Synthetic resin cap
The synthetic resin cap with a dual-opening and propeller mechanism addresses clogging issues by synchronizing rotation to manage powder flow, ensuring effective and cost-efficient dispensing.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/JP2025/011012
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-03-25
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-21
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing synthetic resin caps allow powder to discharge due to weight when shaken, leading to clogging, and processing the powder to prevent clogging increases costs without ensuring effectiveness.
A synthetic resin cap design with an inner lid, outer lid, and propeller member that includes mesh and non-mesh openings, a powder scraping rib, and a rotation restriction mechanism to prevent clogging by synchronously rotating the propeller member and scraping rib to manage powder flow.
The cap effectively suppresses or eliminates clogging in the openings without additional powder processing, maintaining efficient powder dispensing and reducing costs.
Smart Images

Figure JP2025011012_02102025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Synthetic Resin Cap
[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for sealing the mouth of a container, and more particularly to a synthetic resin cap formed from a synthetic resin.
[0002] For example, a synthetic resin cap formed into a desired shape by injection molding a known resin material is used as a cap for sealing the opening of a container (hereinafter also referred to as "container opening") that stores powder contents such as pepper or flour. The powder contents can be taken out through the synthetic resin cap attached to the container opening.
[0003] Here, caps that allow the amount of content dispensed to be adjusted by a simple operation are known, as exemplified in Patent Document 1. Specifically, the cap disclosed in Patent Document 1 proposes a lid body formed with three types of assemblies A to C (normal outlet A, small amount outlet B, large amount outlet C) that group openings by size.
[0004] JP 2011-111227 A
[0005] However, the technologies including those described in the above patent documents still cannot be said to meet market needs, and at least the following problems exist: Although the cap of Patent Document 1 makes it possible to change the amount of content dispensed, the powder is discharged from the opening of the container due to the effect of its own weight when shaken, and if the opening becomes clogged with powder, the amount dispensed is significantly reduced.
[0006] To address this issue, it is possible to process the powder so that it is less likely to clog, but processing the powder alone does not necessarily eliminate clogging, and the processing itself also results in unnecessary increased costs.
[0007] As such, Patent Document 1 does not acknowledge at all the problem of powder clogging the openings at the opening of the container, and it can be said that there is a lot of room for improvement. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a synthetic resin cap that has multiple openings through which powder stored in a container can be taken out, and that can suppress or eliminate clogging in the openings regardless of the processing state of the powder.
[0008] In order to solve the above problem, one embodiment of the synthetic resin cap of the present invention comprises: (1) an inner lid comprising an inner wall having an engaging portion formed on the inner surface thereof that engages with the container mouth from which the powder is taken out, and an inner lid plate having a mesh opening that faces at least a portion of the pouring outlet at the container mouth; an outer lid comprising an outer wall covering the outer surface of the inner wall, and an outer lid plate connected to the outer wall and having a powder scraping rib and having at least a first opening that can face the pouring outlet through the mesh opening; and a propeller member that is combined with the outer lid so as to sandwich the inner lid plate, and is integral with the outer lid and can rotate around an axis relative to the inner lid; and when the outer lid is rotated, the propeller member rotates around the axis on the underside of the mesh opening in synchronization with the rotation of the powder scraping rib on the upper side of the mesh opening.
[0009] Furthermore, in the synthetic resin cap described in (1) above, (2) it is preferable that the outer cover plate has a centrally located fitting portion, the powder scraping rib extends radially from the fitting portion, the propeller member has a centrally located fitting portion that can fit with the fitting portion, and a blade extending radially from the fitting portion, and that a central through hole is formed in the inner cover plate, and the fitting portion and the fitting portion are fitted together so as to sandwich the inner cover plate through the central through hole.
[0010] In addition, in the synthetic resin cap described in (2) above, (3) it is preferable that the powder scraping rib and the blade are provided at positions that overlap each other in the circumferential direction when viewed from above.
[0011] Furthermore, in the synthetic resin cap described in any of (1) to (3) above, (4) it is preferable that the inner cover plate has a non-mesh opening arranged next to the mesh opening in the circumferential direction, and the outer cover plate has a second opening that can face the spout via the non-mesh opening and is arranged next to the first opening in the circumferential direction.
[0012] Furthermore, in the synthetic resin cap described in (4) above, it is preferable that (5) it further comprises a rotation restriction mechanism provided between the outer surface of the inner wall and the inner surface of the outer wall, capable of restricting the rotation of the outer lid relative to the inner lid.
[0013] Furthermore, in the synthetic resin cap described in (4) above, (6) it is preferable that the propeller member comprises a mating portion that is positioned in the center and can be mated with the mating portion, and a blade extending radially from the mating portion, and that the blade comprises a first pressing blade that extends radially from the mating portion and presses the powder in the container against the mesh opening when the outer lid rotates clockwise, and a second pressing blade that extends radially from the mating portion and presses the powder against the mesh opening when the outer lid rotates counterclockwise.
