Cap and container

Abstract

To provide a cap and a container capable of suppressing a cap from coming off from a container body even when an external force is applied.SOLUTION: A container includes: a cap body 110 that has a top part 111, a first cylindrical part 112 that hangs down from a periphery of the top part 111, and an annular seal part that is provided on an inner surface of the top part 111 and comes into close contact with a mouth part 210 of a container body 200; a second cylindrical part 120 provided to cover an outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical part 112; an engaging part 113 provided on an inner peripheral surface of the first cylindrical part 112 and engaged with an annular protrusion 211 provided on an outer periphery of the container body 200; a handle part 150 provided on an outer peripheral surface of the second cylindrical part 120; and a connecting part 130 connecting the first cylindrical part 112 and the second cylindrical part 120, in which an upper end of the second cylindrical part 120 projects higher than an upper end of the cap body 110.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in containers such as PET bottles, as caps for closing the mouth of a container body, a capping type cap in which the cap is attached by a plugging machine is known. Generally, for capping type caps, it is an important issue to take measures to prevent the cap from coming off the container body when subjected to external force. For example, when the content is a carbonated beverage or the like, the internal pressure of the container body may increase. In this case, in the case of a screw-type cap, even if the cap is slightly loosened, the internal gas is released while the threaded engagement between the external thread and the internal thread is maintained, so the cap will not fall off the container body. In contrast, in the case of a capping type cap, the cap has a structure in which the cap is attached to the mouth of the container body by utilizing engaging force. Therefore, when an external force exceeding the engaging force acts on the cap, the content is likely to leak from the engaging portion with the container body or the cap is likely to fall off the container body. Even when the internal pressure of the container body is high as described above, there is still a risk that the content may leak from the engaging portion with the container body or the cap may be blown off.

[0003] Of course, it is necessary to prevent the cap from coming off the container body even under use conditions where the internal pressure of the container body does not increase. Therefore, even when the cap receives an impact due to dropping of the container, or when containers are stacked and a large load acts on the cap, countermeasures must be taken to prevent leakage and prevent the cap from coming off the container body.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0004]

Patent Literature 1

Patent Literature 2

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a cap and a container that can prevent the cap from coming off the container body even when an external force is applied. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means.

[0007] In other words, the cap of the present invention comprises a cap body having a top surface portion, a first cylindrical portion hanging down from the periphery of the top surface portion, and an annular sealing portion provided on the inner surface of the top surface portion and in close contact with the mouth of the container body, A second cylindrical portion is provided so as to cover the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion, An engaging portion provided on the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion, which engages with an annular projection provided on the outer circumference of the container body, A handle portion provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second cylindrical portion, A connecting portion that connects the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion, Equipped with, The upper end of the second cylindrical portion is characterized in that it protrudes above the upper end of the cap body.

[0008] According to the present invention, since the upper end of the second cylindrical portion protrudes above the upper end of the cap body, even if a container is dropped or containers are stacked, the external force acts on the second cylindrical portion, but the external force does not directly act on the cap body. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the effect on the engaging portion provided on the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion in the cap body.

[0009] The first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion are preferably connected by a weakening portion that breaks when the handle portion is pulled, separate from the connecting portion.

[0010] In this way, the weakened section prevents the first and second cylindrical sections from unintentionally separating, while the weakened section breaks when the handle is pulled, allowing the cap to be removed from the container body.

[0011] The engaging portion and the connecting portion are preferably positioned so that they do not overlap in the circumferential direction when viewed from above.

[0012] This allows the engagement of the engagement part to be effectively disengaged when the handle is pulled.

[0013] Preferably, a pair of slits extending from the inner circumferential surface to the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion is provided on both sides of the portion where the connecting portion is provided.

[0014] This allows the gas inside the container body to be released to the outside through a pair of slits during the initial stage of removing the cap from the container body by pulling the handle. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the cap from coming off the container body too forcefully. In addition, during the opening process, when the handle is pulled upward and the connecting part is pulled outward, the first cylindrical part connected to the connecting part is pulled, which triggers the detachment from the container opening, so that it can be opened without requiring excessive force.

