JP2024053924A - Composite containers, composite containers with lids, and composite preforms - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a composite container, a composite container with a lid material, and a composite preform that can facilitate removal of a filled beverage and improve recyclability. [Solution] A composite container 10A includes a container body 10 made of a plastic material, and a plastic member 80 that is provided in close contact with and surrounds the outside of the container body 10. The container body 10 has a cylindrical portion 20 with an opening 21, a body portion 30 provided below the cylindrical portion 20, and a bottom portion 40 provided below the body portion 30. The cylindrical portion 20, the body portion 30, and the bottom portion 40 each contain polyethylene terephthalate. The cylindrical portion 20 includes a flange portion 22 formed at its upper end. When the diameter of the opening 21 is D1 and the maximum diameter of the body portion 30 is D2, the relationship 1≦D2/D1≦4 is satisfied. [Selected Figure] Figure 2

Description

This disclosure relates to composite containers, composite containers with lids, and composite preforms.

Recently, plastic bottles for containing liquid contents such as food and beverages have become known (for example, Patent Document 1). Plastic bottles for containing such liquid contents are manufactured by inserting a preform into a mold and performing biaxial stretch blow molding. The liquid contents are then contained in such plastic bottles.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 59-10014

However, conventional plastic bottles have the problem that it can be difficult to remove the beverage from the opening. In addition, in recent years, there has been a demand for containers that can be recycled to address the problem of marine pollution and reduce the burden on the environment.

This disclosure has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to provide a composite container, a composite container with a lid, and a composite preform that make it easy to remove the filled beverage and improve recyclability.

A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a composite container comprising a container body made of a plastic material and a plastic member closely surrounding the outside of the container body, the container body having a cylindrical portion with an opening, a body portion provided below the cylindrical portion, and a bottom portion provided below the body portion, the cylindrical portion, the body portion, and the bottom portion each comprising polyethylene terephthalate, the cylindrical portion including a flange portion formed at an upper end, and when the diameter of the opening is D1 and the maximum diameter of the body portion is D2,
1≦D2/D1≦4
This is a composite container that satisfies the following relationship.

In a second aspect of the present disclosure, in the composite container according to the first aspect described above, the width of the flange portion may be 1 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

A third aspect of the present disclosure is a composite container according to the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein when the weight of the cylindrical portion is W1 and the total weight of the body portion and the bottom portion is W2,
1≦W2/W1≦10
The following relationship may be satisfied.

In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in the composite container according to each of the first to third aspects described above, the cylindrical portion may include a support ring.

In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, in the composite container according to each of the first to fourth aspects described above, the body may include a first enlarged diameter section that enlarges in diameter from the cylindrical section side toward the bottom section side, a reduced diameter section that is provided below the first enlarged diameter section and that reduces in diameter from the cylindrical section side toward the bottom section side, and a second enlarged diameter section that is provided below the reduced diameter section and that expands in diameter from the cylindrical section side toward the bottom section.

A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is a composite container with a lid, comprising a composite container according to any one of the first to fifth aspects described above and a lid that seals the opening of the container body.

The seventh aspect of the present disclosure is a composite preform comprising a preform made of a plastic material and a plastic member provided in close contact with and surrounding the outside of the preform, the preform having a cylindrical portion with an opening, a body portion provided below the cylindrical portion, and a bottom portion provided below the body portion, the cylindrical portion including a flange portion formed at the upper end, and the cylindrical portion, the body portion, and the bottom portion each containing polyethylene terephthalate.

In an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, in the composite preform according to the seventh aspect described above, the width of the flange portion may be 1 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is a composite preform according to the seventh aspect or the eighth aspect described above, wherein when the weight of the cylindrical portion is W3 and the sum of the weights of the body portion and the bottom portion is W4,
1≦W4/W3≦10
The following relationship may be satisfied.

In a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, in the composite preform according to each of the seventh to ninth aspects described above, the cylindrical portion may include a support ring.

In an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, in the composite preform according to each of the seventh aspect to the tenth aspect described above, the body may include a large diameter portion, a reduced diameter portion provided below the large diameter portion and reducing in diameter from the cylindrical portion side toward the bottom portion side, and a small diameter portion provided below the reduced diameter portion.

This disclosure makes it easier to remove the beverage filled in the container body and improves the recyclability of the composite container.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a composite container with a lid according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing a composite container according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a composite container according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 2) showing a composite container according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing a composite preform according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5) showing a composite preform according to one embodiment. 7(a) to (d) are perspective views showing various plastic members. 8(a)-(d) are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing method for a composite container according to one embodiment. FIG. 9 is a front view showing a modified example of the composite container according to the embodiment.

An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 8 are diagrams showing an embodiment. Each of the figures shown below is a schematic diagram. Therefore, the size and shape of each part are appropriately exaggerated to facilitate understanding. In addition, appropriate modifications can be made within the scope of the technical concept. In each of the figures shown below, the same parts are given the same reference numerals, and some detailed explanations may be omitted. In addition, the numerical values such as dimensions of each member and the material names described in this specification are examples of an embodiment, and are not limited to these and can be appropriately selected and used. In this specification, terms that specify shapes and geometric conditions, such as parallel, orthogonal, and vertical, are interpreted to include substantially the same state in addition to their strict meaning. In this specification, "upper" and "lower" refer to the upper and lower sides of the composite container 1 with lid material in an upright state (Figure 1), respectively.

As shown in Fig. 1, the composite container with a lid 1 includes a composite container 10A and a lid 50 that seals an opening 21 of a container body 10 of the composite container 10A, which will be described later. Here, the composite container 10A will first be described.

