JP3848803B2 - Hollow container that can be easily folded - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hollow container in which a hollow container containing a liquid material obtained by blow-molding a thermoplastic synthetic resin is formed so as to be flatly foldable. More specifically, the contents stored in the hollow container are used. Made of polyethylene terephthalate with a structure that allows the container to be easily flattened and discarded after reducing the volume of the container when the empty container is discarded This relates to a hollow container.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A hollow container made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin containing a liquid material that has been conventionally used is continuously connected downward through a hard mouth and neck portion to which a lid is screwed and a gentle shoulder portion following the mouth and neck portion. The formed body part and the bottom part formed continuously to the lower end part of the body part are integrally blow-molded.
The hollow container has various impacts and pressures that occur during filling, transfer, and use of the contents on the body with a thin wall when the parison or preform is blow molded. In order to give enough strength to withstand the external force, uneven ribs and pressure-absorbing panel parts with various shapes are provided on the wall surface of the body to give rigidity and pressure resistance. In addition, various measures have been taken to make the bottom part a curved surface, to make it slightly thick so as not to cause cracks, etc., or to make it self-supporting. No consideration is given to disposal.
[0003]
On the other hand, as lifestyle changes in recent years, convenience in daily life is required, and as a result of the use of disposable containers as containers for storing various liquid materials, they are lightweight and difficult to break. In addition, various hollow containers made by blow molding a thermoplastic synthetic resin have come to be used in large quantities as containers that are convenient for transportation in terms of physical distribution and easy to mold.
With such a large amount of consumption, used empty hollow containers will be discarded in large quantities, and the cleanup of these empty containers discarded as garbage will become a social problem. As a result, proper processing and reuse of used hollow containers have been desired.
[0004]
In order to properly process and reuse used empty hollow containers, it is necessary to efficiently collect and recover a large quantity of empty containers over a certain amount. When the empty synthetic resin container is discarded, it is desirable that the container be discarded in such a manner that the container does not become bulky.
In order to dispose of an empty container in a non-bulk form, the structure of the container itself should be such that the volume of the empty container can be easily reduced for any person. An important requirement.
[0005]
As a container having such a structure suitable for recovery as described above, a container described in Utility Model Registration No. 3005485 has been conventionally known. In addition, by providing a foldable bellows-like groove on the cylindrical body wall, the used empty container can be reduced in volume by compressing in the axial direction. There is also known one described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-46717. In this device, folding lines are formed on the side wall and the bottom wall of the body of the hollow container to empty the body. The container is folded in a flat shape along the fold line so that the volume can be easily reduced.
[0006]
However, the former structure, which compresses an empty container in a bellows shape, simply shrinks the body of the container in the vertical direction, leaving a space portion in the center, resulting in a volume as waste. It is impossible to significantly reduce the shrinkage, and the shrunken container may easily return to its original shape.
And in the latter case, the structure that folds the empty container flatly allows air to easily enter the container with the elastic restoring force of the folded container, so that the folded state can be stably maintained as it is. It is difficult to seal, and it is necessary to seal it with a lid. Also, as a cylindrical container with a polygonal shape, there are few reinforcing ribs on the body wall, so there is a problem in strength. In order to provide a large number of complicated folding lines on the body wall, it is necessary to form a corresponding shape on the molding die surface, which is very troublesome and increases the cost of the mold. was there.
[0007]
Therefore, the applicant of the present application has improved the drawbacks of the flatly folded container, and as shown in FIG. 9, the screw part 16 and the neck ring part 17 provided in the mouth neck part 11 of the hollow container are discontinuous. A concave groove 18 is formed in the bottom wall portion 14 and a concave groove portion 19 that is recessed inward when a pressing force is applied, and one of the opposing side walls 13a and 13b is formed on the body portion of the container. A concave portion 20 and a convex portion 21 are formed on the wall surface of the container, and a convex portion 23 and a concave portion 22 are formed in a rib shape on the other wall surface opposite to the concave and convex portions, and the container is folded into a flat shape. In this case, a convex portion 23 is fitted into the concave portion 20 and a concave portion 22 is fitted into the convex portion 21 so as to be held in a flat and stable state, as disclosed in JP-A-7-101442. Proposed in the issue.
