JP7806484B2 - Container with cap - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a capped container, for example, a container with a cap attached to a container body such as a laminated tube or a plastic bottle.

Containers with caps that allow the container body to be squeezable have long been known as containers for holding fluids such as toothpaste, seasonings, and cosmetics. When the container body is squeezed, the contents are ejected from the outlet, and when pressure is released, the contents stop ejecting, making it easy to eject a predetermined amount of the contents. However, if the contents do not drain properly when pressure on the container body is released, the contents will become soiled at the outlet. Hinged caps to prevent this have been proposed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, among others.

The caps described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 are provided with a liquid cutoff valve at the discharge port to allow the contents to drain. The liquid cutoff valve is made of a soft material (rubber, elastomer, etc.) or film material with a cross-shaped slit formed in it. When the container body is pressed, the internal pressure of the container body increases, causing the liquid cutoff valve to elastically deform, opening the slit and allowing the contents to be discharged. After the contents are discharged, when pressure on the container body is released, the container body returns to its original shape due to its own rigidity, reducing the internal pressure of the container body. As a result, the liquid cutoff valve closes the slit while allowing air from outside the container into the container.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-347813 JP 2019-64680 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-8290

When a liquid cutoff valve is provided at the discharge port, as in the caps described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, it is possible for the contents to be cut off. However, once the slit closes, the contents inside the cap are unable to return to the container body and remain inside the cap. If the contents remain inside the cap for an extended period of time, there is a high possibility that the quality of the contents will deteriorate or the contents will solidify inside the cap. Solidification of the contents inside the cap can adversely affect the opening and closing action of the liquid cutoff valve, which may cause the contents to be cut off or difficult to dispense. Furthermore, it can also cause dirt around the cap's discharge port.

Furthermore, the liquid cutoff valves used in the caps described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are made of rubber-based materials (e.g., silicone rubber, elastomer-based resin). These rubber-based materials are more expensive than non-rubber-based materials (i.e., general resin materials), which leads to increased costs.

The present invention was made in light of these circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a low-cost capped container that allows for good discharge and drainage of the contents.

In order to achieve the above object, a capped container of a first invention is a capped container comprising a container body having a storage space for storing contents and a discharge outlet communicating with the storage space, the container body having squeezability, and a cap removably attached to the discharge outlet,
The container body is provided with a liquid cut-off valve made of a film of a non-rubber material with a slit formed therein, which covers the discharge outlet, and when the container body is pressurized, the slit opens to discharge the contents in the storage space.

The capped container of the second invention is the same as the first invention, except that the slit is formed completely through the container.

The capped container of the third invention is the same as the second invention, characterized in that a barrier film seal for initial opening is attached over the liquid cut-off valve.

The capped container of the fourth invention is the first invention described above, characterized in that the slit is formed in a half-cut state.

The capped container of the fifth invention is any one of the first to fourth inventions above, characterized in that the cap comprises a lower cap part having a discharge outlet and configured to be connectable to the container body, an upper cap part provided to cover the discharge outlet of the lower cap part, and a hinge part connecting the two to allow the upper cap part to be opened and closed.

The sixth invention is a capped container according to the fifth invention, characterized in that the liquid cutoff valve is pressed against the container body by the lower part of the cap.

The capped container of the seventh invention is any one of the first to sixth inventions above, characterized in that the liquid cutoff valve is made of a laminated film with a three-layer structure consisting of an outer layer made of a transparent vapor-deposited film, a middle layer made of polyethylene terephthalate resin, and an inner layer made of polyethylene resin.

According to the present invention, a liquid cut-off valve made of a film with a slit formed therein is provided on the container body so as to cover the discharge outlet, thereby ensuring good liquid drainage of the contents at the container body's discharge outlet. For example, even if the liquid cut-off valve closes while the contents are flowing from the container body's discharge outlet to the cap's discharge outlet, the contents inside the cap are discharged out of the container through the cap's discharge outlet, so the contents do not remain inside the cap. As a result, the contents are less likely to deteriorate or solidify inside the cap. Furthermore, the liquid cut-off valve is inexpensive because it is made of a film made of a non-rubber material. Therefore, a low-cost capped container with good content discharge and liquid drainage can be realized.

1 is an external view showing a first embodiment of a capped container; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is an external view showing a second embodiment of a capped container. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a third embodiment of a capped container. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a fourth embodiment of a capped container. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a comparative example of a capped container.

The following describes capped containers, fluid discharge structures, and other embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that identical or corresponding parts between the various embodiments and specific examples are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted where appropriate.

