JP2022057079A - Dehumidifying agent container - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a dehumidifying agent container capable of suppressing bulkiness while containing a sufficient amount of deliquescent chemicals, as well as, maintaining a good moisture absorption rate from immediately after starting to the end of use.SOLUTION: A dehumidifying agent container includes: a waterproof container body 40 having a bottom surface part 10, a side surface part 20, and a top surface opening 30 having an open top surface; a flange part 50 extending from an upper end of the side surface part 20; deliquescent chemicals 60 contained in the container body 40; a moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 that covers the top opening 30 and is adhered to an upper surface side of the flange part 50; and a non-moisture-permeable lid sheet 80 that covers the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70. Gas inside the container body 40 is degassed. Height H2 from a lower surface of the bottom surface part 10 to the upper surface of the flange part 50 is smaller than height H1 from the bottom surface part 10 before degassing to the upper surface of the flange part 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a dehumidifying agent container containing a deliquescent agent inside.

Conventionally, a dehumidifying agent such as calcium chloride is used to remove moisture from storage spaces such as closets, closets, or shoe racks, and it is liquefied by absorbing moisture in the air, and this is stored in a tank-type dehumidifier. Vessels have been widely proposed.

For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a tank-type dehumidifier (hereinafter, also referred to as prior art 1) using a self-standing container with an upper surface opening made of a synthetic resin material. In the prior art 1, a saucer having a plurality of dropping holes is arranged in the middle portion in the vertical direction of the container, and the granular deliquescent agent is accommodated on the saucer, and the upper surface opening portion of the container is moisture permeable and waterproof. Consists of being covered with a sheet of. In the prior art 1, the deliquescent liquid generated by the deliquescent agent absorbing moisture is stored below the saucer through the dropping hole.

Further, apart from the tank type as in the prior art 1, a bag type dehumidifying agent has also been proposed. For example, in Patent Document 2 below, a transparent film made of polyethylene or polypropylene and a moisture-permeable film are superposed and heat-sealed on three sides to form a bag shape, which is filled with a deliquescent agent such as calcium chloride. A dehumidifying bag (hereinafter, also referred to as prior art 2) having an opening heat-sealed is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-274985 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-245332

The above-mentioned prior arts 1 and 2 have the following problems, respectively.
That is, since the dehumidifying agent absorbs the moisture in the air to become a dehumidifying liquid and the volume increases, a tank-type dehumidifier such as the prior art 1 is sufficient in consideration of the amount of dehumidifying liquid at the end of product use. Designed to a large size. Therefore, the tank type dehumidifier becomes bulky, and there is a problem that it is bulky in transportation at the time of shipment, transportation of the consumer who purchased the dehumidifier at the store, or storage.

Further, the tank type dehumidifier as in the prior art 1 has a problem that the moisture absorption rate is slow. According to the study by the present inventors, the deliquescent agent absorbs moisture more easily as the distance from the moisture-permeable and waterproof sheet is closer, and continues to absorb moisture even after the deliquescent liquid is formed. The closer it is to the moisture-permeable and waterproof sheet, the easier it is to absorb moisture. Based on this finding, the prior art 1 is sufficient because the distance between the deliquescent agent contained in the saucer in the container and the moisture-permeable and waterproof sheet covering the opening on the upper surface of the container is relatively short immediately after the start of use. Moisture absorption can be started at a high rate, but the deliquescent liquid generated by this can be stored under the saucer. Therefore, it is considered that the distance from the moisture-permeable and waterproof sheet becomes long with the generation of the deliquescent liquid, and the moisture absorption rate slows down after a while after opening.

On the other hand, in the prior art 2, since the transparent film and the moisture permeable film are formed in a bag shape to store the deliquescent agent, the bulk is smaller than that in the prior art 1. However, due to the small capacity of the bag, there is a limit to the amount of deliquescent drug that can be contained, and therefore the amount of moisture absorption is also limited. Further, in the configuration of the prior art 2, since the deliquescent liquid is stored in the moisture permeable film, there is a possibility that a part of the aqueous solution may seep out to the outside during long-term use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. That is, the present invention provides a dehumidifying agent container capable of accommodating a sufficient amount of deliquescent agent, suppressing bulkiness, and maintaining a good moisture absorption rate from immediately after the start of use to the end of use. That is the issue.

The dehumidifying agent container of the present invention has a waterproof container body having a bottom surface portion, a side surface portion and a top surface opening, a flange portion extending from the upper end of the side surface portion, and the container body. The contained deliquescent agent, a moisture-permeable waterproof sheet that covers the top opening and is adhered to the upper surface side of the flange portion, and a non-breathable lid sheet that covers the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet are provided. The gas inside the container body is degassed, and the height H2 from the bottom surface to the moisture permeable waterproof sheet is smaller than the height H1 from the bottom surface to the moisture permeable waterproof sheet before degassing. It is characterized by.

Since the dehumidifying agent container of the present invention having the above structure is degassed and reduced in volume so as to be compressed in the height direction, it is prevented from becoming bulky and is easy to carry and store. Further, since it is compressed in the height direction, the deliquescent agent contained therein and the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet covering the opening on the top surface are close to each other. Therefore, the present invention has a high moisture absorption rate from the start of use. Moreover, as the volume of the deliquescent liquid generated by moisture absorption increases, the degassed and compressed container body expands and returns to its original shape, so that the deliquescent liquid surface always exists near the moisture permeable waterproof sheet. It will be. Therefore, the present invention maintains a high moisture absorption rate even after the lapse of days after the start of use.

