Tube container

Abstract

This invention provides a tube container, which is highly recyclable and according to which the residual amount of content can be reduced.　In a tube container (1), a cylindrical part (100) is formed by welding ends of a single sheet (S) containing polyester resin as a main component to each other to form same into a cylindrical shape. An opening end part (120) includes an inner peripheral end surface (121) facing a central axis (A). A pouring part (200) includes: a joined part (210) joined to the inner peripheral end surface (121); a shoulder part (220) extending from the joined part (210) toward the central axis (A); and a mouth part (230) provided at a tip on the central axis (A) side of the shoulder part (220) and defining a through hole (H) penetrating the pouring part (200) along the axial direction (DA). The joined part (210) includes an extension part (211) extending in the axial direction (DA) along the opening end part (120), and an inner end part (212) positioned at the end of the extension part (211) on the body part (110) side in the axial direction (DA). The shoulder part (220) extends from the inner end part (212).

Description

Tube container

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tube container.

[0002] Japanese Patent No. 6976032 (Patent Document 1) discloses a tube container. This tube container is composed of a pouring unit for pouring out the contents and a body portion welded to the pouring unit for containing the contents. The body portion is formed by a cylindrical body formed of a film having a multilayer structure. The film has a three-layer structure consisting of an inner layer, an intermediate layer, and an outer layer. Examples of the non-adsorbent resin constituting the inner layer and the outer layer include polyester resins.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 6976032 [[ID=1-1]]

[0004] Although polyester resins have high recyclability, they have relatively high rigidity.] Therefore, in a tube container provided with a cylindrical portion made of a single sheet mainly containing a polyester resin, it is difficult to squeeze out the internal residue.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a tube container that has high recyclability and can reduce the residual amount of the contents.

[0006] A tube container according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a cylindrical portion and a pouring portion. The cylindrical portion is formed by welding the ends of a single sheet mainly containing a polyester resin to each other to form a cylinder. The cylindrical portion includes a body portion and an opening end portion. The opening end portion is located on one side of the body portion in the axial direction of the central axis of the cylindrical portion. The opening end portion includes an inner peripheral end face facing the central axis. The pouring portion includes a joint portion joined to the inner peripheral end face, a shoulder extending from the joint portion toward the central axis, and a mouth portion provided at the tip on the central axis side of the shoulder and forming a through hole penetrating the pouring portion along the axial direction. The joint portion includes an extending portion extending in the axial direction along the opening end portion and an inner end portion located at the end on the body portion side of the extending portion in the axial direction. The shoulder extends from the inner end portion.

[0007] / / 原文中这两行没有实际内容,翻译后也保留空行 According to the present disclosure, a tube container having high recyclability and capable of reducing the residual amount of the contents can be provided.

[0008] This is a perspective view showing a tube container according to Embodiment 1. This is a partial perspective view showing a tube container in Embodiment 1 with the sealing member removed. This is a partial cross-sectional view showing the sheets constituting the cylindrical portion and the closing portion. This is a plan view showing the tube container according to Embodiment 1 from the dispensing side. This is a partial cross-sectional view of the tube container in Figure 4, viewed in the direction of the V-V arrow. This is a partial cross-sectional view of the tube container in Figure 4, viewed in the direction of the VI-VI arrow. This is a partial cross-sectional view of a modified example of Embodiment 1 of the tube container. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state when the contents of the tube container according to Embodiment 1 are being squeezed out. This is an enlarged view of region IX in Figure 8. This is a partial perspective view showing a tube container according to Embodiment 2. This is a partial cross-sectional view showing a tube container according to Embodiment 2. This is a partial perspective view showing a modified example of Embodiment 2 of the tube container. This is a partial perspective view showing a tube container according to Embodiment 3 of the tube container.

[0009] Hereinafter, tube containers according to each embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of each embodiment, the same or corresponding parts in the figures will be denoted by reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0010] Furthermore, in this specification, if a certain component is said to contain polyester resin as its main component, it may mean that the polyester resin content in that component is 85% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, or 99% by mass or more.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a tube container according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 1, the tube container 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure comprises a sealing member 50, a cylindrical portion 100, a dispensing portion 200, and a closing portion 300.

[0012] The sealing member 50 is provided on the dispensing section 200. The sealing member 50 has a film-like outer shape. The sealing member 50 is provided with a tab.

[0013] Figure 2 is a partial perspective view showing the tube container in Embodiment 1 with the sealing member removed. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tube container 1 according to Embodiment 1 is configured so that the contents can be dispensed from the dispensing portion 200 by peeling off the sealing member 50 from the dispensing portion 200. As a result, the tube container 1 according to Embodiment 1 can be suitably used as a refillable container. A refillable container is used to add or refill contents into another container that contains or has contained the contents of cosmetics or the like.

[0014] In other words, conventional pouch containers used as refillable containers required opening a cap or cutting off the end. On the other hand, removing the sealing member 50 is easier than these actions. Therefore, the tube container 1 can be suitably used as a refillable container. The tube container 1 may also be equipped with a cap that can engage with the dispensing portion 200 instead of the sealing member 50.

