Refill

Abstract

To provide a refilling instrument which has little possibility of closing of a flow channel caused by a broken closing film, and has an opening blade having high strength.SOLUTION: A refilling instrument comprises an inner peripheral wall (cylindrical part) 12 for holding a mouth of the refilling instrument, an opening blade 16 disposed in the inner peripheral wall 12 for opening a closing film of the refilling instrument, and a connection part 15 for connecting the inner periphery of the inner peripheral wall 12 and the outer periphery of the opening blade 16. The opening blade 16 is composed of a cylindrical side plate 17 and a pyramidal frame 18 disposed at the upper end of the side plate 17. An upper end edge of an inclined rib 18a constituting the frame 18 is made into a cutting blade 18b. The inside and the outside of the frame 18 communicate with each other by clearances between the ribs 18a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refilling tool for assisting a refilling operation by connecting a refilling container filled with a refilling content and a container at the refilling destination to be repeatedly used.

Background Art

[0002] In FIGS. 1-1 and 3 of Patent Document 1, there is disclosed a refilling cap (refilling tool) having one opening that fits into the mouth of a refilling container such as a tube filled with a refilling content, another opening that fits into the mouth of a container for receiving the content, and an opening blade (perforating blade) for breaking a seal film (closing film) provided at the tip of the refilling container. The opening blades are arranged radially and are composed of four plates having a conical upper surface, and a fan-shaped communication hole is provided between adjacent plates.

[0003] Further, in claim 2 of Patent Document 1, FIGS. 1-2, and paragraph

[0016] , in order to prevent the seal film from adhering to the communication hole portion of the opening blade and closing the communication hole when the seal film is broken, it is disclosed that a straight rising portion is provided at the base of the opening blade. Although it is not clear what is intended by the "straight rising portion" here, FIGS. 1-2 and 3 show what appears to be a framework extending downward from the lower ends of the four plates constituting the opening blade.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a technique of providing a conical sheet cutting blade for breaking the closing film of a container filled with a refilling content on the bottom wall of a middle plug attached to the mouth of a container (refillable container) to be reused.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] In the refillable cap shown in Figure 1-1 of Patent Document 1, the seal film may tear from the top of the opening blade, causing the tear line to spread outwards, and the triangular fragments of the seal film may adhere tightly to the conical opening blade, potentially blocking the communication hole. In that case, the contents may have nowhere to go and leak out.

[0007] On the other hand, in the refillable cap shown in Figure 1-2 of Patent Document 1, the raised portion pushes the broken pieces to the surrounding area, making it difficult for the communication hole to be blocked. However, the raised portion, which resembles a framework, has low strength and may deform when the opening blade is pressed firmly against the seal film, potentially preventing the seal film from being fully opened.

[0008] In Patent Document 2, the inner stopper has no connecting holes in the conical sheet cutting blade itself, but holes for air and liquid to pass through are formed in the bottom wall of the inner stopper. Therefore, there is no risk of the connecting holes being blocked, but the flow path for the contents is narrow with only holes in the bottom wall, making refilling time-consuming.

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a refilling tool equipped with a highly durable opening blade that reduces the risk of the flow path being blocked by a ruptured sealing membrane. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The refilling devices 10, 10A, and 10B of the present invention include a cylindrical portion (inner circumferential wall 12) that holds the mouth 23 of the refilling container 22, an opening blade 16 disposed inside the cylindrical portion (12) that opens the closing membrane 25 of the refilling container 22, and a connecting portion 15 that connects the inner circumference of the cylindrical portion (12) and the outer circumference of the opening blade 16. The opening blade 16 consists of a cylindrical side plate 17 and a pyramidal frame 18 provided at the upper end of the side plate 17, the upper end edge of the inclined bones 18a constituting the frame 18 serves as a cutting blade 18b, and the gaps between the bones 18a communicate the inside and outside of the frame 18.