It is a side view of the dehumidifying agent container which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. (2A) to (2C) are explanatory views explaining an example of the manufacturing process of the container body used in this invention. (3A) to (3C) are explanatory views explaining an example of the manufacturing process of the dehumidifying agent container of this invention. (4A) to (4C) are explanatory views explaining from the start of use to the end of use of the dehumidifying agent container of the present invention. It is a graph which shows the long-term change of the moisture absorption amount at the time of use of Example 1, Example 2 and Comparative Example 3. It is a photograph of Example 1, Example 2 and Comparative Example 2 taken from the side surface direction at the start of use, on the 10th day and the 31st day.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all drawings, similar components are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted as appropriate. The drawings used for the description of the present invention do not limit the dimensions, dimensional ratios and shapes of the present invention and the members included in the present invention.
In the present specification, the vertical direction means the vertical direction seen from an arbitrary height position, and the horizontal direction means a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

First, the outline of the dehumidifying agent container according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a side view of a dehumidifying agent container 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The dehumidifying agent container 100 includes a waterproof container body 40 having a bottom surface portion 10, a side surface portion 20, and a top surface opening portion 30 having an open top surface, a flange portion 50 extending from the upper end of the side surface portion 20, and a flange portion 50. The deliquescent agent 60 housed in the container body 40, the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 that covers the top opening 30 and is adhered to the upper surface side of the flange portion 50, and the non-moisture-permeable lid sheet that covers the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70. 80 and. In the dehumidifying agent container 100, the gas inside the container body 40 is degassed. Therefore, the height H2 from the lower surface of the bottom surface portion 10 to the upper surface of the flange 50 (hereinafter, may be referred to as the height H2 after degassing and before opening) is the height from the lower surface of the bottom surface portion 10 before degassing to the upper surface of the flange portion 50. It is configured to be smaller than the flange H1 (hereinafter, may be referred to as the height H1 before degassing). For the container body 30 showing the height H1 before degassing, FIG. 3A showing the cross section of the container body is referred to.

The volume of the dehumidifying agent container 100 having such a configuration is reduced so that the dimension in the height direction of the container body 40 becomes smaller by degassing the inside of the container body 40. Therefore, the dehumidifying agent container 100 is small in volume and easy to carry and store.
Further, since the dehumidifying agent container 100 is degassed so that the height dimension is smaller than that before degassing as described above, the distance between the deliquescent agent 60 contained in the container body 40 and the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70 is large. It gets shorter. Therefore, a good moisture absorption rate is shown from the start of use. Other effects of the present invention will be sequentially described in the detailed description of the dehumidifying agent container 100 shown below.

(Container body)
The container body 40 has a bottom surface portion 10, a side surface portion 20, and a top surface opening portion 30. The bottom surface portion 10 is a portion having a predetermined area and formed in a substantially flat plate shape, and the shape thereof is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a square shape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, or an arbitrary shape.
The side surface portion 20 extends upward from the outer edge of the bottom surface portion 10 to partition the inside and the outside of the container body 40. The upper end side of the side surface portion 20 is open, and the top surface opening portion 30 is formed. The side surface portion 20 before degassing has a wall shape without wrinkles or creases, as referred to in FIG. 3A. On the other hand, the container body 40 shown in FIG. 1 is in a degassed and sealed state, and the side surface portion 20 contracts irregularly, and the height dimension of the container body 40 is smaller than that before degassing. .. That is, the container body 40 is configured such that the height H2 after degassing and before opening is smaller than the height H1 before degassing.
In the present invention, degassing means removing a part of the gas inside the container body 40. Degassing substantially reduces the volume of the container body 40. Therefore, in the container body 40, at least the side surface portion 20 is composed of a member flexible enough to shrink by degassing while maintaining the retention of the deliquescent solution and to reduce the volume of the container body 40. Specific examples thereof include a resin sheet having an appropriate thickness and strength. By forming the side surface portion 20 or the entire container body 40 using such a resin sheet, the amount of plastic and other members used can be reduced as compared with the container of a conventional tank type dehumidifier, and the amount of waste at the time of disposal can be reduced. The present invention is also advantageous in that the amount of waste can be reduced.

As described above, the constituent member of the side surface portion 20 may be any member as long as it can be contracted when the container body 40 is degassed and can store the deliquescent liquid in that state. In consideration of moldability and the like, examples of the constituent members include a waterproof resin sheet made of a polyethylene-based resin, a nylon-based resin, a polypropylene-based resin, a polystyrene-based resin, or the like. The resin sheet is composed of the above-mentioned resin member as one kind or a mixed resin of two or more kinds. Considering flexibility and the like, a resin sheet containing a polyethylene-based resin as a constituent member is preferable. Further, the resin sheet may be a single-layer sheet or a laminated sheet having a plurality of resin layers. For example, a laminated sheet having a polyethylene-based resin layer on both outermost surfaces and a resin layer other than the above is preferable from the viewpoint of flexibility, and more specific example is a polyethylene-based resin layer / nylon-based resin. A laminated sheet in which layers / polyethylene-based resin layers are laminated in this order can be mentioned.

The bottom surface portion 10 may be composed of the same member as the side surface portion 20, or may be composed of different members. Considering ease of manufacture, disposal, and the like, it is preferable that the bottom surface portion 10 and the side surface portion 20 are made of the same member, and it is more preferable that both the bottom surface portion 10 and the side surface portion 20 are made of a resin member. It is more preferable that the bottom surface portion 10 and the side surface portion 20 are made of the same resin member.

