JP2006290422A - Plug mechanism and container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To guarantee that a container is not unplugged in a turnable plug mechanism. <P>SOLUTION: A plug mechanism is equipped with a mouth part (10 and 20) and an openable/closable lid 40. The lid 40 includes an arm 42, and the mouth part includes an inner cylinder 10 and an outer cylinder 20 to be attached to the inner cylinder 10. The outer cylinder 20 is connected to the lid 40 by a breakable connection part 70, and the inner cylinder 10 includes a pivotably supporting part 14 to pivotably support the arm 42 so as to permit the turn of the lid 40 with the connection part 70 being broken. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a stopper mechanism and a container suitable for the container.

As a structure for closing the mouths of various containers such as PET containers (PET bottles) and paper containers (paper packs), screw-type plug members (screw caps) are well known. When opening and closing the mouth of a container with a screw-type stopper member, it is necessary to grasp the container body with one hand and turn the stopper member with the other hand, which is inconvenient in situations where only one hand can be used. It is. Moreover, since the screw-type plug member is completely separated from the container body when it is removed from the container body, the plug member may be lost before the contents of the container are consumed.
Various plug members or plug mechanisms other than the screw type are also known. For example, a rotary plug mechanism is an example. Patent Document 1 discloses a rotary plug mechanism. Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which an extraction port is opened by pulling a stopper from a container body and rotating the stopper in that state.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-39406

  In particular, in the container for storage and distribution of beverage products, it is necessary to indicate that the container has not been opened in order to ensure hygiene safety. As a screw-type plug mechanism, a configuration is known in which a screw cap is connected to a mouth portion by a breakable connecting portion called a bridge, and the connecting portion is broken at the time of opening.

  However, in the rotation type stopper mechanism, the opening operation is composed of two stages, that is, the separation of the lid member from the container body and the rotation of the lid member, and the structure for that is complicated. It is difficult to adopt a structure in which the container is connected to the container main body or the mouth by a connecting member.

  The present invention has been made on the basis of recognition of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to enable, for example, a guarantee that a container is not opened in a rotary stopper mechanism.

The present invention relates to a plug mechanism including a mouth portion and an openable / closable lid portion, wherein the lid portion includes an arm, and the mouth portion includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder attached to the inner cylinder. The outer cylinder is connected to the lid portion by a breakable connecting portion, and the inner cylinder pivotally supports the arm so as to allow the lid portion to rotate in a state where the connecting portion is broken. including.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the arm includes a first engagement portion, and the shaft support portion engages with the first engagement portion to allow the lid portion to rotate. It is preferable to arrange in the inner cylinder.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner cylinder further includes a second engagement portion that engages with the first engagement portion in a state where the mouth portion is closed by the lid portion, It is preferable that the cylinder further includes a guide portion that guides the first engagement portion between the second engagement portion and the shaft support portion.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first engaging portion may include a convex portion, and the shaft support portion and the second engaging portion may include a concave portion that engages with the convex portion. Here, it is preferable that the depth of the recessed portion of the shaft support portion is shallower than the depth of the recessed portion of the second engaging portion.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the guide portion includes a slit, and the arm is connected to the lid portion and the outer cylinder by the connecting portion in a positional relationship that fits in the slit. preferable.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the lid portion and the outer cylinder are integrally formed in a state of being connected by the connecting portion.

  The container according to the present invention includes a container main body and the plug mechanism described above, and the inner cylinder of the plug mechanism is connected to the container main body.

  According to the present invention, for example, it can be ensured that the container is not opened in a rotary stopper mechanism.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A container 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a container body 60 and a stopper mechanism 50 connected thereto. The container body 60 can be configured as, for example, a PET container or a paper container. The container 100 can be filled with, for example, non-alcoholic beverages such as water and soft drinks, alcoholic beverages such as beer, sparkling liquor, shochu, whiskey and wine, chemicals, and the like.

2-5 is a figure which shows the detailed structure of the stopper mechanism 50 in the container 100 shown in FIG. The stopper mechanism 50 includes a mouth portion 30 and a lid portion 40 that can be opened and closed. The lid portion 40 includes a lower end portion (seal portion) 44 configured to include a curve, and a pair of arms 42 having a first engagement portion 42a. The pair of arms 42 are arranged so as to sandwich the mouth 30.
The mouth portion 30 includes a second engagement portion 12 and a third engagement portion (shaft support portion) 14 that engage with a first engagement portion 42 a provided on the arm 42 of the lid portion 40. Here, the third engagement portion 14 is disposed above the second engagement portion 12 (in a direction away from the container main body 60).
The mouth portion 30 further includes a guide portion 35 that guides the first engagement portion 42 a between the second engagement portion 12 and the third engagement portion 14. For example, the guide part 35 guides the first engaging part 42a so that the arm 42 having the first engaging part 42a can slide in the vertical direction. In the configuration example shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the guide portion 35 includes a slit, and the first engagement portion 42 a is guided by the arm 42 being guided by the slit.
The mouth portion 30 further includes an upper end portion (seal portion) 16 that engages or contacts the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40 in a state where the first engagement portion 42a and the second engagement portion 12 are engaged. Including. In the configuration examples shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40 has an annular double structure, and the upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion 30 is fitted into the annular groove in the double structure. The mouth 30 is sealed. The seal structure may have various other forms, for example, a seal structure in which the end surface of the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40 abuts on the end surface of the upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion 30 may be employed. The upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion 30 is configured to include a curve that matches the curve of the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40.

