JP2023127415A - cap - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cap which can maintain a quality side and a flavor property, even when an information display part is provided at a synthetic resin member.SOLUTION: A cap includes: a cap body having a top part and a skirt part hanging down from a peripheral edge part of the top plate part; and a synthetic resin member which has an information display part for displaying information by the discoloration of a discoloration inducing object, which is formed by a resin material containing the discoloration inducing object which discolors by UV laser, further on the inside in the radial direction than at least a portion for sealing a mouth part of a container, and which is provided inside the cap body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a cap for sealing the mouth of a bottle.

Conventionally, for the purpose of displaying information such as lottery winnings, a method has been used in which numbers, letters, etc. are printed on a synthetic resin member provided on the inner surface of the cap. However, since the information display portion printed on the synthetic resin member may come into contact with the contents, it is necessary to ensure that the hygiene and flavor of the beverage are not impaired. As a countermeasure against this, Patent Document 1 discloses that the constituent material of the exposed surface of the cap liner provided on the inner surface of the top plate of the cap body is made of elastomer, and information is engraved on the exposed surface of the liner by laser processing. A technique has been proposed in which the display portion is formed and the laser processing is performed by irradiating CO ₂ laser light. Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, a coloring agent that discolors the laser beam irradiated area is added to a synthetic resin liner provided on the inner surface of the top plate of the cap body, and the coloring agent contains antimony-coated tin oxide, and the coloring agent contains antimony-coated tin oxide. A technique has been proposed in which the generation unit uses a YAG laser.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-227301 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-113833

The techniques described above have the following problems. When processing is performed using a CO ₂ laser in the far infrared region using CO ₂ gas as a medium, as in the technology of Patent Document 1, the printed portion is formed by applying heat to the object and engraving it. Synthetic resin members are damaged due to heat generation. In particular, since synthetic resin members tend to burn easily, they may have an odor effect, which is a problem in terms of quality and flavor.

In addition, when processing is performed using a YAG laser in the near-infrared region using YAG crystal as a laser medium, as in the technology of Patent Document 2, the printed area is formed by changing the irradiated area with the laser light and developing color. be done. However, since this is a thermal processing process in which the target is locally heated and processed by the YAG laser hitting the target, it cannot be said that the occurrence of burns and the like due to thermal damage will be eliminated, which is a problem.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cap that can maintain quality and flavor even when an information display section is provided on a synthetic resin member.

The cap according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cap body having a top plate portion and a skirt portion hanging down from the peripheral edge of the top plate portion, and at least a portion radially inward from a portion that seals the mouth of the container by UV laser treatment. A synthetic resin member provided in the cap main body is provided, the synthetic resin member being formed of a resin material containing a discoloration-inducing substance that changes color and having an information display section that displays information based on the discoloration of the discoloration-inducing substance.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cap that can maintain quality and flavor even if an information display section is provided on a synthetic resin member.

FIG. 1 is a side view, partially in section, showing the configuration of a cap according to an embodiment of the present invention. The side view which shows the structure of the same cap partially in cross section. An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the cap from the bottom side. An explanatory diagram schematically showing the configuration of a manufacturing apparatus that manufactures the same cap. FIG. 7 is a side view, partially in section, showing the configuration of a cap according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view, partially in section, showing the configuration of a cap 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a state where it is placed on a can container 100 as a container. FIG. 2 is a side view partially showing the structure of the cap 1 in cross section. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the cap 1 from the bottom side. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the configuration of a manufacturing apparatus 200 for manufacturing the cap 1. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cap 1 is attached to the mouth part 110 of the can container 100, and is secured to the mouth part 110 of the can container 100 in a state where it is capped by winding, thereby sealing the can container 100.

Here, the can container 100 is a so-called bottle-shaped container that accommodates beverages and the like. For example, the can container 100 is made of a metal material such as an aluminum alloy or a surface-treated steel plate with resin films laminated on both sides. The can container 100 is formed into a cylindrical shape having different outer diameters, with one end being reduced in diameter. The can container 100 has a spout 110 at one end for discharging the contained beverage. The mouth portion 110 has a jaw portion 111, a male screw portion 112, and a curl portion 113 on its outer peripheral surface from the bottom side of the can container 100 toward the end. Note that the container covered with the cap 1 may be a plastic bottle or a bottle container instead of the can container 100.

The jaw portion 111 is configured to protrude in an annular shape. The curled portion 113 is formed to have a smaller diameter than the male screw portion 112. Further, the curl portion 113 is configured to be smaller than the inner diameter of the cap 1. The curl portion 113 is formed by folding the end portion of the mouth portion 110 one or more times. The curled portion 113 constitutes an opening (end) of the spout 110 through which the beverage stored in the can container 100 is discharged.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the cap 1 includes a cap body 11 and a sealing member 12 provided separately within the cap body 11.

The cap body 11 is made of a metal material such as an aluminum alloy with a resin film layer formed thereon. The cap main body 11 is formed by forming the thin plate-like material into a cup shape by various forming methods such as drawing, knurling, and roll-on forming.

