Pulp molded connector, an assembly including the pulp molded connector, and a manufacturing method of the assembly

Abstract

This invention provides a pulp molding connector, an assembly including the pulp molding connector, and a method for manufacturing the assembly. The pulp molding connector is suitable for use with a container lid and a container, enabling the container lid and container to be joined together. The pulp molding connector is an integrally molded pulp part and includes: an end plate portion, a side plate portion, and a connecting portion. The side plate portion is disposed around the end plate portion, and the connecting portion connects the end plate portion and the side plate portion, and can be flipped from the periphery of the end plate portion to the same side of the end plate portion. A connecting structure is formed on the surface of the side plate portion, and the connecting structure is used for connecting the container lid and the container. The pulp molding connector of this invention can present an unfolded state with the side plate portion located on the periphery of the end plate portion for easy manufacturing, and can also present an enclosed state with the side plate portion located on the same side of the end plate portion to meet the assembly requirements with the container or container lid.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to the field of container manufacturing, and in particular to a pulp molding connector, an assembly including the pulp molding connector, and a method for manufacturing the assembly. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Pulp molding materials have the characteristics of being green and environmentally friendly. However, in the manufacturing process of pulp molding container lids or pulp molding containers, it is difficult to integrally mold the connecting threads and other structures onto the pulp molding container lids or pulp molding containers through pulp molding processes. If threaded plastic rings are used instead, although the connecting threads and other structures can be integrally molded on the peripheral wall surface of the threaded plastic rings through injection molding processes, the threaded plastic rings are made of plastic, which is not conducive to environmental protection. [Summary of the Invention]

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to provide a pulp molding connector, which has the advantages of being easy to manufacture and environmentally friendly. The pulp molding connector is an integrally molded pulp part and includes: an end plate portion, a connecting portion, and a side plate portion, wherein the side plate portion is disposed around the end plate portion; the connecting portion connects the end plate portion and the side plate portion, and can be flipped from the periphery of the end plate portion to the same side of the end plate portion; the surface of the side plate portion is formed with a connecting structure, which is used for connecting the container cap and the container.

[0004] A second objective of this invention is to provide a container assembly including the pulp molding connector, which has the advantages of being easy to manufacture and environmentally friendly. The container assembly includes a container and a pulp molding connector with a through-hole formed in the inner circumference of the end plate portion. The container includes a mouth ring and a container body. The container body defines an accommodating space. The mouth ring is connected to one end of the container body. A plurality of side plates are arranged around the outer periphery of the mouth ring. The connecting structure is located on the side of the side plate portion away from the mouth ring. The end plate portion is fitted onto the mouth ring with its through-hole. The container is a pulp molding container. The pulp molding connector is bonded to the container. The container assembly of this invention is designed to be composed of a container and a pulp molding connector, thereby satisfying the connection requirements between the container and the container lid, being easy to manufacture, and having the advantages of being environmentally friendly.

[0005] A third objective of this invention is to provide a container lid assembly including the pulp molding connector, which has the advantages of being easy to manufacture and environmentally friendly. The container lid assembly includes a container lid and a pulp molding connector. The container lid includes an end wall and a peripheral wall. The peripheral wall is annular. The end wall is disposed at one axial end of the peripheral wall. The pulp molding connector is disposed inside the container lid. A plurality of side plates are arranged around the inner periphery of the peripheral wall. The connecting structure is disposed on the side of the side plate away from the peripheral wall. The end plate is attached to the end wall. The container lid is a pulp molding lid. The pulp molding connector is bonded to the container lid. The container lid assembly of this invention is configured to be composed of a container lid and a pulp molding connector, thereby satisfying the connection requirements between the container and the container lid, being easy to manufacture, and having the advantages of being environmentally friendly.

[0006] The fourth objective of this invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a container cap assembly including the pulp molding connector, which has the advantages of being easy to manufacture and environmentally friendly. The method for manufacturing the container cap assembly includes the following steps: obtaining the container cap through pulp molding; obtaining the pulp molding connector through pulp molding; bending the connector so that the plurality of side plates are flipped to be perpendicular to the end plate; inserting the pulp molding connector into the container cap; inserting the plurality of side plates into the plurality of first sliding grooves one-to-one along the axial direction of the container cap and bonding them to the peripheral wall; and bonding the end plate to the end wall. The container cap assembly manufactured by the method of manufacturing the container cap assembly according to this invention has the advantages of being environmentally friendly.

[0007] The fifth objective of this invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a container assembly including the pulp molding connector, which has the advantages of being easy to manufacture and environmentally friendly. The method for manufacturing the container assembly includes the following steps: obtaining the container through pulp molding; obtaining the pulp molding connector through pulp molding; bending the connector so that the plurality of side plates are flipped to be perpendicular to the end plate; inserting the plurality of side plates into the plurality of second grooves one by one along the axial direction of the mouth ring and bonding them to the mouth ring; and fitting the round opening of the end plate onto the mouth ring. The container assembly manufactured by the method of manufacturing the container assembly according to this invention has the advantages of being environmentally friendly.

