other words, in this embodiment, the ring rear end 11e, the ring front end 11f, and the pair of ring side ends 11g are all positioned in the outer circumferential groove (storage recess) 9c.

[0063] The hinge 12 connects the rear of the cap body 9 and the rear of the ring member 11 so that they can rotate relative to each other in the circumferential direction of the hinge. The hinge 12 is equipped with a spring mechanism including a biasing part 19 and a sealing part 20, which will be described later. The hinge 12 is configured with a hinge central axis A as its center and extends in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0064] As shown in Figures 5 to 9, the hinge 12 includes a cap bearing portion 15, ring bearing portions 16 and 17, a biasing portion 19, a sealing portion 20, and a hinge shaft 18. Figure 6 shows a cross-section (longitudinal section) of the hinge 12 parallel to the central axis C of the cap unit 3A. Also, the exploded perspective views of the cap unit 3A shown in Figures 7 and 8 show that the arrangement of the components differs slightly from the arrangement of the components after assembly (assembled state).

[0065] In this embodiment, of the cap bearing portion 15 and the ring bearing portions 16 and 17, two ring bearing portions 16 and 17 are provided spaced apart from each other in the hinge axis direction, and the other of the cap bearing portion 15 and the ring bearing portions 16 and 17 is positioned as one between the two aforementioned portions.

[0066] The cap bearing portion 15 protrudes upward and rearward from the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 9a of the cap body 9. In other words, the cap bearing portion 15 is provided on the cap body 9. The cap bearing portion 15 is integrally formed with the cap body 9 from a single component. The cap bearing portion 15 is substantially cylindrical in shape and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. The cap bearing portion 15 is located in the center of the rear of the cap body 9 in the left-right direction. The cap bearing portion 15 is located in the center of the hinge 12 in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0067] As shown in Figures 6 and 9, the cap bearing portion 15 has a housing recess 15b, an arm receiving portion 15c, a sliding contact surface 15d, and an axial hole 15a. That is, the hinge 12 has a housing recess 15b.

[0068] In this embodiment, the receiving recess 15b is recessed in the cap bearing portion 15 and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. Specifically, the receiving recess 15b is a multi-stage circular hole centered on the hinge central axis A, opening into the end face of the cap bearing portion 15 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis, and extending from this end face toward the other side in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0069] The receiving recess 15b has a large-diameter hole 15f and a small-diameter hole 15e. The large-diameter hole 15f is circular in shape and opens onto the end face of the cap bearing portion 15 facing one side in the hinge axis direction. The large-diameter hole 15f is located in the portion of the receiving recess 15b that is on one side in the hinge axis direction.

[0070] The small-diameter hole 15e is located in the other part of the receiving recess 15b in the direction of the hinge axis. The small-diameter hole 15e is a circular hole with a smaller inner diameter than the large-diameter hole 15f and opens to the bottom surface of the large-diameter hole 15f.

[0071] The arm receiving portion 15c is located within the receiving recess 15b and is groove-shaped, extending in the direction of the hinge axis. Specifically, the arm receiving portion 15c is recessed outward in the direction of the hinge diameter from the inner circumferential surface of the large-diameter hole portion 15f and extends in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0072] The sliding contact surface 15d is located on the end face of the cap bearing portion 15 facing the other side in the direction of the hinge axis. The sliding contact surface 15d is planar in shape and extends in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A.

[0073] The shaft hole 15a is a circular hole extending in the direction of the hinge axis. The shaft hole 15a has a smaller inner diameter than the receiving recess 15b, specifically, a smaller inner diameter than the small-diameter hole portion 15e. One end of the shaft hole 15a in the direction of the hinge axis opens to the bottom surface of the small-diameter hole portion 15e. The other end of the shaft hole 15a in the direction of the hinge axis opens to the sliding contact surface 15d.

[0074] As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the ring bearing portions 16 and 17 are provided on the ring member 11 and are arranged adjacent to the cap bearing portion 15 in the hinge axis direction. The ring bearing portions 16 and 17 are integrally formed with the ring member 11 from a single material. In this embodiment, two ring bearing portions 16 and 17 are provided.

[0075] The two ring bearing sections 16 and 17 include a first ring bearing section 16 and a second ring bearing section 17. The first ring bearing section 16 is located on one side of the two ring bearing sections 16 and 17 in the direction of the hinge axis. The second ring bearing section 17 is located on the other side of the two ring bearing sections 16 and 17 in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0076] The first ring bearing portion 16 protrudes from the rear lower end of the outer peripheral surface 11b of the ring member 11 toward the rear. The first ring bearing portion 16 is positioned adjacent to the cap bearing portion 15 on one side in the direction of the hinge axis. The first ring bearing portion 16 is substantially cylindrical in shape and extends in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0077] The first ring bearing portion 16 has a bearing sliding surface 16b and a shaft hole 16a. That is, the hinge 12 has a bearing sliding surface 16b, and in this embodiment, the bearing sliding surface 16b is located in the first ring bearing portion (ring bearing portion) 16.

[0078] The bearing sliding surface 16b is located on the end face of the first ring bearing portion 16 facing the other side in the direction of the hinge axis. The bearing sliding surface 16b is planar in shape, extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A. In this embodiment, the bearing sliding surface 16b has a stepped portion 16c. The stepped portion 16c is concave, recessed to one side in the hinge axis direction from the bearing sliding surface 16b. The stepped portion 16c is located on a part of the bearing sliding surface 16b in the hinge circumferential direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, when the ring member 11 is in the retracted state, the stepped portion 16c is located at the lower end of the bearing sliding surface 16b.

[0079] The shaft hole 16a penetrates the first ring bearing portion 16 in the direction of the hinge axis. The other end of the shaft hole 16a in the direction of the hinge axis opens onto the bearing sliding surface 16b. The shaft hole 16a is a multi-stage circular hole extending in the direction of the hinge axis. The portion of the shaft hole 16a other than the end in the direction of the hinge axis has a smaller inner diameter than the end in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0080] The second ring bearing portion 17 is projected from the rear lower end of the outer peripheral surface 11b of the ring member 11 toward the rear. The second ring bearing portion 17 is positioned adjacent to the cap bearing portion 15 on the other side in the hinge axis direction. The second ring bearing portion 17 is substantially cylindrical in shape and extends in the hinge axis direction.

[0081] The second ring bearing portion 17 has a sliding contact projection 17b, a contact surface 17c, and an axial hole 17a. The sliding contact projection 17b is located at one end of the second ring bearing portion 17 in the direction of the hinge axis. The sliding contact projection 17b protrudes from the portion of the second ring bearing portion 17 other than the end on the hinge axis side, i.e., from the portion other than the sliding contact projection 17b, on one side in the direction of the hinge axis. The sliding contact projection 17b is cylindrical in shape and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. The outer diameter of the sliding contact projection 17b is smaller than that of the portion of the second ring bearing portion 17 other than the sliding contact projection 17b.

[0082] The contact surface 17c is positioned on the end face of the second ring bearing portion 17 facing one side in the hinge axis direction. In this embodiment, the contact surface 17c is positioned on the end face of the sliding contact projection 17b facing one side in the hinge axis direction. The contact surface 17c is planar in shape, extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A. The contact surface 17c slidably contacts the sliding contact surface 15d of the cap bearing portion 15.

[0083] The shaft hole 17a penetrates the second ring bearing portion 17 in the direction of the hinge axis. One end of the shaft hole 17a in the direction of the hinge axis opens onto the contact surface 17c. The shaft hole 17a is a multi-stage circular hole extending in the direction of the hinge axis. The portion of the shaft hole 17a other than the other end in the direction of the hinge axis has a smaller inner diameter than the other end in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0084] The biasing portion 19 is elastically deformable. Specifically, in this embodiment, the biasing portion 19 is a metal compression coil spring that is spiral in shape around the hinge central axis A and elastically deformable in the direction of the hinge axis. The biasing portion 19 is housed in the housing recess 15b. The biasing portion 19 is positioned across the small-diameter hole 15e and the large-diameter hole 15f of the housing recess 15b. The other end of the biasing portion 19 in the direction of the hinge axis contacts the bottom surface of the small-diameter hole 15e. The other end of the biasing portion 19 in the direction of the hinge axis contacts the end surface of the sealing portion 20 facing the other side in the direction of the hinge axis (the biasing portion contact surface 20d, which will be described later).

[0085] The biasing section 19 biases the first ring bearing section 16 toward one side in the hinge axis direction relative to the cap bearing section 15 via the sealing section 20. That is, the biasing section 19 biases the ring member 11 toward one side in the hinge axis direction relative to the cap body 9. Furthermore, the biasing section 19 allows the ring member 11 to be displaced toward the other side in the hinge axis direction relative to the cap body 9 by elastic deformation.

[0086] The sealing portion 20 is substantially cylindrical in shape and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. The sealing portion 20 is positioned on the other side of the first ring bearing portion 16 in the direction of the hinge axis, and on one side of the biasing portion 19 in the direction of the hinge axis. The sealing portion 20 is interposed between the first ring bearing portion 16 and the biasing portion 19 in the direction of the hinge axis. At least a portion of the sealing portion 20 is inserted into the large-diameter hole 15f of the housing recess 15b. In this way, the sealing portion 20 seals the biasing portion 19 in the housing recess 15b. The portion of the sealing portion 20 other than the portion inserted into the housing recess 15b is exposed to the outside between the first ring bearing portion 16 and the cap bearing portion 15.

[0087] In this embodiment, at least a portion of the sealing portion 20 (the other end in the direction of the hinge axis) is inserted into the housing recess 15b, and the sealing portion 20 does not completely detach from the housing recess 15b. Therefore, the biasing portion 19 sealed inside the housing recess 15b is not exposed to the outside. As a result, the biasing portion 19 is not visible externally, and a good aesthetic appearance can be achieved.

[0088] The sealing portion 20 can preferably be made of a different material from the first ring bearing portion 16, such as polyacetal (POM) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which have better wear resistance than the first ring bearing portion 16. In the cap unit 3A of this embodiment, the durability of the hinge 12 can be improved by configuring the wear-resistant sealing portion 20 separately from the first ring bearing portion 16.

[0089] The sealing portion 20 includes an arm portion 20b, a sealing sliding surface 20c, a biasing portion contact surface 20d, and an axial hole 20a. As shown in Figure 8, the arm portion 20b protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the encapsulation portion 20 in the hinge radial direction and is rib-shaped, extending in the hinge axial direction. The arm portion 20b is inserted into the arm receiving portion 15c of the cap bearing portion 15 shown in Figures 7 and 9. The arm portion 20b is slidably fitted with the arm receiving portion 15c in the hinge axial direction. By inserting the arm portion 20b into the arm receiving portion 15c, rotation of the encapsulation portion 20 in the hinge circumferential direction relative to the cap bearing portion 15 is restricted, while sliding movement in the hinge axial direction is permitted.

