JP3286715B2 - Refill container and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container for refilling detergents, shampoos and the like and a method for producing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Containers such as detergents and shampoos, for example, bottle containers, must be capable of tightly storing and holding contents, capable of being repeatedly opened and closed, and capable of stably and satisfactorily discharging contents. In order to satisfy the necessary items such as easy handling operation, the structure becomes complicated, the production requires many man-hours, and a relatively large amount of material is required to mold one product. Therefore, the product unit price is high.

[0003] In addition, these containers do not lose the function of satisfying the above-mentioned requirements even after the contents have been consumed, and can be reused sufficiently and without inconvenience.

In addition, since these containers are formed of a relatively large amount of synthetic resin material, they become waste, so that the amount of synthetic resin in the waste treated by incineration or the like increases. It is one of the factors that makes waste disposal difficult.

[0005] In order to solve these inconveniences, contents such as detergent and shampoo are stored in a refill container using a simple container, and the contents stored in the refill container are transferred to an empty bottle container. The technique of refilling and using has been well received.

This conventional refillable container has a bag shape made of a synthetic resin sheet and is generally called a stand pouch. The refillable container is extremely low in manufacturing cost and easy to dispose of. Has demonstrated its advantages.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, the opening of the refillable container is achieved by cutting the corners of the bag-shaped container with scissors or the like. When the content is refilled into an empty container, particularly an empty container having a small opening such as a bottle container, there is a problem that the content spills out of the bottle container.

In addition, since the entire refill container is soft, the entire refill container must be supported by both hands during the refill operation, which makes it difficult to stably hold the bottle container in the upright posture. there were.

[0009] Then, even when supporting the entire container refill with both hands, the form of the entire container with the progress of the outflow of the contents is changed, the opening also forms changes with the change
To reason, unstable refill operation against bottle container contents, there is a problem that a.

[0010] Further, since the refillable container is in the shape of a bag, its self-shape retention ability is extremely low, so that when it is displayed at a store, it is bent and becomes unsightly.
Since stacking is not possible, there is a problem that only a small number of products can be displayed in a certain space.

There is a bag-shaped body that is the main body of the refill container with a spout with a cap of another part attached thereto. However, a refillable container that is a disposable container has a cap-type pouring cap that can be used repeatedly. Providing a mouth
There is a problem that not only the manufacturing cost is unnecessarily increased but also the sealing capacity of the contents may be reduced.

In view of the above, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and has a refilling container having a stable self-shape holding ability and a spout having a constant shape. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple container for a technical problem, and to achieve simple and stable refilling of contents, and to achieve good and safe handling of transportation, storage, and display. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing such a container, and in particular, aims to prevent a crack from being generated near an opening at a lower end of a container body due to an impact.

[0013]

A refill container according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned technical problem has a tubular body (in which an outer flange-shaped flange piece (5) is integrally provided around a lower end closing edge). 2)
Elastic tapered cylindrical shoulder (3) expanded downward at a steep angle
A nozzle cylinder (4) having a short-topped cylindrical shape with a height smaller than the height of the shoulder (3) is provided from the center of the shoulder (3). Thin synthetic resin sheet (4
Thin-walled container body that is a thermoformed product from 1)
(1), and tightly welded to the lower surface of the collar piece (5) to form the container body.
(1) a seal film (7) for sealing the lower end opening. Then, the resin of the flange piece (5) was made non-oriented.

[0014] Here, the shoulder portion (3), from the shape projecting from the body portion to the recessed shape in the barrel, or can be reversed vice versa.

Since the collar piece (5) is not oriented,
Cracks due to shots are unlikely to occur.

The manufacturing method of the present invention is characterized in that the upper end of a cylindrical body (2) having an outer flange-shaped flange piece (5) integrally provided around the lower end closing edge is
Elastic tapered cylindrical shoulder (3) expanded downward at a steep angle
A nozzle cylinder (4) having a short-topped cylindrical shape with a height smaller than the height of the shoulder (3) is provided from the center of the shoulder (3). Thin synthetic resin sheet (4
This is a method for manufacturing a thin container body made of 1).