Implementation Method

[0009] Referring to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the pulp molding connector 10 of the present invention is described below.

[0010] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pulp molded connector 10 is a one-piece molded pulp part and includes: an end plate portion 1, a side plate portion 2, and a connecting portion 3. The pulp molded connector 10 is manufactured as a one-piece part using pulp molding material; for example, it can be molded using a pulp molding process to form a one-piece part including the end plate portion 1, the side plate portion 2, and the connecting portion 3. Therefore, the pulp molded connector 10 has the advantage of being green and environmentally friendly.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, there are multiple side plate portions 2 arranged around the end plate portion 1, and connecting portions 3 connect the end plate portion 1 and the side plate portions 2. Exemplarily, the connecting portions 3 are provided at the edge of the end plate portion 1, and each side plate portion 2 is connected to the end plate portion 1 through at least one connecting portion 3.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connecting part 3 enables multiple side plate parts 2 to be flipped from the periphery of the end plate part 1 to one side of the end plate part 1 to surround the cylindrical space 22. At least one side plate part 2 has a connecting structure 21 formed on the surface facing or away from the cylindrical space 22. The connecting structure 21 is used to connect the container lid 5 and the container 6.

[0013] Through the connection of the connecting part 3, the side plate part 2 can be rotated relative to the end plate part 1, so that the pulp molding connector 10 has at least two states: an unfolded state and an enclosed state. In the unfolded state, as shown in FIG1, multiple side plate parts 2 are located on the periphery of the end plate part 1. At this time, the side plate parts 2 are parallel or substantially parallel to the end plate part 1, and multiple side plate parts 2 are all coplanar or substantially coplanar with the end plate part 1. The pulp molding connector 10 is generally unfolded into a planar state. In the enclosed state, as shown in FIG2, multiple side plate parts 2 are located on the same side of the end plate part 1, and multiple side plate parts 2 together surround the cylindrical space 22. At this time, each side plate part 2 is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the end plate part 1, and the end plate part 1 is located at one axial end of the cylindrical space 22.

[0014] In some examples, in the enclosed state, the connecting structure 21 is formed on the side surface of the side plate portion 2 facing the cylindrical space 22. Referring to Figures 3 to 5, the pulp molding connector 10 in the enclosed state can be installed inside the container lid 5 to form a container lid assembly 500 consisting of the pulp molding connector 10 and the container lid 5. The connecting structure 21 is located on the inner circumferential surface of the container lid assembly 500 (as shown in Figure 6) and can be connected to a mating structure (e.g., external thread or external snap) on the mouth ring 60 of the container 6 (as shown in Figure 10) so that the container lid assembly 500 is closed and connected to the mouth ring 60 of the container 6.

[0015] In other examples, in the enclosed state, the connecting structure 21 is formed on the side surface of the side plate portion 2 facing away from the cylindrical space 22. The end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 forms a through round opening 11 in its inner circumference, which can be fitted into the mouth ring 60 of the container 6. Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the pulp molding connector 10 in the enclosed state can be installed outside the mouth ring 60 of the container 6 to form a container assembly 600 composed of the pulp molding connector 10 and the container 6. The connecting structure 21 is located on the outer peripheral surface of the opening of the container assembly 600 and can be connected to the mating structure (e.g., internal thread or internal snap) inside the container lid 5 so that the container lid assembly 500 is closed and connected to the opening of the container assembly 600.

[0016] Thus, the pulp molding connector 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured as an integral molded pulp part including an end plate portion 1, a plurality of side plate portions 2 and a connecting portion 3. The relative position of the side plate portions 2 and the end plate portions 1 can be changed by the flexibility of the connecting portion 3. This allows the pulp molding connector 10 to be in an unfolded state for easy manufacturing, and also in an enclosed state to meet the application requirements of being installed on a container 6 or a container cover 5. Furthermore, since multiple side plate portions 2 are connected to the same end plate portion 1 through corresponding connecting portions 3, the pulp molding connector 10 can be manufactured as a single integral component. Thus, when the pulp molding connector 10 is assembled with the container 6, the pulp molding connector 10 and the container 6 can be two separate components, manufactured separately, which easily meets manufacturing requirements and enables manufacturing production. Similarly, when the pulp molding connector 10 is assembled with the container cover 5, the pulp molding connector 10 and the container cover 5 can be two separate components, manufactured separately, which easily meets manufacturing requirements and enables manufacturing production.

[0017] For example, when manufacturing the pulp molding connector 10, a pulp molding blank can be manufactured first through a pulp molding process. The pulp molding blank includes an end plate portion 1, a side plate portion 2 and a connecting portion 3 connected as one piece. At this time, the side plate portion 2 and the end plate portion 1 are coplanar or substantially coplanar, and the pulp molding connector 10 is in an unfolded state, which facilitates the forming of the connecting structure 21 on the side plate portion 2 and makes demolding easy. When the pulp molding connector 10 is applied, the connecting portion 3 can be bent so that multiple side plate portions 2 are flipped toward the same side of the end plate portion 1. When multiple side plate portions 2 are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the end plate portion 1, the pulp molding connector 10 is in an enclosed state, which meets the assembly requirements of the pulp molding connector 10 with the container 6 or the container cover 5.