[0015] The cylindrical portion 100 is formed by welding the ends of a single sheet S, which mainly contains polyester resin, together to form a tube. Polyester resin has relatively high rigidity. For this reason, conventional pouch containers made of flexible packaging materials used as refillable containers require both hands to support them when refilling. However, when using the tube container 1 according to this embodiment as a refillable container, the tube container 1 can be stably supported by the cylindrical portion 100 with just one hand.

[0016] The cylindrical portion 100 includes a base portion 101 containing a single sheet S, and a welded portion 102 which is the part where the ends of the single sheet S are welded together. The welded portion 102 has a strip-like outer shape.

[0017] The closing portion 300 is connected to the cylindrical portion 100 and closes the open end of the cylindrical portion 100 on the side opposite to the dispensing portion 200. The configuration of the closing portion 300 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the closing portion 300 is formed by welding the inner surfaces of the sheets S that form the cylindrical portion 100 to each other.

[0018] Here, the sheet S constituting the cylindrical portion 100 and the closing portion 300 will be described. As mentioned above, the sheet S mainly contains polyester resin. For this reason, the cylindrical portion 100 and the tube container 1 are highly recyclable. Specifically, the sheet S preferably contains 85% by mass or more of polyester resin overall, and more preferably 90% by mass or more.

[0019] Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the sheets that constitute the cylindrical portion and the closing portion. As shown in Figure 3, the sheet S includes a first base layer SL1, a second base layer SL2, and one or more reinforcing layers RL, which are laminated together in the thickness direction.

[0020] The first base layer SL1 is located on the side of the central axis A of the cylindrical portion 100 in the radial direction with respect to the axial direction DA of the central axis A of the cylindrical portion 100 (see Figures 1 and 2). That is, the first base layer SL1 is the innermost layer of the cylindrical portion 100. The second base layer SL2 is located radially outward from the first base layer SL1 in the cylindrical portion 100. The second base layer SL2 may have the same configuration as the first base layer SL1. However, the second base layer SL2 may have a different configuration from the first base layer SL1. When describing the configurations of "each of the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2" below, only at least one of the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 may have that configuration.

[0021] Each of the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 contains a polyester resin as its main component. This improves the recyclability of the cylindrical portion 100, the closing portion 300, and the tube container 1. It is also preferable that the polyester resin content of each of the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 be 95% by mass or more, or 99% by mass or more. The polyester resin contained in the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 is not particularly limited as long as it can be used as the cylindrical portion 100. Examples of polyester resins include polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG, polyethylene terephthalate modified with cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) or neopentyl glycol, etc.), and polylactic acid. It is preferable that the first base layer SL1 contains only a polyester resin as its resin component.

[0022] From the viewpoint of the recyclability of the cylindrical portion 100, the closing portion 300, and the tube container 1, the polyester resin in each of the first base material layer SL1 and the second base material layer SL2 is preferably homopolyethylene terephthalate, or polyethylene terephthalate such as copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate obtained by copolymerizing ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, and a third component, or glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, and more preferably homopolyethylene terephthalate.

[0023] The first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 are welded to each other at the welded portion 102. The polyester resin in the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 is preferably an amorphous polyester resin (such as amorphous polyethylene terephthalate and glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate) from the viewpoint of welding the sheets S together at the welded portion 102 with relatively low energy and efficiently transmitting ultrasonic vibrations. In particular, each of the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 is most preferably amorphous homopolyethylene terephthalate from the viewpoint of both the recyclability of the cylindrical portion 100, the closing portion 300 and the tube container 1, and the adhesion of the sheets S at the welded portion 102 and the closing portion 300.

[0024] From the viewpoint of reducing environmental impact, it is preferable that the polyester resin in the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 be made from recycled or biomass raw materials. However, from the viewpoint of containing contents in the tube container 1, it is also preferable that the polyester resin in the first base layer SL1 be made from virgin raw materials.

[0025] The first base layer SL1 may be a single-layer film or part of a laminated film. Preferably, the films (single-layer film or laminated film) constituting the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 are unoriented films or uniaxially oriented films. As a result, crystallization of the surfaces of the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 is suppressed, and when the welded portion 102 is formed by ultrasonic welding, the weldability between the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2 is improved. Furthermore, the adhesion between the sheets S at the welded portion 102 and the closing portion 300 is improved.

[0026] From the viewpoint of improving adhesion as described above, it is particularly preferable that the films constituting the first substrate layer SL1 and the second substrate layer SL2 are unstretched films.

[0027] The one or more reinforcing layers RL may be two or more reinforcing layers RL, or three or more reinforcing layers RL. The one or more reinforcing layers RL are arranged between the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2. By including one or more reinforcing layers RL in the sheet S, the drop strength of the cylindrical portion 100 and the tube container 1 can be improved.

[0028] The reinforcing layer RL also contains a polyester resin as its main component. The polyester resin of the reinforcing layer RL is preferably homopolyethylene terephthalate, or polyethylene terephthalate such as copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate obtained by copolymerizing ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, and a third component, glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). It is also preferable that the reinforcing layer RL contains only a polyester resin or polybutylene terephthalate as its resin component.

[0029] From the viewpoint of recyclability, the polyester resin of the reinforcing layer RL is preferably homopolyethylene terephthalate, or polyethylene terephthalate such as copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate obtained by copolymerizing ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, and a third component, or glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, and more preferably homopolyethylene terephthalate.

