WO2024142764A1

WO2024142764A1 - Container, container equipped with cap, plug mechanism, and plug mechanism equipped with cap

Info

Publication number: WO2024142764A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/043208
Authority: WO
Inventors: 雄也内山
Original assignee: 株式会社資生堂
Priority date: 2022-12-27
Filing date: 2023-12-04
Publication date: 2024-07-04

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a container 7 that is engageable with a cap, the container comprising: a container body 3 that is provided with an accommodation part 1 for accommodating contents therein and a mouth part 2 tightly fixed to the upper end of the accommodation part 1; a nozzle 41 that projects upward and that has a helical projection 42 on the outer circumference surface thereof; an inner plug 4 that has an attachment part 43 formed at a position below the nozzle 41 and that covers the upper end of the mouth part 2; and an attachment ring 5 that covers the outer side of a portion of the inner plug 4 and that is engaged with the mouth part 2 from the outer circumferential side. A cap 8 can be threadedly engaged with the nozzle 41. The attachment ring 5 and the inner plug 4 can be detached from the mouth part 2 of the container body 3 by rotating the attachment ring 5 with respect to the mouth part 2. When the container 7 is in an assembled state, the inner plug 4 is restricted from rotating with respect to the mouth part 2.

Description

Container, container with cap, plug mechanism, and plug mechanism with cap

The present invention relates to a container that allows the contents to be used up to the last drop, a container with a cap, a plug mechanism that is attached to the mouth of the container, and a plug mechanism with a cap.

In recent years, awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for creating a sustainable society has increased dramatically, and in the cosmetics industry, containers that allow you to use up the contents to the last drop are attracting attention.

For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a configuration in which a plug fits detachably into the wide-mouthed opening of a tube container, allowing any cosmetics remaining in the tube to be used up to the very last drop by removing the plug.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-254769

However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the engagement between the cap and the container mouth, and the engagement between the container mouth and the stopper are both screw-fit engagements, and the part of the mouth where the cap engages is located lower than the part where it engages with the stopper. Therefore, if the cap is tightened too much or if the contents adhere to the inside of the cap, there is a risk that the stopper will come off unintentionally along with the cap when the cap is removed.

In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a container that prevents the inner stopper from rotating when the cap is opened and closed, and allows the contents to be used up to the last drop.

In order to solve the above problems, in one aspect of the present invention,
A container engageable with a cap,
a container body including a storage section for storing contents and a mouth section tightly fixed to an upper end of the storage section;
A nozzle that protrudes upward and has a spiral projection on its outer circumferential surface, and an attachment portion that is located below the nozzle and has an inner plug that covers an upper end of the mouth portion;
a mounting ring that covers the outside of the mounting portion of the inside plug and engages with the mouth portion from an outer circumferential side,
the cap is threadably engageable with the nozzle;
The mounting ring and the inside plug can be removed from the mouth of the container body by rotating the mounting ring relative to the mouth.
In an assembled state of the container, the inside plug is restricted from rotating relative to the mouth.

According to one aspect, the container disclosed herein allows the contents to be used up to the last drop while preventing the inner stopper from rotating when the cap is opened and closed.

FIG. 2 is an overall half cross-sectional view of a capped container according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the capped container of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the mouth of the capped container of the first embodiment. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a rotation restricting portion of the inside plug and the mouth portion according to the first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the container of the first embodiment with the cap removed. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the mounting ring and the inner plug are removed from the container body of the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the state of the container body when the remaining amount of the contents is low. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the mouth of a capped container according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an inside plug according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the mounting ring, the inside plug, and the cap in the second embodiment with the mounting ring, the inside plug, and the cap removed. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the mounting ring and the inner plug have been removed from the container body of the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the mouth of a capped container according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the inside plug of the third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the attachment ring, the inside plug, and the cap in the third embodiment with the attachment ring, the inside plug, and the cap removed. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the mounting ring and the inner plug have been removed from the container body of the third embodiment. 13A to 13C are explanatory views of the movement when the plug mechanism is attached to the mouth portion in the third embodiment.

Below, a description will be given of an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted.

The present invention relates to a container, a container with a cap, a plug mechanism to be attached to the mouth of the container, and a plug mechanism with a cap. The container is, for example, a flexible tube container made of resin, metal film, paper, or the like. Alternatively, the container may be a container that can stand on its own.

The contents to be stored in the container of the present invention are preferably viscous substances that are to be used in several portions, rather than cosmetics, toothpaste, seasonings, and other single-use items. In this specification, viscous substances refer to viscous cosmetics, viscous medicines, viscous soaps, etc., such as beauty serums, creams, hair wax, ointments, and toothpastes, which have viscosity.

First Embodiment
First, the configuration of a container according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 1 is an overall half-sectional view of a capped container according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is an exploded view of a capped container according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the vicinity of the mouth of a capped container according to the first embodiment. Figure 4 is an explanatory view of an inner plug and a rotation regulating portion of the mouth according to the first embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, the capped container 10 has a container 7 and a cap 8. Referring to FIG. 2, the container (tube container) 7 has a storage section 1, a mouth section 2, an inner plug 4, and an attachment ring 5.