[0014] Furthermore, in the synthetic resin cap described in (4) above, (7) it is preferable that the powder scraping rib is provided on each of both circumferential ends of the first opening and includes a first rib that widens radially from the inside to the outside.
[0015] According to the present invention, in a cap having a plurality of openings through which powder stored in a container can be taken out, clogging of the openings at the opening of the container can be suppressed or eliminated regardless of the processing state of the powder.
[0016] 1. A perspective view of a synthetic resin cap according to an embodiment. 2. A perspective view of a synthetic resin cap according to an embodiment, showing a state in which the opening / closing lid of the outer lid is open. 3. A perspective view of an inner lid of a synthetic resin cap according to an embodiment, shown from diagonally above. 4. A top view of an inner lid according to an embodiment. 5. A side view of an inner lid according to an embodiment. 6. A cross-sectional view A-A of the inner lid in FIG. 4. 7. A perspective view of an outer lid of a synthetic resin cap according to an embodiment, shown from diagonally above. 8. A top view of an outer lid (with the opening / closing lid open) according to an embodiment. 9. A side view of an outer lid (with the opening / closing lid open) according to an embodiment. 10. A cross-sectional view B-B of the outer lid in FIG. 8. 11. A side view partially showing the outer lid in FIG. 9, viewed from arrows P and Q. 12. A cross-sectional view C-C of the outer lid in FIG. 10. 13. A perspective view of a propeller member of a synthetic resin cap according to an embodiment, shown from diagonally above. 14. A top view and a side view of a propeller member according to an embodiment. 15. A bottom view of a propeller member according to an embodiment. 16. A cross-sectional view D-D of the propeller member in FIG. 14. 17. A schematic side view comparing blade angles of propeller members according to an embodiment. 18. A schematic view comparing mounting angles of propeller members according to an embodiment. 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams illustrating state transitions in the rotation restriction mechanism of the present embodiment.
[0017] An embodiment for suitably implementing the present invention will be described. For the sake of convenience, the X, Y, and Z directions are defined as appropriate in the following description, but it goes without saying that this does not restrict the scope of the present invention. Regarding matters other than the features of the present invention detailed below, for example, the configuration of the spout disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents or the structure of other known synthetic resin caps or container openings may be appropriately referenced.
[0018] [Synthetic Resin Cap] First, the synthetic resin cap 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The synthetic resin cap 100 of this embodiment is configured to have the function of engaging with the container opening of a container that contains powder contents (hereinafter also simply referred to as "powder") and sealing the container opening.
[0019] Here, examples of a "container" suitable for this embodiment include known containers such as bottles made of synthetic resin such as PET, glass, or metal and equipped with a spout (container mouth) through which the contents can be taken out. Furthermore, examples of a "powder" suitable for this embodiment include various known powder or granular substances that can be stored in the above-mentioned containers, such as powdered food such as flour, powdered seasoning such as sugar, or granular medicines.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 1 and other figures, the synthetic resin cap 100 of this embodiment is configured to include an inner lid 10, an outer lid 20, and a propeller member 40. As shown in the figure, the synthetic resin cap 100 of this embodiment preferably includes an opening (mesh opening) having multiple openings through which a relatively small amount of powder can be dispensed, and an opening (non-mesh opening) having, for example, a single large opening through which a relatively large amount of powder can be dispensed. The synthetic resin cap 100 of this embodiment may also include only a mesh opening, without the non-mesh opening. In other words, the inner lid 10, which will be described later, may have the mesh opening on its entire surface.
[0021] The synthetic resin cap 100 may be formed by injection molding a known synthetic resin material such as low-density polyethylene (PE), high-density polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), or a mixed resin of PE and PP. The inner lid 10, outer lid 20, and propeller member 40 constituting the synthetic resin cap 100 may be formed of the same type of resin material, or at least a portion of each may be formed of a different material from the others. For example, the inner lid 10 and outer lid 20 may be formed of synthetic resin while the propeller member 40 is formed of a material (such as a metal material or a hard resin material) that is harder than the inner lid, etc.
[0022] <Inner lid 10> The inner lid 10 constituting the synthetic resin cap 100 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 3 to 6. As can be seen from these figures, the inner lid 10 of this embodiment has the function of engaging with the container (container mouth) described above and the function of supporting the outer lid 20 and the propeller member 40. The inner lid 10 of this embodiment is configured to include an inner peripheral wall 11 and an inner lid plate 12.