[0030] From the viewpoint of reducing environmental impact, it is preferable that the polyester resin in the reinforcing layer RL be made from recycled or biomass raw materials. However, from the viewpoint of reducing the cost of forming the cylindrical portion 100, it is also preferable that the polyester resin in the reinforcing layer RL be made from virgin raw materials.

[0031] From the viewpoint of further suppressing the drop strength of the tube container 1, it is also preferable that the polyester resin of the reinforcing layer RL be polybutylene terephthalate. Polybutylene terephthalate has higher impact strength compared to polyethylene terephthalate. Therefore, by using polybutylene terephthalate as the polyester resin of the reinforcing layer RL, it is possible to further suppress damage when the cylindrical part 100, the closing part 300, and the tube container 1 are dropped, while improving their recyclability. Furthermore, a film containing polybutylene terephthalate has higher rigidity (specifically, tensile modulus, etc.) compared to a film containing polyamide. As a result, if the reinforcing layer RL contains polybutylene terephthalate instead of a polyamide resin, the formation of the closing part 300 becomes easier when the closing part 300 is formed by hot air welding of sheets S.

[0032] The film constituting the reinforcing layer RL is preferably a biaxially oriented film. This allows the radial thickness to be reduced while maintaining the toughness of the tubular portion 100. Furthermore, the fact that the reinforcing layer RL is a biaxially oriented film facilitates the formation of the closing portion 300. Moreover, if the sheet S includes a barrier layer BL described later, the fact that the film constituting the reinforcing layer RL is a biaxially oriented film can suppress cracking of the barrier layer BL. At least one of the multiple reinforcing layers RL may be a biaxially oriented film. However, it is preferable that each of the reinforcing layers RL is a biaxially oriented film.

[0033] The reinforcing layer RL may be part of the laminated film. If the reinforcing layer RL is part of the laminated film, it may be configured as one layer of the laminated film together with the first base layer SL1 or the second base layer SL2, or it may be directly laminated on the first base layer SL1 or the second base layer SL2 without an adhesive layer or the like in between.

[0034] In this embodiment, one or more reinforcing layers RL include a first reinforcing layer RL1, a second reinforcing layer RL2, and a third reinforcing layer RL3. The first reinforcing layer RL1 is located closest to the first base layer SL1 among the multiple reinforcing layers RL. The third reinforcing layer RL3 is located closest to the second base layer SL2 among the multiple reinforcing layers RL. The second reinforcing layer RL2 is located between the first reinforcing layer RL1 and the third reinforcing layer RL3.

[0035] From the viewpoint of improving recyclability and drop strength in a balanced manner, it is preferable that the polyester resins of the first reinforcing layer RL1 and the third reinforcing layer RL3 are homopolyethylene terephthalate, or polyethylene terephthalate such as copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate obtained by copolymerizing ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, and the third component, or glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, and the polyester resin of the second reinforcing layer RL2 is polybutylene terephthalate. Most preferably, the polyester resins of the first reinforcing layer RL1 and the third reinforcing layer RL3 are homopolyethylene terephthalate, and the polyester resin of the second reinforcing layer RL2 is polybutylene terephthalate.

[0036] In this embodiment, the sheet S further includes a barrier layer BL. The barrier layer BL may be located on the side of the first base layer SL1 when viewed from the reinforcing layer RL, or on the opposite side of the first base layer SL1 when viewed from the reinforcing layer RL. Specifically, the barrier layer BL may be located between the second base layer SL2 and the reinforcing layer RL. The sheet S may not include the barrier layer BL.

[0037] The material constituting the barrier layer BL is not particularly limited. Examples of the barrier layer BL include a ceramic barrier layer such as a silica barrier layer or an alumina barrier layer, or a metal barrier layer such as an aluminum barrier layer. The ceramic barrier layer may be a transparent vapor-deposited layer. In this embodiment, the barrier layer BL is laminated on the reinforcing layer RL by vapor deposition. Specifically, the barrier layer BL is laminated on the first reinforcing layer RL1 by vapor deposition. The sheet S may contain multiple barrier layers BL. Each of the multiple barrier layers BL may be laminated on multiple reinforcing layers RL by vapor deposition. In this embodiment, the sheet S contains only one barrier layer BL.

[0038] The sheet S further includes a plurality of adhesive layers AL. The plurality of adhesive layers AL are located between the first base layer SL1 and the first reinforcing layer RL1, between the first reinforcing layer RL1 and the second reinforcing layer RL2, between the second reinforcing layer RL2 and the third reinforcing layer RL3, and between the barrier layer BL and the second base layer SL2, respectively. The adhesive constituting the adhesive layers AL is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a dry laminating adhesive. Conventional known dry laminating adhesives can be used.

[0039] The sheet S may further include a printed layer for improved design. The printed layer may be located between any layers, as long as it is located radially outward from the first base layer SL1, which is the innermost layer of the cylindrical portion 100. For example, it may be located between the first base layer SL1 and the reinforcing layer RL, between the second base layer SL2 and the reinforcing layer RL, or between two reinforcing layers RL. Preferably, the printed layer is located on the opposite side from the reinforcing layer RL when viewed from the second base layer SL2. The sheet S may not include a printed layer in order to give the cylindrical portion 100 light transmittance so that the contents can be seen from outside the tube container 1.

