Container

Abstract

A self-standing packaging container capable of achieving both strength and disposability even if the container has a wide mouth is provided. A container according to the present invention includes: a container body (1) that has an opening part (2a) at an upper end of a tubular member (2); an annular member(11) that is bonded to the upper end of the tubular member (2); and a lid member (12) that seals the opening part (2a) to be openable and closable. The container body (1) has a bottom surface member that is bonded to the tubular member (2) at a bottom surface part of the tubular member (2). The tubular member (2) is constituted by a flexible laminated body of three or more layers including a barrier layer and a resin layer. The lid member (12) is coupled to the annular member (11) by any of a hinge, fitting, and a screw to be openable and closable. Figure 1B.

Description

Container

[0001] The present invention relates to a self-supporting container. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-123825 filed in Japan on July 2, 2019, and incorporates its content herein by reference.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a pouch container in which annular body-side end joint portions formed by bending inwardly are respectively formed at the upper and lower end portions of a body member, and the outer peripheral portions of upper and lower closing members are respectively joined to the upper and lower body-side end joint portions to close the upper and lower end portions of the body member with the upper and lower closing members.

[0003] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-20787

[0004] In the pouch container described in Patent Document 1, it is excellent in self-supporting stability, shape retention, and design, can be reduced in volume, and can sufficiently ensure the liquid tightness between the body member and the closing member. However, since the upper closing member is made of a flexible film material and the pouring outlet is a narrow mouth, even for a highly fluid content such as a liquid material, it is not easy to take out. In particular, it has been difficult to apply to contents with low fluidity such as creams and solids.

[0005] Further, a flexible packaging container mainly made of a laminated film is lightweight and excellent in disposability, but the loading efficiency of a container filled with contents is poor, and the container strength such as the drop strength and the bag break strength is low. Also, containers such as currently common paper cartons and brick packs (registered trademark) have a stable shape, excellent loading efficiency, and are lightweight, but the strength of the container, particularly the interlayer strength of the base material used for the paper container, is inferior. Therefore, depending on the shape of the container, it is a problem that it is vulnerable to impacts such as dropping. Also, paper containers are inferior in puncture resistance and the design of the appearance such as gloss is inferior to that of film containers. On the other hand, formed containers such as blow bottles and aluminum cans have high strength, but become bulky when discarded.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a container that can achieve both strength and disposability even with a wide mouth in a self-supporting packaging container.

[0007] To solve the aforementioned problems, a container according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a container body having an opening at the upper end of a cylindrical member, an annular member joined to the upper end of the cylindrical member, and a lid member that seals the opening so as to be openable and closable, wherein the container body has a bottom member joined to the cylindrical member at the bottom surface of the cylindrical member, the cylindrical member is composed of a flexible laminate of three or more layers including a sealant layer, and the lid member is connected to the annular member so as to be openable and closable by a hinge, a fit, or a screw.

[0008] The connection between the lid member and the annular member may be made of a hinge. The container may be a jar container. The cylindrical member is made of a first laminate with a total thickness of 100 to 500 μm, and the outer diameter of the cylindrical member may be 30 to 150 mm.

[0009] The bottom member consists of a second laminate with a total thickness of 70 to 350 μm, and the second laminate may be a laminate of three or more layers having at least one resin layer on each side in the thickness direction of an aluminum foil with a thickness of 40 μm or more. The peripheral edge of the bottom member may be bent relative to the bottom portion and joined to the lower end of the cylindrical member. The bottom member may be made of a molded product of resin or aluminum. The lid member may be made of a molded product of resin or aluminum.

[0010] According to the present invention, an annular member is joined between a flexible cylindrical member and a lid member, and the container is configured to open and close between the lid member and the annular member, thus achieving both strength and ease of disposal even with a wide opening.

