CA2628695A1 - Container with a cover - Google Patents
Container with a cover Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2628695A1 CA2628695A1 CA002628695A CA2628695A CA2628695A1 CA 2628695 A1 CA2628695 A1 CA 2628695A1 CA 002628695 A CA002628695 A CA 002628695A CA 2628695 A CA2628695 A CA 2628695A CA 2628695 A1 CA2628695 A1 CA 2628695A1
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- Prior art keywords
- opening
- rotating shaft
- cover plate
- closing cap
- cover
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Abstract
A container with a cover enabling an opening and closing cap to be fully opened or closed easily. A rotating shaft 17 is protruded from either side of an opening and closing cap 14, while a bearing 18 of the rotating shaft 17 is provided at a cover plate 12. A lock receiving portion 21 is provided adjacent to the bearing 18, while a full-closing locking portion 22 and a full-opening locking portion 23 that selectively engage with the lock receiving portion 21 by getting over the lock receiving portion 21 are provided adjacent to the rotating shaft 17. A torque required for releasing a locked condition accompanied with a full closing of the opening and closing cap is a distance G between the center of the rotating shaft 17 and the full-closing locking portion 22 times a resistance against elastic deformation in allowing the full-closing locking portion 22 to get over the receiving locking portion 21. When performing the opening and closing operation, smaller amount of loading resistance is required at the operation part 25 for opening and closing, thereby enabling the opening and closing operation to be performed more easily.
Description
CONTAINER WITH A COVER
The present invention relates to a container with a cover for containing a beverage or the like therein, particularly to the one that makes it possible to drink a beverage in a container body with a cover body thereof being closed.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, as a container with a cover of this kind, there has been disclosed a cover for beverage container comprising a rim formed on a cover plate; a spout formed on one side of the cover plate adjacent to the rim, said cover plate being formed so as to be inclined toward the one side; an opening and closing cap that is to open and close the spout and provided with an operation part on the tip of an upper surface thereof, said opening and closing cap being provided on the upper surface of the cover plate in a manner capable of rotating through a bearing; a cutout formed at a part of said rim opposed to the spout so that when the opening and closing cap is opened, the cutout may allow the cap to be retracted therein, wherein said opening and closing cap is engageable with and disengageable from said cutout, such that said opening and closing cap can be kept in an opened condition by retracting said opening and closing cap in said cutout and then engaging the same therewith after opening the opening and closing cap, as disclosed in for example, Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. H07-95907 According to the conventional art, when the opening and closing cap is in a closed condition, the spout is closed through the engagement of a closing part with a locking protrusion of the spout; the locking protrusion is provided at both sides of the opening and closing cap; and when closing the opening and closing cap, the locking protrusion is engaged with the cover plate, while when opening the opening and closing cap, the locking protrusion is engaged with a side surface at either side of the cutout.
Further, as another conventional art is known a beverage container with a grip, comprising: a male screw part composed of a double conical helix provided adjacent to an upper opening of a container body on a peripheral outer wall surface thereof; and a female screw part that engages with said male screw part and is provided on an inner peripheral surface of a cover body member having a cover plate covering the upper opening, wherein a starting point of the male screw part bearing the tip of the female screw part of the cover member is provided at a corresponding opposite position on the peripheral outer wall of the container body, while a terminal point thereof bearing the tip of the female screw part of the cover member and regulating the screw-in operation of the cover member is provided at another corresponding opposite position on the peripheral outer wall of the container body, such that a spout is arranged at any one of positions displaced by approximately 90 degrees relative to said grip, thereby enabling the position of the spout to be adjusted to an optimal position, depending on with which of the right and left hands the grip is held, as disclosed for example, Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. H07-251854.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
According to the former conventional art, due to each locking part at the fully closing position and/or fully opening position being comparatively distant from the axis of rotation of the opening and closing cap, the distance between a rotating shaft and each locking part differs relatively little from the distance between the rotating shaft and the operation part of the opening and closing cap, thus leading to concerns about relatively high operational load resistance being required of fingers in order to obtain a torque necessary for locking and unlocking operation at each locking part.
Further, the provision of the locking part at the spout could cause some problems such as disturbance in steady outpouring of beverage, occurrence of an unsanitary dirty pooling, etc. At the same time, from necessity of providing the cutout and locking part to allow the retracting of the opening and closing cap at the time of the full open, the protruding length of the rim at both sides of the cutout becomes relatively great in order to ensure a sufficient vertical length of the cutout, resulting in a possibility of decreased operability such as the accidental hitting of nose or the interrupting of a field of front vision when drinking. In addition, according to the former conventional art, an unsanitary condition may be caused by touching a tap with one's hand at the time of opening and closing operation of the cap or the cover, because the tap (the periphery of the rim) is always exposed to the outside.
According to the latter conventional art, the operation for opening and closing the cover due to the screwing structure is troublesome, and the uneven structure of the screw part can cause a sanitary problem such as deposit of dirt. Because of the double conical helix structure, the spout is always located in a direction at 90 degrees relative to the grip, yet there is a concern about the inconvenience in use being caused because a resultant direction can sometimes be in a 180-degree opposite direction relative to an intended direction. There is another concern that it is not possible to make fine adjustment to satisfy a user's personal preference of direction, for example such personal preference that the spout or the tap should be located obliquely at 60 degrees relative to the grip.
An object of the invention is to realize a facile opening and closing operation, by reducing a torque required for locking and unlocking of the opening and closing cap associated with the full opening and the full closing thereof, so as to perform those actions at reduced operational load resistance. Another object of the invention is to eliminate the possibility of touching the tap with one's hand, i.e., touching the outer periphery of the rim in any direction whatsoever, when fully closing the opening and closing cap. A further object of the invention is to allow the mounting of the tap or spout of a cover body so that the opening and closing cap may be turned in a desired direction.
MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS
The invention according to a first aspect of the invention is a container with a cover comprising:
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full closing is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to lock said lock receiving portion.
The invention according to a second aspect of the invention is a container with a cover comprising:
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full opening is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to lock said lock receiving portion.
The invention according to a third aspect of the invention is a container with a cover comprising:
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full opening or full closing is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to selectively lock said lock receiving portion.
The invention according to a fourth aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to any one of first to third aspects, wherein said bearing is provided on an inner peripheral surface of said cover plate, while said lock receiving portion is provided on said inner peripheral surface in the vicinity of said bearing, and wherein said rotating shaft is provided on an outer peripheral surface of said opening and closing cap, while said locking portion is provided on said outer peripheral surface adjacent to said rotating shaft.
The invention according to a fifth aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein said cover plate comprises an upper cover plate and a lower cover plate so that said bearing is divided into two parts above and below, and said upper cover plate and said lower cover plate are integrated with each other with said rotating shaft sandwiched therebetween.
The invention according to a sixth aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to any one of the foregoing aspects, further comprising an operation part provided on an upper surface of said opening and closing cap, said operation part being provided at a side located a distance away from said rotating shaft and provided with a tap-protective protrusion capable of covering the outer periphery of said rim.