[0040] It is also preferable that the sheet S does not include a printed layer in the welded portion 102. This prevents the printed layer from melting during the formation of the welded portion 102, thereby reducing the aesthetic appearance of the tube container 1. The printed layer consists of, for example, ink. Examples of inks include oil-based inks (including solvent-based inks using organic solvents), water-based inks (including water-dispersible emulsion inks), or UV-curable inks.

[0041] The sheet S may further include an anchor coat layer. The anchor coat layer is located between the printed layer and the other layers. The anchor coat layer enhances the adhesion between the printed layer and the other layers. The anchor coat layer can be formed using conventionally known anchor coat agents, etc. If the sheet S includes a printed layer, a transparent protective layer may be further laminated on the printed layer. The transparent protective layer may be a resin film such as a polypropylene film, or a layer made of transparent ink.

[0042] The sheet S may further include an insulating layer. The insulating layer may be placed between the first base layer SL1 and the second base layer SL2. This suppresses the transfer of heat applied to the first base layer SL1 when forming the closing portion 300 to the second base layer SL2. The insulating layer may be placed between the first base layer SL1 and the reinforcing layer RL. This suppresses the transfer of the above heat to the reinforcing layer RL. It is preferable that the insulating layer has a lower thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of the first base layer SL1. This effectively suppresses the transfer of the above heat to the second base layer SL2, etc., even if the insulating layer is relatively thin. The insulating layer may be a metal layer such as aluminum, but from the viewpoint of effectively suppressing heat conduction as described above, it is preferable that the insulating layer be composed of a foamed material made of a resin component such as polyethylene terephthalate.

[0043] The total thickness of the sheet S is preferably, for example, 12 μm to 250 μm, from the viewpoint of forming the sheet S into a cylindrical shape and from the viewpoint of handling the tube container 1. This provides good squeezeability to the tube container 1. Squeezability refers to the property of being able to dispense the contents contained in the container by pushing them out from the outside of the container.

[0044] From the viewpoint of ensuring a desired drop strength or the like, the total thickness of the sheet S is preferably 100 μm or more, and more preferably 120 μm or more.

[0045] The first base material layer SL1 and the second base material layer SL2 will be welded to each other when the welded portion 102 is formed. Therefore, each of the first base material layer SL1 and the second base material layer SL2 is preferably thicker than each of at least the reinforcing layers RL. Thereby, when the welded portion 102 is formed, the influence of the resin component contained in the reinforcing layer RL on the welding strength between the sheets S can be reduced. From the viewpoint of further reducing the influence, the thickness of each of the first base material layer SL1 and the second base material layer SL2 is preferably 1.2 times or more, more preferably 3 times or more, and even more preferably 5 times or more the thickness of the reinforcing layer RL. At least one of the first base material layer SL1 and the second base material layer SL2, or both of them, may be the thickest layer in the sheet S. In the present specification, the thickness of the sheet S and the layers constituting the same refers to the thickness of the sheet S and the layers constituting the same before the cylindrical portion 100 is formed.

[0046] The thickness of each of the first base material layer SL1 and the second base material layer SL2 is preferably, for example, 10 μm or more, more preferably 60 μm or more, preferably, for example, 250 μm or less, and more preferably 80 μm or less. The thickness of each of the first base material layer SL1 and the second base material layer SL2 may be, for example, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, or 100 μm.

[0047] The thicknesses of the first base material layer SL1 and the second base material layer SL2 may be the same as each other. Thereby, it becomes possible to configure the second base material layer SL2 with the same film as the film constituting the first base material layer SL1. Note that the thickness of the second base material layer SL2 may be different from the thickness of the first base material layer SL1.

[0048] The thickness of each of the reinforcing layers RL is preferably, for example, 5 μm or more and 200 μm or less, and more preferably 5 μm or more and 100 μm or less. From the viewpoint of reducing the total thickness of the sheet S, the thickness of each of the reinforcing layers RL may be, for example, 5 μm or more and 25 μm or less. The thickness of each of the reinforcing layers RL may be, for example, 12 μm, 15 μm, or 25 μm. When the barrier layer BL is deposited on the reinforcing layer RL, the total thickness of the reinforcing layer RL and the barrier layer BL may be 5 μm or more and 25 μm or less. The total thickness of the reinforcing layer RL and the barrier layer BL may be, for example, 12 μm, 15 μm, or 25 μm.

[0049] Next, the details of the configuration of the cylindrical portion 100 will be described. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the tube container according to the first embodiment from the pouring-out side. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the tube container of FIG. 4 taken in the direction of the arrow along the line V-V. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the tube container of FIG. 4 taken in the direction of the arrow along the line VI-VI. In the drawings after FIG. 4, as in FIG. 2, the tube container in a state where the sealing member 50 is peeled off is shown.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 to 6, the cylindrical portion 100 includes a body portion 110 and an opening end portion 120.

[0051] Since the body portion 110 of the tube container 1 is constituted by a part of the cylindrical portion 100, the width dimension can be made relatively smaller than that of the pouch container. From this viewpoint as well, the tube container 1 according to the first embodiment can be suitably used as a non-bulky refillable container as compared with the conventional pouch container. The contents are accommodated inside the body portion 110. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the tube container 1 in a state where no external force is applied to the body portion 110 and the body portion 110 is not plastically deformed is described.