The container body 40 including the bottom surface portion 10 and the side surface portion 20 described above is preferably composed of one resin sheet. As a result, the boundary between the bottom surface portion 10 and the side surface portion 20 is continuously formed, so that the deliquescent liquid is well prevented from leaking. Further, since the number of parts at the time of manufacturing can be reduced, it is advantageous in manufacturing that the container body 40 is composed of one resin sheet.
Further, it is more preferable that the container body 40 and the flange portion 50 are made of one resin sheet. The number of parts in the manufacturing process can be reduced, which is advantageous in the manufacturing process, and the flange portion 50 is less likely to fall off or be damaged due to contact or the like.

The thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion 10 and the thickness Ts (μm) of the side surface portion 20 of the container body 40 made of the resin sheet described above are not particularly limited as long as the volume reduction due to deaeration is allowed. From the viewpoint of shape retention and moisture resistance of the container body 40, the thickness Tb and the thickness Ts are preferably 10 μm or more, and more preferably 20 μm or more. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of allowing degassing and reducing the amount of members used while maintaining good shape retention and moisture resistance, the thickness Tb and thickness Ts are preferably 400 μm or less, preferably 380 μm or less. It is more preferable to have.

The dehumidifying agent container 100 has a feature that the gas inside the container body 40 is degassed and contracts in the vertical direction. Therefore, from the viewpoint of improving the stability of the container body 40 in the degassed state, allowing the container body 40 to be sufficiently contracted in the vertical direction during degassing, and avoiding the contraction of the bottom surface portion 10, the bottom surface portion 10 is used. The ratio Ts / Tb of the thickness Ts (μm) of the side surface portion 20 to the thickness Tb (μm) is preferably less than 1, more preferably 0.8 or less, and more preferably 0.6 or less. More preferred.
If the ratio Ts / Tb described above is 1 or more, there is a risk that the bottom surface portion 10 will be wrinkled during degassing, and the installation stability of the container may not be sufficient. Further, in the dehumidifying agent container 100, after the start of use, as the deliquescent liquid accumulates in the container body 40, the container body 40 contracted by degassing expands in the direction of returning to the original shape, but wrinkles are formed on the bottom surface 10. If the deliquescent liquid accumulates in this state, the wrinkles on the bottom surface 10 are difficult to grow due to the load of the deliquescent liquid, and the expanded container body 40 may tilt. When the container body 40 is tilted in this way, there is a risk that the deliquescent liquid and the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70 will come into contact with each other in the latter half of the period of use. Since the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 is waterproof, the deliquescent liquid does not normally leak even if such contact occurs, but pinholes occur in the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70, or If a part of the bonded moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 and the flange portion 50 are peeled off, the deliquescent liquid may leak out.

On the other hand, from the viewpoint of the moisture resistance of the side surface portion 20 and the shape retention of the container body 40 when the deliquescent liquid is accumulated, the ratio Ts / Tb is preferably 0.2 or more, and 0.3 or more. It is more preferable to have.
As shown in FIG. 3A, in the dehumidifying agent container 100, the thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion 10 refers to the thickness of the central portion of the bottom surface portion 10 of the container body 40, and the thickness Ts (μm) of the side surface portion 20. Refers to the thickness of the side surface portion 20 in the region corresponding to the height position of 3/8 from the top with respect to the height H1 from the lower surface of the bottom surface portion 10 to the upper surface of the flange portion 50 in the container body 40 before degassing. The thickness Ts of the side surface portion 20 is an arithmetic mean value of four randomly selected thicknesses at the height positions described above. The above-mentioned measurements of the thickness Tb and the thickness Ts may be performed before degassing or after degassing.

The size and shape of the container body 40 are not particularly limited, and may be appropriately determined in consideration of the amount of the deliquescent agent 60 to be accommodated, the intended use, the size of the space to be used, and the like. When the dehumidifying agent container 100 is used for home use, the capacity of the container body 40 can be designed to be, for example, about 300 ml to 1200 ml, and from the viewpoint of appropriately securing the area of the top surface opening 30. The height of the container body 40 before degassing can be designed to be about 3 cm to 10 cm. Here, the dehumidifying agent container 100 is degassed and contracts in the vertical direction, and the height H2 after degassing and before opening is smaller than the height H1 of the container body before degassing, and is bulkier than before. Has been improved. Therefore, even if the container body 40 is designed to be twice to ten times as large as the capacity and height suitable for home use as described above as the dehumidifying agent container 100 for business use, it is easy to transport and store.

(Flange part)
The dehumidifying agent container 100 is provided with a flange portion 50 extending from the upper end of the side surface portion 20 of the container body 40. The flange portion 50 extends from the upper end of the side surface portion 20 in a direction intersecting in the vertical direction, and the upper surface side is an adhesive surface with the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70. The moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 that covers the top opening 30 is firmly supported by the flange portion 50. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the flange portion 50 extends substantially horizontally from the upper end of the side surface portion 20 toward the outside of the container. The flange portion 50 provided toward the outside of the container is easy to manufacture together with the container body 40 in the deep drawing process described later. On the other hand, as a modification omitted from the illustration, the flange portion 50 may be extended toward the inside of the container (that is, the direction in which the flange portion 50 does not protrude outward from the container body 40 in the top view), and such an embodiment is the dehumidifying agent container 100. It is preferable in that the shape can be made more compact.
The flange portion 50 is provided on at least a part of the top surface opening portion 30, and is preferably provided on the entire circumference of the opening.

The flange portion 50 may be formed separately from the container body 40 and may be adhered or joined to the upper end of the side surface portion 20, but is preferably provided integrally with the side surface portion 20. For example, the side surface portion 20 and the flange portion 50 can be integrally molded by using one waterproof resin sheet. Of course, the container body 40 including the side surface portion 20 and the flange portion 50 may be integrally molded.