[0011] This is a perspective view illustrating the container of the first embodiment. This is an exploded perspective view illustrating the container of the first embodiment. This is a perspective view illustrating the container of the second embodiment. This is an exploded perspective view illustrating the container of the second embodiment. This is a perspective view illustrating the container of the third embodiment. This is an exploded perspective view illustrating the container of the third embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the joint between the cylindrical member and the bottom member. This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the joint between the cylindrical member and the bottom member. This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the joint between the cylindrical member and the bottom member. This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the joint between the cylindrical member and the annular member. This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the joint between the cylindrical member and the annular member. This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the joint between the cylindrical member and the annular member. This is a cross-sectional view illustrating another example of the joint between the cylindrical member and the annular member. This is a cross-sectional view illustrating yet another example of the joint between the cylindrical member and the annular member.

[0012] The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, based on preferred embodiments.

[0013] Figures 1A and 1B illustrate a container 10 of the first embodiment. This container 10 comprises a container body 1 having an opening 2a at the upper end of a cylindrical member 2, an annular member 11 joined to the upper end of the cylindrical member 2, and a lid member 12 that seals the opening 2a so as to be openable and closable. The lid member 12 has a base portion 14 that can be joined to the annular member 11, and a top portion 15 that is openably connected to the base portion 14 via a hinge 13. The base portion 14 is ring-shaped, and the top portion 15 has a closed top surface portion 15a. If sealing of the contents is not required, holes may be made in the top surface portion 15a, or a mesh or grid may be provided. In the first embodiment, the top portion 15 may be connected to the annular member 11 via a hinge 13 (without the base portion 14). In this case, the cylindrical member 2 may be inserted into a mold, and the annular member 11 and the top portion 15 may be integrally molded to produce the container.

[0014] As will be described in detail later, the container body 1 is a flexible container with a bottom and is self-supporting. The self-supporting property of the container body 1 means that it can stand on its own when filled with contents and sealed. Furthermore, it is possible for the container body 1 to stand on its own even when empty. In addition, it is preferable that the cylindrical member 2 can stand on its own even when it does not have a bottom.

[0015] The annular member 11 has a joint portion 11a attached to the upper end of the cylindrical member 2 and a rim portion 11b extending upward from the joint portion 11a. The base portion 14 is joined to the rim portion 11b, for example, by fitting, adhesive, etc. If the hinge 13 is directly attached to the container body 1, it is difficult for the container body 1 to withstand the opening and closing of the lid member 12. By providing the annular member 11 at the upper end of the container body 1, the upper end of the container body 1 is reinforced. Therefore, even if the top portion 15 is attached via the hinge 13, the container body 1 can withstand the opening and closing of the lid member 12.

[0016] In the example shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the lid member 12 having the hinge 13 is separate from the annular member 11. In this case, as will be described in detail later, when joining the annular member 11 to the upper end of the container body 1 or its cylindrical member 2, the work can be performed without the lid member 12 having the hinge 13 being attached, thus making the work easier. As a method for joining the annular member 11 and the base 14, for example, fitting, adhesive, etc., can be used. If the annular member 11 is configured to also serve as the base 14, it is possible to directly join the top 15 of the lid member 12 to the annular member 11 via the hinge 13 (without the base 14), or to directly join the annular member 11, which has the shape of the base 14 as shown in Figures 1A and 1B, to the cylindrical member 2. The hinge 13 may be configured such that the annular member 11 or base 14 is connected to the top 15, which is molded separately, via a pin, shaft, or the like made of metal, so that it can be opened and closed. However, it is preferable from the viewpoint of reducing the number of parts to form the hinge 13 from resin or the like in a thin and flexible manner, and to integrally mold the annular member 11 or base 14 and the top 15. When the top 15 is opened, the contents of the container body 1 can be removed via the annular member 11 or base 14. After filling the container body 1 with contents, a sealing material such as aluminum foil or resin film may be attached to the rim 11b or base 14 to protect the contents before opening. In this case, the contents can be removed after peeling off the sealing material. As will be shown in more detail later as the height H of the joint 45a in Figure 7, the vertical height of the joint that joins the annular member 11 to the upper end of the cylindrical member 2 is preferably about 5 mm, or about 3 to 15 mm, and more preferably about 5 to 12 mm.