[0023] The inner peripheral wall 11 has an engagement portion 11a formed on its inner peripheral surface that engages with the container opening through which the powder stored in the container is dispensed. Examples of the engagement portion 11a include known threads. As shown in the figure, the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral wall 11 is provided with a rotation restriction rib 31 that constitutes part of the rotation restriction mechanism 30 described below. Note that the inner lid 10 of this embodiment is configured to be threadably engaged with the container opening via the engagement portion 11a. However, the engagement between the inner lid 10 and the container opening is not limited to this; for example, the inner lid 10 may be capped (fitted) onto the container opening and secured with a rib or the like. In other words, the "engagement between the inner lid and the container opening" of this embodiment includes known mounting methods for securing a cap to a container opening, such as the above-mentioned screwing and fitting.
[0024] As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the inner lid plate 12 is provided with a mesh opening 12A facing at least a portion of the pouring outlet at the container opening. The inner lid plate 12 of this embodiment is also provided with a non-mesh opening 12B facing another portion of the pouring outlet at the container opening. The mesh opening 12A is an opening with a plurality of through-holes (openings) formed in a mesh pattern on the inner lid plate 12. The openings constituting the mesh opening 12A may have a circular cross section, or may have a rectangular cross section such as a square or hexagonal cross section.
[0025] The individual openings constituting the mesh opening 12A may have a diameter that varies along the axial direction (Z direction in the drawing) (e.g., the diameter of the outer lid side surface located on the outside of the container is equal to or greater than the diameter of the propeller side surface located on the inside of the container). In this way, if the diameter of the individual openings on the outer lid side is equal to or greater than the diameter on the propeller side, clogging of the powder when the powder is removed from the container can be suppressed. The edges of the individual openings constituting the mesh opening 12A may be chamfered or rounded.
[0026] As can be seen from these figures, the area occupied by the non-mesh openings 12B in the inner cover plate 12 may be smaller than the area occupied by the mesh openings 12A. As an example, the ratio of mesh openings 12A to non-mesh openings 12B in the inner cover plate 12 may be approximately 6:4. In this way, as shown in Figure 4 and other figures, the inner cover plate 12 may have non-mesh openings 12B, whose overall opening size is smaller than that of the mesh openings 12A, arranged next to the mesh openings 12A in the circumferential direction. The ratio of mesh openings 12A to non-mesh openings 12B is not limited to the above ratio and may be set to any ratio, such as 5:5.
[0027] A central through-hole 12C is formed in the center of the inner lid plate 12 so as to pass through the central axis of the container. The diameter of the central through-hole 12C is set to allow the fitting portion FP of the outer lid 20 and the fitted portion 41 of the propeller member 40, which will be described later, to be inserted therethrough. The fitting portion FP and the fitted portion 41 are fitted together via the central through-hole 12C so as to sandwich the inner lid plate 12. Therefore, when the inner lid 10 is engaged with the container mouth, the fitting portion FP and the fitted portion 41 are fitted together via the central through-hole 12C, and the outer lid 20 and the propeller member 40 are supported by the inner lid plate 12.
[0028] 7 to 11, the outer lid 20 constituting the synthetic resin cap 100 of this embodiment will be described in detail. As can be seen from these figures, the outer lid 20 of this embodiment has the function of covering the inner lid 10 and sealing the pouring outlet of the container mouth, and is configured to include an outer peripheral wall 21, an outer lid plate 22, a powder scraping rib 23, a central separator 24, an opening 25, an opening / closing lid 26, a central hub 27, and a hook portion 28.
[0029] The outer peripheral wall 21 is configured to cover the outer surface of the inner peripheral wall 11. The outer peripheral wall 21 is able to rotate about its axis (in the θz direction in FIG. 1 ) relative to the inner peripheral wall 11, under the restriction of a rotation restriction mechanism 30 described below. The outer shape of the outer peripheral wall 21 may be a rectangular tube with a polygonal cross section, or a cylindrical shape with a circular cross section that is appropriately treated with an anti-slip coating.
[0030] The outer cover plate 22 is configured to include a central divider 24, an opening 25, an opening / closing cover 26, a central hub 27, a fitting portion FP, and a hook portion 28. The outer cover plate 22 is connected to the upper portion (e.g., the upper end) of the outer peripheral wall 21. The central divider 24 is a strip-shaped region that passes through the center of the outer cover plate 22 and separates the first opening 25A from the second opening 25B. As will be described later, opening / closing covers 26 are provided on both sides of the central divider 24.
[0031] The opening 25 is provided in the outer lid plate 22 and faces the pouring outlet of the container mouth and communicates with it. In this embodiment, the opening 25 includes a first opening 25A that can face the pouring outlet of the container mouth through the mesh opening 12A of the inner lid plate 12, and a second opening 25B that can face the pouring outlet through the non-mesh opening 12B of the inner lid plate 12. Powder stored in the container can be taken out through this opening 25, for example, with the container mouth facing downward.