In the method of the present invention, a molding die (31) having the shape of the container main body and having a cavity (30) opened at a portion corresponding to the bottom of the container main body; A plug (32) that can penetrate into the cavity (30) is used.

The cavity (3 ) of the molding die (31)
0) a step of covering the opening with a synthetic resin sheet (41), and around the opening of the cavity (30) , a flange piece (5) of the container body (1).
The synthetic resin sheet (4
1), a step of sandwiching and pressing between the molding die (31) and the sheet pressing ring (33), and forming the flange piece (5) of the container body (1) by the pressing ring (33). while holding the site to, the synthetic resin sheet (41), in a heated state, a step of pushing into the cavity (30) direction by the plug (32), when pushed write no step with the plug (32), wherein synthetic resin sheet (41) cavity (30) to the boundary by causing pressure difference between the inside and the outside, the synthetic resin sheet (41) and a step of adhering the cavity (30) inner surface, in the pushing step, the
The synthetic resin sheet (41) of the portion to be the flange piece (5) is
Make sure that the plug (32) does not affect the tensile force.
Hold it between the mold die (31) and the sheet holding ring (33).
By pressing, the container body is manufactured.

[0019] Incidentally, in the press write free process, the synthetic resin sheet (41) cavity (30) in the boundary case and is generating a pressure difference between the inside and the outside, outward from the pressurized gas cavity (30), pressure If you press the synthetic resin sheet (41) with air into the cavity (30) inside, and the cavity (30) to the negative pressure, to suck the synthetic resin sheet (41), and, the pressure and the negative pressure are both A case where the method is applied can be exemplified.

[0020]

According to the method of the present invention, the cavity opening is provided.
Around at least the peripheral edge of the collar piece of the container body.
Hold the synthetic resin sheet of the part to be
While holding it between the ring and the
Press and mold. In this case, the seat is pushed by the plug
Is pulled in the direction of insertion and is oriented in that direction.
The flange part held by the ring is affected by the tensile force.
Since there is no such portion, the portion becomes non-oriented.

By forming the sheet holding ring to have an inner diameter substantially equal to or smaller than the diameter of the cavity opening, the entire flange piece can be made non-oriented.

Since the main body of the container is a stretch-formed product obtained by thermoforming a thin synthetic resin sheet, the entire body becomes thin. Therefore, the body is easily elastically bent and depressed and deformed by pressing with one hand. At the same time, the shoulder is easily inverted by pressing down, and elastically deforms into a shape depressed in the trunk.

The filling of the contents into the container body is achieved by inverting the container body in a state where the shoulder is inverted and depressed in the body, and the lower end opening located above the inverted container body.

After the container body is filled with a fixed amount of contents, the opening at the lower end of the container body is tightly sealed by welding a seal film tightly to a flange piece of the container body, and thus the contents of the container body are sealed. Achieve sealed storage.

[0025] In a sealed storage state of the contents, inverted recessed shoulders within the barrel, the nozzle tube does not protrude from the barrel upper edge, as well as a possible stage stacked containers with each other,
Since the height of the entire container is reduced, storage and storage space is correspondingly reduced.

When refilling the contents into empty bottle containers,
By pressing the torso of the container body by holding it with one hand, etc., the internal pressure of the container body is increased, and the shoulder that has been inverted and displaced in the torso is inverted and returned to the upper part with respect to the body After returning to the protruding position, the upper end of the nozzle cylinder protruding from the shoulder is cut off with scissors or the like and opened to form a spout for the contents.

The refill to the bottle container contents, the apertured nozzle tube, Nari to face the mouth portion of the bottle container, achieved by Nari is fitted into the mouth portion. Since the refilling of the contents in the bottle container is performed through a cylindrical nozzle tube having a fixed shape, the contents are discharged in a stable and favorable state.

After the refilling is completed, that is, after all the contents are poured out, the whole is crushed flat and discarded in a bulkless state. It is easy to crush the seal film by breaking the seal film at the time of crushing, and the crushing process is also easy because the container body itself is a thin container.