The thickness Tf (μm) of the flange portion 50 made of the resin member is not particularly limited, and may be any as long as it has a thickness sufficient to support the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70. Considering the balance with the container body 40, as a specific preferable thickness range, the thickness Tf (μm) of the flange portion 50 is 180 μm or more and 400 μm or less, and the flange portion with respect to the thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion 10. The ratio Tf / Tb of the thickness Tf (μm) of 50 is preferably 1 or more, and more preferably more than 1. A flange portion 50 having such a thickness range can sufficiently support the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 during degassing and use.
Here, the thickness Tf of the flange portion 50 is an arithmetic mean value of the thickness measured at four randomly selected points of the flange portion 50.

In the dehumidifying agent container 100, the bottom surface portion 10, the side surface portion 20, and the flange portion 50 are integrally molded using one resin sheet, and the flange portion 50 satisfies the above-mentioned preferable thickness range and is described above. It is more preferable that the ratio Ts / Tb of the thickness Ts (μm) of the side surface portion 20 to the thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion 10 is less than 1. As a result, the side surface portion 20 can be contracted during degassing to reduce the volume of the container body 40 while maintaining good shape retention.

For example, in the dehumidifying agent container 100 in which one waterproof resin sheet 42 (see FIG. 2A) is used and the container body 40 and the flange portion 50 are integrally formed, the thickness of the waterproof resin sheet 42 used is 200 μm or more. It can be said that one of the preferable embodiments is that the thickness is 400 μm or less and the thickness Tf (μm) of the flange portion 50 ≧ the thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion 10> the thickness Ts (μm) of the side surface portion 20. In such an embodiment, the side surface portion 20 can be easily contracted in the vertical direction while the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70 is firmly supported by degassing, the bottom surface portion 10 can be prevented from contracting, and the deliquescent generated by moisture absorption can be prevented. It is easy to ensure good strength enough to store the liquid and good shape retention of the container body 40.

(Deliquescent drug)
Next, the deliquescent agent 60 will be described.
The deliquescent agent 60 broadly contains an agent that is made into an aqueous solution by absorbing moisture, and specific examples thereof include deliquescent substances such as calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, lithium chloride, lithium bromide, and potassium acetate. In particular, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride are preferable in terms of hygroscopic capacity and price. The deliquescent agent 60 is composed of one or more known deliquescent substances. For example, the deliquescent agent 60 is formulated in the form of granules by a dropping granulation method, an air-cooled granulation method, or the like, using one or more of the above-mentioned deliquescent substances.

The amount of the deliquescent agent 60 contained in the container body 40 is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately determined in consideration of the volume of the container body 40 before degassing, the size of the space to be used, and the like.

(Moisture permeable waterproof sheet)
The moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 that covers the top opening 30 of the container body 40 is a moisture-permeable and waterproof sheet (that is, a property that prevents the passage of deliquescent liquid). As the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70, for example, a microporous membrane resin sheet is preferable. The method for producing this microporous film resin sheet is not particularly limited, but it can be produced, for example, by stretching a thermoplastic resin sheet containing an inorganic filler after molding. Examples of the thermoplastic resin used for molding the microporous film resin sheet include polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, and polyamide. The moisture-permeable and waterproof film made of this microporous resin sheet includes the product name "Selpore" manufactured by Sumika Sekisui Film Co., Ltd., the product name "NF Sheet" manufactured by Tokuyama Co., Ltd., and the product name "NF Sheet" manufactured by Nitoms Co., Ltd. There are product names such as "Breathlon" and product names "Exepol" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd.
A non-woven fabric or other perforated film may be laminated on the microporous film resin sheet to form a multilayer sheet as long as the moisture permeability of the microporous film resin sheet is not impaired.

The outer edge region of the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70 is adhered to and fixed to the flange portion 50 described above. Examples of the bonding method to the flange portion 50 include, but are not limited to, an ultrasonic welding method, a hot plate welding method, and a high frequency welding method.

(Cover sheet)
The lid sheet 80 is a non-breathable sheet that covers the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70. It is preferable that the lid sheet 80 completely covers the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 at least in the region of the top opening 30 in the top view. The lid sheet 80 seals the container body 40 in order to prevent the deliquescent agent 60 contained in the container body 40 from absorbing moisture and to maintain the degassed and volume-reduced state before use. It is peeled off and removed during use.

The lid sheet 80 may be non-breathable (gas barrier) and may be transparent or opaque. Examples of the non-breathable sheet include stretched polypropylene (OPP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinylidene chloride coated PET (K-PET), polyvinylidene chloride coated OPP (K-OPP), silica vapor deposition PET, and alumina vapor deposition. In addition to resin-based sheets such as PET, aluminum sheets and the like may be mentioned, and these non-moisture-permeable sheets may be used as a single layer, or a plurality of layers may be composited (laminated) and used.
The non-moisture permeable sheet has an easily peelable adhesive layer on the side in contact with the moisture permeable waterproof sheet so that only the lid sheet can be easily peeled off at the start of use.

(Production method)
Next, an example of a method for manufacturing the dehumidifying agent container 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. 2A to 2C are explanatory views illustrating an example of a manufacturing process of the container main body 40, and in deep drawing, the container main body 40 is formed by molding using a plug for forming assistance (hereinafter, also referred to as plug assist). Is shown in the process of deep drawing to a predetermined shape. 3A to 3C are explanatory views illustrating an example of a manufacturing process for manufacturing the dehumidifying agent container 100 using the container body 40. Each of the drawings shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a vertical sectional view.
Although an embodiment of the method for manufacturing the dehumidifying agent container 100 is shown below, the description does not limit the method for manufacturing the dehumidifying agent container of the present invention at all.