The invention according to a seventh aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to the sixth aspect, further comprising a grip provided on an outer peripheral surface of said container body, wherein a protruding length of said tap-protective protrusion is greater than a height from a top edge of said rim to a top of said grip.
The invention according to an eighth aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein said cover plate slants so that one side thereof is lower than the other side.
The invention according to a ninth aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein either one or both of said locking portion and lock receiving portion is/are formed from an elastic member, and said locking portion engages with said lock receiving portion by getting over said lock receiving portion.
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the first aspect of the invention, an arm length in the torque required for locking and unlocking associated with the full closing action of the opening and closing cap can be substantially reduced as compared with an arm length in the operation moment.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the second aspect of the invention, an arm length in the torque required for locking and unlocking associated with the full opening action of the opening and closing cap can be substantially reduced as compared with an arm length in the operation moment.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the third aspect of the invention, the opening and closing operation part can be operated with decreased operational load resistance, enabling a facile opening operation.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the fourth aspect of the invention, the structures of the rotating shaft and the bearing can be simplified.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the fifth aspect of the invention, the rotating shaft can be assembled with the same being sandwiched between the two components of the bearing above and below.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the sixth aspect of the invention, when the opening and closing cap is closed, the protective protrusion covers the tap and thus it can be kept in a sanitary condition.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the seventh aspect of the invention, the protective protrusion gets stranded on the grip and lifted off from the fixed position, thus enabling a user to know the tap is directed to the grip.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the eighth aspect of the invention, drinking water on the cover plate is allowed to drop from the spout into the container body.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the ninth aspect of the invention, engagement of the lock receiving part with the full-closing locking part or the full-opening locking part is ensured, utilizing elasticity and elastic restoring force.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an opening and closing cap in a closed condition according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the opening and closing cap in an opened condition according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the opening and closing cap in a closed condition according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the opening and closing cap in an opened condition according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a cover body according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 6 is a front view showing the embodiment of the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, the embodiments described below do not limit the contents of the present invention described in claims. Further, all structures described bellow are not always the essential requirements of the present invention.
The drawings represent an embodiment of the invention, and a front side in a cover body shows a tap side. A beverage container comprises a cuplike container body 1 and a cover body 2 fitted on the container body 1. The cover body 2 covers an upper opening 3 of the container body 1. The container body 1 is so structured as to make a space between a bottomed outer container 4 and a bottomed inner container 5, which are integrated together, evacuated and heat-insulated. A bottom member 6 and a shoulder member 7 are provided on the bottom and in a periphery of the upper opening 3, respectively. The cover body 2 is detachably fitted into the upper opening 3.
Then, the container body 1 is provided with a grip 8. The grip 8 is so structured that a handgrip 11 is vertically coupled to both ends of an upper horizontal portion 9 and a lower horizontal portion 10 that protrude integrally from the outside of the bottom member 6 and the shoulder member 7, respectively.
The cover body 2 comprises a cover plate 12 for covering the upper opening 3 of the container body 1 and an opening and closing cap 14 provided in a manner capable of opening and closing a spout 13 formed in the cover plate 12. The cover plate 12 is formed with a peripheral wall 15 or rim at its periphery in a standing condition so that a planar view of the peripheral wall 15 becomes circular.
The peripheral wall 15 is arranged in a protruding manner from an outer edge of the cover plate 12 to upper and lower portions thereof.
A liquid-tight packing 16 is fitted into a lower portion of an outer circumferential surface 15A of the peripheral wall 15. By inserting the cover plate 12 from the upper opening 3 of the container body 1 slightly to the bottom, the lower portion of the outer circumferential surface 15A of the peripheral wall 15 is rotatably fitted into the upper opening 3, and then the liquid-tight packing 16 is fitted into an inner circumferential surface 1B of the container body 1, thereby enabling the liquid to be prevented from leaking.
The cover plate 12 is aslope provided so that one side thereof adjacent to the peripheral wall 15, i.e., a front side where the spout is situated becomes low, whereas a side opposite the side adjacent to the peripheral wall 15, i.e., a rear side becomes high. The front side of the cover plate 12 is formed with the spout 13 that penetrates vertically through the cover plate 12. The opening and closing cap 14 that closes the spout 13 and is L-shaped in cross section is provided on an upper surface of the cover plate 12 in a manner capable of rotating.
A front end of the spout 13 is arranged at a front side of an inner circumferential surface 15B of the peripheral wall 15, whereas a rear end thereof is arranged at a rather front side than a central portion of the cover plate 12 or in a substantially central portion. Further, both left and right edges of the spout 13 are arranged so as to extend along the inner circumferential surface 15B.The spout 13 is formed in a nearly elliptical shape in a planar view. An opening area of the spout 13 is formed comparatively large, accounting for about 20 to 50% of a superficial area of the cover plate 12, preferably about one third of that of the cover plate 12.
The opening and closing cap 14 is half-round in a planar view and a front edge 14D of the cap is formed in a circular-arc shape along the inner circumferential surface 15B of the cover plate 12. A rear edge 14C is linearly formed like a line segment extending to the left and right so as to connect both ends of the circular arc.
At left and right sides of an outer periphery 14A of the opening and closing cap 14, a rotating shaft 17 is provided adjacent to the rear edge 14C in a manner protruding toward the left and the right directions, respectively. The rotating shaft 17 is rotatably coupled to a bearing 18 provided at left and right portions of the cover plate 12, respectively. The bearing 18 is defined by holes 19 whose centers of axle 18A are directed to the right and left, formed through an intermediary portion in the vertical direction on the inner circumferential surface 15B of the peripheral wall 15.
Then, by inserting the rotating shaft 17 into the holes 19, the opening and closing cap 14 can be turned in a manner capable of being tilted up and down.
A stopper mechanism 20 that selectively holds the opening and closing cap 14 either in a fully closed condition or in a fully opened condition is provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 17 and the bearing 18.
Next is a detailed description of the stopper mechanism 20. In the following description, positional relationship is discussed based on the fully closed condition of the opening and closing cap 14. A lock receiving portion 21 is provided so as to protrude inward at the front side of the bearing 18 on the inner circumferential surface 15B of the peripheral wall 15. An inward protruding length A of the lock receiving portion 21 is on the order of 0.1 to 1 mm, and the lock receiving portion 21 is arranged slightly above an upper surface of the cover plate 12. A height B
from the upper surface of the cover plate 12 to the lock receiving portion 21 is formed smaller than thickness C of the cover plate 12.
At the same time, a full-closing locking portion 22 and a full-opening locking portion 23 which engage selectively with the lock receiving portion 21 are provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 7 in the opening and closing cap 14. When the opening and closing cap 14 is in the fully closed condition, the full-closing locking portion 22 is defined by a stepped portion 22A provided at a front side of the rotating shaft 17 on the outer circumferential surface 14A of the opening and closing cap 14.
