Cap, container, and method for manufacturing container

Abstract

A container (10) comprises: a container body (14) that is filled with contents; and a cap (12) that is attached to the container body (14). The cap (12) is formed of a top part (20) and a cylindrical cap body part (22). The cap body part (22) comprises a connection piece (40) that extends from a lower edge (22A) in a direction opposite to the top part (20) and that is joined to the container body (14). The connection piece (40) has formed therein a cutting section (42) that is cut when the cap (12) is removed from the container body (14).

Description

Cap, container, and method for manufacturing container CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Patent Application No. 2024-85432, filed in Japan on May 27, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to caps, containers, and methods of manufacturing containers.

[0003] Containers with a cap and a spout, such as toothpaste containers, are widely available. There are two main types of such containers: (1) Containers in which the cap and the container body are separate; and (2) Containers in which the cap and the container body are integrated via a hinge.

[0004] The container in (1) is difficult to attach and detach from the container body, and it is difficult to say that it is sufficiently considerate of everyone from the viewpoint of universal design. Furthermore, the cap in the container in (2) is composed of a cap body and a top lid that opens and closes relative to the cap body, and it uses a larger amount of resin and other materials than the container in (1).

[0005] Additionally, such containers are tamper-evident so that the user can tell if they have been opened.

[0006] For example, in the container described in Patent Document 1, a shrink film is used to cover the cap and the cap side of the container to provide tamper resistance to the container. Also, as described in Patent Document 2, some containers of the above type (2) are provided with a tamper band between the body of the cap and the top lid to prevent unauthorized opening, making shrink film unnecessary.

[0007] JP 2003-231539 A JP 2022-120424 A

[0008] However, shrink film and tamper bands separate from the container when it is opened, resulting in plastic waste fragments that, if not properly disposed of, could become marine plastic waste and microplastic waste, which are becoming an environmental problem.

[0009] Furthermore, shrink film separates and becomes waste, and additional materials are required to form the shrink film. Furthermore, in order to attach a tamper band to a cap, the top lid must be made up of multiple components, such as the openable cap body and the tamper band, which results in the need for more materials.

[0010] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a cap, a container, and a method for manufacturing a container that achieves tamper-proof functionality using less material and does not produce waste that separates from the container.

[0011] The cap of the first aspect of the present disclosure is a cap formed of a top portion and a body portion and attached to a container body, and is provided with a first leg portion extending from the lower edge of the body portion in a direction opposite to the top portion and joined to the container body, and the first leg portion is formed with a cutting portion that is cut when the cap is removed from the container body.

[0012] According to this configuration, the cap is attached to the container body by joining a first leg extending from the lower edge of the body portion forming the cap to the container body. When the cap is removed from the container body, the first leg is cut at the cutting portion. This allows the user to recognize that the cap has already been removed and opened if the first leg is cut. In other words, the first leg has a tamper-proof function, eliminating the need for a shrink film covering the cap and container body. Furthermore, even if the first leg is cut at the cutting portion, it remains on the cap or container body.

[0013] Thus, the cap of this configuration achieves tamper-evident functionality with less material and does not create debris that separates from the container.

[0014] The cap of the second aspect is the cap of the first aspect, further comprising a second leg portion extending from the lower edge of the body in a direction facing the top portion and joined to the container body, and the second leg portion may not have the cut portion formed thereon. According to this configuration, the second leg portion functions as a hinge and prevents the cap from separating from the container body.

[0015] In a third aspect of the cap, in the cap of the second aspect, the second leg may be longer than the first leg and have a first region on the tip side that is joined to the container body and a second region on the barrel side that is not joined to the container body. With this configuration, when removing the cap from the container body, the second region flexes, creating so-called play, making it easier to cut the first leg and remove the cap from the container body.

[0016] A fourth aspect of the cap is the cap of the second or third aspect, wherein the first leg and the second leg are provided opposite each other at the lower edge of the body. With this configuration, when removing the cap from the container body, force is efficiently applied to the first leg, making it easier to cut the first leg from the body of the cap.

[0017] The cap of the fifth aspect may be the cap of the first aspect, further comprising a long connecting portion that is arranged along the periphery of the body or the container body when the cutting portion is not cut, and that connects the body and the container body.

[0018] According to this configuration, even when the cap is removed from the container, the connecting portion prevents the cap from separating from the container. Furthermore, when the cutting portion is not cut, the long connecting portion is arranged along the periphery of the body of the cap or the container body, so the connecting portion does not protrude from the body of the cap or the container body. Therefore, when the cutting portion is not cut, the connecting portion does not interfere with the tray for arranging containers or other containers.

[0019] In a sixth aspect of the cap, in the fifth aspect, an end of the connecting portion on the body side may be located on the body side of the first leg. With this configuration, a user can open a cap provided with a connecting portion without feeling uncomfortable.