As exemplarily shown in FIG. 3, when the lid portion 40 (arm 42) is slid upward, the first engagement portion 42 a provided on the arm 42 is engaged with the third engagement portion 14 of the mouth portion 30. Match. The lid 40 is allowed to rotate around the third engaging portion 14 in a state where the first engaging portion 42a and the third engaging portion 14 are engaged.
When opening the mouth portion 30 of the container 100, for example, as shown in FIG. 3 by applying an upward force with one or two fingers to the operation portions 46 formed on the outer surfaces of the pair of arms 42, respectively. Then, the lid portion 40 (arm 42) is slid upward until the first engagement portion 42a engages with the third engagement portion (shaft support portion) 14, and as shown in FIG. The lid 40 may be rotated around the three engaging portions 14. Conversely, when closing the mouth 30 of the container 100, the lid 40 is rotated to a position directly above the mouth 30, and the lid is further engaged until the first engagement portion 42 a is engaged with the second engagement portion 12. What is necessary is just to slide the part 40 below.
When the upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion 30 and the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40 are configured to include a curve, the lid portion 40 may interfere with the components of the mouth portion 30 in the rotation operation of the lid portion 40. Is prevented. Therefore, the sliding distance (stroke) of the lid part 40 can be shortened. This can contribute to downsizing of the stopper mechanism 50 and further downsizing of the container 100.

Here, the upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion 30 is preferably configured by a curve having a top portion 16a near the upper portion of the third engagement portion 14 and a bottom portion 16b in the rotation direction of the lid portion 40. The lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40 that engages or abuts with the upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion 30 can also be configured to include a similar curve.
It is preferable that at least a part of the upper end portion 16 (and the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40) of the mouth portion 30 is formed of an arc. Such an arc can minimize the sliding distance of the lid 40 required for the pivoting operation.
As exemplarily shown in FIG. 6, the arc constituting at least a part of the upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion (and the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40) has a radius r that is ½ of the width D of the mouth portion 30. Is preferably larger. By making the radius r of the arc larger than ½ of the width of the mouth portion 30, the sealing ability by the seal mechanism constituted by the upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion 30 and the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40 can be enhanced. it can. On the other hand, when the radius r of the arc is reduced, the force for bringing the upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion and the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40 into close contact with each other is weakened, and the sealing ability may be reduced.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the arc constituting at least a part of the upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion (and the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40) is an axis of the mouth portion 30 in a side view (side view). Can be symmetric with respect to A. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the upper end portion 16 of the mouth portion (and the lower end portion 44 of the lid portion 40) may be perpendicular to the axis A of the mouth portion 30 in a side view (side view). .
The mouth 30 may typically be configured to include a cylindrical portion. Alternatively, in another aspect, the mouth portion 30 can be configured such that the inner diameter of the opening portion (portion through which the liquid passes) is substantially constant along the axial direction of the mouth portion 30. By making the mouth part 30 into such a shape, the opening cross-sectional area of the mouth part 30 becomes wide, and for example, the ease of drinking and the ease of pouring can be improved.
The plug mechanism 50 preferably further includes a fixing portion 22 that fixes the lid portion 40 in a state where the lid portion 40 is rotated (that is, a state where the mouth portion 30 is opened). For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the fixing portion 22 preferably includes an engaging portion that engages with an engaging portion 42 a provided on the arm 42.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the mouth portion 30 preferably includes an inner cylinder 10 and an outer cylinder 20 attached to the inner cylinder 10. Here, the inner cylinder 10 may have a fixing engaging portion (for example, a groove) 18, and the outer cylinder 20 may have a fixing engaging portion (for example, a protrusion) 24. By inserting the inner cylinder 10 into the outer cylinder 20, both fixing engaging portions 18, 24 can be engaged and the outer cylinder 20 can be fixed to the inner cylinder 10.
The outer cylinder 20 can be integrally formed with the lid 40 in a state where the outer cylinder 20 is coupled to the lid 40 by a breakable connecting portion (bridge) 70 (see FIG. 2). The container 100 is hermetically sealed by fixing the structure including the integrally formed outer cylinder 20 and the lid 40 to the inner cylinder 10. When opening the mouth portion 30 of the container 100, the outer cylinder 20 and the lid portion 40 can be separated by breaking the connecting portion 70 by applying a force so as to slide the lid portion 40 upward.
In this way, the mouth portion 30 is constituted by the inner cylinder 10 and the outer cylinder 20 attached thereto, and the outer cylinder 20 and the lid portion 40 are connected by the connecting portion 70 to be integrally formed. In the container 100, it can be ensured that the lid 40 is not opened. In the shipped container 100, when the connecting part 70 is broken, it can be easily understood that the lid 40 has been opened.