[0011] In such refillable devices 10, 10A, and 10B, it is preferable that the side plate 17 is separated by a plurality of vertical slits 17c, and that a communication hole 15a is formed in the portion of the connecting portion 15 corresponding to the slits 17c, passing through the connecting portion 15 vertically. Furthermore, it is preferable that the upper part of the side plate 17 is obliquely cut out by a plane (17a) that extends downward from the inclined surface 18c formed by the adjacent bones 18a of the frame 18.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that the lower surface 18e of the bone 18a is notched in an arc shape. Also, it is preferable that a sloping portion 15d is provided that slopes inward from the lower end of the side plate 17 to the lower surface of the connecting portion 15. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The refilling tool of the present invention has a cylindrical side plate on the underside of the frame where the opening blade is located. When the closing membrane is ruptured, the ruptured fragments of the closing membrane are pushed outwards by the side plate. Therefore, the gaps between the frame's ribs are less likely to be blocked. Furthermore, because the side plate is cylindrical, it has high strength and is less likely to deform when the closing membrane is ruptured. In addition, a large opening is formed in the closing membrane, ensuring a flow path for the contents to flow into the opening blade. Therefore, the refilling time is shortened.

[0014] In such a refilling device, if the side plate is separated by a plurality of vertical slits, and a communication hole is formed in the portion of the connecting part corresponding to the slits, the inside of the side plate and the communication hole in the connecting part communicate through the slits. As a result, the contents dispensed from the refill container can pass smoothly through the inside of the refilling device, allowing for quick refilling.

[0015] In addition, when the upper part of the side plate is obliquely cut out by a plane that extends downward an inclined surface formed by adjacent ribs of the frame, the broken pieces of the closed film broken by the frame are pushed outward by the continuous inclined surface from the upper surface of the frame to the upper end of the side plate. Therefore, a wider opening can be formed and the communication passage is less likely to be blocked.

[0016] When the lower surface of the rib is cut out in an arc shape, the strength of the punching blade is further increased without hindering the flow of the refill content inside the punching blade.

[0017] In addition, when an inclined portion that slopes downward toward the inside is formed from the lower end of the side plate to the lower surface of the connecting portion, the air in the use container escapes easily during refilling, and the content remaining in the refill container can be smoothly flowed into the use container.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a partially cut-away perspective view showing an embodiment of the refill tool of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2A is a plan view of the refill tool, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 2A. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the punching blade of the refill tool. [Figure 4] It is a bottom view of the refill tool. [Figure 5] It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view before connection showing the usage method of the refill tool. [Figure 6] It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view after connection showing the usage method of the refill tool. [Figure 7] FIG. 7A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the refill tool, and FIG. 7B is a perspective view seen from below thereof. [Figure 8] It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the usage method of still another embodiment of the refill tool.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] The refilling tool 10 shown in Fig. 1 is a cap-shaped tool that covers the mouth 21 of the container to be refilled (reference numeral 20 in Fig. 5) and inserts and supports the mouth 23 of the refill container (reference numeral 22 in Fig. 5) filled with the contents from above. As shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, this refilling tool 10 includes an outer peripheral wall 11, an inner peripheral wall (cylindrical portion) 12, a top surface 13 connecting their upper ends, a plate-shaped connecting portion 15 provided at right angles to the axis J so as to divide the space S1 inside the inner peripheral wall 12 vertically, and a punching blade 16 rising from the center of the connecting portion 15. A female screw 12a is formed on the inner surface of the inner peripheral wall 12 so that it can be screwed with the male screw 23a of the mouth 23 of the refill container 22. Thereby, the closing film 25 can be protected during distribution sales. When refilling, the refilling tool 10 is removed from the refill container 22.

[0020] The annular space S2 that is surrounded by the outer peripheral wall 11, the inner peripheral wall 12, and the top surface 13 and is open downward is the part that covers the mouth (reference numeral 21 in Fig. 5) of the container to be refilled. The top surface 13 is tapered upward so that it can stably support the shoulder (reference numeral 24 in Fig. 5) of the refill container. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 15 is annular and is arranged near the approximate center in the axial direction of the inner peripheral wall 12, and its outer peripheral edge is continuous with the inner surface of the inner peripheral wall 12.

