U.S. patent application number 10/825806 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-18 for sealing mechanism for a vessel wherein materials are isolated and stored and method to seal the vessel.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nippon Tansan Gas Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Takahashi, Masashi, Yoshiwara, Tetsuo.
Application Number | 20040226835 10/825806 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33028384 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040226835 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Takahashi, Masashi ; et
al. |
November 18, 2004 |
Sealing mechanism for a vessel wherein materials are isolated and
stored and method to seal the vessel
Abstract
A sealing mechanism relating to the present invention is for a
vessel which can be closed by a cap having a plug portion and a
seal plug. The plug portion has a top wall, a side wall and a
cylindrical wall. The cylindrical wall forms a receiving chamber
arranged to be closed by the seal plug. The vessel has a protruding
portion in its opening portion. An outer circumferential portion of
the seal plug projects from an outer circumferential surface of the
cylindrical wall and is allowed to pass the protruding portion in
direction for insertion to the vessel but not for pulling off. A
method relating to the present invention to seal the vessel
comprises constructing the vessel, charging a first material in the
vessel, and closing the vessel by the cap charged with a second
material in its receiving chamber and already sealed with the seal
plug.
Inventors: |
Takahashi, Masashi;
(Kashiwa-shi, JP) ; Yoshiwara, Tetsuo;
(Saitama-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KODA & ANDROLIA
2029 CENTURY PARK EAST
SUITE 1430
LOS ANGELES
CA
90067-3024
US
|
Assignee: |
Nippon Tansan Gas Co., Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
33028384 |
Appl. No.: |
10/825806 |
Filed: |
April 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/219 ;
206/222 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 51/2878 20130101;
B65D 41/3447 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/219 ;
206/222 |
International
Class: |
B65D 025/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 15, 2003 |
JP |
2003-136860 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A sealing mechanism for a vessel (2 or 20) which can be closed
by a cap (1) having a plug portion (4) and a seal plug (5), wherein
said plug portion (4) has a top wall (11) to cover an opening
portion (3) of the vessel (2), a side wall (12) and a cylindrical
wall (15) respectively projecting from said top wall (11) along an
axis (X) of said plug portion (4), said side wall (12) having an
inner circumferential surface arranged to fit on an outer
circumferential surface of said opening portion (3), said
cylindrical wall (15) being inside of said side wall (12) and
forming a receiving chamber (14) having an opening (13) at its
lower end face, said seal plug (5) closes said opening (13) by
being fixed to said cylindrical wall (15) and has an outer
circumferential portion (16) projecting from an outer
circumferential surface of said cylindrical wall (15), said vessel
(2 or 20) has a protruding portion (22) in its opening portion (3),
said outer circumferential portion (16) of said seal plug (5) is
allowed to pass said protruding portion (22) in direction for
insertion to said vessel (2 or 20) but not for pulling off.
2. A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
protruding portion (22) is formed on an inner surface of a through
hole (21) of a sleeve (6) being arranged to be fixed to said
opening portion (3).
3. A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sleeve
(6) has a flange portion (23) arranged to fit on a top surface of
said opening portion (3) on an end portion.
4. A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said opening
portion (3) forms said vessel (20) by being connected to a storage
portion (7) and said protruding portion (22) is formed on an inner
surface of said opening portion (3).
5. A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein said opening
portion (3) and said storage portion (7) have flanges (24 and 25)
arranged to be suite each other on each joint portion (3a or
7a).
6. Method to seal a vessel (2 or 20) by using a cap (1) having a
plug portion (4) and a seal plug (5), said plug portion (4) having
a top wall (11) to cover an opening portion (3) of the vessel (2),
a side wall (12) and a cylindrical wall (15) respectively
projecting from said top wall (11) along an axis (X) of said plug
portion (4), said side wall (12) having an inner circumferential
surface arranged to fit on an outer circumferential surface of said
opening portion (3), a cylindrical wall (15) being inside of said
side wall (12) and forming a receiving chamber (14) having an
opening (13) at its lower end face, said seal plug (5) being
arranged to close said opening (13) by being fixed to said
cylindrical wall (15) and having an outer circumferential portion
(16) projecting from an outer circumferential surface of said
cylindrical wall (15), said opening portion (3) having an
protruding portion (22) in its opening portion, said protruding
portion (22) being arranged to allow said seal plug (5) passing in
direction for insertion to said vessel (2 or 20) but not for
pulling off, which method comprising: constructing said vessel (2
or 20); charging a first material (31) in said vessel (2 or 20);
closing said vessel (20) by said cap (1) charged with a second
material (32) in its said receiving chamber (14) and already sealed
with said seal plug (5).