[0029]

FIG. 1 is an overall front view showing an embodiment of a refill container according to the present invention. The container body 1 is thermoformed from a thin synthetic resin sheet, and a flange at the lower end opening of the container body 1 is shown. A sealing film 7 sealing the lower end opening of the container body 1 by being tightly welded to the piece 5;
It is composed of

The container body 1 is provided with an outer flange-shaped flange piece 5 at the lower end of the lower end portion, which is enlarged through the step portion 6, that is, at the lower end opening, and has a cylindrical body portion slightly reduced in diameter upward. At the top of 2,
A tapered cylindrical shoulder 3 whose diameter is expanded at a steep angle downward is continuously provided, and a short-topped cylindrical nozzle tube 4 is provided upright at the center of the upper end of the shoulder 3. The nozzle cylinder 4
Since NOTE portion forming the outlet of the contents from the container refill the bottle container 8 becomes empty (see Fig. 4), an outer diameter set to a value smaller than the diameter of the mouth portion of the bottle container 8 The height a of the nozzle cylinder 4 is equal to the height b of the shoulder 3.
Is set to a smaller value.

The reason why the outer diameter of the nozzle cylinder 4 is set to a value smaller than the diameter of the mouth of the bottle container 8 is that the nozzle cylinder 4 is
In this state, the contents can be refilled in a state where the contents are inserted into the mouth of the bottle. Thus, by refilling the contents by inserting the nozzle cylinder 4 into the mouth of the bottle container 8, the contents are refilled. A safe refilling process can be achieved without spilling.

The reason why the height “a” of the nozzle cylinder 4 is smaller than the height “b” of the shoulder 3 is that the shoulder 3 is elastically reversely deformed to be depressed in the body 2. This is because the upper end edge of the nozzle tube 4 does not protrude from the upper end edge of the body portion 2 and is positioned lower than the upper end edge of the body portion 2 without fail.

As described above, by preventing the upper end edge of the nozzle tube 4 from projecting upward from the upper end edge of the body portion 2 in the state where the shoulder portion 3 is inverted and deformed, it is possible to stack the refill containers as products. As a result, the refill containers can be displayed without any inconvenience, and a large number of refill containers can be displayed in a narrow space.

The height of the refill container is set to the height (a
+ B) Since storage, transportation, packing, and the like can be handled with the size reduced by + b), efficient handling that effectively uses space can be obtained.

Further, the container main body 1 is formed in a cylindrical shape in which the body 2 is slightly reduced in diameter upward, and a step 6 is formed at the lower end of the body.
Is provided, when the container bodies 1 are stacked, the container bodies 1 do not strongly fit each other,
Thereby, the handling of the container body 1 before filling the contents is easy and good.

In order to manufacture the container main body 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, a cavity 30 having the shape of the container main body 1 and having an opening corresponding to the bottom of the container main body 1 is formed.
And a plug 32 that can enter the cavity of the molding die 31. In addition,
The shape of the plug 32 may be similar to the shape of the cavity 30.
No.

Then, the step of covering the cavity opening of the molding die 31 with the synthetic resin sheet 41, and the step of covering the synthetic resin sheet 41 around the cavity opening to become the flange piece 5 of the container body 1 are performed. A step of sandwiching and pressing between the molding die 31 with a sheet holding ring 33 having an inner diameter substantially the same as or smaller than the diameter of the cavity opening; A step of pushing the synthetic resin sheet 41 inward in the cavity with the plug 32 under a heated state while holding down a portion to be the flange piece 5 of the first resin piece 5; The container body 1 is manufactured by the step of applying a negative pressure to the inside and bringing the synthetic resin sheet 41 into close contact with the inner surface of the cavity.

According to this method, the container main body 1 has a thickness of 1.
From a 50mm polypropylene single layer sheet, the total height is 160
mm, the height b of the shoulder 3 is 12 mm, and the height a of the nozzle cylinder 4 is 1
The thickness of the shoulder 3 was about 0.37 mm on average when the foam was thermoformed into the structure shown in FIG.
And a portion of the trunk 2 connected to the shoulder 3, that is, the trunk 2
Had an average thickness of about 0.16 mm at the upper end.