[0018] It should be noted that, through the connection of the connecting part 3, the side plate part 2 can be rotated relative to the end plate part 1, allowing the pulp molding connector 10 to have not only two states—an unfolded state and an enclosed state—but also other states, for example, in some optional embodiments of the present invention. In other words, besides being parallel and perpendicular to the end plate part 1, the side plate part 2 can also form an acute angle or an obtuse angle with the end plate part 1, for example, in some optional embodiments of the present invention, through the deformation of the connecting part 3.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, referring to FIG. 2, a plurality of side plate portions 2 surrounding the cylindrical space 22 are arranged at circumferential intervals along the cylindrical space 22. That is, when the pulp molding connector 10 is in an upright state, the plurality of side plate portions 2 form a split cylindrical shape, with gaps between adjacent two side plate portions 2, thereby reducing the circumferential length of each side plate portion 2, saving material, and the plurality of side plate portions 2 are less likely to interfere with each other when flipped to the vertical end plate portion 1. Moreover, this type of pulp molding connector 10 can cooperate with the container lid 5 with the first groove 53 described later, or the container 6 with the second groove 601, improving the reliability of the cooperation between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container lid 5 or the container 6, and improving the problem of the pulp molding connector 10 rotating relative to the container lid 5 or the container 6 and separating from the container lid 5 or the container 6.

[0020] However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention, the pulp molding connector 10 may be configured such that when the pulp molding connector 10 is in an enclosed state, a plurality of side plate portions 2 form a continuous cylindrical shape, and there is no gap between adjacent side plate portions 2.

[0021] Exemplarily, referring to Figures 2 and 3, among the plurality of side plate portions 2 arranged circumferentially along the cylindrical space 22, the circumferential distance L2 between each pair of adjacent side plate portions 2 is less than the circumferential length L1 of the side plate portion 2. This allows the side plate portion 2 to have a relatively large area for the connection structure 21, thereby improving the connection reliability between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container 6 or container cover 5. It is worth noting that the circumferential length L1 of the plurality of side plate portions 2 can be the same or different. When they are different, "the circumferential distance L2 between each pair of adjacent side plate portions 2 is less than the circumferential length L1 of the side plate portion 2" means that the circumferential distance L2 between each pair of adjacent side plate portions 2 is less than the circumferential length L1 of any one side plate portion 2.

[0022] Of course, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention, the circumferential distance L2 between each two adjacent side plate portions 2 can be set to be greater than or equal to the circumferential length L1 of the side plate portion 2. In this case, by increasing the number of side plate portions 2, the connection reliability between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container 6 or the container cover 5 can be improved to a certain extent.

[0023] Exemplarily, referring to Figures 1 and 2, there are three to five side plate portions 2, which are formed as arc-shaped plates or flexible flat plates. For example, there can be three, four, or five side plate portions 2. Thus, the structure of the side plate portions 2 is simple, and the number is relatively small, which facilitates the molding and demolding of the pulp molding connector 10, and facilitates operation when the pulp molding connector 10 changes from the unfolded state to the enclosed state. Of course, the present invention is not limited to this. When the required connection diameter is large, more side plate portions 2 can be set, and when the required connection diameter is small, two side plate portions 2 can be set.

[0024] Wherein, when the side plate portion 2 is formed as an arc plate, the inner arc surface of the side plate portion 2 is coplanar with the cylindrical surface of the cylindrical space 22 surrounded by the plurality of side plate portions 2. Since the pulp molding connector 10 is made of pulp molding material, the forming of the side plate portion 2 can be flexible. It can be directly formed into an arc plate to match the shape of the inner circumferential surface of the container lid 5 or the outer circumferential surface of the mouth ring 60 of the container 6; or it can be formed into a flat plate first, which is conducive to forming the connecting structure 21, and then the side plate portion 2 is bent to meet the assembly connection requirements of the container 6 or the container lid 5. For example, during the process of assembling the pulp molding connector 10 to the container 6 or the container lid 5, or before assembling the pulp molding connector 10 to the container 6 or the container lid 5, the side plate portion 2 can be bent into an arc plate shape to match the shape of the inner circumferential surface of the container lid 5 or the outer circumferential surface of the mouth ring 60 of the container 6.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, each side plate portion 2 is connected to the end plate portion 1 through a corresponding connecting portion 3. Along the circumference of the cylindrical space 22, the circumferential length L3 of the connecting portion 3 is less than the circumferential length L1 of the corresponding side plate portion 2, that is, the circumferential length L3 of the connecting portion 3 is less than the circumferential length L1 of the side plate portion 2 connected to it. Therefore, the circumferential length of the connecting portion 3 is relatively small, which is beneficial to the bending and deformation of the connecting portion 3, and the action of flipping the side plate portion 2 is more effortless and convenient.