[0090] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the sealing sliding surface 20c is positioned on the end face of the sealing portion 20 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis. The sealing sliding surface 20c is planar in shape, extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A. The sealing sliding surface 20c is in slidable contact with the bearing sliding surface 16b of the first ring bearing portion 16.

[0091] In this embodiment, the enclosed sliding surface 20c has a protrusion 20e. The protrusion 20e is convex, projecting from the enclosed sliding surface 20c toward one side in the direction of the hinge axis. The protrusion 20e is located on a part of the enclosed sliding surface 20c in the direction of the hinge circumference. In this embodiment, the protrusion 20e is located at the lower end of the enclosed sliding surface 20c. When the ring member 11 is in the stored state, the protrusion 20e faces the stepped portion 16c in the direction of the hinge axis and is detachably locked within the stepped portion 16c.

[0092] The cap unit 3A of this embodiment includes a storage state holding mechanism 21 that maintains the posture of the ring member 11 when it is in the stored state. The storage state holding mechanism 21 has a stepped portion (locked portion) 16c provided on the ring member 11 and a protruding portion (locking portion) 20e that locks onto the stepped portion 16c of the ring member 11 when it is in the stored state. In this embodiment, the storage state holding mechanism 21 is positioned on the hinge 12 side (i.e., the rear side) of the cap central axis C in the front-rear direction. The stepped portion 16c causes the protrusion 20e to ride up in the circumferential direction of the hinge when the ring member 11 is rotated with a torque greater than a predetermined amount in the opening direction around the hinge central axis A due to user operation or the like.

[0093] More specifically, in the process of transitioning the ring member 11 from its stored state to its open state, the stepped portion 16c rotates together with the ring member 11 around the hinge central axis A. As the ring member 11 rotates with a torque greater than a predetermined value, it becomes possible to push the sealing portion 20 to the other side in the hinge axis direction against the biasing force of the biasing portion 19, while simultaneously allowing the protrusion 20e to ride up around the hinge central axis A.

[0094] In other words, during the transition from the retracted state of the ring member 11 to the open state, the protrusion 20e is able to ride up the stepped portion 16c around the hinge central axis A against the biasing force of the biasing portion 19. Specifically, during the above process, the protrusion 20e comes into contact with the wall portion located at the end of the stepped portion 16c in the hinge circumferential direction, generating a force that displaces the encapsulating portion 20 toward the other side in the hinge axial direction, causing the biasing portion 19 to elastically deform. As the biasing portion 19 elastically deforms, the encapsulating portion 20 is displaced toward the other side in the hinge axial direction, causing the protrusion 20e to ride up the wall portion of the stepped portion 16c in the hinge circumferential direction and detach from the stepped portion 16c. At this time, the protrusion 20e is in slidable contact with the portion of the bearing sliding surface 16b other than the stepped portion 16c.

[0095] Conversely, in the process of returning the ring member 11 from the open state to the retracted state, the stepped portion 16c moves (rotates) relative to the protrusion 20e in the circumferential direction of the hinge, and when they are in a position facing each other in the direction of the hinge axis, the biasing portion 19 deforms to its original state, the sealing portion 20 is displaced toward one side in the direction of the hinge axis, and the protrusion 20e is inserted (locked) into the stepped portion 16c again. As a result, the retracted state holding mechanism 21 once again holds the ring member 11 in the retracted position.

[0096] In other words, in this embodiment, the hinge 12 has a click mechanism (storage state holding mechanism 21) including a stepped portion 16c and a protrusion 20e, and the click mechanism provides a sudden resistance when the ring member 11 rotates in the opening or closing direction around the hinge central axis A. In this embodiment and in subsequent embodiments described later, the term "sudden resistance" may be replaced with "click sensation".

[0097] As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the biasing portion contact surface 20d is positioned on the end face of the encapsulation portion 20 facing the other side in the hinge axis direction. The biasing portion contact surface 20d is planar in shape, extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A. The biasing portion contact surface 20d contacts one end of the biasing portion 19 in the hinge axis direction.

[0098] The shaft hole 20a penetrates the sealing portion 20 in the direction of the hinge axis. One end of the shaft hole 20a in the direction of the hinge axis opens to the sealing sliding surface 20c. The other end of the shaft hole 20a in the direction of the hinge axis opens to the biasing portion contact surface 20d. The shaft hole 20a is a circular hole that extends in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0099] The hinge shaft 18 is cylindrical with the hinge central axis A as its center and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. The hinge shaft 18 is made of metal and is inserted into the cap bearing portion 15, the pair of ring bearing portions 16 and 17, the biasing portion 19, and the sealing portion 20. The hinge shaft 18 pivotally supports the cap bearing portion 15 and the ring bearing portions 16 and 17 so that they can rotate relative to each other around the hinge central axis A.

[0100] In the cap unit 3A and beverage container 1A of this embodiment described above, the ring member 11 is connected to the cap body 9 via the hinge 12, meaning that the ring member 11 is rotatable around the hinge central axis A. Therefore, depending on the usage situation, the ring member 11 can be opened or retracted, allowing for a suitable and convenient selection of its position. In particular, when the ring member 11 is open, it is easy for the user to carry by putting their finger through the ring member 11, and when the ring member 11 is retracted, the bulkiness of the top of the cap (top of the container) is reduced, making it easy to store in a bag or the like.

[0101] In this embodiment, a storage state holding mechanism 21 is provided to hold the ring member 11 in a stored state. Therefore, for example, when the beverage container 1A is inverted or when centrifugal force acts on the beverage container 1A, it is possible to prevent the ring member 11 from unintentionally opening in the stored state. Consequently, the bulkiness of the ring member 11 is more stably suppressed, and the ring member 11 is less likely to get in the way when storing the beverage container 1A in a bag or when opening and closing the cap, making it easier to use.

[0102] In this embodiment, the storage state holding mechanism 21 has a stepped portion (locking portion) 16c provided on the ring member 11 and a protrusion (locking portion) 20e that locks onto the stepped portion 16c of the ring member 11 when it is in the storage state. The stepped portion 16c rides up onto the protrusion 20e when the ring member 11 is rotated with a torque greater than a predetermined amount in the opening direction around the hinge central axis A. In this case, the stepped portion (locked portion) 16c and the protruding portion (locking portion) 20e are locked together, which reliably prevents the stored ring member 11 from unintentionally opening. Furthermore, when using the ring member 11, the user can easily open it without complicated operations by rotating the ring member 11 in the opening direction with a rotational force (a predetermined torque) of a certain magnitude or greater. Therefore, it offers good operability.

[0103] Furthermore, when the user rotates the stored ring member 11 in the opening direction around the hinge central axis A, the stepped portion (locked portion) 16c rides up over the protruding portion (locking portion) 20e, causing the user to experience a sudden resistance. This sudden resistance allows the user to intuitively recognize that the ring member 11 has been released from its stored state.

[0104] Furthermore, when returning the ring member 11 from the open state to the retracted state, the stepped portion (locked portion) 16c engages with the convex portion (locking portion) 20e in the opposite direction to the above, allowing the user to experience a sudden resistance. This sudden resistance allows the user to intuitively recognize that the ring member 11 has been returned to the retracted state.

[0105] In this embodiment, the storage state holding mechanism 21 is positioned on the hinge 12 side of the cap's central axis C in the front-rear direction. In this case, the distance between the storage state holding mechanism 21 and the hinge central axis A is kept small, and the rotation radius of the storage state holding mechanism 21 is also kept small. As a result, the storage state holding mechanism 21 is less susceptible to the effects of molding errors and part deformation during manufacturing, and its function is maintained well. In addition, since the storage state holding mechanism 21 is positioned in a location that is not easily visible from the front, the appearance is aesthetically pleasing.

[0106] Furthermore, the cap unit 3A and beverage container 1A of this embodiment are provided with an outer circumferential groove (storage recess) 9c for storing at least a portion of the stored ring member 11. Therefore, when the ring member 11 is stored, the amount by which the ring member 11 protrudes above the cap unit 3A is kept small, and the bulkiness caused by the presence of the ring member 11 is suppressed. This makes it possible to suppress the ring member 11 from affecting the appearance and design of the cap unit 3A. As in this embodiment, it is also possible to substantially integrate the stored ring member 11 with the outer shape of the cap unit 3A.

[0107] Specifically, at least one of the components of the ring member 11, namely the ring rear end 11e, the ring front end 11f, and the pair of ring side ends 11g, is placed in the outer circumferential groove (storage recess) 9c. In this embodiment, all of these components are placed in the outer circumferential groove 9c. This makes it possible to more stably suppress the ring member 11 from protruding from the cap unit 3A.

[0108] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the biasing portion 19 of the hinge 12 biases the ring member 11 toward one side in the direction of the hinge axis. Therefore, even if a force is applied to the ring member 11 toward the other side in the direction of the hinge axis, for example, when a user puts their finger through the ring member 11 to carry it, or when the beverage container 1A is dropped, this force can be absorbed by the elastic deformation of the biasing portion 19 and is less likely to be transmitted to the cap body 9. As a result, rotation of the cap unit 3A in the circumferential direction (unscrew direction) due to the above force can be suppressed, and the screwed state between the cap unit 3A and the container body 2A can be maintained in good condition.

[0109] Specifically, in this embodiment, one side in the direction of the hinge axis corresponds to the circumferential tightening side T1 where the cap unit 3A and the container body 2A are screwed together, and the other side in the direction of the hinge axis corresponds to the circumferential loosening side T2. In this case, when a force (rotational force) directed towards the loosening side T2 (the other side in the direction of the hinge axis) acts on the ring member 11 in the circumferential direction where the cap unit 3A and the container body 2A are screwed together, the biasing part 19 absorbs this force, thereby preventing the screw from loosening. As a result, the beverage inside the container body 2A is prevented from leaking out of the container due to the loosening of the screw.

[0110] In this embodiment, of the cap bearing portion 15 and the ring bearing portions 16 and 17, two ring bearing portions 16 and 17 are provided spaced apart from each other in the hinge axis direction, and one cap bearing portion 15 is positioned between the two ring bearing portions 16 and 17. That is, two of either the cap bearing portion 15 or the ring bearing portions 16 and 17 are provided spaced apart from each other in the hinge axis direction, and one of the other cap bearing portion 15 or ring bearing portions 16 and 17 is positioned between the two of the aforementioned one. In this case, the biasing portion 19 of the hinge 12 can achieve the above-mentioned effects while stably increasing the strength of the hinge 12.

[0111] In this embodiment, the hinge 12 has a receiving recess 15b and a sealing portion 20 that encloses the biasing portion 19 in the receiving recess 15b. In this case, the biasing portion 19 can be sealed within the receiving recess 15b by the sealing portion 20, so that the biasing portion 19 is not exposed to the outside, and the external design of the cap unit 3A and the beverage container 1A can be made aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, by sealing the biasing portion 19, it is possible to prevent the function of the biasing portion 19 from deteriorating or becoming unstable due to, for example, the accumulation of dirt.

