JP7498038B2 - Cylindrical container and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a self-supporting cylindrical container and a method for manufacturing the same.

Patent document 1 describes a cartridge for a fluid substance that is filled with a fluid substance and that includes a cylindrical storage tube with open ends at the tip and base, a bottom member provided at the open end of the base, and a top plate member provided at the open end of the tip. Patent document 2 describes a self-supporting cylindrical container that includes a cylindrical member made of a cylindrical laminated film, a top member provided at the top, and a bottom member provided at the bottom.

JP 2013-56692 A JP 2020-1715 A

The cartridge for fluid materials described in Patent Document 1 is configured to crush the cylindrical storage tube as the contents are discharged. In the case of a cartridge stored inside a mechanical device, deformation due to filling with contents does not affect the appearance. In the cylindrical container described in Patent Document 2, it is preferable that the cylindrical member is flexible so that the container can be easily folded for disposal. However, if the cylindrical member is flexible, the container will deform due to the weight of the contents when filled, resulting in a poor appearance.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a cylindrical container that can be folded for disposal while suppressing deformation due to the weight of the contents, and a method for manufacturing the same.

To solve the above problem, the present invention provides a cylindrical container comprising a cylindrical member made of a cylindrical film and a bottom member provided at the bottom of the cylindrical member, the periphery of the bottom member being joined to the cylindrical member via an annular joint, the bottom member having a bottom portion curved upward along the axial direction of the cylindrical member, and a peripheral portion bent around the bottom portion and joined to the cylindrical member via the joint.

The tubular member may be cylindrical.
The difference between the height of the highest point at which the bottom surface portion is curved upward and the height of the point at which the bottom surface portion is bent relative to the peripheral edge portion may be 2 to 10 mm.
The difference between the height of the highest point at which the bottom portion curves upward and the height of the point at which the bottom portion bends relative to the peripheral portion may be 20 to 80% of the height of the peripheral portion along the axial direction.

A top surface member having a pouring outlet may be joined to the upper end of the cylindrical member.
The bottom member may be formed from a film or paper material.
The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a cylindrical container, characterized in that the curvature of the bottom portion of the bottom member and the bending of the peripheral portion relative to the bottom portion are formed from a film or paper material by a molding method selected from drawing molding, vacuum molding, compressed air molding, and press molding.

According to the present invention, the cylindrical member is made of a film and is flexible, making it easy to dispose of by folding. In addition, the bottom member has a bottom portion that is curved upward, making it possible to suppress deformation due to the weight of the contents.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of a cylindrical container. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the inside of a cylindrical container. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a cylindrical container showing another example of the bottom member. FIG.

The present invention will be described below based on a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows an example of a cylindrical container. This cylindrical container 10 is configured to have a substantially cylindrical shape, with a top surface member 11 having a pouring outlet 14, a cylindrical member 12 to one end of which the top surface member 11 is joined, and a bottom surface member 13 joined to the other end of the cylindrical member 12. The cylindrical container 10 can be self-supporting. Here, the self-supporting property of the cylindrical container 10 refers to the property of being able to stand on its own at least when filled with contents. Furthermore, it is preferable that the cylindrical container 10 can stand on its own even when not filled with contents.

The cylindrical container 10 has a top surface member 11 and a bottom surface member 13 as end surface members provided at the axial end of the cylindrical member 12. The top surface member 11 becomes the upper surface when the cylindrical member 10 is freestanding, and the bottom surface member 13 becomes the lower surface when the cylindrical member 10 is freestanding. The cylindrical member 12 is made of a film so as to cover the circumferential direction intersecting the up-down direction between the top surface member 11 and the bottom surface member 13. The cylindrical container 10 can be made of three parts, each of which is made up of one top surface member 11, one cylindrical member 12, and one bottom surface member 13. The top surface member 11 and the bottom surface member 13 in this embodiment are approximately circular.

The top surface member 11, the cylindrical member 12, and the bottom surface member 13 can each be made of a film. As described later, from the viewpoint of the deformability of the curved bottom surface portion 13a, the bottom surface member 13 may be made of a paper material having the same deformability as a film. The top surface member 11 may be made of a material having the same deformability as the bottom surface member 13, or may be made of a hard material having low deformability. The configurations (material, thickness, layer configuration, etc.) of the top surface member 11, the cylindrical member 12, and the bottom surface member 13 may be different from each other, or may be the same as each other. The film may be a single-layer resin film, a laminated film having two or more layers, or an inorganic film. The laminated film may be a multi-layered resin film, or a resin film in which different materials are laminated. Examples of different materials to be laminated on the resin film include metal foil, a metal vapor deposition layer, paper, and inorganic compounds. Examples of inorganic compounds include metal oxides such as silica and alumina. When metal foil is used, the barrier properties are good. From the standpoint of barrier properties, rigidity, etc., it is preferable for the laminated film to contain a metal foil such as aluminum foil.