7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein a sleeve (6) having said
protruding portion (22) on an inner surface of a through hole (21)
is inserted into the opening portion (3) in said constructing said
vessel (2).
8. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said opening portion (3)
having said protruding portion (22) on its inner surface is
connected to a storage portion (7) in said constructing said vessel
(2).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to sealing mechanisms for a vessel.
Such vessels can preserve products having several raw materials, a
refreshing drink for example, in a single vessel by isolating the
raw materials from each other until they are mixed when ready to be
used. The invention also relates to methods to seal such the
vessel.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] A medicine to be used mixing two agents, a refreshing drink
produced by mixing a raw material into a liquid or the like
occasionally changes in quality when they have not been used or
consumed for a long time after they were mixed, because the mixed
agents react or the raw material mixed into the liquid deteriorates
under the influence of sunlight or oxygen in the air. Therefore, as
a way to preserve these liquids or the like in a condition where
the original qualities are kept, a proposed method is such that of
providing a receiving chamber for a raw material in a cap seals the
vessel including the liquid inside so as the raw material and the
liquid to be mixed are isolated and preserved. Then as a means to
make the method into practice, the applicant of the present
invention proposed a sealing mechanism for a vessel with a cap
closure disclosed in Japanese patent application No 2002-238815
(called "the first prior art" below).
[0005] This sealing mechanism of the first prior art comprises a
cap and a vessel having opening portion, and is characterized in a
structure of the cap. Namely, the cap used in the sealing mechanism
has a structure wherein a plug portion having a top wall to cover
the vessel fits on an outer circumferential surface of the opening
portion by an inner surface of a side wall projecting from the top
wall along an axis of itself. Further, in the structure, a
receiving chamber is formed by a cylindrical wall projecting from
the top wall in the side wall of the plug portion, a seal plug to
seal the receiving chamber is arranged to separate from the
cylindrical wall by a sleeve loosely fitting on the cylindrical
wall. In the case of the sleeve, it is prevented from being pulled
out from the vessel by a flexible projecting portion having outer
diameter larger than inner diameter of the opening portion. Also
the projecting portion has flexibility to allow to pass the inner
diameter by bending and subsequently resist backward movement.
Then, because of its structure, it can be inserted inside the
vessel easily but not be pull out from the vessel after
insertion.
[0006] As other means to form the receiving chamber for materials
in the cap of the vessel, there are bottle caps disclosed in
Japanese patent publication No. 2003-2350 (called "the second prior
art" below) or Japanese utility model publication No S44-12957,
S50-18846 (called "the third prior art" below).
[0007] The bottle cap of the second prior art comprising a first
portion to be fixed and a removable second portion separably
screwed and coupled with each other. Further, the first portion has
a through hole on its axis line, and the removable portion has an
inner plug portion pierces the through hole. The inner plug portion
opens in relating movement of the removable portion to the first
portion fixed to the vessel, and the material charged and sealed in
the receiving chamber of the inner plug portion is arranged to
spout by pressurized gas.