[0017] To facilitate opening and closing the hinge 13, the lid member 12 may be provided with anti-slip features 16, such as recesses or protrusions for gripping with a claw or the like. In the examples shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the anti-slip features 16 are provided on the base 14 and the top 15. The anti-slip features 16 may be provided on at least one of the base 14 or the top 15. When the hinge 13 joins the annular member 11 and the lid member 12, the anti-slip features 16 may be provided on at least one of the annular member 11 or the lid member 12. It is preferable that the anti-slip features 16 be positioned in the circumferential direction of the annular member 11, facing the hinge 13 at an angle of approximately 180°. The lid member 12 may be made of resin or a molded product of metal (e.g., aluminum), wood, paper, ceramic, etc. The lid member 12 may be rigid and inflexible. Alternatively, the lid member 12 may be flexible and deformable.

[0018] Figures 2A and 2B illustrate a container 20 of the second embodiment. This container 20 comprises a container body 1 having an opening 2a at the upper end of a cylindrical member 2, an annular member 21 joined to the upper end of the cylindrical member 2, and a lid member 22 that seals the opening 2a so that it can be opened and closed. The configuration of the container body 1 is the same as in the first embodiment. In addition, the top surface portion 22a of the lid member 22 can be configured in the same way as the top surface portion 15a of the first embodiment.

[0019] The annular member 21 has a joint portion 21a attached to the upper end of the cylindrical member 2 and a rim portion 21b extending upward from the joint portion 21a. The lid member 22 is joined to the rim portion 21b by fitting. If the lid member 22 were directly fitted onto the container body 1, it would be difficult for the container body 1 to withstand the opening and closing of the lid member 22. By providing the annular member 21 at the upper end of the container body 1, the upper end of the container body 1 is reinforced. Therefore, even if the lid member 22 is joined by fitting, the container body 1 can withstand the opening and closing of the lid member 22.

[0020] In the examples shown in Figures 2A and 2B, anti-slip features 23, such as recesses or protrusions for gripping with claws, are provided on the annular member 21 and the lid member 22 to facilitate opening and closing the lid member 22 for fitting. The anti-slip features 23 may be provided on at least one of the annular member 21 or the lid member 22. The anti-slip features 23 can be placed at one or more arbitrary positions in the circumferential direction of the annular member 21. The lid member 22 may be made of a molded product of resin, metal (e.g., aluminum), wood, paper, ceramic, etc. The lid member 22 may be rigid and inflexible. Alternatively, the lid member 22 may be flexible and deformable.

[0021] Figures 3A and 3B illustrate a container 30 of the third embodiment. This container 30 comprises a container body 1 having an opening 2a at the upper end of a cylindrical member 2, an annular member 31 joined to the upper end of the cylindrical member 2, and a lid member 32 that seals the opening 2a so that it can be opened and closed. The configuration of the container body 1 is the same as in the first embodiment. In addition, the top surface portion 32a of the lid member 32 can be configured in the same way as the top surface portion 15a of the first embodiment.

[0022] The annular member 31 has a joint portion 31a attached to the upper end of the cylindrical member 2 and a rim portion 31b extending upward from the joint portion 31a. The lid member 32 is attached to the rim portion 31b by screws 33. If the lid member 32 were directly attached to the container body 1 by screws 33, it would be difficult for the container body 1 to withstand the opening and closing of the lid member 32. By providing the annular member 31 at the upper end of the container body 1, the upper end of the container body 1 is reinforced. Therefore, even if the lid member 32 is attached by screws 33, the container body 1 can withstand the opening and closing of the lid member 32. As will be shown in more detail later as the height H of the joint portion 45a in Figure 7, the vertical height of the joint portion that attaches the annular member 31 to the upper end of the cylindrical member 2 is preferably about 5 mm, or about 3 to 15 mm, and more preferably about 5 to 12 mm.