[0015] The aforementioned annular sealing portion is A first annular projection extends from the top surface toward the container body and contacts the inner circumferential surface of the opening, A second annular projection extends from the top surface toward the container body and contacts the outer circumferential surface of the opening, It would be good if it were formed in that way.

[0016] The container of the present invention is A container body having a mouth, an annular projection provided on the outer circumferential surface of the mouth, and a neck ring provided on the bottom side of the container relative to the annular projection, A cap that closes the opening, A container equipped with, Said cap a cap body comprising: a top surface portion, a first cylindrical portion hanging down from a peripheral edge of the top surface portion, and an annular seal portion provided on an inner surface of the top surface portion and in close contact with a mouth portion of a container body; a second cylindrical portion provided so as to cover an outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical portion; an engaging portion provided on an inner peripheral surface of the first cylindrical portion and engaged with the annular projection; a handle portion provided on an outer peripheral surface of the second cylindrical portion; and a connecting portion connecting the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion; comprising wherein an upper end portion of the second cylindrical portion protrudes upward beyond an upper end of the cap body .

[0017] According to the present invention, since the upper end portion of the second cylindrical portion protrudes upward beyond the upper end of the cap body, even when the container falls or containers are stacked, an external force acts on the second cylindrical portion, and no external force directly acts on the cap body. Therefore, the influence on the engaging portion provided on the inner peripheral surface of the first cylindrical portion of the cap body can be suppressed.

[0018] A diameter of the neck ring is preferably equal to or larger than an outer peripheral diameter of the second cylindrical portion. Thus, even if an impact or the like is inadvertently applied from a lower end of the second cylindrical portion, no direct impact is applied to the cap, and leakage and detachment of the cap from the container mouth portion can be suppressed.

[0019] A distance in a height direction between the upper end portion of the second cylindrical portion and an upper end of the top surface portion is preferably longer than a distance in the height direction between a lower end portion of the second cylindrical portion and an upper surface of the neck ring.

[0020] With this configuration, when the container falls or containers are stacked, even if the second cylindrical portion abuts against the neck ring, direct application of an external force to the top surface portion can be suppressed. In addition, the force acting on the second cylindrical portion is transmitted to the container body via the neck ring, so that application of an excessive force to the cap body can be suppressed.

[0021] Furthermore, the above configurations can be combined and adopted as much as possible. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the cap from coming off the container body even when an external force is applied. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0023] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a plan view of a cap according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a bottom view of a cap according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cap according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing how to remove the cap according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] The embodiments for carrying out this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings, based on examples. However, unless otherwise specifically stated, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this invention to those components alone.

[0025] (Examples) The cap and container according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Figure 1 is a plan view of the cap according to embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 is a bottom view of the cap according to embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cap according to embodiments of the present invention, which is the AA cross-sectional view in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the container according to embodiments of the present invention. Note that the cap in Figure 4 is the AA cross-sectional view in Figure 1. Also, in Figure 4, only the area around the mouth of the container body is shown, and the body portion is omitted. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of how to remove the cap according to embodiments of the present invention. In Figure 5, the container is shown in a schematic cross-sectional view.

[0026] <Container> The container 10 comprises a container body 200 and a cap 100 that is attached to the mouth 210 of the container body 200 to close the mouth 210. The container body 200 is made of various materials such as PET bottles. Various publicly known technologies can be employed. The cap 100 is made of materials such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The "mouth" in a typical bottle corresponds to the part of the neck that is narrower than the shoulder at the top of the body and has a mouth (opening) at the tip.

[0027] The container body 200 has an annular projection 211 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the mouth 210 and a neck ring 212 provided on the bottom side of the container relative to the annular projection 211. The annular projection 211 is responsible for engaging with the cap 100. The neck ring 212 is used to transport the container 10 to the filling line in order to fill the container body 200 with contents, by sliding it with a rail in contact with the underside of the neck ring. Examples of contents to be filled into the container body 200 include beverages, seasonings, and daily necessities.