[0032] As described above, in this embodiment, the area occupied by the non-mesh opening 12B is smaller than the area occupied by the mesh opening 12A, and therefore the ratio of the first opening 25A to the second opening 25B in the outer cover plate 22 is also configured in accordance with the above-mentioned area occupied. That is, as shown in Figure 8, in this embodiment, the area occupied by the second opening 25B is set smaller than the area occupied by the first opening 25A. In this way, the second opening 25B, which can face the spout of the container mouth via the non-mesh opening 12B, is arranged in the outer cover plate 22 adjacent to the first opening 25A in the circumferential direction.
[0033] 7 and 8, the first opening 25A of the outer cover plate 22 is provided with a powder-scraping rib 23 that can scrape off the powder when the powder is removed. The powder-scraping rib 23 functions to scrape off at least a portion of the powder remaining in the mesh opening 12A and to scrape out the powder remaining in the mesh opening 12A. As can be seen from FIGS. 7 and 12, the powder-scraping rib 23 of this embodiment extends radially from the central hub 27, which includes the fitting portion FP. More specifically, the powder-scraping rib 23 of this embodiment includes at least first ribs 23A that are provided on both circumferential ends of the first opening 25A and that diverge radially from the inside to the outside.
[0034] As shown in the figure, a specific example of the flared first rib 23A may be a Y-shaped rib whose bottom is connected to a central hub 27, which will be described later. By providing the flared first rib 23A inside the first opening 25A in this way, it is possible to scrape off, scrape out, or clean powder from almost the entire surface of the mesh opening 12A, thereby eliminating clogging with powder.
[0035] In addition, specific examples of the flared first rib 23A are not particularly limited as long as they flare from the inside to the outside in the radial direction, and in addition to the Y-shaped rib described above, they may also be V-shaped ribs or trapezoidal ribs. Furthermore, with regard to the circumferential width of the flared first rib 23A, for example, the cross-sectional area may be structured so that it gradually increases from the mesh side to the opening / closing cover side along the axial direction (Z direction), or the cross-sectional area may be constant along the axial direction.
[0036] The powder leveling rib 23 of this embodiment may further include a non-flared second rib 23B arranged between the multiple first ribs 23A so as to be positioned toward the center of the first opening 25A in the circumferential direction. As shown in the figure, a specific example of the non-flared second rib 23B may be an I-shaped rib connected to the central hub 27 and extending in the radial direction. The non-flared second rib 23B of this embodiment may be arranged between two flared first ribs 23A in the circumferential direction, as shown in Figure 7 and other figures.
[0037] The opening / closing lid 26 is configured to be openable and closable around the end of the central divider 24, and has the function of closing or opening the pouring outlet of the container mouth. As shown in Figure 7 and other figures, the opening / closing lid 26 of this embodiment is configured to include a first opening opening opening lid 26A that can close or open the first opening 25A, and a second opening opening opening lid 26B that can close or open the second opening 25B.
[0038] 7 and 11, a rib rb having a contour corresponding to the outer shape of the powder scraping rib 23 and the periphery of the first opening 25A and engaging with the first opening 25A is provided on the surface of the first opening opening lid 26A facing the first opening 25A. Also, a rib rb having a contour corresponding to the periphery of the second opening 25B and engaging with the second opening 25B is provided on the surface of the second opening opening lid 26B facing the second opening 25B.
[0039] The central hub 27 is located in the center of the central divider 24, near the center of the container opening. In other words, the central portion of the central divider 24 bulges radially to form the central hub 27, which is island-shaped (circular). As shown in Figures 7, 10, and 12, the underside of the central hub 27 (inside the container) is provided with a fitting portion FP that hangs down along the axial direction (Z direction). In this way, the outer cover plate 22 of this embodiment is provided with a fitting portion FP located in the center.
[0040] The fitting portion FP is a hollow rectangular tube, and the fitted portion 41 of the propeller member 40 (described later) can be fitted inside the rectangular tube via an undercut UC. As can be understood by referring to both Figures 12 and 13 , the fitting portion FP has an insertion opening that is hexagonal in plan view to correspond to the outer shape of the fitted portion 41, which is a hexagonal column with a relatively uniform wall thickness in the circumferential direction. By fitting into the fitted portion 41 of the propeller member 40 (described later) without slipping around the axis, rotational force via the outer lid 20 can be efficiently transmitted to the propeller member 40. As a result, when the outer lid 20 rotates around the axis, the propeller member 40 integrated with the outer lid 20 can also rotate synchronously around the axis.
[0041] As shown in Figure 12, the fitting portion FP in this embodiment is a hollow rectangular tube with a hexagonal cross section, but is not limited to this shape and may be a hollow rectangular tube with a shape other than hexagonal. The fitted portion 41 may have an insertion opening corresponding to the outer shape of the fitting portion FP. Furthermore, considering assembly and disassembly, the fitting portion FP is preferably a hollow rectangular tube, but it may also be a hollow cylinder with an outer surface roughened to increase frictional resistance.