Figures 1 and 2 show a capped container 11 according to the first embodiment. Figure 1 shows the appearance of the capped container 11 and the container body 1A and cap 2A that make it up, and Figure 2 shows the cross-sectional structure (fluid discharge structure) of the main part of the capped container 11. In Figure 1, (A) is a front view of the capped container 11, (B) is a front view of the cap 2A, (C) is a front view of the container body 1A, and (D) is a top view of the container body 1A.

Figures 3 and 4 show a capped container 12 according to a second embodiment. Figure 3 shows the appearance of the capped container 12 and the container body 1B and cap 2B that make it up, and Figure 4 shows the cross-sectional structure (fluid discharge structure) of the main part of the capped container 12. In Figure 3, (A) is a front view of the capped container 12, (B) is a front view of the cap 2B, (C) is a front view of the container body 1B, and (D) is a top view of the container body 1B.

Capped containers 11, 12 have a storage space S for storing contents F and a discharge outlet 1a (Figs. 2 and 4) that communicates with the storage space S, and are equipped with a squeezable container body 1A, 1B and a cap 2A, 2B that is removably attached to the discharge outlet 1a. In addition, container bodies 1A, 1B are provided with a liquid cut-off valve 3 made of a film made of a non-rubber material and with a slit 3a formed therein, covering the discharge outlet 1a.

An example of container body 1A (Figure 1) is a laminated tube, and an example of container body 1B (Figure 3) is a blow-molded plastic bottle. The contents F stored in the storage space S of container bodies 1A and 1B are assumed to be fluids (liquids, gels, etc.) with a viscosity that requires good drainage. Specific examples of contents F for container body 1A include toiletries (alcohol gel, toothpaste, shaving foam, facial cleanser, hand soap, sunscreen cream, etc.), seasonings (honey, etc.), cosmetics, etc. Specific examples of contents F for container body 1B include seasonings (okonomiyaki sauce, honey, etc.), toiletries (alcohol gel, shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, etc.), cosmetics, etc.

The container body 1A and cap 2A that make up the capped container 11 (Figure 2) are configured to be connectable via threaded structures 1b and 2b. However, connection structures other than threaded structures (for example, a type that opens and closes by connecting and disconnecting a locking structure) can also be used. The contents F are discharged from inside the capped container 11 to outside the container 11 directly through the discharge port 1a formed in the container body 1A. Therefore, when discharging the contents F, the cap 2A is removed from the container body 1A by rotating the cap 2A to disconnect it via the threaded structures 1b and 2b.

The container body 1B and cap 2B that make up the capped container 12 (Figure 4) are configured to be connectable via threaded structures 1b, 2b. However, connection structures other than threaded structures (for example, a type that opens and closes by connecting and disconnecting via a locking structure) can also be used. The cap 2B used in the capped container 12 has a discharge outlet 2a and is composed of a cap lower part 2d that is connectable to the container body 1B, a cap upper part 2c that is provided to cover the discharge outlet 2a of the cap lower part 2d, and a hinge part 2e that connects these parts, allowing the cap upper part 2c to be opened and closed.

As shown in Figure 3(A), the upper cap portion 2c can be opened and closed (arrow mR) using the hinge portion 2e, and the upper cap portion 2c and lower cap portion 2d can be connected using locking structures 2f and 2g (Figure 4). Contents F are discharged from inside the capped container 12 to the outside of the container 12 through a discharge outlet 2a formed in the lower cap portion 2d. Therefore, when discharging contents F, the connection at the locking structures 2f and 2g is released, and the upper cap portion 2c is rotated around the hinge portion 2e (arrow mR), exposing the discharge outlet 2a in the lower cap portion 2d.

As mentioned above, the liquid cutoff valve 3 is made of a film made of a non-rubber material with a slit 3a formed in it. The slit 3a has a cross shape (Figs. 1(D) and 3(D)) and is formed in a fully penetrating state (i.e., it penetrates the film completely) (Figs. 2 and 4). However, the shape of the slit 3a is not limited to a cross shape and may be a straight line shape or a radial shape (multiple slits formed radially from the center). Furthermore, adhesive or an adhesive film may be used to attach the liquid cutoff valve 3 to the container body 1A, 1B.

Non-rubber materials used for the liquid cut-off valve 3 include resin materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate. The resin film may have a single-layer or multi-layer structure, as long as it is suitable for the contents F. A specific example of the laminated film that makes up the liquid cut-off valve 3 is one with a three-layer structure consisting of an outer layer made of a transparent vapor-deposited film, a middle layer made of polyethylene terephthalate resin, and an inner layer made of polyethylene resin. The inner layer may be an easy-peel film, or a film that is welded to the container bodies 1A and 1B. The thickness of the film is preferably 50 to 200 μm, but can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the viscosity of the contents F, etc.