[0028] The cap 100 according to this embodiment can be attached to the container body 200 using a known capping machine. When capping the container body 200 with the cap 100, the cap 100 is first placed over the container body 200 while holding the lower surface of the neck ring. In this state, a load is applied to the cap 100, thereby attaching it to the container body 200. Generally, capping with the cap 100 requires a considerable load (for example, about 100 kgf), so there is a risk that the container body 200 may deform under the capping load (especially in the case of a thin-walled body). As a countermeasure, by providing the neck ring 212 as described above and holding the neck ring 212 during capping, deformation of the container body 200 can be suppressed. Of course, if the container can withstand the capping load, it is also possible to cap the container body 200 by placing its bottom on a horizontal surface without holding the neck ring.

[0029] <Cap> The configuration of the cap 100 will now be described in detail. The cap 100 according to this embodiment includes a cap body 110. The cap body 110 has a top surface portion 111, a first cylindrical portion 112 hanging down from the periphery of the top surface portion 111, and an annular sealing portion provided on the inner surface of the top surface portion 111 that is in close contact with the mouth portion 210 of the container body 200. The annular sealing portion is formed by a first annular projection 113 that protrudes from the top surface portion 111 toward the container body 200 and contacts the inner circumferential surface of the mouth portion 210, and a second annular projection 114 that protrudes from the top surface portion 111 toward the container body 200 and contacts the outer circumferential surface of the mouth portion 210. In this embodiment, the second annular projection 114 provides sealing performance by having its inner circumferential surface in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the mouth portion 210 over its entire circumference. In contrast, the outer circumferential surface of the first annular projection 113 has a portion that does not come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the opening 210, and its main role is to position the annular sealing portion relative to the opening 210, thereby providing an auxiliary sealing function.

[0030] Here, the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 112 is provided with an engaging portion 112a that engages with an annular projection 211 provided on the outer circumference of the container body 200. In this embodiment, three engaging portions 112a are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction. When the cap is pressed in, these engaging portions 112a engage with the annular projection 211, thereby attaching the cap 100 to the container body 200. In addition, the outer circumferential surface of the first annular projection 113 is provided with a notch 113a at one location in the circumferential direction.

[0031] Furthermore, the cap 100 according to this embodiment includes a second cylindrical portion 120 provided to cover the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 112 of the cap body 110, and a connecting portion 130 connecting the first cylindrical portion 112 and the second cylindrical portion 120. The connecting portion 130 is designed not to break unless a force significantly exceeding the range of external forces expected under normal use is applied. In addition, a pair of slits 112b are provided on both sides of the portion of the first cylindrical portion 112 where the connecting portion 130 is provided, penetrating from the inner circumferential surface to the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 112.

[0032] Furthermore, a handle portion 150 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second cylindrical portion 120. In addition, the first cylindrical portion 112 and the second cylindrical portion 120 are connected by a weakening portion 140 that breaks when the handle portion 150 is pulled, separate from the connecting portion 130. In this embodiment, two weakening portions 140 are provided, but the number and placement of the weakening portions 140 are not particularly limited. The cap 100 can be obtained by molding, and the cap body 110, the second cylindrical portion 120, the connecting portion 130, the weakening portion 140, and the handle portion 150 are integrally constructed.

[0033] The first cylindrical portion 112 and the second cylindrical portion 120 are cylindrical in shape and are arranged concentrically. The first annular projection 113 and the second annular projection 114, which constitute the annular seal portion, are also arranged concentrically with the first cylindrical portion 112 and the second cylindrical portion 120. Hereinafter, for convenience, the central axis of the cylindrical portion of the first cylindrical portion 112, the second cylindrical portion 120, the first annular projection 113, and the second annular projection 114 will be referred to as the "central axis."

[0034] The handle portion 150 and the connecting portion 130 are positioned such that the widthwise center of the handle portion 150 is located opposite the widthwise center of the connecting portion 130, with the central axis in between. Furthermore, the connecting portion 130 and the notch 113a are positioned such that the widthwise center of the connecting portion 130 and the widthwise center of the notch 113a are located at the same position in the circumferential direction with respect to the central axis. In addition, the three engaging portions 112a and the connecting portion 130 are positioned at different circumferential positions with respect to the central axis. In other words, the engaging portions 112a and the connecting portion 130 are located in positions that do not overlap in the circumferential direction when viewed from above.