(Composite container)
The composite container 10A is a container obtained by blow molding a composite preform 90 (see Figs. 5 and 6) including a preform 10a and a plastic member 80a, thereby expanding the preform 10a and the plastic member 80a as a single unit.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the composite container 10A comprises a container body 10 made of a plastic material, and a plastic member 80 that is tightly attached so as to surround the outside of the container body 10. The plastic member 80 is thinly stretched and tightly attached to the outer surface of the container body 10, and is attached in such a way that it does not easily move or rotate relative to the container body 10.

(Container body)
Next, the container body 10 will be described in detail. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the container body 10 has a cylindrical portion 20 having an opening 21, a body portion 30 provided below the cylindrical portion 20, and a bottom portion 40 provided below the body portion 30.

Of these, the cylindrical portion 20 has a cylindrical shape except for the area where the flange portion 22 or the support ring 23 described later is formed. The cylindrical portion 20 has an opening 21 as described above. The opening 21 of the cylindrical portion 20 is for the user to take out the beverage. This opening 21 has a circular shape in a plan view. The diameter D1 of the opening 21 (see FIG. 2) is preferably 12 mm or more and 45 mm or less, more preferably 25 mm or more and 40 mm or less, and may be 28 mm as an example. Since the diameter D1 is 12 mm or more, the consumer can easily take out the beverage filled in the container body 10. Furthermore, since the diameter D1 is 25 mm or more, the contents can be easily filled into the container body 10 even when the viscosity of the contents is high or the contents are solid. Furthermore, since the diameter D1 is 45 mm or less, it is possible to prevent the opening 21 from becoming too large, and to prevent the balance of the container body 10 from becoming poor. This prevents the composite container 10A from tipping over when the composite container 10A is placed upright. In addition, the height H1 of the entire cylindrical portion 20 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) is preferably 7 mm or more and 40 mm or less (see FIG. 2).

The cylindrical portion 20 includes a flange portion 22 formed at the upper end. The flange portion 22 constitutes the top surface of the container body 10 and is the portion that is directly placed on the mouth when drinking a beverage. This flange portion 22 has a circular ring shape in a plan view and protrudes horizontally. The upper surface of the flange portion 22 is flat.

The width Wf (radial distance, see FIG. 3) of the flange portion 22 is preferably 1 mm or more and 15 mm or less. By making the width Wf of the flange portion 22 1 mm or more, it becomes easier to seal the lid material 50 to the flange portion 22. In addition, since the area of the portion where the lid material 50 is sealed to the flange portion 22 can be increased, the seal strength between the lid material 50 and the flange portion 22 can be increased, and the sealing property of the composite container 1 with the lid material can be improved. In addition, by making the width Wf of the flange portion 22 15 mm or less, the mouth feel of the cylindrical portion 20 can be improved. In addition, by making the width Wf of the flange portion 22 15 mm or less, the drinking comfort can be improved, and the beverage can be prevented from spilling out of the side of the mouth when drinking the beverage. In addition, by making the width Wf of the flange portion 22 15 mm or less, it is possible to prevent the moldability from decreasing when manufacturing the flange portion 22 by injection molding. Furthermore, by setting the width Wf of the flange portion 22 to 15 mm or less, the area of the portion where the lid material 50 is sealed to the flange portion 22 can be prevented from becoming too large, and the seal strength between the lid material 50 and the flange portion 22 can be prevented from becoming too large. This prevents the lid material 50 from becoming difficult to peel off from the composite container 10A (container body 10) when a consumer opens the composite container 1 with lid material.

The height H2 of the flange portion 22 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less. By making the height H2 of the flange portion 22 0.5 mm or more, it is possible to prevent the rigidity of the flange portion 22 from decreasing, and it is possible to effectively prevent the occurrence of poor sealing when sealing the lid material 50 to the flange portion 22. In addition, by making the height H2 of the flange portion 22 3 mm or less, it is possible to improve the mouthfeel and drinking comfort of the cylindrical portion 20.

The cylindrical portion 20 further includes a support ring 23. The support ring 23 is provided at the bottom of the cylindrical portion 20. The support ring 23 has a circular ring shape in a plan view and protrudes in the horizontal direction. In this way, the cylindrical portion 20 includes the support ring 23, which improves the transportability of the composite container 10A. It is preferable that the height H3 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) from the bottom surface of the support ring 23 to the top surface of the flange portion 22 be 5 mm or more and 30 mm or less.

It is preferable that the outer diameter D11 of such a cylindrical portion 20 be 15 mm or more and 48 mm or less.

Here, the cylindrical portion 20 is configured so that the lid material 50 is sealed, for example, by heat sealing. Therefore, the cylindrical portion 20 does not have a threaded portion onto which a cap (not shown) is screwed. This allows the amount of resin used to produce the cylindrical portion 20 to be reduced. The cylindrical portion 20 is also configured so that the lid material 50, for example, made of a film, is sealed. Therefore, when producing the composite container 1 with the lid material, there is no need to prepare a cap, which may require a large amount of resin. As a result, the amount of resin used to produce the composite container 1 with the lid material can be reduced.