[0042] <Rotation Restriction Mechanism 30> Next, the rotation restriction mechanism 30 constituting the synthetic resin cap 100 will be described with reference to Figures 3, 10, 12, and 13. The rotation restriction mechanism 30 is provided between the outer surface of the inner peripheral wall 11 and the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall 21 and functions to restrict rotation of the outer lid 20 relative to the inner lid 10. The rotation restriction mechanism 30 also functions to prevent the non-mesh opening 12B from overlapping with the first opening 25A, which would result in excessive powder being dispensed. Furthermore, since the outer lid 20 of this embodiment is rotatable about its axis integrally with the propeller member 40, the rotation restriction mechanism 30 functions to restrict rotation of the propeller member 40 relative to the inner lid 10 via the outer lid 20 so that the propeller member 40 does not overlap with the non-mesh opening 12B.
[0043] The rotation restricting mechanism 30 of this embodiment includes a rotation restricting rib 31 provided on one of the outer surface of the inner circumferential wall 11 and the inner surface of the outer circumferential wall 21, and a rotation restricting groove 32 provided on the other of the outer surface of the inner circumferential wall 11 and the inner surface of the outer circumferential wall 21, capable of accommodating the rotation restricting rib 31. More specifically, in this embodiment, as can be seen from the above drawings, the rotation restricting rib 31 is provided on the outer surface of the inner circumferential wall 11, and the rotation restricting groove 32 is provided on the inner surface of the outer circumferential wall 21.
[0044] As can be seen from FIG. 12, the rotation restriction groove 32 of this embodiment is formed such that one end ED corresponds to the boundary (center divider 24) between the mesh opening 12A and the non-mesh opening 12B so that the first opening 25A does not overlap the non-mesh opening 12B. 1 and the other end ED 2 The rotation restricting mechanism 30 is thus able to restrict the rotation of the outer lid so that the first opening 25A does not overlap the non-mesh opening 12B.
[0045] Furthermore, the rotation restriction mechanism 30 may include a plurality of engaging pairs each consisting of a pair of rotation restriction ribs 31 and a pair of rotation restriction grooves 32, arranged in the circumferential direction. That is, referring to both Figures 4 and 12, the engaging pairs in this embodiment include a first engaging pair each consisting of a first rotation restriction rib 31 and a first rotation restriction groove 32, which is provided corresponding to the mesh opening 12A, and a second engaging pair each consisting of a second rotation restriction rib 31 and a second rotation restriction groove 32, which is provided corresponding to the non-mesh opening 12B. In this case, the first engaging pair and the second engaging pair are preferably arranged symmetrically (180° rotationally symmetrical) about the center (central hub 27). By providing a plurality of engaging pairs each consisting of a pair of rotation restriction ribs 31 and a pair of rotation restriction grooves 32 in the circumferential direction, the rotation restriction function can be maintained even if, for example, one engaging pair deteriorates or deforms.
[0046] <Propeller member 40> Next, the propeller member 40 constituting the synthetic resin cap 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 to 18. The propeller member 40 is configured to have the function of rotating integrally with the outer lid 20 about its axis (the θz direction, see Figure 1 as appropriate) relative to the inner lid 10. The propeller member 40 of this embodiment is combined and integrated with the outer lid 20 (specifically, the fitting portion FP) via the fitted portion 41 so as to sandwich the inner lid plate 12.
[0047] Therefore, for example, when the user rotates the outer lid 20, the powder scraping rib 23 rotates about its axis on the upper surface side (outer lid plate side) of the mesh opening 12A, and in synchronization with this, the propeller member 40 rotates about its axis on the lower surface side (inside the container) of the mesh opening 12A. More specifically, as shown in the figure, the propeller member 40 of this embodiment includes a fitted portion 41 that is disposed in the center and can be fitted with the fitting portion FP of the outer lid 20, and blades (a blade group consisting of a first pressing blade 42 to a third pressing blade 44) extending radially from the fitted portion 41.
[0048] 16 and other figures, the fitted portion 41 includes an insertion opening into which the fitting portion FP of the outer lid 20 is inserted, and a fitting protrusion Pt disposed in the center of the insertion opening and insertable into the fitting portion FP. The shape of the insertion opening in the fitted portion 41 corresponds to the outer shape of the fitting portion FP described above. As described above, the fitting portion FP in this embodiment is a hollow rectangular tube with a hexagonal cross section, and therefore the opening of the fitted portion 41 also has a hexagonal cross section.