The container 1 contains the contents. The container 1 is, for example, a flexible container such as a tube. The mouth 2 is a wide-mouthed cylindrical ring that is tightly attached to the upper end of the container. During the distribution process after manufacture, the container 1 and the mouth (mouth member) 2 are in tight contact with each other, and the container 1 and the mouth 2 become the container body (tube container body) 3.

In this example, the storage section 1 is a tube, and from the top of FIG. 2, has a tube shoulder section 11, a body section 12, and a tail section 13.

When the storage section 1 is a tube, the storage section 1 is formed from a material that is flexible, such as a thin, flexible resin film, a metal film (e.g., aluminum), a laminated film of a resin film and a metal film, a film in which an inorganic substance is vapor-deposited onto a resin film, synthetic rubber, paper, etc.

The storage unit 1 is not limited to a tube with a linearly closed tail 13, but may be, for example, a flexible container with a bottom, such as a cylindrical or prismatic outer shape, such as a pouch container. Alternatively, the storage unit 1 may be a double container in which a flexible inner bag is housed in a rigid container.

The mouth 2 is a cylindrical part with a hole 20 formed in the center, and has a ring side shoulder 23 at the bottom. On the outer circumferential surface, the top part has a number of cylindrical protrusions (rotation restriction protrusions) 24, and below that, a helical protrusion (screw protrusion, screw protrusion) 25.

The mouth 2 is formed, for example, from a resin that is more rigid than the container 1. The hole 20 of the wide-mouthed mouth 2 has an inner diameter large enough for a user to insert a finger and wipe off the contents.

For more details, referring to Figures 2 and 3, the mouth portion 2 of this embodiment is made up of, from the top (tip side), a small diameter tube 21, a large diameter tube 22, and a ring side shoulder portion 23. In this embodiment, the outer surface of the small diameter tube 21 is provided with a plurality of cylindrical protrusions (stud protrusions) 24, and the outer surface of the large diameter tube 22 is provided with a spiral protrusion 25.

Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the tube shoulder 11 is attached in close contact with the outside of the lower ring side shoulder 23 by insert molding, heat welding, adhesives, etc. This ensures that the container portion 1 and the mouth portion 2 are in close contact with each other, resulting in a container body 3 that will not separate even if the plug mechanism 6 is removed.

The inner plug 4 is a plug member with a nozzle 41 formed on the upper side and an attachment portion 43 formed on the lower side. The nozzle 41 protrudes upward, with a small hole 40 formed at the apex through which the contents are squeezed out, and a spiral protrusion 42 provided on the outer circumferential surface. The nozzle 41 also has a thin nozzle 41n with a small diameter on the upper side and a wide nozzle 41k with a large diameter on the lower side. The spiral protrusion 42 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the wide nozzle 41k.

Also, referring to Figures 3 and 4, the mounting portion 43 of the inner plug 4 in this embodiment has an annular closure plate 44 that extends outward from the lower end of the nozzle 41, and a concentric outer tube 45 and inner tube 46 that hang down from the annular closure plate 44. Furthermore, the inner surface of the outer tube 45 is provided with a plurality of internal gear-like teeth (angular protrusions) 47. Note that the inner tube 46 does not necessarily have to be provided.

The mounting ring 5 is a cylindrical member that covers the outside of the mounting portion 43, which is part of the lower portion of the inner plug 4, and engages with the outside of the mouth portion 2.

In this embodiment, the mounting ring 5 has a uniform outer surface but has a step on the inside, with the upper part of the cylindrical portion being a thick-walled section 51 and the lower part being a thin-walled section 52. An upper end ring 55 is provided at the upper end of the thick-walled section 51, extending inward, and the inner edge of the upper end ring 55 is provided with a number of rib protrusions 53 that protrude intermittently toward the center at a constant height in the vertical direction. A spiral protrusion 54 is provided on the inner surface of the thin-walled section 52.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 2 is provided with a helical protrusion 25 that threadably engages with the mounting ring 5, and a number of protrusions 24 located above the helical protrusion 25 and near the upper end of the mouth portion 2.

In addition, the mounting portion 43 below the nozzle 41 of the center plug 4 is provided with an annular closure plate 44 that extends outward from the lower end of the nozzle 41, a connection ring 45A hangs down from the periphery of the lower surface of the annular closure plate 44, and an outer annular plate 442 that extends outward from the lower end of the connection ring 45A is provided. Also provided are an outer tube (tubular portion) 45 that hangs down from the lower surface of the outer annular plate 442 and has multiple internal gear-shaped teeth 47 formed on its inner surface, and an inner tube 46 that has a smaller diameter than the outer tube 45. An annular protrusion 45P is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the connection ring 45A. Note that, in FIG. 3, an example is shown in which the annular closure plate 44 of the center plug 4 is located above the upper surface of the upper end ring 55 of the mounting ring 5, but the positional relationship of the configuration of this part may be different (see FIG. 5).

Here, the inner plug 4 and the mounting ring 5 are engaged and integrated into the plug mechanism 6, which cannot be disassembled by the user. However, for the sake of explanation, the inner plug 4 and the mounting ring 5 are shown disassembled in Figures 2 and 5 below.