Next, the body 30 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the body 30 is connected to the lower end of the cylindrical portion 20 and extends downward from the cylindrical portion 20. The horizontal cross section of the body 30 is circular at any point from the upper end to the lower end. However, this is not limited to this, and the body 30 may have a cylindrical shape such as an elliptical cylindrical shape or a polygonal cylindrical shape such as a rectangular cylindrical shape. The maximum diameter D2 (outer diameter, see FIG. 2) of the body 30 is preferably 20 mm or more and 120 mm or less, and may be 48.0 mm as an example. The minimum diameter D3 (outer diameter, see FIG. 2) of the body 30 is preferably 20 mm or more and 80 mm or less, and may be 38 mm as an example. Furthermore, the thickness T1 of the body 30 is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 0.4 mm or less. The thickness T1 of the body 30 (see FIG. 2) may be approximately uniform throughout the entire body 30.

2, the body 30 includes a first enlarged diameter section 31 that enlarges in diameter from the cylindrical section 20 side toward the bottom section 40 side, a reduced diameter section 32 that is provided below the first enlarged diameter section 31 and reduces in diameter from the cylindrical section 20 side toward the bottom section 40 side, and a second enlarged diameter section 33 that is provided below the reduced diameter section 32 and expands in diameter from the cylindrical section 20 side toward the bottom section 40 side. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the body 30 is maximum at the boundary between the first enlarged diameter section 31 and the reduced diameter section 32. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the body 30 is minimum at the boundary between the reduced diameter section 32 and the second enlarged diameter section 33.

The first enlarged diameter portion 31 is connected to the lower end of the cylindrical portion 20 and has a curved contour that is convex toward the outside of the container body 10 when viewed from the front. The height H4 of the first enlarged diameter portion 31 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) is preferably 10 mm or more and 120 mm or less.

The reduced diameter section 32 is connected to the lower end of the first enlarged diameter section 31. This reduced diameter section 32 includes a first curved section 321 connected to the first enlarged diameter section 31, an inclined section 322 provided below the first curved section 321, and a second curved section 323 provided below the inclined section 322. Of these, the first curved section 321 is curved so as to be convex toward the outside of the container body 10 in a front view. In addition, the inclined section 322 extends linearly in a front view, and is inclined toward the inside of the container body 10 as it extends downward. Furthermore, the second curved section 323 is curved so as to be convex toward the inside of the container body 10 in a front view.

The overall height H5 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) of the reduced diameter portion 32 is preferably 10 mm or more and 80 mm or less. In this case, the height H51 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) of the first curved portion 321 is preferably 1 mm or more and 45 mm or less. The height H52 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) of the inclined portion 322 is preferably 4 mm or more and 45 mm or less. Furthermore, the height H53 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) of the second curved portion 323 is preferably 1 mm or more and 25 mm or less.

The second enlarged diameter portion 33 is connected to the lower end of the reduced diameter portion 32. In this way, by providing the second enlarged diameter portion 33 below the reduced diameter portion 32, the capacity of the container body 10 can be increased. This second enlarged diameter portion 33 includes a third curved portion 331 connected to the reduced diameter portion 32 and a fourth curved portion 332 provided below the third curved portion 331. Of these, the third curved portion 331 is curved so as to be convex toward the inside of the container body 10 when viewed from the front. In addition, the fourth curved portion 332 is curved so as to be convex toward the outside of the container body 10 when viewed from the front.

The outer surface of the third curved portion 331 of the second enlarged diameter portion 33 is smoothly continuous with the outer surface of the second curved portion 323 of the reduced diameter portion 32 described above when viewed from the front. This allows the consumer's fingers to fit the second curved portion 323 and the third curved portion 331 when gripping the composite container 10A, making it easier for the consumer to hold the composite container 10A. Note that "smoothly continuous" includes not only cases where the portions are smoothly continuous by design, but also cases where there is an unavoidable error in manufacturing, or deformation due to heat, pressure, etc. occurs after the composite container 10A is manufactured.

The overall height H6 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) of the second enlarged diameter portion 33 is preferably 15 mm or more and 200 mm or less. In this case, the height H61 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) of the third curved portion 331 is preferably 3 mm or more and 150 mm or less. In addition, the height H62 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) of the fourth curved portion 332 is preferably 5 mm or more and 100 mm or less.

The bottom 40 has a circular shape in a plan view and is connected to the lower end of the second enlarged diameter portion 33 of the body 30. The bottom 40 has a grounding portion 41 that has a circular shape in a plan view and a recess 42 located radially inside the grounding portion 41. The recess 42 is recessed upward from the grounding portion 41. The outer diameter D4 (see FIG. 2) of the bottom 40 is preferably 20 mm or more and 120 mm or less. The planar shape of the bottom 40 may be an ellipse or a polygonal shape such as a rectangle.

Here, in the container body 10, when the diameter of the opening 21 described above is D1 and the maximum diameter of the body portion 30 described above is D2, D1 and D2 are
1≦D2/D1≦4
The relationship is satisfied. In this way, by D1 and D2 satisfying the relationship 1≦D2/D1, it is possible to prevent the opening 21 from becoming too large with respect to the body 30. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the container body 10 from becoming unbalanced. As a result, it is possible to prevent the composite container 10A from falling over when the composite container 10A is placed upright. Furthermore, by D1 and D2 satisfying the relationship D2/D1≦4, it is possible to prevent the opening 21 from becoming too small with respect to the body 30. Therefore, it is easy for consumers to take out the beverage filled in the container body 10. Furthermore, by D1 and D2 satisfying the relationship D2/D1≦4, it is possible to prevent the body 30 from becoming too large with respect to the opening 21. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the body 30 from becoming difficult for consumers to grasp.