[0049] Next, the plurality of blade groups constituting the propeller member 40 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 14 to 18. As will be described later, the propeller member 40 of this embodiment comprises a plurality of types of blades that differ from one another in shape or in the manner of attachment to the fitted portion 41. As can be understood from Figures 2, 7, and 13 collectively, the powder leveling rib 23 and the blade group are preferably provided in positions that overlap one another in the circumferential direction when viewed from above (when viewed from above in the Z direction).
[0050] As described above, the outer cover 20 and the propeller member 40 rotate synchronously around the axis, so that, for example, the positional relationship of the third pressing blade 44 with respect to the central divider 24 does not change, and the third pressing blade 44 is maintained in a state where it is positioned along and below the central divider 24 when viewed from the Z direction. Similarly, the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 are positioned directly below the Y-shaped first rib 23A, and this positional relationship is maintained even when rotating around the axis.
[0051] In this way, by positioning the powder leveling rib 23 and the group of blades of the propeller member 40 at the same position in the circumferential direction when viewed from above, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the aperture ratio when removing powder from the container. Furthermore, by adopting such an arrangement, the powder leveling rib 23 can level off at least a portion of the powder immediately below the group of blades pressing the powder against the mesh opening 12A. Furthermore, because the group of blades corresponds to the arrangement and leveling range of the powder leveling rib 23, it is possible to press the powder over almost the entire surface of the mesh opening 12A.
[0052] 14 and 15, the first pressing blade 42 is provided so that at least a portion (for example, a portion excluding the base blade 45 described later) extends radially from the fitted portion 41. As can be seen from FIG. 1 and other figures, the first pressing blade 42 is configured to have the function of pressing the powder inside the container against the mesh opening 12A when the outer lid 20 rotates clockwise (with the container facing downward). Note that "clockwise" and "counterclockwise" in this embodiment refer to directions when the container is turned upside down with the container opening facing downward.
[0053] 14 and 17, the first pressing blade 42 is inclined so that its traveling side surface forms an acute angle with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 12A when the outer lid 20 rotates clockwise. Similar to the inclination angle α of the second pressing blade 43 described below, the angle (inclination angle α) that the traveling side surface of the first pressing blade 42 makes with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 12A is preferably in the range of 40° to 60°, and particularly preferably around 45°. As shown in the drawings, the propeller member 40 of this embodiment may be provided with a plurality of the above-mentioned first pressing blades 42 arranged along the circumferential direction.
[0054] 14 and 15, the second pressing blade 43 is provided so that at least a portion (for example, a portion excluding the base blade 45 described later) extends radially from the fitted portion 41. As can be seen from Fig. 1 and other figures, the second pressing blade 43 is configured to have the function of pressing the powder against the mesh opening 12A when the outer lid 20 rotates counterclockwise (with the container facing downward).
[0055] The second pressing blade 43 is inclined so that its traveling-side surface forms an acute angle with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 12A when the outer lid 20 rotates counterclockwise. The angle (inclination angle α) that the traveling-side surface of the second pressing blade 43 makes with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 12A is preferably in the range of 40° to 60°, and particularly preferably around 45°. As shown in the figure, the propeller member 40 of this embodiment may include a plurality of the above-described second pressing blades 43 arranged along the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the first pressing blades 42 and the second pressing blades 43 of this embodiment are preferably arranged alternately along the circumferential direction, as shown in FIG. 14 , etc.
[0056] 14 and 15, the third pressing blade 44 is provided so as to extend radially from the fitted portion 41. The third pressing blade 44 is provided along the boundary (central divider 24) between the mesh opening 12A and the non-mesh opening 12B. Note that if the entire surface of the inner cover plate 12 is formed with mesh openings 12A, the third pressing blade 44 may be omitted and the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 may form a blade group.
[0057] 17 , the inclination angle α of the second pressing blade 43 with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 12A may be set to be smaller than the inclination angle β of the third pressing blade 44 with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 12A. Also, the inclination angle of the first pressing blade 42 with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 12A may be the same as the inclination angle of the second pressing blade 43 with respect to the upper surface of the mesh opening 12A.
[0058] Furthermore, as can be seen from Figures 14 and 18(a), it is preferable that the center lines CL1 (the center lines that divide the blades in half in the width direction) of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 in this embodiment extend eccentrically with respect to the central axis O of the mating portion 41, so that their base ends are integrated and connected to the mating portion 41 in a V-shape.
[0059] In this way, the blade group does not extend radially from the central axis O of the fitted portion 41, but is shifted from the central axis O of the fitted portion 41 and eccentrically connected to the fitted portion 41 so that the powder can be caught or raked inside the blades. This makes it possible to press the powder to be pressed evenly against the mesh openings 12A without shifting it radially outward, compared to an example in which the center line of the pressing blade passes through the central axis O of the fitted portion 41 (the case of FIG. 18(b)).