[0023] The screw 33 is assembled by forming a male thread 33a on the outer circumferential surface of the rim portion 31b and a female thread 33b on the inner surface of the lid member 32, with the inner surface of the lid member 32 facing the outer circumferential surface of the rim portion 31b. Conversely, for example, a female thread may be formed on the inner surface of the rim portion 31b and a male thread on the outer circumferential surface of the lid member 32. The lid member 32 may be made of a molded product of resin, metal (e.g., aluminum), wood, paper, ceramic, etc. The lid member 32 may be rigid and inflexible. Alternatively, the lid member 32 may be flexible and deformable, but it is preferable that the area where the female thread 33b is formed has sufficient strength to withstand the tightening and loosening of the screw.

[0024] Next, the details of the container body 1 will be described. As shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C, the container body 1 has bottom members 3 and 4 that are joined to the cylindrical member 2 at the bottom surface of the cylindrical member 2. Inside, surrounded by the cylindrical member 2, there is a contents storage section 2b. The cylindrical member 2 and the bottom members 3 and 4 are joined by a bottom joint 2c.

[0025] For example, when the bottom member 3 is made of a planar laminate or the like, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the bottom joint portion 2c is formed by bending the peripheral edge portion 3b of the bottom member 3 relative to the bottom portion 3a and facing one surface of the cylindrical member 2. Here, the surface of the cylindrical member 2 that is joined to the peripheral edge portion 3b may be either the inner or outer surface. The inner surface is the surface that is in contact with the housing portion 2b, and the outer surface is the surface opposite to the housing portion 2b.

[0026] The bending of the peripheral edge 3b of the bottom member 3 may be in a direction approaching the lower end of the cylindrical member 2, or in a direction away from the lower end of the cylindrical member 2. In the examples shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the bottom portion 3a is provided at an upper position away from the lower end of the cylindrical member 2. Furthermore, in Figure 4A, the peripheral edge 3b is bent downward from the bottom portion 3a, and in Figure 4B, the peripheral edge 3b is bent upward from the bottom portion 3a. In both cases of Figures 4A and 4B, the bottom portion 3a is configured not to come into contact with the installation surface, so that friction of the bottom portion 3a with the installation surface can be suppressed. If there is partial contact between the installation surface and the bottom portion 3a, the bottom portion 3a may be reinforced by providing ribs or steps (height differences) on the bottom portion 3a.

[0027] The bottom surface portion 3a of the bottom member 3 is substantially flat. In the example shown in Figure 4A, the peripheral edge portion 3b of the bottom member 3 is joined to the lower end of the cylindrical member 2, with the inner surface of the bottom member 3 facing the inner surface of the cylindrical member 2. In the example shown in Figure 4B, the peripheral edge portion 3b of the bottom member 3 is joined to the lower end of the cylindrical member 2, with the outer surface of the bottom member 3 facing the inner surface of the cylindrical member 2. The bottom member 3 may be flexible and deformable. As shown in Figure 4C, the bottom member 4 may be made of a molded product of resin, metal (e.g., aluminum), wood, paper, ceramic, etc. In this case, the shape of the bottom member 4 is not particularly limited, but in addition to an installation portion 4a that can contact the installation surface and a peripheral edge portion 4b that is joined to the bottom joint portion 2c, it may have a central portion 4c that is bent upwards toward the installation surface. The bottom member 4 may be rigid and inflexible, or it may be flexible and deformable.

[0028] The cylindrical member 2 is preferably composed of a first laminate having a total thickness of 50 to 600 μm. The total thickness of the first laminate is more preferably 100 to 500 μm. The cylindrical member 2 is preferably composed of a flexible laminate of three or more layers including a barrier layer and a resin layer. The cylindrical member 2 can be constructed, for example, by forming a flat first laminate having a length corresponding to the outer circumference into a cylinder and joining the ends in the circumferential direction with surfaces in the thickness direction (one inner surface and the other outer surface) facing each other (envelope joining), or by having both ends in the circumferential direction protrude radially outward and joining the inner surfaces facing each other (gable joining), or by forming it into a tube shape without seams in the circumferential direction. In the case of envelope joining or gable joining, there is one seam in the circumferential direction, but there may be two or more seams in the circumferential direction. If the annular members 11, 21, 31 or the bottom member 4 are rigid and inflexible, a large difference in strength between them and the cylindrical member 2 may reduce the durability of the joint. Therefore, it is preferable that the cylindrical member 2 is firm and resistant to deformation. In this case as well, from the viewpoint of disposability, it is preferable that the cylindrical member 2 can be bent or crushed. If the annular members 11, 21, 31 or the bottom members 3, 4 are flexible and deformable, it is preferable that the cylindrical member 2 is flexible and highly flexible, making it easy to bend or crush.