As described above, since the thickness of the upper end portion of the body portion 2 is sufficiently reduced, the elastic reversal deformation of the shoulder portion 3 can be easily and stably achieved, and the thickness of the shoulder portion 3 is reduced. Since it is relatively large, the shoulder 3 itself can stably and self-hold its inverted deformation state.

The sheet film 7 for sealing the lower end opening of the container body 1 is made of synthetic resin having high compatibility with the container body 1 and forms a "seat" of the refill container. Since it also becomes an "overlapping portion" when the refill containers are stacked one on top of another, a container having a mechanical strength capable of sufficiently supporting the weight of the refill containers is used.

For example, the unstretched polypropylene layer of 0.06 to 0.08 mm and the nylon of 0.015 to 0.025 mm are used in order from the container body 1 side as the sheet film 7 to be assembled to the 500 ml container body 1 described above. Layer, and a polyethylene terephthalate layer having a thickness of 0.012 mm, a drop impact strength test from a height of about 1 m while containing a liquid detergent as a content is performed. As a result of the test, sufficient strength was exhibited without breaking, and stable durability was exhibited even for several (3 to 4) step stacks. Also,
In the drop test, the flange piece 5 was not cracked radially. This is because the collar piece is non-oriented.

The container body 1 is filled with the contents by inverting the container body 1 in a state where the shoulder portion 3 is depressed in the body portion 2, and a lower end positioned above the inverted container body 1. Achieved from the opening.

After the container body 1 has been filled with a fixed amount of contents, the lower end opening of the container body 1 is sealed tightly by welding a sealing film 7 to the flange piece of the container body 1 to thereby close the container body. Achieve a sealed storage of the contents relative to 1. In addition,
The sealed storage of the contents can be performed by a user such as a detergent manufacturer.
The side will carry out.

As shown in FIG. 2, the refilling of the contents in the empty bottle container 8 is performed by first applying a pressing force F to the body 2 by, for example, grasping with one hand to increase the internal pressure of the refilling container.
The shoulder portion 3 which has been depressed and deformed by this internal pressure is projected and returned from the inside of the body portion 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper end of the nozzle tube 4 projecting upward due to the return of the shoulder portion 3 is cut with scissors or the like to open the upper end of the nozzle tube 4.
Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the refill of the contents is performed while the upper end of the opened nozzle tube 4 faces the mouth of the empty bottle container 8 and the refill container is inclined.

At this time, although the container body 1 is a thin-walled container, it has a basically cylindrical shape, so that it exhibits a relatively high self-shape retention ability. It does not make refilling difficult.
Further, by fitting the nozzle cylinder 4 into the mouth of the bottle container 8, refilling can be achieved more safely.

When the refilling is completed and becomes empty, as shown in FIG. 6, the whole is crushed flat and discarded. At this time, as shown in FIG.
, The container body 1 can be easily crushed.

The container body 1 and the sheet film 7
The molding material is not limited to a single-layer synthetic resin sheet or film, and it is also possible to use a laminated sheet and a film having required physical properties. It is desirable to provide decoration by simple printing.

<Comparative Example> A synthetic resin sheet at a position surrounding the cavity opening and surrounding a portion to be a flange piece of the container body is larger than the diameter of the cavity opening and larger than the outer diameter of the flange piece. The sheet was pressed and held between the mold and the sheet by a sheet holding ring having an inner diameter, and thermoformed in the same process as described above (see FIG. 8).

In this molding method, the sheet portion corresponding to the flange piece is also stretched by the plug, and is stretched and oriented in that direction. In the container thus obtained, the flange piece is cracked in the orientation direction of the resin, that is, in the radial direction due to an impact such as dropping.

[0051]

Since the present invention has the above-described structure, the following effects can be obtained. Since the opening is formed by cutting the upper end of the nozzle cylinder formed into a short-topped cylinder shape,
The opening that is formed always has a constant shape, and the nozzle cylinder itself acts to guide the constant discharge of the contents, so that the contents can be discharged in a constant state, and refilled During operation, the inconvenience of spilling contents can be completely eliminated, and refilling can be achieved very well.

Since the container body exhibits a relatively high self-shape holding ability, the container for refilling can be held in a stable state with one hand during the refilling operation, so that the contents can be stably and safely refilled. Obtainable.