The laminated film may have, for example, a sealant layer, a barrier layer, a substrate layer, etc. Examples of materials constituting the sealant layer include at least one of polyolefin resins such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cyclic olefin resins such as cycloolefin polymer (COP) and cycloolefin copolymer (COC), adhesive resins, coating agents, etc. The barrier layer is preferably an aluminum foil or an aluminum vapor deposition film. The substrate layer is preferably made of nylon (aliphatic polyamide), polyester, etc. The thickness of the substrate layer is, for example, 5 to 50 μm, more preferably 7 to 30 μm. The flexible film preferably has a total thickness of 500 μm or less, for example, the total thickness of each layer may be about 350 μm or about 200 μm.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the top joint 12a, which is the joint between the top member 11 and the tubular member 12, can be configured by bending the peripheral portion 11b of the top member 11 relative to the top portion 11a and facing the inner surface of the tubular member 12. The bottom joint 12b, which is the joint between the bottom member 13 and the tubular member 12, can be configured by bending the peripheral portion 13b of the bottom member 13 relative to the bottom portion 13a and facing the inner surface of the tubular member 12. The top joint 12a and the bottom joint 12b are formed in an annular shape around the top member 11 or the bottom member 13, respectively.

In this embodiment, at the top joint 12a, the outer surface of the top member 11 is joined to the inner surface of the cylindrical member 12, and the peripheral portion 11b is bent to the back side of the top member 11. At the bottom joint 12b in FIG. 2, the inner surface of the bottom member 13 is joined to the inner surface of the cylindrical member 12, and the peripheral portion 13b is bent to the front side of the bottom member 13. Also, at the bottom joint 12b in FIG. 3, the outer surface of the bottom member 13 is joined to the inner surface of the cylindrical member 12, and the peripheral portion 13b is bent to the back side of the bottom member 13. Here, the inner surface and the back side are the sides that come into contact with the contents filled in the cylindrical container 10. The outer surface and the front side are the opposite sides to the inner surface and the back side, respectively. The front side of the bottom member 13 is the lower side along the axial direction. The back side of the bottom member 13 is the upper side along the axial direction. Although not specifically shown, the peripheral portions 11b, 13b of the top surface member 11 or the bottom surface member 13 may be joined to the outer surface of the cylindrical member 12.

The spout 14 has a cylindrical portion 14a having a flow path that can be opened and closed by a cap 15 or the like, and a flange portion 14b that is joined to the top surface member 11. In this embodiment, the top surface member 11 has an opening 11c in which the spout 14 is located, approximately in the center. The cap 15 may be resealably connected to the spout 14 by a screw, elastic contraction force, or the like. The spout 14 may be formed integrally with the top surface member 11.

The shape of the top surface portion 11a is not particularly limited, and may be flat, conical, or curved like the shape of the bottom surface portion 13a described later. Although not shown in the figure, the inner surface of the top surface member 11 may be joined to the inner surface of the cylindrical member 12, and the top surface joint portion 12a may protrude upward from the top surface portion 11a. The end of the top surface joint portion 12a may be protected by an appropriate covering. The covering may be a band-shaped member joined so as to straddle the outer surface of the top surface portion 11a and the outer surface of the cylindrical member 12. Instead of providing the spout 14 on the top surface member 11, an opening hole, a cut, or the like may be formed on the top surface portion 11a to form a portion for removing the contents. The top surface member 11 and the spout 14 are not essential components, and it is also possible to form a cylindrical container in which the upper part of the cylindrical member 12 opens upward, for example.

The bottom portion 13a of the bottom member 13 is curved upward along the axial direction of the cylindrical member 12. That is, the central portion of the bottom portion 13a is higher than the position where the bottom portion 13a is bent relative to the peripheral portion 13b. This makes it easier for the curved bottom portion 13a to deform downward when the cylindrical member 12 is filled with contents, thereby suppressing deformation of the cylindrical member 12. Even if the bottom portion 13a deforms, the deformation of the bottom portion 13a has little effect on the appearance of the cylindrical container 10, since the periphery of the bottom portion 13a is covered by the cylindrical member 12.

In the bottom member 13, the height difference B of the bottom portion 13a, i.e., the difference B between the height of the highest point where the bottom portion 13a curves upward and the height of the point where the bottom portion 13a bends relative to the peripheral portion 13b, is preferably about 2 to 10 mm. In addition, the ratio (B/A ratio) of the height difference B of the bottom portion 13a to the height A of the peripheral portion 13b of the bottom member 13 along the axial direction is about 20 to 80%. As a specific example, the height A of the peripheral portion 13b is 9 mm, and the height difference B of the bottom portion 13a is 5 mm.