[0008]
Since the container having the above structure is formed with concave and convex reinforcing ribs 21 and 23 over a wide range of the side wall of the trunk portion, impact and other effects during filling, transfer and use of the contents, etc. It has sufficient rigidity to withstand external forces, and after use, an empty container can be easily crushed flat, and there is almost no space inside the container. The container is hardly bulky, and the recovery operation can be performed more efficiently than conventional containers.
[0009]
However, the container having such a structure is a reservoir that holds the flattened state, a discontinuous concave groove in the mouth and neck, and a concave concave inward in the bottom wall. Since each groove should be provided, and further, the concave and convex portions that engage with each other must be provided on the opposing surface of the body wall of the container. In order to blow mold a hollow container provided with a blow mold, it is necessary to finish the blow mold surface in a complicated shape corresponding to such a shape, so that the production cost of the blow molding device must be high. Therefore, there was a problem that the product container was slightly expensive compared to the conventional product.
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
If you try to reuse commonly used synthetic resin containers, especially hollow containers made of PET resin, if you do not recover a certain amount of containers efficiently, there is no value for reuse. Recovery is required.
However, when the container is discarded, if it is simply discarded as garbage in an empty state, the container becomes large and very bulky, and it is difficult to efficiently recover the container.
[0011]
Therefore, in order to be able to collect the empty containers that are no longer needed in a large and efficient manner, the structure is such that the empty containers can be discarded after being reduced in volume so that the empty containers do not become bulky. It is necessary to have quality that is not inferior to conventional products.
Therefore, the present invention has a sufficient strength that the container itself can withstand external force when the container is filled with the contents and is ready for use. An empty container can be easily crushed into a flat shape, and can be discarded in a state in which the volume can be easily reduced. A hollow container is provided.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The container body of the present invention can be self-supporting when the contents are filled, and the cross-section is substantially triangular and can stand on its own, and the container body is flat when the contents are almost completely discharged. A hollow container having a structure that can be crushed into pieces is molded by blow molding using a thermoplastic synthetic resin, and a simple fold line that can be folded is provided on both side walls of the container body. In addition, a folding line is also provided on the bottom wall portion, and an engaging concavo-convex portion is provided to form a structure in which the hollow container crushed in a flat shape can be held in a flat state.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Blow molding of polyolefin resin such as polyethylene (PE) resin and polypropylene (PP) resin, PET resin and other thermoplastic synthetic resins, and the cross section is roughly shown in the mouth and neck with screw parts to screw the lid And forming a triangular hollow main body, folding side lines of the main body on both side walls and the bottom wall, a folding line for flattening the empty container, and further on the bottom wall A hollow container that can be folded flat is formed by integrally forming an engaging concave portion and an engaging convex portion that prevent the flat folded container from being restored to its original shape.
And when the contents stored in the hollow container are used up or are no longer needed, after the contents of the hollow container are completely discharged, the body of the empty container is pressed into a flat shape In addition, the container is fixed in a flat shape by engaging the engaging concave portion for engagement and the engaging convex portion provided on the bottom portion, and then the hollow container is put into a predetermined recovery container and discarded. .
[0014]
【Example】
The hollow container of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings based on an optimum embodiment.
In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the mouth neck portion 3 of the container body 2 formed with a screw thread for screwing the lid 6, and the front wall following the mouth neck portion are substantially rectangular and the side wall surface is A hollow container 1 that can contain a liquid consisting of a body wall portion 4 having a substantially triangular shape and a bottom wall portion 5 formed so as to be able to stand on the lower end of the body portion is blow-molded with a PET resin or other thermoplastic synthetic resin. At the same time, the both side walls 4a of the container body are provided with a fold line portion 4c that is a mountain shape for flatly folding an empty container, and the bottom wall 5 is provided for flatly folding the container . A hollow container 1 formed with a polygonal line portion 5c and a locking portion 5a, 5b for preventing the folded container from being restored to the original shape is integrally formed by blow molding of a synthetic resin.