Since the container has a stable self-shape retention capability, containers can be stacked one on top of the other, so that a large number of containers can be displayed in an appropriate posture in a narrow space. Since the shoulder is inverted and depressed and displaced in the body, the space can be effectively used, and a suitable and efficient handling can be obtained.

Since the container body is a thermoformed product made of a thin synthetic resin sheet, it can be molded by high-cycle molding of a large number of pieces, thereby achieving high production efficiency, achieving cost reduction, and significantly increasing the price of the container. Can be lowered.

Since the container is thin, after refilling,
It is easy to crush flat and does not become bulky at the time of disposal, so that disposal can be easily and satisfactorily achieved.

Since the collar piece is non-oriented, no crack is generated due to impact or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall front view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, handling containing the contents
FIG. 2 is an overall front view of the upper state in which only the upper end is broken.

FIG. 3 is an overall front view showing a state in which a shoulder is projected and inverted from the state of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an overall view showing a state where contents are refilled in an empty bottle container.

FIG. 5 is an overall perspective view showing a state in which a seal film is broken after refilling.

FIG. 6 is an overall perspective view showing a state in which it is crushed flat.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing method of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing method of a comparative example.

[Explanation of symbols]

2; body 1; container body 4; nozzle cylinder 3; shoulder 6; step 5; collar piece 8; bottle container 7; seal film b; shoulder height a; nozzle cylinder height 30; cavity F; Pressing force 31; Mold 32; Plug 33; Sheet holding ring 41; Synthetic resin sheet

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65D 8/18 B65D 1/02 B65D 37/00 B29C 51/10 B29L 22:00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A steeply downwardly expanding upper end of a cylindrical body (2) having an outer flange-shaped flange piece (5) integrally provided around a lower end closing edge.
Reversible elastic deformation of the tapered cylindrical shoulder (3)
Noh , the height of the shoulder from the center of the shoulder (3)
(3) smaller than the height of the thin-cylinder-shaped nozzle body (1), which is a thermoformed article from a thin synthetic resin sheet (41) A sealing film (7) that is tightly welded to the lower surface of the flange piece (5) to seal the lower end opening of the container body (1), and the resin of the flange piece (5) is non-oriented. A container for refilling, characterized in that: 2. A steeply downwardly extending upper end of a cylindrical body (2) having an outer flange-shaped flange piece (5) integrally provided around a lower end closing edge.
Reversible elastic deformation of the tapered cylindrical shoulder (3)
Noh , the height of the shoulder from the center of the shoulder (3)
(3) is a method of manufacturing a thin container body (1) made of a thin synthetic resin sheet (41), in which a nozzle cylinder (4) having a short-topped cylindrical shape is erected, the container body being (1) shape without the, mold having a cavity (30) having an open portion corresponding to the bottom portion of the container body (1)
(31) and a plug (32) that can enter the cavity (30) of the molding die (31), and the opening of the cavity (30) of the molding die (31) is made of a synthetic resin sheet ( Covering with 41), around the opening of the cavity (30) , the container body (1)
A step of sandwiching and holding the synthetic resin sheet (41) at least at the portion to be the peripheral portion of the flange piece (5) between the molding die (31) and the sheet holding ring (33); A collar (5) of the container body (1) by a ring (33)
While holding down the part to be
1) Under heating, the plug (32)
(30) a step of pushing into the direction, when the press write no step with the plug (32), said synthetic resin sheet (41) cavity (30) to the boundary by causing pressure difference between the inside and the outside, the synthetic resin sheet (41 ) and and a step of adhering the cavity (30) inner surface, in the pushing step, if the site serving as the collar piece (5)
The synthetic resin sheet (41) is shaded by the tensile force of the plug (32).
The molding die (31) and the sheet holder
A method for producing a refill container, characterized in that the container is sandwiched and held between the container and the ring (33) . The method according to claim 3, wherein said sheet hold-down ring (33), according to claim 2, characterized in that it has a structure having the cavity (30) in diameter and substantially the same diameter or or it than the small diameter of the inner diameter of the opening Manufacturing method of refill container.