[0060] 13 to 16, the propeller member 40 of this embodiment may be configured to include a base blade 45. As described above, the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 of this embodiment are eccentric from the central axis O of the fitted portion 41 and are inclined so as to be symmetrical with respect to each other in the axial direction. Therefore, the base blade 45 is formed by integrating the base ends of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 that are on the fitted portion 41 side and the mesh opening 12A side. The base blade 45 extends radially from the fitted portion 41 and is configured to be able to abut against the mesh opening 12A.
[0061] 14, when viewed from above, the first pressing blade 42, the second pressing blade 43, and the base blade 45 form a Y-shape with the upper surfaces of the blades facing the mesh opening 12A. At this time, the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 each extend eccentrically with respect to the central axis O of the fitted portion 41, and are connected to the fitted portion 41 and the base blade 45 so that at least a portion (the upper surface on the mesh opening 12A side) forms a V-shape.
[0062] In this way, the upper surfaces of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 form a V shape, and when the upper surface of the base blade 45 is added to these, a Y shape is formed on the upper surface on the mesh opening 12A side. By providing the base blade 45 on the propeller member 40, as shown in Fig. 17, the base blade 45 exhibits a function of blocking (retaining) the powder, thereby preventing the powder from spilling out to the surrounding area.
[0063] 15, a portion of each of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 may be connected to the fitted portion 41 so that their undersides form a V shape. By directly connecting a portion of the first pressing blade 42 and the second pressing blade 43 (the other portion is connected to the base blade 45) to the fitted portion 41, it is possible to maximize the area for pressing the powder against the mesh opening 12A.
[0064] In this embodiment, the blade group (first pressing blade 42 to third pressing blade 44) is preferably a plate-like body extending radially from the mating portion 41, but at least a portion of it may be curved so as to be convex downward toward the mesh opening 12A.
[0065] Furthermore, the surfaces of the blade group (first pressing blade 42 to third pressing blade 44) that press the powder (for example, the pressing surface on the top side shown in FIG. 14) may be roughened with, for example, multiple protrusions or ribs. This makes it possible to efficiently press the powder against the mesh openings 12A without letting the powder escape. On the other hand, the surfaces of the blade group (first pressing blade 42 to third pressing blade 44) that do not press the powder (for example, the non-pressing surface on the bottom side shown in FIG. 15) may be processed or coated to reduce frictional resistance against the powder. In this way, the blades of this embodiment may be configured so that the pressing surfaces have a higher frictional resistance than the non-pressing surfaces.
[0066] 17, the group of blades constituting the propeller member 40 may be positioned so as to have a slight clearance CL (for example, about 1 mm to several mm) from the mesh opening 12A. This reduces frictional resistance caused by contact between the mesh opening 12A and the blades, improving operability for the user. However, in cases where a material with negligible frictional resistance is used, the group of blades may be in contact with and slide against the mesh opening 12A.
[0067] 12 and 19, a method for extracting powder using the synthetic resin cap 100 of this embodiment, in which the powder scraping rib 23 and the propeller member 40 work together, will be described. As shown in the figure, when a user opens the opening / closing cover 26A for the first opening and holds the container upside down, and rotates the outer lid 20 clockwise around the axis relative to the inner lid (at this time, the opening / closing cover 26B for the second opening closes the second opening 25B), the rotation restricting rib 31 rotates in the rotation restricting groove 32 at the other end ED. 2 Moves toward the other end ED 2 to stop the rotation.
[0068] At this time, the powder scraping rib 23 provided on the outer lid 20 rotates clockwise in synchronization with the rotation of the outer lid 20. Furthermore, at this time, the propeller member 40 provided integrally with the outer lid 20 also rotates in synchronization with the powder scraping rib 23, sandwiching the mesh opening 12A therebetween.
[0069] Furthermore, for example, the rotation restriction rib 31 is 2 When the user rotates the outer lid 20 counterclockwise relative to the inner lid after the outer lid 20 has stopped, the rotation restricting rib 31 is rotated in the rotation restricting groove 32 at one end ED. 1 Move toward the one end ED 1 At this time, in the same manner as described above, the powder scraping rib 23 and the propeller member 40 also rotate counterclockwise in synchronization with the rotation of the outer lid 20.
[0070] Therefore, if a user repeats the above-described actions while holding the container upside down, the powder stored in the container will first reach mesh opening 12A due to its own weight, for example, via propeller member 40. Of the powder that reaches mesh opening 12A, powder that is relatively small in diameter and smaller than the openings passes directly through mesh opening 12A and is removed from the container. On the other hand, powder that has relatively increased in diameter due to agglomeration or the like may remain, for example, with at least a portion of it protruding from the openings of mesh opening 12A.