[0020] A seventh aspect of the cap is the cap of the fifth or sixth aspect, further comprising a cutting piece that is cut when the cap is removed from the container body, and the end of the connecting portion facing the container body is located on the container body side of the cutting piece. According to this configuration, the first leg and the cutting piece provide a double tamper-proof function.

[0021] A container according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure is a container including a container body filled with contents and a cap attached to the container body, the cap being formed of a top and a body, the body having a first leg extending from a lower edge in a direction facing the top and joined to the container body, the first leg having a cutting portion formed therein that is cut when the cap is removed from the container body. Thus, the container of this configuration achieves tamper-proof functionality using less material and does not produce waste that separates from the container.

[0022] A ninth aspect of the container is the container of the eighth aspect, wherein the first leg is inserted into a groove formed in the container body and joined to the container body. This configuration makes it possible to further strengthen the joining between the first leg and the container body.

[0023] A tenth aspect of the container is the container of the ninth aspect, wherein the container body includes a spout having a mouth for pouring the contents and a shoulder on which the mouth is provided and which forms the upper surface of the container body, and the groove may be formed between the container body and the shoulder. This configuration allows for a stronger bond between the first leg and the container body.

[0024] A container according to an eleventh aspect may be the container according to any one of the eighth to tenth aspects, further comprising a second leg extending from the lower edge of the body in a direction facing the top, joined to the container body, and having no cut portion, wherein the first leg is inserted into a first groove formed in the container body and joined to the container body, and the second leg is inserted into a second groove formed in the container body and joined to the container body. With this configuration, the joining of the first leg to the container body and the joining of the second leg to the container body can be performed at desired positions.

[0025] A twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a container comprising a container body into which contents are filled and a cap formed of a top portion and a body portion, wherein the body portion of the cap comprises a first leg portion extending from the lower edge portion in a direction opposite to the top portion, joined to the container body, and having a cutting portion formed thereon that is cut when the cap is removed from the container body, and the method comprises a first step of attaching the cap to the container body, and a second step of joining the first leg portion formed on the cap to the container body.

[0026] The present disclosure achieves tamper-evident functionality with less material and does not create debris that separates from the container.

[0027] 1 is a schematic external view of a container according to a first embodiment, where (A) is a view before the cap is attached to the container body, and (B) is a view after the cap is attached to the container body. FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of the cap according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the vertical direction of the cap according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a spouting portion of a container body according to the first embodiment, where (A) is a top view, (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in the top view, and (C) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in the top view. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a container according to the first embodiment with the cap removed from the container body. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a process of filling the container according to the first embodiment with contents. FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a spouting portion of a container body according to another embodiment according to the first embodiment, where (A) is a top view, (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in the top view, and (C) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in the top view. FIG. 7 is a schematic external view of a container according to another embodiment according to the first embodiment, where (A) is a container in which a hinge piece and a connecting piece are joined to the side of the container body, and (B) is a container in which a hinge piece and a connecting piece are joined to the shoulder of the spouting portion. 1A is a perspective view of the cap and the container body of a second embodiment, where (A) is a perspective view of the connecting piece side, (B) is a perspective view of the second connecting piece side, and (C) is a perspective view of the container opened. 1B is a plan view of the cap of the second embodiment, where (A) is a top view of the cap, (B) is a left side view of the cap, and (C) is a right side view of the cap.

[0028] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below shows an example of how the present disclosure is implemented, and the present disclosure is not limited to the specific configuration described below. When implementing the present disclosure, a specific configuration according to the embodiment may be appropriately adopted.

[0029] Fig. 1 is a schematic external view of a container 10 of this embodiment. Fig. 1(A) is a schematic external view of the container 10 before a cap 12 is attached to a container body 14. Fig. 1(B) is a schematic external view of the container 10 after the cap 12 is attached to the container body 14. In the following description, the direction in which the cap 12 is attached to the container body 14 is referred to as "up," and the direction opposite to the direction in which the cap 12 is attached is referred to as "down." The up-down direction of the container 10 is also referred to as "vertical direction," and the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction is also referred to as "horizontal direction."

[0030] Fig. 2 is a schematic external view of the cap 12. Fig. 3 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the cap 12. The cap 12 shown in Fig. 3 is the cap 12 after molding, i.e., the cap before being attached to the container body 14.

[0031] The container 10 of this embodiment is, for example, a container known as a tube container, and is filled with toothpaste as its contents. When a user presses the side of the container body 14, the toothpaste is dispensed from the dispensing portion 16. Note that the contents filled in the container 10 are not limited to toothpaste, as long as they can be dispensed from the container 10.