  The aforementioned guide part 35 is preferably constituted by a slit formed in the outer cylinder 20. It is preferable that the outer cylinder 20 and the lid portion 40 are coupled by the coupling portion 70 in a positional relationship in which the arm 42 of the lid portion 40 is accommodated in a slit constituting the guide portion 35. The second engaging portion 12 and the third engaging portion 14 are preferably formed on the side surface of the inner cylinder 10 as exemplarily shown in FIG.

  For example, the first engaging portion 42a includes a convex portion, and in this case, the second engaging portion 12 and the third engaging portion 14 may include a concave portion that engages with the convex portion. . Here, in order to facilitate the rotation of the lid portion 40 in a state where the first engagement portion 42a is engaged with the third engagement portion 14, the depth of the recess of the third engagement portion (shaft support portion) 14 is set. Is preferably shallower than the depth of the concave portion of the second engaging portion 12. According to such a configuration, when the first engaging portion 42 a provided on the pair of arms 42 is engaged with the third engaging portion 14 of the mouth portion 30, the distance between the pair of arms 42 is (first Since the engaging portion 42a expands (compared to when the engaging portion 42a is engaged with the second engaging portion 12), the rubbing between the pair of arms 42 and the side surfaces of the outer cylinder 20 is reduced or eliminated, and the lid portion 40 can be easily obtained. Can be rotated.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state of the non-opening of the stopper mechanism in the container shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows a mode that the cover part of the stopper mechanism in the container shown in FIG. 1 is slid upwards. It is a perspective view which shows the state which rotated the cover part of the stopper mechanism in the container shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the stopper mechanism in the container shown in FIG. It is a side view which shows the structural example of the upper end part of the stopper mechanism in the container shown in FIG. It is a side view which shows the other structural example of the upper end part of the stopper mechanism in the container shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 Inner cylinder 12 Second engagement portion 14 Third engagement portion (shaft support portion)
16 upper end portion 16a top portion 16b bottom portion 18 fixing engagement portion 20 outer cylinder 22 fixing portion 24 fixing engagement portion 30 opening portion 35 guide portion 40 lid portion 42 arm 42a first engagement portion 44 lower end portion 46 operation Part 50 stopper mechanism 60 container main body 62 collar part 70 connecting part (bridge)
100 containers

Claims (8)

A plug mechanism comprising a mouth and a lid that can be opened and closed,
The lid includes an arm,
The mouth includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder attached to the inner cylinder,
The outer cylinder is connected to the lid portion by a breakable connecting portion,
The inner cylinder includes a shaft support portion that pivotally supports the arm so as to allow rotation of the lid portion in a state where the connecting portion is broken.
A plug mechanism characterized by that. The arm includes a first engaging portion;
The shaft support portion is disposed on the inner cylinder so as to engage with the first engagement portion and allow the lid portion to rotate.
The stopper mechanism according to claim 1. The inner cylinder further includes a second engagement portion that engages with the first engagement portion in a state where the mouth portion is closed by the lid portion,
The outer cylinder further includes a guide portion that guides the first engagement portion between the second engagement portion and the shaft support portion.
The stopper mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above. The first engaging portion includes a convex portion;
The shaft support part and the second engaging part include a concave part that engages with the convex part,
The stopper mechanism according to claim 3.   The stopper mechanism according to claim 4, wherein a depth of the concave portion of the shaft support portion is shallower than a depth of the concave portion of the second engaging portion.   The said guide part contains a slit, The said cover part and the said outer cylinder are connected by the said connection part in the positional relationship in which the said arm is settled in the said slit, The Claim 3 thru | or 5 characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. A stopper mechanism according to item 1.   The stopper mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lid portion and the outer cylinder are integrally formed in a state of being connected by the connecting portion. A container body;
A stopper mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The inner cylinder of the stopper mechanism is connected to the container body,
A container characterized by that.

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