[0071] When a user holds the container facing downward and grips outer lid 20, rotating it clockwise or counterclockwise relative to inner lid 10, powder leveling rib 23 and propeller member 40 rotate together on the front and back of mesh opening 12A in synchronization with the rotation of outer lid 20. As a result, on the back side of mesh opening 12A, propeller member 40 presses the powder inside the container against mesh opening 12A, facilitating the removal of the powder inside the container. Furthermore, on the front side of mesh opening 12A, powder leveling rib 23 rotates, leveling off at least a portion of the powder remaining in the openings of mesh opening 12A, further accelerating the removal of the powder.
[0072] According to the synthetic resin cap 100 of this embodiment, it is possible to remove powder stored in a container while suppressing or eliminating clogging of the powder in the openings, without requiring special processing of the powder to prevent clogging of the openings, and while reducing costs.
[0073] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the technical ideas set forth in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.
[0074] For example, in the above embodiment, the inner peripheral wall 11 of the inner lid 10 is connected to the inner lid plate 12 at its upper end (see FIG. 6, etc.), but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and may be connected to the inner lid plate 12 at a position slightly lower than the upper end of the inner peripheral wall 11. Similarly, in the embodiment, the outer peripheral wall 21 of the outer lid 20 is connected to the outer lid plate 22 at its upper end (see FIG. 10, etc.), but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and may be connected to the outer lid plate 22 at a position slightly lower than the upper end of the outer peripheral wall 21.
[0075] The present invention is suitable for realizing a synthetic resin cap that can be attached to a container for storing powder such as wheat flour, and that can remove the powder stored in the container while preventing or eliminating clogging of the powder in the opening of the removal port.
[0076] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Synthetic resin cap 10 Inner lid 11 Inner peripheral wall 12 Inner lid plate 20 Outer lid 21 Outer peripheral wall 22 Outer lid plate 23 Powder leveling rib 24 Central median strip 25 Opening 25A First opening 25B Second opening 26 Opening lid 26A Opening / closing lid for first opening 26B Opening / closing lid for second opening 27 Central hub 28 Hook portion 30 Rotation suppressing mechanism 31 Rotation restricting rib 32 Rotation restricting groove 40 Propeller member 41 Fitting portion 42 First pressing blade 43 Second pressing blade 44 Third pressing blade FP Fitting portion Pt Engaging protrusion
Claims
1. A synthetic resin cap comprising: an inner lid comprising: an inner peripheral wall having an engaging portion formed on the inner peripheral surface that engages with the container opening through which powder is dispensed; and an inner lid plate having a mesh opening that faces at least a part of the pouring outlet at the container opening; an outer lid comprising: an outer peripheral wall that covers the outer surface of the inner peripheral wall; and an outer lid plate connected to the outer peripheral wall and having a powder scraping rib and at least a first opening that can face the pouring outlet through the mesh opening; and a propeller member that is combined with the outer lid so as to sandwich the inner lid plate and is integral with the outer lid and can rotate about an axis relative to the inner lid, wherein when the outer lid is rotated, the powder scraping rib rotates about the axis on the upper surface of the mesh opening, and in sync with this, the propeller member rotates about the axis on the lower surface of the mesh opening.
2. A synthetic resin cap as described in claim 1, wherein the outer cover plate has a mating portion located in the center, the powder scraping rib extends radially from the mating portion, the propeller member has a mated portion located in the center that can be mated with the mating portion, and a blade extending radially from the mated portion, and the inner cover plate has a central through hole, and the mating portion and the mated portion are mated so as to sandwich the inner cover plate through the central through hole.
3. The synthetic resin cap according to claim 2, wherein the powder scraping rib and the blade are provided at positions that overlap each other in the circumferential direction when viewed from above.
4. A synthetic resin cap as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inner cover plate has a non-mesh opening arranged alongside the mesh opening in the circumferential direction, and the outer cover plate has a second opening that can face the pouring outlet via the non-mesh opening and is arranged alongside the first opening in the circumferential direction.
5. The synthetic resin cap according to claim 4, further comprising a rotation restriction mechanism provided between the outer surface of the inner peripheral wall and the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall, capable of restricting rotation of the outer lid relative to the inner lid.
6. The synthetic resin cap according to claim 4, wherein the propeller member comprises a fitted portion disposed in the center and capable of fitting with the fitting portion, and a blade extending radially from the fitted portion, the blade comprising: a first pressing blade, at least a portion of which extends radially from the fitted portion and presses the powder in the container against the mesh opening when the outer lid rotates clockwise; and a second pressing blade, at least a portion of which extends radially from the fitted portion and presses the powder against the mesh opening when the outer lid rotates counterclockwise.
7. A synthetic resin cap as described in claim 4, wherein the powder scraping rib includes a first rib provided on each of both circumferential ends of the first opening and widening radially from the inside to the outside.
Citation Information
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