The curvature of the bottom surface 13a is preferably a curved surface without ridges, vertices, etc. This allows the weight of the contents to act on the entire bottom surface 13a without concentrating on ridges, vertices, etc., making it possible to make the deformation of the bottom surface 13a due to the weight of the contents approximately uniform. Such a curved surface can be designed as part of a sphere, ellipsoid, egg, etc. The curvature of the bottom surface 13a preferably has a predetermined curved shape in the empty cylindrical container 10 before the contents are filled into the container. When designing the curved shape, it is preferable to take into account the maximum weight of the contents filled into the cylindrical container 10, since the effect on deformation increases as the weight of the contents increases.

The shape of the curved bottom portion 13a in the bottom member 13 and the bent peripheral portion 13b relative to the bottom portion 13a can be formed by a molding method selected from, for example, drawing, vacuum forming, pressure forming, press forming, etc. In FIG. 2, the upward curvature of the bottom portion 13a and the downward bending of the peripheral portion 13b can be realized by displacing the mold in the opposite direction. In FIG. 3, the upward curvature of the bottom portion 13a and the upward bending of the peripheral portion 13b can be realized by displacing the mold in the same direction. From the viewpoint of formability by drawing, it is preferable that the bottom member 13 is formed from a laminated film or paper material containing a metal foil such as aluminum foil and a resin film. It is preferable that the drawing of the bottom member 13 is completed in one operation. Even when the bottom member 13 is a resin film or the like that does not contain a metal foil such as aluminum foil, the curved bottom portion 13a and the bent peripheral portion 13b can be formed by drawing, vacuum forming, pressure forming, press forming, etc. The bottom member 13 may be formed either before or after it is joined to the cylindrical member 12.

When forming the curved bottom portion 13a, the resin layer of the film may be heated or processed and hardened by crystallization or the like. As a result, the material of the bottom member 13 before forming the curved bottom portion 13a may be the same hardness as the cylindrical member 12, but the bottom member 13 after forming the curved bottom portion 13a may be made of a harder material than the cylindrical member 12. The film of the bottom member 13 includes a hardening layer such as a metal foil, biaxially oriented resin film, or hardened film, or a reinforcing layer such as a resin coating, thereby improving durability against the weight of the contents and suppressing excessive deformation of the bottom portion 13a. Even if the bottom portion 13a is deformed downward due to the weight of the contents, it is preferable that the center of the bottom portion 13a does not reach the installation surface of the cylindrical container 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the height of the lower end of the peripheral portion 13b of the bottom member 13 may be the same as the height of the lower end of the cylindrical member 12. After the bottom member 13 is joined to the cylindrical member 12, the height of each lower end may be trimmed. As shown in FIG. 3, the height of the position where the bottom portion 13a is bent relative to the peripheral portion 13b may be the same as the height of the lower end of the cylindrical member 12. As a result, the lower end of the cylindrical container 10 becomes a double laminate consisting of the lower end of the cylindrical member 12 and the lower end of the peripheral portion 13b of the bottom member 13, and is reinforced to easily support the weight of the contents. Although not particularly shown, the position of the lower end of the peripheral portion 13b of the bottom member 13 may be different from the height of the lower end of the cylindrical member 12. In this case, one of the lower ends of the cylindrical member 12 or the bottom member 13 contacts the installation surface of the cylindrical container 10.

According to the embodiment of the cylindrical container 10, the cylindrical member 12 is made of a film and is flexible, so that it can be easily disposed of by folding. In addition, the bottom member 13 has a bottom portion 13a that is curved upward, so that deformation of the cylindrical member 12 due to the weight of the contents is suppressed, and the appearance of the cylindrical container 10 after it is filled with the contents can be maintained in a good condition.

The present invention has been described above based on a preferred embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention. Modifications include addition, substitution, omission, and other changes to each component in the embodiment.

The planar shape of the end face (top or bottom face) of the cylindrical member is not limited to a circle, but may be an ellipse, an oval, an egg, a polygon, etc. Examples of polygonal planar shapes include a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, and a nonagon. The planar shape of the end face member and the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the cylindrical member can be appropriately set according to the planar shape of the end face. For example, if the end face member is polygonal, the cylindrical member will also be polygonal prism-shaped. If the end face of the cylindrical member is polygonal, the axial direction can be a direction connecting the approximate centers (e.g., the center of gravity) of the polygons that make up both end faces. The radial direction that intersects with the axis may be a direction that passes through the approximate center of the end face along the end face, and examples of such a direction include a direction connecting the midpoints of two opposing sides, a direction connecting one vertex and the midpoint of the opposing side, and a diagonal direction (a direction connecting two opposing vertices). Here, the end faces of the tubular member refer to imaginary surfaces consisting of the inner areas surrounded by the tubular member in planes perpendicular to the axis at both ends of the tubular member in the axial direction, regardless of whether or not there are end face members at each end face.