The cap body 11 includes a disk-shaped top plate part 21 and a cylindrical skirt part 22 that is integrally provided at the peripheral edge of the top plate part 21. The cap body 11 includes a top plate portion 21 and a skirt portion 22, which are integrally and continuously formed by an annular and curved corner portion 23.

The top plate portion 21 is configured in a disk shape, and has a flat main surface. The skirt portion 22 hangs down from the top plate portion 21. The skirt portion 22 is configured such that one end thereof is continuous with the top plate portion 21 via a corner portion 23 and the other end is open. The skirt portion 22 includes a plurality of knurl portions 31 having vent slits 31a, a plurality of recesses 32, a female screw portion 33, and a tamper evidence band portion 34 from the end on the top plate portion 21 side to the open end. .

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the plurality of knurled portions 31, the plurality of recessed portions 32, the female screw portion 33, and the tamper evidence band portion 34 are connected to the top plate portion 21, the plurality of knurled portions 31, the plurality of recessed portions 32, A cup-shaped molded product consisting of a cylindrical skirt portion 22 without a female screw portion 33 and a tamper evidence band portion 34 formed thereon, and a corner portion 23 is formed by processing such as knurling molding or roll-on molding.

The knurl portion 31 has a vent slit 31a and protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion 22. In other words, the knurled portion 31 forms a protrusion that is partially cut out on the inner circumferential surface of the skirt portion 22 by recessing a portion of the skirt portion 22 inward in the radial direction of the skirt portion 22 .

A plurality of knurl portions 31 are provided in the circumferential direction of the skirt portion 22 . The vent slit 31a is a cut through which gas etc. inside the can container 100 is discharged when the can container 100 is opened. The vent slit 31a is formed by cutting the end of the knurled portion 31 on the top plate portion 21 side.

The recessed portion 32 is formed by recessing a portion of the skirt portion 22 from the outer peripheral surface side to the inner peripheral surface side. Specifically, the recessed portion 32 forms a protrusion on the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion 22 by recessing a portion of the skirt portion 22 inward in the radial direction of the skirt portion 22 .

A plurality of recesses 32 are provided. The recessed portion 32 is arranged between the knurled portions 31 adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. The number of the plurality of recesses 32 may be the same as the number of the plurality of knurls 31, or the number of the plurality of recesses 32 may be smaller than the number of the plurality of knurls 31. That is, the number of the plurality of recesses 32 can be set as appropriate. For example, at least the top plate portion 21 side of the inner surfaces of the plurality of recesses 32 are formed with inclined surfaces 32a that are inclined with respect to the axial direction of the cap body 11, and center the sealing member 12 in contact with the cap body 11.

The female screw portion 33 is configured to be screwable with the male screw portion 112 of the can container 100. The female screw portion 33 is molded together with the can container 100. That is, the female screw portion 33 is not formed in the cap 1 before being attached to the can container 100, but is formed when the cap 1 is assembled integrally with the can container 100.

The tamper evidence band portion 34 engages with the jaw portion 111 of the can container 100 in the direction in which the cap 1 separates from the can container 100 and in the axial direction of the cap 1. Further, the tamper evidence band portion 34 has a breaking portion 34a that breaks when the cap 1 is opened and is detached from the skirt portion 22. That is, the tamper evidence band part 34 is configured by forming a slit leaving a broken part 34a on the end side of the skirt part 22, and like the female screw part 33, it is integrated with the can container 100. Sometimes, it is shaped into the shape of the jaw 111 of the can container 100 and engages with the jaw 111 .

The sealing member 12 is a synthetic resin member formed from a synthetic resin material. The sealing member 12 is provided within the cap body 11 and tightly contacts the tip of the curled portion 113, which is the open end of the mouth 110 of the container 100, to seal the mouth 110. For example, the sealing member 12 is configured separately from the cap body 11.

The sealing member 12 is arranged, for example, to face the top plate part 21 and the skirt part 22, and is not bonded to the cap 1. As a specific example, the sealing member 12 is configured in a disk shape and has an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the inscribed circle of the knurled portion 31 provided in the skirt portion 22 of the cap body 11. The sealing member 12 also has at least a portion of the inclined surface 32a of the recessed portion 32 protruding from the inner circumferential surface of the skirt portion 22 in the radial direction. have the same outer diameter.

The sealing member 12 is attached to the cap body 11 by engaging in the axial direction of the cap body 11 with an end portion provided with the vent slit 31a of the knurl portion 31 that protrudes radially from the inner circumferential surface of the skirt portion 22. Installed in one piece. Moreover, the sealing member 12 engages in the radial direction of the cap body 11 with the inclined surface 32a of the recess 32 that protrudes from the inner circumferential surface of the skirt portion 22 in the radial direction, so that the center of the sealing member 12 is aligned on the axis of the cap body 11. Centered so that it is located.