The method for manufacturing the dehumidifying agent container 100 in the present embodiment includes a container forming step, a housing step, and a degassing and sealing step. These steps will be described in order.
In the container forming step, as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the waterproof resin sheet 42 is installed in a predetermined molding die 201, and the bottom surface portion 10, the side surface portion 20, and the flange portion 50 extending from the upper ends of the side surface portions 20 are used. This is a step of forming a container body 40 having a flange portion 50 by deep drawing into a predetermined shape.
More specifically, first, as shown in FIG. 2A, a waterproof resin sheet 42, which is one resin sheet constituting the container main body 40, is arranged with respect to the desired molding die 201. The outer edge portion of the waterproof resin sheet 42 is sandwiched by the sandwiching body 204, and the state of being stretched in the horizontal direction is maintained. When deep drawing the container body 40 is performed, the waterproof resin sheet 42 is sucked (vacuum suction) from the suction hole 203 provided in the molding die 201 without plug assist, and is placed along the inner wall surface of the molding die 201. However, by adopting the plug assist, it is easy to obtain the container body 40 having a more desirable desired shape.
Although the heating device is not shown in FIG. 2, the desired container body 40 can be easily obtained by appropriately heating the waterproof resin sheet 42 to soften it before deep drawing.

The plug 202 is paired with the molding die 201 in an uneven shape, and the molding die 201 and the plug 202 are opposed to each other via a waterproof resin sheet 42, and then the molding die 201 and the plug 202 are brought into contact with each other to be waterproof as shown in FIG. 2B. The sex resin sheet 42 can be formed on the container body 40 having a desired shape. By adopting plug assist as well as vacuum suction, it is possible to prevent the thickness of the portion corresponding to the bottom surface portion 10 from becoming too thin during deep drawing, and the thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion 10 described above is prevented. ), It is easy to adjust so that the ratio Ts / Tb of the thickness Ts (μm) of the side surface portion 20 is less than 1.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2C, the plug 202 is removed from the mold 201. After that, the container main body 40 and the flange portion 50 continuous from the upper end of the side surface portion 20 are integrally formed by cutting the outer edge region of the waterproof resin sheet 42, leaving the portion to be the flange portion 50. Can be done.

FIG. 3A shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the container body 40 formed in the above-mentioned container forming step.
Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, a storage step of accommodating the deliquescent agent 60 in the container body 40 obtained by carrying out the container forming step and then adhering the outer edge of the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70 to the upper surface of the flange portion 50 is performed. After that, a non-breathable lid sheet 80 that covers the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 is laminated on the upper surface of the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70, and the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 is maintained in a stretched state in the surface direction. As shown in FIG. 3C, a degassing and sealing step of degassing the gas inside the container body 40 and sealing the container body 40 with the lid sheet 80 is performed.

Generally, the deliquescent agent 60 absorbs moisture and becomes a deliquescent liquid, so that the volume increases. Therefore, at the stage of the storage step, as shown in FIG. 3B, the deliquescent agent 60 is stored in an amount sufficiently smaller than the capacity of the container body 40 before degassing. Therefore, in the state before degassing, there is a significant distance between the upper surface of the deliquescent agent 60 contained in the container body 40 and the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70. When degassing is not performed, the distance taken is a factor that slows down the moisture absorption rate of the deliquescent agent 60 at the start of use. On the other hand, in the dehumidifying agent container 100, the gas inside the container body 40 is degassed, whereby the height H2 after degassing and before opening becomes smaller than the height H1 before degassing, and the dehumidifying agent container 100 The bulk of the gas becomes smaller.

Here, the degassing method may be any method as long as the container body 40 can be contracted in the vertical direction to reduce the volume. For example, the gas inside the container body 40 may be sucked by a suction machine, or pressure is applied from above and below to physically crush the container body 40 until it reaches an appropriate height (height H2). Is also good.

In the degassing and sealing step, the gas inside the container body 40 may be sucked and depressurized for degassing, and the container body 40 may be sealed with the lid sheet 80 so that the internal pressure becomes less than the atmospheric pressure. Alternatively, the container body 40 is physically crushed in the vertical direction to push out the air inside to reduce the volume and seal it with the lid sheet 80, so that the internal pressure of the container body 40 is substantially atmospheric pressure and the lid sheet 80 is used. It may be sealed. That is, the dehumidifying agent container of the present invention includes both a mode in which the internal pressure of the container body is less than atmospheric pressure and a mode in which the internal pressure is substantially the same as the atmospheric pressure. According to the dehumidifying agent container 100 in which the internal pressure of the container body 40 is less than the atmospheric pressure, it is easy to maintain the reduced volume state until the time of use, and the compactification (bulk reduction) is satisfactorily achieved.

The degree of degassing may be appropriately determined in view of the amount of the deliquescent agent 60 to be contained in the range where the height before degassing H1> the height before opening after degassing H2. For example, when the volume is reduced by degassing from the state of FIG. 3B and the state of FIG. 3C is reached, the upper surface of the deliquescent agent 60 contained in the container body 40 and the lower surface of the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70 come into contact with each other. It is preferable that the volume is reduced to some extent.

As shown in FIG. 3C, in the dehumidifying agent container 100 manufactured as described above, the distance between the upper surface of the deliquescent agent 60 and the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70 is closer than that in the state before degassing referred to in FIG. 3B. .. Therefore, moisture is absorbed at a high speed immediately after the lid sheet 80 is peeled off and the use is started. It is highly desirable that the moisture absorption rate is high immediately after the start of use because the effect of moisture absorption can be confirmed more quickly for the user who uses the dehumidifying agent container 100. Further, according to the dehumidifying agent container 100, a high moisture absorption rate is maintained not only at the start of use but also after the middle stage of use. Such an effect will be further described in a usage example described later.