[0008] In the case of the bottle cap of the third prior means, a
receiving chamber formed in a cap is arranged to be sealed by an
inner cap characterized in its structure. Here, the inner cap has a
bottom plate being larger in diameter than inner diameter of an
opening portion of a vessel and having flexible rim portion. The
rim portion of the bottom plate is shaped to hardly bend downward
at settled condition. When the cap seals the vessel, the rim
portion of the bottom plate of the inner cap inserted with the
receiving chamber into the opening portion bents upwardly and
shrinks, but as passes the opening portion and reaches to extended
wide portion of the vessel it returns to original state and is
fixed. When the vessel is opened, while the cap moves upwardly, the
inner cap is held inside the vessel as its rim portion of the
bottom plate engages to inner surface of the opening portion and is
fixed there, but at last the inner cap drops off the receiving
chamber and the receiving chamber opens.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] However, in the both case of the first and second prior arts
described above, before the receiving chamber is sealed by the seal
plug, some member to open the receiving chamber, namely the first
portion or the sleeve, has to be positioned around the receiving
chamber and a space is formed between the receiving chamber and the
member to open the receiving chamber. Then, in the situation where
the cap containing the material dropped and remained in the space
is fixed on the vessel, there is a problem bacteria are generated
in the space as the liquid flows in the space. Further, because the
space between the receiving chamber and the member to open the
receiving chamber is narrow, it is extremely difficult to clear the
material drops in to the space.
[0010] In the case of the third prior art, any member is not
positioned around the receiving chamber. However, its structure has
to be arranged to suite the shape of the vessel. Especially, in
case where the opening portion of the vessel is extremely long or
short, there is a problem that it is hardly applied. Further, in
case where the rim portion of the bottom plate of the inner cap is
made to bent downward too much by production error or other
reasons, the inner cap is afraid to stuck in the opening portion as
it moves upwardly with the cap when the vessel is opened and to
plug the vessel without dropping from there.
[0011] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a sealing
mechanism and a method more favorable to provide a receiving
chamber for a raw material in a cap seals a vessel including a
liquid inside so as the raw material and the liquid to be mixed are
isolated and preserved. Namely, such mechanism and method enable to
make sealed receiving chamber smoothly opens without positioning
any member around it, can be applied regardless of the shape of the
vessel, and can release the material stored in the receiving
chamber at high reliability without plugging the vessel.
[0012] A sealing mechanism relating to the present invention is for
a vessel which can be closed by a cap having a plug portion and a
seal plug.
[0013] The plug portion has a top wall to cover the opening portion
of the vessel, a side wall and a cylindrical wall respectively
projects from the top wall along an axis of the plug portion. The
side wall has an inner circumferential surface arranged to fit on
an outer circumferential surface of the opening portion. The
cylindrical wall is inside of the side wall and forms a receiving
chamber having an opening at its lower end face. The seal plug
closes the opening by being fixed to the cylindrical wall and has
an outer circumferential portion projecting from an outer
circumferential surface of the cylindrical wall.
[0014] The vessel has a protruding portion in its opening
portion.
[0015] The outer circumferential portion of the seal plug is
allowed to pass the protruding portion in direction for insertion
to the vessel but not for pulling off.
[0016] In such a sealing mechanism, because the outer
circumferential portion of the seal plug is allowed to pass the
protruding portion in direction for insertion to the vessel, the
cylindrical wall can be inserted into the opening portion after
sealing the receiving chamber by seal plug. Further, because the
outer circumferential portion of the seal plug is not allowed to
pass the protruding portion in direction for pulling off, the seal
plug drops off the cylindrical wall by function of the outer
circumferential portion and the protruding portion as the cap moves
in direction where its cylindrical wall is to be pulled off the
vessel. Therefore, it is possible to make sealed receiving chamber
smoothly opens without positioning any member around the receiving
chamber.
[0017] Further, by using the protruding portion, the opening
portion is prevented from plugging with the seal plug and the
material stored in the receiving chamber can be released at high
reliability without plugging the vessel.
[0018] The protruding portion may be formed on an inner surface of
a through hole of a sleeve being arranged to be fixed to the
opening portion.
[0019] In this case, because the protruding portion is formed on
the sleeve to be fixed to the vessel, this mechanism can be applied
regardless of the shape of the vessel by arranging the sleeve in
suitable shape.
[0020] The sleeve may have a flange portion arranged to fit on a
top surface of the opening portion on an end portion.
[0021] In this case, the sleeve can be easily fixed to the vessel
by welding or other method using the flange.
[0022] The opening portion may form the vessel by being connected
to a storage portion and the protruding portion may be formed on an
inner surface of the opening portion.