The sealing member 12 includes a disc-shaped sliding layer 41 and a disc-shaped sealing layer 42 that is integrally laminated on the sliding layer 41. The sealing member 12 is constructed by integrally molding the sliding layer 41 and the sealing layer 42 from different resin materials. The sealing member 12 includes a flat plate portion 12a having a uniform thickness, and a curved portion 12b having a curved outer surface on the outer peripheral edge on the top plate portion 21 side. In other words, the sealing member 12 is formed into a disk shape, and the ridge portion on the top plate portion 21 side is constituted by a curved surface with a predetermined curvature. Further, the sealing member 12 has a curved surface portion 12b constituting the outer peripheral edge side that is thinner than the flat plate portion 12a, and the thickness of the curved surface portion 12b gradually becomes thinner from the center side toward the outer peripheral edge. The tip of the portion 12b, that is, the outer peripheral edge is configured to be thinnest than the other portions. The flat plate portion 12a constitutes a sealed portion in which a portion of the curved portion 12b side contacts the mouth portion 110 of the can container 100. For example, the flat plate portion 12a has a sealed portion thicker than other portions.

Further, the sealing member 12 has an information display section 12c that displays information by changing color upon irradiation with UV laser light. Here, the UV laser light is a laser in the ultraviolet region, and has a wavelength of, for example, 355 nm. The information display portion 12c is formed radially inward from at least the portion of the sealing member 12 that seals the mouth portion 110 of the can container 100. Note that the information display section 12c may cover a portion that seals the mouth section 110 of the can container 100.

The information display section 12c is formed by at least a part of the main surface of the flat plate section 12a on the opening side of the skirt section 22. For example, in the information display section 12c, a discoloration inducer that changes color upon UV laser light irradiation is added to the resin material constituting the sealing member 12, which constitutes at least the surface of the area that will become the information display section 12c. It is formed by That is, the resin material forming the information display section 12c contains a color change inducer, and displays information by changing color when irradiated with UV laser light.

The information display section 12c is configured to be able to display information by partially changing color when irradiated with UV laser light in accordance with the information to be displayed. Here, the information displayed on the information display section 12c includes symbols such as letters and numbers, designs, or a combination thereof. The information display section 12c displays information such as a lottery win display and a prize application number. In this embodiment, an example in which a discoloration inducer is added to the resin material constituting the sealing layer 42 of the sealing member 12 will be described.

The sliding layer 41 is made of a resin material that is relatively harder (harder) than the sealing layer 42 . Further, the sliding layer 41 is made of a resin material that does not have adhesiveness or tackiness to the resin film layer of the cap body 11. That is, the sliding layer 41 is not bonded to the top plate part 21 and slides on the top plate part 21 while being in contact with the top plate part 21.

Examples of the resin material used for the sliding layer 41 include olefin resins such as polypropylene resin and polyethylene resin, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate, styrene resins, and acrylic resins. In this embodiment, the sliding layer 41 is made of, for example, polypropylene resin. Note that pigments, lubricants, softeners, etc. can be added to the resin material used for the sliding layer 41 as appropriate.

The sliding layer 41 is provided separately from the cap body 11, facing the top plate portion 21 of the cap body 11. The sliding layer 41 is configured to be able to slide on the top plate portion 21 of the cap body 11 due to the resin material used. The sliding layer 41 is configured in a disk shape. The outer diameter of the sliding layer 41 is smaller than the inner diameter of the skirt portion 22 and larger than the inscribed circle of the plurality of knurl portions 31, and partially extends in the axial direction of the inclined surface 32a of the plurality of recesses 32. It has the same diameter as the inscribed circle passing through the opening, and is configured to have a larger diameter than the outer diameter of the curled portion 113 of the mouth portion 110.

The sliding layer 41 includes a first flat plate part 41a having a uniform thickness, a first curved part 41b whose outer peripheral edge on the top plate part 21 side has a curved surface, and a sealing layer of the first curved part 41b. A protrusion 41c provided on the 42 side. The first flat plate portion 41a has a uniform thickness from the center of the sliding layer 41 to the outer circumferential side of the portion facing the curled portion 113 of the mouth portion 110.

The first curved surface portion 41b is configured such that the thickness of the portion from the outer circumferential side to the outer circumferential edge of the portion facing the curled portion 113 of the mouth portion 110 gradually decreases toward the outer circumferential edge. The protrusion 41c is formed in the shape of an annular protrusion that is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the sliding layer 41 and the surface direction of the top plate part 21, and is curved or inclined toward the open end of the skirt part 22. Ru. The thickness of the protruding portion 41c gradually decreases from the first curved surface portion 41b toward the tip.

The sealing layer 42 is made of a resin material whose hardness is relatively lower (softer) than the sliding layer 41 . Examples of resin materials used for the sealing layer 42 include olefin resins, polyester resins, styrene resins, acrylic resins, and more preferably blends of styrene elastomers and polypropylene resins, and low-density polyethylene and styrene resins. Examples include elastomer blend materials, polyester elastomers, and the like. In this embodiment, the sealing layer 42 is made of, for example, a mixed material of styrene elastomer and polypropylene resin. Note that pigments, lubricants, softeners, and the like can be added to the resin material used for the sealing layer 42 as appropriate. Further, the sealing layer 42 is added with a discoloration inducer that causes the synthetic resin member to discolor when irradiated with UV laser light to form the information display section 12c.

