JPS6246419B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an easy-to-open container lid comprising an outer lid and an inner lid, and more specifically, a cylindrical skirt portion, an annular top portion continuous to the upper end of the skirt portion, and an annular top portion. A tension ring is provided on a part of the inner circumferential edge of the surface portion via a connecting piece, and a pair of weakened lines for cutting are provided on the annular top surface portion and the skirt portion along the extension line of both side edges of the connecting piece. The present invention relates to an easy-to-open container lid that includes an integrally formed outer lid and an inner lid that is positioned within the outer lid and closes an opening on the top surface of the outer lid.

As a container lid for closing the opening of a container such as a bottle or can, the specification and drawings of French Patent No. 2231578 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1986-86349 disclose an easy-to-open container lid of the form described above. is disclosed. Such container lids are of an easy-to-open type that can be opened without using any equipment such as a bottle opener, and are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-26107 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 47-1989.
Since it can be produced relatively easily and inexpensively compared to the easy-to-open type container lid of the form disclosed in No. 29073, etc., recently, ordinary crowns or the easy-to-open type of the form disclosed in the above-mentioned publication have been developed. It has become highly desirable to use them in place of container lids.

However, in known easy-open container lids having the above configuration, the tension ring provided on the outer lid has a tendency to protrude above the upper end of the skirt portion and the upper surface of the annular top surface of the outer lid. Various problems have arisen due to this. Specifically, in the container lid disclosed in the above-mentioned French Patent No. 2231578, drawings, and Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 51-86349, the annular top surface of the outer lid extends substantially inward from the upper end of the skirt portion. and a connecting piece and a tension ring extend horizontally inward from the inner peripheral edge of the annular top surface, and the upper end of the skirt portion of the outer cover, the annular top surface, the connecting piece and the tension ring are substantially the same. It is located on a plane. However, due to the fact that an inward force is applied to the lower end of the skirt part especially when attaching a container lid to the opening of a bottle, etc., the connecting piece tends to move from the inner peripheral edge of the annular top part toward the tension ring. It is tilted upwardly, thereby tending to cause the tension ring to protrude above the upper end of the skirt of the outer lid and the coplanar annular top surface thereof. If the tension ring protrudes upward in this way, the tension ring may collide with a foreign object, for example, when transporting a bottle with a lid, or when a bottle with a lid is being transported in a vending machine. The force exerted on the tension ring may cause the outer lid to be accidentally cut along the pair of weakened lines, or the bottle may be blocked from being transported along the transport path within the vending machine, thereby interfering with the vending machine's functionality. Serious problems such as being lost may occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned facts, and its main object is to provide an easy-to-open container lid having the above-mentioned configuration, in which a tension ring is attached to the upper end of the skirt portion and the annular top surface portion. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and excellent container lid that does not protrude upward beyond the top surface and is therefore free from the problems described above.

According to the present invention, the present invention includes a cylindrical skirt portion, an annular top surface portion continuous to the upper end of the skirt portion, and a tension ring continuous to a part of the inner peripheral edge of the annular top surface portion via a connecting piece, and the connecting piece an integrally molded outer cover having a pair of weakened lines for cutting formed on the annular top surface portion and the skirt portion along the extension line of both side edges of the outer cover; In an easy-to-open container lid comprising an inner lid that closes an opening present on the top surface, the annular top surface portion of the outer lid has a first annular shape that extends inward and is directly connected to the upper end of the skirt portion. and a second annular portion extending downwardly and inwardly from the first annular portion, and the connecting piece of the outer lid extends upwardly and inwardly from a portion of the inner peripheral edge of the annular top surface portion. a first portion extending inwardly but below the upper end of the skirt portion; and a second portion extending inwardly from the first portion substantially horizontally or slopingly downward; The container lid is characterized in that the tension ring extends inwardly from the second portion of the connecting piece substantially horizontally or slanted downwardly and is located at a position lower than the upper end of the skirt portion. provided.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the easy-to-open container lid according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the illustrated container lid includes an outer lid 2 and an inner lid 4. As shown in FIG. The outer lid 2, which is integrally molded from a metal material such as aluminum, tin plate, or chrome steel plate, includes a substantially cylindrical skirt portion 6, an annular top surface portion 8 connected to the upper end of the skirt portion 6, and an inner peripheral edge of the annular top surface portion 8. It has a tension ring 14 connected to the annular top surface 8 via a connecting piece 12 extending inwardly from a portion of the ring 10 .