[0021] The punching blade 16 consists of a cylindrical side plate 17 and a triangular pyramid-shaped frame (frame body, framework) 18 arranged thereon, as shown in Figs. 2A and 3. The frame 18 is composed of three inclined bones 18a corresponding to the edges of the triangular pyramid, and the bones 18a are arranged at equal angles around the axis J (see Fig. 2A). As shown in Fig. 3, the upper edge of the bone 18a is a cutting edge 18b, and the upper surface of the bone 18a is divided into inclined surfaces 18c to the left and right from the cutting edge 18b and is continuous with the upper surface (inclined plane 17a) of the side plate 17. The inclined surface 18c and the upper surface of the side plate 17 do not necessarily have to be in the same plane and may be curved as long as they are smoothly continuous.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2B, the angle θ1 of the inclined surface 18c with respect to the axis J is related to the action of expanding the closing membrane (see reference numeral 25 in Figure 5), and varies depending on the thickness and strength of the closing membrane 25, but is for example about 10 to 40°. The angle θ2 of the cutting edge 18b with respect to the axis J is related to the action of opening the closing membrane 25, and is for example about 20 to 50°. The angle between adjacent inclined surfaces 18c is related to the action of cutting through the closing membrane 25, and as shown in Figure 3, the angle θ3 between the inclined surface 18c and the ridge (or tangent) on the cylindrical surface is for example about 20 to 150°, with 30 to 130° being preferable.

[0023] The side surfaces 18d extending downward from the lower ends of the left and right inclined surfaces 18c are continuous with the inner circumferential surface of the side plate 17. The lower surface 18e of the bone 18a is formed in an upwardly convex arc shape, as shown in Figure 3, and is continuous with the rib 17b on the inner surface of the side plate 17. The gaps between the bones 18a form a fan-shaped channel R in plan view that communicates with the inside of the side plate 17 (see Figures 2A and 4). The top 18f of the frame 18 where the three bones 18a converge becomes a needle tip that pierces the closure membrane (see reference numeral 25 in Figure 5).

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the side plate 17 is cylindrical and has a form in which the inclined surface 18c at the upper end of the bone 18a is cut out by a plane (the inclined plane 17a in Figure 2B) that is extended diagonally downward. The side plate 17 is divided into three plate pieces 17d that are arc-shaped in plan view by three slits 17c that extend downward from the lower end of the plane 17a. The positions of the slits 17c are midway between two adjacent bones 18a in plan view. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, the upper part of the plate piece 17d is roughly triangular in side view with the connection point with the bone 18a as the apex, and the plate piece 17d as a whole exhibits a roughly pentagonal shape. In addition, a rib 17b extending vertically is formed in the center of the inner surface of the side plate 17.

[0025] An annular plate connecting portion 15 is provided around the lower end of the cylindrical side plate 17. In this embodiment, a communication hole 15a is formed in the area corresponding to the slit 17c, penetrating the connecting portion 15 vertically. This communication hole 15a extends in an arc shape beyond the width of the slit 17c (see Figures 2A and 4). Therefore, the connecting portion 15 can be said to consist as a whole of an annular peripheral portion 15b and three connecting pieces 15c that connect the peripheral portion 15b to the three plate pieces 17d. The upper ends of the three plate pieces 17d are connected to each other via a frame 18a, and the lower ends are connected to the inner peripheral wall 12 via the connecting pieces 15c and the peripheral portion 15b. In this embodiment, the lower surfaces of the plate pieces 17d, the connecting pieces 15c, and the peripheral portion 15b are flush (see Figures 2B and 4).

[0026] To refill the contents using the refilling tool 10 configured in this way, first, as shown in Figure 5, remove the refilling tool 10 from the refilling container 22, and then place the removed refilling tool 10 over the opening 21 of the container 20 to be refilled. In this case, the outer peripheral wall 11 is inserted on the outside of the opening 21, and the inner peripheral wall 12 is inserted on the inside of the opening 21. At this time, the projection 12b provided on the upper outer edge of the inner peripheral wall 12 abuts against the upper edge of the opening 21, thereby determining the position of the refilling tool 10. The refilling container 22 is filled with contents C, and the opening 23 is closed with a sealing membrane 25. As the refilling container 22, extruded tube containers, bottle containers, etc. made of materials such as aluminum, polyethylene, polyester, and paper can be used. As the contents C, examples include lotions and emulsions that are dispensed onto the skin or hair in liquid or mist form. As the container 20 to be refilled, examples include bottles made of synthetic resin, glass, or metal, but are not limited to these.

