JP2009286413A - Funnel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a funnel which prevents a liquid or a powder for refilling from spilling when a container is refilled with it, and facilitates the work of refilling. <P>SOLUTION: The funnel 1A has a hollow pyramidal shape with a large-diameter opening part 3 at its upper end and a small-diameter opening part 4 at its lower end. This funnel 1A can be folded flat. When the funnel 1A is inserted into the mouth part 21 of the receiving container 20 with the large-diameter opening part 3 and the small-diameter opening part 4 kept open, the funnel 1A comes into contact with the receiving container 20 at three or more points, thereby obtaining air substitution passages between the receiving container 20 and the funnel 1A. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a funnel and a refill product with an attached funnel.

It is widely performed that liquids and powders used by filling in rigid containers such as plastic and glass are filled in bags and sold for refilling.
Such sales of refill products are considered preferable in terms of resource saving and the like.

  However, a rigid container filled with a refilling liquid or powder has a problem that, in general, the diameter of the mouth is narrow, and when filling a refilling liquid or powder, they easily spill around.

  In order to solve this problem, a funnel has been used conventionally, and an assembly-type funnel that is convenient to carry and accommodate has also been proposed (Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-277014 A

  The assembly-type funnel described in Patent Document 1 uses a main body portion in which triangular pieces are continuously provided and assembled into a hollow polygonal pyramid shape by engagement between a locking projection piece and a locking slit. This assembled funnel is used when a small amount of liquid such as perfume is originally refilled from the original container to a container for subdivision, and can be conveniently used for refilling several mL of liquid. However, for example, when refilling several hundred mL or more of liquid, such as refilling of liquid detergent or the like, the liquid leaks from the engagement portion or the engagement portion is released due to looseness or play of the engagement. In some cases, it was difficult to use.

  Then, even if it refills several hundred mL or more of liquids, this invention aims at providing the funnel for refilling which can be refilled without leaking reliably and can be used simply.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a hollow polygonal pyramid-shaped funnel having a large-diameter opening at the upper end and a small-diameter opening at the lower end, and can be folded flatly. When inserted into the mouth of the mounting container with the opening and the small-diameter opening widened, the mounting container and the funnel come into contact with each other at three or more points, and an air replacement path is provided between the mounting container and the funnel. Provide a refill funnel characterized by securing.

  The funnel is also provided with a funnel refill product attached to a bag filled with a refill liquid or powder.

  Furthermore, a refilling method is provided in which the funnel is inserted into the mouth of the mounting container, and a refilling liquid or powder is injected into the mounting container through the funnel.

  Since the funnel of the present invention has a hollow polygonal pyramid shape and can be folded flat, it can be folded into a refill product such as a refill liquid or a refill powder. It can be easily attached. Moreover, it is possible to easily and stably use the funnel simply by expanding the large-diameter opening and the small-diameter opening, and no liquid leakage occurs from the funnel.

  Moreover, this funnel is in the shape of a hollow polygonal pyramid, so that it comes into contact with the mouth of the mounting container at three or more points. Therefore, an air replacement path can be secured between the mounting container and the funnel, and refilling can be performed quickly.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same numerals indicate the same or equivalent components.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a method of using the funnel 1A according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the funnel 1A in a folded state, and FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the funnel 1A.

As shown in FIG. 3, the funnel 1A is formed into a hollow polygonal pyramid shape by folding a substantially fan-shaped thin plate-like material at a fold line L indicated by a broken line, and pasting a margin 2x with an edge 2y on the opposite side. It has six substantially triangular side surfaces 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f, a large-diameter opening 3 at the upper end, and a small-diameter opening 4 at the lower end. These six sides 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, opening angle theta ₀ of 2f are equally formed.

  Here, the thin plate material can be appropriately selected depending on the type of contents to be refilled with the funnel 1A. For example, for liquid products such as liquid detergent, liquid bleach, and softener, A paper board laminated with a resin film, water-resistant printing or clay coated can be used.

  Thus, by forming the funnel 1A into a hollow polygonal pyramid shape using a thin plate material, the mouth portion 21 of the specific mounting container 20 corresponding to the refill content 40 such as a refill solution or a refill powder. When the funnel 1A is inserted, the mounting container 20 and the funnel 1A come into contact with each other at three or more points, and there is a gap between the peripheral wall 22 of the mouth portion 21 of the mounting container 20 and the funnel 1A. An air replacement path is secured. For this reason, even when the contents 40 such as refilling liquid or powder are injected into the mounting container 20 using the funnel 1A, even if a large amount of the contents 40 are discharged into the funnel 1A at a time, the mounting container Since the air replacement in 20 is promptly performed, the contents 40 can be prevented from overflowing from the funnel 1A, and refilling can be performed quickly. Therefore, the present invention includes such a refilling liquid or powder refilling method.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, this funnel 1A can be folded flatly in two layers with the side of the side face as a fold line. Therefore, as will be described later, it can be easily attached to a refill product such as the bag 30 filled with the refill contents 40.