[0052] The opening end portion 120 is located on one side of the body portion 110 in the axial direction DA of the central axis A of the cylindrical portion 100. The opening end portion 120 has a cylindrical outer shape. The opening end portion 120 includes an inner peripheral end face 121 facing the central axis A and an edge 122 facing the axial direction DA.

[0053] Next, the details of the configuration of the dispensing section 200 will be described. The dispensing section 200 is made of a molded resin product. From the viewpoint of the recyclability of the tube container 1, it is preferable that the dispensing section 200 is made of a resin composition mainly composed of polyester resin. Polyester resin has greater rigidity compared to polyolefin resins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, which are commonly used as materials for tube containers. Therefore, when squeezing the contents out of the tube container 1 according to this embodiment, the dispensing section 200 is less likely to deform.

[0054] The polyester resin in the dispensing section 200 can be the same as the polyester resin in the first base layer SL1. From the viewpoint of the recyclability of the tube container 1, the polyester resin in the dispensing section 200 is more preferably homopolyethylene terephthalate, or polyethylene terephthalate such as copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate obtained by copolymerizing ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, and a third component, or glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, and even more preferably homopolyethylene terephthalate. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of the moldability of the dispensing section 200, the polyester resin in the dispensing section 200 is preferably amorphous polyester resin (amorphous polyethylene terephthalate, glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, etc.). However, the polyester resin in the dispensing section 200 may also be crystalline polyester resin (for example, crystalline polyethylene terephthalate).

[0055] From the viewpoint of the recyclability of the tube container 1, it is preferable that the resin composition constituting the dispensing section 200 contains only a polyester resin as a resin component. The resin composition constituting the dispensing section 200 may further contain conventionally known additives. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of reducing environmental impact, it is preferable that the polyester resin in the resin composition is made from recycled materials or biomass-derived materials, but from the viewpoint of reducing the manufacturing cost of the dispensing section 200, it is also preferable that the polyester resin in the resin composition is made from virgin materials.

[0056] The dispensing portion 200 includes a joint portion 210 joined to the inner circumferential end surface 121, a shoulder portion 220 extending from the joint portion 210 toward the central axis A, and a mouth portion 230 provided at the tip of the shoulder portion 220 on the central axis A side, which forms a through hole H that penetrates the dispensing portion 200 along the axial direction DA.

[0057] The joint portion 210 extends in an annular shape when viewed from the axial direction DA. The joint portion 210 includes an extended portion 211 that extends in the axial direction DA along the open end portion 120, and an inner end portion 212 located at the end of the extended portion 211 on the body portion 110 side in the axial direction DA.

[0058] The extended portion 211 extends in an annular shape when viewed from the axial direction DA. The extended portion 211 may also cover the end edge 122.

[0059] The extended portion 211 includes a pair of thick-walled portions 211a (see Figure 5) and a thin-walled portion 211b (see Figure 6). The radial thickness of the thick-walled portion 211a, which is the dimension in the radial direction of the central axis A, is greater than the radial thickness of the thin-walled portion 211b. The presence of a pair of thick-walled portions 211a allows the fingers of both hands to hook onto the pair of thick-walled portions 211a, thereby making it easy to squeeze out the contents of the tube container 1 (see Figures 8 and 9 described later). Furthermore, by making the portion of the extended portion 211 other than the thick-walled portion 211a into a thin-walled portion 211b, the amount of material used to form the dispensing portion 200 can be reduced.

[0060] The overall diameter of the outer surface of the extended portion 211, as viewed from the axial direction DA, can be, for example, 20 mm or more and 50 mm or less. This allows the dispensing portion 200 to fit in both hands during the squeezing process described later, making squeezing easier (see Figures 8 and 9 described later).

[0061] The extended portion 211 further includes a supported surface 211c, an inner angle 211d, and an outer angle 211e. The supported surface 211c is an outer surface facing away from the inner end portion 212 in the axial direction DA. The inner angle 211d is continuous with the supported surface 211c and constitutes the corner of the extended portion 211 on the side of the central axis A. The outer angle 211e is continuous with the supported surface 211c and constitutes the corner of the extended portion 211 on the side of the central axis A.

[0062] The supported surface 211c extends in a planar shape. The inner corner 211d is rounded while being obliquely inclined with respect to the axial direction DA. The outer corner 211e is rounded while being obliquely inclined with respect to the axial direction DA. Each of these configurations helps to prevent finger pain when squeezing out the tube container 1, which will be described later (see Figures 8 and 9 below).

[0063] The shoulder portion 220 extends in an annular shape when viewed from the axial direction DA. The shoulder portion 220 extends from the inner end portion 212. The shoulder portion 220 is inclined to move away from the body portion 110 in the axial direction DA as it approaches the mouth portion 230. Therefore, the inner and outer surfaces of the shoulder portion 220 have a roughly frustoconical shape.