The annular top surface portion 8 of the outer lid 2 includes a first annular portion 8a extending inward from the upper end of the skirt portion 6, and a second annular portion extending downward and inward from the first annular portion 8a. 8b, and a third annular portion 8c extending substantially horizontally further inward from the second annular portion 8b. Therefore, as can be clearly seen from FIG. 1, the inner circumferential edge 10 of the annular top surface portion 8 is inclined at the slope of the second annular portion with respect to the upper end of the skirt portion 6 and the upper surface of the first annular portion 8a. It is located at a lower position by a step x due to

The connecting piece 12 of the outer lid 2 includes a first portion 12a that extends upward and inward from the inner circumferential edge 10 of the annular top surface portion 8, that is, a part of the inner circumferential edge of the third annular portion 8c; A second portion 12b extends inwardly from the first portion 12a substantially horizontally or at a slight downward slope (substantially horizontally in the illustrated embodiment). Therefore, the upper surface of the second portion 12b of the connecting piece 12 is located at a higher position than the inner peripheral edge 10 of the annular top surface portion 8 by the step y due to the inclination of the first portion 12a. However, this level difference y is smaller than the above-mentioned level difference x, so the upper surface of the second portion 12b of the connecting piece 12 is lower than the upper end of the skirt portion 6 and the upper surface of the first annular portion 8a of the annular top surface portion 8. It is important that the position is also low.

The tension ring 14, which is preferably bent to have a substantially circular cross-section as disclosed in the French Patent No. 2 231 578 and the drawings, is attached to the second portion 12 of the connecting piece 12.
b extends substantially horizontally or inclined downwardly (substantially horizontally in the illustrated embodiment) from b. Therefore, the upper surface of the tension ring 14 is at substantially the same height or lower than the upper surface of the second portion 12b of the connecting piece 12, and therefore the upper end of the skirt portion 6 and the said third portion of the annular top surface portion 8. 1 annular portion 8a
The position will be lower than the top surface of.

In the outer lid 2 as described above, the connecting piece 12
The first plate is shaped so that it slopes upward and inward.
A bent portion is formed at the boundary between the inner circumferential edge 10 of the annular top surface portion 8 and the first portion 12a of the connecting piece 12, and the connecting piece 12 extends inward from the first portion 12a. A bent portion is also formed at the boundary between the first portion 12a and the second portion 12b of the connecting piece 12. Because of the increased rigidity of the tension ring, even if an inward force is applied to the lower end of the skirt part 6 when corking the opening of a container such as a bottle, the connecting piece 12 will be tilted upward and the tension ring will 14 does not protrude upwardly from the position shown. Moreover, even if the connecting piece 12 is tilted upwards somewhat, the tension ring 14 will be able to reach the upper end of the skirt portion 6 and the first annular portion 8a of the annular top surface portion 8.
, so that the tension ring 14 does not project upwardly beyond these.

In the illustrated example, a third annular portion 8c is provided that extends substantially horizontally inward from the second annular portion 8b of the annular top surface portion 8, and one of the inner peripheral edges of the third annular portion 8c is provided. Although the connecting piece 12 is extended inward from the third annular portion 8a, the connecting piece 12 may be extended directly from a part of the inner peripheral edge of the second annular portion 8b by omitting the third annular portion 8a.