[0026] For example, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, along the circumference of the cylindrical space 22, the connecting part 3 is located at the center of the corresponding side plate part 2, that is, the connecting part 3 is located at the center of the side plate part 2 connected to it. Thus, the position of the connecting part 3 relative to the side plate part 2 is centered, so that when the side plate part 2 is flipped relative to the end plate part 1, the connecting part 3 is subjected to uniform force, is not easy to be pulled and broken, and the flipping path of the side plate part 2 is more stable, which is conducive to the smooth and rapid flipping of the end plate part 1.

[0027] For example, along the circumference of the cylindrical space 22, the circumferential length L3 of the connecting part 3 is less than 1 / 2 of the circumferential length L1 of the corresponding side plate part 2, that is, L3 < L1 / 2. For example, the circumferential length L3 of the connecting part 3 is 1 / 3 or 1 / 4 of the circumferential length of the corresponding side plate part 2, etc. Therefore, the smaller circumferential length of the connecting part 3 is more conducive to the bending and deformation of the connecting part 3, and the action of flipping the side plate part 2 is less strenuous and more convenient.

[0028] For example, while the circumferential length L3 of the connecting part 3 is less than 1 / 2 of the circumferential length L1 of the corresponding side plate part 2, the circumferential length L3 of the connecting part 3 is also greater than 1 / 5 of the circumferential length L1 of the corresponding side plate part 2, so that the circumferential length L3 of the connecting part 3 is not too short, which is beneficial to improving the connection reliability between the side plate part 2 and the end plate part 1.

[0029] For example, the wall thickness of the connecting part 3 is less than or equal to the wall thickness of the side plate part 2. As a result, the wall thickness of the connecting part 3 is relatively small, which is beneficial for the bending and deformation of the connecting part 3, and makes the operation of flipping the side plate part 2 easier and more convenient.

[0030] Of course, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention, at least one side plate portion 2 may also be connected to the end plate portion 1 through a plurality of connecting portions 3. When the side plate portion 2 is connected to the end plate portion 1 through a connecting portion 3, the connecting portion 3 may be set such that the circumferential length L3 of the connecting portion 3 is greater than the circumferential length L1 of the corresponding side plate portion 2, or the connecting portion 3 may be set to be offset relative to the center of the side plate portion 2, or the connecting portion 3 may be set to be the same as or thicker than the wall thickness of the side plate portion 2, thereby satisfying other requirements such as improving connection reliability and preventing breakage, which will not be elaborated here.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present invention, the connecting structure 21 is formed as a threaded engagement structure suitable for screwing into a threaded structure. For example, the threaded structure can be an internal thread on the inner circumference of the container cap 5, or an external thread on the outer circumference of the mouth ring 60 of the container 6. Thus, the container cap 5 and the container 6 can be detachably connected by rotating the container cap 5, thereby reducing the difficulty of connecting the container cap 5 and the container 6 and facilitating the connection or removal of the container cap 5 to the container 6.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present invention, each side plate portion 2 has a connecting structure 21, which is formed as a protrusion. The protrusions on multiple side plate portions 2 are distributed along a spiral line surrounding the cylindrical space 22, and the protrusions are strip-shaped or hemispherical. That is, at least one side plate portion 2 is provided with a protrusion to participate in forming a threaded mating structure. Thus, although the connecting structures 21 are distributed on each side plate portion 2, they can be located on the same spiral line, thereby satisfying the mating requirements with the threaded structure and facilitating manufacturing.

[0033] For example, when the protrusion is strip-shaped, the side plate portion 2 may be provided with a plurality of strip-shaped protrusions spaced apart along the axial direction of the cylindrical space 22, thereby increasing the number of turns of the threaded connection.

[0034] For example, when the protrusion is strip-shaped, the two ends of the strip protrusion can extend along the circumference of the cylindrical space 22 to the two sides of the side plate portion 2, thereby increasing the length of the strip protrusion and increasing the reliability of the threaded connection.

[0035] For example, each side plate portion 2 is provided with a strip-shaped protrusion, thereby increasing the reliability of the threaded connection.

[0036] Furthermore, the strip-shaped protrusions extend along the direction of this spiral, thereby increasing the mating area with the threaded structure and thus improving the reliability of the connection with the threaded structure. The hemispherical protrusions save more material, reduce the friction area with the threaded structure, and make the mating with the threaded structure smoother.

[0037] Alternatively, in other embodiments of the present invention, the connecting structure 21 may be formed into a snap-fit ​​structure suitable for engaging with the snap fastener. The snap fastener and snap-fit ​​structure may be elastic snap-fit ​​or rotary snap-fit, etc., which will not be elaborated here.

[0038] Referring to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the container lid assembly 500 of the present invention, including the pulp molding connector 10, is described below.