When assembling the plug mechanism 6 in the manufacturing process, the mounting ring 5 is placed over the inner plug 4, and a force is applied to press the mounting ring 5 downward, causing the rib protrusions 53 of the upper end ring 55 of the mounting ring 5 to climb over the annular protrusion 45P on the outer circumferential surface of the connecting ring 45A of the inner plug 4. When climbing over, the rib protrusions 53 of the mounting ring 5 or the annular protrusion 45P of the inner plug 4 are elastically deformed so as to be crushed. Therefore, at least one of the inner plug 4 and the mounting ring 5 is made of an elastically deformable material. The elastically deformable material is preferably made of rubber such as NBR (nitrile rubber), or resin such as PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), POM (polyacetal), or PBT (polybutylene terephthalate).

As shown in Figure 3, when the container 7 is in an assembled state, the upper end of the small diameter tube 21, which is the upper end of the mouth 2 on the container body 3 side, is sandwiched between the outer tube 45 and the inner tube 46 of the inner plug 4. This determines the approximate lateral position of the inner plug 4 relative to the mouth 2.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the multiple protrusions 24 of the mouth portion 2 are sandwiched between the teeth of the multiple teeth 47 of the inner plug 4, i.e., in the tooth grooves 47G, so that when the container 7 is in the assembled state, the rotation of the inner plug 4 relative to the mouth portion 2 is restricted.

Also, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the container 7, which is a tube container, can be engaged with the cap 8.

Referring to FIG. 3, the cap 8 has a top surface 81, a capping protrusion 82, a hanging tube 83, and an outer tube 84, and a spiral groove 85 is formed on the inside of the hanging tube. The capping protrusion 82 hangs down from the center of the underside of the top surface 81. The hanging tube 83 hangs down from the top surface 81 and surrounds the nozzle 41 when engaged, and has a spiral groove 85 formed on its inner circumference. When the cap 8 is engaged with the container 7, the spiral groove 85 and the spiral protrusion 42 of the nozzle 41 are screwed into engagement. The outer tube 84 is located more outer than the hanging tube 83 and is a tube concentric with the hanging tube 83.

In the capped container 10, the cap 8 engages with the nozzle 41, so that when the cap 8 and container 7 are engaged, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the cap 8 covers the nozzle 41 of the inner plug 4, exposing the outer circumferential surface of the mounting ring 5.

Next, the attachment and detachment of the cap to the container in the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the state in which the cap has been removed from the container in the first embodiment. In Figure 5, the shape of the inner plug 4 is slightly different from that in Figures 1 to 4, and shows a configuration in which there is no annular protrusion 45P and the annular closure plate 44 is on the same plane as the upper end ring 55 of the mounting ring 5, but the other shapes are the same as those in Figures 1 to 4.

As shown in FIG. 5, by rotating the cap 8 while moving it closer to the nozzle 41 of the container 7, the spiral groove 85 of the hanging tube 83 of the cap 8 shown in FIG. 3 engages with the spiral protrusion 42 of the nozzle 41, and the cap 8 is attached to the container 7.

On the other hand, by rotating the cap 8 relative to the inner plug 4 from the engaged state, the helical groove 85 of the cap 8 and the helical protrusion 42 of the nozzle 41 are disengaged, and the cap 8 is removed from the container 7.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the mounting ring 5 and inner plug 4 have been removed from the container body 3 of the first embodiment. In FIG. 6, the upper right half of the plug mechanism 6 is shown with the inner plug 4 cut away so that the internal structure of the mounting ring 5 can be seen. Note that the shape of the inner plug 4 in FIG. 6 is the same as in FIG. 5, and shows an example that is slightly different from that in FIGS. 1 to 4.

As described above, the helical protrusion 25 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth 2 of the container body 3, and the helical protrusion 54 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting ring 5. Therefore, the helical protrusion 25 of the mouth 2 engages with the helical protrusion 54 of the mounting ring 5, and the inner plug 4 and the mounting ring 5 engage with the container body 3.

In addition, during the manufacturing process, the rib protrusions 53 of the mounting ring 5 ride over the annular protrusions 45P and connect the mounting ring 5 and the inner plug 4 so that they face the connecting ring 45A. The height of the area below the annular protrusions 45P on the connecting ring 45A is longer than the thickness of the rib protrusions 53.

This engagement allows the attachment ring 5 and the inner plug 4 to be freely rotatable relative to the attachment ring 5 with some play in the vertical position when the attachment ring 5 and the inner plug 4 are removed from the container body 3, i.e., when the plug mechanism 6 is independent.

Note that Figure 3 shows an example in which an annular protrusion 45P is provided on the outer surface of the middle plug 4, but in the configuration of Figure 5, an annular groove is formed on the outer surface (outside the connection ring 45A) of the annular closure plate 44 of the middle plug 4 as an engagement partner for the multiple rib protrusions 53 of the attachment ring 5, and the rib protrusions 53 engage with the annular groove. In this structure, during the manufacturing stage, the rib protrusions 53 of the attachment ring 5 ride up the outer upper end of the annular closure plate 44 and engage with the annular groove, and the protrusion thickness of the rib protrusions 53 is set slightly thinner than the groove width of the annular groove. As a result, the middle plug 4 is engaged with the attachment ring 5 so that it can rotate freely, with some play in the vertical position.

Therefore, when attaching or detaching the plug mechanism 6 from the engaged state, the attachment ring 5 is rotated relative to the container body 3 while gripping the container body 3 and applying a force equal to or greater than a predetermined force, so that the attachment ring 5 rotates relative to the mouth 2 while the inner plug 4 is restricted in the rotational direction, gradually releasing the screw engagement between the attachment ring 5 and the mouth 2.