(Example of use)
Next, an example of using the dehumidifying agent container will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 4C. 4A to 4C are explanatory views illustrating the dehumidifying agent container 100 from the start of use to the latter stage of use, all of which are shown in vertical cross-sectional views.

In the dehumidifying agent container 100 manufactured as described above, the lid sheet 80 is peeled off and the container body 40 is opened at the time of use. FIG. 4A shows the height H3 from the lower surface of the bottom surface portion to the upper surface of the flange portion at the start of use after degassing (hereinafter, also referred to as the height H3 immediately after opening after degassing).
The height of the dehumidifying agent container 100 indicates the relationship of the height H2 after degassing and before opening ≤ the height H3 immediately after degassing and opening <the height H1 before degassing. The reason why the height H3 immediately after opening after degassing can be higher than the height H2 before opening after degassing is that a part of the side surface portion 20 that has shrunk due to degassing returns to its original shape due to elastic deformation of the resin member or the like. This is because the space 44 between the deliquescent agent 60 and the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet 70 can be larger than that before opening because it stretches to return.

As described above, in order to increase the moisture absorption rate, it is desirable that the distance between the deliquescent agent 60 and the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70 is as short as possible (the height H3 immediately after opening after degassing is as small as possible). , The above-mentioned ratio Ts / Tb is preferably less than 1. This is because when the ratio Ts / Tb is 1 or more, the strength of the side surface portion 20 becomes strong, and when the lid sheet 80 is removed, the force of the side surface portion 20 to return to the original shape is likely to work.

When the moisture absorption starts, as shown in FIG. 4B, the deliquescent liquid 62 is generated and the amount of the deliquescent agent 60 decreases. Since the volume of the deliquescent agent 60 increases by absorbing moisture to become the deliquescent liquid 62, the sum of the volumes of the deliquescent agent 60 and the deliquescent liquid 62 after opening is larger than the volume of only the deliquescent agent 60 before opening. Is larger. As a result, in the dehumidifying agent container 100, the upper surface of the deliquescent liquid 62 stored in the container body 40 can always be present at a position close to (or in contact with) the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70, whereby a high moisture absorption rate can be achieved. Well maintained.

Further, when the amount of the deliquescent liquid 62 increases, as shown in FIG. 4C, all the deliquescent agents 60 are liquefied to the extent that they cannot be visually confirmed. Moisture absorption in the dehumidifying agent container 100 does not stop at this, and the hygroscopicity is further sustained by the hygroscopic ability of the deliquescent liquid 62 itself. As the volume of the contents (deliquescent liquid 62) increases, the contracted side surface portion 20 of the container body 40 is expanded and gradually returns to the volume before degassing.
That is, even at this time as well, the container body 40 is expanded by the volume of the increased deliquescent liquid 62, so that the upper surface of the deliquescent liquid 62 is maintained at a position close to the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70.

As described above, according to the dehumidifying agent container 100, the deliquescent agent 60 and the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70 are close to each other at the start of use, and the deliquescent liquid 62 and the moisture permeable waterproof sheet 70 are used from the middle to the latter stage of use. Due to the short distance, a high moisture absorption rate is always maintained and a high moisture absorption capacity is exhibited.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to Examples and Comparative Examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following Examples. In addition, FIGS. 5 and 6 are used to explain a part of Examples and Comparative Examples. Table 1 shows the manufacturing conditions, container body dimensions and evaluation.
FIG. 5 is a graph showing long-term changes in the amount of moisture absorbed during use of Example 1, Example 2, and Comparative Example 3. FIG. 6 is a photograph of Example 1, Example 2 and Comparative Example 2 taken from the side surface on the 10th and 31st days at the start of use. In order to observe long-term changes over time, Example 1, Example 2, and Comparative Example 3 have three samples for observation up to the 31st day and for long-term changes over time (observation up to the 180th day). Each (6 in total) was prepared and used for observation up to the 31st day and long-term change over time (observation up to the 180th day).

(Example 1)
A non-breathable multi-layer film (thickness 200 μm) consisting of three layers of polyethylene-based resin / nylon-based resin / polyethylene-based resin is set in the molding die of a vacuum pressure air forming machine capable of deep drawing, and the above-mentioned multi-layer film is formed. A container body having a frontage of 80 mm × 167 mm and a height of 80 mm was formed by plug-assisting while evacuating. The width dimension of the flange portion was 18 mm on the short side and 15 mm on the long side.
The container body formed as described above was filled with a deliquescent agent (calcium chloride / dihydrate 280 g). 280 g of calcium chloride / dihydrate is the amount of a deliquescent agent capable of absorbing about 650 g of water.
Next, a moisture-permeable waterproof sheet is heat-welded to the upper surface of the flange portion, and then the inside of the container is sucked and degassed until the deliquescent agent is in firm contact with the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet. The lid sheet covering the above was heat-welded so that it could be peeled off to obtain a dehumidifying agent container of Example 1.
As the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet, a non-woven fabric having a sheath-core structure having a core layer made of polyethylene terephthalate and a sheath layer made of polyethylene was used on both sides of a polyolefin-based microporous membrane. As the lid sheet, a gas-barrier sheet was used in which an alumina-deposited polyethylene terephthalate film and a stretched polypropylene (OPP) film were bonded together, and a part-coating agent was applied to the surface on the side in contact with the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet.