[0039] Referring to Figures 4 to 6, the container lid assembly 500 includes a container lid 5 and a pulp molding connector 10 according to any embodiment of the present invention. The container lid 5 includes an end wall 51 and a peripheral wall 52. The peripheral wall 52 is annular, and the end wall 51 is disposed at one axial end of the peripheral wall 52. The pulp molding connector 10 is disposed inside the container lid 5. A plurality of side plates 2 are arranged around the inner periphery of the peripheral wall 52. A connecting structure 21 is disposed on the side of the side plates 2 away from the peripheral wall 52. The end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 is attached to the end wall 51 of the container lid 5. That is, the end plate portion 1 and the end wall 51 can be bonded together or tightly fitted without gaps.

[0040] Thus, the container lid assembly 500 is configured to consist of a container lid 5 and a pulp molding connector 10, which can not only meet the connection requirements between the container 6 and the container lid 5, but also be easy to manufacture and have the advantages of being green and environmentally friendly.

[0041] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 4 to 7, a first groove 53 is provided on the peripheral wall 52. The first groove 53 is open in the radially inward side of the container cover 5 (i.e., the side close to the central axis R1 of the container cover 5) and in the direction away from the end wall 51 (e.g., the upward direction shown in Figure 6). There are multiple first grooves 53, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the peripheral wall 52. The multiple side plate portions 2 are respectively fitted into the multiple first grooves 53. For example, each side plate portion 2 can be inserted into the corresponding first groove 53 in the direction of extension of the central axis R1 of the container cover 5, in the direction towards the end wall 51 (e.g., the downward direction shown in Figure 6).

[0042] Thus, by limiting the multiple side plate portions 2 through the multiple first slide grooves 53, the pulp molding connector 10 will not rotate relative to the container cover 5, thereby improving the connection reliability between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container cover 5. Moreover, when assembling the pulp molding connector 10 and the container cover 5, the first slide grooves 53 can also be used for pre-positioning, facilitating the quick connection between the two.

[0043] Exemplarily, referring to Figures 7 and 8, the side plate portion 2 matches the shape of the first groove 53. The circumferential length L4 of the first groove 53 gradually decreases in the direction toward the central axis R1 of the container cover 5 to restrict the side plate portion 2 from disengaging from the first groove 53 in the direction toward the central axis R1 of the container cover 5. That is, the circumferential length L4 of each first groove 53 gradually decreases in the radial direction from the outside to the inside along its location (e.g., direction X shown in Figure 8) so that the cross-section of the first groove 53 is generally fan-shaped, or in other words, the first groove 53 is a dovetail groove, so that the side plate portion 2 inserted into the first groove 53 will not disengage from the first groove 53 in the radially inward direction (e.g., direction X shown in Figure 8).

[0044] This further improves the connection reliability between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container lid 5, preventing the pulp molding connector 10 from rotating relative to the container lid 5. When the side plate portion 2 is bonded to the circumferential surface of the first slide groove 53, the first slide groove 53 can be used to limit the side plate portion 2, which plays a positioning role for the side plate portion 2 during the curing of the colloid, eliminating the need for positioning clamps and making the connection between the two more convenient and faster.

[0045] In some embodiments of the present invention, referring to Figures 4 to 6, the end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 is disc-shaped, which is beneficial to increase the connection area between the end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 and the end wall 51 of the container cover 5, thereby improving the connection reliability between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container cover 5.

[0046] For example, referring to Figures 4 to 6, a protrusion 4 is provided on one side of the end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 away from the end wall 51 of the container cap 5 (for example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 is located above the end wall 51 of the container cap 5, and the upper surface of the end plate portion 1 has a protrusion 4). The protrusion 4 is adapted to fit into the mouth ring 60 of the container 6 that cooperates with the container cap 5, and the protrusion 4 can achieve the effect of improving the sealing performance.

[0047] The container lid 5 is a pulp molded lid. In addition, the pulp molded connector 10 is also made of pulp molded material, which can further improve the green and environmentally friendly nature of the container lid assembly 500.

[0048] The pulp molding connector 10 is bonded to the container lid 5. Thus, the pulp molding connector 10 and the container lid 5 are connected through a bonding process. For example, the side plate portion 2 of the pulp molding connector 10 is bonded to the peripheral wall 52 of the container lid 5, and the end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 is bonded to the end wall 51 of the container lid 5. This facilitates the connection operation between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container lid 5 and improves the reliability of the connection between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container lid 5.

[0049] The container lid 5 is a pulp molding lid, and the pulp molding connector 10 is bonded to the container lid 5, so that the two pulp molding materials can be connected together simply and reliably, which is beneficial for mass production.

[0050] Referring to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the container assembly 600 of the present invention, including the pulp molding connector 10, is described below.