The stepped portion 22A for use in full closing has a depressed portion 22B
thereabove and a protrusion 22C therebelow. A boundary between these depressed portion 22B and protrusion 22C defines the stepped portion 22A. The full-opening locking portion 23 is defined by a stepped portion 23A for use in full opening provided at a rear side of the rotating shaft 17. The stepped portion 23A for full opening has a depressed portion 23B thereabove and a protrusion 23C
therebelow. A
boundary between these depressed portion 23B and protrusion 23C defines the stepped portion 23A. Further, a region from the full-closing protrusion 22C to the full-opening protrusion 23C is connected together by an intermediate protrusion 24C
provided in a manner getting around a downside of the rotating shaft 17. In addition, the lock receiving portion 21, the full-closing locking portion 22 and the full-opening locking portion 23 are formed from synthetic resin and therefore are elastic, so that the full-closing locking portion 22 and the full-opening locking portion 23 can get over the lock receiving portion 21 against the elastic force.
Further, an opening and closing operation part 25 is provided at a front side of an upper surface of the opening and closing cap 14. The opening and closing operation part 25 comprises a vertical portion 25A that rises from the upper surface of the opening and closing cap 14 along the inner circumferential surface 15B of the peripheral wall 15 and a horizontal portion 25B that protrudes outward in a manner getting over an upper end of the peripheral wall 15 from an upper end side of the vertical portion 25A. The opening and closing cap 14 is allowed to rotate about the rotating shaft 17 into a closed or opened condition by lifting an edge of the horizontal portion 25B up and down with fingers. Then, a protective-protrusion 26 for protecting the tap that partially covers the outer circumferential surface 15A of the peripheral wall 15 is provided downward on a lower surface of the horizontal portion 25B.
The upper end of the protective-protrusion 26 is provided rather inside of a tip end of the horizontal portion 25B to permit a finger operation on the edge of the horizontal portion 25B to be favorably practiced. Further, a vertical length D of the protective-protrusion 26 is formed larger than a vertical length E from an upper end of the peripheral wall 15 to the horizontal portion 9.
In addition, the cover plate 12 is formed into a one-piece structure by joining upper and lower cover plates 27, 28 together, and besides, the upper cover plate 27 is formed integrally with the peripheral wall 15. At a front section of the upper cover plate 27 and the lower cover plate 28, an upper spout 13A and a lower spout 13B are formed so as to communicate with each other. Between the upper cover plate 27 and the lower cover plate 28, the aforesaid holes 19 are formed at the right and left sides to thereby form the bearings 18.
That is, an upward depression 19B formed by making a cutout upwardly is formed in left and right portions at the outer edges of the upper cover plate 27, respectively, and similarly, a downward depression 19A formed by making a cutout downwardly is formed in left and right portions at the outer edges of the lower cover plate 28, respectively. Then, by combining the upper cover plate 27 and the lower cover plate 28, the downward depressions 19A and the upward depressions 19B
are coupled opposite to each other, so that the holes 19 are formed between the downward depressions 19A and the upward depressions 19B.
When assembling these plates, first, the rotating shaft 17 is placed on the upward depressions 19B and then the lower cover plate 28 is fitted into the upper cover plate 27 from the downside of the upper cover plate 27, and thus the downward depressions 19A are pressed against the rotating shaft 17 from therebelow, thus rotatably providing the rotating shaft 17 in the holes 19. In addition, the downward depressions 19A are provided inside the peripheral wall 15 via a groove 29, while an outer circumferential surface A of the lower cover plate 28 is fitted into a lower portion of an inner circumferential surface B of the upper cover plate 27, and then the upward depressions 19B are fitted into the groove 29. As a result, the lower cover plate 28 is positioned in the upper cover plate 27, thus accurately forming the holes 19.
In the full-opening position of the opening and closing cap 14, an auxiliary locking portion 30 and an auxiliary lock receiving portion 31 that perform auxiliary locking action and give a user a locking click feeling are each provided on the opening and closing cap 14 and the peripheral wall 15 (at an opposed side to the tap).
Due to the structure thus made up, with the opening and closing cap 14 closed, an underside of the opening and closing cap 14 closes the spout 13. Then, the opening and closing cap 14 is opened so as to be erected. Accordingly, when the opening and closing cap 14 is in a fully closed condition, the lock receiving portion 21 is opposed to the depression 22B, and thus the stepped portion 22A for full closing is brought in a locked condition relative to the lock receiving portion 21, to thereby hold the fully closed condition of the opening and closing cap 14.
Then, when the stepped portion 22A for full closing gets opposed to the lock receiving portion 21 instead of the depressed portion 22B that had been opposed thereto, in association with a rotating action that makes the transition from the fully closed condition to the fully opened condition of the opening and closing cap 14, the stepped portion 22A for full closing is subjected to slight elastic deformation so as to get over the lock receiving portion 21. Along with the further rotating action of the opening and closing cap 14, the opening and closing cap 14 disengages from the lock receiving portion 21. At this time, the intermediate protrusion 24C slides on the lock receiving portion 21 with the former pressed against the latter.
Accordingly, the intermediate protrusion 24C comes in press-contact with the lock receiving portion 21, so that the opening and closing cap 14 is still held in an obliquely upward condition even if a user releases his/her hand with the opening and closing cap 14 being rotated to an obliquely upward position. Further, when the opening and closing cap 14 is further rotated to make transition to the full-opening state, the lock receiving portion 21 is allowed to drop in the depression 23B
for full opening from the protrusion 23C that had been opposed to the lock receiving portion 21 to get over the same, whereby the step portion 23A for full opening is locked relative to the lock receiving portion 21. As a result, the opening and closing cap 14 is held in the fully opened condition where the cap faces obliquely backwards.
Besides, due to the opening action of the opening and closing cap 14, the protective-protrusion 26 is raised to expose a front side of the peripheral wall 15. At this time, the auxiliary locking portion 30 locks supplementarily to the auxiliary locking receiving portion 31, giving a click feeling.
Then, when the container body 1 is tilted with one's mouth in contact with the peripheral wall or rim 15 adjacent to the spout 13, one can drink drinking water or beverage inside the container body 1 from the spout 13. Additionally, one can drink the drinking water with a straw inserted into the spout 13. Then, when having finished drinking and then erecting the container body 1, drinking water on the cover plate 12 falls from the spout 13 into the container body 1 since the cover plate 12 slants and the spout 13 is formed at a lower side of the cover plate 12. Accordingly, one can drink the drinking water inside the container body 1 without removing the cover body 2 from the container body 1.
An operation moment in the above-mentioned opening and closing operations of the opening and closing cap 14 is equal to a value calculated by multiplying a distance F from a center of the rotating shaft 17 to an end of the opening and closing operation part 25 by finger force. At the same time, the torque required for releasing the locked state due to the full closing of the opening and closing cap 14 is equal to a value calculated by multiplying a distance G between the center of the rotating shaft 17 and the full-closing locking portion 22 by resistive force caused by elastic deformation resulting from getting over actions of the full-closing locking portion 22 and lock receiving portion 21, while the torque required for releasing the locked state caused by the full opening of the opening and closing cap 14 is equal to a value calculated by multiplying a distance H between the center of the rotating shaft 17 and the full-opening locking portion 23 by friction force between the full-opening locking portion 23 and the lock receiving portion 21. The distance F from the center of the rotating shaft 17 to the end of the opening and closing operation part 25 is formed much larger than any one of the distance G between the center of the rotating shaft 17 and the full-closing locking portion 22 and the distance H between the center of the rotating shaft 17 and the full-opening locking portion 23 (F>G, F>H).