[0015]
The folding line for flatly folding the container is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, slightly above the bottom wall part from the upper end part in the triangular container side wall part 4 a of the container body 2. with straight to provide a line in the central portion toward the portion, the polygonal line of the tip is mountain fold shape polygonal line 4c in which the inverted Y-shape which are provided allowed bifurcated toward the corner portion of the bottom wall portion is formed In addition, in the bottom wall portion 5 of the container body 2, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a valley fold line is provided in a straight line toward the left and right side walls at the center of the bottom surface. A U-shaped valley fold line 5c is formed at both ends thereof so as to reach the valley of the inverted Y-shaped fold line at the lower end of the side wall 4a, and the fold line 5c is formed on the outer surface of the bottom wall. the sandwiched therebetween are symmetrical position, to hold the folded bottom wall And the engagement protrusion 5a and the engaging recess 5b.
[0016]
Hollow container 1 of the present invention to such a configuration, when pressing the body wall portion 4 of the container body 2 emptied from both sides, both side wall surfaces 4a of the container, the mountain fold of an inverted Y-shaped The hollow container 1 has a flat shape protruding outward along the fold line 4c, and the bottom wall 5 is flat in a state of being recessed inward along the straight fold line 5c. It can be easily folded into a flat shape.
[0017]
Therefore, when the hollow container 1 of the present invention formed by blow molding so as to have the above-described structure of the PET resin or other thermoplastic synthetic resin is sufficiently filled with a liquid object, it is shown in FIG. Thus, as the body 4 swells, the bottom becomes a flat surface and becomes a self-supporting state, and the lid body 6 is screwed into the mouth and neck 3 to become a product, which is shipped as a product packaged in various forms. Is done.
[0018]
In such a product, the content decreases as it is used, and eventually the used empty hollow container is discarded. However, in the present invention, the empty hollow container is discarded. 1, as shown by arrows in FIG. 7, as the body portion is pressed from both sides and flattened, the side wall surface 4 a protrudes outward along the fold lines 4 c and 4 c ′ and Since the wall surface 5 is indented inward along the polygonal line 5c, as shown in FIG. 8, the portion where the polygonal line 4c of the side wall portion branches out is the most protruding state, and is folded into a flat shape. The volume becomes smaller.
[0019]
However, although there are some differences due to differences in material and hardness of the container, etc., generally the container whose body wall portion is crushed has the property of trying to return to its original state more or less by restoring stress, As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom surface and the body wall of the container are engaged by engaging the engaging projections 5a provided on the bottom wall 5 to be folded so as to face each other with the fold line 5c therebetween and engaged with the engaging recesses 5b. Is prevented from restoring to its original state.
[0020]
In the above embodiment, the bottom wall 5 is provided with the engagement protrusion 5a and the engagement recess 5b in order to prevent the bottom wall and the body wall of the folded container from being restored to the original state. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the bottom wall 5 is provided as a modified example in place of the locking means. In addition, an engagement projection surface 5d is formed on one surface across the folding line 5c, and an engagement concave surface 5e on which the projection surface engages is formed on the other surface, and the bottom wall portion is interposed via the folding line 5c. When they are folded, they can be provided so as to be locked by elastic fitting by pressing the two facing each other strongly.
[0021]
Containers such as those described above are not only formed by blow-molding polyethylene resin, polyethylene terephthalate resin or other thermoplastic resins, but are also welded using a laminate material in which thermoplastic resin is laminated on paper, aluminum foil, etc. It is also possible to mold by.