[0051] Referring to Figures 9 to 12, the container assembly 600 includes a container 6 and a pulp molding connector 10. The container 6 includes a mouth ring 60 and a container body 61. The container body 61 defines an accommodating space. The mouth ring 60 is connected to one end of the container body 61. A plurality of side plates 2 are arranged around the outer periphery of the mouth ring 60. A connecting structure 21 is provided on the side of the side plates 2 away from the mouth ring 60. The end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 forms a through round opening 11 in its inner periphery, which allows the round opening 11 to be fitted into the mouth ring 60 of the container 6.

[0052] When the end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 is fitted over the mouth ring 60 of the container 6, the end plate portion 1 can be located on the side of the side plate portion 2 away from the container body 61 (as shown in Figure 10), or the end plate portion 1 can be located on the side of the side plate portion 2 closer to the container body 61, thereby achieving flexible design and installation of the end plate portion 1. As shown in Figure 10, when the end plate portion 1 is located on the side of the side plate portion 2 away from the container body 61, it makes the assembly of the pulp molding connector 10 to the mouth ring 60 of the container 6 more convenient and quick. For example, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, an annular groove 602 can be provided on the outer periphery of the end of the mouth ring 60 away from the container body 61, and the end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 is arranged around the annular groove 602, which can reduce the difficulty of fitting the mouth ring 60 of the mouth ring 60 onto the end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10.

[0053] Thus, the container assembly 600 is configured to be composed of the container 6 and the pulp molding connector 10, which can not only meet the connection requirements between the container 6 and the container cover 5, but also be easy to manufacture and have the advantages of being green and environmentally friendly.

[0054] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 11 and 12, the mouth ring 60 of the container 6 is provided with a second groove 601. The second groove 601 is open in the radially outer direction of the mouth ring 60 (i.e., the side away from the central axis R2 of the container 6) and in the direction away from the container body 61 (e.g., the upward direction shown in Figure 11). There are multiple second grooves 601 and they are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the mouth ring 60. The multiple side plate portions 2 are respectively fitted into the multiple second grooves 601. For example, each side plate portion 2 can be inserted into the corresponding second groove 601 in the direction of extension of the central axis R2 of the container 6 towards the container body 61 (e.g., the downward direction shown in Figure 11).

[0055] Thus, by limiting the multiple side plate portions 2 through the multiple second slide grooves 601, the pulp molding connector 10 will not rotate relative to the mouth ring 60 of the container 6, thereby improving the connection reliability between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container 6. Moreover, when assembling the pulp molding connector 10 and the mouth ring 60 of the container 6, the second slide grooves 601 can also be used for pre-positioning, facilitating the quick connection between the two.

[0056] Exemplarily, referring to Figures 11 and 12, the side plate portion 2 of the pulp molding connector 10 matches the shape of the second groove 601 of the container 6. The circumferential length L5 of the second groove 601 gradually decreases in the direction away from the central axis R2 of the container 6 to restrict the side plate portion 2 of the pulp molding connector 10 from disengaging from the second groove 601 in the direction away from the central axis R2 of the container 6. That is, the circumferential length L5 of each second groove 601 gradually decreases in the radial direction from the inside to the outside (e.g., direction F shown in Figure 12) of its location, so that the cross-section of the second groove 601 is generally fan-shaped, or the second groove 601 is a dovetail groove, so that the side plate portion 2 inserted into the second groove 601 will not disengage from the second groove 601 in the radially outward direction (e.g., direction F shown in Figure 12).

[0057] This further improves the connection reliability between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container 6, preventing the pulp molding connector 10 from rotating relative to the mouth ring 60 of the container 6. When the side plate portion 2 of the pulp molding connector 10 is bonded to the circumferential surface of the second slide groove 601 of the container 6, the second slide groove 601 can be used to limit the side plate portion 2, which plays a positioning role for the side plate portion 2 during the curing of the colloid, eliminating the need for positioning clamps and making the connection between the two more convenient and faster.

[0058] Container 6 is a pulp molded container. In addition, the pulp molded connector 10 is also made of pulp molded material, which can further improve the green and environmentally friendly nature of container assembly 600.

[0059] The pulp molding connector 10 is bonded to the container 6, for example, by bonding the side plate portion 2 of the pulp molding connector 10 to the outer peripheral surface of the mouth ring 60 of the container 6, or to the groove surface of the second groove 601. Thus, the pulp molding connector 10 and the container 6 are connected through a bonding process, which facilitates the connection operation between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container 6 and improves the reliability of the connection between the pulp molding connector 10 and the container 6.

[0060] Container 6 is a pulp molding container, and the pulp molding connector 10 is bonded to container 6, so that the two pulp molding materials can be connected together simply and reliably, which is beneficial for mass production.

[0061] An embodiment of the manufacturing method of the container cap assembly 500 of the present invention is described below. The container cap assembly 500 is any embodiment of the container cap assembly 500 according to the present invention that has a first groove 53.