When the mounting ring 5 moves upward relative to the mouth portion 2, the outer tube 45 of the inner plug 4 also moves upward relative to the mouth portion 2, pulled by the mounting ring 5, and the multiple protrusions 24 of the mouth portion 2 move away along the tooth grooves 47G located between each of the multiple teeth 47 of the inner plug 4, and the engagement between the tooth grooves 47G and the protrusions 24 is released.

Immediately after that, by further rotating the mounting ring 5 relative to the container body 3, only the mounting ring 5 rotates, completely releasing the screw engagement between the mounting ring 5 and the mouth portion 2, and the plug mechanism 6 separates from the container body 3.

On the other hand, when attaching the plug mechanism 6 from a separated state, while holding the container body 3, the plug mechanism 6 is brought closer and the mounting ring 5 is rotated relative to the container body 3, whereby the screw engagement between the mounting ring 5 and the mouth portion 2 begins to engage, and the mounting ring 5 and the inner plug 4 approach the storage portion 1 while rotating relative to the container body 3. When the screw engagement progresses to a certain extent and the multiple teeth 47 on the inner lower end of the outer tube 45 of the inner plug 4 begin to contact the mouth portion 2, the protrusions 24 of the mouth portion 2 fit into the tooth grooves 47G located between each of the multiple teeth 47, and the rotation of the inner plug 4 relative to the mouth portion 2 is restricted.

Furthermore, by rotating the mounting ring 5 relative to the container body 3, the screw engagement between the mounting ring 5 and the mouth portion 2 advances while the inner plug 4 is restricted in the rotational direction, and the rotation ends at the end of the helical protrusions 54 and 25.

In this way, when the plug mechanism 6 is attached to the container body 3, the mounting ring 5 is screwed into the mouth 2, and the inner plug 4 is restricted from rotating relative to the mouth 2, so that the mounting ring 5 is restricted from rotating relative to the container body 3.

This engagement between the container body 3 and the plug mechanism 6 makes it possible to attach and detach the cap 8 to and from the container 7, for example, by gripping the attachment ring 5 and rotating the cap 8.

Comparing the helical protrusion 25 of the mouth portion 2 and the helical protrusion 42 of the nozzle 41, which are located on the outer periphery side as shown in Figures 4 and 6, the helical protrusion 25 of the mouth portion 2 that engages with the plug mechanism 6 has a larger diameter of the outer periphery surface on which the spiral is formed than the helical protrusion 42 of the nozzle 41 that engages with the cap. In addition, the helical pitch of the helical protrusion 25 of the mouth portion 2 and the helical protrusion 42 of the nozzle 41 are different.

As a result, when the stopper mechanism 6 is engaged with the mouth 2 of the container body 3 by embracing the mounting ring 5, it can engage regardless of the cap 8.

Furthermore, the projections 24 on the outer periphery of the upper end of the mouth portion 2 fit into the tooth grooves 47G located between each of the multiple internal gear-shaped teeth 47 on the inner surface of the outer tube 45 of the inner plug 4, thereby functioning as a rotation stopper for the mouth portion 2 of the inner plug 4.

Therefore, for example, even if the following conditions occur: (1) the contents adhere to the outside of the nozzle 41 and solidify, or (2) the cap 8 is tightened too much against the nozzle 41, the positional relationship and the rotation restriction function make the plug mechanism 6 less susceptible to the rotation of the cap 8, and the plug mechanism 6 is less likely to rotate together with the cap 8.

Even if the cap 8 is tightly engaged due to reasons such as (1) and (2) above, by rotating the cap 8 while gripping the attachment ring 5, the twisting force caused by the rotation is applied directly, and the screw engagement between the cap 8 and the nozzle 41 can be released.

Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the inner stopper 4 and the mounting ring 5 can be attached and detached from the container body 3, so the container body 3 can be replaced with a refill, in relation to the inner stopper 4 and the mounting ring 5.

In other words, the container body 3 consisting of the storage section 1 and the mouth section 2 becomes a replaceable (removable and replaceable) refill together with the viscous substance contained therein. On the other hand, the stopper mechanism 6 consisting of the inner stopper 4 and the mounting ring 5, and the cap 8 are reused after replacing the refill.

Therefore, the empty container body 3 can be replaced with a new refill of the same shape, and the plug mechanism 6 and cap 8 can be reused. This reduces the amount of waste resin.

The container body 3 that can be replaced as a refill can have the top surface of the mouth 2 covered with a film or a cover that surrounds the mouth. This allows the container body 3 that is a refill to be distributed separately.

The plug mechanism 6 and cap 8 may be distributed separately so that repeat customers who purchase new refills multiple times can replace the reusable parts when the plug mechanism 6 or cap 8 become noticeably dirty, damaged, or deteriorated. Furthermore, a capped plug mechanism in which the plug mechanism 6 and cap 8 are engaged as shown in FIG. 7 may be distributed.

Figure 7 shows the state of the container when the remaining content is low.

By removing the plug mechanism 6 from the container body 3, the user can insert a finger, a cotton swab, or other object into the storage section 1 (tube) of the container body 3, allowing the contents to be used to the last drop. This reduces the amount of the container body 3 and the contents that are discarded after use.