[0027] Next, as shown in Figure 6, the refill container 22 is inverted and inserted into the inner circumferential wall 12 of the refilling tool 10, and the shoulder portion 24 is placed on the top surface 13 of the refilling tool 10. This causes the closing membrane 25 to be broken by the opening blade 16. The contents C of the refill container 22 then flow into or are pushed out of the refilling container 20 through the communication holes between the frame's ribs and connecting parts (see arrow P). At this time, the air inside the refilling container 20 is released to the outside through the gap between the opening 21 and the inner circumferential wall 12 of the refilling tool 10 and replaced with the contents C.

[0028] When the opening blade 16 breaks the sealing membrane 25, the sealing membrane 25 is broken by the top 18f of the frame 18, followed by three radial cuts in the sealing membrane 25 by the cutting edges 18b of the three bones 18a. As the opening blade 16 is pushed in, the broken fragments 25a of the opened sealing membrane 25 are spread out from the frame 18 to the side plate 17. As a result, a wide passage is formed, and the refilling process is carried out quickly. In this case as well, the broken fragments 25a are connected to the opening 23. Therefore, it is prevented that the torn fragments will get mixed into the container 20 to be refilled.

[0029] Once the contents C have finished flowing, the empty refill container 22 and refilling tool 10 are removed, and a screw cap (not shown) is attached to the opening 21 of the refilling container 20. This completes the refilling process. The empty refill container 22 is discarded or recycled, but the refilling tool 10 may be stored until the next refilling operation.

[0030] When the sealing membrane 25 is broken with the refilling tool 10, a considerable reaction force is applied to the opening blade 16, but because the side plate 17 is cylindrical, the strength of the opening blade 16 is high. The force applied to the frame 18 is firmly transmitted to the inner circumferential wall 12 via the side plate 17 and the connecting part 15. Therefore, deformation or buckling of the opening blade 16 when breaking the sealing membrane 25 is suppressed. Furthermore, because the area of ​​the flow path R inside the inner circumferential wall 12 is sufficiently large, the refilling operation can be performed smoothly.

[0031] The refiller 10A shown in Figures 7A and 7B differs from the refiller 10 in Figure 1 in the shape of the lower part of the opening blade 16 and the connecting part 15. In this refiller 10A, the lower surface 17e of the side plate 17 of the opening blade 16 is inclined to gradually rise toward the circumferential tip, i.e., the slit 17c (right side of Figure 7A). Therefore, the communication hole 15a that penetrates the connecting part 15 communicates not only in the vertical direction but also in the radial direction (see Figure 7B). And with this so-called three-dimensional communication hole 15a, the flow of the contents becomes even smoother.

[0032] Furthermore, the lower end of the plate piece 17d and the connecting piece 15c are inclined portions 15d that gradually slope downward radially inward, as shown on the left side of Figure 7A. This allows air to escape more easily from the receiving container 20 during refilling, making it easier for the contents C of the refill container 22 to flow and transfer smoothly to the container of use.

[0033] The refilling tools 10 and 10A shown in Figures 1, 7A, and 7B are all detachable and are attached to the container 20 to be refilled during the refilling process and removed after the process is complete. In contrast, the refilling tool 10B shown in Figure 8 is a stopper-type refilling tool that is used while attached to the opening 21 of the container 20 to be refilled.