[0032] The cap 12 is formed by a top portion 20 and a cap body portion 22, and is attached to the container body 14. The cap 12 is attached so that the entire circumference of the lower edge portion 22A of the cap body portion 22 abuts against the container body 14. For example, the cap 12 is attached to the container body 14 so that the lower edge portion 22A of the cap body portion 22 abuts against the upper edge portion 14A of the container body 14 without any gaps. However, this is not limiting, and the cap 12 may also be attached to the container body 14 so that the outer diameter of the cap body portion 22 is smaller than the outer diameter of the container body 14, and the lower edge portion 22A of the cap body portion 22 abuts against the shoulder portion 24 of the spout portion 16 without any gaps.

[0033] In this embodiment, the cap body 22 is, for example, cylindrical with a circular cross section, but may be elliptical, rectangular, polygonal, or the like. The top portion 20 is flat and located at the upper end of the cylindrical cap body 22, and its shape corresponds to the shape of the cap body 22. An engaging portion 30 is provided on the underside of the top portion 20, in other words, on the inner surface of the cap 12, as shown in Figure 3. When the cap 12 is attached to the container body 14, the engaging portion 30 fits into a locking protrusion 28 on the opening 26 of the container body 14.

[0034] The top portion 20 and the cap body portion 22 that form the cap 12 of this embodiment are made of a resin material such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), or polypropylene (PP), with HDPE or PP being most preferable in terms of strength and rigidity. The cap 12 may also be colored by dispersing a colored pigment, such as white or blue, in these resin materials.

[0035] The container body 14 is formed by a spout portion 16 and a container barrel portion 18 .

[0036] The container body 18 is, for example, a cylindrical body having approximately the same diameter as the diameter of the cap body 22, and is filled with the contents. Once filled with the contents, the container body 18 is sealed at its bottom 18A, which is the lower side of the container 10. Note that although the container body 18 in this embodiment has a circular cross section, it may be rectangular, polygonal, or other such shape as long as the entire periphery of the lower edge 22A of the cap body 22 abuts against the container body 14.

[0037] The container body 18 is formed from a laminated film consisting of an outermost layer, an intermediate layer, and an innermost layer.

[0038] The outermost and innermost layers of the laminated film are formed of plastic films using polyethylene resin materials such as LDPE, MDPE, HDPE, LLDPE, or ionomers, as well as heat-sealable resin materials such as PP, with LLDPE or PP being most preferred in terms of versatility and heat-sealability. The outermost or innermost layer may be formed of a mixture of the above-mentioned resin materials, or may be a multilayer film made up of a combination of multiple films made of the above-mentioned resin materials.

[0039] The intermediate layer is formed from the resin materials forming the outermost and innermost layers, as well as from resin materials such as polyesters (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate), polyamides, polyvinyl alcohol, and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, or from plastic films having gas barrier properties formed by depositing metals (e.g., aluminum (AL)) or metal oxides (e.g., alumina or silica) onto these resin materials. Examples of the plastic films having gas barrier properties include VM-PET, where VM is an abbreviation for Vacuum Metallized or Vapor Metallized.

[0040] The plastic film used in the intermediate layer may be a stretched one. Furthermore, if necessary, a metal foil such as aluminum may be used in the intermediate layer, or the above-mentioned plastic films and metal foils may be combined to form a multi-layer structure. More specifically, the intermediate layer is preferably a multi-layer structure in order to increase the physical strength of the container 10, and more preferably has at least one layer of stretched film laminated therein. Furthermore, it is preferable that at least one layer of the multi-layer intermediate layer be laminated with a metal foil or a colored plastic film with a dispersed pigment as a light-blocking layer in order to prevent the contents from being altered by light.

[0041] The laminated film composed of the outermost layer, intermediate layer, and innermost layer as described above is joined near the ends parallel to the vertical direction to form the cylindrical container body 18. The joining near the ends of the laminated film is performed by envelope sealing or palm-to-palm sealing. Envelope sealing is a method of joining the outermost layer and the innermost layer together. Palm-to-palm sealing is a method of joining the innermost layers together. For the joining near the ends, envelope sealing is more preferable because it minimizes the protrusion of the overlapping portions near the ends.

[0042] When joining the edges by sealing, it is preferable to attach a strip-shaped film (hereinafter referred to as "tape") by heat sealing or the like to prevent exposure of the cut edges on the inner edge. Alternatively, when joining the edges, the resin material at the edges of the outermost and innermost layers may be melted and the cut edges may be covered with the melted resin material from the outermost and innermost layers, or the edge of the inner laminate film may be folded back and joined to the outer edge. This is because if the cut edges on the inner edge are exposed, contact with the contents filled in the container 10 may cause deterioration of the contents. Furthermore, contact with the contents may cause delamination, a phenomenon known as delamination, at the cut edges of the laminate film. The tape is made of, for example, PE or PP.