As a specific example, the resin material used for the sealing layer 42 includes titanium oxide as a discoloration inducer. Further, the resin material used for the sealing layer 42 contains a white pigment as a pigment. For example, examples of the white pigment include titanium oxide, zinc oxide, barium sulfate, white lead, and lithopone. Note that titanium oxide also has the property of being a discoloration inducer that develops color upon UV laser irradiation, and therefore titanium oxide, which serves both as a discoloration inducer and a white pigment, is preferable. The content of the color change inducer is preferably 0.1 to 5% by weight based on the weight of the resin material containing the color change inducer. Further, since the color becomes gray or black by UV laser irradiation, the pigment is not limited to a white pigment, but may be a pigment that shows a noticeable color development, such as yellow iron sesquioxide.

In addition, when the resin material used for the sealing layer 42 does not have fluidity or has low fluidity, such as when a discoloration inducer is blended with a styrene elastomer, heat melt extrusion may be used. Cannot be molded or injection molded. For this reason, the resin material needs to be blended with a resin modifier to maintain viscosity stability. This resin modifier is preferably silicone oil, and can impart fluidity to the synthetic resin member, stabilize moldability, and improve sealability. The silicone oil preferably has a kinematic viscosity of 100 to 10,000 mm ² /s (20°C) in consideration of food hygiene, mixability and dispersibility in synthetic resin parts, and more specifically, a silicone oil with a kinematic viscosity of 100 to 10,000 mm 2 /s (20°C). Dimethyl silicone oil, methylphenyl silicone oil, etc. having a kinematic viscosity of .

The sealing layer 42 is integrally provided on the main surface of the sliding layer 41 on the side facing the mouth 110. The sealing layer 42 is configured in a disk shape. The outer diameter of the sealing layer 42 is configured to be larger than the outer diameter of the curled portion 113 of the mouth portion 110, and is configured to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the sliding layer 41.

The sealing layer 42 includes a second flat plate part 42a whose thickness is thicker at the part facing the mouth part 110 than the other parts, and a second flat plate part 42a whose outer peripheral edge on the top plate part 21 side has a curved surface. It includes a curved surface portion 42b and an annular recess 42c provided on the main surface of the second curved surface portion 42b on the opposite side to the sliding layer 41 side. The second flat plate portion 42a has a flat main surface facing the curl portion 113. For example, the second flat plate portion 42a is configured to have the same diameter as the first flat plate portion 41a of the sliding layer 41. The second flat plate portion 42a constitutes the flat plate portion 12a of the sealing member 12 together with the first flat plate portion 41a.

The second curved surface portion 42b has, for example, a main surface flush with the main surface facing the curled portion 113 of the second flat plate portion 42a. The second curved surface portion 42b is configured such that the thickness of the portion from the outer circumferential side to the outer circumferential edge of the portion facing the curled portion 113 of the mouth portion 110 gradually decreases toward the outer circumferential edge. The second curved surface portion 42b is stacked on the first curved surface portion 41b and the protrusion 41c. The second curved surface portion 42b constitutes the curved surface portion 12b of the sealing member 12 together with the first curved surface portion 41b and the projection portion 41c.

The depression 42c is, for example, an annular depression with a semicircular cross section. When the sealing member 12 is centered on the cap body 11, the recess 42c comes into contact with, for example, the end of the knurled portion 31 on the vent slit 31a side.

In such a sealing member 12, when the cap 1 is placed with the top plate 21 facing upward and the sealing member 12 falls below the top plate 21, the vent slit 31a side of the knurled portion 31 By coming into contact with the end of the knurled part 31, the knurled part 31 locks the knurled part 31, and the downward movement in the direction of gravity is restricted. In addition, when the cap 1 is removed from the can container 100, the sealing member 12 is supported by the knurled portion 31, so that it separates from the mouth portion 110 and moves together with the cap body 11.

A method of manufacturing the cap 1 configured as described above will be briefly described below. First, the cap body 11 on the cup is formed from, for example, a metal plate material. Next, the cap body 11 is placed on the lower mold with the top plate portion 21 positioned on the lower side in the direction of gravity. Next, a melted or softened resin material for the sliding layer 41 is supplied onto the top plate portion 21, and the supplied resin material is compression-molded using an upper mold to form the sliding layer 41. Next, a melted or softened resin material for the sealing layer 42 is supplied onto the sliding layer 41, and the supplied resin material is compression-molded using an upper mold to form the sealing layer 42 on the sliding layer 41. . As a result, the sealing member 12 is molded within the cap body 11 in which the knurl portion 31, the recess portion 32, the vent slit 31a, and the tamper evidence band portion 34 are not formed. Thereafter, a knurled portion 31, a recessed portion 32, a vent slit 31a, a tamper evidence band portion 34, etc. are formed on the skirt portion 22 of the cap body 11.