[0062] The manufacturing method of the container lid assembly 500 includes the following steps: obtaining a container lid 5 through pulp molding; obtaining a pulp molding connector 10 through pulp molding; bending the connecting portion 3 of the pulp molding connector 10 so that multiple side plate portions 2 are flipped to be perpendicular to the end plate portion 1 to surround a cylindrical space 22; inserting the pulp molding connector 10 into the container lid 5; inserting the multiple side plate portions 2 of the pulp molding connector 10 into multiple first sliding grooves 53 one-to-one along the axial direction of the container lid 5 and bonding them to the peripheral wall 52; and bonding the end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 to the end wall 51 of the container lid 5. The order of the steps of obtaining the container lid 5 and obtaining the pulp molding connector 10 is not limited and can be performed simultaneously or sequentially. Therefore, the manufacturing method of the container lid assembly 500 according to the embodiment of the present invention is simple and convenient, and the resulting container lid assembly 500 has the advantage of being green and environmentally friendly.

[0063] An embodiment of the manufacturing method of the container assembly 600 of the present invention is described below. The container assembly 600 is any embodiment of the container assembly 600 according to the present invention that has a second groove 601.

[0064] The manufacturing method of the container assembly 600 includes the following steps: obtaining a container 6 through pulp molding; obtaining a pulp molding connector 10 through pulp molding; bending the connecting portion 3 of the pulp molding connector 10 so that multiple side plate portions 2 are flipped to be perpendicular to the end plate portion 1 to surround a cylindrical space 22; inserting the multiple side plate portions 2 of the pulp molding connector 10 into multiple second sliding grooves 601 one-to-one along the axial direction of the mouth ring 60 of the container 6 and bonding them to the mouth ring 60; the end plate portion 1 of the pulp molding connector 10 forms a through round opening 11 in its inner circumference, allowing the round opening 11 to fit into the mouth ring 60 of the container 6. The order of the steps of obtaining the container 6 and obtaining the pulp molding connector 10 is not limited and can be performed simultaneously or sequentially. Therefore, the manufacturing method of the container assembly 600 according to the embodiment of the present invention is simple and convenient, and the resulting container assembly 600 has the advantage of being green and environmentally friendly.

[0065] Embodiments of the container lid assembly 500 and its manufacturing method of the present invention are described below.

[0066] The container cap assembly 500 includes a container cap 5 and a pulp molding connector 10. The container cap 5 is a pulp molding bottle cap formed into a shell with one open end. Multiple spaced first grooves 53 are axially arranged on the inner peripheral wall of the container cap 5. The cross-section of the first grooves 53 is fan-shaped. The pulp molding connector 10 is disposed inside the container cap 5 and includes an end plate portion 1 attached to the closed end of the container cap 5. The end plate portion 1 is connected to side plate portions 2, which are the same number and corresponding in position as the first grooves 53. The side plate portions 2 fit within the first grooves 53. The axial end of the side plate portion 2 is integrally connected to the outer edge of the end plate portion 1 through a connecting portion 3. The connecting portion 3 is in a bent state. The inner wall of the side plate portion 2 is provided with a connecting structure 21 adapted to the threaded structure. The connecting structure 21 can be a strip-shaped protrusion extending along the same spiral line, or multiple hemispherical protrusions spaced apart along the same spiral line. The container cap assembly 500 of this embodiment is easy to manufacture and has green and environmentally friendly characteristics.

[0067] The manufacturing method of the container cap assembly 500 in this embodiment includes the following steps: a pulp molded connector 10 is obtained by pulp molding. The molded pulp molded connector 10 is in an unfolded state, with the end plate portion 1 and the side plate portion 2 both horizontally arranged. The side plate portion 2 is directly molded into an arc-shaped plate, or is bent from a molded flat plate into an arc-shaped plate. A container cap 5 is obtained by pulp molding. The connector 3 is bent so that the side plate portion 2 is flipped to be perpendicular to the end plate portion 1. The side plate portion 2 is slidably fitted into the first sliding groove 53 along the axial direction of the container cap 5, so that the end plate portion 1 is attached to the inner surface of the closed end of the container cap 5.

[0068] In the manufacturing method of the container lid assembly 500 in this embodiment, both the container lid 5 and the pulp molding connector 10 can be easily obtained by pulp molding. Demolding is convenient, production efficiency is high, and it is suitable for mass production. The pulp molding is made of plant fiber material, which has green and environmentally friendly characteristics.

[0069] The above is only one embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the unfolded state of the pulp molding connector of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the erected state of the pulp molding connector shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a top view of the erected state of the pulp molding connector shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is an exploded view of the container cap assembly of the present invention. Figure 5 is an assembly diagram of the container cap assembly shown in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the container cap assembly shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the container cap shown in Figure 4. Figure 8 is a top view of the container cap assembly shown in Figure 5. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the unfolded state of the pulp molding connector in another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is an assembly diagram of the container assembly of the present invention. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the container in the container assembly of the present invention. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the mouth ring of the container in the container assembly of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pulp molding connector, which is an integrally molded pulp part and includes: One end plate; A side plate portion is provided around the end plate portion; a connecting portion connects the end plate portion and the side plate portion, and is capable of being flipped from the periphery of the end plate portion to the same side of the end plate portion, and the surface of the side plate portion is formed with a connecting structure for connecting the container lid and the container.