[0035] In the cap 100 according to this embodiment, the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 120 is configured to protrude above the upper end of the cap body 110. More specifically, the height distance H between the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 120 and the upper end of the top surface portion 111 is configured to be longer than the height distance S between the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 120 and the upper surface of the neck ring 212 (see Figure 4). The diameter of the neck ring 212 is configured to be greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the second cylindrical portion 120. The example shown in Figure 4 shows a configuration in which a gap is provided between the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 120 and the upper surface of the neck ring 212. However, in the present invention, a configuration in which the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 120 and the upper surface of the neck ring 212 are in contact (i.e., a configuration without a gap) is also included.

[0036] <How to remove the cap> When the cap 100 is removed from the container body 200, the handle portion 150 is first pulled upward (see arrow X in Figure 5(a)). As a result, the weakened portion 140 breaks, the cap body 110 remains attached to the mouth portion 210 of the container body 200, the connecting portion 130 bends, and the second cylindrical portion 120 becomes tilted relative to the cap body 110 (see Figure 5(b)). Subsequently, the handle portion 150 is pulled in the direction of arrow Y in the figure, causing the engaging portion 112a to disengage from the annular projection 211, and the cap 100 is removed from the container body 200 (see Figure 5(c)).

[0037] <Advantages of the cap and container according to this embodiment> In this embodiment, the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 120 protrudes above the upper end of the cap body 110. Therefore, if the container 10 falls and the cap 100 collides with the ground or the like, the second cylindrical portion 120 will collide with the ground or the like. Also, if the containers 10 are stacked, the second cylindrical portion 120 will bear the load. As a result, the cap body 110 is not directly subjected to external forces. Therefore, the impact on the engaging portion 112a provided on the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 112 of the cap body 110, and on the first annular projection 113 and the second annular projection 114 that constitute a seal with the inside of the container can be suppressed. Consequently, even if an external force is applied to the cap 100, it can be prevented from coming off the cap 100 from the container body 200.

[0038] Furthermore, in the container 10 according to this embodiment, the diameter of the neck ring 212 is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the second cylindrical portion 120. This prevents accidental impact or load on the lower surface of the second cylindrical portion 120, thereby preventing leakage of contents and the cap 100 from detaching from the container body 200. In addition, the height distance H between the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 120 and the upper end of the top surface portion 111 is configured to be longer than the height distance S between the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 120 and the upper surface of the neck ring 212. This prevents the cap body 110 (top surface portion 111) from hitting the ground or the like, even if the container 10 falls and the second cylindrical portion 120 hits the neck ring 212. Furthermore, when the containers 10 are stacked, even if the second cylindrical portion 120 abuts against the neck ring 212, another container 10 will not come into contact with the top portion 111, thus suppressing the direct application of external force to the top portion 111. The force acting on the second cylindrical portion 120 is then transmitted to the container body 200 via the neck ring 212, thereby suppressing the force transmitted to the cap body 110. Consequently, the cap 100 can be more reliably prevented from detaching from the container body 200.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first cylindrical portion 112 and the second cylindrical portion 120 are connected by a weakening portion 140 that breaks when the handle portion 150 is pulled, separate from the connecting portion 130. This prevents the first cylindrical portion 112 and the second cylindrical portion 120 from unintentionally coming apart, while the weakening portion 140 breaks when the handle portion 150 is pulled, allowing the cap 100 to be removed from the container body 200.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the engaging portion 112a and the connecting portion 130 are positioned so that they do not overlap in the circumferential direction when viewed from above. Therefore, when the handle portion 150 is pulled, the engaging portion 112a can be conveniently disengaged.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a pair of slits 112b are provided on both sides of the portion of the first cylindrical portion 112 where the connecting portion 130 is located, penetrating from the inner surface to the outer surface of the first cylindrical portion 112. This allows the gas inside the container body 200 to be released to the outside through the pair of slits 112b in the initial stage of removing the cap 100 from the container body 200 by pulling the handle portion 150. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the cap 100 from coming off the container body 200 with excessive force. Also, in the opening process, when the handle portion 150 is pulled upward and the connecting portion 130 is pulled outward, the first cylindrical portion 112 connected to the connecting portion 130 is pulled, which can cause it to detach from the container opening, thus allowing it to be opened without requiring excessive force. In this embodiment, the notch 113a provided on the outer surface of the first annular projection 113 also functions to discharge gas from inside the container body 200 to the outside during the initial stage of removing the cap 100 from the container body 200.