On the other hand, when rotating the opening and closing cap 14 from the fully opening condition to the fully closing condition, the opening and closing cap 14 is turned in the reverse direction and therefore the protective protrusion 26 covers the front side of the peripheral wall 15.
Further, when the spout 13 faces the grip 8 with the opening and closing cap 14 closed, a lower end of the protective protrusion 26 abuts against an upper surface of the horizontal portion 9 as shown in FIG. 6. As a result, the end of the opening and closing operation part 25 is pushed up to uplift the opening and closing operation part 25 above an upper end of the peripheral wall 15. Then, it is visibly indicated that the tap faces the grip 8 to suggest a user to turn the cover body 2 around.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the lock receiving portion 21 is provided in the vicinity of the bearing 18 while the full-closing locking portion 22 which gets over the lock receiving portion 21 to perform the locking action is provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 17. Hence, an arm length in the torque required for locking and unlocking associated with the full closing action of the opening and closing cap 14 can be substantially reduced as compared with an arm length of the operation moment, so that the opening and closing operation part 25 can be operated with reduced operational load resistance, enabling a facile opening operation.
Further, the rotating shaft 17 is provided at the left and right sides of the opening and closing cap 14 in a protruding manner, while the bearing 18 of the rotating shaft 17 is provided in the cover plate 12, and furthermore, the lock receiving portion 21 is provided in the vicinity of the bearing 18, while the full-opening locking portion 23 which gets over the lock receiving portion 21 to perform the opening action is provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 17. Hence, an arm length in the torque required for locking and unlocking associated with the full opening action of the opening and closing cap 14 can be substantially reduced as compared with an arm length of the operation moment, so that the opening and closing operation part 25 can be operated with reduced operational load resistance, enabling a facile opening operation.
Furthermore, the rotating shaft 17 is provided at the left and right sides of the cover plate 12 in a protruding manner, and further the bearing 18 of the rotating shaft 17 is provided in the cover plate 12, while the lock receiving portion 21 is provided in the vicinity of the bearing 18, and the full-closing locking portion 22 and the full-opening locking portion 23 which can selectively get over the lock receiving portion 21 are provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 17. Hence, the opening and closing operation part 25 can be operated with reduced operational load resistance, enabling a facile opening operation.
Moreover, the bearing 18 is provided in the cover plate 12 while the lock receiving portion 21 is provided in the vicinity of the bearing 18, and furthermore, the rotating shaft 17 is provided in the opening and closing cap 14 while the locking portion 23 is provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 17. Hence, the structures of the rotating shaft 17 and bearing 18 can be simplified by utilizing the inner circumferential surface 15B of the peripheral wall 15 and the outer circumferential surface 14A of the opening and closing cap 14.
Further, the cover plate 12 is divided into the two portions to form the upper cover plate 27 and lower cover plate 28, and besides the upper cover plate 27 and the lower cover plate 28 are integrated with the rotating shaft 17 while being sandwiched from the upper and lower sides by both the plates. Hence, the rotating shaft 17 is sandwiched by the bearing 18 divided into the upper and lower portions, permitting the assembling of the shaft and bearing so that the shaft may freely rotate.
Furthermore, the opening and closing operation part 25 is provided on an upper surface of the opening and closing cap 14, specifically at the front side thereof so as to be relatively distant away from the rotating shaft 17, while the tap-protective protrusion 26 which can cover a part of the outer circumference of the peripheral wall 15 is provided in the opening and closing operation part 25. Hence, when the opening and closing cap 14 is in a fully closed condition, the protective-protrusion 26 covers the front side of the peripheral wall 15, i.e., a side of the tap, thus enabling the preventing of an unsanitary condition being caused by touching the tap with one's hand when opening and closing the opening and closing cap 14 and the cover body.
Besides, the grip 8 is provided in the container body 1 and the protruding length D of the tap-protective protrusion 26 is formed larger than the height E from the upper end of the peripheral wall 15 to the top of the grip 8. Hence, when the tap, i.e., the spout 13 faces the grip 8, the protective protrusion 26 gets stranded on the upper horizontal portion 9 and lifted off from the fixed position, thus enabling a user to know the tap is directed to the grip 8. As a result, the user may turn the cover body 2 2 to allow the spout 13, eventually, the tap to face a direction different from that of the grip 8, so that he/she may use the container 1, eliminating the lifted state of the protective-protrusion.
Further, the cover plate 12 slants in such a manner that one side thereof is lower than the other. Hence, by electing the beverage container 1 after having finished drinking, drinking water remaining on the cover plate 12 can fall through the spout 13 into the container body 1.
Furthermore, the lock receiving portion 21, the locking potion 22 for full closing and the locking potion 23 for full opening are formed from an elastic body made of synthetic resin. Thus, the lock receiving portion 21 can be certainly locked to the full-closing locking portion 22 and the full-opening locking potion 23, utilizing elasticity and elasticity restoring force.
As described above, the container with a cover according to the present invention is applicable to a wide variety of applications.
The present invention relates to a container with a cover for containing a beverage or the like therein, particularly to the one that makes it possible to drink a beverage in a container body with a cover body thereof being closed.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, as a container with a cover of this kind, there has been disclosed a cover for beverage container comprising a rim formed on a cover plate; a spout formed on one side of the cover plate adjacent to the rim, said cover plate being formed so as to be inclined toward the one side; an opening and closing cap that is to open and close the spout and provided with an operation part on the tip of an upper surface thereof, said opening and closing cap being provided on the upper surface of the cover plate in a manner capable of rotating through a bearing; a cutout formed at a part of said rim opposed to the spout so that when the opening and closing cap is opened, the cutout may allow the cap to be retracted therein, wherein said opening and closing cap is engageable with and disengageable from said cutout, such that said opening and closing cap can be kept in an opened condition by retracting said opening and closing cap in said cutout and then engaging the same therewith after opening the opening and closing cap, as disclosed in for example, Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. H07-95907 According to the conventional art, when the opening and closing cap is in a closed condition, the spout is closed through the engagement of a closing part with a locking protrusion of the spout; the locking protrusion is provided at both sides of the opening and closing cap; and when closing the opening and closing cap, the locking protrusion is engaged with the cover plate, while when opening the opening and closing cap, the locking protrusion is engaged with a side surface at either side of the cutout.