When removing the plug mechanism 6 from the container body 3, the plug mechanism 6 can be removed together with the cap 8 by rotating the mounting ring 5 relative to the container body 3 while the cap 8 is still attached.

As a result, as shown in Figure 7, the cap 8 can be placed face down, so the hand on the other side does not get dirty when replacing it, and the place where the plug mechanism 6 is temporarily placed, such as a desk or washbasin, can be prevented from getting dirty. In addition, since the inner plug 4 can be placed on a desk or the like together with the cap 8 without worrying about the place getting dirty, both hands are free, and as shown in Figure 7, the contents can be wiped off with one hand while holding the container body 3 with the other.

Second Embodiment
Next, the configuration of the container according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the mouth of a capped container 10A of the second embodiment. Figure 9 is a perspective view of an inner plug 4A of the second embodiment. Figure 10 is a perspective view of a removed mounting ring 5A, inner plug 4A, and cap 8A in the second embodiment. Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the mounting ring 5A and inner plug 4A have been removed from a container body 3A of the second embodiment. The following will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

8 and 9, the nozzle 41 of the inner plug 4A in this embodiment has an annular closure plate 441 extending outward from the lower end of the nozzle 41 as an attachment portion 43A on the lower side thereof, a connecting ring 45A hangs down from the periphery of the lower surface of the annular closure plate 441, and an outer annular plate 442 extending outward from the lower end of the connecting ring 45A is provided. An annular protrusion 45P is provided on the outer surface of the connecting ring 45A. A paired nozzle protrusion 41P may also be provided on the lower end of the nozzle 41. The nozzle protrusion 41P is a protrusion for providing a clicking sensation when the cap 8 is rotated and completely closed, and when the rotation of the cap 8A is completed, the paired nozzle protrusion pinches a rotation stop protrusion (not shown) provided near the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer circumferential tube 84A of the cap 8A.

Furthermore, a long hanging piece 48 and a short hanging piece 49 are provided in the vertical direction so as to hang down from the outer peripheral edge of the lower surface of the outer annular plate 442. In addition, an inner tube 46 is provided on the inner peripheral side of the hanging pieces 48, 49 below the outer annular plate 442. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a plane passing through the long hanging piece 48 of the center plug 4A.

Referring to Figures 8 and 10, the mounting ring 5A is provided with a thin-walled portion 52 and a thick-walled portion 51A from the underside, and an upper end ring (annular top surface) 55 is further provided on the thick-walled portion 51A. In this embodiment, a number of rib protrusions 53A extending intermittently toward the center at a constant height in the vertical direction are provided on the inner edge of the upper end ring 55. In addition, a helical protrusion 54A is provided on the inner surface of the thin-walled portion 52, and a number of inner peripheral recesses 56 are formed at the lower end for screw removal during manufacturing.

Referring to Figures 8 and 11, the mouth portion 2A of this embodiment is a main body tube 200 whose inside diameter does not change above the ring side shoulder 23. The outer circumferential surface of the main body tube 200 of the mouth portion 2A is provided with a helical protrusion 25A that threadably engages with the mounting ring 5, a long strip-shaped groove 26 that extends vertically to interrupt the helical protrusion 25A, and a short outer circumferential recess 27 that is located near the upper end of the mouth portion 2A and does not contact the helical protrusion 25A.

In Figure 11, the shape of the mounting portion 43A of the inner plug 4A is shown through the mounting ring 5A below the plug mechanism 6A. As shown in Figure 11, the long hanging piece 48 of the inner plug 4A engages with the band-shaped groove 26 of the mouth portion 2A, and the short hanging piece 49 engages with the outer peripheral recess 27, thereby restricting the rotation of the inner plug 4A relative to the container body 3A. The cross-sectional view in Figure 8 shows a cross-section where the long hanging piece 48 and the band-shaped groove 26 are engaged.

As described above, the connecting ring 45A of the center plug 4A has an annular protrusion 45P on the outer surface thereof, and the mounting ring 5A has a number of rib protrusions 53A on the inner edge of the upper end ring 55 thereof. During the manufacturing stage, the rib protrusions 53A of the mounting ring 5A ride over the annular protrusion 45P and connect the mounting ring 5A to the center plug 4A so as to face the connecting ring 45A. The height of the region below the annular protrusion 45P of the connecting ring 45A (length A in FIG. 9) is longer than the thickness of the rib protrusions 53.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the attachment ring 5A and the inner plug 4A of the plug mechanism 6A are removed from the container body 3A (when the plug mechanism 6A is independent), the inner plug 4A can rotate freely relative to the attachment ring 5A, and its vertical position can be moved within the range indicated by arrow A in Figure 8. In more detail, when the plug mechanism 6A is independent, the hanging piece 48 is engaged with a larger play than in the configuration of the first embodiment, and can be moved to a position where it protrudes from the lower end of the attachment ring 5A.

In this embodiment, when attaching or detaching the plug mechanism 6A from the engaged state of the container 7A, the attachment ring 5A is rotated relative to the container body 3A while gripping the container body 3A and applying a force equal to or greater than a predetermined force. This causes the attachment ring 5A to rotate relative to the mouth portion 2A while the inner plug 4A is restricted in the rotational direction, gradually releasing the screw engagement between the attachment ring 5A and the mouth portion 2A.