[0112] In this embodiment, a storage state holding mechanism 21 is provided as a click mechanism for the hinge 12. Specifically, the bearing sliding surface 16b has a stepped portion 16c, and the enclosed sliding surface 20c has a protrusion 20e that can ride up onto the stepped portion 16c around the hinge central axis A against the biasing force of the biasing portion 19. In this case, when the user rotates the ring member 11 around the hinge central axis A, the protrusion 20e rides up onto the stepped portion 16c against the biasing force of the biasing portion 19, allowing the user to experience a sudden resistance. This sudden resistance allows the user to intuitively recognize the state of rotation of the ring member 11.

[0113] Specifically, in this embodiment, when the ring member 11 is in the retracted state, rotating the ring member 11 in the opening direction causes the protrusion 20e to ride up relative to the stepped portion 16c in the hinge circumferential direction, resulting in a sudden feeling of resistance, allowing the user to intuitively recognize that the rotation operation has begun. Furthermore, when the retracted ring member 11 rotates in the opening direction, resistance is generated by the biasing force when the protrusion 20e rides up to the stepped portion 16c, thus suppressing unintended rotation of the ring member 11 in the opening direction.

[0114] In this embodiment, the protrusion 20e is inserted back into the stepped portion 16c just before the ring member 11 enters its retracted state (i.e., the stepped portion 16c and the protrusion 20e lock together). However, the mounting position (locking position) can be freely set by adjusting the positions of the stepped portion 16c and the protrusion 20e. For example, in the reference example of this embodiment, the protrusion 20e may be inserted back into the stepped portion 16c just before the ring member 11 rotates to its limit to the rear in the open state. In this case, the ring member 11 is held in the open state by the locking of the stepped portion 16c and the protrusion 20e. Therefore, the stepped portion 16c and the protrusion 20e function as an open state holding mechanism that maintains the posture of the ring member 11 when it is in the open state. Furthermore, even when the protrusion 20e is reinserted into the stepped portion 16c just before the ring member 11 returns to its stored position, the user can feel a sudden resistance, allowing them to intuitively recognize that the rotation operation of the ring member 11 has ended.

[0115] As another example, the protrusion 20e may be reinserted into the stepped portion 16c when the ring member 11 is in an open, upright position. In this case, the ring member 11 is held upright by the locking of the stepped portion 16c and the protrusion 20e. Therefore, the user can place the beverage container 1A with the ring member 11 upright and immediately pick it up by placing their fingers on the ring member 11. Also, when the protrusion 20e is reinserted into the stepped portion 16c, the user can feel a sudden resistance and intuitively recognize the state of rotation of the ring member 11.

[0116] In this embodiment, the biasing portion 19 of the hinge 12 biases the ring member 11 in the direction of the hinge axis. This creates resistance to the sliding motion of the ring member 11 during rotation, and this sliding resistance can be adjusted, for example, by the elastic force of the biasing portion 19. As a result, it is not necessary to lock the stepped portion 16c and the protrusion 20e together, and the sliding resistance due to the biasing makes it possible to stop (stop) the ring member 11 at any position while it is rotating around the hinge central axis A. In this case, the user does not experience sudden resistance, and a smooth stop is possible.

[0117] In this embodiment, the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 is shaped to conform to the shape of the top wall portion 9b of the cap body 9 that the lower surface 11a faces. Specifically, in this embodiment, the outer peripheral groove 9c of the top wall portion 9b facing the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 is a concave curved surface, and the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 is a convex curved surface that follows the concave curved surface of the outer peripheral groove 9c. In this case, the lower surface 11a of the ring member 11 can be positioned so as to be in close contact with the outer circumferential groove 9c of the top wall portion 9b of the cap body 9. That is, when the ring member 11 is in the stored position, it fits well within the outer circumferential groove 9c. Therefore, it is easier to stabilize the stored position of the ring member 11. In addition, by making the ring member 11 in close contact with the outer circumferential groove 9c of the top wall portion 9b, the bulkiness of the overall cap unit 3A in the vertical direction can be reduced, making it easier to achieve a more compact design.

[0118] In this embodiment, the outer circumferential groove 9c of the cap body 9 is polygonal, the ring member 11 is polygonal, and the inner circumference of the ring member 11 fits into the inner circumference of the outer circumferential groove 9c. In this case, when the ring member 11 is in the retracted position, rotation of the ring member 11 in the circumferential direction relative to the cap body 9 is restricted. Therefore, when the ring member 11 is in the retracted position, for example, when a user rotates the cap unit 3A to the loose side T2 in the circumferential direction to remove it from the container body 2A, even if the ring member 11 is grasped in the palm and rotated, excessive load on the biasing portion 19 of the hinge 12 is suppressed. Consequently, the function of the hinge 12 described above is maintained well over a long period of time.

[0119] <Second Embodiment> Next, a cap unit 3B and a beverage container 1B equipped therewith according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 22. In this embodiment, the same components as in the previously described embodiment may be given the same names and reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0120] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the beverage container 1B of this embodiment comprises a cap unit 3B and a bottomed cylindrical container body 2B to which the cap unit 3B is attached. The cap unit 3B is detachably attached by screwing to the neck portion 2c of the container body 2B, which has an open top. The cap unit 3B constitutes a stopper that closes the upper opening 2d of the container body 2B.

[0121] In this embodiment, the container body 2B has a male threaded portion 35 at its neck 2c. The male threaded portion 35 is located on the outer circumference of the neck 2c.

[0122] The cap unit 3B comprises a top-cylindrical cap body 30 that closes the upper opening 2d of the container body 2B, a mouth-forming member 36 that has a liquid passage 37 communicating with the inside of the container body 2B and is attached to the cap body 30, a mouth-detachment mechanism 38 for detachably attaching the mouth-forming member 36 to the cap body 30, a water-sealing packing 39 that seals the space between the container body 2B and the mouth-forming member 36, a top-cylindrical lid 31 positioned above the cap body 30 and the mouth-forming member 36 and covering the liquid passage 37, an annular ring member 33 positioned above the lid 31, a first hinge (hinge) 32 that rotatably connects the lid 31 and the ring member 33 to the cap body 30 around the hinge central axis A, and a lid locking mechanism 43 that fixes the lid 31 to the cap body 30 in a closed position.

[0123] Furthermore, the opening-forming member 36, the opening-detaching mechanism 38, and the water-sealing packing 39 can each be said to be components of the cap body 30. Therefore, the cap body 30 has an opening-forming member 36 on which the liquid passage 37 is located, an opening-detaching mechanism 38, and a water-sealing packing 39. In other words, the cap body 30 has a liquid passage 37. Alternatively, the opening-forming member 36 may not have an opening-detaching mechanism 38 and may be molded integrally with the cap body 30 in a state where it cannot be attached or detached.

[0124] In this embodiment, the vertical cross-sectional view of the cap unit 3B shown in Figure 11 represents the closed state (closed position) of the lid 31 and the stored state of the ring member 33, the vertical cross-sectional view of the cap unit 3B shown in Figure 12 represents the open state (open position) of the lid 31 and the open state of the ring member 33, and the side view of the cap unit 3B shown in Figure 13 represents the closed state (closed position) of the lid 31 and the open state of the ring member 33.

[0125] In this embodiment, the closed state (closed position) of the lid 31 shown in Figure 11 represents one posture of the lid 31 in which the lower end opening of the lid 31 and the upper end outer circumference of the cap body 30 face each other. The open state (open position) of the lid 31 shown in Figure 12 represents another posture of the lid 31 in which the lid 31 in the closed position is rotated around the hinge central axis A and opened (opened), allowing the user to drink or pour the beverage from the container body 2B through the liquid passage 37. In the open position of the lid 31, the lower end opening of the lid 31 and the upper end outer circumference of the cap body 30 do not face each other.

[0126] In this embodiment, the stored state of the ring member 33 shown in Figure 11 represents one orientation of the ring member 33, where the lower surface 33a of the ring member 33 and the top wall portion 31b of the lid 31 (described later) face each other. The open state of the ring member 33 shown in Figure 13 represents another orientation of the ring member 33 (i.e., the orientation in which the ring member 33 functions as a handle), where the stored ring member 33 is rotated around the hinge central axis A and opened (released), making the ring member 33 grippable by the user. In the open state of the ring member 33, the lower surface 33a of the ring member 33 and the top wall portion 31b of the lid 31 do not face each other.

[0127] As shown in Figures 10 and 15, in this embodiment as well, one side in the direction of the hinge axis corresponds to the circumferential tightening side T1 where the cap unit 3B and the container body 2B are screwed together, and the other side in the direction of the hinge axis corresponds to the circumferential loosening side T2.

[0128] The cap body 30 is made of a heat-resistant resin such as polypropylene (PP). As shown in Figure 11, the cap body 30 has a peripheral wall portion 30a formed in a substantially cylindrical shape so as to be continuous with the body portion 2b of the container body 2B, and a top wall portion 30c connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 30a. The top wall portion 30c also has an opening 30b that penetrates the top wall portion 30c in the vertical direction.

[0129] A female threaded portion 34 is provided on the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 30a. The female threaded portion 34 is screwed into the male threaded portion 35 of the neck portion 2c. As a result, the cap body 30 is detachably attached to the neck portion 2c of the container body 2B by screwing.

[0130] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, a mouth-forming member 36 that forms a drinking spout or pouring spout (a drinking spout in this embodiment) is detachably attached to the opening 30b of the cap body 30. In other words, the cap body 30 is provided with a mouth-forming member 36. The mouth-forming member 36 is made of a heat-resistant resin such as polypropylene (PP).

[0131] The mouth-forming member 36 has a bottom wall portion 36a in which a liquid passage opening 37 is formed, a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 36b rising upward from around the bottom wall portion 36a, a lower flange portion 36c that extends radially outward from the lower end of the bottom wall portion 36a, a pair of upper flange portions (not shown) that protrude to the left and right from the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 36b and extend in the front-rear direction, and a diagonally cut drinking mouth portion 36e provided at the upper end opening edge of the peripheral wall portion 36b, which extends downward from the front end of this upper end opening edge toward the rear. As a result of providing such a drinking mouth portion 36e, the front end of the peripheral wall portion 36b protrudes upward more than the other parts.

[0132] Between the cap body 30 and the mouth-forming member 36, a mouth-attachment / detachment mechanism 38 is provided for detachably attaching the mouth-forming member 36 to the opening 30b of the cap body 30. As the mouth-attachment / detachment mechanism 38, for example, the configuration described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5312542 can be used, and a detailed description thereof is omitted in this embodiment. The mouth-forming member 36 may be detachably attached to the cap body 30, or it may be integrated with the cap body 30.

[0133] The water-sealing packing 39 is detachably attached to the lower flange portion 36c of the mouth-forming member 36. The water-sealing packing 39 is a ring-shaped sealing member for sealing the space between the protruding portion 8 (container body 2B) and the mouth-forming member 36. The water-sealing packing 39 is made of an elastic material such as heat-resistant rubber such as silicone rubber or elastomer. The water-sealing packing 39 is fitted onto the outer circumference of the lower flange portion 36c.