Further, as another conventional art is known a beverage container with a grip, comprising: a male screw part composed of a double conical helix provided adjacent to an upper opening of a container body on a peripheral outer wall surface thereof; and a female screw part that engages with said male screw part and is provided on an inner peripheral surface of a cover body member having a cover plate covering the upper opening, wherein a starting point of the male screw part bearing the tip of the female screw part of the cover member is provided at a corresponding opposite position on the peripheral outer wall of the container body, while a terminal point thereof bearing the tip of the female screw part of the cover member and regulating the screw-in operation of the cover member is provided at another corresponding opposite position on the peripheral outer wall of the container body, such that a spout is arranged at any one of positions displaced by approximately 90 degrees relative to said grip, thereby enabling the position of the spout to be adjusted to an optimal position, depending on with which of the right and left hands the grip is held, as disclosed for example, Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. H07-251854.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
According to the former conventional art, due to each locking part at the fully closing position and/or fully opening position being comparatively distant from the axis of rotation of the opening and closing cap, the distance between a rotating shaft and each locking part differs relatively little from the distance between the rotating shaft and the operation part of the opening and closing cap, thus leading to concerns about relatively high operational load resistance being required of fingers in order to obtain a torque necessary for locking and unlocking operation at each locking part.
Further, the provision of the locking part at the spout could cause some problems such as disturbance in steady outpouring of beverage, occurrence of an unsanitary dirty pooling, etc. At the same time, from necessity of providing the cutout and locking part to allow the retracting of the opening and closing cap at the time of the full open, the protruding length of the rim at both sides of the cutout becomes relatively great in order to ensure a sufficient vertical length of the cutout, resulting in a possibility of decreased operability such as the accidental hitting of nose or the interrupting of a field of front vision when drinking. In addition, according to the former conventional art, an unsanitary condition may be caused by touching a tap with one's hand at the time of opening and closing operation of the cap or the cover, because the tap (the periphery of the rim) is always exposed to the outside.
According to the latter conventional art, the operation for opening and closing the cover due to the screwing structure is troublesome, and the uneven structure of the screw part can cause a sanitary problem such as deposit of dirt. Because of the double conical helix structure, the spout is always located in a direction at 90 degrees relative to the grip, yet there is a concern about the inconvenience in use being caused because a resultant direction can sometimes be in a 180-degree opposite direction relative to an intended direction. There is another concern that it is not possible to make fine adjustment to satisfy a user's personal preference of direction, for example such personal preference that the spout or the tap should be located obliquely at 60 degrees relative to the grip.
An object of the invention is to realize a facile opening and closing operation, by reducing a torque required for locking and unlocking of the opening and closing cap associated with the full opening and the full closing thereof, so as to perform those actions at reduced operational load resistance. Another object of the invention is to eliminate the possibility of touching the tap with one's hand, i.e., touching the outer periphery of the rim in any direction whatsoever, when fully closing the opening and closing cap. A further object of the invention is to allow the mounting of the tap or spout of a cover body so that the opening and closing cap may be turned in a desired direction.
MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS
The invention according to a first aspect of the invention is a container with a cover comprising:
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full closing is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to lock said lock receiving portion.
The invention according to a second aspect of the invention is a container with a cover comprising:
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full opening is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to lock said lock receiving portion.
The invention according to a third aspect of the invention is a container with a cover comprising:
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full opening or full closing is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to selectively lock said lock receiving portion.
The invention according to a fourth aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to any one of first to third aspects, wherein said bearing is provided on an inner peripheral surface of said cover plate, while said lock receiving portion is provided on said inner peripheral surface in the vicinity of said bearing, and wherein said rotating shaft is provided on an outer peripheral surface of said opening and closing cap, while said locking portion is provided on said outer peripheral surface adjacent to said rotating shaft.
The invention according to a fifth aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein said cover plate comprises an upper cover plate and a lower cover plate so that said bearing is divided into two parts above and below, and said upper cover plate and said lower cover plate are integrated with each other with said rotating shaft sandwiched therebetween.
The invention according to a sixth aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to any one of the foregoing aspects, further comprising an operation part provided on an upper surface of said opening and closing cap, said operation part being provided at a side located a distance away from said rotating shaft and provided with a tap-protective protrusion capable of covering the outer periphery of said rim.
The invention according to a seventh aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to the sixth aspect, further comprising a grip provided on an outer peripheral surface of said container body, wherein a protruding length of said tap-protective protrusion is greater than a height from a top edge of said rim to a top of said grip.
The invention according to an eighth aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein said cover plate slants so that one side thereof is lower than the other side.
The invention according to a ninth aspect of the invention is the container with a cover according to any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein either one or both of said locking portion and lock receiving portion is/are formed from an elastic member, and said locking portion engages with said lock receiving portion by getting over said lock receiving portion.
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the first aspect of the invention, an arm length in the torque required for locking and unlocking associated with the full closing action of the opening and closing cap can be substantially reduced as compared with an arm length in the operation moment.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the second aspect of the invention, an arm length in the torque required for locking and unlocking associated with the full opening action of the opening and closing cap can be substantially reduced as compared with an arm length in the operation moment.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the third aspect of the invention, the opening and closing operation part can be operated with decreased operational load resistance, enabling a facile opening operation.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the fourth aspect of the invention, the structures of the rotating shaft and the bearing can be simplified.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the fifth aspect of the invention, the rotating shaft can be assembled with the same being sandwiched between the two components of the bearing above and below.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the sixth aspect of the invention, when the opening and closing cap is closed, the protective protrusion covers the tap and thus it can be kept in a sanitary condition.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the seventh aspect of the invention, the protective protrusion gets stranded on the grip and lifted off from the fixed position, thus enabling a user to know the tap is directed to the grip.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the eighth aspect of the invention, drinking water on the cover plate is allowed to drop from the spout into the container body.
According to the container with a cover as set forth in the ninth aspect of the invention, engagement of the lock receiving part with the full-closing locking part or the full-opening locking part is ensured, utilizing elasticity and elastic restoring force.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an opening and closing cap in a closed condition according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the opening and closing cap in an opened condition according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the opening and closing cap in a closed condition according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the opening and closing cap in an opened condition according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a cover body according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 6 is a front view showing the embodiment of the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, the embodiments described below do not limit the contents of the present invention described in claims. Further, all structures described bellow are not always the essential requirements of the present invention.
The drawings represent an embodiment of the invention, and a front side in a cover body shows a tap side. A beverage container comprises a cuplike container body 1 and a cover body 2 fitted on the container body 1. The cover body 2 covers an upper opening 3 of the container body 1. The container body 1 is so structured as to make a space between a bottomed outer container 4 and a bottomed inner container 5, which are integrated together, evacuated and heat-insulated. A bottom member 6 and a shoulder member 7 are provided on the bottom and in a periphery of the upper opening 3, respectively. The cover body 2 is detachably fitted into the upper opening 3.
Then, the container body 1 is provided with a grip 8. The grip 8 is so structured that a handgrip 11 is vertically coupled to both ends of an upper horizontal portion 9 and a lower horizontal portion 10 that protrude integrally from the outside of the bottom member 6 and the shoulder member 7, respectively.
The cover body 2 comprises a cover plate 12 for covering the upper opening 3 of the container body 1 and an opening and closing cap 14 provided in a manner capable of opening and closing a spout 13 formed in the cover plate 12. The cover plate 12 is formed with a peripheral wall 15 or rim at its periphery in a standing condition so that a planar view of the peripheral wall 15 becomes circular.
The peripheral wall 15 is arranged in a protruding manner from an outer edge of the cover plate 12 to upper and lower portions thereof.