For example, the sealing member 12 is removed from the cap body 11 when forming the knurl portion 31, the recess 32, the vent slit 31a, the tamper evidence band portion 34, etc. on the skirt portion 22 of the cap body 11. The sealing member 12 is inserted into the cap body 11 after forming the knurled portion 31, the recessed portion 32, the vent slit 31a, the tamper evidence band portion 34, etc. on the skirt portion 22 of the cap body 11. Through such a process, the cap 1 in which no information is engraved (printed) on the information display portion 12c of the sealing member 12 is manufactured.

Next, information is printed on the information display section 12c of the sealing member 12 of the cap 1. Note that the step of printing information on the information display section 12c is performed continuously after forming the knurl section 31, recess section 32, vent slit 31a, tamper evidence band section 34, etc. on the skirt section 22 of the cap main body 11 described above. Alternatively, it may be performed on another line or factory.

An example of a manufacturing apparatus 200 and a manufacturing method for stamping (printing) information on the information display portion 12c of the sealing member 12 of the cap 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 200 will be explained. The manufacturing apparatus 200 includes a transport device 210 that transports the cap 1, a laser device 220 provided on the transport path of the cap 1 by the transport device 210, and a control device 230 that controls the transport device 210 and the laser device 220. .

The conveyance device 210 includes, for example, a conveyor 211 that conveys the caps 1 at predetermined intervals, and a drive source 212 that drives the conveyor 211.

The conveyor 211 is, for example, a roller conveyor, a belt conveyor, or the like. Note that the conveyor 211 is not limited to these, and can be appropriately set as long as it is a device that can continuously convey the caps 1. Moreover, the conveyor 211 may be configured to convey the caps 1 in one line, or may be configured to convey the caps 1 in multiple lines. The conveyor 211 conveys the cap 1 with the top plate 21 of the cap 1 facing downward, the open end of the skirt 22 facing upward, and the sealing member 12 exposed upward.

The drive source 212 drives the conveyor 211 to transport the cap 1 at a predetermined transport speed. The drive source 212 is, for example, a motor that drives a roller of a roller conveyor, a belt of a belt conveyor, or the like.

Laser device 220 irradiates UV laser light. As the laser device 220, for example, "MD-U1000 series" manufactured by KEYENCE is used. The laser device 220, for example, irradiates the information display portion 12c of the sealing member 12 of the cap 1 transported by the transport device 210 with UV laser light, and scans the UV laser light based on preset information. The laser device 220 prints information on the information display section 12c of the sealing member 12 by irradiating the information display section 12c with UV laser light to change the color of the information display section 12c.

The control device 230 is, for example, a general control section of the manufacturing device 200. Control device 230 controls laser device 220, for example. Further, the control device 230 may perform drive control of the transport device 210. The control device 230 includes, for example, an input section 231, a display section 232, an interface 233, a communication section 234, a memory 235, and a processor 236.

The input unit 231 includes, for example, at least one of a device that receives user input such as an operation panel including buttons, a touch panel, a keyboard, and a mouse, and a sensor such as a pressure sensor, a microphone, and a camera. The input unit 231 is a device that accepts user input, which is a command from an arbitrary user, such as various settings such as drive parameters of the laser device 220 and settings of each device of the manufacturing apparatus 200. Note that the control device 230 may not include the input unit 231, and various settings and user inputs may be performed by various input units connected via the interface 233 and the communication unit 234.

The display unit 232 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, for example. Further, the display section 232 may have a configuration including an LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting section or the like instead of or in addition to the display device.

The interface 233 is a terminal or circuit that can be electrically connected to various sensors, external terminals, and the like. Note that the control device 230 may include a detection sensor that detects the cap 1 transported by the transport device 210, and the interface 233 may be configured to be electrically connected to this detection sensor.

The communication unit 234 is controlled by the processor 236 and is any communication interface capable of communicating with an external terminal. The communication unit 234 communicates with an external terminal using wired communication technology or wireless communication technology. As a specific example, the communication unit 234 communicates with an external terminal using a wireless communication technology such as the BLE standard (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy standard), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or a wired communication technology such as USB. Can be connected. Note that the communication unit 234 may include a normal communication interface of a mobile terminal that can communicate with a management server and other communication terminals via a base station and a network, in addition to communication according to the BLE standard. For example, the communication unit 234 is controlled by the communication control circuit of the processor 236, and receives various information including information to be printed by the laser device 220, parameters, various programs, and change instructions for changing these data and programs from an external terminal. and also sends it to the laser device 220.

Memory 235 is a storage section. Memory 235 can read and write data. The memory 235 stores data used by the processor 236, information printed on the information display section 12c by the laser device 220, operational data of the laser device 220 including the output of UV laser light emitted from the laser device 220, scanning information, etc. Various data, programs, etc. used to control the laser device 220 are stored. Further, the memory 235 stores various data, programs, etc. that control other configurations of the manufacturing apparatus 200.