The inner lid 4 is preferably formed from a metal material such as aluminum, tinplate or chrome steel plate.
As clearly illustrated in FIG. and the inner circumferential edge 10 of the annular top surface portion 8 is closed. This inner cover 4 may have an appropriate shape corresponding to the shape of the outer cover 2, and is in contact with the upper end of the skirt portion 6 of the outer cover 2 and the inner surface of the first annular portion 8a of the annular top surface portion 8. an outer circumferential portion 20; a first inclined portion 22 that extends downwardly and inwardly from the outer circumferential portion 20 and comes into contact with the inner surface of the second annular portion 8b of the annular top surface portion 8 of the outer lid 2; 22 and extends substantially horizontally inwardly from the third annular portion 8c of the annular top surface portion 8 of the outer lid 2.
an outer flat portion 24 that is in contact with the outer flat portion 24 and a second sloped portion 26 that extends downwardly and inwardly from the outer flat portion 24;
and a central flat part 28 following this second slope part 26.
It is preferable to have a substantially disk-like shape as a whole. The second sloped part 26 of the inner lid 4 forms a step x between the outer flat part 24 and the central flat part 28, and the lower surface of the tension ring 14 of the outer lid 2 and the inner lid 4
creates a slight gap between the tension ring 14 and the central flat portion 28 of the tension ring 14 to facilitate lifting the tension ring 14 by fingertips. Further, the second inclined portion 26 of the inner lid 4 forms bent portions at the boundary with the outer flat portion 24 and the boundary with the central flat portion 28, and these bent portions increase the buckling strength of the inner lid 4. increase. Inner lid 4
The inner peripheral edge of the outer flat portion 24 of the outer lid 2 is substantially aligned with the inner peripheral edge 10 of the annular top surface 8 of the outer lid 2.
It is preferable that the structure is such that there is no gap between the upper surface and the lower surface of the annular top surface portion 8 of the outer lid 2. The inner peripheral edge 10 of the annular top surface portion 8 of the outer lid 2 is the inner lid 4.
If it extends inward beyond the inner peripheral edge of the outer flat part 24 of the outer cover 2, dust or water will accumulate between the lower surface of the annular top surface part 8 of the outer cover 2 and the upper surface of the outer flat part 24 of the inner cover 4. A gap will be created.

As shown in FIG. 3, the inner lid 4 can also omit the outer flat part and the second sloped part and have the central flat part 28 directly following the first sloped part 22. In this case, a slight gap is provided between the underside of the tension ring 14 of the outer lid 2 and the central flat portion 28 of the inner lid 4 to facilitate lifting of the tension ring 14 by fingertips. Once formed, the outer lid 2
A gap is created between the lower surface of the third annular portion 8c of the annular top surface portion 8 and the upper surface of the central flat portion 28. In such a case, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3,
The inner circumferential edge 10 of the annular upper surface portion 8 of the outer lid 2, that is, the free edge of the inner circumferential edge of the third annular portion 8c, where the connecting piece 12 is not connected, is bent downward and outward, and the above-mentioned It is preferable to close the gap.

As clearly shown in FIG. 1, the skirt portion 6 of the outer lid 2 is inclined somewhat inwardly from its upper end toward its lower end, with an inner diameter at the lower end being smaller than an inner diameter at the upper end. Preferably, it is somewhat smaller. Further, a curl portion 30, which is known per se, can be formed at the lower end of the skirt portion 6. It is preferable that the outer diameter of the inner lid 4 is substantially the same as or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the upper end of the skirt portion 6 of the outer lid 2, but slightly larger than the inner diameter of the lower end of the skirt portion 6. Such an inner cover 4 can be moved to a predetermined position as shown in FIG. Once inserted into a predetermined position, the inner diameter of the lower end of the skirt portion 6 of the outer cover 2 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the inner cover 4, so that it is held there without falling off.

An annular gasket is provided on the inner surface outer periphery of the inner cover 4 inserted into a predetermined position in the outer cover 2 to engage with the top of the opening of the container to seal the opening of the container (see FIG. 7). Layer 32 can be applied. This annular gasket layer 32 can be applied only to the inner and outer peripheral edges of the inner lid 4 as shown in FIG. 4, but as shown in FIG. It is preferable that the annular gasket layer 32 is applied so as to extend over both the inner surface of the skirt portion 6 and the inner cover 4 and the outer cover 2 are bonded together. In this way, even after the outer cover 2 is cut along the pair of weakened lines as will be explained later, the outer cover 2 and the inner cover are reliably held together.
Once opened, the container lid can be used repeatedly to temporarily close the opening of the container. In addition, outer lid 2
After cutting along a pair of weakened lines, when applying force to the outer lid 2 with a fingertip and removing it from the opening of the container, the inner lid 4 is surely removed along with the outer lid 2, Therefore, the lid opening operation can be easily and reliably performed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the outer lid 2 has a pair of weakened lines 34 formed in the annular top surface portion 8 and the skirt portion 6 along the extension line of both side edges of the connecting piece 12. The pair of weakening lines 34 may have any form, including those disclosed in the specification and drawings of French Patent No. 2231578, or the Japanese Utility Model Application No. 51-86349, for example. The form as shown in the figure, that is, from the inner circumferential edge 10 of the annular top surface part 8 to the first annular part 8a of the annular top surface part 8 extends so that the distance therebetween gradually becomes smaller;
Preferably, it extends from the upper end of the skirt portion 6 to the lower end of the skirt portion 6 such that the distance therebetween gradually increases.