[0043] The pouring portion 16 of the container body 14 is composed of a mouth 26 for pouring the contents, and a shoulder 24 that forms the top surface of the container body 14 and has the mouth 26 in the center. Note that the pouring portion 16 is made of the same material as the cap 12, for example.

[0044] The mouth portion 26 is cylindrical and has a locking protrusion 28 formed at approximately the center in the vertical direction. The locking protrusion 28 of the mouth portion 26 fits into an engaging portion 30 of the cap 12, thereby attaching the cap 12 to the mouth portion 26.

[0045] The shoulder 24 is, for example, conical in shape with a central opening 26 and slopes downward.

[0046] Here, the container 10 of this embodiment does not use, for example, shrink film or a tamper band to provide tamper resistance. Therefore, the container 10 of this embodiment is provided with a connecting piece 40, which is a first leg having a tamper-resistant function. The connecting piece 40 extends from the lower edge 22A of the cap body 22 in a direction facing the top portion 20, i.e., downward of the container 10, and is joined to the container body 14. Note that, as an example, the connecting piece 40 is a thin, plate-like member having a substantially rectangular outer shape with the longer side extending downward of the container 10.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 2, the connecting piece 40 has a cut portion 42 that is cut when the cap 12 is removed from the container body 14. As an example, the cut portion 42 is formed with a perforation, but it is sufficient that the cut portion 42 is more fragile than other portions of the connecting piece 40. For example, the cut portion 42 may be formed thinner than other portions. Furthermore, as an example, the cut portion 42 is formed along the lower edge portion 22A of the cap body 22, but the cut portion 42 may be formed at a position lower than the lower edge portion 22A of the cap body 22.

[0048] Furthermore, the cap 12 of this embodiment includes a hinge piece 44 that serves as a second leg that extends from the lower edge 22A of the cap body 22 in a direction facing the top portion 20 and is joined to the container body 14. This hinge piece 44 does not have a cut portion 42 formed on the connecting piece 40. In other words, with the container 10 of this embodiment, the cap 12 includes the hinge piece 44, so that the cap 12 does not separate from the container body 14 even when the container 10 is opened.

[0049] As an example, the hinge piece 44 is a thin, plate-like member having a generally rectangular outer shape with the longer side extending downward from the container 10. The shorter side of the hinge piece 44 may be longer than the shorter side of the connecting piece 40. The shorter sides of the hinge piece 44 and the connecting piece 40 are the sides parallel to the lower edge 22A of the cap body 22.

[0050] The hinge piece 44 of this embodiment is longer than the connecting piece 40, and as shown in FIG. 3 , has a first region 44A on the tip side that is joined to the container body 14 and a second region 44B on the cap body 22 side that is not joined to the container body 14. That is, the hinge piece 44 is longer than the connecting piece 40 by having the second region 44B that is not provided in the connecting piece 40. Furthermore, since the second region 44B of the hinge piece 44 is not joined to the container body 14, when the cap 12 is attached to the container body 14, it protrudes and bends from the outer edge of the container body 14, as shown in FIG. 1B . The length of the first region 44A is equal to the length of the connecting piece 40.

[0051] By making the long side of the hinge piece 44 longer than the long side of the connecting piece 40, when the cap 12 is removed from the container body 14, the second region 44B of the hinge piece 44 bends, creating so-called play, making it easier to cut the cutting portion 42 of the connecting piece 40. However, this is not limiting, and the long side of the hinge piece 44 and the long side of the connecting piece 40 may be the same length as long as the cutting portion 42 of the connecting piece 40 can be cut. The length of the long side of the connecting piece 40 may be determined by the shape and vertical length of the mouth 26 of the container body 14 and the engagement portion 30 of the cap 12.

[0052] In this embodiment, the connecting piece 40 and the hinge piece 44 are provided facing each other at the lower edge 22A of the cap body 22. This allows a force to be applied efficiently to the connecting piece 40 when removing the cap 12 from the container body 14, making it easier to cut the connecting piece 40 from the cap body 22.

[0053] The connecting piece 40 and the hinge piece 44 are formed from a resin material such as LDPE, MDPE, HDPE, LLDPE, or PP, similar to the cap 12. The cap 12 of this embodiment is molded so that the connecting piece 40 and the hinge piece 44 are integral with each other.

[0054] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the dispensing part 16 of the container body 14 of this embodiment. Figure 4(A) is a top view of the dispensing part 16. Figure 4(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in the top view, and Figure 4(C) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in the top view.

[0055] 1 and 4, grooves 50A, 50B are formed in parts of the upper periphery of the container body 14. In this embodiment, the grooves 50A, 50B are formed between the container body 14 and the shoulder 24. More specifically, in order to form the grooves 50A, 50B between the shoulder 24 and the container body 14, the shoulder 24 is formed with a groove wall 52 extending in the vertical direction of the container body 14, and a groove bottom 54 at the lower end of the groove wall 52 that joins to the container barrel 18.