In addition, when the weight of the cylindrical portion 20 is W1 and the total weight of the body portion 30 and the bottom portion 40 is W2, the container body 10 has the following weights:
1≦W2/W1≦10
It is preferable that the relationship be satisfied. In this way, by W1 and W2 satisfying the relationship 1≦W2/W1, it is possible to prevent the weight W1 of the cylindrical portion 20 from becoming too heavy with respect to the total weight W2 of the body portion 30 and the bottom portion 40. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the container body 10 from becoming unbalanced. As a result, it is possible to prevent the composite container 10A from falling over when the composite container 10A is placed upright. In addition, by W1 and W2 satisfying the relationship W2/W1≦10, it is possible to prevent the total weight W2 of the body portion 30 and the bottom portion 40 from becoming too heavy with respect to the weight W1 of the cylindrical portion 20. Here, if the total weight W2 becomes too heavy with respect to the weight W1, the amount of resin used for the body portion 30 and the bottom portion 40 may become too large. In this case, the environmental load may become large. On the other hand, by W1 and W2 satisfying the relationship W2/W1≦10, it is possible to prevent the amount of resin used for the body portion 30 and the bottom portion 40 from becoming too large, so that the environmental load can be reduced. Furthermore, by making W1 and W2 satisfy the relationship W2/W1≦10, it is possible to prevent the amount of resin used in the body 30 and the bottom 40 from becoming too large, thereby preventing the capacity of the container body 10 from becoming too large. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the lid material 50 from being peeled off from the flange portion 22 due to the weight of the contents filled in the container body 10 when the composite container 1 with lid material is turned upside down.

The cylindrical portion 20, body portion 30, and bottom portion 40 of the container body 10 are produced by performing biaxial stretch blow molding on a composite preform 90 including a preform 10a (described below) obtained by injection molding. The cylindrical portion 20, body portion 30, and bottom portion 40 are integrally formed with one another. The overall height H7 of the container body 10 (vertical distance, see FIG. 2) is preferably 70 mm or more and 320 mm or less.

The cylindrical portion 20, the body portion 30, and the bottom portion 40 each contain polyethylene terephthalate. That is, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used as the material forming the container body 10. This improves the recyclability of the container body 10. When considering the recyclability of the container body 10, it is preferable that the container body 10 is colorless and transparent. The polyethylene terephthalate used in the container body 10 may be recycled polyethylene terephthalate or may be polyethylene terephthalate derived from biomass.

Such a container body 10 may be, for example, a bottle with a full capacity of 100 ml or more and 2000 ml or less.

(Plastic parts)
Next, a description will be given of the plastic member 80. The plastic member 80 is a member obtained by closely contacting a plastic member 80a (described later) with the outside of the preform 10a, and then performing biaxial stretch blow molding together with the preform 10a.

The plastic member 80 is attached to the outer surface of the container body 10 without being glued, and is in close contact with the container body 10 so that it does not move or rotate relative to the container body 10. This plastic member 80 is thinly stretched over the outer surface of the container body 10 and covers the container body 10. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the plastic member 80 is provided over the entire circumferential area of the container body 10 so as to surround it, and has a horizontal cross section that is approximately circular.

In this case, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the plastic member 80 is provided to cover the lower part of the cylindrical portion 20 (the area below the support ring 23), the body portion 30, and the bottom portion 40 of the container body 10. This allows the cylindrical portion 20, the body portion 30, and the bottom portion 40 of the container body 10 to be given the desired functions and characteristics.

The plastic member 80 may be provided on the entire or partial area of the container body 10 other than the cylindrical portion 20. For example, the plastic member 80 may be provided so as to cover the entire body 30 and bottom 40 of the container body 10, excluding the cylindrical portion 20. Alternatively, the plastic member 80 may be provided so as to cover the body 30 and bottom 40 of the container body 10, excluding the central portions of the cylindrical portion 20 and bottom 40.

The plastic member 80 is not welded or bonded to the container body 10, and can therefore be peeled off and removed from the container body 10. Specifically, the plastic member 80 can be cut off using a blade or the like, or a cutting line (not shown) can be provided in advance on the plastic member 80, and the plastic member 80 can be peeled off and removed along this cutting line. This allows the plastic member 80 to be separated and removed from the container body 10.

Such a plastic member 80 (plastic member 80a, described later) may be one that does not have a shrinking effect on the preform 10a, or may be one that has a shrinking effect.

When the plastic member 80 (plastic member 80a described later) has the effect of shrinking relative to the preform 10a, the plastic member 80a described later is provided on the outside of the preform 10a and is heated together with the preform 10a. Then, the plastic member 80a described later and the preform 10a are subjected to biaxial stretch blow molding to obtain the plastic member 80.

Examples of the plastic member 80 include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, poly-4-methylpentene-1, polystyrene, AS resin, ABS resin, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetal, polyvinyl butyral, diallyl phthalate resin, fluorine-based resin, polymethyl methacrylate, polyacrylic acid, polymethyl acrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polyacrylamide, polybutadiene, polybutene-1, polyisoprene, polychloroprene, ethylene propylene rubber, butyl rubber, and nitrile. Examples of the resin include rubber, acrylic rubber, silicone rubber, fluororubber, nylon 6, nylon 6,6, aromatic polyamide, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, butylene polyethylene terephthalate, ethylene polynaphthalate, U polymer, liquid crystal polymer, modified polyphenylene ether, polyether ketone, polyether ether ketone, unsaturated polyester, alkyd resin, polyimide, polysulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether sulfone, silicone resin, polyurethane, phenolic resin, urea resin, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, polyacetal, epoxy resin, etc. Among these, it is preferable to use thermoplastic non-elastic resins such as polyethylene (PE) such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), etc. In addition, the plastic member 80 may be made of a blend of these materials, and may have a multi-layer structure or a partial multi-layer structure. Furthermore, various additives may be added to the material of the plastic member 80 in addition to the main component resin, as long as the characteristics are not impaired. Examples of additives include plasticizers, UV stabilizers, color inhibitors, matting agents, deodorants, flame retardants, weather resistance agents, antistatic agents, thread friction reducers, slip agents, mold release agents, antioxidants, ion exchange agents, and color pigments.