Then, by further rotating the mounting ring 5A relative to the container body 3A, the screw engagement between the mounting ring 5A and the mouth portion 2A is completely released, and then by lifting the plug mechanism 6A relative to the container body 3A, the long hanging piece 48 of the inner plug 4A comes out of the band-shaped groove 26 of the mouth portion 2A, and the engagement between the inner plug 4A and the mouth portion 2A is released.

On the other hand, when attaching the plug mechanism 6A from a separated state, first, while rotating the plug mechanism 6A, align the long hanging piece 48 of the inner plug 4A with the position of the long band-shaped groove 26 of the mouth portion 2A, and insert the long hanging piece 48 into the long band-shaped groove 26. At this time, the short hanging piece 49 fits into the outer peripheral recess 27.

Then, while holding the container body 3A, the mounting ring 5A is rotated relative to the container body 3A, and the screw engagement between the mounting ring 5A and the mouth portion 2A begins. With the inner plug 4A restricted in the rotational direction, the mounting ring 5A rotates relative to the container body 3A, moving closer to the storage portion 1, and the screw engagement between the mounting ring 5A and the mouth portion 2A progresses to the ends of the helical protrusions 25A and 54A.

When attached in this manner, the mounting ring 5A is screwed into the mouth 2A, and the inner plug 4A is restricted from rotating relative to the mouth 2A, so the plug mechanism 6A is restricted from rotating relative to the container body 3A.

The above-described engagement configuration also prevents the container 7A of this embodiment from rotating the inner plug 4A when the cap 8 is opened or closed. Furthermore, because the plug mechanism 6 is removable, the contents in the storage section 1 can be used up to the last drop.

Third Embodiment
Next, a container according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The configuration of the container according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figs.

Figure 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the mouth of a capped container 10B of the third embodiment. Figure 13 is a perspective view of the inner plug of the third embodiment. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the removed attachment ring 5A, inner plug 4B, and cap 8B in the third embodiment. Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the attachment ring 5A and inner plug 4B have been removed from the container body 3B of the third embodiment. Figure 15 shows the inner plug 4B in a see-through state within the attachment ring 5A.

Referring to Figures 12 and 13, the lower mounting portion 43B of the nozzle 41 of the plug 4B of this embodiment is provided with an annular closure plate 441, a connecting ring 45B, an outer annular plate 442, an annular protrusion 45Q, an inner cylinder 46, and multiple hanging pieces 49B, as in the second embodiment, but differs in that the long hanging piece 48 is not provided. Also, in the connecting ring 45B of this embodiment, the position of the annular protrusion 45Q is lower than in the second embodiment. It is preferable that the number of hanging pieces 49B in this embodiment is an even number, and in this example, an example is shown in which there are four hanging pieces, 491, 492, 493, and 494.

Referring to Figures 12 and 14, the configuration of the mounting ring 5A of this embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment, and includes a thin-walled portion 52 with a helical protrusion 54 and multiple inner peripheral recesses 56, a thick-walled portion 51A, and an upper end ring 55 with multiple rib protrusions 53A.

In this embodiment, as in the second embodiment, during the manufacturing stage, the rib protrusion 53A of the mounting ring 5A rides over the annular protrusion 45Q of the inner plug 4B, connecting the mounting ring 5 and the inner plug 4B so that they face the connecting ring 45B.

In this embodiment, the position of the annular protrusion 45Q is lower than in the second embodiment, so when the mounting ring 5A and the inner plug 4B are removed from the container body 3B, i.e., when they are independent as the plug mechanism 6B, the inner plug 4B is freely rotatable relative to the mounting ring 5A and is engaged with a slight amount of play (less than in the second embodiment) in the vertical position.

Referring to Figures 12 and 15, the configuration of the mouth portion 2B is significantly different from the first and second embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 12, in the mouth 2B, the tube portion above the ring side shoulder 23 has an inner surface that, from the top (tip side), is made up of a small diameter tube 21B and a large diameter tube 22B, and the outer surface of the tube portion has a thin wall region 200n and a thick wall region 200k from the top.

Referring to FIG. 15, the lower thick region 200k is formed with a spiral groove 29 that threadably engages with the spiral protrusion 54 of the mounting ring 5A. In addition, the thick region 200k is formed with a plurality of strip-shaped grooves 26B that extend vertically from the thin region 200n to interrupt the spiral groove 29.

The thin-walled region 200n is a region on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 2B, from the upper end to a step ST parallel to the upper end, where the outside is thin. Note that in the figure, the cross section ST is shown as being parallel to the upper end, but the cross section ST that is the boundary of the region may be inclined so as to be parallel to the spiral groove.

In the thin-walled regions 200n, a plurality of rib protrusions 28 are provided that extend in the vertical direction from the upper end of the mouth portion 2B to the step surface ST, with one of the groove walls 261 that defines each groove of the band-shaped groove 26B as the first circumferential side. In other words, the upper end of the mouth portion 2B is provided with a plurality of thin-walled regions 200n and a plurality of rib protrusions 28 alternately provided in the circumferential direction, and the circumferential length of each rib protrusion 28 is shorter than that of the thin-walled regions 200n. As shown in FIG. 15, the rib protrusions 28 are thinner in the outer circumferential direction than the thick-walled regions 200k.