[0056] The depth of the grooves 50A, 50B is equal to or slightly longer than the long sides of the connecting pieces 40, and the width of the grooves 50A, 50B is longer than the short sides of the hinge pieces 44 and connecting pieces 40. Specifically, the width of the short sides of the hinge pieces 44 and connecting pieces 40 is 2 to 10 mm, and the width of the grooves 50A, 50B is preferably at least 1 mm longer than the width of the short sides of the hinge pieces 44 and connecting pieces 40. By making the width of the grooves 50A, 50B longer than the width of the short sides of the hinge pieces 44 and connecting pieces 40, the hinge pieces 44 and connecting pieces 40 can be reliably inserted into the grooves 50A, 50B, thereby improving the productivity of the container 10.

[0057] The connecting piece 40 is inserted into a groove 50A formed in the container body 14 and joined to the container body 14. The hinge piece 44 is inserted into a groove 50B formed in the container body 14 and joined to the container body 14. More specifically, the entire connecting piece 40 is inserted into the groove 50A and joined to the container body 14. The entire first region 44A of the hinge piece 44 is inserted into the groove 50B and joined to the container body 14. By joining the container body 14 to the connecting piece 40 and hinge piece 44 in this manner, a container 10 with an excellent aesthetic appearance can be manufactured, in which the joined surfaces are not exposed on the outer surface of the container 10. Note that the method for joining the connecting piece 40 to the groove 50A and the hinge piece 44 to the groove 50B is not limited, and may be, for example, ultrasonic sealing, heat sealing, or bonding with an adhesive. When ultrasonic sealing or heat sealing is used to join connecting piece 40 and groove 50A, and hinge piece 44 and groove 50B, it is preferable that the width of the ultrasonic sealing horn (not shown) or the heat-sealing hot plate (not shown) be at least 1 mm longer than the width of grooves 50A and 50B. By making the width of the ultrasonic sealing horn and the heat-sealing hot plate longer than the width of grooves 50A and 50B, joining of connecting piece 40 and groove 50A, and hinge piece 44 and groove 50B is ensured, thereby improving the productivity of container 10.

[0058] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the container 10 in this embodiment with the cap 12 removed from the container body 14.

[0059] When the cap 12 is removed from the container body 14, the connecting piece 40 is cut at the cutting portion 42. As a result, if the connecting piece 40 is cut, the user can recognize that the cap 12 has already been removed and opened. In other words, because the connecting piece 40 has a tamper-proof function, the cap 12 of this embodiment can be tamper-proof with a simple configuration, and a shrink film covering the cap 12 and the container body 14 is not required. Furthermore, even if the connecting piece 40 is cut at the cutting portion 42, it remains on the cap 12 or the container body 14. Therefore, the cap 12 of this embodiment achieves the tamper-proof function with less material and does not produce waste that separates from the container 10.

[0060] Furthermore, in the container 10 of this embodiment, the cap 12 and the container body 14 are integrated via the connecting piece 40, but unlike conventional caps, the cap 12 is not composed of a cap body and an upper lid that opens and closes relative to the cap body. Therefore, the container 10 of this embodiment has a simplified configuration of the cap 12, and can achieve tamper-proof functionality with less material.

[0061] Furthermore, the container 10 of this embodiment generates a relatively loud noise when the connecting piece 40 is cut to remove the cap 12 from the container body 14. This noise occurs regardless of the direction in which force is applied to the cap body 22 to remove the cap. The sound generated during removal allows the user and those around them to recognize that the container 10 has been opened.

[0062] Next, a method for manufacturing the container 10 and filling it with contents according to this embodiment will be described. First, in the printing process for the container 10, the order of steps differs between when printing is performed by reverse printing and when printing is performed by front printing. The following steps 1 to 10 do not necessarily have to be performed consecutively, and one or more steps, such as manufacturing the laminated film, manufacturing the container 10, manufacturing the cap 12, and filling the container 10 with contents, may be performed by different manufacturers or factories, and the order of the steps may be different.

[0063] An example of the manufacturing process for container 10 when printing by reverse printing is shown below. Step 1: Printing is performed on the innermost surface of the intermediate layer. Step 2: Laminating the laminated film that will make up container body 14. Step 3: Cutting the laminated film to the width of one surface. Step 4: Forming the laminated film into a cylindrical shape and cutting it to the length of one pitch. Step 5: Injection molding the spout 16. Step 6: The cylindrical laminated film and spout 16 are integrated to form container body 14. Step 7: Injection molding the cap 12. Step 8: Attaching cap 12 to container body 14. Step 9: Joining connecting piece 40 and hinge piece 44 of cap 12 to container body 14. Step 10: Filling container 10 with the contents and fusion-sealing (sealing) the bottom 18A.