[0042] (others) In this embodiment, as shown in each figure, the entire circumference of the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 120 is configured to lie on the same plane. That is, the height distance H between the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 120 and the upper end of the top surface portion 111 is equal throughout the entire circumference. However, it is acceptable for there to be some areas where the height distance H between the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 120 and the upper end of the top surface portion 111 is shorter, as long as it is within a range that makes it difficult to apply external force directly to the cap body 110.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in each figure, the entire circumference of the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 120 is configured to lie on the same plane. In other words, the height distance S between the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 120 and the upper surface of the neck ring 212 is equal throughout the entire circumference. However, the height distance between the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 120 and the upper surface of the neck ring 212 It is acceptable for there to be sections where the gap S is longer. The point is that when the lower end of the second cylindrical portion 120 abuts against the neck ring 212, the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 120 must remain in a state where it protrudes above the upper end of the cap body 110.

[0044] Furthermore, although this embodiment shows a configuration where the upper end of the handle portion 150 and the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 120 are at the same height, the position of the handle portion 150 is not limited. Also, although this embodiment shows the handle portion 150 as an annular shape so that a finger can fit inside, the shape of the handle portion 150 is not limited. For example, it may be flange-shaped, rod-shaped, or a rod-shaped shape with a hook at the end for placing a finger. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 10: Container 100: Cap 110: Cap body 111: Top surface 112: First cylindrical part 112a: Engaging part 112b: Slit 113: First annular projection 113a: Notch 114: Second annular projection 120: Second cylindrical part 130: Connecting part 140: Weakening part 150: Handle part 200: Container body 210: Mouth part 211: Annular projection 212: Neck ring

Claims

1. A cap body having a top surface, a first cylindrical portion hanging down from the periphery of the top surface, and an annular sealing portion provided on the inner surface of the top surface that adheres tightly to the mouth of the container body, A second cylindrical portion is provided so as to cover the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion, An engaging portion provided on the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion, which engages with an annular projection provided on the outer circumference of the container body, A handle portion provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second cylindrical portion, A connecting portion that connects the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion, Equipped with, The cap is characterized in that the upper end of the second cylindrical portion protrudes above the upper end of the cap body.

2. The cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion are connected by a weakening portion that breaks when the handle portion is pulled, separate from the connecting portion.

3. The cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the engaging portion and the connecting portion are provided in positions that do not overlap in the circumferential direction when viewed from above.

4. The cap according to claim 1, characterized in that a pair of slits penetrating from the inner circumferential surface to the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion are provided on both sides of the portion of the first cylindrical portion in which the connecting portion is provided.

5. The aforementioned annular sealing portion is A first annular projection extends from the top surface toward the container body and contacts the inner circumferential surface of the opening, A second annular projection extends from the top surface toward the container body and contacts the outer circumferential surface of the opening, The cap according to claim 1, characterized in that it is formed of [the material].

6. A container body having a mouth, an annular projection provided on the outer circumferential surface of the mouth, and a neck ring provided on the bottom side of the container relative to the annular projection, A cap that closes the opening, A container equipped with, The aforementioned cap is A cap body having a top surface, a first cylindrical portion hanging down from the periphery of the top surface, and an annular sealing portion provided on the inner surface of the top surface that adheres tightly to the mouth of the container body, A second cylindrical portion is provided so as to cover the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion, An engaging portion is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion and engages with the annular projection, A handle portion provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second cylindrical portion, A connecting portion that connects the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion, Equipped with, A container characterized in that the upper end of the second cylindrical portion protrudes above the upper end of the cap body.

7. The container according to claim 6, characterized in that the diameter of the neck ring is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the second cylindrical portion.

8. The height distance between the upper end of the second cylindrical portion and the upper end of the top surface portion is longer than the height distance between the lower end of the second cylindrical portion and the upper surface of the neck ring. The container described in item 6.

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