[0134] When the water-stopping packing 39 is fitted inside the upper opening 2d of the container body 2B, it elastically deforms and adheres tightly to the protruding portion 8 of the container body 2B around its entire circumference. This makes it possible to seal the space between the protruding portion 8 and the mouth-forming member 36.

[0135] The lid 31 is made of a heat-resistant resin such as polypropylene (PP). The lid 31 opens and closes the liquid passage 37, which is the drinking spout or pouring spout of the mouth-forming member 36. As shown in Figure 11, the lid 31 is positioned between the cap body 30 and the ring member 33 in the vertical direction.

[0136] The lid 31 is biased in the direction that opens the liquid passage 37 of the opening member 36, i.e., in the opening direction, by a torsion spring (lid biasing part) 42 provided on the first hinge 32, which will be described later. The lid 31 is rotatably connected to the cap body 30 via the first hinge 32 while biased in the opening direction around the hinge central axis A.

[0137] The lid 31 has a lid periphery wall portion 31a formed in a substantially cylindrical shape so as to be continuous with the periphery wall portion 30a of the cap body 30, a lid top wall portion 31b connected to the upper end of the lid periphery wall portion 31a, and a cylindrical inner wall portion 31c projecting downward from the lid top wall portion 31b.

[0138] A lid packing 40 is provided on the inside of the lid 31 to close the liquid passage 37 of the opening forming member 36. In other words, the lid 31 has a lid packing 40. The lid packing 40 is a plug-shaped sealing member for sealing the liquid passage 37. The lid packing 40 is made of an elastic material, and can be made of the same material as the water-stopping packing 39.

[0139] The lid packing 40 is roughly cylindrical with a bottom, and the inner wall portion 31c is fitted inside it, with the lid packing 40 being detachably attached to the inner wall portion 31c. The bottom surface (underside) of the lid packing 40 is formed in a dome shape that is convex downwards.

[0140] In the cap unit 3B, when the lid 31 closes the top of the cap body 30, the lid packing 40 elastically deforms and becomes tightly fitted around the liquid passage 37. This allows the liquid passage 37 of the opening forming member 36 to be closed.

[0141] When the lid packing 40 is attached to the inner wall portion 31c, it is elastically deformed to expand in diameter, and the inner wall portion 31c is tightly fitted inside it, thereby ensuring close contact and fixation to the inner wall portion 31c. Therefore, even if negative pressure is created inside the container body 2B when the lid 31 is closed, and a tensile force acts on the lid packing 40 toward the inside of the container body 2B, the lid packing 40 is prevented from coming off the inner wall portion 31c when the lid 31 is opened. Consequently, the liquid port 37 can be opened stably when the lid 31 is in the open position.

[0142] The top wall portion 31b of the lid has a recess 31d that is recessed downward from the upper surface of the top wall portion 31b. A cover member 41 that covers the inner wall portion 31c from above is attached to the recess 31d. In other words, the lid 31 has a cover member 41. The cover member 41 is made of the same material as the lid 31 and is formed in a substantially disc shape.

[0143] The cover member 41 is not limited to being made of the same material as the lid 31; it may be made of a different material or color, or it may be made of a transparent material. Furthermore, a three-dimensional structure may be placed on top of the cover member 41, or an engraving may be applied to its upper surface. This makes it possible to create a cap unit 3B with an excellent design.

[0144] As shown in Figures 11 and 13, the top wall portion 31b of the lid has a tapered surface 31e. The tapered surface 31e is located on the outer circumference of the upper surface of the top wall portion 31b of the lid. The tapered surface 31e is tapered in a way that it slopes downward as it extends radially outward. The tapered surface 31e extends circumferentially so as to surround the recess 31d from the radially outward side, and forms a roughly C-shape that opens to the rear side when viewed from above.

[0145] As shown in Figure 11, the lid locking mechanism 43 fixes the lid 31 to the cap body 30 against the biasing force of the torsion spring 42, which will be described later, when the lid 31 is in the position where it closes the liquid passage 37, i.e., the closed position of the lid 31.

[0146] Specifically, the lid locking mechanism 43 includes a locking member 45 rotatably attached to the cap body 30 via a second hinge 44, and a ring stopper 46 rotatably attached to the cap body 30 via the second hinge 44. The hinge axis (not shown) of the second hinge 44 extends in the left-right direction.

[0147] The locking member 45 is rotatably supported by a second hinge 44 provided at the front end of the peripheral wall portion 30a of the cap body 30. The locking member 45 has a first extension portion 45a extending upward from the second hinge 44 and a second extension portion 45b extending downward from the second hinge 44.

[0148] A hook portion 47 is provided at the tip of the first extension portion 45a (the upper end of the locking member 45), protruding toward the rear. An elastic member (rubber member or spring member) 48 is positioned between the second extension portion 45b and the peripheral wall portion 30a in a compressed state in the front-rear direction. The elastic member 48 biases the second extension portion 45b toward the front.

[0149] As shown in Figure 10, the ring stopper 46 is a member that curves and extends in a roughly semicircular shape, and both ends of it are rotatably supported by the second hinge 44. As a result, the ring stopper 46 can rotate vertically around the second hinge 44.

[0150] As shown in Figure 11, the lid locking mechanism 43 includes a lock receiving portion 49 into which the hook portion 47 of the locking member 45 is engaged, and a stopper receiving portion 50 into which the ring stopper 46 is hooked. The lock receiving portion 49 consists of a claw portion that protrudes forward from the lower part of the front end of the lid peripheral wall portion 31a of the lid body 31. The stopper receiving portion 50 has a shape that fits into the inner circumference of the ring stopper 46 and consists of a wall portion that protrudes forward from a position that surrounds the lock receiving portion (claw portion) 49 at the front end of the lid peripheral wall portion 31a.

[0151] In the lid locking mechanism 43, when the lid 31 closes the upper part of the cap body 30, the hook portion 47 of the locking member 45 engages with the locking receiver 49, thereby maintaining the state in which the lid 31 closes the upper part of the cap body 30. From this state, when the user presses the second extension 45b of the locking member 45 backward against the biasing force of the elastic member 48, the locking member 45 rotates around the second hinge 44 and the first extension 45a is displaced forward, releasing the engagement of the hook portion 47 with the locking receiver 49. As a result, the biasing force of the torsion spring 42 in the first hinge 32 makes it possible to rotate the lid 31 in the opening direction, as shown in Figure 12. When the lid 31 is rotated in the opening direction, the ring member 33 also rotates in the opening direction together with the lid 31.

[0152] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, in the lid locking mechanism 43, when the lid 31 closes the upper part of the cap body 30, the ring stopper 46 is engaged with the stopper receiving portion 50, thereby preventing the lid 31 from rotating in the opening direction. As a result, the lid locking mechanism 43 can prevent the lid 31 from opening due to unnecessary (unintended) operation of the locking member 45 or the like.

[0153] The ring member 33 is made of a heat-resistant resin such as polypropylene (PP). As shown in Figure 14, the ring member 33 is annular, and in this embodiment, it is substantially annular plate-shaped. As shown in Figure 11, the ring member 33 is positioned above the cap body 30 and the lid 31. Specifically, in the stored state of the ring member 33 shown in Figure 11, the ring member 33 is positioned on the lid top wall portion 31b, and more specifically, on the outer circumference of the lid top wall portion 31b, i.e., on the tapered surface 31e.

[0154] The lower surface 33a of the ring member 33 is shaped to conform to the shape of the top wall portion 31b of the lid 31 that faces it. In other words, the lower surface 33a of the ring member 33 is tapered, following the tapered shape of the tapered surface 31e, that is, it is an inverse tapered surface shape that matches the tapered surface 31e. Specifically, the lower surface 33a of the ring member 33 is tapered, sloping downwards as it extends radially outward.

[0155] The upper surface 33b of the ring member 33 is tapered, sloping downwards as it extends radially outward. Therefore, when the ring member 33 is in its stored state, for example, when a user rotates the cap unit 3B circumferentially to attach or detach it from the container body 2B, the cap unit 3B, together with the ring member 11, is easy to grasp in the palm of the hand and easy to rotate.

[0156] The first hinge 32 connects the rear of the cap body 30 and the rear of the lid 31 so that they can rotate relative to each other in the circumferential direction of the hinge. The first hinge 32 also connects the rear of the cap body 30 and the rear of the ring member 33 so that they can rotate relative to each other in the circumferential direction of the hinge. In other words, the first hinge 32 connects the cap body 30, the lid 31 and the ring member 33 so that they can rotate relative to each other around the hinge central axis A. The first hinge 32 is equipped with a spring mechanism including a biasing part 60 and a sealing part 61, which will be described later. The first hinge 32 is configured with the hinge central axis A as its center and extends in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0157] As shown in Figures 14 to 22, the first hinge 32 includes cap bearing portions 52, 53, lid bearing portions 54, 55, ring bearing portion 56, biasing portion (ring member biasing portion) 60, sealing portion 61, shaft cover 58, opposing member 59, torsion spring (lid biasing portion) 42, and hinge shaft 57. Figure 15 shows a cross-section (longitudinal section) of the first hinge 32 parallel to the central axis C of the cap unit 3B, specifically showing a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the first hinge 32 including the hinge central axis A. Figure 16 shows a cross-section (transverse section) of the first hinge 32 perpendicular to the central axis C of the cap unit 3B, specifically showing a transverse cross-sectional view of the first hinge 32 including the hinge central axis A. Furthermore, the exploded perspective views of the cap unit 3B shown in Figures 17 and 18 show that the arrangement of the component members differs in some respects from the arrangement of the component members after assembly (in the assembled state).

[0158] In this embodiment, of the cap bearing portions 52, 53 and the ring bearing portion 56, two cap bearing portions 52, 53 are provided spaced apart from each other in the hinge axis direction, and the other of the cap bearing portions 52, 53 and the ring bearing portion 56 is positioned as one between the two aforementioned portions.

[0159] As shown in Figures 17, 18, 20, and 21, the cap bearing portions 52 and 53 protrude upward and rearward from the rear end of the top wall portion 30c of the cap body 30. In other words, the cap bearing portions 52 and 53 are provided on the cap body 30. The cap bearing portions 52 and 53 are integrally formed with the cap body 30 from a single component. In this embodiment, two cap bearing portions 52 and 53 are provided.

[0160] The two cap bearing sections 52 and 53 include a first cap bearing section 52 and a second cap bearing section 53. The first cap bearing section 52 is located on one side of the two cap bearing sections 52 and 53 in the direction of the hinge axis. The second cap bearing section 53 is located on the other side of the two cap bearing sections 52 and 53 in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0161] The first cap bearing portion 52 is substantially cylindrical in shape and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. As shown in Figures 15, 16, 20, and 21, the first cap bearing portion 52 has a housing hole portion 52b, a cap end face 52e, an axial hole 52a, a groove portion 52c, and an axial projection locking portion 52d.