The cap 8B that engages with the container 7B may have a double-tube structure. The cap 8B shown in FIG. 12 has a top-top cylindrical outer cap 86 and a generally cylindrical inner cap 87. The outer cap 86 has a top surface 81B and an outer wall 841. The inner cap 87 has an inner outer wall 842 that contacts the outer wall 841 of the outer cap 86, an inner tube 83B with a spiral groove 85B, and an inner top surface 88 spaced from the top surface 81B. A hanging plug 82B that closes the small hole 40 of the nozzle 41 is provided at the apex of the inner top surface. In addition, it is preferable that a rotation stopper protrusion or rotation stopper groove (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the inner outer wall 842 of the inner cap 87, which engages with the paired nozzle protrusion 41P (see FIG. 13) of the nozzle 41 when the rotation of the cap 8B is completed.

In this embodiment, some of the hanging pieces 491, 493 of the hanging pieces 49B of the inner plug 4B engage with the band-shaped groove 26B.

In more detail, in this embodiment, when attaching or detaching the plug mechanism 6B from the engaged state of the container 7B, the attachment ring 5A is rotated relative to the container body 3B while gripping the container body 3B and applying a force equal to or greater than a predetermined force, so that the attachment ring 5A rotates relative to the mouth portion 2B while the inner plug 4B is restricted in the rotational direction, and the screw engagement between the attachment ring 5A and the mouth portion 2B is gradually released.

Then, by rotating the mounting ring 5A relative to the container body 3B, the inner plug 4B also gradually moves upward relative to the mouth 2B, and along the way, some of the hanging pieces 491, 493 of the hanging piece 49B of the inner plug 4B come out upward from the groove-shaped groove 46B.

From this state, by further rotating the mounting ring 5A relative to the container body 3B, the lower end of the hanging piece 49B of the inner plug 4B moves circumferentially while sliding on the step surface ST. Then, at the same time as or before the sliding hanging piece 49B hits the rib protrusion 28, it reaches the end of the screw engagement between the spiral groove 29 and the spiral protrusion 54, and by lifting the plug mechanism 6B from there, the plug mechanism 6B moves away from the mouth portion 2B.

On the other hand, the operation when attaching the plug mechanism 6B will be explained using Figure 16. Figure 16 is an explanatory diagram of the movement when attaching the plug mechanism to the mouth part in the third embodiment. Note that while Figure 16 shows hanging pieces 491 and 492, hanging piece 493 moves in the same way as hanging piece 491, and hanging piece 494 moves in the same way as hanging piece 492.

When the mounting ring 5B and the plug 4B are attached to the mouth 2B, if the user moves the plug mechanism 6B closer to the mouth 2B and rotates it, some of the hanging pieces 491, 493 of the hanging pieces 49B of the plug 4B slide over the step ST between the thin region 200n and the thick region 200k of the mouth 2B, as shown in FIG. 16(a).

Then, as shown in FIG. 16(b), some of the hanging pieces 491 and 493 of the hanging piece 49B are guided into the band-shaped groove 26B.

When some of the hanging pieces 491, 493 are guided into the band-shaped groove 26B and move downward relative to the band-shaped groove 26B to fit into and engage with it, as shown in FIG. 16(c), one side of the other hanging pieces 492, 494 of the multiple hanging pieces 49B comes into contact with the circumferential side edge 38S of the rib protrusion 28, restricting the rotation of the mounting ring 5A and inner plug 4B relative to the container body 3B.

Then, by further rotating the mounting ring 5A while holding the container body 3B, the mounting ring 5A begins to threadably engage with the mouth 2B, and while the inner plug 4B is restricted in the rotational direction, the mounting ring 5A approaches the container section 1 while rotating relative to the mouth 2B, and the threaded engagement between the mounting ring 5A and the mouth 2B progresses to the end of the helical groove 29 and the helical protrusion 54.

In this manner, when attached, the mounting ring is screwed into the mouth, and the inner plug 4B is restricted from rotating relative to the mouth 2B, so the plug mechanism 6B is restricted from rotating relative to the container body 3A.

The above-mentioned engagement configuration also prevents the inner plug 4B of the container 7B of this embodiment from rotating when the cap is opened or closed. Furthermore, because the plug mechanism 6B is removable, the contents in the storage section 1 can be used up to the last drop.

Furthermore, in the configuration of this embodiment, when attaching the plug mechanism 6B, the user does not need to consciously align the hanging pieces 49B with the band-shaped groove 26B; simply by rotating as shown in FIG. 16, some of the hanging pieces 49B, 491 and 493, automatically engage with the band-shaped groove 26B as the piece rotates. This makes it easier to attach the plug mechanism 6B to the container body 3B.

The above describes in detail preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the embodiments of the present invention described in the claims.

This international application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-210917, filed on December 27, 2022, and the entire contents of No. 2022-210917 are incorporated by reference into this international application.