[0064] The thickness of the shoulder portion 220 is preferably thin from the viewpoint of reducing the amount of resin material used to constitute the dispensing portion 200. For example, it is preferably 1.5 mm or less, more preferably 1.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 0.7 mm or less. The thickness of the shoulder portion 220 may be the shortest distance from the inner surface to the outer surface of the shoulder portion 220. The radial thickness of the thick portion 211a is greater than the thickness of the shoulder portion 220. The radial thickness of the thin portion 211b is thinner than the thickness of the shoulder portion 220.

[0065] The inclination of the shoulder portion 220 in the direction from the inner end portion 212 toward the mouth portion 230 with respect to a virtual plane perpendicular to the axial direction DA is, for example, 10 degrees or more and 60 degrees or less. In this embodiment, the inclination of the shoulder portion 220 is 45 degrees.

[0066] The above inclination may be appropriately set from the viewpoint of ease of squeezing the contents from the tube container 1, taking into consideration the viscosity of the contents of the tube container 1 and the rigidity of the body portion 110. Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of a modified tube container according to Embodiment 1. For example, in the modified example shown in Figure 7, the inclination of the shoulder portion 220x from the inner end portion 212 toward the mouth portion 230 with respect to a virtual plane perpendicular to the axial direction DA is 30 degrees. Compared to this modified example, the tube container 1 according to Embodiment 1 can have a larger capacity of the dispensing portion 200. On the other hand, compared to Embodiment 1, the tube container 1x according to this modified example can suppress contact between the thumbs of both hands near the mouth portion 230 when pressing the body portion 110 against the inner surface of the shoulder portion 220x with the thumbs when squeezing out the contents (see Figures 8 and 9 in Embodiment 1 described later). Consequently, the amount of residual contents in the tube container 1x can be reduced compared to Embodiment 1.

[0067] As shown in Figure 1, a sealing member 50 is heat-welded to the end face of the opening 230. As shown in Figures 2 and 4 to 6, the width of the end face of the opening 230 can be, for example, 1.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. This allows the sealing member 50 to be easily welded.

[0068] The opening portion 230 extends in an annular shape with the central axis A as its approximate center, and a through hole H is formed on the inner circumference side of the opening portion 230. The end face of the opening portion 230 in the axial direction DA is flat. However, the opening portion 230 may be further provided with a convex ridge that extends in an annular shape along the direction in which the end face extends when viewed from the axial direction DA, and that protrudes in the axial direction DA.

[0069] Preferably, the minimum diameter of the through-hole H formed by the opening 230 is 50% or more of the overall diameter of the outer surface of the extended portion 211. Preferably, the minimum diameter of the through-hole H formed by the opening 230 is, for example, 10 mm or more. A minimum diameter of 10 mm or more for the through-hole H allows the contents to be easily squeezed out of the tube container 1, even when the viscosity of the contents is relatively high.

[0070] As described above, the tube container 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure comprises a cylindrical portion 100 and a dispensing portion 200. The cylindrical portion 100 is formed by welding the ends of a single sheet S containing polyester resin as the main component to each other to form a cylinder. The cylindrical portion 100 includes a body portion 110 and an open end portion 120. The open end portion 120 is located on one side of the body portion 110 in the axial direction DA of the central axis A of the cylindrical portion 100. The open end portion 120 includes an inner circumferential end surface 121 facing the central axis A. The dispensing portion 200 includes a joint portion 210 joined to the inner circumferential end surface 121, a shoulder portion 220 extending from the joint portion 210 toward the central axis A, and a mouth portion 230 provided at the tip of the shoulder portion 220 on the central axis A side, which forms a through hole H that penetrates the dispensing portion 200 along the axial direction DA. The joint portion 210 includes an extended portion 211 that extends in the axial direction DA along the open end portion 120, and an inner end portion 212 located at the end of the extended portion 211 on the body portion 110 side in the axial direction DA. The shoulder portion 220 extends from the inner end portion 212.

[0071] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state when the contents of the tube container according to Embodiment 1 are being squeezed out. Figure 9 is an enlarged view of region IX in Figure 8. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, when the contents of the tube container 1 are running low and being squeezed out from the through-hole H of the mouth 230, it is conceivable to press the body portion 110 against the inner surface of the shoulder portion 220. In this case, if the shoulder portion 220 were to extend from the extension portion 211 instead of the inner end portion 212, it would be necessary to press the body portion against the inner surface on the central axis side of the inner end portion as well. However, the sheet S constituting the body portion 110 contains polyester resin as its main component and is therefore relatively rigid. Thus, in the above hypothetical configuration, it is difficult to fold the body portion toward the inner surface on the central axis side of the inner end portion and further press the body portion against the inner surface of the shoulder portion. Here, in this embodiment, the shoulder portion 220 extends from the inner end portion 212. As a result, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, when squeezing out the contents of the tube container 1, the body portion 110 can be easily pressed against the inner surface of the shoulder portion 220 without the inner end portion 212 hindering the bending of the body portion 110. This makes it easy to squeeze out the contents of the tube container 1, and consequently reduces the amount of residual contents in the tube container 1.

[0072] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the shoulder portion 220 is inclined to move away from the torso portion 110 in the axial direction DA as it approaches the mouth portion 230.

[0073] With the above configuration, when the body portion 110 is pressed against the inner surface of the shoulder portion 220, an additional force in the axial direction DA can be applied to the body portion 110, allowing the body portion 110 to be easily folded back near the inner end portion 212 with relatively little force (see Figures 8 and 9). Furthermore, this inclination allows the contents to be easily guided to the mouth portion 230. As a result, the amount of residual contents in the tube container 1 can be reduced.