[0162] The housing hole 52b is a bottomed circular hole centered on the hinge central axis A. The housing hole 52b opens onto the end face of the first cap bearing portion 52 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis, and extends from this end face to the other side in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0163] The cap end face 52e is the end face of the first cap bearing portion 52 facing the other side in the direction of the hinge axis. The cap end face 52e is planar in shape, extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A.

[0164] The shaft hole 52a is a circular hole extending in the direction of the hinge axis. The inner diameter of the shaft hole 52a is smaller than that of the housing hole 52b. One end of the shaft hole 52a in the direction of the hinge axis opens to the bottom surface of the housing hole 52b. The other end of the shaft hole 52a in the direction of the hinge axis opens to the cap end face 52e.

[0165] The groove 52c is recessed outward in the hinge radial direction from the inner circumferential surface of the housing hole 52b and extends in the hinge axial direction. The groove 52c is arranged along the entire length of the housing hole 52b in the hinge axial direction. In this embodiment, the width dimension of the groove 52c in the hinge circumferential direction decreases as it moves outward in the hinge radial direction.

[0166] The shaft projection locking portion 52d is recessed outward in the hinge radial direction from the inner circumferential surface of the shaft hole 52a and is groove-shaped, extending in the hinge axis direction. The shaft projection locking portion 52d is arranged along the entire length of the shaft hole 52a in the hinge axis direction. One end of the shaft projection locking portion 52d in the hinge axis direction opens to the bottom surface of the housing hole portion 52b. The other end of the shaft projection locking portion 52d in the hinge axis direction opens to the cap end face 52e. In this embodiment, the width dimension of the shaft projection locking portion 52d in the hinge circumferential direction increases as it moves outward in the hinge radial direction.

[0167] As shown in Figures 15 to 18, the second cap bearing portion 53 is a substantially annular plate shape centered on the hinge central axis A. The second cap bearing portion 53 has an inner surface 53b, an outer sliding contact surface 53c, and a shaft hole 53a.

[0168] The inner surface 53b is positioned on the end face of the second cap bearing portion 53 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis. The inner surface 53b is planar in shape, extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A.

[0169] The outer sliding contact surface 53c is positioned on the end face of the second cap bearing portion 53 facing the other side in the hinge axis direction. The outer sliding contact surface 53c is planar in shape, extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A.

[0170] The shaft hole 53a penetrates the second cap bearing portion 53 in the direction of the hinge axis. The shaft hole 53a is a circular hole centered on the hinge central axis A. One end of the shaft hole 53a in the direction of the hinge axis opens onto the inner surface 53b. The other end of the shaft hole 53a in the direction of the hinge axis opens onto the outer sliding contact surface 53c.

[0171] The lid bearing portions 54 and 55 protrude from the lid peripheral wall portion 31a of the lid body 31 toward the rear. That is, the lid bearing portions 54 and 55 are provided on the lid body 31. The lid bearing portions 54 and 55 are integrally formed with the lid body 31 from a single component. In this embodiment, two lid bearing portions 54 and 55 are provided spaced apart from each other in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0172] The two cover bearing sections 54 and 55 include a first cover bearing section 54 and a second cover bearing section 55. The first cover bearing section 54 is located on one side of the two cover bearing sections 54 and 55 in the direction of the hinge axis. The first cover bearing section 54 is located adjacent to the first cap bearing section 52 in the direction of the hinge axis. The second cover bearing section 55 is located on the other side of the two cover bearing sections 54 and 55 in the direction of the hinge axis. The second cover bearing section 55 is located adjacent to the second cap bearing section 53 in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0173] The first cover bearing portion 54 is substantially cylindrical in shape and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. As shown in Figures 15 and 18, the first cover bearing portion 54 has a mounting recess 54b, a rotational contact portion 54c, and an axial hole 54a.

[0174] The mounting recess 54b is a concave or notched shape that extends from the end face of the first cover bearing portion 54 facing the other side in the hinge axis direction to one side in the hinge axis direction. The bottom surface of the mounting recess 54b faces the other side in the hinge axis direction. The bottom surface of the mounting recess 54b is a planar shape that extends in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A.

[0175] The rotating contact portion 54c protrudes from the bottom surface of the mounting recess 54b on the other side in the hinge axis direction. The rotating contact portion 54c is rib-shaped and positioned above the mounting recess 54b, extending in the front-rear direction. The rotating contact portion 54c is positioned to cover the mounting recess 54b from above. The rotating contact portion 54c has a curved portion extending in the hinge circumferential direction and a straight portion extending in the front-rear direction.

[0176] The shaft hole 54a is a substantially circular hole extending in the direction of the hinge axis. One end of the shaft hole 54a in the direction of the hinge axis opens into the end face of the first cover bearing portion 54 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis. The other end of the shaft hole 54a in the direction of the hinge axis opens into the bottom surface of the mounting recess 54b.

[0177] The second cover bearing portion 55 is substantially cylindrical in shape and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. As shown in Figures 15 to 17, the second cover bearing portion 55 has an inner surface 55b and an axial hole 55a.

[0178] The inner surface 55b is positioned on the end face of the second cover bearing portion 55 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis. The inner surface 55b is planar, extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A. The inner surface 55b is in slidable contact with the outer sliding contact surface 53c of the second cap bearing portion 53.

[0179] The shaft hole 55a is a substantially circular hole that penetrates the second cover bearing portion 55 in the direction of the hinge axis. One end of the shaft hole 55a in the direction of the hinge axis opens onto the inner surface 55b. The other end of the shaft hole 55a in the direction of the hinge axis opens onto the end face of the second cover bearing portion 55 that faces the other side in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0180] As shown in Figure 11, the ring bearing portion 56 protrudes downward and rearward from the rear end of the ring member 33. In other words, the ring bearing portion 56 is provided on the ring member 33. The ring bearing portion 56 is integrally formed with the ring member 33 from a single component.

[0181] As shown in Figures 14 to 16, the ring bearing portion 56 is substantially cylindrical in shape and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. The ring bearing portion 56 is located approximately in the center in the left-right direction at the rear end of the ring member 33. The ring bearing portion 56 is located approximately in the center in the direction of the hinge axis of the first hinge 32.

[0182] The ring bearing portion 56 is positioned adjacent to the cap bearing portions 52 and 53 in the hinge axis direction. Specifically, the ring bearing portion 56 is positioned adjacent to the other side of the first cap bearing portion 52 in the hinge axis direction, and adjacent to the one side of the second cap bearing portion 53 in the hinge axis direction. In other words, the ring bearing portion 56 is positioned between the pair of cap bearing portions 52 and 53 in the hinge axis direction. In other words, in this embodiment, the first hinge (hinge) 32 includes cap bearing portions 52, 53 provided on the cap body 30, lid bearing portions 54, 55 provided on the lid body 31, a ring bearing portion 56 provided on the ring member 33 and arranged in the same direction as the hinge bearing portions 52, 53 and the lid bearing portions 54, 55, and a hinge shaft 57 that pivotally supports the cap bearing portions 52, 53, the lid bearing portions 54, 55 and the ring bearing portion 56 so that they can rotate relative to each other around the hinge central axis A.

[0183] As shown in Figures 15, 16, and 22, the ring bearing portion 56 has a receiving recess 56b, a ring end face 56c, and an axial hole 56a. That is, the first hinge 32 has a receiving recess 56b.

[0184] In this embodiment, the receiving recess 56b is recessed in the ring bearing portion 56 and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. Specifically, the receiving recess 56b is a bottomed circular hole centered on the hinge central axis A, opening into the end face of the ring bearing portion 56 facing the other side in the direction of the hinge axis, and extending from this end face toward one side in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0185] The ring end face 56c is the end face of the ring bearing portion 56 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis. The outer circumference of the ring end face 56c is planar, extending in a direction perpendicular to the hinge central axis A. The cap end face 52e of the first cap bearing portion (cap bearing portion) 52 facing the other side in the direction of the hinge axis and the ring end face 56c (outer circumference) of the ring bearing portion 56 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis are in slidable contact with each other.

[0186] Furthermore, the ring end face 56c has a concave surface 56d that is positioned inward in the hinge radial direction from the outer circumference of the ring end face 56c. The concave surface 56d is formed recessed on the other side in the hinge axis direction from the outer circumference of the ring end face 56c.

[0187] The shaft hole 56a is a circular hole extending in the direction of the hinge axis. The inner diameter of the shaft hole 56a is smaller than that of the receiving recess 56b. One end of the shaft hole 56a in the direction of the hinge axis opens into the concave surface 56d of the ring end face 56c. The other end of the shaft hole 56a in the direction of the hinge axis opens into the bottom surface of the receiving recess 56b.

[0188] The biasing portion 60 is elastically deformable. As shown in Figures 15 to 18, the biasing portion 60 in this embodiment is a metal compression coil spring that is elastically deformable in the hinge axis direction. The biasing portion 60 is housed in the housing recess 56b. One end of the biasing portion 60 in the hinge axis direction contacts the bottom surface of the housing recess 56b facing the other side in the hinge axis direction. The other end of the biasing portion 60 in the hinge axis direction contacts the end surface of the sealing portion 61 facing the one side in the hinge axis direction (the biasing portion contact surface 61b, which will be described later).

[0189] The biasing section 60 biases the ring bearing section 56 toward one side in the hinge axis direction relative to the second cap bearing section (cap bearing section) 53 via the sealing section 61. In other words, the biasing section 60 biases the ring member 33 toward one side in the hinge axis direction relative to the cap body 30. Furthermore, the biasing section 60 allows the ring member 33 to be displaced toward the other side in the hinge axis direction relative to the cap body 30 by elastic deformation.

[0190] The sealing portion 61 is cylindrical with respect to the hinge central axis A and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. The sealing portion 61 is positioned on one side of the second cap bearing portion 53 in the direction of the hinge axis, and on the other side of the biasing portion 60 in the direction of the hinge axis. The sealing portion 61 is interposed between the second cap bearing portion 53 and the biasing portion 60 in the direction of the hinge axis. At least a portion of the sealing portion 61 is inserted into the housing recess 56b. In this way, the sealing portion 61 seals the biasing portion 60 in the housing recess 56b. The portion of the sealing portion 61 other than the portion inserted into the housing recess 56b is exposed to the outside between the second cap bearing portion 53 and the ring bearing portion 56.

[0191] In this embodiment, at least a portion of the sealing portion 61 (one end in the direction of the hinge axis) is inserted into the housing recess 56b, and the sealing portion 61 does not completely detach from the housing recess 56b. Therefore, the biasing portion 60 sealed inside the housing recess 56b is not exposed to the outside. As a result, the biasing portion 60 is not visible externally, and a good aesthetic appearance can be achieved.

[0192] The sealing portion 61 can preferably be made of a different material from the second cap bearing portion 53, such as polyacetal (POM) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which have better wear resistance than the second cap bearing portion 53.