The memory 235 includes, for example, nonvolatile memory such as EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) (registered trademark), ROM (Read only memory), or NAND flash memory. Furthermore, the memory 235 includes an SSD (Solid State Drive) equipped with flash memory.

The processor 236 is a control unit that controls each component of the manufacturing apparatus 200 including the laser device 220. The processor 236 may be a microcomputer, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or other general-purpose or dedicated processor. The processor 236 performs arbitrary processing such as communication control of the communication unit 234, display control of the display unit 232, and processing control of the laser device 220, for example.

Processor 236 includes, for example, processing circuitry and memory. The processor 236 includes a storage area such as a non-volatile EEPROM area and a volatile DRAM area as a memory, for example. The processor 236 also includes a communication control circuit that controls communication via the communication unit 234 and a processing circuit that controls various devices of the manufacturing apparatus 200 by executing programs stored in the memory 235 or a storage area. functions as

Next, a method of marking (printing) on the sealing member 12 using such a manufacturing apparatus 200 will be explained.
First, the plurality of caps 1 are transported by the transport device 210 to a position where the sealing member 12 is engraved by the laser device 220. For example, when the laser device 220 moves to the sealing member 12 of the cap 1, the laser device 220 irradiates the sealing member 12 with UV laser light. For example, the movement of the sealing member 12 to the marking position is detected by a detection sensor or the like, and the laser device 220 is controlled based on the information detected by the processor 236. The laser device 220 controlled by the processor 236 scans the sealing member 12 with a UV laser beam at a predetermined output, for example, in accordance with information to be stamped on the sealing member 12 set in advance. As a result, due to the discoloration inducer contained in the resin material forming the sealing layer 42 of the sealing member 12, the portion of the sealing layer 42 (information display section 12c) that is irradiated with the UV laser light is changed to the information display section shown in FIG. Information is displayed by changing color, such as alphanumeric characters displayed at 12c. For example, when the discoloration inducing material is titanium oxide, the portion of the sealing layer 42 irradiated with the UV laser light turns black. Oxygen atoms in titanium oxide are separated by UV laser light irradiation, and the ratio of titanium atoms to oxygen atoms changes. It is thought that titanium oxide turns black due to a change in the ratio of titanium atoms to oxygen atoms. The cap 1 whose sealing layer 42 has been irradiated with the UV laser beam is collected by the transport device 210, for example, in a collection section on the secondary side. In this way, the cap 1 is sequentially irradiated with UV laser light, and the cap 1 with information engraved (printed) on the information display section 12c is manufactured.

The manufactured cap 1 is placed over the mouth 110 with the top plate 21 of the cap 1 facing upward, and a predetermined portion of the sealing layer 42 of the sealing member 12 faces the mouth 110. Then, while the corner portions 23 of the cap body 11 are being drawn, the skirt portion 22 is roll-on formed. Thereby, the cap 1 is secured to the mouth portion 110 of the can container 100 by winding and tightening.

According to the cap 1 configured in this way, the sealing member 12 provided within the cap body 11 has an information display section 12c for stamping (printing) information. Furthermore, the material of at least the portion of the sealing member 12 where the information display portion 12c is formed includes a discoloration inducer that changes color when exposed to UV laser light. In this embodiment, the resin material of the sealing layer 42 of the sealing member 12 contains titanium oxide as a discoloration inducer. Thereby, the sealing member 12 can display information on the information display section 12c.

Furthermore, the laser light irradiated by the laser device 220 to discolor the information display section 12c is a UV laser light, and the information display section 12c is discolored by this UV laser light. That is, since the printing on the information display section 12c is colored printing using light energy (UV laser light) rather than thermal energy, the influence of heat on the sealing member 12 (synthetic resin member) is suppressed, which improves quality. In addition, it has excellent flavor properties and can suppress the occurrence of a burning odor. Moreover, UV laser light has a significantly high light absorption rate to discoloration-inducing substances, and therefore, it is possible to print with high visibility on the information display section 12c.

Furthermore, by incorporating a discoloration inducer and a pigment into the resin material of the sealing layer 42 (the area where the information display section 12c is formed), it is possible to improve the degree of discoloration of the information display section 12c and the background of the sealing layer 42 (synthetic resin member). Visibility can be improved due to the contrast between color and color. In addition, by using titanium oxide as a discoloration inducer and a white pigment, visual visibility can be further improved due to the relationship between the degree of black discoloration of the information display section 12c and the contrast between the white background color of the sealing layer 42. I can do it.

Further, the information display section 12c is configured to change color due to UV laser light. That is, since the information display section 12c uses color printing using light energy rather than thermal energy, the influence of heat on the synthetic resin members (sealing member 12, sealing layer 42) can be suppressed. That is, the information display section 12c is not subjected to thermal stress even when it is irradiated with UV laser light for displaying information. Therefore, the sealing member 12 is excellent in quality and flavor, and burnt odor is suppressed. Therefore, even if the sealing member 12 comes into contact with the contents such as a beverage contained in the can container 100, the cap 1 does not cause quality problems with the contents, and can display information. Since odor can be prevented from being generated in the information display section 12c, the flavor of the contents is not impaired.