When the squeezable container bodies 1A, 1B are pressurized, the liquid cut-off valve 3 opens the slit 3a and discharges the contents F from the storage space S. In other words, when the container bodies 1A, 1B are pressed (squeezed), the internal pressure of the container bodies 1A, 1B increases, causing the liquid cut-off valve 3 to elastically deform, opening the slit 3a and discharging the contents F. After the contents F are discharged, when pressure on the container bodies 1A, 1B is released, the containers 1A, 1B return to their original state due to their own rigidity, reducing the internal pressure of the container bodies 1A, 1B. As a result, the liquid cut-off valve 3 closes the slit 3a while introducing air from outside the containers 1A, 1B into the containers 1A, 1B.

The contents F are typically discharged from the containers 11, 12 with the container bodies 1A, 1B in an inverted position. When the pressure on the container bodies 1A, 1B is released, the closed cut-off valve 3 effectively cuts off the contents F, preventing the area around the outlet 1a from becoming soiled with the contents F. This reduces the amount of contents F adhering to the caps 2A, 2B when the caps 2A, 2B are closed. For example, in a hinged-cap container 12 (Figure 4), even if the cut-off valve 3 closes while the contents F are flowing from the outlet 1a of the container body 1B to the outlet 2a of the cap 2B, if the contents F have a viscosity that requires effective cut-off, the contents F will not remain in the cap 2B, and the contents F in the cap 2B will be expelled from the outlet 2a to the container 12. In other words, because the cut-off valve 3 effectively cuts off the contents at the outlet 1a of the container body 1B, effective cut-off is also possible at the outlet 2a of the cap 2B.

In the case of the capped container 11 (Figure 2), unless the adhesive strength of the cut-off valve 3 to the container body 1A is sufficiently strong, there is a possibility that the cut-off valve 3 will come off when the contents F are dispensed. In contrast, in the case of the capped container 12 (Figure 4), the cut-off valve 3 is pressed against the container body 1B by the lower cap part 2d of the cap 2B, so the cut-off valve 3 will not come off when the contents F are dispensed. Therefore, by effectively preventing the cut-off valve 3 from coming off, more stable dispensing of the contents F is possible.

In typical capped containers, the initial sealing of the container is achieved by attaching an initial-opening film seal (known as a P-seal) to the discharge opening of the container body. For example, in the case of a laminated tube, the initial-opening film seal is attached to the discharge opening, and then the contents are poured into the bottom of the container. In the case of a plastic bottle, the initial-opening film seal is attached after the contents are poured into the discharge opening. If a film with a pre-formed slit 3a is used in the process of attaching these typical initial-opening film seals, the liquid cut-off valve 3 can be attached without the additional step of forming the slit 3a. Therefore, capped containers 11, 12 can be manufactured without making significant modifications to existing machinery.

In the capped containers 11 and 12, the slit 3a formed in the cutoff valve 3 means that initial sealing is not complete. If sufficient initial sealing is required, it is preferable to attach an initial-opening film seal with barrier properties over the cutoff valve 3. Figure 5 shows the cross-sectional structure (fluid discharge structure) of the main part of the capped container 13 according to the third embodiment. This capped container 13 has the same configuration as the capped container 12, except that an initial-opening film seal 4 with barrier properties is attached over the cutoff valve 3. The initial-opening film seal 4 may be attached after the cutoff valve 3 is attached, or the initial-opening film seal 4 may be attached in advance to the film that constitutes the cutoff valve 3, and the resulting laminated film may then be attached to the container body 1B. To ensure even greater sealing, for example, an inner ring may be provided inside the cap 2B.

Figure 6 shows the cross-sectional structure (fluid discharge structure) of a key portion of a capped container 14 according to a fourth embodiment. This capped container 14 has the same configuration as the capped container 12, except that a half-cut slit 3a is formed instead of a fully-through slit 3a. The half-cut slit 3a can be formed by cutting a non-through cut in the film that constitutes the liquid cut-off valve 3. Because the slit 3a is half-cut, an unused container 14 is sealed. When the contents F are first discharged from the container 14, the container 14 is opened. At that time, the contents F reaching the discharge port 1a press against the liquid cut-off valve 3, tearing it apart starting from the slit 3a. As a result, the slit 3a is fully open, similar to the container 12. By forming the slit 3a half-cut, there is no need to attach the film seal 4 (Figure 5) for initial opening, simplifying the configuration and facilitating manufacturing.