(Example 2)
A dehumidifying agent container was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the thickness of the multi-layer film constituting the container body was changed to 400 μm, and this was designated as Example 2.
(Example 3)
A dehumidifying agent container was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1 except that plug assist was not performed, and this was designated as Example 3.
(Example 4)
A dehumidifying agent container was produced in the same manner as in Example 3 except that the thickness of the multi-layer film constituting the container body was changed to 400 μm, and this was designated as Example 4.

(Comparative Example 1)
A dehumidifying agent container was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the lid sheet was heat-welded without degassing, and this was designated as Comparative Example 1.
(Comparative Example 2)
A dehumidifying agent container was manufactured in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1 except that the thickness of the multi-layer film constituting the container body was changed to 400 μm, and this was designated as Comparative Example 2.
(Comparative Example 3)
Prepare a commercially available tank-type dehumidifier (tank shape dimensions; width 150 mm x depth 85 mm x height 101 mm, type and amount of deliquescent drug to be contained; calcium chloride / dihydrate / 280 g). Was referred to as Comparative Example 3.

(Measurement of container body dimensions 1)
Before filling the deliquescent agent, the height H1 of the container body, the thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion, the thickness Ts (μm) of the side surface portion, and the thickness Ts (μm) of the bottom portion used in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, respectively. The thickness Tf (μm) of the flange portion was measured. The measurement was performed on one sample that was visually judged to be the most standard among the three samples in each Example and each Comparative Example.
For the height H1 of the container body, the distance from the lower surface of the bottom surface to the upper surface of the flange was measured.
For the thickness Tb of the bottom surface portion, the thickness of the central portion of the bottom surface portion was measured.
The thickness Ts of the side surface portion is measured by measuring the thickness of four randomly selected points at a height position of 3/8 from the upper side with respect to the height H1 from the lower surface of the bottom surface portion to the upper surface of the flange portion, and the arithmetic mean thereof. It was obtained by calculating the value.
The thickness Tf of the flange portion was obtained by measuring the thickness of four randomly selected flange portions and calculating the arithmetic mean value thereof.

(Measurement of container body dimensions 2)
The height H2 of the container body immediately before use (height H2 after degassing and before opening) was measured. The measurement was performed on one sample that was visually judged to be the most standard among the three samples in each Example and each Comparative Example. In the measurement, the distance from the lower surface of the bottom surface to the upper surface of the flange was measured at one intermediate point, avoiding the highest point visually and the lowest point visually, and this was defined as the height H2.
Immediately after the lid sheet was peeled off, the height H3 (height H3 after degassing and opening) was measured again by the same method as the method for measuring the height H2.

(Measurement / evaluation)
The measurements and evaluations were carried out as follows using the examples and comparative examples prepared as described above.
The lid sheets of each example and each comparative example were peeled off and opened, the weight W0 at the start was measured, and the moisture permeable waterproof sheet was placed on the floor with the top surface side. The room was maintained in an environment with a temperature of 25 degrees and a humidity of 80% RH and left for one month.
Then, one month later, the weight W1 of each Example and each Comparative Example was measured, and the value obtained by subtracting the weight W0 from the weight W1 was taken as the increased weight on the 31st day of use. In the measurement of the weight, in each Example and each Comparative Example, the weights of all three samples are measured and an average value is calculated. rice field.

The height H4 of the container body on the 31st day of use was measured by the same method as the measuring method of the height H2.

The shape of the dehumidifying agent container on the 31st day of use was evaluated as follows.
〇 ・ ・ ・ It was stable and self-supporting, and the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet was arranged in a substantially horizontal direction with little inclination in the side view.
Δ: It was observed that wrinkles remained on the bottom surface, the container body was significantly distorted, or the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet was significantly tilted in the side view.
X ... It was confirmed that the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet was remarkably tilted or the container body was remarkably distorted in the side view.

(Long-term moisture absorption evaluation)
For Example 1, Example 2, and Comparative Example 3, the weight was further measured until the 180th day, and the difference (increase amount) from the weight W0 at the start of use was determined. A graph plotting the results is shown in FIG. For the measurement of the weight, in each Example and each Comparative Example, the weights of all three samples were measured and the average value was calculated, and the difference (increase amount) between the average value and the weight W0 was obtained.

(Photo observation)
For Example 1, Example 2, and Comparative Example 2, photographs were taken from the side surface at the start of the test on the 10th and 31st days. The results are shown in FIG. In Example 1, Example 2, and Comparative Example 2, one sample judged to be the most standard visually was selected from each of the three samples and used for photography.

From the results of the above-mentioned Example Comparative Examples, it was confirmed that in Examples 1, 3, and Comparative Example 1 using the resin sheet having a thickness of 200 μm, the weight gain of Examples 1 and 3 was significantly large. .. Further, the same tendency was confirmed in Example 2, Example 4, and Comparative Example 2 using the resin sheet having a thickness of 400 μm. Further, Comparative Example 3, which is a tank type commercially available product, had the smallest weight increase.

In Examples 3 and 4, the increased weight was higher than that of the comparative example, and desirable results were shown. However, the side surface thickness Ts / bottom surface thickness Tb exceeded 1, the side surface thickness was relatively large, and the bottom surface was relatively large. The thickness of the part was small. Therefore, in the shape evaluation on the 31st day of use, the results slightly inferior to those of Examples 1 and 2 were shown.