Furthermore, in this funnel 1A, the side surfaces 2a and 2f are extended upward with respect to the side surfaces 2c and 2d facing each other, and the upper edges 2a ₁ and 2f _{1 of the} side surfaces 2a and 2f are the side surfaces 2d and 2c facing each other. Projecting upward without overlapping the upper edges 2d ₁ and 2c ₁ in the height direction. The upper edges 2b ₁ and 2e ₁ of the side faces 2b and 2e adjacent to the side faces 2a and 2f extending upward are opposed to the upper edges 2a ₁ and 2f _{1 of} the side faces 2a and 2f extending upward. The upper edges 2c ₁ and 2d _{1 of} the side surfaces 2c and 2d to be connected are smoothly connected. In this case, the difference H in the height direction between the upper edges 2a ₁ and 2f _{1 of} the side surfaces 2a and 2f extending upward and the upper edges 2c ₁ and 2d ₁ of the opposite side surfaces 2c and 2d is 10 to 10%. 50 mm is preferable.

  Thus, when the funnel 1A is inserted into the mouth portion 21 opened upward of the mounting container 20 and the contents 40 discharged from the bag 30 are injected into the mounting container 20 via the funnel 1A, the contents 40 Can be discharged so as to contact the side surfaces 2a and 2f extending upward, so that the contents 40 can be easily injected into the mounting container 20 without spilling around. Moreover, the funnel 1A in a state of being folded flat on two sheets can be easily expanded into a hollow polygonal pyramid shape by placing a finger on a portion protruding above the side surfaces 2a and 2f.

  This funnel 1A has an opening angle θ of 45 ° or less, preferably 20 to 40 ° when viewed from the side. Thereby, since the funnel 1A can be inserted deeply into the mouth portion 21 of the mounting container 20, the standing state of the funnel 1A is stabilized, and the funnel 1A can be independent without being supported by hands. Therefore, when the contents 40 are refilled, the bag 30 can be opened after the funnel 1A is erected on the mouth portion 21 of the mounting container 20, and the bag 30 can be supported with both hands. For this reason, even if the bag 30 is a soft one such as a pouch whose outer shape is easily deformed as the contents 40 are discharged, the refilling operation is simplified. And even a refill with a relatively large capacity of 800 to 2500 mL can be easily performed by ordinary people.

  On the other hand, if the opening angle θ is too wide, the standing state of the funnel inserted into the mouth portion 21 of the mounting container 20 becomes unstable. Therefore, in order to keep the funnel 1A upright at the mouth portion 21 of the mounting container 20, It is necessary to support funnel 1A by hand. On the other hand, if the opening angle θ is too small, the opening of the large-diameter opening 3 becomes small, and it becomes difficult to discharge the contents 40 into the large-diameter opening 3 of the funnel 1A without spilling.

  Further, when the funnel 1 </ b> A is inserted into the mouth portion 21 of the mounting container 20, the latching piece 5 that hooks on the base portion of the peripheral wall 22 of the mouth portion 21 protrudes inside the mounting container 20. Yes. Thereby, the standing state of the funnel 1A when the funnel 1A is inserted into the mouth portion 21 of the mounting container 20 can be further stabilized.

  On the other hand, a plurality of slits 6 are opened in the small diameter opening 4 of the funnel 1A. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the contents 40 are discharged downward from the small diameter opening 4 in the mounting container 20, and are also discharged from the slit 6, and the contents are connected to the inner wall of the mounting container 20. 40 can be filled. Therefore, even if the contents 40 to be poured into the mounting container 20 contain a surfactant like liquid detergent for clothing and are easy to foam, foaming can be minimized. Therefore, problems such as bubbles overflowing from the mounting container 20 before the desired refill amount is injected into the mounting container 20 are not caused.

  The funnel of the present invention can take various forms.

  For example, like the funnel 1B shown in FIG. 4, in the above-mentioned funnel 1A, the latching piece 5 may be formed on the side surfaces 2c and 2d that do not extend upward. Thus, when the contents are refilled, the side surfaces 2a and 2f of the funnel 1B are pushed by the discharged contents 40, and when the force for rotating the funnel 1B is applied as indicated by the arrow p, the funnel 1B is attached to the container. It can be made to stand stably in the mouth part 21.