The plastic member 80 may be made of a material that has light barrier properties that block invisible light such as ultraviolet light. In this case, the light barrier properties of the composite container 10A can be improved and the deterioration of the content liquid due to ultraviolet light and the like can be suppressed without using a multi-layer preform or a preform containing a blended material as the preform 10a. Such materials include blended materials, or materials in which a light-shielding resin is added to PET, PE, or PP. In addition, a foamed member with a foam cell diameter of 0.5 μm to 100 μm, which is produced by mixing an inert gas (nitrogen gas, argon gas) with a molten thermoplastic resin, may be used as the material for the plastic member 80.

The plastic member 80 may be made of a material with higher cold insulation or heat insulation properties (material with lower thermal conductivity) than the plastic material constituting the container body 10 (preform 10a). In this case, it is possible to make it difficult for the temperature of the content liquid to be transmitted to the surface of the composite container 10A without increasing the thickness of the container body 10. This improves the cold insulation or heat insulation properties of the composite container 10A. In addition, when a user grasps the composite container 10A, it is prevented from becoming difficult to hold the composite container 10A due to it being too cold or too hot. Such materials include foamed polyurethane, polystyrene, PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), phenolic resin, polyvinyl chloride, urea resin, silicone, polyimide, melamine resin, etc. In this case, it is preferable that hollow particles are mixed into the resin material containing these resins. The average particle diameter of the hollow particles is preferably 1 μm or more and 200 μm or less, and more preferably 5 μm or more and 80 μm or less. The term "average particle size" means the volume average particle size, and can be measured by a known method using a particle size distribution/particle size distribution measuring device (Nanotrack particle size distribution measuring device, manufactured by Nikkiso Co., Ltd.). The hollow particles may be organic hollow particles made of resin or inorganic hollow particles made of glass, but organic hollow particles are preferred because of their excellent dispersibility. Examples of resins constituting organic hollow particles include styrene resins such as crosslinked styrene-acrylic resins, (meth)acrylic resins such as acrylonitrile-acrylic resins, phenolic resins, fluorine resins, polyamide resins, polyimide resins, polycarbonate resins, polyether resins, and the like. Commercially available hollow particles such as Ropeake HP-1055, Ropeake HP-91, Ropeake OP-84J, Ropeake Ultra, Ropeake SE, and Ropeake ST (manufactured by Rohm and Haas Co., Ltd.), Nipol MH-5055 (manufactured by Zeon Corporation), SX8782, and SX866 (manufactured by JSR Corporation) can also be used. The content of the hollow particles is preferably 0.01 parts by mass or more and 50 parts by mass or less, and more preferably 1 part by mass or more and 20 parts by mass or less, relative to 100 parts by mass of the resin material contained in the plastic member 80.

The plastic member 80 may be made of a material that is less slippery than the plastic material that constitutes the container body 10 (preform 10a). In this case, it becomes easier for the user to grip the composite container 10A without changing the material of the container body 10.

The plastic member 80 may be colored in a color such as red, blue, yellow, green, brown, black, or white, and may be transparent or opaque.

The thickness of the plastic member 80 is not limited to this, but can be, for example, 5 μm or more and 500 μm or less when attached to the container body 10.

In such a composite container 10A, a film such as a shrink film or a label such as a stretch label (not shown) may be attached to the periphery of the composite container 10A. This film or label may be printed with information (letters, designs, etc.) about the contents to be contained in the composite container 10A. In addition, information about the contents to be contained in the composite container 10A may be printed on the outer surface of the composite container 10A.

(Covering material)
Next, the lid member 50 will be described.

The lid material 50 is made of a resin film. This makes it easier to open the composite container 1 with lid material with less force than when a cap is used. The lid material 50 has a generally circular shape in a plan view, and is sealed all around to the flat upper surface of the flange portion 22 of the container body 10. Such a lid material 50 preferably contains polyethylene terephthalate. This improves the recyclability of the composite container 1 with lid material. For example, a laminate with the following layer structure can be used as the lid material 50.

(1) (Outside) Polyethylene terephthalate film (PET) 12 μm / Nylon film (Ny) 15 μm / Polyethylene terephthalate film (PET) 30 μm to 60 μm (Inside)
(2) (Outside) Polyethylene terephthalate film (PET) 12 μm / Aluminum foil 7 μm / Polyethylene terephthalate film (PET) 30 μm (Inside)
Instead of aluminum foil, a vapor deposition film may be used as the barrier layer.

Each of the above layers is formed according to conventional methods, such as dry lamination, extrusion lamination, extrusion coating, or other coating methods.

(Composite preform)
Next, the configuration of a composite preform 90 used in manufacturing the above-mentioned composite container 10A will be described with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the composite preform 90 includes a preform 10a made of a plastic material and a plastic member 80a provided in close contact with and surrounding the outside of the preform 10a.

(preform)
Next, the preform 10a will be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 5, the preform 10a has a cylindrical portion 20A having an opening 21A, a body portion 30A provided below the cylindrical portion 20A, and a bottom portion 40A provided below the body portion 30A.