[0023] In this case, because of being a set of the opening portion
and the storage portion, out of which set only the opening portion
being required to be shaped specially to this mechanism, the vessel
keeps to have common shape in the storage portion and can be used
in general purpose. Therefore, this mechanism can be applied
without strongly influenced by the shape of such the vessel that is
not special but can be used in general purpose.
[0024] The flanges arranged to be suite each other may be formed on
joint portions connect the opening portion and the storage
portion.
[0025] In this case, the opening portion and the storage portion
can be easily connected by welding or other method using the
flanges.
[0026] The method relating to the present invention use members
construct aforesaid first sealing mechanism, namely, the cap and
the vessel with the protruding portion arranged to allow the seal
plug passing in direction for insertion but not for pulling off.
Then the method comprises constructing the vessel, charging a first
material in the vessel, and closing the vessel by the cap charged
with a second material in its receiving chamber and already sealed
with the seal plug.
[0027] In such method, a step of positioning some member to open
the receiving chamber around the cylindrical wall, namely a step of
inserting the cylindrical wall into the vessel having the
protruding portion, comes after a step of charging the material
into the receiving chamber. Further, because the protruding portion
of the vessel is arranged to allow the seal plug passing in
direction for insertion but not for pulling off, the seal plug
drops off the cylindrical wall by function of the outer
circumferential portion and the protruding portion as the cap moves
in direction where its cylindrical wall is to be pulled off the
opening portion after sealing the vessel. Therefore, it is possible
to make sealed receiving chamber smoothly opens without positioning
any member around the receiving chamber. Further, the material
dropped around the receiving chamber during charging step can be
removed easily and the space between the receiving chamber and the
member to open the receiving chamber is prevented from bacteria
being generated.
[0028] In the method, the vessel is constructed according to the
sealing mechanism used there. Namely, a sleeve having said
protruding portion on an inner surface of a through hole may be
inserted into the opening portion or the opening portion having the
protruding portion on its inner surface may be connected to a
storage portion in said constructing said vessel.
[0029] However, the protruding portion is formed on the inner
surface of the opening portion and arranged to allow the seal plug
passing in direction for insertion but not for pulling off, and the
sealing mechanism using such the vessel that having function to
open the seal plug is applied, it is possible to make sealed
receiving chamber smoothly opens dispensing with a step of
positioning some member around the receiving chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a front section showing a vessel, a cap and a
sleeve of an embodiment of a sealing mechanism relating to the
present invention in a condition where the vessel is opened.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows the functioning state of the sealing mechanism,
FIG. 2(a) being a front section of condition before a receiving
chamber is opened and FIG. 2(b) being a front section of condition
after the receiving chamber is opened.
[0032] FIG. 3 shows a step of charging a first material into a
vessel in an embodiment of a sealing method relating to the present
invention, FIG. 3(a) being a front section of condition before a
sleeve is fixed to the vessel and FIG. 3(b) being a front section
of condition where the first material is being charged into the
vessel.
[0033] FIG. 4 shows a step of charging a second material into the
cap in the sealing method, FIG. 4(a) being a front section of
condition where the second material is being charged into a cap,
FIG. 4(b) being a front section of condition where a receiving
chamber is sealed by a seal plug and FIG. 4(c) being a front
section of condition where the second material dropped around the
receiving chamber is being removed.
[0034] FIG. 5 is a front section showing a vessel and a cap of
another embodiment of the sealing mechanism relating to the present
invention in a condition where the vessel is opened.
[0035] FIG. 6 shows the functioning state of the sealing mechanism,
FIG. 6(a) being a front section of condition before a receiving
chamber is opened and FIG. 6(b) being a front section of condition
after the receiving chamber is opened.
[0036] FIG. 7 shows a step of charging a first material into the
vessel in another embodiment of the sealing method relating to the
present invention, FIG. 7(a) being a front section of condition
before an opening portion is connected to the storage portion and
FIG. 7(b) being a front section of condition where the first
material is being charged into a vessel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0037] In FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of the sealing mechanism
relates to the present invention is shown. FIG. 1 is a front
section shows the vessel, the cap and the sleeve of the sealing
mechanism in a condition where the vessel is opened. FIG. 2 shows
the functioning state of the sealing mechanism, FIG. 2(a) being a
front section of condition before the receiving chamber is opened
and FIG. 2(b) being a front section of condition after the
receiving chamber is opened.