[0074] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the extended portion 211 includes a thickened portion 211a, and the radial thickness of the thickened portion 211a, which is the dimension in the radial direction of the central axis A, is thicker than the thickness of the shoulder portion 220.

[0075] With the above configuration, when pressing the body portion 110 with, for example, the thumb F1, it is conceivable to hook the index finger F2 onto the extended portion 211. In this embodiment, since the index finger F2 can be hooked onto the relatively thick portion 211a, for example, finger pain when pressing the body portion 110 can be reduced.

[0076] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the extended portion 211 further includes a thin-walled portion 211b, and the radial thickness of the thin-walled portion 211b is thinner than the thickness of the shoulder portion 220.

[0077] With the above configuration, by providing a thin portion 211b in addition to the thick portion 211a for gripping with a finger, the amount of molding material in the dispensing portion 200 can be reduced.

[0078] (Embodiment 2) Next, a tube container according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure will be described. In the tube container according to Embodiment 2, the configuration of the dispensing section differs from the configuration of the dispensing section 200 of Embodiment 1. For this reason, the same configuration and effects as in Embodiment 1 may not be repeated in the description.

[0079] Figure 10 is a partial perspective view showing a tube container according to Embodiment 2. Figure 11 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a tube container according to Embodiment 2. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, in the tube container 1A according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure, the dispensing portion 200 further includes a flange portion 240A. The flange portion 240A extends from the extending portion 211 so as to move away from the central axis A, faces the open end portion 120 in the axial direction DA, and protrudes outward from the open end portion 120 in the radial direction with respect to the axial direction DA.

[0080] With the above configuration, when pushing in the body portion 110 with, for example, the thumb (see Figures 8 and 9 of Embodiment 1), it is conceivable to hook the index finger onto the flange portion 240A. In this embodiment, since the finger can be hooked onto the protruding flange portion 240A as described above, the body portion 110 can be pushed in with more force. Consequently, the amount of residue inside the tube container 1 can be further reduced.

[0081] The flange portion 240A extends in an annular shape when viewed from the axial direction DA. The flange portion 240A includes a second supported surface 241A and a flange corner portion 242A. The flange corner portion 242A is the surface facing away from the body portion 110 in the axial direction DA. The flange corner portion 242A is continuous with the second supported surface 241A and constitutes the corner of the flange portion 240A on the side opposite to the central axis A.

[0082] The second supported surface 241A extends in a planar shape. The flange corner 242A is rounded while being inclined at an angle with respect to the axial direction DA. Each of these configurations helps to prevent finger pain when squeezing the tube container 1 as described above.

[0083] In this embodiment, the flange portion 240A has a substantially circular outer shape when viewed from the axial direction DA, but the outer shape of the flange portion 240A is not limited to this. Figure 12 is a perspective view partially showing a modified tube container according to Embodiment 2. As shown in Figure 12, the modified tube container 1Ax may include a pair of wide portions 245Ax and a narrow portion 246Ax. The wide portion 245Ax is the part of the flange portion 240Ax that has a larger radial dimension compared to the narrow portion 246Ax. The pair of wide portions 245Ax may be positioned side by side in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction DA, with the central axis A in between, so as to correspond to a place to hook a finger.

[0084] (Embodiment 3) Next, a tube container according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure will be described. The tube container according to Embodiment 3 differs from the configuration of Embodiment 2 in that it further includes the protective part described below. For this reason, the same configuration and effects as in Embodiment 2 may not be repeated in the description.

[0085] Figure 13 is a partial perspective view showing a tube container according to Embodiment 3. The tube container 1B according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure further comprises a protective portion 400B which is less rigid than the cylindrical portion 100. The protective portion 400B is partially provided on the outer surface of the body portion 110, and is provided at least on the outer surface of the portion of the body portion 110 adjacent to the open end portion 120.

[0086] According to the above configuration, when the body portion 110 is pressed, for example, with the thumb toward the inner surface of the shoulder portion 220 (see Figures 8 and 9 of Embodiment 1), wrinkles may form due to plastic deformation in the body portion 110, which is relatively rigid because it contains polyester resin as its main component. However, since the protective portion 400B is provided at least on the outer surface of the portion of the body portion 110 adjacent to the opening end portion 120, it is possible to prevent the fingers from directly touching the wrinkles of the body portion 110 when pressing. Consequently, deterioration of the tactile sensation of the fingers on the tube container 1B can be reduced. In addition, since the protective portion 400B is provided only partially on the outer surface of the body portion 110, the cost of providing the protective portion 400B can be reduced.

[0087] From the above viewpoint, it is preferable that the length of the protective portion 400B in the axial direction DA is approximately equal to the distance from the joint portion 210 to the mouth portion 230 on the inner surface of the shoulder portion 220. Furthermore, the protective portion 400B may or may not be provided at the open end portion 120.

[0088] The protective portion 400B may have a pattern formed on it to guide the pressing of the body portion 110. The protective portion 400B may be provided in advance on the sheet S before the cylindrical portion 100 is formed, or it may be provided on the cylindrical portion 100 after it has been formed by the sheet S.