[0193] The sealing portion 61 has a biasing portion contact surface 61b, an outer contact surface 61c, and an axial hole 61a. The biasing portion contact surface 61b is positioned on the end face of the encapsulating portion 61 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis. The biasing portion contact surface 61b contacts the other end of the biasing portion 60 in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0194] The outer contact surface 61c is positioned on the end face of the sealing portion 61 facing the other side in the hinge axis direction. The outer contact surface 61c slidably contacts the inner surface 53b of the second cap bearing portion 53.

[0195] The shaft hole 61a penetrates the sealing portion 61 in the direction of the hinge axis. One end of the shaft hole 61a in the direction of the hinge axis opens to the biasing portion contact surface 61b. The other end of the shaft hole 61a in the direction of the hinge axis opens to the outer contact surface 61c. The shaft hole 61a is a circular hole that extends in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0196] In the cap unit 3B of this embodiment, the durability of the first hinge 32 can be improved by configuring the wear-resistant sealing portion 61 separately from the second cap bearing portion 53. Furthermore, by configuring the sealing portion 61 separately from the second cap bearing portion 53, it is possible to improve the moldability of the cap body 30 and facilitate dimensional control. However, if the above-mentioned impact on moldability and dimensions is not considered, the sealing portion 61 does not need to be configured separately for the second cap bearing portion 53. That is, for example, the second cap bearing portion 53 and the sealing portion 61 may be configured as an integrated unit.

[0197] As shown in Figures 15, 16, and 19, the shaft cover 58 is a substantially multi-stage cylindrical shape extending in the direction of the hinge axis. The shaft cover 58 is inserted from one side in the direction of the hinge axis into the first cap bearing portion 52, the ring bearing portion 56, the biasing portion 60, the sealing portion 61, and the second cap bearing portion 53.

[0198] The shaft cover 58 can preferably be made of a different material than the cap bearing parts 52 and 53, such as polyacetal (POM) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which have better wear resistance than the cap bearing parts 52 and 53.

[0199] The shaft cover 58 has a small diameter cylindrical portion 58b, a large diameter cylindrical portion 58c, a shaft hole 58a, a protruding portion 58d, and a shaft projection 58e.

[0200] The small-diameter cylindrical portion 58b is cylindrical with the hinge central axis A as its center and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. The small-diameter cylindrical portion 58b is inserted into the shaft hole 52a of the first cap bearing portion 52, the shaft hole 56a and housing recess 56b of the ring bearing portion 56, the biasing portion 60, the shaft hole 61a of the sealing portion 61, and the shaft hole 53a of the second cap bearing portion 53. In addition, the end face of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 58b facing the other side in the direction of the hinge axis is in slidable contact with the inner surface 55b of the second lid bearing portion 55.

[0201] The large-diameter cylindrical portion 58c is positioned on one side of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 58b in the direction of the hinge axis. The large-diameter cylindrical portion 58c is substantially cylindrical with a larger diameter than the small-diameter cylindrical portion 58b and is connected to one end of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 58b in the direction of the hinge axis. Specifically, the large-diameter cylindrical portion 58c is substantially cylindrical with a bottom and an opening on the end face of the shaft cover 58 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis. The large-diameter cylindrical portion 58c is positioned within the housing hole portion 52b of the first cap bearing portion 52.

[0202] The shaft hole 58a penetrates the shaft cover 58 in the direction of the hinge axis. The shaft hole 58a is a circular hole centered on the hinge central axis A. One end of the shaft hole 58a in the direction of the hinge axis opens into the bottom wall of the large diameter cylindrical portion 58c. The other end of the shaft hole 58a in the direction of the hinge axis opens into the end face of the small diameter cylindrical portion 58b that faces the other side in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0203] The protruding portion 58d is rib-shaped, projecting outward in the hinge radial direction from the outer circumferential surface of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 58c and extending in the hinge axial direction. In this embodiment, the width dimension of the protruding portion 58d in the hinge circumferential direction decreases as it moves outward in the hinge radial direction. The protruding portion 58d is engaged with the groove portion 52c of the first cap bearing portion 52.

[0204] The axial projection 58e protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 58b in the hinge radial direction and is rib-shaped, extending in the hinge axis direction. The axial projection 58e is positioned at one end of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 58b in the hinge axis direction and is connected to the other end of the overhanging projection 58d in the hinge axis direction. In this embodiment, the width dimension of the axial projection 58e in the hinge circumferential direction increases as it moves outward in the hinge radial direction. The axial projection 58e is locked to the axial projection locking portion 52d of the first cap bearing portion 52.

[0205] The protruding portion 58d and the groove portion 52c are locked together, and the shaft projection 58e and the shaft projection locking portion 52d are locked together, so that the shaft cover 58 cannot rotate in the hinge circumferential direction relative to the first cap bearing portion 52. In other words, the shaft cover 58 is mounted on the cap body 30 in a state where rotation in the hinge circumferential direction is restricted.

[0206] As shown in Figures 15 to 18, the opposing member 59 is a substantially cylindrical member centered on the hinge central axis A. Specifically, the opposing member 59 is a substantially bottomed cylinder with an opening at the other end in the direction of the hinge axis. The opposing member 59 is positioned adjacent to one side of the shaft cover 58 in the direction of the hinge axis. The opposing member 59 is positioned inside both the housing hole 52b of the first cap bearing portion 52 and the mounting recess 54b of the first lid bearing portion 54. The bottom wall of the opposing member 59 is in contact with the bottom surface of the mounting recess 54b. The opposing member 59 and the large-diameter cylindrical portion 58c of the shaft cover 58 are positioned adjacent to each other so that their openings face each other in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0207] The opposing member 59 can preferably be made of a different material than the first cover bearing portion 54, such as polyacetal (POM) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which have superior wear resistance compared to the first cover bearing portion 54.

[0208] In the cap unit 3B of this embodiment, the durability of the first hinge 32 can be improved by configuring the wear-resistant opposing member 59 separately from the first lid bearing portion 54. The first lid bearing portion 54 is not necessarily limited to a configuration in which the opposing member 59 is configured separately; for example, the opposing member 59 may be integrated into the first lid bearing portion, or its surface may be coated with a wear-resistant coating.

[0209] The opposing member 59 has a flange portion 59b, a lid pressing portion 59c, and an axial hole 59a. The flange portion 59b is positioned at one end of the opposing member 59 in the direction of the hinge axis and is flange-shaped, protruding outward in the direction of the hinge diameter from the outer circumferential surface of the opposing member 59. The surface of the flange portion 59b facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis contacts the bottom surface of the mounting recess 54b. The surface of the flange portion 59b facing the other side in the direction of the hinge axis slidably contacts the end surface of the first cap bearing portion 52 facing one side in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0210] The lid pressing portion 59c is positioned at one end of the opposing member 59 in the direction of the hinge axis. The lid pressing portion 59c is formed in a planar shape so as to cut out a part of the flange portion 59b in the direction of the hinge circumference. The lid pressing portion 59c contacts the rotational contact portion 54c of the first lid bearing portion 54 from below.

[0211] The shaft hole 59a penetrates the bottom wall of the opposing member 59 in the direction of the hinge axis. The shaft hole 59a is a circular hole centered on the hinge central axis A.

[0212] The torsion spring 42 is positioned inside the large-diameter cylindrical portion 58c of the shaft cover 58 and the opposing member 59. The torsion spring 42 is a metal torsion coil spring centered on the hinge central axis A. As shown in Figure 18, the torsion spring 42 has a coiled portion 42a, one protruding end 42b extending from one end of the coiled portion 42a in the direction of the hinge axis, and the other protruding end 42c extending from the other end of the coiled portion 42a in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0213] Although not specifically shown in the diagram, the torsion spring 42 is positioned within the first hinge 32 with one protruding end 42b locked to the peripheral wall of the opposing member 59 and the other protruding end 42c locked to the peripheral wall of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 58c.

[0214] With the above configuration, when the user rotates the lid 31 from the open position to the opposite direction of opening, i.e., towards the closing direction, the rotational contact portion 54c and the lid pressing portion 59c of the first lid bearing portion 54 come into contact, causing the opposing member 59 to also rotate in the closing direction together with the lid 31. This causes the opening angle between one protruding end 42b and the other protruding end 42c of the torsion spring 42 to be elastically deformed in a direction that narrows the opening angle, and the resulting repulsive force (restoring deformation force) makes it possible to bias the lid 31 toward the opening direction relative to the cap body 30. Furthermore, when the lid 31 is biased toward the opening direction, the ring member 33 is also indirectly biased toward the opening direction via the lid 31.

[0215] When the lid 31 is rotated in the opening and closing directions, the lid 31 and the opposing member 59 rotate in the hinge circumferential direction, while the cap body 30 and the shaft cover 58 do not rotate in the hinge circumferential direction. As a result, the first lid bearing portion 54 slides against the first cap bearing portion 52, the opposing member 59 slides against the first cap bearing portion 52 and the shaft cover 58, and the second lid bearing portion 55 slides against the second cap bearing portion 53 and the shaft cover 58.

[0216] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the hinge shaft 57 is cylindrical with respect to the hinge central axis A and extends in the direction of the hinge axis. The hinge shaft 57 is made of metal. The hinge shaft 57 is provided passing through the first lid bearing portion 54, the opposing member 59, the torsion spring 42, the first cap bearing portion 52, the shaft cover 58, the ring bearing portion 56, the biasing portion 60, the sealing portion 61, the second cap bearing portion 53, and the second lid bearing portion 55 in the direction of the hinge axis. The hinge shaft 57 also pivotally supports the cap bearing portions 52, 53 and the ring bearing portion 56 via the shaft cover 58 so that they can rotate relative to each other around the hinge central axis A.

[0217] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 16, 21, and 22, in this embodiment, the click mechanism (storage state holding mechanism 22) of the first hinge 32 has a stepped portion 63 on one of the cap end face 52e and the ring end face 56c, and the other of the cap end face 52e and the ring end face 56c has a protrusion 62 that can overcome the stepped portion 63 around the hinge central axis A against the biasing force of the biasing portion 60.

[0218] Specifically, in this embodiment, the cap end face 52e has a protruding stepped portion 63 that projects from the cap end face 52e to the other side in the hinge axis direction. Also, the ring end face 56c has a protruding convex portion 62 that projects from the concave surface 56d to one side in the hinge axis direction.

[0219] The cap unit 3B of this embodiment includes a storage state holding mechanism 22 that maintains the posture of the ring member 33 when it is in the stored state. The storage state holding mechanism 22 has a protrusion (locking portion) 62 provided on the ring member 33 and a stepped portion (locking portion) 63 that locks onto the protrusion 62 of the ring member 33 when it is in the stored state. In this embodiment as well, the storage state holding mechanism 22 is positioned on the first hinge (hinge) 32 side (i.e., the rear side) of the cap central axis C in the front-rear direction. The protrusion 62 overcomes the stepped portion 63 in the circumferential direction of the hinge when the ring member 33 is rotated with a torque greater than a predetermined amount in the opening direction around the hinge central axis A due to user operation or the like.