[0038] This sealing mechanism is for a vessel 2 which can be closed
by a cap 1 and has a sleeve 6.
[0039] The vessel 2 has an opening portion 3 and the cap 1 has a
plug portion 4 and a seal plug 5. The plug portion 4 has a top wall
11 to cover the opening portion 3 of the vessel 2, a side wall 12
and a cylindrical wall 15 respectively projects from the top wall
11 along an axis X of the plug portion 4. The side wall 12 has an
inner circumferential surface arranged to fit on an outer
circumferential surface of the opening portion 3. The cylindrical
wall 15 is inside of the side wall 12 and forms a receiving chamber
14 having an opening 13 at its lower end face. The seal plug 5
closes the opening 13 by being fixed to the cylindrical wall 15 and
has an outer circumferential portion 16 projecting from an outer
circumferential surface of the cylindrical wall 15.
[0040] The sleeve 6 is arranged to be fixed to the opening portion
3 of the vessel 2 and has a protruding portion 22 on an inner
surface of a through hole 21.
[0041] The outer circumferential portion 16 of the seal plug 5 is
allowed to pass the protruding portion 22 in direction for
insertion but not for pulling off.
[0042] In such the sealing mechanism, because the outer
circumferential portion 16 of the seal plug 5 is allowed to pass
the protruding portion 22 in direction for insertion, the
cylindrical wall 15 can be inserted into the sleeve 6 after sealing
the receiving chamber 14 by seal plug 5. Further, because the outer
circumferential portion 16 of the seal plug 5 is not allowed to
pass the protruding portion 22 in direction for pulling off, the
seal plug 5 drops off the cylindrical wall 15 by function of the
outer circumferential portion 16 and the protruding portion 22 as
the cap 1 moves in direction where its cylindrical wall 15 is to be
pulled off the sleeve 6. Therefore, it is possible to make sealed
receiving chamber 14 smoothly opens without positioning any members
around the receiving chamber 14.
[0043] Further, because the protruding portion 22 is formed on the
sleeve 6 to be fixed to the vessel 2, this mechanism can be applied
regardless of the shape of the vessel 2 by arranging the sleeve 6
in suitable shape.
[0044] Furthermore, by using the protruding portion 22, the sleeve
6 is prevented from plugging with the seal plug 5 and the material
32 stored in the receiving chamber 14 can be released at high
reliability without plugging the vessel 2.
[0045] The sleeve 6 has a flange portion 23 arranged to fit on a
top surface of the opening portion 3 on an end portion.
[0046] In this figure, the sleeve 6 can be easily fixed to the
vessel 2 by welding or other method using the flange 23.
[0047] On the bottom side of the top wall 11, a packing 33 is
attached.
[0048] In this figure, the vessel 2 can be sealed tightly.
[0049] To the under edge of the side wall 12, a cut-ring 34 is
connected.
[0050] In this figure, as the cap 1 seals the vessel 2, the
cut-ring 34 engages to the vessel 2 as showed in FIG. 2(a), and it
is not able to be opened without cutting a connecting portion 35.
Therefore, the cap 1 is prevented from being opened improperly by a
third party in distribution step.
[0051] The sealing method relating to the present invention can be
put into practice by using the vessel 2, the cap 1 and the sleeve 6
with the protruding portion 22 arranged to allow the seal plug 5
passing in direction for insertion but not for pulling off. An
embodiment of the sealing method relates to the present invention
is explained below referring FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 shows a step of
charging a first material into the vessel, FIG. 3(a) being a front
section of condition before the sleeve is fixed to the vessel and
FIG. 3(b) being a front section of condition where the first
material is being charged into the vessel. FIG. 4 shows a step of
charging a second material into the cap, FIG. 4(a) being a front
section of condition where the second material is being charged
into the cap, FIG. 4(b) being a front section of condition where
the receiving chamber is sealed by the seal plug and FIG. 4(c)
being a front section of condition where the second material
dropped around the receiving chamber is being removed.