  When the funnel 1C of FIG. 5 is inserted into the mouth portion 21 of the mounting container 20, the hooking piece 5 is hooked from the outside of the mounting container to the upper end portion of the peripheral wall 22 of the mouth portion 21 of the mounting container. Is. Also when the contents are refilled, the side surfaces 2a and 2f of the funnel 1C are pushed by the discharged contents 40, and the force for rotating the funnel 1C is applied as shown by the arrow p. It can be made to stand stably at the mouth portion 21 of the container.

  A funnel 1D of FIG. 6 is obtained by omitting the latch piece 5 and the slit 6 on the small diameter opening 4 side in the above-described funnel 1A. When the funnel 1D is inserted into the mouth 21 of the mounting container 20 because the height of the peripheral wall 22 of the mouth 21 of the mounting container 20 is sufficient, the hook 1D is latched when the standing state of the funnel 1D is stable. The piece 5 may be omitted, and the slit 6 may be omitted when foaming of the contents during refilling does not matter.

  The funnel 1E of FIG. 7 is the same as the funnel 1D of FIG.

  A funnel 1F in FIG. 8 is obtained by gently changing the height of the edge of the large-diameter opening 3 in the above-described funnel 1A.

  The funnel 1G of FIG. 9 is formed from five side surfaces 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, and 2e, omitting one side surface of the above-described funnel 1A. As shown in FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b), the funnel 1G has a fold line La in the side surface 2a as shown in a development view shown in FIG. In addition, as an aspect which folds flatly, the aspect of Fig.10 (a) is preferable from the point that the overlap of a surface is 2 sheets in any of the folded funnels, and it is thinner and flat.

Thus, in the funnel of the present invention, as long as the folding line is arranged so that it can be folded flat, the number of side surfaces constituting the funnel may be either an even number or an odd number. The side opening angle θ ₀ may not necessarily be equal. However, from the viewpoint of the handleability of the product when a funnel is attached to the bag 30 filled with the refill content 40 to make a refill product with a funnel, the number of surfaces constituting the funnel is an even number, It is preferable that the opening angle of each side is made equal and the funnels are folded flat by overlapping two sheets.

  Various modifications of the funnel described above can be combined as appropriate.

  The present invention also includes a funnel refill product wherein the funnel of the present invention is attached to a bag filled with a refill liquid or powder. In this case, the attachment mode of the funnel is not particularly limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the funnel 1 folded flat is detachably attached to the bag 30 filled with the refilling liquid or powder 40. The funnel 1 folded flat may be housed in one package together with the bag 30 filled with the refilling liquid or powder 40.

  The funnel of the present invention is useful as a funnel that can be easily used for refilling various liquids or powders such as liquid or powder detergents, bleaches, softeners, etc., and is refilled filled with contents for refilling. It will also be useful for promoting the use of products.

It is explanatory drawing of the usage method of the funnel of an Example. It is a top view of the state which folded the funnel of the Example. It is an expanded view of the funnel of an Example. It is explanatory drawing of the use condition of the funnel of an Example. It is explanatory drawing of the use condition of the funnel of an Example. It is a perspective view of the funnel of an Example. It is a perspective view of the funnel of an Example. It is a perspective view of the funnel of an Example. It is a perspective view of the funnel of an Example. It is a top view of the state which folded the funnel of the Example. It is an expanded view of the funnel of an Example. It is a schematic diagram of the product for refilling with a funnel.

Explanation of symbols

1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G Funnel 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f Side surface 3 Large diameter opening 4 Small diameter opening 5 Latching piece 6 Slit 20 Mounting container 21 Mouth 22 Peripheral wall 30 Bag 40 Contents, liquid or powder

Claims (8)

  A hollow polygonal pyramid-shaped funnel with a large-diameter opening at the top and a small-diameter opening at the bottom, which can be folded flat and mounted with the large-diameter opening and the small-diameter opening widened. A refilling funnel characterized in that, when inserted into the mouth of a container, the mounting container and the funnel are contacted at a plurality of three or more points, and an air replacement path is secured between the mounting container and the funnel.   2. A funnel according to claim 1, wherein at least one side surface extends upward with respect to the opposite side surface.   The funnel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the funnel is foldable into two layers with the side of the side face as a fold line.   The funnel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the opening angle as viewed from the side is 45 ° or less.   The funnel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of slits are formed in the small-diameter opening.   The funnel according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein when the funnel is inserted into the mouth portion of the mounting container, a hooking piece that hooks onto the mouth portion of the mounting container protrudes.   A funnel refill product, wherein the funnel according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is attached to a bag filled with a refill liquid or powder.   A refilling method in which the funnel according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is inserted into a mouth of the mounting container, and a refilling liquid or powder is injected into the mounting container through the funnel.

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