A liquid-tight packing 16 is fitted into a lower portion of an outer circumferential surface 15A of the peripheral wall 15. By inserting the cover plate 12 from the upper opening 3 of the container body 1 slightly to the bottom, the lower portion of the outer circumferential surface 15A of the peripheral wall 15 is rotatably fitted into the upper opening 3, and then the liquid-tight packing 16 is fitted into an inner circumferential surface 1B of the container body 1, thereby enabling the liquid to be prevented from leaking.
The cover plate 12 is aslope provided so that one side thereof adjacent to the peripheral wall 15, i.e., a front side where the spout is situated becomes low, whereas a side opposite the side adjacent to the peripheral wall 15, i.e., a rear side becomes high. The front side of the cover plate 12 is formed with the spout 13 that penetrates vertically through the cover plate 12. The opening and closing cap 14 that closes the spout 13 and is L-shaped in cross section is provided on an upper surface of the cover plate 12 in a manner capable of rotating.
A front end of the spout 13 is arranged at a front side of an inner circumferential surface 15B of the peripheral wall 15, whereas a rear end thereof is arranged at a rather front side than a central portion of the cover plate 12 or in a substantially central portion. Further, both left and right edges of the spout 13 are arranged so as to extend along the inner circumferential surface 15B.The spout 13 is formed in a nearly elliptical shape in a planar view. An opening area of the spout 13 is formed comparatively large, accounting for about 20 to 50% of a superficial area of the cover plate 12, preferably about one third of that of the cover plate 12.
The opening and closing cap 14 is half-round in a planar view and a front edge 14D of the cap is formed in a circular-arc shape along the inner circumferential surface 15B of the cover plate 12. A rear edge 14C is linearly formed like a line segment extending to the left and right so as to connect both ends of the circular arc.
At left and right sides of an outer periphery 14A of the opening and closing cap 14, a rotating shaft 17 is provided adjacent to the rear edge 14C in a manner protruding toward the left and the right directions, respectively. The rotating shaft 17 is rotatably coupled to a bearing 18 provided at left and right portions of the cover plate 12, respectively. The bearing 18 is defined by holes 19 whose centers of axle 18A are directed to the right and left, formed through an intermediary portion in the vertical direction on the inner circumferential surface 15B of the peripheral wall 15.
Then, by inserting the rotating shaft 17 into the holes 19, the opening and closing cap 14 can be turned in a manner capable of being tilted up and down.
A stopper mechanism 20 that selectively holds the opening and closing cap 14 either in a fully closed condition or in a fully opened condition is provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 17 and the bearing 18.
Next is a detailed description of the stopper mechanism 20. In the following description, positional relationship is discussed based on the fully closed condition of the opening and closing cap 14. A lock receiving portion 21 is provided so as to protrude inward at the front side of the bearing 18 on the inner circumferential surface 15B of the peripheral wall 15. An inward protruding length A of the lock receiving portion 21 is on the order of 0.1 to 1 mm, and the lock receiving portion 21 is arranged slightly above an upper surface of the cover plate 12. A height B
from the upper surface of the cover plate 12 to the lock receiving portion 21 is formed smaller than thickness C of the cover plate 12.
At the same time, a full-closing locking portion 22 and a full-opening locking portion 23 which engage selectively with the lock receiving portion 21 are provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 7 in the opening and closing cap 14. When the opening and closing cap 14 is in the fully closed condition, the full-closing locking portion 22 is defined by a stepped portion 22A provided at a front side of the rotating shaft 17 on the outer circumferential surface 14A of the opening and closing cap 14.
The stepped portion 22A for use in full closing has a depressed portion 22B
thereabove and a protrusion 22C therebelow. A boundary between these depressed portion 22B and protrusion 22C defines the stepped portion 22A. The full-opening locking portion 23 is defined by a stepped portion 23A for use in full opening provided at a rear side of the rotating shaft 17. The stepped portion 23A for full opening has a depressed portion 23B thereabove and a protrusion 23C
therebelow. A
boundary between these depressed portion 23B and protrusion 23C defines the stepped portion 23A. Further, a region from the full-closing protrusion 22C to the full-opening protrusion 23C is connected together by an intermediate protrusion 24C
provided in a manner getting around a downside of the rotating shaft 17. In addition, the lock receiving portion 21, the full-closing locking portion 22 and the full-opening locking portion 23 are formed from synthetic resin and therefore are elastic, so that the full-closing locking portion 22 and the full-opening locking portion 23 can get over the lock receiving portion 21 against the elastic force.
Further, an opening and closing operation part 25 is provided at a front side of an upper surface of the opening and closing cap 14. The opening and closing operation part 25 comprises a vertical portion 25A that rises from the upper surface of the opening and closing cap 14 along the inner circumferential surface 15B of the peripheral wall 15 and a horizontal portion 25B that protrudes outward in a manner getting over an upper end of the peripheral wall 15 from an upper end side of the vertical portion 25A. The opening and closing cap 14 is allowed to rotate about the rotating shaft 17 into a closed or opened condition by lifting an edge of the horizontal portion 25B up and down with fingers. Then, a protective-protrusion 26 for protecting the tap that partially covers the outer circumferential surface 15A of the peripheral wall 15 is provided downward on a lower surface of the horizontal portion 25B.
The upper end of the protective-protrusion 26 is provided rather inside of a tip end of the horizontal portion 25B to permit a finger operation on the edge of the horizontal portion 25B to be favorably practiced. Further, a vertical length D of the protective-protrusion 26 is formed larger than a vertical length E from an upper end of the peripheral wall 15 to the horizontal portion 9.
In addition, the cover plate 12 is formed into a one-piece structure by joining upper and lower cover plates 27, 28 together, and besides, the upper cover plate 27 is formed integrally with the peripheral wall 15. At a front section of the upper cover plate 27 and the lower cover plate 28, an upper spout 13A and a lower spout 13B are formed so as to communicate with each other. Between the upper cover plate 27 and the lower cover plate 28, the aforesaid holes 19 are formed at the right and left sides to thereby form the bearings 18.
That is, an upward depression 19B formed by making a cutout upwardly is formed in left and right portions at the outer edges of the upper cover plate 27, respectively, and similarly, a downward depression 19A formed by making a cutout downwardly is formed in left and right portions at the outer edges of the lower cover plate 28, respectively. Then, by combining the upper cover plate 27 and the lower cover plate 28, the downward depressions 19A and the upward depressions 19B
are coupled opposite to each other, so that the holes 19 are formed between the downward depressions 19A and the upward depressions 19B.
When assembling these plates, first, the rotating shaft 17 is placed on the upward depressions 19B and then the lower cover plate 28 is fitted into the upper cover plate 27 from the downside of the upper cover plate 27, and thus the downward depressions 19A are pressed against the rotating shaft 17 from therebelow, thus rotatably providing the rotating shaft 17 in the holes 19. In addition, the downward depressions 19A are provided inside the peripheral wall 15 via a groove 29, while an outer circumferential surface A of the lower cover plate 28 is fitted into a lower portion of an inner circumferential surface B of the upper cover plate 27, and then the upward depressions 19B are fitted into the groove 29. As a result, the lower cover plate 28 is positioned in the upper cover plate 27, thus accurately forming the holes 19.