As shown in FIG. 5, it was confirmed that Examples 1 and 2 had a high moisture absorption rate from the initial stage of use, and maintained a high moisture absorption rate thereafter. Further, in Examples 1 and 2, it was confirmed that the weight increased by 650 g as a guide in about 3 months. On the other hand, Comparative Example 3 showed the same moisture absorption rate as in Examples 1 and 2 immediately after the start of use, but immediately decelerated, and thereafter, the moisture absorption rate remained slow, and the 60th day after the start of use. At that time, the amount of moisture absorption (weight increase) was about half that of Example 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, at the start (immediately after removing the lid sheet), in Examples 1 and 2, it was confirmed that the container body was contracted in the vertical direction, and it was visually confirmed that the volume was reduced. But it was confirmed. Further, on the 10th day, the deliquescent agent could not be visually confirmed in Example 1 having the fastest moisture absorption rate, and on the 31st day, the deliquescent agent could be visually confirmed in Example 2 as well. There wasn't. From this, it was confirmed visually that the rate of moisture absorption was high in the examples. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, it was confirmed that the deliquescent agent remained even on the 31st day and the moisture absorption rate was slow.

The dehumidifying agent container of the present invention can be used as a household dehumidifier for the purpose of dehumidifying in a predetermined space in the home such as a closet, a closet, a shoe box, or a room. Further, since the dehumidifying agent container of the present invention is degassed to reduce its bulk as described above, it is easy to transport and store even if it is enlarged, and it is also easy to dispose of it. Therefore, the present invention can also be used as a commercial dehumidifier equipped with a large container body containing a large amount of deliquescent material for a large space such as a commercial food storage, a rental warehouse, or a room where precision equipment that dislikes humidity is installed. Suitable.

The present invention described above includes the following technical ideas.
(1) A waterproof container body having a top surface opening formed by opening the bottom surface, side surfaces, and top surface, and a waterproof container body.
A flange portion extending from the upper end of the side surface portion and a flange portion
The deliquescent drug contained in the container body and
A moisture-permeable waterproof sheet that covers the top opening and is adhered to the upper surface side of the flange.
A non-breathable lid sheet that covers the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet and
Equipped with
The gas inside the container body has been degassed,
A dehumidifying agent container characterized in that the height H2 from the lower surface of the bottom surface portion to the upper surface of the flange portion is smaller than the height H1 from the lower surface of the bottom surface portion to the upper surface of the flange portion before degassing.
(2) The dehumidifying agent container according to (1) above, wherein the ratio Ts / Tb of the thickness Ts (μm) of the side surface portion to the thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion is less than 1.
(3) The thickness Tf (μm) of the flange portion is 180 μm or more and 400 μm or less.
The dehumidifying agent container according to (1) or (2) above, wherein the ratio Tf / Tb of the thickness Tf (μm) of the flange portion to the thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion is 1 or more.
(4) The dehumidifying agent container according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the container body is composed of one resin sheet.
(5) The method for manufacturing a dehumidifying agent container according to any one of (1) to (4).
A container body provided with the flange portion by installing a waterproof resin sheet in a predetermined molding mold and deep-drawing it into a predetermined shape including a bottom surface portion, a side surface portion, and a flange portion extending from the upper end of the side surface portion. Container forming process,
A storage step of accommodating a deliquescent agent in the container body and then adhering the outer edge of the moisture permeable waterproof sheet to the upper surface of the flange portion, and a non-moisture permeable waterproof sheet covering the upper surface of the moisture permeable waterproof sheet. While maintaining the state in which the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet is stretched in the plane direction by laminating the lid sheets, the gas inside the container body is degassed to reduce the volume of the container body, and the container body is sealed with the lid sheet. Degassing and sealing process,
The dehumidifying agent container manufacturing method.
(6) At the time of the deep drawing in the container forming step, a plug paired with the inner wall surface shape of the molding die is used from the upper surface side of the waterproof resin sheet to form the inner wall surface of the molding die and the said. The method for manufacturing a dehumidifying agent container according to (5) above, wherein the resin sheet is sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface of the plug and the container body is formed.

10 ... Bottom part 20 ... Side part 30 ... Top surface opening 40 ... Container body 42 ... Waterproof resin sheet 44 ... Space 50 ... Flange part 60 ... Deliquescent Sexual agent 62 ... Deliquescent liquid 64 ... Deliquescent liquid surface 70 ... Moisture permeable waterproof sheet 80 ... Lid sheet Tb, Ts, Tf ... Thickness 100 ... Dehumidifying agent container 201 ... Molding Mold 202 ... Plug 203 ... Suction hole 204 ... Holding body H1 ... Height from the lower surface of the bottom surface to the upper surface of the flange before degassing H2 ... After degassing and before use Height from the lower surface of the bottom surface to the upper surface of the flange H3: The height from the lower surface of the bottom surface to the upper surface of the flange after degassing and at the start of use.

Claims (4)

A waterproof container body having a top opening with an opening on the bottom, sides and top, and a waterproof container body.
A flange portion extending from the upper end of the side surface portion and a flange portion
The deliquescent drug contained in the container body and
A moisture-permeable waterproof sheet that covers the top opening and is adhered to the upper surface side of the flange.
A non-breathable lid sheet that covers the moisture-permeable waterproof sheet and
Equipped with
The gas inside the container body has been degassed,
A dehumidifying agent container characterized in that the height H2 from the lower surface of the bottom surface portion to the upper surface of the flange portion is smaller than the height H1 from the lower surface of the bottom surface portion to the upper surface of the flange portion before degassing. The dehumidifying agent container according to claim 1, wherein the ratio Ts / Tb of the thickness Ts (μm) of the side surface portion to the thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion is less than 1. The thickness Tf (μm) of the flange portion is 180 μm or more and 400 μm or less.
The dehumidifying agent container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio Tf / Tb of the thickness Tf (μm) of the flange portion to the thickness Tb (μm) of the bottom surface portion is 1 or more. The dehumidifying agent container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the container body is composed of one resin sheet.

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