Of these, the cylindrical portion 20A has a cylindrical shape except for the area where the flange portion 22A or the support ring 23A described below is formed. As described above, the cylindrical portion 20A has an opening 21A. The opening 21A of the cylindrical portion 20A corresponds to the opening 21 of the container body 10.

The cylindrical portion 20A also has a flange portion 22A formed at the upper end. This flange portion 22A corresponds to the flange portion 22 of the container body 10, and has approximately the same shape as the flange portion 22. In other words, the width of the flange portion 22A of the preform 10a is equal to the width Wf (see FIG. 3) of the flange portion 22 of the container body 10, and it is preferable that the width of the flange portion 22A is 1 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

Furthermore, the cylindrical portion 20A includes a support ring 23A. This support ring 23A corresponds to the support ring 23 of the container body 10, and has approximately the same shape as the support ring 23. In this way, the cylindrical portion 20A includes the support ring 23A, which improves the transportability of the composite preform 90.

Next, the body 30A will be described. The body 30A is connected to the lower end of the cylindrical portion 20A and extends downward from the cylindrical portion 20A. The horizontal cross section of the body 30A is circular at any point from its upper end to its lower end. However, this is not limited to this, and the body 30A may have a cylindrical shape such as an elliptical cylindrical shape or a polygonal cylindrical shape such as a rectangular cylindrical shape.

The body 30A includes a large diameter section 31A, a reduced diameter section 32A that is provided below the large diameter section 31A and reduces in diameter from the cylindrical section 20A side toward the bottom section 40A side, and a small diameter section 33A that is provided below the reduced diameter section 32A.

The large diameter portion 31A is connected to the lower end of the support ring 23A of the cylindrical portion 20A and has a cylindrical shape. The height H8 (vertical distance) of the large diameter portion 31A is preferably 2 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The outer diameter D5 of the large diameter portion 31A is preferably 15 mm or more and 48 mm or less, and more preferably 28 mm or more and 43 mm or less.

The reduced diameter portion 32A is connected to the lower end of the large diameter portion 31A. This reduced diameter portion 32A extends linearly when viewed from the front, and is inclined downward toward the inside of the preform 10a. The height H9 (vertical distance) of this reduced diameter portion 32A is preferably 5 mm or more and 80 mm or less.

The small diameter portion 33A is connected to the lower end of the reduced diameter portion 32A and has a cylindrical shape. The height H10 (vertical distance) of the small diameter portion 33A is preferably 5 mm or more and 80 mm or less. In addition, the outer diameter D6 of the small diameter portion 33A is preferably 10 mm or more and 35 mm or less.

The bottom 40A corresponds to the bottom 40 of the container body 10 described above and has a roughly hemispherical shape.

Here, when the weight of the cylindrical portion 20A of the preform 10a is W3 and the total weight of the body portion 30A and the bottom portion 40A is W4,
1≦W4/W3≦10
It is preferable to satisfy the relationship: 1≦W4/W3. In this way, by satisfying the relationship 1≦W4/W3, it is possible to prevent the weight W1 of the cylindrical portion 20 from being too heavy relative to the total weight W2 of the body portion 30 and the bottom portion 40 in the container body 10 produced from the preform 10a. Also, by satisfying the relationship W4/W3≦10, it is possible to prevent the total weight W2 of the body portion 30 and the bottom portion 40 from being too heavy relative to the weight W1 of the cylindrical portion 20 in the container body 10 produced from the preform 10a.

The cylindrical portion 20A, the body portion 30A, and the bottom portion 40A of the preform 10a are produced by injection molding synthetic resin pellets. The cylindrical portion 20A, the body portion 30A, and the bottom portion 40A are integrally formed with one another. The total height (vertical distance) H11 of the body portion 30A and the bottom portion 40A is preferably 20 mm or more and 150 mm or less.

The cylindrical portion 20A, the body portion 30A, and the bottom portion 40A each contain polyethylene terephthalate. In other words, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used as the material for forming the preform 10a. This improves the recyclability of the container body 10 produced from the preform 10a.

(Plastic parts)
Next, the plastic member 80a will be described. The plastic member 80a is attached to the outer surface of the preform 10a without being bonded, and is in close contact with the preform 10a so as not to move or rotate therewith, or to such an extent that it will not fall under its own weight. As shown in Fig. 6, the plastic member 80a is provided over the entire circumferential area so as to surround the preform 10a, and has a circular horizontal cross section.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the plastic member 80a is provided so as to cover the entire body portion 30A and the entire bottom portion 40A of the preform 10a. The plastic member 80a may be provided in a partial area other than the cylindrical portion 20A. For example, the plastic member 80a may be provided so as to cover the body portion 30A excluding the bottom portion 40A.

Such a plastic member 80a may be one that does not have a shrinking effect relative to the preform 10a, or it may be one that has a shrinking effect.

When the plastic member 80a has a contracting effect, the plastic member 80a may be one that contracts (e.g., thermally contracts) relative to the preform 10a when an external action (e.g., heat) is applied to it. Alternatively, the plastic member 80a may itself have contractibility or elasticity and be capable of contracting without the application of an external action.

If the plastic member 80a has a thermal contraction effect, after fitting the cylindrical plastic member 80a into the preform 10a, the margin formed at the lower end of the plastic member 80a (the end opposite the cylindrical portion 20A) may be thermally compressed.