[0052] First of all, the sleeve 6 is inserted into the opening
portion 3 of the vessel 2. Next, the flange 23 is welded on the top
surface of the opening portion 3 by pressing and heating and
consequently the sleeve 6 is fixed to the opening portion 3 of the
vessel 2. Then as shown in FIG. 3(b), the first material 31 is
charged into the vessel 2. In this sealing method, though a liquid
is charged as the first material 31, the form of the first material
is not limited and a powder or a solid also may be charged into the
vessel 2.
[0053] Besides charging the first material 31, a second material 32
is charged into the receiving chamber 14 of the cap 1. Namely, as
shown in FIG. 4, the second material 32 is charged into the
receiving chamber 14 opening (FIG. 4(a)), next, the opening 13 of
the receiving chamber 14 is sealed with the seal plug 5 (FIG.
4(b)), and then the second material 32 dropped around the receiving
chamber 14 is removed by blowing the air (FIG. 4(c)). In this
sealing method, the order of the step of charging the first
material and the step of charging the second material is not
limited. Either step may come before, or both steps may be parallel
if facilities or other conditions allow it.
[0054] After completion of charging both materials 31, 32, as the
last step, the cylindrical wall 15 is inserted into the through
hole 21 of the sleeve 6 till the outer circumferential portion 16
of the seal plug 5 engages to the protruding portion 22. Then
consequently the vessel 2 is sealed by the cap 1 already sealed by
the seal plug 5.
[0055] In such the sealing method, a step of positioning the sleeve
6 around the cylindrical wall 15, namely a step of inserting the
cylindrical wall 15 into the sleeve 6, comes after a step of
charging the material into the receiving chamber 14. Further,
because the protruding portion 22 of the sleeve 6 is arranged to
allow the seal plug 5 passing in direction for insertion but not
for pulling off, the seal plug 5 drops off the cylindrical wall 15
by function of the outer circumferential portion 16 and the
protruding portion 22 as the cap 1 moves in direction where its
cylindrical wall 15 is to be pulled off the opening portion 3 after
sealing the vessel 2. Therefore, it is possible to make sealed
receiving chamber 14 smoothly opens without positioning any members
around the receiving chamber 14. Further, the material dropped
around the receiving chamber 14 during charging step can be removed
easily and the space between the cap 1 and the sleeve 6 is
prevented from bacteria being generated.
[0056] In FIGS. 5 and 6, another embodiment of the sealing
mechanism relates to the present invention is shown. FIG. 5 is a
front section shows the vessel and the cap of the sealing mechanism
in a condition where the vessel is opened. FIG. 6 shows the
functioning state of the sealing mechanism, FIG. 6(a) being a front
section of condition before the receiving chamber is opened and
FIG. 6(b) being a front section of condition after the receiving
chamber is opened. In this embodiment, same symbols are used to the
portion substantially same as aforesaid embodiment and explanation
thereof is omitted or simplified.
[0057] This sealing mechanism dispenses with the sleeve 6 of
aforesaid sealing mechanism and uses a vessel 20 being a set of an
opening portion 3 and a storage portion 7 instead of the vessel 2.
The opening portion 3 has a protruding portion 22 on its inner
surface. The outer circumferential portion 16 of the seal plug 5 is
allowed to pass the protruding portion 22 in direction for
insertion but not for pulling off.
[0058] In such the sealing mechanism, because the outer
circumferential portion 16 of the seal plug 5 is allowed to pass
the protruding portion 22 in direction for insertion, the
cylindrical wall 15 can be inserted into the opening portion 3 of
the vessel 20 after sealing the receiving chamber by seal plug 5.
Further, because the outer circumferential portion 16 of the seal
plug is not allowed to pass the protruding portion 22 in direction
for pulling off, the seal plug 5 drops off the cylindrical wall 15
by function of the outer circumferential portion 16 and the
protruding portion 22 as the cap 1 moves in direction where its
cylindrical wall 15 is to be pulled off the opening portion 3.
Therefore, it is possible to make sealed receiving chamber 14
smoothly opens without positioning any member around the receiving
chamber 14.