The outer lid 2 is generally formed by drawing a metal material, and during such drawing processing, the first annular portion 8a, the second annular portion 8b, and the third annular portion of the annular top surface portion 8 are formed. The boundary region with the annular portion 8c is plastically deformed and work hardened to a greater extent than other portions. Therefore, when attempting to cut the outer lid 2 along the pair of weakened lines by pulling the tension ring 14, the first annular portion 8a of the annular top surface 8 is removed from the inner peripheral edge 10 of the annular top surface 8. In some cases, it is relatively difficult to cut the outer lid 2 in the area up to this point. However, if the weakening line 34 has the form shown in FIG.
Since the pair of weakened lines 34 extend so that the distance between them gradually decreases in the region from 1 to 8 to the first annular portion 8a of the annular top surface portion 8, the cut portion (i.e., the weakened line 34) The force is effectively transmitted to the area), and cutting can be performed relatively easily even in the above area. Furthermore, the second
Although not shown in the figure, one or more reinforcing ridges, which are known per se, are provided in the portion between the pair of weakened lines 34 of the annular top surface portion 8, for example, extending parallel to the weakened lines 34, and It is also possible to reliably prevent the metal material from being bent or torn between the pair of weakened lines 34 during this process.

Furthermore, when the pair of weakened lines 34 are in the form shown in FIG. 2 and extend so that the distance between them gradually increases from the upper end of the skirt portion 6 toward the lower end of the skirt portion 6, As can be easily understood from FIG. 5, after cutting the outer cover 2 along the pair of weakened lines 34, the cut end 36 at the lower end of the skirt portion 6 has a relatively obtuse angle.
Therefore, even if your fingers come into contact with the cut end 36 when you put your fingers on the lower end of the skirt portion 6 of the outer lid 2 and try to remove the container lid from the container 38 after cutting, there is little risk of your fingers being damaged. .

The pair of lines of weakness 34 itself may be formed by a so-called score, known per se, formed by reducing the thickness of the material, or by a so-called score, known per se, formed by cutting the material intermittently. A so-called perforation will suffice. If the pair of lines of weakness 34 is a score, on either side of each pair of lines of weakness 34, the thickness of the material at the score, as illustrated in FIG.
Auxiliary score 39 formed by reducing the thickness of the material to a thickness t ₂ somewhat greater than t ₁
It is preferable to mold both at the same time. In this case, the score 34 can be formed using a score punch 40 and a score die 42, such as those shown in FIG. The tendency of the metal material to be bent or tilted due to the auxiliary score forming protrusions 46 is suppressed by acting on the metal material on both sides of the score forming protrusions 44. A score of exactly the same shape can be formed accurately. In addition, in the outer cover 2 after being formed, when cutting the outer cover 2 along the weakened line 34, the cut is accidentally made along the weakened line 34.
Even if it deviates from 4, this deviation will result in an auxiliary score of 39, and subsequent cuts will be made with an auxiliary score of 39.
Therefore, cutting of the outer cover 2 will not become impossible.

7 and 8 show that the second portion 12b of the connecting piece 12 of the outer lid 2 and the tension ring 14 are tilted somewhat downwardly to extend inwardly instead of extending substantially horizontally inwardly. It is made to extend. In this case, a protrusion 48 (the protrusion 48 extends in an annular shape as shown in FIG. thing or tension ring 1
(which may be locally provided at a location corresponding to the free end of the tension ring 14), as shown more clearly in FIG.
It may be ensured that a slight gap is created between the top surface of the central flat part 28 and the top surface of the central flat part 28 to facilitate lifting of the tension ring 14 by fingertips. Alternatively, the free end of tension ring 14 may be bent somewhat upwardly as shown in FIG.
A gap may also be formed between the lower surface of the inner lid 4 and the central flat portion 28 of the inner lid 4.