The plastic member 80a may be, for example, a direct blow tube made by direct blow molding, a sheet molded tube made by sheet molding, an extrusion tube made by extrusion molding, an injection molded tube made by injection molding, or an inflation molded tube made by inflation molding. Note that the plastic member 80a is not limited to this, and may be a tube made by a molding method other than the above.

The plastic member 80a may be colored in a color such as red, blue, yellow, green, brown, black, or white, and may be transparent or opaque.

Next, we will explain the shape of the plastic member 80a.

As shown in FIG. 7(a), the plastic member 80a may be cylindrical with a bottom as a whole, and may have a cylindrical body 81 and a bottom 82 connected to the body 81. In this case, the bottom 82 of the plastic member 80a covers the bottom 40A of the preform 10a, so that various functions and characteristics such as barrier properties can be imparted to the area of the composite container 10A corresponding to the body 30 of the container body 10 as well as the area corresponding to the bottom 40. The plastic member 80a may also be cylindrical with no seams around the entire circumference. Such a plastic member 80a may be, for example, the above-mentioned direct blow tube, sheet molding tube, or injection molding tube.

As shown in FIG. 7(b), the plastic member 80a may be generally tubular (bottomless cylindrical) and have a cylindrical body 81. The plastic member 80a may also be cylindrical with no seams along its entire circumference. In this case, the plastic member 80a may be, for example, the blown tube, extruded tube, inflation tube, or sheet tube described above.

Also, as shown in Figures 7(c) and 7(d), the plastic member 80a may be produced by forming a film into a cylindrical shape and bonding the ends together. In this case, as shown in Figure 7(c), the plastic member 80a may be configured in a tubular shape (bottomless cylindrical shape) having a body 81, or as shown in Figure 7(d), it may be configured in a bottomed cylindrical shape by bonding a bottom 82 together.

Manufacturing Method of Composite Container with Covering Material Next, a manufacturing method of the composite container with cover material 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the preform 10a is prepared (see FIG. 8(a)). In this case, the preform 10a may be produced by injection molding using, for example, an injection molding machine (not shown).

Next, a plastic member 80a is provided on the outside of the preform 10a to produce a composite preform 90 including the preform 10a and the plastic member 80a attached to the outside of the preform 10a (see FIG. 8(b)). In this case, the plastic member 80a has a bottomed cylindrical shape as a whole, and has a tubular body 81 and a bottom 82 connected to the body 81.

At this time, a plastic member 80a having an inner diameter equal to or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the preform 10a may be pressed into the preform 10a to adhere to the outer surface of the preform 10a. Alternatively, a heat-shrinkable plastic member 80a may be provided on the outer surface of the preform 10a, and the plastic member 80a may be heated to 50°C to 100°C to cause heat shrinkage and adhere to the outer surface of the preform 10a.

In this way, by first attaching the plastic member 80a to the outside of the preform 10a and preparing the composite preform 90, it becomes possible to carry out the series of steps for preparing the composite preform 90 (FIG. 8(a)-(b)) and the series of steps for blow molding (FIG. 8(c)-(d)) in separate locations (factories, etc.).

The preform 10a and the plastic member 80a are then subjected to biaxial stretch blow molding, thereby expanding the preform 10a and the plastic member 80a as a unit (see FIG. 8(c)). At this time, the composite preform 90 is first heated, and then the composite preform 90 is attached to a blow molding die 60 for blow molding. This blow molding die 60 has a pair of body dies 61, 62 that are separated from each other, and a bottom die 63. The body dies 61, 62 and the bottom die 63 have shapes that correspond to the body 30 and bottom 40 of the container body 10, respectively.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8(c), blowing air is blown into the composite preform 90, causing the composite preform 90 to expand in the cavity of the blow molding die 60 until it becomes the composite container 10A (see FIG. 8(c)). During this time, the body dies 61 and 62 are heated to 30°C to 80°C, and the bottom die 63 is cooled to 5°C to 25°C. At this time, the preform 10a and the plastic member 80a of the composite preform 90 are expanded as a unit in the blow molding die 60. As a result, the preform 10a and the plastic member 80a are integrally shaped into a shape corresponding to the inner surface of the blow molding die 60. In this way, a composite container 10A is obtained, which includes the container body 10 and the plastic member 80 provided in close contact with the outside of the container body 10.

After the composite container 10A has been molded in the blow molding die 60 in this manner, the die is opened and the finished composite container 10A is removed from the blow molding die 60 (see FIG. 8(d)).

In this manner, the composite container 10A shown in Figures 1 to 4 is obtained.

In parallel with the production of the composite container 10A, the lid material 50 is prepared. At this time, the desired laminate may be produced by a dry lamination method or the like. The laminate is then punched into a predetermined shape with a blade or the like to produce the lid material 50.

Next, the container body 10 is filled with the contents, and the opening 21 of the container body 10 is sealed with the lid 50. At this time, the container body 10 is first filled with the contents (not shown). Next, the lid 50 is placed on the flange portion 22.

Next, the lid material 50 is sealed to the flange portion 22 using a sealing hot plate or the like (not shown).

In this manner, a composite container with a lid 1 is obtained, which comprises a composite container 10A and a lid 50 that seals the opening 21 of the container body 10 of the composite container 10A (see FIG. 1).