[0059] Further, because of being a set of the opening portion 3 and
the storage portion 7, out of which set only the opening portion 3
being required to be shaped specially to this mechanism, the vessel
20 keeps to have common shape in the storage portion 7 and can be
used in general purpose. Therefore, this mechanism can be applied
without strongly influenced by the shape of such the vessel 20 that
is not special but can be used in general purpose.
[0060] Furthermore, by using the protruding portion 22, the
material stored in the receiving chamber 14 can be released at high
reliability without plugging the vessel 20 with the seal plug
5.
[0061] Flanges 24, 25 arranged to be suite each other are formed on
joint portions connect the opening portion 3 and the storage
portion 7.
[0062] In this case, the opening portion 3 and the storage portion
7 can be easily connected by welding or other method using the
flanges 24, 25.
[0063] The sealing method relating to the present invention can
also be put into practice by using the cap 1 and the vessel 20 with
the protruding portion 22 formed on the inner surface of the
opening portion 3 and arranged to allow the seal plug 5 passing in
direction for insertion but not for pulling off. Another embodiment
of the sealing method relates to the present invention is explained
below referring FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows a step of charging a first
material into the vessel, FIG. 7(a) being a front section of
condition before the opening portion is connected to the storage
portion and FIG. 7(b) being a front section of condition where the
first material is being charged into the vessel.
[0064] First of all, the opening portion 3 is set so as its joint
portion 3a comes bottom, and it put on a joint portion 7a of the
storage portion 7 as the arrow shows in FIG. 7(a). Next, the flange
24 is welded on the flange 25 of the storage portion 7 by pressing
and heating and consequently the vessel 20 is constructed by
connecting the opening portion 3 and the storage portion 7. Then as
shown in FIG. 7(b), the first material 31 is charged into the
vessel 20.
[0065] In the case of the cap 1, a second material 32 is charged
into it as same manner as aforesaid first sealing method. Then as
the last step, the cylindrical wall 15 is inserted into the opening
portion 3 till the outer circumferential portion 16 of the seal
plug 5 engages to the protruding portion 22. Then consequently the
vessel 20 is sealed by the cap 1 already sealed by the seal plug
5.
[0066] In such the sealing method, because the protruding portion
22 is formed on the inner surface of the opening portion 3 and
arranged to allow the seal plug 5 passing in direction for
insertion but not for pulling off, and the sealing mechanism using
such the vessel 20 that having function to open the seal plug 5 is
applied, it is possible to make sealed receiving chamber 14
smoothly opens dispensing with a step of positioning some member
around the receiving chamber 14.
EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
[0067] According to a sealing mechanism relating to the present
invention, it is possible to make sealed receiving chamber smoothly
opens without positioning any member around the receiving chamber.
Further, by using the protruding portion, the sleeve is prevented
from plugging with the seal plug and the material stored in the
receiving chamber can be released at high reliability without
plugging the vessel.
[0068] According to the features of claim 2, the mechanism can be
applied regardless of the shape of the vessel by arranging the
sleeve in suitable shape.
[0069] According to the features of claim 3, the sleeve can be
easily fixed to the vessel.
[0070] According to the feature of claim 4, the mechanism can be
applied without strongly influenced by the shape of such the vessel
that is not special but can be used in general purpose to some
extent.
[0071] According to the features of claim 5, the opening portion
and the storage portion can be easily connected.
[0072] According to a sealing method relating to the present
invention of claim 6, it is possible to make sealed receiving
chamber smoothly opens without positioning any member around the
receiving chamber. Further, the material dropped around the
receiving chamber during charging step can be removed easily and
the space between the receiving chamber and the member to open the
receiving chamber is prevented from bacteria being generated.
[0073] According to the features of claims 7 and 8, the method can
be applied according to the sealing mechanism used there. Further,
as the sealing mechanism using such the vessel that having function
to open the seal plug is applied, it is possible to make sealed
receiving chamber smoothly opens dispensing with a step of
positioning some member around the receiving chamber.
[0074] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No.
2003-136860 filed May 15, 2003 including specification, drawings
and claims is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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