[0064] The molding methods for spout portion 16 and cap 12 in steps 5 and 7 are merely examples, and other methods may be used. For example, spout portion 16 may be molded by insert injection, and the molding of spout portion 16 and the integration of the tubular laminate film with spout portion 16 may be performed as a single step. Furthermore, in steps 4, 8, and 9, an ultrasonic sealing method that fuses materials using frictional heat is used, for example, but the method is not limited to this, and other methods such as heat sealing and impulse sealing may also be used instead of the fusion method.

[0065] On the other hand, in front printing, steps 1 and 2 are different from reverse printing as described below, but the subsequent steps are the same as reverse printing. Step 1: Laminate the laminate film that constitutes the container body 14. Step 2: Print on the outermost surface of the outermost layer of the laminate film.

[0066] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a process of filling the container 10 of this embodiment with contents.

[0067] Step A corresponds to step 9 above, in which the cap 12 is attached to the container body 14, and the connecting piece 40 is inserted into the groove 50A and fused to the groove 50A to join them. Also, the hinge piece 44 is inserted into the groove 50B and fused to the groove 50B to join them.

[0068] Steps B and C correspond to step 10 described above. In step B, the container 10 is turned upside down with the cap 12 attached to the container body 14. The contents are then filled into the container 10 from the bottom 18A of the container 10, which is the side opposite to the side where the cap 12 is attached. In step C, the bottom 18A is fused to seal the container 10.

[0069] Although the present disclosure has been described above using the first embodiment, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the first embodiment.

[0070] For example, in the above embodiment, a groove 50A for inserting the connecting piece 40 and a groove 50B for inserting the hinge piece 44 are formed in the container body 14, but this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 7 , a single continuous groove 70 may be formed around the entire periphery of the container body 14, i.e., around the periphery of the spout 16 and the container barrel 18, and the connecting piece 40 and the hinge piece 44 may be inserted into this groove 70. Note that FIG. 7(A) is a top view of the spout 16, FIG. 7(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in the top view, and FIG. 7(C) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in the top view. In this way, forming a single groove 70 around the entire periphery of the container body 14 facilitates positioning of the connecting piece 40 and the hinge piece 44 for insertion into the groove 70.

[0071] Alternatively, the connecting piece 40 and the hinge piece 44 may be joined to the container body 14 as shown in FIG. 8 without being inserted into the grooves 50A, 50B, or 70. In the example of FIG. 8(A), the first regions 44A of the connecting piece 40 and the hinge piece 44 are joined to the side surfaces of the container body 14. In the example of FIG. 8(B), the diameter of the cap 12 is smaller than the diameter of the container body 14, and the first regions 44A of the connecting piece 40 and the hinge piece 44 are joined to the surfaces of the shoulder portions 24 of the spout portion 16. Alternatively, the connecting piece 40 may be joined to the outer surface of the container body 14, and the hinge piece 44 may be inserted into the grooves 50B or 70 and joined thereto. Alternatively, the connecting piece 40 may be inserted into the grooves 50A or 70 and joined thereto, and the hinge piece 44 may be joined thereto. The outer surface of the container body 14 includes the side surface of the container body 14 and the surface of the shoulder portion 24 of the spout portion 16 .

[0072] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a configuration in which the cap 12 is provided with a pair of connecting pieces 40 and hinge pieces 44 has been described, but this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the cap 12 may be provided with only one or more connecting pieces 40 without a hinge piece 44. Furthermore, the cap 12 may be provided with two or more connecting pieces 40 and one hinge piece 44. Furthermore, the hinge piece 44 may be joined to the container body 14 so that its shape is, for example, a butterfly hinge. Furthermore, depending on the number and positions of the connecting pieces 40 and hinge pieces 44, multiple grooves 50 may be formed partially in the container body 14, or the connecting pieces 40 and hinge pieces 44 may be inserted into grooves 70 formed around the periphery of the container body 14, as shown in FIG. 7 .

[0073] In the above embodiment, the cutting portion 42 is formed as a perforation, but this embodiment is not limited to this. The cutting portion 42 may be formed to be weaker than other portions of the connecting piece 40 by the action of an ultrasonic sealing horn or a heat sealing hot plate used when joining the connecting piece 40 and the container body 14.

[0074] The resin tends to become brittle at the point of contact with the ultrasonic sealing horn, and the tensile strength of the heat-fusible resin material facing the peripheral edge of the ultrasonic sealing horn is particularly significantly reduced. Also, by adjusting any or all of the pressure, bonding time, and temperature of the heat-sealing hot plate bonding conditions so that the container body 14 and the connecting piece 40 are strongly bonded, the thickness of the heat-fusible resin material at the peripheral edge of the heat-sealing hot plate becomes thinner, and the tensile strength is significantly reduced.