The container thus molded is used as a refill container for storing detergents, cosmetics, shampoos, and other replenishing liquids in addition to the liquid containers that are usually used. Suitable for
[0022]
A product in which the hollow container 1 of the present invention molded into the structure as described above is filled with cosmetics, detergents or other liquid internal solutions is used in the hands of consumers, or When it is not necessary and is discarded, the body wall 4 of the container that has been completely emptied by discharging the inner solution is pressed from both sides, and the folding line 4c provided on the body wall 4a and the bottom wall 5 is provided. , 5c, the body wall portion and the bottom wall portion are flattened, and the engagement protrusions 5a are closely engaged with the engagement recesses 5b provided on the bottom wall surface, so that the container is not restored to its original shape. After the volume is reduced, after the lid body 6 is screwed onto the mouth / neck portion 3 of the container, the empty container 1 is dumped into a container for collection or collection.
[0023]
As described above, the container of the present invention, which can be discarded after being reduced in volume so as not to become bulky by flattening the emptied container, can be efficiently collected by being put into a container for collection, It can be easily recovered and reused as a recycled resource, or can be incinerated efficiently.
In addition, since the container according to the present invention has a mountain-folded fold line formed on the side wall portion of the body portion, it also serves as a reinforcing action against external forces, so the same effect as the case where the reinforcing ribs are provided on the body portion. Will have.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the container of the present invention is provided with a fold line for folding in a flat shape on the body wall portion and the bottom wall portion, and also provided with an engaging concave portion and an engaging convex portion on the bottom portion to make the bottom wall flat. Because it is designed to be held, when disposing of an empty container after use, it is possible to reduce the volume by simply crushing the container into a flat shape, and with the container fixed in a flat shape. Since the container can be disposed of, the bulk of the container to be disposed of is eliminated and the container collection operation becomes very easy, so that the collection efficiency as a recycled resource can be remarkably improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the container of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the bottom of the container according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the container according to the first embodiment of the present invention folded.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a bottom portion of a container according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a bottom view showing the bottom of the container according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing folding of the container of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the container of the present invention folded.
FIG. 9 (a) is a front view showing a container of a prior example of the present invention.
(B) is the side view which made the container the flat state.
(C) is a figure which shows the bottom face of the container of a prior example.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hollow container 2 Container main body 3 Mouth neck part 4 Trunk part 4a Side wall surface 4b Side wall surface 4c Angle-shaped broken line 5 Bottom part 5a Engaging convex part 5b Engaging concave part 6 Lid

Claims (5)

  A liquid-containing hollow container comprising a hollow container body formed by blow molding a thermoplastic synthetic resin and having a mouth and neck portion, a shoulder portion, a trunk portion and a bottom portion, and a lid body screwed into the mouth and neck portion. The hollow container body is formed with an inverted Y-shaped fold line portion having an inverted Y shape from the upper end portion toward the lower end portion on both side wall surfaces, and the inverted Y-shape at the center portion on the bottom wall surface. Forming a fold line portion of the valley fold that is straight toward both branch points, and further, the bottom wall surface is provided with a locking means for locking the bottom wall folded in half, An easily foldable hollow container characterized by being formed into a flat shape so that it can be crushed.   2. The body portion of the hollow container body has a side wall surface formed in a triangular shape, and is formed so as to be flattened along the folding line of the mountain fold. An easily foldable hollow container as described in 1. Polygonal line formed on both sidewall surfaces of said hollow container body is formed to extend straight downward from the bottom of Dokata portion, the tip thereof is formed in inverted Y-shape reach both corners of the bottom portion, the hollow 3. The easily foldable hollow container according to claim 1, wherein the container is formed in a flat shape so as to be crushed. The locking means forms an engaging projection surface on the outer surface of one bottom wall across the fold line at the center of the bottom wall, and forms an engaging concave surface that engages the projection surface on the outer surface of the other bottom wall. 2. The easily foldable hollow container according to claim 1, wherein the hollow container is configured so as to be held in a state in which the hollow container is crushed flat. The locking means is configured such that an engaging projection and an engaging recess are engageable with each other at a symmetrical position on the outer surface of the bottom wall with the fold line of the center portion interposed therebetween, and the hollow container can be crushed flatly The hollow container according to claim 1, wherein the hollow container is easily foldable.

Images