[0029] The cylindrical member 2 is, for example, cylindrical, and its outer diameter is 30 to 150 mm. The cylindrical member 2 may also be a rectangular tube such as a triangular tube, square tube, or pentagonal tube, or an elliptical tube. When the cylindrical member 2 is a rectangular tube, the outer diameter is the distance between opposing vertices, sides, or vertices. If there are two or more of these, it is preferable that the minimum and maximum values ​​are within the above range. Specific examples of the outer diameter of the cylindrical member 2 are not particularly limited, but examples include 30 mm, 50 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm, etc.

[0030] The first laminate constituting the cylindrical member 2 can be composed of, for example, a laminate including an inner sealant layer having a resin layer, a barrier layer having aluminum foil or an aluminum vapor-deposited layer, and an outer sealant layer having a resin layer. The barrier layer of the first laminate may be composed of an aluminum vapor-deposited film. Alternatively, the first laminate may be composed of three or more laminates having at least one resin layer on each side in the thickness direction of the aluminum foil. The thickness of the aluminum foil included in the first laminate may be thinner than the thickness of the aluminum foil included in the bottom member 3, for example, 6 μm or more. The thickness of the aluminum vapor-deposited film included in the aluminum vapor-deposited film may be thinner than the thickness of the aluminum foil.

[0031] The bottom member 3 may be composed of a second laminate having a total thickness of 70 to 350 μm. The second laminate may be composed of three or more layers, for example, an aluminum foil with a thickness of 40 μm or more, each having at least one resin layer on both sides in the thickness direction. The second laminate can be composed of, for example, a laminate including a sealant layer having a resin layer, a barrier layer having aluminum foil, and a base layer having a resin layer. The second laminate may be a film-like laminate that is planar when unfolded, or a laminated molded body having a three-dimensional molded portion. The outer diameter of the bottom member 3 is preferably approximately equal to the dimension obtained by subtracting twice the total thickness of the first laminate constituting the cylindrical member 2 from the outer diameter of the cylindrical member 2 (hereinafter referred to as "set dimension A"). That is, the outer diameter of the bottom member 3 is preferably approximately equal to the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 2. The outer diameter of the bottom member 3 is preferably in the range of 90% to 110% of the above set dimension A, and more preferably in the range of 95% to 105%.

[0032] The configuration of the first and second laminates is within the above range, ensuring the flexibility of the container body 1, allowing the container body 1 to be folded, crushed, or compacted when disposing of the containers 10, 20, and 30. Furthermore, the self-supporting ability of the container 10 can be ensured by the thickness of the aluminum foil included in the second laminate, without complicating the structure of the bottom joint portion 2c. There is no particular upper limit to the thickness of the aluminum foil included in the second laminate, but it may be, for example, 200 μm or less. Specific examples of the thickness of the aluminum foil included in the second laminate include 40 μm, 50 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 100 μm, 120 μm, 150 μm, 180 μm, 200 μm, or values ​​in between or near these. Because the peripheral portion 3b of the bottom member 3 or the cylindrical member 2 is cylindrical with a central axis in the vertical direction, sufficient rigidity to withstand the load of the contents can be obtained by ensuring sufficient thickness of the laminate. By using resin layers in the composition of the first and second laminates, puncture resistance can be improved.

[0033] In the first and second laminates, the material constituting the sealant layer may be, for example, a thermoplastic resin. Specific examples of sealant materials include at least one of the following: polyolefin resins such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cyclic olefin resins such as cycloolefin polymer (COP) and cycloolefin copolymer (COC), adhesive resins, and coating agents.