[0220] More specifically, in the process of transitioning the ring member 33 from its stored state to its open state, the protrusion 62 rotates together with the ring member 33 around the hinge central axis A. As the ring member 33 rotates with a torque greater than a predetermined value, it can overcome the stepped portion 63 around the hinge central axis A while pushing the ring bearing portion 56 on which it is positioned toward the other side in the hinge axis direction, against the biasing force of the biasing portion 60.

[0221] In other words, during the transition from the retracted state of the ring member 33 to the open state, the protrusion 62 is able to overcome the stepped portion 63 in the hinge circumferential direction against the biasing force of the biasing portion 60. Specifically, in the above process, when the protrusion 62 comes into contact with the stepped portion 63, a force is generated that displaces the ring bearing portion 56 (ring member 33) toward the other side in the hinge axis direction, causing the biasing portion 60 to elastically deform. As the biasing portion 60 elastically deforms, the ring bearing portion 56 is displaced toward the other side in the hinge axis direction, and the protrusion 62 overcomes the stepped portion 63 in the hinge circumferential direction.

[0222] Conversely, in the process of returning the ring member 33 from the open state to the retracted state, the ring member 33 rotates forward, and just before it reaches the retracted state, the protrusion 62 overcomes the step 63, causing the retracted state holding mechanism 22 to once again hold the ring member 33 in the retracted position. During this overcoming, the user can feel a click, indicating that the operation is complete.

[0223] Furthermore, when the stored ring member 33 rotates to the rear (opening direction), the protrusion 62 overcomes the step 63 on the opposite side in the hinge circumferential direction, generating operational resistance, thus preventing unintended rotation to the rear. In addition, when the user rotates it towards the rear, the user can feel a click due to this overcoming resistance, allowing them to sense that the rotation operation has begun.

[0224] In this embodiment, the protrusion 62 is configured to overcome the stepped portion 63 just before the ring member 33 enters its retracted state. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the overcoming position can be freely set by appropriately adjusting the positions of the protrusion 62 and the stepped portion 63. For example, in the reference example of this embodiment, the protrusion 62 may be configured to overcome the stepped portion 63 just before the ring member 33 rotates to its limit to the rear side in the open state. In this case, the protrusion 62 and the stepped portion 63 are locked together, holding the ring member 33 in the open state. Therefore, the protrusion 62 and the stepped portion 63 function as an open state holding mechanism that maintains the posture of the ring member 33 in the open state.

[0225] As another example, the ring member 33 may be configured such that the protrusion 62 overcomes the stepped portion 63 when it is in an open position and standing upright. In this case, the user can feel a click due to the resistance of this overcoming, and can perceive that the ring member 33 has stood upright.

[0226] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the biasing unit 60 biases the ring member 33 relative to the cap body 30 in the direction of the hinge axis. This creates resistance to the sliding motion of the ring member 33 when it rotates, and by adjusting the sliding resistance, for example, with the elastic force of the biasing unit 60, it is possible to stop the ring member 33 in an upright position. As a result, the user can place the beverage container 1B with the ring member 33 in an upright position and immediately put their fingers on the ring member 33 to carry it. Furthermore, due to the sliding resistance described above, it is possible to stop (remain still) the ring member 33 at any position while it is rotating around the hinge central axis A, not limited to the upright position.

[0227] Furthermore, in the storage state holding mechanism 22 of this embodiment, the protrusion 62 is structured to overcome the stepped portion 63, but referring to the storage state holding mechanism 21 of the first embodiment, the protrusion 62 may not overcome the stepped portion 63 but remain in a raised position. For example, one of the protrusion 62 or the stepped portion 63 may be made into a concave shape that is recessed relative to the other. Let us assume that the stepped portion 63 is concave, and here the concave stepped portion will be referred to as 63'.

[0228] In this case, by rotating the ring member 33 around the hinge central axis A from the state in which the protrusion 62 is housed in the stepped portion 63', the protrusion 62 rotates together with the ring member 33, and as the ring member 33 rotates with a torque greater than a predetermined amount, the ring bearing portion 56 (ring member 33) is pushed to the other side in the hinge axis direction against the biasing force of the biasing portion 60, and the stepped portion 63' can ride up around the hinge central axis A. After riding up, by rotating the ring member 33 around the hinge central axis A while it is still in that mounted state, the protrusion 62 comes into slidable contact with the cap end face 52e.

[0229] Even if the biasing by the biasing part 60 in this embodiment were absent, with this structure, the sliding resistance can be adjusted by the degree of elastic deformation that occurs when the protrusion 62 is pressed against the cap end face 52e after the protrusion 62 rides over the stepped portion 63', as well as by friction due to the material and shape, thereby stopping (resting) the ring member 33 at any position during rotation around the hinge central axis A. In other words, when sliding with one part riding over the other, it is possible to set a high sliding resistance for most of the sliding stroke, and it is possible to stop the ring member 33 at any position during rotation around the hinge central axis A. This is also true in the first embodiment when the biasing part 19 is absent.

[0230] Conversely, the following describes the case where the protrusion 62 returns to a state where it is retracted into the stepped portion 63', from a state where it is riding on the stepped portion 63' around the hinge central axis A. In this case, by rotating the ring member 33 around the hinge central axis A in the opposite direction to the above, the protrusion 62 rotates relative to the stepped portion 63' in the hinge circumferential direction, and when they are in positions where they oppose each other in the hinge axis direction, the biasing portion 60 deforms to restore its shape, causing the protrusion 62 to be displaced toward one side in the hinge axis direction, and the protrusion 62 is inserted (locked) into the stepped portion 63' again. Furthermore, as described above, even without the biasing provided by the biasing portion 60 in this embodiment, it is possible to return the protrusion 62 to its retracted state in the stepped portion 63' by adjusting the sliding resistance through the degree of elastic deformation caused by the pressing of the protrusion 62 against the cap end face 52e, friction due to the material and shape, etc. Furthermore, as described above, the same effect can be achieved by swapping the protrusion 62 and the step 63, so that the protrusion 62 has a concave shape relative to the step 63.

[0231] In contrast, the present invention will describe a case where the cap end face 52e and the ring end face 56c slide against each other due to the convex shape of the convex portion 62 and the stepped portion 63. In this case, the convex portion 62 and the stepped portion 63, which are both convex shapes, do not hold the state of the ring member 33, but rather the convex portion 62 and the stepped portion 63 are provided just before the limit of rotation in either the closed or open direction, respectively, so that they function as a storage state holding mechanism or an open state holding mechanism. In other words, there is a position where the ring member 33 cannot rotate any further, and when the ring member 33 is rotated to escape that state, the sliding resistance temporarily increases, causing it to overcome. After overcoming, the sliding resistance is low, so the ring member 33 can rotate smoothly. In other words, when one overcomes the other, it is possible to set a high sliding resistance only for the moment of overcoming.

[0232] Therefore, if there is no mechanism to provide sliding resistance, such as the biasing part 60 that biases the ring member 33 in the hinge axis direction relative to the cap body 30, it is difficult to stop (stop) the ring member 33 in an upright position or at any position during rotation (i.e., a position with low sliding resistance) with only one pair of convex shapes overcoming each other. Of course, by providing two pairs of convex shapes to overcome each other and creating a pseudo-concave shape between them, it is possible to stop at any position.

[0233] Furthermore, when stopping the ring member 33 at any position while it is being rotated around the hinge central axis A by the sliding resistance of the biasing portion 60, it does not matter whether the direction of the biasing is the tightening side T1, which is one side in the direction of the hinge axis, or the loosening side T2, which is the other side in the direction of the hinge axis.

[0234] Thus, in this embodiment, the first hinge 32 has a storage state holding mechanism 22 as a click mechanism including a stepped portion 63 and a protruding portion 62, and the click mechanism provides a clicking sensation when the ring member 33 rotates in the opening or closing direction around the hinge central axis A. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sliding resistance provided by the biasing portion 60 makes it possible to stop (stop) the ring member 33 at any position while it is rotating around the hinge central axis A.

[0235] According to the cap unit 3B and beverage container 1B of this embodiment described above, the same effects and advantages as those of the previously described embodiment can be obtained. More specifically, even in a configuration like that of this embodiment, where a lid 31 for opening and closing the liquid passage 37 of the mouth-forming member 36, and a lid locking mechanism 43 for fixing the lid 31 in the closed position are provided, the position of the ring member 33 can be appropriately and suitably selected by setting the ring member 33 to an open state or a retracted state, similar to the first embodiment, providing high convenience. Furthermore, since a retracted state holding mechanism 22 is provided to hold the ring member 33 in the retracted state, it is possible to prevent the retracted ring member 33 from unintentionally becoming open, resulting in ease of use and good operability. In addition, the screwed state between the cap unit 3B and the container body 2B can be maintained well.

[0236] Specifically, in the first hinge 32 of this embodiment, the direction in which the ring bearing portion 56 (ring member 33) is biased by the biasing portion 60 is one side in the hinge axis direction, meaning that the ring member 33 is generally biased toward the tightening side T1 in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, by pushing the ring member 33 against the biasing force of the biasing portion 60, the ring bearing portion 56 slides toward the other side in the hinge axis direction. The direction of this sliding movement is generally toward the loosening side T2 in the circumferential direction. In other words, the rotational force toward the loosening side T2 in the circumferential direction applied to the ring member 33 can be absorbed by the elastic deformation of the biasing portion 60, and this rotational force can be prevented from being transmitted to the cap body 30.

[0237] More specifically, conventionally, for example, if a user carried a beverage container with their finger through the ring member, depending on how they held it, the weight of the container body could cause the cap unit to rotate circumferentially towards the loosening side. Similarly, if a beverage container was dropped in an inverted position (with the cap unit pointing vertically downward), depending on how it hit the surface it fell on, the cap unit could rotate circumferentially towards the loosening side. In these cases, if the cap unit rotates circumferentially towards the loosening side, the seal between the protruding part of the water-sealing packing and the mouth-forming member is released, which can cause the beverage (contents) contained in the container body to leak out of the container.

[0238] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the rotational force of the ring member 33 toward the loosening side T2 in the circumferential direction is absorbed by the elastic deformation of the biasing part 60, so that the cap body 30 does not need to rotate. Therefore, the screw connection between the cap unit 3B and the container body 2B does not loosen, and the beverage contained in the container body 2B does not leak out. When filling the container body 2B with beverage, or when it is necessary to disassemble the container body 2B and the cap unit 3B for cleaning, the user can remove the cap unit 3B regardless of the biasing force provided by the biasing part 60 by grasping the entire cap unit 3B or the peripheral wall portion 30a of the cap body 30 and rotating the cap unit 3B toward the loosening side T2 in the circumferential direction. Naturally, rotating the cap unit 3B toward the tightening side T1 in the circumferential direction can also be done without any problems by grasping the entire cap unit 3B or the peripheral wall portion 30a of the cap body 30, as described above.