[0075] Therefore, the connecting piece 40 is joined to the container body 14 so that the upper end of the ultrasonic sealing horn or heat sealing hot plate is positioned near the lower edge 22A of the cap body 22. This forms a cut portion 42 in the connecting piece 40. By forming the cut portion 42 in this manner, the step of forming the cut portion 42 is not required when forming the cap 12.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the cap 12 is provided with a pair of connecting pieces 40 and hinge pieces 44 facing each other, but this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the connecting pieces 40 and hinge pieces 44 may be provided in positions where they do not face each other.

[0077] Alternatively, a connecting piece 40 may be provided at a position opposite the hinge piece 44, and another connecting piece 40 may be provided adjacent to at least one of the left and right sides of the hinge piece 44. The hinge piece 44 has a second region 44B that provides play. Therefore, it is possible to lift the cap 12 upward to create a gap between the cap 12 and the container body 14 without cutting the connecting piece 40 opposite the hinge piece 44. Therefore, by providing a connecting piece 40 adjacent to the hinge piece 44, if an attempt is made to create such a gap, the connecting piece 40 adjacent to the hinge piece 44 will be cut. This allows the user to recognize the possibility that the container 10 has been opened, even if the connecting piece 40 opposite the hinge piece 44 has not been cut.

[0078] Second Embodiment A cap 12 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the cap 12 and container body 14 of this embodiment, where Figure 9(A) is a perspective view of the connecting piece 40 side, Figure 9(B) is a perspective view of the second connecting piece 82 side, and Figure 9(C) is a perspective view of the container 10 in an opened state. Figure 10 is a plan view of the cap 12, where Figure 10(A) is a top view of the cap 12, Figure 10(B) is a left side view of the cap 12, and Figure 10(B) is a right side view of the cap 12.

[0079] The cap 12 of this embodiment includes a long connecting portion 80 that connects the cap body 22 and the container body 14. The connecting portion 80 is arranged along the periphery of the cap body 22 or the container body 14 when the cutting portion 42 of the connecting piece 40 is not cut. The outer diameter of the cap body 22 of this embodiment is smaller than the outer diameter of the container body 14. Therefore, as an example, the connecting portion 80 of this embodiment is arranged so as to follow the periphery of the cap body 22. However, this is not limiting, and for example, if the outer diameter of the cap body 22 is larger than the outer diameter of the container body 14, the connecting portion 80 may be arranged so as to follow the periphery of the container body 14.

[0080] Furthermore, the term "long" means, in other words, string-like, and the shape and length of the cap 12 are such that the cap 12 does not separate from the container body 14 when removed from the container body 14, and the cap 12 does not hinder the pouring of the contents from the container body 14 when the contents are poured out.

[0081] Even when the cap 12 of this embodiment is removed from the container 10, it does not separate from the container 10 due to the connection portion 80. Furthermore, when the cutting portion 42 of the connecting piece 40 is not cut, the long connection portion 80 is arranged so as to follow the periphery of the cap body 22 of the cap 12. As a result, the connection portion 80 is arranged in a position that is approximately flush with the outer diameter of the container body 14, and therefore the connection portion 80 does not protrude from the cap body 22 of the cap 12 or the container body 14. Therefore, when the containers 10 are placed on an accumulation tray, the connection portion 80 does not interfere with the accumulation tray, and the containers 10 do not interfere with each other.

[0082] In this embodiment, the end 80A of the connecting portion 80 on the cap body 22 side is located on the cap body 22 side of the connecting piece 40. This allows the user to open the cap 12 equipped with the connecting portion 80 without any discomfort.

[0083] Furthermore, the cap 12 of this embodiment includes a second connecting piece 82 that is cut when the cap 12 is removed from the container body 14. The end 80B of the connecting portion 80 on the container body 14 side is located on the container body 14 side of the second connecting piece 82. As a result, the container 10 of this embodiment has a double tamper-proof function due to the connecting piece 40 and the second connecting piece 82.

[0084] More specifically, the second connecting piece 82 of this embodiment has a cutting portion 84 formed thereon. As an example, the cutting portion 84 of this embodiment joins the second connecting piece 82, which is joined to the container body 14, and the cap body 22 at two points. When force is applied, the cap body 22 side of the cutting portion 84 is severed from the cap body 22, making the cap body 22 and the second connecting piece 82 separable. As a result, when the container 10 is opened, the cutting portion 84 of the second connecting piece 82 is severed along with the cutting portion 42 of the connecting piece 40, and the cap 12 is removed from the container body 14. Meanwhile, the cap 12 and the container body 14 remain connected by the connecting portion 80, so the cap 12 and the container body 14 are not separated. Note that the configuration of the cutting portion 84 is merely an example, and other configurations of the cutting portion 84 may be used as long as the second connecting piece 82 can be severed from the cap body 22.