1. Storage section (tube)
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 Tube shoulder 12 Body 13 Tail 2, 2A, 2B Mouth 200 Main tube 200k Thick region 200n Thin region 21, 21B Small diameter tube 22, 22B Large diameter tube 23 Ring side shoulder 24 Protrusion (rotation restriction protrusion, bump protrusion)
25, 25A Spiral protrusion 26, 26B Band-shaped groove 27 Outer peripheral recess 28 Rib protrusion 29 Spiral groove 3, 3A, 3B Container body (refill container)
4. Inner plug (plug body)
40 Small hole 41 Nozzle 41n Narrow nozzle 41k Wide nozzle 42 Spiral projection 43 Mounting portion 44, 441 Annular closure plate 45 Outer cylinder 45A, 45B Connection ring 45P, 45Q Annular projection 46 Inner cylinder 47 Multiple teeth 47 Tooth groove 48 Long pendant piece 49 Short pendant piece (pendant piece)
49B Hanging piece 491, 493 Hanging piece (part of hanging piece)
492, 494 Hanging piece (other hanging piece)
5, 5A Mounting ring 51 Thick wall portion 52 Thin wall portion 53, 53A Rib protrusion 54 Spiral protrusion 55 Upper end ring 6, 6A, 6B Plug mechanism 7, 7A, 7B Container (tube container)
8, 8B Cap 10, 10A, 10B Container with cap ST Step

Claims

A container engageable with a cap,
a container body including a storage section for storing contents and a mouth section tightly fixed to an upper end of the storage section;
A nozzle that protrudes upward and has a spiral projection on its outer circumferential surface, and an attachment portion that is located below the nozzle and has an inner plug that covers an upper end of the mouth portion;
a mounting ring that covers the outside of the mounting portion of the inside plug and engages with the mouth portion from an outer circumferential side,
the cap is threadably engageable with the nozzle;
The mounting ring and the inside plug can be removed from the mouth of the container body by rotating the mounting ring relative to the mouth.
When the container is in an assembled state, rotation of the inside plug relative to the mouth portion is restricted.
a helical protrusion that threadably engages with the mounting ring and a plurality of rotation restriction protrusions that are located above the helical protrusion and near the upper end of the mouth portion are provided on an outer circumferential surface of the mouth portion;
The mounting portion of the inside plug below the nozzle is provided with a cylindrical portion having a plurality of internal gear-like teeth formed on a lower end of an inner surface thereof,
2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rotation-restricting protrusions of the mouth portion are sandwiched in tooth grooves located between each of the plurality of teeth of the inside plug, thereby restricting rotation of the mounting ring and the inside plug relative to the mouth portion.
The mounting portion of the inside plug below the nozzle is provided with a long hanging piece and a short hanging piece in the vertical direction on a radial outer edge,
The outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion is provided with a helical protrusion that threadably engages with the mounting ring, a long strip-shaped groove that extends vertically so as to interrupt the helical protrusion, and a short strip-shaped groove that is located near the upper end of the mouth portion and does not contact the helical protrusion,
2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the long hanging piece of the inside plug engages with the long band-shaped groove, and the short hanging piece engages with the short band-shaped groove, thereby restricting rotation of the mounting ring and the inside plug relative to the container body.
The attachment portion of the inside plug is provided with a plurality of hanging pieces below the nozzle,
an outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion has a thick-walled region in which a spiral groove that threadably engages with the mounting ring is formed, and a thin-walled region from an upper end of the mouth portion to a step at an upper end of the thick-walled region;
A plurality of band-shaped grooves are formed in the thick-walled region, the band-shaped grooves extending vertically from the thin-walled region so as to interrupt the spiral groove,
a plurality of rib protrusions are provided in the thin-walled region, the rib protrusions extending in a vertical direction from an upper end of the mouth portion to the step with one groove wall defining each of the plurality of belt-shaped grooves as a first circumferential side,
The container according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the plurality of hanging pieces of the inside plug engage with the band-shaped groove.
When the mounting ring and the inside plug are attached to the mouth portion, the plurality of hanging pieces slide along a step surface between the thin-walled region and the thick-walled region, and some of the hanging pieces are guided into the band-shaped groove,
The container according to claim 4, wherein when some of the hanging pieces are guided into and engaged with the band-shaped groove, one side of another of the plurality of hanging pieces contacts a circumferential side edge of the rib protrusion, thereby restricting rotation of the mounting ring and the inner plug relative to the container body.
2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the mounting ring and the inside plug are engaged with each other so that the inside plug is rotatable relative to the mounting ring with some play in the vertical direction when the inside plug is removed from the container body.
The container according to claim 1 , wherein the container body is replaceable as a refill, with respect to the inside plug and the mounting ring.
A container according to any one of claims 1 to 7;
A capped container comprising: a cap that is threadably engageable with the nozzle of the container.
A plug mechanism to be attached to a mouth of a container body of a container,
A spiral protrusion is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the mouth of the container body,
The plug mechanism is
a nozzle protruding upward and a mounting portion located below the nozzle, the mounting portion being formed on the inner plug covering the upper end of the mouth portion;
a mounting ring that covers the outside of the mounting portion of the inside plug and engages with the mouth portion from an outer circumferential side,
When the plug mechanism is attached to the container body, the inside plug is restricted from rotating relative to the mouth portion,
The plug mechanism is detachable from the mouth of the container body by rotating the attachment ring relative to the mouth.
A plug mechanism according to claim 9 ;
A capped plug mechanism comprising a cap engageable with the plug mechanism,
A helical protrusion is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle,
the cap is threadably engageable with the nozzle;
The plug mechanism can be removed from the mouth of the container body together with the cap by rotating the mounting ring relative to the mouth.