In the full-opening position of the opening and closing cap 14, an auxiliary locking portion 30 and an auxiliary lock receiving portion 31 that perform auxiliary locking action and give a user a locking click feeling are each provided on the opening and closing cap 14 and the peripheral wall 15 (at an opposed side to the tap).
Due to the structure thus made up, with the opening and closing cap 14 closed, an underside of the opening and closing cap 14 closes the spout 13. Then, the opening and closing cap 14 is opened so as to be erected. Accordingly, when the opening and closing cap 14 is in a fully closed condition, the lock receiving portion 21 is opposed to the depression 22B, and thus the stepped portion 22A for full closing is brought in a locked condition relative to the lock receiving portion 21, to thereby hold the fully closed condition of the opening and closing cap 14.
Then, when the stepped portion 22A for full closing gets opposed to the lock receiving portion 21 instead of the depressed portion 22B that had been opposed thereto, in association with a rotating action that makes the transition from the fully closed condition to the fully opened condition of the opening and closing cap 14, the stepped portion 22A for full closing is subjected to slight elastic deformation so as to get over the lock receiving portion 21. Along with the further rotating action of the opening and closing cap 14, the opening and closing cap 14 disengages from the lock receiving portion 21. At this time, the intermediate protrusion 24C slides on the lock receiving portion 21 with the former pressed against the latter.
Accordingly, the intermediate protrusion 24C comes in press-contact with the lock receiving portion 21, so that the opening and closing cap 14 is still held in an obliquely upward condition even if a user releases his/her hand with the opening and closing cap 14 being rotated to an obliquely upward position. Further, when the opening and closing cap 14 is further rotated to make transition to the full-opening state, the lock receiving portion 21 is allowed to drop in the depression 23B
for full opening from the protrusion 23C that had been opposed to the lock receiving portion 21 to get over the same, whereby the step portion 23A for full opening is locked relative to the lock receiving portion 21. As a result, the opening and closing cap 14 is held in the fully opened condition where the cap faces obliquely backwards.
Besides, due to the opening action of the opening and closing cap 14, the protective-protrusion 26 is raised to expose a front side of the peripheral wall 15. At this time, the auxiliary locking portion 30 locks supplementarily to the auxiliary locking receiving portion 31, giving a click feeling.
Then, when the container body 1 is tilted with one's mouth in contact with the peripheral wall or rim 15 adjacent to the spout 13, one can drink drinking water or beverage inside the container body 1 from the spout 13. Additionally, one can drink the drinking water with a straw inserted into the spout 13. Then, when having finished drinking and then erecting the container body 1, drinking water on the cover plate 12 falls from the spout 13 into the container body 1 since the cover plate 12 slants and the spout 13 is formed at a lower side of the cover plate 12. Accordingly, one can drink the drinking water inside the container body 1 without removing the cover body 2 from the container body 1.
An operation moment in the above-mentioned opening and closing operations of the opening and closing cap 14 is equal to a value calculated by multiplying a distance F from a center of the rotating shaft 17 to an end of the opening and closing operation part 25 by finger force. At the same time, the torque required for releasing the locked state due to the full closing of the opening and closing cap 14 is equal to a value calculated by multiplying a distance G between the center of the rotating shaft 17 and the full-closing locking portion 22 by resistive force caused by elastic deformation resulting from getting over actions of the full-closing locking portion 22 and lock receiving portion 21, while the torque required for releasing the locked state caused by the full opening of the opening and closing cap 14 is equal to a value calculated by multiplying a distance H between the center of the rotating shaft 17 and the full-opening locking portion 23 by friction force between the full-opening locking portion 23 and the lock receiving portion 21. The distance F from the center of the rotating shaft 17 to the end of the opening and closing operation part 25 is formed much larger than any one of the distance G between the center of the rotating shaft 17 and the full-closing locking portion 22 and the distance H between the center of the rotating shaft 17 and the full-opening locking portion 23 (F>G, F>H).
On the other hand, when rotating the opening and closing cap 14 from the fully opening condition to the fully closing condition, the opening and closing cap 14 is turned in the reverse direction and therefore the protective protrusion 26 covers the front side of the peripheral wall 15.
Further, when the spout 13 faces the grip 8 with the opening and closing cap 14 closed, a lower end of the protective protrusion 26 abuts against an upper surface of the horizontal portion 9 as shown in FIG. 6. As a result, the end of the opening and closing operation part 25 is pushed up to uplift the opening and closing operation part 25 above an upper end of the peripheral wall 15. Then, it is visibly indicated that the tap faces the grip 8 to suggest a user to turn the cover body 2 around.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the lock receiving portion 21 is provided in the vicinity of the bearing 18 while the full-closing locking portion 22 which gets over the lock receiving portion 21 to perform the locking action is provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 17. Hence, an arm length in the torque required for locking and unlocking associated with the full closing action of the opening and closing cap 14 can be substantially reduced as compared with an arm length of the operation moment, so that the opening and closing operation part 25 can be operated with reduced operational load resistance, enabling a facile opening operation.
Further, the rotating shaft 17 is provided at the left and right sides of the opening and closing cap 14 in a protruding manner, while the bearing 18 of the rotating shaft 17 is provided in the cover plate 12, and furthermore, the lock receiving portion 21 is provided in the vicinity of the bearing 18, while the full-opening locking portion 23 which gets over the lock receiving portion 21 to perform the opening action is provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 17. Hence, an arm length in the torque required for locking and unlocking associated with the full opening action of the opening and closing cap 14 can be substantially reduced as compared with an arm length of the operation moment, so that the opening and closing operation part 25 can be operated with reduced operational load resistance, enabling a facile opening operation.
Furthermore, the rotating shaft 17 is provided at the left and right sides of the cover plate 12 in a protruding manner, and further the bearing 18 of the rotating shaft 17 is provided in the cover plate 12, while the lock receiving portion 21 is provided in the vicinity of the bearing 18, and the full-closing locking portion 22 and the full-opening locking portion 23 which can selectively get over the lock receiving portion 21 are provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 17. Hence, the opening and closing operation part 25 can be operated with reduced operational load resistance, enabling a facile opening operation.
Moreover, the bearing 18 is provided in the cover plate 12 while the lock receiving portion 21 is provided in the vicinity of the bearing 18, and furthermore, the rotating shaft 17 is provided in the opening and closing cap 14 while the locking portion 23 is provided in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 17. Hence, the structures of the rotating shaft 17 and bearing 18 can be simplified by utilizing the inner circumferential surface 15B of the peripheral wall 15 and the outer circumferential surface 14A of the opening and closing cap 14.
Further, the cover plate 12 is divided into the two portions to form the upper cover plate 27 and lower cover plate 28, and besides the upper cover plate 27 and the lower cover plate 28 are integrated with the rotating shaft 17 while being sandwiched from the upper and lower sides by both the plates. Hence, the rotating shaft 17 is sandwiched by the bearing 18 divided into the upper and lower portions, permitting the assembling of the shaft and bearing so that the shaft may freely rotate.