[0085] In addition, as an example, the second connecting piece 82 is located 180° opposite to the position where the connecting piece 40 is provided. In other words, the connection portion 80 has a length that is halfway around the circumference of the cap 12. This more reliably prevents the cap 12 from interfering with the pouring of the contents from the container body 14.

[0086] Furthermore, as one example, the connecting piece 40 of this embodiment is inserted into a groove 50A formed around the upper periphery of the container body 14 and joined to the container body 14. As one example, the second connecting piece 82 of this embodiment is inserted into a groove 50B formed around the upper periphery of the container body 14 and joined to the container body 14. However, this is not limiting, and the connecting piece 40 and the second connecting piece 82 may be joined to the side surface of the container body 14, for example.

[0087] Although the present disclosure has been described above using the second embodiment, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the second embodiment.

[0088] The positions of the cut portion 42 of the connecting piece 40 and the cut portion 84 of the second connecting piece 82 are merely examples, and other positions may be used. For example, the second connecting piece 82 may be formed at a position other than the 180° opposite position of the connecting piece 40, such as at a 90° angle from the connecting piece 40.

[0089] Furthermore, the positions of the ends 80A, 80B of the connecting portion 80 do not have to correspond to the positions of the connecting piece 40 and the second connecting piece 82. End 80A of the connecting portion 80 may be connected to the cap body 22 at another position, and end 80B may be connected to the container body 14 at another position, as long as the cap 12 is positioned so as not to interfere with the pouring of the contents from the container body 14. For example, end 80A may be located near the container body 18 within a range that does not interfere with opening the cap 12.

[0090] Although the present disclosure has been described above using the above-described embodiments, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the above-described embodiments. Various modifications or improvements can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the gist of the disclosure, and such modifications or improvements are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, an embodiment combining the first and second embodiments is also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0091] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Container 12 Cap 14 Container body 20 Top portion 22 Cap body (body portion) 22A Lower edge portion 40 Connecting piece (first leg portion) 42 Cutting portion 44 Hinge piece (second leg portion) 50A Groove portion (first groove) 50B Groove portion (second groove) 80 Connection portion 82 Second connecting piece (cutting piece)

Claims

1. A cap formed of a top portion and a body portion and attached to a container body, the cap having a first leg portion extending from the lower edge of the body portion in a direction facing the top portion and joined to the container body, the first leg portion having a cutting portion formed thereon that is cut when the cap is removed from the container body.

2. The cap according to claim 1, further comprising a second leg portion extending from the lower edge of the body portion in a direction facing the top portion and joined to the container body, wherein the second leg portion does not have the cut portion formed thereon.

3. A cap as described in claim 2, wherein the second leg is longer than the first leg and has a first region on the tip side that is joined to the container body and a second region on the body side that is not joined to the container body.

4. A cap as described in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the first leg portion and the second leg portion are provided opposite each other at the lower edge portion of the body portion.

5. A cap as described in claim 1, wherein the cutting portion is arranged along the periphery of the body or the container body when not cut, and has a long connecting portion that connects the body and the container body.

6. The cap according to claim 5, wherein the end of the connecting portion on the side of the body is located on the side of the body of the first leg.

7. A cap as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, comprising a cutting piece that is cut off when the cap is removed from the container body, and the end of the connecting portion on the container body side is located on the container body side of the cutting piece.

8. A container comprising a container body filled with contents and a cap attached to the container body, wherein the cap is formed of a top portion and a body portion, the body portion extending from a lower edge portion in a direction opposite to the top portion and comprising a first leg portion joined to the container body, and the first leg portion having a cutting portion formed therein that is cut when the cap is removed from the container body.

9. The container according to claim 8, wherein the first leg is joined to the container body by being inserted into a groove formed in the container body.

10. A container according to claim 9, wherein the container body comprises a pouring portion having a mouth for pouring out the contents and a shoulder portion on which the mouth is provided and which forms the upper surface of the container body, and the groove portion is formed between the container body and the shoulder portion.

11. A container as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, comprising a second leg portion extending from the lower edge of the body in a direction opposite to the top portion, joined to the container body, and not having the cut portion formed thereon, wherein the first leg portion is inserted into a first groove portion formed in the container body and joined to the container body, and the second leg portion is inserted into a second groove portion formed in the container body and joined to the container body.

12. A method for manufacturing a container comprising a container body filled with contents and a cap formed of a top portion and a body portion, wherein the body portion of the cap is provided with a first leg portion extending from the lower edge in a direction opposite to the top portion, joined to the container body, and having a cutting portion formed thereon that is cut when the cap is removed from the container body, the method comprising: a first step of attaching the cap to the container body; and a second step of joining the first leg portion formed on the cap to the container body.

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