[0034] Examples of materials constituting the base layer in the second laminate include nylon (aliphatic polyamide) and polyester. The thickness of the base layer is, for example, 5 to 50 μm, and more preferably 10 to 30 μm. A thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene may be further laminated on the outside of the base layer.

[0035] The contents contained in the container body 1 can be liquid, solid, powder, granules, or a mixture of two or more of these. The types of contents are not particularly limited and include beverages, food products, seasonings, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, detergents, adhesives, household goods, and industrial products. Each component of the container may be given one or more functionalities, such as oxygen absorption, odor absorption, and non-adsorption. The cylindrical component 2 and the bottom components 3 and 4 may each have at least one printed pattern. The components of the container body 1 are not limited to resin, but may also be laminated or blended with different materials such as paper, cloth, nonwoven fabric, and fibers.

[0036] The outer surfaces of containers 10, 20, and 30 may be visibly lined with paper material or decorated with natural designs such as wood grain or stone patterns. When paper material is placed on the outer surface, it is preferable to cover the paper material with a water-resistant material such as resin to suppress moisture absorption. Examples of the configurations of the first and second laminates include a three-layer polyethylene / aluminum / polyethylene layer and a four-layer polyethylene / paper / aluminum / polyethylene layer (the paper layer is outside the aluminum layer). Appropriate resin layers or adhesive layers may be added to any of these locations. Since containers 10, 20, and 30 are wide-mouthed containers that are self-supporting, the contents can be easily removed even when filled with viscous substances such as cream or wax. By joining the annular members 11, 21, and 31 to the cylindrical member 2, a jar container can be constructed even if the cylindrical member 2 is flexible.

[0037] Next, the configuration for joining the annular members 11, 21, and 31 described above to the cylindrical member 2 will be explained. The annular members 11, 21, and 31 can be made from a material including, for example, a thermoplastic resin. Examples of molding methods for the annular members 11, 21, and 31 include injection molding, compression molding, blow molding, extrusion molding, pressure molding, and deep drawing. Examples of joining methods for the annular members 11, 21, and 31 to the cylindrical member 2 include heat welding, bonding, and hot melt. The annular members 11, 21, and 31 can also be joined to the cylindrical member 2 by insert molding of the annular members 11, 21, and 31 into the cylindrical member 2.

[0038] Figure 5A shows an example in which annular members 41 are joined to the inner and outer surfaces of the cylindrical member 2 at the upper end. The annular member 41 may have a groove 41a into which the upper end of the cylindrical member 2 is inserted. Figure 5B shows an example in which annular member 42 is joined to the inner surface of the cylindrical member 2 at the upper end. Figure 5C shows an example in which annular member 43 is joined to the outer surface of the cylindrical member 2 at the upper end.

[0039] As shown in Figure 6, the annular member 44 may have a projection 44a at at least one location on the outer circumference of the opening 2a of the cylindrical member 2 that clamps the upper end of the cylindrical member 2. In this case, the annular member 44 may be joined to either the outer surface or the inner surface of the cylindrical member 2 at locations other than those with the projection 44a. The projection 44a may have a groove 44b into which the upper end of the cylindrical member 2 is inserted. Also, as shown in Figure 7, the annular member 45 may have a joining portion 45a to the upper end of the cylindrical member 2 and a rim portion 45b extending upward from the joining portion 45a.

[0040] The joining of the cylindrical member 2 and the annular members 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45 can be performed by clamping them together with a jig (not shown) and applying heat, ultrasonic waves, etc. When joining the cylindrical member 2 to the annular members 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45, the bottom members 3 and 4 described above may be joined to the cylindrical member 2. Alternatively, the bottom members 3 and 4 may be joined to the cylindrical member 2 after the cylindrical member 2 has been joined to the annular members 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45. When joining the annular members 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45 to the cylindrical member 2 by a circumferential welding portion, the width of the welding portion (dimension in the direction intersecting the circumferential direction) is preferably, for example, about 5 mm or about 3 to 20 mm. The welded portions between the annular members 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and the cylindrical member 2 may be continuous welded portions in the circumferential direction, or shorter welded portions such as points or lines may be formed at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction. The wall thickness of the annular members 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 at the point where the cylindrical member 2 is joined to the annular members 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 is preferably, for example, about 0.4 to 20 mm. The configuration of these annular members 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 can be applied to the annular members 11, 21, 31 of the containers 10, 20, 30 described above.