As described above, according to this embodiment, the container body 10 of the composite container 10A has a cylindrical portion 20 with an opening 21, a body portion 30 provided below the cylindrical portion 20, and a bottom portion 40 provided below the body portion 30. The cylindrical portion 20, the body portion 30, and the bottom portion 40 each contain polyethylene terephthalate. This improves the recyclability of the composite container 10A. Furthermore, when the diameter of the opening 21 is D1 and the maximum diameter of the body portion 30 is D2, D1 and D2 are
1≦D2/D1≦4
The relationship is satisfied. In this way, by D1 and D2 satisfying the relationship 1≦D2/D1, it is possible to prevent the opening 21 from becoming too large with respect to the body 30, and to prevent the container body 10 from becoming unbalanced. Therefore, when the composite container 10A is placed upright, it is possible to prevent the composite container 10A from falling over. Furthermore, by D1 and D2 satisfying the relationship D2/D1≦4, it is possible to prevent the opening 21 from becoming too small with respect to the body 30, and it becomes easier for consumers to take out the beverage filled in the container body 10. Furthermore, by D1 and D2 satisfying the relationship D2/D1≦4, it is possible to prevent the body 30 from becoming too large with respect to the opening 21, and to prevent the body 30 from becoming difficult for consumers to grasp.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 20 includes a flange portion 22 formed at the upper end. This makes it easier to seal the lid material 50 to the cylindrical portion 20. This improves the sealing performance of the composite container 1 with lid material.

The composite container 10A also includes a container body 10 made of a plastic material and a plastic member 80 that is tightly attached to surround the outside of the container body 10. This allows the composite container 10A to be endowed with various functions or characteristics, such as gas barrier properties.

In addition, since the plastic member 80 can be separated and removed from the container body 10, when recycling the colorless and transparent container body 10, the container body 10 can be recycled in the same manner as in the conventional method.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 20 includes a support ring 23. This improves the transportability of the composite container 10A.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the body 30 includes a first enlarged diameter section 31 that enlarges in diameter from the cylindrical section 20 side toward the bottom section 40 side, a reduced diameter section 32 that is provided below the first enlarged diameter section 31 and reduces in diameter from the cylindrical section 20 side toward the bottom section 40 side, and a second enlarged diameter section 33 that is provided below the reduced diameter section 32 and expands in diameter from the cylindrical section 20 side toward the bottom section 40 side. This makes it easier for consumers to grasp the body 30.

In the above-described embodiment, an example has been shown in which the cylindrical portion 20 includes the support ring 23, but this is not limited to the above. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the cylindrical portion 20 does not have to have a support ring. Even in this modified example, it becomes easier for consumers to remove the beverage filled in the container body 10, and the recyclability of the composite container 10A can be improved.

The components disclosed in the above embodiment and each modified example may be combined as needed. Alternatively, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the above embodiment and each modified example.

Reference Signs List 1 Composite container with lid material 10 Container body 10A Composite container 10a Preform 20 Cylindrical portion 20A Cylindrical portion 21 Opening 21A Opening 22 Flange portion 22A Flange portion 23 Support ring 23A Support ring 30 Body portion 30A Body portion 31 First enlarged diameter portion 31A Large diameter portion 32 Reduced diameter portion 32A Reduced diameter portion 33 Second enlarged diameter portion 33A Small diameter portion 40 Bottom portion 40A Bottom portion 50 Lid material 80 Plastic member 80a Plastic member 90 Composite preform

Claims (11)

In composite containers,
A container body made of a plastic material;
a plastic member provided in close contact with and surrounding the outside of the container body;
The container body includes:
A cylindrical portion having an opening;
A body portion provided below the cylindrical portion;
A bottom portion provided below the body portion,
the cylindrical portion, the body portion, and the bottom portion each contain polyethylene terephthalate;
The cylindrical portion includes a flange portion formed at an upper end thereof,
The diameter of the opening is D1,
When the maximum diameter of the body is D2,
1≦D2/D1≦4
A composite container that satisfies the above relationship. The composite container according to claim 1, wherein the width of the flange portion is 1 mm or more and 15 mm or less. When the weight of the cylindrical portion is W1 and the total weight of the body portion and the bottom portion is W2,
1≦W2/W1≦10
The composite container according to claim 1 , which satisfies the following relationship: The composite container according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion includes a support ring. The composite container according to claim 1, wherein the body includes a first enlarged diameter section that enlarges in diameter from the cylindrical section side toward the bottom section side, a reduced diameter section that is provided below the first enlarged diameter section and that reduces in diameter from the cylindrical section side toward the bottom section side, and a second enlarged diameter section that is provided below the reduced diameter section and that expands in diameter from the cylindrical section side toward the bottom section. A composite container according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A composite container with a lid, the composite container comprising: a lid that seals the opening of the container body. In the composite preform,
a preform made of a plastic material;
a plastic member provided in close contact with and surrounding the outside of the preform;
The preform is
A cylindrical portion having an opening;
A body portion provided below the cylindrical portion;
A bottom portion provided below the body portion,
The cylindrical portion includes a flange portion formed at an upper end thereof,
The composite preform, wherein the cylindrical portion, the body portion, and the bottom portion each contain polyethylene terephthalate. The composite preform according to claim 7, wherein the width of the flange portion is 1 mm or more and 15 mm or less. When the weight of the cylindrical portion is W3 and the total weight of the body portion and the bottom portion is W4,
1≦W4/W3≦10
The composite preform according to claim 7, which satisfies the following relationship: The composite preform according to claim 7, wherein the cylindrical portion includes a support ring. The composite preform according to claim 7, wherein the body portion includes a large diameter portion, a reduced diameter portion provided below the large diameter portion and reducing in diameter from the cylindrical portion side toward the bottom portion side, and a small diameter portion provided below the reduced diameter portion.

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