[0239] In this embodiment, the cap body 30 is provided with two cap bearing parts 52 and 53, the lid body 31 is provided with two lid bearing parts 54 and 55, and the ring member 33 is provided with one ring bearing part 56. However, the same effect can be obtained by changing the number and arrangement of these parts. In other words, for example, one cap bearing portion may be provided on the cap body 30 side, and two ring bearing portions may be provided on the ring member 33 side so as to sandwich the one cap bearing portion from both sides in the direction of the hinge axis. Furthermore, it is also possible to provide two lid bearing portions on the lid body 31 side so as to sandwich it from both outer sides in the direction of the hinge axis. Alternatively, the cap body 30 may have one cap bearing section, the lid 31 may have two lid bearing sections so as to sandwich the single cap bearing section from both sides in the direction of the hinge axis, and the ring member 33 may have two ring bearing sections so as to sandwich the ring member 33 from both outer sides in the direction of the hinge axis. Alternatively, the lid 31 side may have one lid bearing portion, the ring member 33 side may have two ring bearing portions sandwiching the one lid bearing portion from both sides in the hinge axis direction, and the cap body 30 side may have two cap bearing portions sandwiching both outer sides of the ring bearing portion. Alternatively, the ring member 33 may have one ring bearing portion, the lid 31 may have two lid bearing portions sandwiching that one ring bearing portion from both sides in the hinge axis direction, and the cap body 30 may have two cap bearing portions sandwiching them from both outer sides. In other words, the order in which the cap bearing, lid bearing, and ring bearing are arranged in the hinge axis direction can be selected as appropriate, and it is important that the ring bearing is biased toward the tightening side T1, which is one side in the hinge axis direction, relative to either the cap bearing or the lid bearing.

[0240] Furthermore, in this embodiment as well, since the first hinge 32 has a storage state holding mechanism 22 as a click mechanism, when the ring member 33 is in the storage state, when the ring member 33 is rotated in the opening direction, the protrusion 62 overcomes the stepped portion 63, providing a click sensation and allowing the user to intuitively recognize that the rotation operation has begun. In addition, when the ring member 33 in the storage state is rotated in the opening direction, resistance due to biasing force is generated when the protrusion 62 overcomes the stepped portion 63, thus suppressing unintended rotation of the ring member 33 in the opening direction.

[0241] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower surface 33a of the ring member 33 is shaped to conform to the shape of the top wall portion 31b of the lid 31 that the lower surface 33a faces. Specifically, in this embodiment, the outer circumference of the top wall portion 31b that the lower surface 33a of the ring member 33 faces is a tapered surface 31e, and the lower surface 33a of the ring member 33 is an inverse tapered surface that conforms to this tapered surface 31e.

[0242] In this case, the lower surface 33a of the ring member 33 can be positioned so as to be in close contact with the outer circumference of the top wall portion 31b of the lid 31. That is, when the ring member 33 is in the stored position, it fits well on the lid 31. Therefore, it is easier to stabilize the stored position of the ring member 33. In addition, by making the ring member 33 in close contact with the outer circumference of the top wall portion 31b of the lid, the bulkiness of the overall vertical dimension of the cap unit 3B can be reduced, making it easier to achieve a more compact design. Furthermore, in this case, by storing the ring member 33, the cap unit 3B has an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

[0243] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and modifications to the configuration, etc., are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention, as described below, for example.

[0244] In the first and second embodiments described above, one side in the hinge axis direction corresponds to the circumferential tightening side T1, and the other side in the hinge axis direction corresponds to the circumferential loosening side T2, but the invention is not limited to this. One side in the hinge axis direction may correspond to the circumferential loosening side T2, and the other side in the hinge axis direction may correspond to the circumferential tightening side T1. In this case, when a force directed towards the tightening side T1 (the other side in the hinge axis direction) acts on the ring members 11 and 33 in the circumferential direction where the cap units 3A and 3B and the container bodies 2A and 2B are screwed together, the elastic deformation of the biasing parts 19 and 60 absorbs this force, preventing the screw from becoming too tight. Therefore, when removing the cap units 3A and 3B from the container bodies 2A and 2B, problems such as the screwed state being too stiff affecting operability (making removal impossible) can be suppressed.

[0245] Furthermore, the biasing parts 19 and 60 may bias the ring members 11 and 33 relative to the cap bodies 9 and 30 toward one side in the hinge axis direction and toward the other side in the hinge axis direction.

[0246] Furthermore, the biasing parts 19 and 60 can be made of any elastically deformable material, and for example, elastic materials such as silicone rubber or elastomer can be used.

[0247] In the first embodiment, if the impact on the appearance of the biasing portion 19 is not considered, the first ring bearing portion 16 and the sealing portion 20 may be constructed as a single unit rather than as separate parts. Alternatively, the surface of the first ring bearing portion 16 (at least the end face facing the other side in the hinge axis direction) may be coated with an abrasion-resistant coating, and the first ring bearing portion 16 and the biasing portion 19 may be brought into direct contact.

[0248] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, a receiving recess 15b is provided in one of the cap bearing portion 15 and the first ring bearing portion (ring bearing portion) 16 (the cap bearing portion 15), and a bearing sliding surface 16b is arranged in the other (the first ring bearing portion 16), and the sealing sliding surface 20c of the sealing portion 20 slides with the bearing sliding surface 16b. However, the above one and the other may be swapped. That is, the above one may be the first ring bearing portion 16 and the above other may be the cap bearing portion 15.

[0249] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, an example was given in which one of the bearing sliding surface 16b and the sealing sliding surface 20c (the bearing sliding surface 16b) has a concave stepped portion 16c, and the other of the bearing sliding surface 16b and the sealing sliding surface 20c (the sealing sliding surface 20c) has a convex portion 20e. However, the above one and the other may be swapped. That is, the above one may be the sealing sliding surface 20c and the above other may be the bearing sliding surface 16b.

[0250] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, an example was given in which the locking member 45 of the lid locking mechanism 43 is configured to be rotatable around the second hinge 44, but the invention is not limited to this. Although not specifically shown, the locking member may be configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction.

[0251] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, although not specifically shown, if a configuration is adopted in which the lid bearing portion and the ring bearing portion of the first hinge (hinge) 32 are arranged adjacent to each other in the hinge axis direction, the first hinge 32 may have a housing recess provided in one of the lid bearing portion and the ring bearing portion, extending in the hinge axis direction, which accommodates the biasing portion, and a sealing portion that encloses the biasing portion in the housing recess. In this case, the biasing part can be sealed within the recessed area by the sealing part, thus preventing the biasing part from being exposed to the outside, and resulting in a good aesthetic appearance for the cap unit 3B and the beverage container 1B. Furthermore, by sealing the biasing part, it is possible to prevent its function from deteriorating or becoming unstable due to, for example, the accumulation of dirt.

[0252] In the first and second embodiments described above, examples were given in which the present invention was applied to beverage containers 1A and 1B that have heat retention and cooling functions due to container bodies 2A and 2B having a vacuum insulation structure, but the present invention is not limited to these. That is, the present invention can be broadly applied to capped containers in which the cap unit is detachably attached to the neck of the container body.

[0253] The present invention may be combined in any way that does not depart from the spirit of the invention, as described in the above embodiments and modifications, and the configurations may be added, omitted, substituted, or otherwise modified. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited by the above embodiments, but is limited only by the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0254] 1A, 1B... Beverage container, 2c... Mouth / neck, 2d... Upper opening, 2A, 2B... Container body, 3A, 3B... Cap unit, 9, 30... Cap body, 9b, 30c... Top wall, 11, 33... Ring member, 11a, 33a... Bottom surface, 12... Hinge, 15, 52, 53... Cap bearing section, 15b, 56b... Receiving recess, 16, 17, 56... Ring bearing section, 16b... Bearing sliding surface, 16c, 63... Stepped section (click mechanism), 18 57...Hinge shaft, 19,60...Biasing part, 20,61...Sealing part, 20c...Sealing sliding surface, 20e,62...Protrusion (click mechanism), 31...Lid, 31b...Lid top wall, 32...First hinge (hinge), 36...Mouth forming member, 37...Liquid passage, 43...Lid locking mechanism, 52e...Cap end face, 54,55...Lid bearing part, 56c...Ring end face, A...Hinge central axis, T1...One side in the circumferential direction (tightening side), T2...The other side in the circumferential direction (loosening side)

Claims

1. A cap unit that is detachably attached by screwing to the neck of a container body with an open top, A cap body that closes the upper opening of the container body, An annular ring member positioned on the upper side of the cap body, The device comprises a hinge that connects the ring member to the cap body so that it can rotate around the hinge's central axis, The aforementioned hinge has an elastically deformable biasing portion, The biasing portion biases the ring member relative to the cap body toward one side in the direction of the hinge axis from which the hinge central axis extends. Cap unit.

2. Having a liquid passage that communicates with the inside of the container body, and a mouth-forming member provided on the cap body, A lid is positioned between the cap body and the ring member in the vertical direction, covering the liquid passage, and is rotatably connected to the cap body via the hinge while being biased in the opening direction around the hinge's central axis. The system includes a lid locking mechanism that secures the lid to the cap body in a closed position. The cap unit according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned hinge is, The cap bearing portion provided on the cap body, The ring member is provided with the ring bearing portion, which is arranged adjacent to the cap bearing portion in the direction of the hinge axis, The device has a hinge shaft that pivotally supports the cap bearing portion and the ring bearing portion so that they can rotate relative to each other around the hinge's central axis. The cap unit according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The aforementioned hinge is, The cap bearing portion provided on the cap body, The cover bearing portion provided on the cover, The ring member is provided with a ring bearing portion which is arranged in line with the cap bearing portion and the lid bearing portion in the direction of the hinge axis, The hinge shaft supports the cap bearing portion, the lid bearing portion, and the ring bearing portion so that they can rotate relative to each other around the hinge central axis. The cap unit according to claim 2.

5. The aforementioned hinge is, A recess is provided in one of the cap bearing portion and the ring bearing portion, extending in the direction of the hinge axis, and housing the biasing portion, The receiving recess has a sealing portion that seals the biasing portion, The cap unit according to claim 3.

6. The aforementioned hinge is, A recess is provided in one of the lid bearing portion and the ring bearing portion, extending in the direction of the hinge axis, and housing the biasing portion, The receiving recess has a sealing portion that seals the biasing portion, The cap unit according to claim 4.

7. The ring member can be stopped at any open position around the hinge's central axis by the biasing force provided by the biasing portion. The cap unit according to claim 1 or 2.

8. One side in the direction of the hinge axis corresponds to the circumferential tightening side where the cap unit and the container body are screwed together, and the other side in the direction of the hinge axis corresponds to the circumferential loosening side. The cap unit according to claim 1 or 2.

9. A cap unit according to claim 1 or 2, The container comprises the container body to which the cap unit is attached, Beverage container.

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