Furthermore, the opening and closing operation part 25 is provided on an upper surface of the opening and closing cap 14, specifically at the front side thereof so as to be relatively distant away from the rotating shaft 17, while the tap-protective protrusion 26 which can cover a part of the outer circumference of the peripheral wall 15 is provided in the opening and closing operation part 25. Hence, when the opening and closing cap 14 is in a fully closed condition, the protective-protrusion 26 covers the front side of the peripheral wall 15, i.e., a side of the tap, thus enabling the preventing of an unsanitary condition being caused by touching the tap with one's hand when opening and closing the opening and closing cap 14 and the cover body.
Besides, the grip 8 is provided in the container body 1 and the protruding length D of the tap-protective protrusion 26 is formed larger than the height E from the upper end of the peripheral wall 15 to the top of the grip 8. Hence, when the tap, i.e., the spout 13 faces the grip 8, the protective protrusion 26 gets stranded on the upper horizontal portion 9 and lifted off from the fixed position, thus enabling a user to know the tap is directed to the grip 8. As a result, the user may turn the cover body 2 2 to allow the spout 13, eventually, the tap to face a direction different from that of the grip 8, so that he/she may use the container 1, eliminating the lifted state of the protective-protrusion.
Further, the cover plate 12 slants in such a manner that one side thereof is lower than the other. Hence, by electing the beverage container 1 after having finished drinking, drinking water remaining on the cover plate 12 can fall through the spout 13 into the container body 1.
Furthermore, the lock receiving portion 21, the locking potion 22 for full closing and the locking potion 23 for full opening are formed from an elastic body made of synthetic resin. Thus, the lock receiving portion 21 can be certainly locked to the full-closing locking portion 22 and the full-opening locking potion 23, utilizing elasticity and elasticity restoring force.
As described above, the container with a cover according to the present invention is applicable to a wide variety of applications.
Claims (9)
1. A container with a cover comprising:
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full closing is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to lock said lock receiving portion.
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full closing is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to lock said lock receiving portion.
2. A container with a cover comprising:
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full opening is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to lock said lock receiving portion.
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full opening is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to lock said lock receiving portion.
3. A container with a cover comprising:
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full opening or full closing is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to selectively lock said lock receiving portion.
a container body having an upper opening;
a cover body detachably covering said upper opening, said cover body including a cover plate detachably mounted at said upper opening and formed with a spout at a front portion thereof adjacent to a rim; and an opening and closing cap covering said spout, said opening and closing cap being provided in a manner capable of rotating in a front to back direction through a rotating shaft provided on either side of said cover plate, wherein said rotating shaft is protruded from either side of said opening and closing cap, while a bearing for said rotating shaft is provided on said cover plate, and wherein a lock receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of one of said rotating shaft and said bearing, while a locking portion for full opening or full closing is provided in the vicinity of the other thereof to selectively lock said lock receiving portion.
4. The container with a cover according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said bearing is provided on an inner peripheral surface of said cover plate, while said lock receiving portion is provided on said inner peripheral surface in the vicinity of said bearing, and wherein said rotating shaft is provided on an outer peripheral surface of said opening and closing cap, while said locking portion is provided on said outer peripheral surface adjacent to said rotating shaft.
5. The container with a cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said cover plate comprises an upper cover plate and a lower cover plate so that said bearing is divided into two parts above and below, and said upper cover plate and said lower cover plate are integrated with each other with said rotating shaft sandwiched therebetween.
6. The container with a cover according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an operation part provided on an upper surface of said opening and closing cap, said operation part being provided at a side located a distance away from said rotating shaft and provided with a tap-protective protrusion capable of covering the outer periphery of said rim.
7. The container with a cover according to claim 6, further comprising a grip provided on an outer peripheral surface of said container body, wherein a protruding length of said tap-protective protrusion is greater than a height from a top edge of said rim to a top of said grip.
8. The container with a cover according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said cover plate slants so that one side thereof is lower than the other side.
9. The container with a cover according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein either one or both of said locking portion and lock receiving portion is/are formed from an elastic member, and said locking portion engages with said lock receiving portion by getting over said lock receiving portion.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2007103217A JP4482944B2 (en) | 2007-04-10 | 2007-04-10 | Beverage container with lid |
| JP2007-103217 | 2007-04-10 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2628695A1 true CA2628695A1 (en) | 2008-10-10 |
Family
ID=39830136
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002628695A Abandoned CA2628695A1 (en) | 2007-04-10 | 2008-04-09 | Container with a cover |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JP4482944B2 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN101284580B (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2628695A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2011073790A (en) * | 2009-09-02 | 2011-04-14 | Kamei Proact Corp | Beverage container |
| KR200470852Y1 (en) * | 2012-02-01 | 2014-01-14 | 주식회사 새샘 | Tumbler cap |
| JP5726813B2 (en) * | 2012-06-06 | 2015-06-03 | パール金属株式会社 | Beverage container lid |
| JP5690419B2 (en) * | 2014-01-09 | 2015-03-25 | パール金属株式会社 | Beverage container lid |
| JP5748875B1 (en) | 2014-03-04 | 2015-07-15 | サーモス株式会社 | Beverage container lid structure |
| CN105768508B (en) * | 2016-04-18 | 2018-06-26 | 方昱皓 | Antifouling environment-friendly type suction nozzle beverage cup lid and processing method |
| JP2018065597A (en) * | 2016-10-20 | 2018-04-26 | 株式会社コスモスウェブ | Lid for beverage container |
| WO2019028326A1 (en) * | 2017-08-03 | 2019-02-07 | Igloo Products Corp. | Leak-proof container lid with foam insulation |
| JP6510696B1 (en) * | 2018-03-05 | 2019-05-08 | 大王製紙株式会社 | Household paper storage container |
| CN112727816A (en) * | 2021-01-06 | 2021-04-30 | 林晓桐 | Hydraulic oil storage device based on hydraulic equipment is used |
| JP2022138551A (en) | 2021-03-10 | 2022-09-26 | サーモス株式会社 | Cap unit and container with cap |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5301322A (en) * | 1986-05-23 | 1994-04-05 | Hitachi, Ltd. | System for converting job/process identifiers into processor/process identifiers in transferring data between processes in a multiprocessor system |
| US4949865A (en) * | 1990-01-02 | 1990-08-21 | Williams Industries, Inc. | Container lid with integral stopper |
-
2007
- 2007-04-10 JP JP2007103217A patent/JP4482944B2/en active Active
-
2008
- 2008-04-09 CA CA002628695A patent/CA2628695A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2008-04-10 CN CN2008100897929A patent/CN101284580B/en active Active
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN101284580A (en) | 2008-10-15 |
| CN101284580B (en) | 2010-12-22 |
| JP4482944B2 (en) | 2010-06-16 |
| JP2008260544A (en) | 2008-10-30 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| EEER | Examination request |
Effective date: 20121207 |
|
| FZDE | Dead |
Effective date: 20150409 |