In addition, the sealing member 12 can stabilize moldability and improve sealing performance by imparting fluidity to the resin material by adding a resin modifier such as silicone oil to the resin material. It becomes possible.

Further, by setting the discoloration inducer contained in the resin material of at least the region forming the information display section 12c of the synthetic resin member, the resin material of the sealing layer 42 in this embodiment, to 0.1 to 5% by weight. , it is possible to ensure high discoloration while suppressing deterioration in moldability. In addition, from the viewpoint of moldability, sealing performance, and visibility of information of the sealing member 12 (sealing layer 42), the content of the discoloration inducer contained in the resin material of the sealing layer 42 is preferably 5% by weight or less.

Further, by including titanium oxide as a discoloration inducer and a white pigment in a resin material, the fluidity of the resin material may become unstable. However, since the synthetic resin member (sealing member 12, sealing layer 42) in this embodiment contains a resin modifier in an amount of 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the synthetic resin member, the resin material may discolor. Even if inducers are contained, moldability can be maintained stably.

Furthermore, additional value can be added to the cap 1 by displaying a so-called winning display, which is information for lottery tickets, sweepstakes, etc., on the information display section 12c.

As described above, according to the cap 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the cap 1 is placed over the mouth portion 110 of the can container 100, the sealing performance of the sealing member 12 that is not adhered to the cap body 11 can be ensured.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the example described above, the sealing member 12 and the cap body 11 are configured as separate bodies, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the sealing member 12 and the cap body 11 may be configured as one body.

Another embodiment will be described below using FIG. 5. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected to the structure similar to the cap 1 based on the embodiment mentioned above, and the detailed description is abbreviate|omitted. As shown in FIG. 5, the cap 1 according to another embodiment includes a cap body 11 and a sealing member (synthetic resin member) 12A integrally formed with the cap body 11. Note that since the sealing member 12A is integrally formed in the cap body 11, the cap body 11 does not have the recess 32 in the skirt portion 22, for example.

The sealing member 12A is integrally formed on the inner main surface side of the top plate portion 21. The sealing member 12A may be fixed to the inner main surface of the cap body 11 during molding, or after the sealing member 12A is molded, it is fixed to the inner main surface of the top plate portion 21 of the cap body 11 by adhesive or the like. It may be a configuration.

The sealing member 12A includes, for example, a flat plate part 12a, a seal part 12d that seals the mouth part 110 of the can container 100 by coming into close contact with it, and an information display part 12c formed on the flat plate part 12a. .

The seal portion 12d is formed thicker than the flat plate portion 12a. For example, the surface of the seal portion 12d that comes into contact with the mouth portion 110 is formed into a curved shape that follows the shape of the tip of the curl portion 113. When the cap 1 is placed over the opening 110 of the can container 100, the sealing portion 12d is elastically deformed by being pressed by the curled portion 113, and seals the opening 110 by coming into close contact with the curled portion 113. do.

Similar to the resin material forming the sealing layer 42 of the sealing member 12 described above, the resin material forming at least the area where the information display portion 12c of the sealing member 12A is formed contains a discoloration inducer that changes color due to UV laser light. do. In this embodiment, the resin material constituting the sealing member 12A contains a discoloration inducer.

The sealing member 12A is made of the same resin material as the sealing layer 42. Examples of the resin material used for the sealing member 12A include olefin resins, polyester resins, styrene resins, acrylic resins, and more preferably blends of styrene elastomers and polypropylene resins, and low-density polyethylene and styrene elastomers. Examples include blend materials, polyester elastomers, and the like. In this embodiment, the sealing member 12A is made of, for example, a mixed material of styrene elastomer and polypropylene resin. In addition, pigments, lubricants, softeners, etc. can be added to the resin material used for the sealing member 12A as appropriate. Further, the sealing member 12A is added with a discoloration inducer that causes the synthetic resin member to discolor when irradiated with UV laser light to form the information display portion 12c.

As a specific example, the resin material used for the sealing member 12A includes titanium oxide as a discoloration inducer. The content of the discoloration inducer in the resin material used for the sealing member 12A is preferably 0.1 to 5% by weight based on the weight of the resin material containing the discoloration inducer.

Further, the resin material used for the sealing member 12A includes a white pigment. For example, examples of the white pigment include titanium oxide, zinc oxide, barium sulfate, white lead, and lithopone. Note that titanium oxide also has the property of being a discoloration inducer that develops color upon UV laser irradiation, and therefore titanium oxide, which serves both as a discoloration inducer and a white pigment, is preferable.

In addition, when the resin material used for the sealing member 12A does not have fluidity, such as when a discoloration inducer is blended with a styrene elastomer, it is not possible to perform hot melt extrusion molding or injection molding. Can not. For this reason, the resin material needs to be blended with a resin modifier to maintain viscosity stability. This resin modifier is preferably silicone oil, and can impart fluidity to the synthetic resin member, stabilize moldability, and improve sealability. The silicone oil preferably has a kinematic viscosity of 100 to 10,000 mm ² /s (20°C) in consideration of food hygiene, mixability and dispersibility in synthetic resin parts, and more specifically, a silicone oil with a kinematic viscosity of 100 to 10,000 mm 2 /s (20°C). Dimethyl silicone oil, methylphenyl silicone oil, etc. having a kinematic viscosity of .