[0041] As shown in Figure 7, if the inner diameter of the rim 45b of the annular member 45 is considerably smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 2, the cylindrical member 2 may be joined to the annular member 45 before joining the bottom members 3 and 4 to the cylindrical member 2. This allows the joining jig to be inserted into the housing portion 2b from the bottom side of the cylindrical member 2 and brought closer to the joining portion 45a. If the outer surface of the rim 45b of the annular member 45 is bent radially inward from the outer surface of the joining portion 45a, the height H of the joining portion 45a in the vertical direction is preferably about 5 mm, or about 3 to 15 mm, and more preferably about 5 to 12 mm. In the intermediate region 45c between the joining portion 45a and the rim 45b, there may be a portion that is thinner than the joining portion 45a or the rim 45b. The thickness of the intermediate region 45c may be, for example, about 1 mm. The joint portion 45a of the annular member 45 may be configured such that its thickness gradually decreases towards the lower end of the joint. Furthermore, the joint surface between the joint portion 45a and the cylindrical member 2 may be a curved surface, hemispherical surface, or the like, in addition to a flat or cylindrical surface. If the joint surface is curved, it may be curved in any direction, such as vertical or circumferential, and the width of the welded portion to the cylindrical member 2 may be greater than the height H of the joint portion 45a along the curve.

[0042] Although the present invention has been described above based on preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Modifications include adding, substituting, omitting, or otherwise changing the components in each embodiment. It is also possible to combine components used in two or more embodiments as appropriate.

[0043] The self-supporting packaging container of the present invention can achieve both strength and ease of disposal even with a wide opening.

[0044] 1...Container body, 2...Cylindrical member, 2a...Opening, 2b...Storage section, 2c...Bottom joint section, 3,4...Bottom member, 3a...Bottom section, 3b,4b...Peripheral section of bottom member, 4a...Installation section, 4c...Center section, 10,20,30...Container, 11,21,31,41,42,43,44,45...Annular member, 11a,21a,31a,4 5a...Joint, 11b, 21b, 31b, 45b...Rim, 12, 22, 32...Lid member, 13...Hinge, 14...Base, 15...Top, 15a, 22a, 32a...Top surface, 16, 23...Anti-slip, 33...Screw, 33a...Male screw, 33b...Female screw, 41a, 44b...Groove, 44a...Protrusion, 45c...Intermediate region.

Claims

1. A container comprising: a container body having an opening at the upper end of a cylindrical member; an annular member joined to the upper end of the cylindrical member; and a lid member that seals the opening in an openable and closable manner, wherein the container body has a bottom member joined to the cylindrical member at the bottom of the cylindrical member, the cylindrical member being composed of a flexible laminate of three or more layers including a sealant layer, and the lid member being connected to the annular member in an openable and closable manner by either a hinge, a fitting or a screw.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the structure connecting the lid member to the annular member comprises a hinge.

3. A container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the container is a jar.

4. A container as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the tubular member is made of a first laminate having a total thickness of 100 to 500 μm, and the outer diameter of the tubular member is 30 to 150 mm.

5. A container as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the bottom member is made of a second laminate having a total thickness of 70 to 350 μm, and the second laminate is a laminate of three or more layers having at least one resin layer on each side of an aluminum foil having a thickness of 40 μm or more in the thickness direction.

6. A container as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the peripheral edge of the bottom member is bent relative to the bottom member and joined to the lower end of the tubular member.

7. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the bottom member is made of a molded product of resin or aluminum.

8. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the lid member is made of a molded product of resin or aluminum.