Figure 7 shows the cross-sectional structure (fluid discharge structure) of the main part of capped container 15, a comparative example of capped containers 12-14. An initial opening film seal 4 is provided on container body 1B to cover discharge outlet 1a. Cap 2B has an elastomer (rubber-based) liquid cut-off valve 8 with a slit 8a inserted into discharge outlet 2a at the cap's lower part 2d, and is secured in place by a separate ring-shaped stopper 9. The rest of the structure is similar to capped container 12.

The liquid cutoff valve 8 used in container 15 is made from a rubber-based material and is therefore expensive, whereas the liquid cutoff valve 3 used in containers 12-14 is made from a film made from a non-rubber-based material and is therefore low-cost. Furthermore, container 15 requires a process for inserting the liquid cutoff valve 8 into the discharge port 2a of the lower cap part 2d and a separate part, the fixing stopper 9, which increases costs, whereas containers 12-14 do not require a process for inserting the liquid cutoff valve 3 into the discharge port 1a or a separate part for fixing, thereby enabling lower costs.

In container 15, cap 2B is removed from container body 1B, initial opening film seal 4 is peeled off from container body 1B, cap 2B is attached to container body 1B, and cap upper portion 2c is rotated (arrow mR in Figure 3) to expose liquid cut-off valve 8 at discharge port 2a, after which content F is dispensed. After dispensing content F, when pressure on container body 1B is released, slit 8a closes and content F in cap lower portion 2d is unable to return to container body 1B and remains within cap lower portion 2d. If content F remains within cap lower portion 2d for a long period of time, there is a high possibility that content F will deteriorate or solidify within cap lower portion 2d. Solidification of content within cap lower portion 2d can adversely affect the opening and closing action of liquid cut-off valve 8, potentially causing content F to run out or become difficult to dispense. Furthermore, it can also cause contamination around discharge port 2a of cap lower portion 2d.

As described above, in capped containers 11-14, a film-made liquid cutoff valve 3 with a slit 3a formed therein is provided on container body 1A, 1B so as to cover discharge outlet 1a, thereby ensuring good drainage of contents F at discharge outlet 1a of container body 1A, 1B. For example, in hinge-capped containers 12-14, even if the liquid cutoff valve 3 closes while contents F are flowing from discharge outlet 1a of container body 1B to discharge outlet 2a of cap 2B, contents F within cap 2B are discharged from discharge outlet 2a of cap 2B to outside of container 12, so contents F do not remain within cap 2B. As a result, there is little chance of contents F deteriorating or solidifying within cap 2B. Moreover, because the liquid cutoff valve 3 is made of a film made of a non-rubber material, it is inexpensive. Therefore, low-cost capped containers 11-14 with good discharge and drainage of contents F can be realized.

1A, 1B Container body 1a Discharge outlet 1b Screw structure 2A, 2B Cap 2a Discharge outlet 2b Screw structure 2c Cap upper part 2d Cap lower part 2e Hinge part 2f, 2g Locking structure 3 Liquid cut-off valve 3a Slit 4 Film seal for initial opening 8 Liquid cut-off valve 8a Slit 9 Stopper 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 Container with cap S Storage space F Contents

Claims (6)

A capped container comprising a squeezable container body having a storage space for storing contents and a discharge outlet communicating with the storage space, and a cap removably attached to the discharge outlet,
The container body is provided with a film-type liquid cutoff valve made of a non-rubber material and having a slit formed therein, the film-type liquid cutoff valve covering the discharge outlet, and when the container body is pressurized, the slit opens to discharge the contents in the storage space ,
A capped container characterized in that the liquid cut-off valve is made of a laminated film having a three-layer structure consisting of an outer layer made of a transparent vapor-deposited film, a middle layer made of polyethylene terephthalate resin, and an inner layer made of polyethylene resin . A capped container according to claim 1, characterized in that the slit is formed completely through the container. The capped container according to claim 2, characterized in that a barrier film seal for initial opening is attached over the liquid cut-off valve. A capped container according to claim 1, characterized in that the slit is formed in a half-cut state. A capped container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cap comprises a lower cap part having a discharge outlet and configured to be connectable to the container body, an upper cap part provided to cover the discharge outlet of the lower cap part, and a hinge part connecting the lower cap part and the upper cap part to enable opening and closing of the upper cap part. A capped container as described in claim 5, characterized in that the liquid cutoff valve is pressed toward the container body at the bottom of the cap.