[0089] The specific components constituting the protective section 400B are not particularly limited. The protective section 400B may be, for example, a printed layer or a label.

[0090] If the protective layer 400B is a printed layer, the protective layer 400B can be formed, for example, by screen printing or flexographic printing. The thickness of the printed layer may be, for example, 20 μm or more and 50 μm or less.

[0091] If the protective part 400B is a label such as a tack label, the protective part 400B may have an adhesive. The protective part 400B may be attached to the cylindrical part 100 by the adhesive. The thickness of the label may be, for example, 50 μm or more and 100 μm or less.

[0092] (Note) As described above, embodiments of this disclosure include the following disclosures.

[0093] <1> A tube container comprising a cylindrical portion and a dispensing portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is formed by welding the ends of a single sheet containing polyester resin as the main component to each other to form a tube, the cylindrical portion includes a body portion and an open end portion, the open end portion is located on one side of the body portion in the axial direction of the central axis of the cylindrical portion, the open end portion includes an inner circumferential end surface facing the central axis, the dispensing portion includes a joint portion joined to the inner circumferential end surface, a shoulder portion extending from the joint portion toward the central axis, and a mouth portion provided at the tip of the shoulder portion on the central axis side and forming a through hole that penetrates the dispensing portion in the axial direction, the joint portion includes an extended portion extending in the axial direction along the open end portion and an inner end portion located at the end of the extended portion on the body portion side in the axial direction, and the shoulder portion extends from the inner end portion, the tube container.

[0094] <2> The tube container according to <1>, wherein the shoulder portion is inclined to move away from the body portion in the axial direction as it approaches the mouth portion.

[0095] <3> The tube container according to <1> or <2>, wherein the extended portion includes a thickened portion, and the radial thickness of the thickened portion, which is the dimension in the radial direction of the central axis, is thicker than the thickness of the shoulder portion.

[0096] <4> The tube container according to <3>, wherein the extended portion further includes a thin-walled portion, and the radial thickness of the thin-walled portion is thinner than the thickness of the shoulder portion.

[0097] <5> The tube container according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the dispensing portion further includes a flange portion, the flange portion extends from the extending portion so as to move away from the central axis, faces the opening end in the axial direction, and protrudes outward from the opening end in the radial direction with respect to the axial direction.

[0098] <6> The tube container according to any one of <1> to <5>, further comprising a protective portion having less rigidity than the cylindrical portion, wherein the protective portion is partially provided on the outer surface of the body portion and at least provided on the outer surface of the portion of the body portion adjacent to the opening end.

[0099] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended.

[0100] 1, 1x, 1A, 1Ax, 1B tube container, 50 sealing member, 100 cylindrical part, 101 base, 102 welding part, 110 body part, 120 open end part, 121 inner peripheral end face, 122 edge, 200 pouring part, 210 joint part, 211 extending part, 211a thick part, 211b Thin part, 211c Supported surface, 211d Inside corner, 211e Outside corner, 212 Inside end, 220, 220x Shoulder, 230 Mouth, 240A, 240Ax Flange part, 241A Second supported surface, 242A Flange corner, 245Ax Wide part, 246Ax Narrow part, 300 Closing part, 400B Protective part, A Center axis, AL Adhesive layer, BL barrier layer, DA axial direction, F1 thumb, F2 index finger, H through hole, RL reinforcing layer, RL1 first reinforcing layer, RL2 second reinforcing layer, RL3 third reinforcing layer, S sheet, SL1 first base layer, SL2 second base layer.

Claims

1. A tube container comprising a cylindrical portion and a dispensing portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is formed by welding the ends of a single sheet containing polyester resin as the main component to each other to form a tube, the cylindrical portion includes a body portion and an open end portion, the open end portion is located on one side of the body portion in the axial direction of the central axis of the cylindrical portion, the open end portion includes an inner circumferential end surface facing the central axis, the dispensing portion includes a joint portion joined to the inner circumferential end surface, a shoulder portion extending from the joint portion toward the central axis, and a mouth portion provided at the tip of the shoulder portion on the central axis side, forming a through hole that penetrates the dispensing portion in the axial direction, the joint portion includes an extended portion extending in the axial direction along the open end portion, and an inner end portion located at the end of the extended portion on the body portion side in the axial direction, the shoulder portion extends from the inner end portion, the tube container.

2. The tube container according to claim 1, wherein the shoulder portion is inclined to move away from the body portion in the axial direction as it approaches the mouth portion.

3. The tube container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the extended portion includes a thickened portion, and the radial thickness of the thickened portion, which is the dimension in the radial direction of the central axis, is greater than the thickness of the shoulder portion.

4. The tube container according to claim 3, wherein the extended portion further includes a thin-walled portion, and the radial thickness of the thin-walled portion is thinner than the thickness of the shoulder portion.

5. The tube container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dispensing portion further includes a flange portion, the flange portion extending away from the central axis from the extending portion, facing the open end in the axial direction, and protruding outward from the open end in the radial direction with respect to the axial direction.

6. The tube container according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a protective portion having less rigidity than the cylindrical portion, wherein the protective portion is partially provided on the outer surface of the body portion and at least provided on the outer surface of the portion of the body portion adjacent to the opening end.

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