The cylindrical member may be configured as a tube with no seams in the circumferential direction, or a flat sheet may be rolled into a C-shaped cross section and joined at one location in the circumferential direction with a seam parallel to the axis. When a joint is provided in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical member, it is preferable to join the inner surface of one edge and the outer surface of the other edge by overlapping them, since the joint is less likely to protrude to the outer periphery. At the joint of the cylindrical member, the inner surfaces of both ends of the edge may be joined facing each other, or the outer surfaces may be joined facing each other. The cylindrical member is not limited to a case where the top and bottom surfaces are congruent (same shape and same size), but may have a taper such that, for example, the top surface is large and the bottom surface is small, or the top surface is small and the bottom surface is large. The top and bottom surfaces may be similar in shape, or may have different shapes. The cylindrical cylindrical member may be configured by joining both ends of a substantially rectangular film. If the two opposing sides of the substantially rectangular film are made into arc shapes, the cylindrical member can be configured into a cone shape.

The diameter of the cylindrical member is, for example, within the range of 5 to 250 mm, and preferably within the range of 10 to 200 mm. Here, when the cylindrical member is a rectangular cylindrical member, the diameter refers to the distance between opposing vertices, sides, or vertices and sides, and when there are two or more of these, it is preferable that the minimum and maximum values are within the above range. The diameter of the cylindrical member is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 20 mm, 50 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm, etc. The cylindrical member may be composed of a laminate similar to the end member, or may have a different configuration from the end member.

The properties of the contents contained in the cylindrical container may be any, such as liquid, solid, powder, granules, or a mixture of two or more of these. The types of contents are not particularly limited, and include beverages, food products, seasonings, cosmetics, medicines, detergents, adhesives, household goods, industrial products, etc. Each component constituting the cylindrical container may be given one or more functions, such as oxygen absorption function, odor absorption function, and non-adsorption function. The cylindrical member, top member, bottom member, and spout may each have at least one printed pattern. Each component constituting the cylindrical container is not limited to resin, and may be laminated or blended with different materials such as paper, cloth, nonwoven fabric, and fiber.

The spout is not limited to a three-dimensional molded part having a cylindrical spout and a flange along the end member, and may have any structure as long as it functions as an outlet for the contents. The means for closing the spout is not limited to a cap, and may have any structure. For example, the opening of the top member may be used as the spout, a sealing film may be attached to the opening, and the contents may be sucked out by inserting a straw into the film. It is also possible to provide a spout on the cylindrical member, but from the standpoint of the container's self-supporting ability and strength, the cylindrical member may have a structure without a spout.

The orientation of the spout does not have to be approximately perpendicular to the end member as in the above embodiment, but may be oblique. When pouring out the contents, the spout may be oriented sideways or downward. The contents may be removed by suction while the spout is oriented upward. There is no limit to the number of spouts provided on the cylindrical container, and it may be two or more. The spouts may be used for purposes other than pouring out the contents, such as for injecting the contents or letting in air.

10...cylindrical container, 11...top member, 11a...top portion, 11b...periphery, 11c...opening, 12...cylindrical member, 12a...top joint, 12b...bottom joint, 13...bottom member, 13a...bottom portion, 13b...periphery, 14...pouring outlet, 14a...cylindrical portion, 14b...flange portion, 15...cap.

Claims (7)

A cylindrical member formed of a cylindrical film;
A cylindrical container comprising : a bottom member provided at a bottom portion of the cylindrical member,
The periphery of the bottom member and the cylindrical member are joined via an annular joint,
the bottom member has a bottom portion curved upward along an axial direction of the tubular member, and a peripheral portion bent around the bottom portion and joined to the tubular member via the joint,
A cylindrical container characterized in that the curved bottom portion is formed by heating or processing a resin layer of a film, hardening it through crystallization, and the center of the bottom portion does not reach the installation surface of the cylindrical container . The cylindrical container according to claim 1, characterized in that the cylindrical member is cylindrical. The cylindrical container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the difference between the height of the highest point at which the bottom surface curves upward and the height of the point at which the bottom surface curves toward the periphery is 2 to 10 mm. The cylindrical container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the difference between the height of the highest point at which the bottom surface curves upward and the height of the point at which the bottom surface curves relative to the peripheral edge is 20 to 80% of the height of the peripheral edge along the axial direction. A cylindrical container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a top surface member having a pouring outlet is joined to the upper end of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bottom member is made of a film or paper material. A method for manufacturing a cylindrical container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the curvature of the bottom surface portion of the bottom member and the bending of the peripheral portion relative to the bottom surface portion are formed from a film or paper material by a molding method selected from the group consisting of drawing, vacuum molding, compressed air molding, and press molding.

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