2. The pulp molding connector as described in claim 1, wherein, There are multiple side plates, which can be flipped from the periphery of the end plate to the same side of the end plate to surround a cylindrical space. The surfaces of the multiple side plates facing or away from the cylindrical space are connected by a connection structure.

3. The pulp molding connector as described in claim 2, wherein, The plurality of side plates surrounding the cylindrical space are spaced apart circumferentially around the cylindrical space.

4. The pulp molding connector as described in claim 3, wherein, In the plurality of side plate portions arranged circumferentially along the cylindrical space, the circumferential spacing between any two adjacent side plate portions is less than the circumferential length of the side plate portion, and there are three to five side plate portions, which are formed as arc-shaped plates or flexible flat plates.

5. The pulp molding connector as described in claim 2, wherein, Each of the side plates is connected to the end plate via a corresponding connecting part. Along the circumference of the cylindrical space, the circumferential length of the connecting part is less than the circumferential length of the corresponding side plate, and the connecting part is located at the center of the corresponding side plate.

6. The pulp molding connector as described in claim 2, wherein, The connecting structure is formed as a threaded engagement structure suitable for screwing into a threaded structure. Each of the side plates has the connecting structure, which is formed as a protrusion. The protrusions on the multiple side plates are distributed on a spiral line surrounding the cylindrical space. The protrusions are strip-shaped or hemispherical.

7. The pulp molding connector as described in claim 2, wherein, The end plate portion of the pulp molding connector has a through-hole formed in its inner circumference.

8. A container assembly comprising a container and the pulp molding connector of claim 7, the container including an inlet ring and a container body defining an accommodating space, the inlet ring being connected to one end of the container body, a plurality of side plates of the pulp molding connector being disposed around the outer periphery of the inlet ring of the container, the connecting structure being disposed on the side of the side plates away from the inlet ring, and an end plate of the pulp molding connector being fitted onto the inlet ring of the container with a through-hole, the container being a pulp molding container, and the pulp molding connector being adhesively connected to the container.

9. The container component as described in claim 8, wherein, A second groove is formed on the mouth ring of the container. The second groove opens radially outward from the mouth ring and in a direction away from the container body. There are multiple second grooves, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the mouth ring. The multiple side plates of the pulp molding connector are respectively fitted into the multiple second grooves of the container. The side plates match the shape of the second grooves. The circumferential length of the second grooves gradually decreases in the direction away from the central axis of the container, so as to restrict the side plates from disengaging from the second grooves in the direction away from the central axis of the container.

10. A container lid assembly comprising a container lid and a pulp molding connector as described in claim 2 or 6, the container lid comprising an end wall and a peripheral wall, the peripheral wall being annular, the end wall being disposed at one axial end of the peripheral wall, the pulp molding connector being disposed within the container lid, a plurality of side plate portions of the pulp molding connector being circumferentially disposed around the inner periphery of the peripheral wall of the container lid, the connecting structure being disposed on the side of the side plate portions away from the peripheral wall, the end plate portion of the pulp molding connector being abutted against the end wall of the container lid, the container lid being a pulp molding lid, and the pulp molding connector being adhesively connected to the container lid.

11. The container lid assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein, A first groove is formed on the peripheral wall of the container lid. The first groove opens radially inward toward the container lid and toward the direction away from the end wall. There are multiple first grooves, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the peripheral wall. Multiple side plates are respectively fitted into the multiple first grooves. The side plates are shaped to match the first grooves. The circumferential length of the first groove gradually decreases in the direction toward the central axis of the container lid, so as to restrict the side plates from dislodging from the first groove in the direction toward the central axis of the container lid.

12. The container lid assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The end plate portion is disc-shaped, and a protrusion protrudes from the side of the end plate portion away from the end wall. The protrusion is adapted to fit into the mouth ring of the container that mates with the container lid.

13. A method for manufacturing a container lid assembly, for manufacturing the container lid assembly according to any one of claims 10, 11, or 12, comprising the steps of: obtaining the container lid by pulp molding; obtaining the pulp molding connector by pulp molding; bending the connector to cause a plurality of side plate portions to flip to be perpendicular to the end plate portion; inserting the pulp molding connector into the container lid; inserting the plurality of side plate portions into a plurality of first sliding grooves one-to-one along the axial direction of the container lid and bonding them to the peripheral wall; and bonding the end plate portion to the end wall.

14. A method for manufacturing a container assembly, for manufacturing the container assembly described in any one of claims 8 or 9, comprising the steps of: obtaining the container by pulp molding; obtaining the pulp molded connector by pulp molding; bending the connector to cause a plurality of side plate portions to flip to be perpendicular to the end plate portion; inserting the plurality of side plate portions one-to-one into a plurality of second sliding grooves along the axial direction of the mouth ring and bonding them to the mouth ring, and fitting the through-hole of the end plate portion onto the mouth ring.

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