In the illustrated example, the tension ring 14 of the outer lid 2 is provided substantially at the center of the outer lid 2, but if desired, the tension ring 14 may be located eccentrically with respect to the center of the outer lid 2. It will be obvious that it is possible to provide the same without further explanation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of a container lid according to the present invention. 2 is a perspective view of the outer lid of the container lid shown in FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a container lid according to the invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the container lid according to the present invention. Figure 5 shows
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the container lid shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a state where it is positioned over the opening of the container after cutting the outer lid. FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing the score and auxiliary score formed on the outer lid shown in FIG. 2, and the punch and die for forming these. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the container lid according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the container lid shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial sectional view of a fifth embodiment of a container lid according to the present invention. 2...Outer lid, 4...Inner cover, 6...Skirt part,
8... Annular top surface portion, 12... Connecting piece, 14... Tension ring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. It has a cylindrical skirt part, an annular top part connected to the upper end of the skirt part, and a tension ring connected to a part of the inner peripheral edge of the annular top part via a connecting piece,
an integrally molded outer cover having a pair of weakened cutting lines formed on the annular top surface and the skirt along an extension line of both side edges of the connecting piece; In an easy-to-open container lid comprising an inner lid that closes an opening present on the top surface of the outer lid, the annular top surface portion of the outer lid has a first annular portion extending inward from the upper end of the skirt portion. and a second annular portion extending downwardly and inwardly from the first annular portion, and the connecting piece on the outer lid extends upwardly and inwardly from a portion of the inner peripheral edge of the annular top surface portion. a first portion extending inwardly but at a position lower than the upper end of the skirt portion; and a second portion extending inwardly from the first portion substantially horizontally or slopingly downward; A tension ring extends inwardly from the second portion of the connecting piece substantially horizontally or slanted downwardly and is lower than the upper end of the skirt portion and the upper surface of the first annular portion of the annular top portion. A container lid characterized by being in a position. 2 the annular top surface portion of the outer lid has a third annular portion extending substantially horizontally inwardly from the second annular portion; 2. A container lid according to claim 1, wherein the container lid extends from the inner peripheral edge of the third annular portion of the top surface. 3. The inner lid has an outer periphery that contacts the upper end of the skirt portion of the outer lid and the inner surface of the first annular portion of the annular top surface, and an outer periphery that extends downward and inward from the outer periphery. a first sloped portion contacting an inner surface of the second annular portion of the annular top surface portion of the outer lid; and a first sloped portion extending substantially horizontally inwardly from the first sloped portion and the annular top of the outer lid; It has an outer flat part that is brought into contact with the third annular part of the surface part, a second slope part that extends downward and inward from the outer flat part, and a central flat part that follows the second slope part. The container according to claim 2, wherein the inner circumferential edge of the third annular portion of the annular top surface of the outer lid and the inner circumferential edge of the outer flat portion of the inner lid are substantially aligned. lid. 4. Claims in which a free edge of the inner peripheral edge of the third annular portion of the annular top surface of the outer lid, where the connecting piece is not connected, is curved downward and outward. The container lid described in item 2. 5. The pair of weakened lines formed on the outer lid have a gap that gradually decreases from the inner peripheral edge of the annular top surface part to the first annular part, and from the upper end of the skirt part to the skirt part. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the container extends from the inner peripheral edge of the annular top surface portion to the lower end of the skirt portion such that the distance between the two gradually increases until the lower end of the skirt portion. lid. 6. the pair of weakening lines are scores formed by reducing the thickness of the material of the outer lid;
and on either side of each of the pair of lines of weakness, a supplement is formed by reducing the thickness of the material of the outer lid spaced apart from and substantially parallel to each of the pair of lines of weakness. 6. A container lid according to claim 1, wherein a score is provided, and the thickness of the material at the auxiliary score is greater than the thickness of the material at the score. 7. An annular gasket layer is formed extending from the outer peripheral edge of the inner surface of the inner lid to the inner surface of the skirt portion of the outer lid, and the inner lid is adhered to the outer lid by this annular gasket layer. A container lid according to any one of items 1 to 6. 8. The skirt portion of the outer lid has an inner diameter smaller at its lower end than the inner diameter of its upper end, and the outer diameter of the inner lid is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the upper end of the skirt portion of the outer lid. The inner diameter is slightly smaller than that and slightly larger than the inner diameter of the lower end of the skirt portion of the outer lid, and the inner lid elastically deforms the lower end of the skirt portion of the outer lid. 7. A container lid according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is inserted into position and held there.