[0034] The refilling tool 10B consists of an inner circumferential wall (cylindrical portion) 12 that accommodates the mouth 23 of the refilling container 22, a connecting portion 15 that crosses the lower end of the inner circumferential wall 12, an opening blade 16 that rises from the center of the connecting portion 15, and a flange 26 that is provided outward at the upper end of the inner circumferential wall 12. The outer circumferential surface of the inner circumferential wall 12 is tightly fitted to the inner circumference of the mouth 21 of the container 20 to be refilled, so that the refilling tool 10B does not come off when the contents C is poured out of the container 20.

[0035] Furthermore, the upper surface 26a of the flange 26 is tapered inward to stably support the shoulder portion 24 of the refill container 22. The lower surface of the flange 26 is flat to abut against the upper end of the mouth portion 21. The outer circumference of the flange 26 is smaller in diameter than the root diameter of the male thread 21a of the mouth portion 21 of the container 20. This allows the mouth portion 21 of the container 20 to be closed with a separate screw cap after the refilling process is complete.

[0036] Since this refilling tool 10B has the same basic configuration as the aforementioned refilling tools 10 and 10A, the strength of the opening blade 16 is high, and the refilling of contents C is easy and smooth.

[0037] Although preferred embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these and can be modified in various ways. For example, in the above embodiments, the frame 18 is triangular pyramidal, but it can be made into a polygonal pyramidal such as a square pyramidal, pentagonal pyramidal, or hexagonal pyramidal. Also, although the side plate 17 is cylindrical, it can be made into a rectangular tube such as a hexagonal tube or an octagonal tube. Furthermore, instead of the slit 17c, a notch that connects the inside and outside of the side plate 17 may be provided at the lower end of the side plate 17, and the slit can even be omitted. In addition, the slit may be connected in the middle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 10, 10A, 10B Refills 11 Peripheral wall 12 Inner wall 12a Female thread 12b Protrusion 13 Top surface R channel J axis 15 Connecting part 15a Communication hole 15b Peripheral area 15c connecting piece 15d slope part S1 Space within the inner perimeter wall S2 Circular space 16 Opening blade 17 Side panel 17a plane 17b Rib 17c slit 17d plate piece 17e Underside of the side panel 18 frames 18a bone 18b Cutting edge 18c slope 18d Side view 18e Lower surface of the bone 18f top 20 Refill container 21 Mouth 21a Male screw 22 Refillable containers C Contents 23 Mouth 23a Male thread 24 Shoulder 25 Obturator membrane P Arrow indicating the flow of contents 26 Flange

Claims

1. A cylindrical part that holds the opening of the refill container, An opening blade is positioned inside the cylindrical portion and opens the sealing membrane of the refillable container, The cylindrical portion is provided with a connecting portion that connects the inner circumference of the cylindrical portion with the outer circumference of the opening blade, The aforementioned drilling blade consists of a cylindrical side plate and a pyramidal frame provided at the upper end of the side plate. The upper edge of the sloping bone that makes up the frame is used as a cutting edge. The gaps between the bones connect the inside and outside of the frame. The aforementioned side plate is separated by a plurality of vertical slits, A communication hole is formed in the portion of the connecting portion corresponding to the slit, passing through the connecting portion vertically. The width of the communication hole is wider than the width of the slit. Refill kit.

2. The refilling device according to claim 1, wherein the upper part of the side plate is obliquely cut out with a plane that extends downward from the inclined surface formed by the adjacent bones of the frame.

3. The refilling device according to claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the bone is notched in an arc shape.

4. A cylindrical portion that holds the mouth of the refill container, An opening blade is positioned inside the cylindrical portion and opens the sealing membrane of the refillable container, The cylindrical portion is provided with a connecting portion that connects the inner circumference of the cylindrical portion with the outer circumference of the opening blade, The aforementioned drilling blade consists of a cylindrical side plate and a pyramidal frame provided at the upper end of the side plate. The upper edge of the sloping bone that makes up the frame is used as a cutting edge. The gaps between the bones connect the inside and outside of the frame. A refilling tool having a sloping section that slopes inward from the lower end of the side plate to the underside of the connecting part.

5. The refilling device according to claim 4, wherein the upper part of the side plate is obliquely cut out by a plane that extends downward from the inclined surface formed by the adjacent bones of the frame.

Images