According to the cap 1 according to the other embodiment configured in this way, information can be displayed by irradiating the information display section 12c with UV laser light, similarly to the cap 1 according to the embodiment described above. At the same time, quality and flavor can be maintained.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the plurality of embodiments described above. For example, if the cap 1 can be discolored by UV laser light, the information display section 12c may be configured to be used not to display information but to improve the design of the inside of the cap 1. good.

Further, in the above example, a configuration was described in which the resin material used for the synthetic resin member includes a white pigment as a pigment, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the pigment may be other than white. For example, in order to improve the visibility of information, the relationship between the discoloration of the discoloration inducing material and the ground color of the synthetic resin member may be set based on the relationship of contrast. However, for the sealing member, the relationship between the discoloration of the discoloration inducer and the ground color of the synthetic resin member may be set with emphasis placed on functions other than information visibility, such as design.

Further, in the above example, a configuration was described in which the resin material forming the sealing layer 42 as a synthetic resin member and the resin material forming the sealing member 12A contain a discoloration inducer, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in order to configure the information display section 12c, a part of the resin material of the sealing layer 42 and the sealing member 12A may contain a discoloration inducer. Alternatively, a resin layer forming the information display section 12c made of a resin material containing a discoloration inducer may be laminated on the surface of the sealing layer 42, which will become the flat plate section 12a, for example.

Further, the color change inducing substance may be added to the sliding layer 41. That is, in addition to the resin material forming the sealing layer 42, the resin material forming the sliding layer 41 may also contain a discoloration inducer. Further, as another example, only the resin material forming the sliding layer 41 may contain a discoloration inducer, and the information display portion 12c may be provided on the sliding layer 41. In this example, the sealing member 12 may have an information display section 12c provided on the top plate 21 side of the sealing member 12 so that the information display section 12c can be visually recognized when the sealing member 12 is removed from the cap body 11. Alternatively, the sealing layer 42 may not be provided at the center of the sealing member 12, and the information display section 12c may be provided on the exposed sliding layer 41.

Further, the detailed shapes of the cap body 11 and the sealing members 12, 12A are not limited to the examples of the embodiments described above. In addition, the cap 1 may be sold or traded with the information displayed by irradiating the information display section 12c with UV laser light during manufacturing. You may also do this. That is, as long as the cap 1 can display information using UV laser light on the information display section 12c, caps that do not display information are also included in the invention. Further, in the above example, the cap 1 has been described, but only the sealing member 12 used in the cap body 11 may be used as a form of transaction.

That is, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention at the implementation stage. Moreover, each embodiment may be implemented in combination as appropriate, and in that case, the combined effect can be obtained. Furthermore, the embodiments described above include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combinations selected from the plurality of constituent features disclosed. For example, if a problem can be solved and an effect can be obtained even if some constituent features are deleted from all the constituent features shown in the embodiment, the configuration from which these constituent features are deleted can be extracted as an invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Cap, 11... Cap body, 12, 12A... Sealing member (synthetic resin member), 12a... Flat plate part, 12b... Curved surface part, 12c... Information display part, 12d... Seal part, 21... Top plate part, 22... Skirt part, 23... Corner part, 31... Knurl part, 31a... Vent slit, 32... Recessed part, 32a... Inclined surface, 33... Female thread part, 34... Tamper evidence band part, 34a... Broken part, 41... Sliding layer , 41a...first flat plate part, 41b...first curved surface part, 41c...protrusion part, 42...sealing layer, 42a...second flat plate part, 42b...second curved surface part, 100...can container (container), 110...mouth Part, 111...jaw part, 112...male thread part, 113...curl part, 200...manufacturing device, 210...conveying device, 211...conveyor, 212...drive source, 220...laser device, 230...control device, 231...input section, 232...display section, 233...interface, 234...communication section, 235...memory, 236...processor

Claims (7)

a cap body having a top plate portion and a skirt portion hanging down from a peripheral edge of the top plate portion;
At least radially inward of the portion that seals the mouth of the container, the information display section is formed of a resin material containing a color change inducer that changes color when exposed to UV laser, and displays information based on the color change of the color change inducer. a synthetic resin member provided within the cap body;
with a cap. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the information display portion is formed by discoloration of the discoloration inducing substance. The cap according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the color change inducer is titanium oxide. Any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the blending amount of the discoloration inducer is 0.1 to 5% by weight based on the weight of the resin material forming at least the information display portion of the synthetic resin member. Cap as described in section. The cap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the synthetic resin member contains a resin modifier that maintains viscosity stability before molding. The cap according to claim 5, wherein the resin modifier is silicone oil. The cap according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the blending amount of the resin modifier is 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the resin material forming the synthetic resin member.