U.S. patent application number 14/904146 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-16 for cap assembly and method for assembling same.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOKAN KOGYO CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is TOKAN KOGYO CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Takeshi ISOBE, Takamitsu ISOGAI, Keita IWAMIZU, Hideyuki MUROI, Souma TAKAMIYA.
Application Number | 20160167849 14/904146 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52279520 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160167849 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ISOGAI; Takamitsu ; et
al. |
June 16, 2016 |
CAP ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING SAME
Abstract
The invention relates to a cap assembly which is put over a
mouth of a bottle, and an assembly method thereof, and provides a
cap assembly which prevents an occurrence of misunderstanding when
opening a cap initially and has good usability, and a method for
assembling thereof. There are included an inner stopper and a cap,
and the inner stopper and the cap are assembled in a state in which
a lid section is received in a receiving section and a protrusion
section is positioned below the lid section, and the lid section is
arranged at a position which is inside the receiving section and
has a space between an inner surface of a shell section and the lid
section, so that an occurrence of misunderstanding by torque
changing before the inner stopper is opened is prevented.
Inventors: |
ISOGAI; Takamitsu; (Tokyo,
JP) ; IWAMIZU; Keita; (Tokyo, JP) ; ISOBE;
Takeshi; (Tokyo, JP) ; MUROI; Hideyuki;
(Tokyo, JP) ; TAKAMIYA; Souma; (Tokyo,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TOKAN KOGYO CO., LTD. |
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
TOKAN KOGYO CO., LTD.
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
52279520 |
Appl. No.: |
14/904146 |
Filed: |
July 12, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
July 12, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2013/069154 |
371 Date: |
January 11, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/296 ;
29/450 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2251/0075 20130101;
B65D 51/228 20130101; B65D 51/22 20130101; B65D 2251/0015 20130101;
B65D 47/36 20130101; B65D 2251/0087 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 51/22 20060101
B65D051/22 |
Claims
1. A cap assembly comprising: an inner stopper that is put over a
mouth of a bottle to close the mouth; and a cap that is put over
the mouth such that the cap covers the inner stopper, wherein the
inner stopper comprises: a main body that includes a hollow section
which has a hollow shape having an upper opening and a lower
opening and communicating with the mouth of the bottle, and whose
lower end section is inserted to the mouth of the bottle, and a
holding section which holds an upper end section of the bottle in
cooperation with the lower end section of the hollow section after
the insertion has been executed; and a lid body that includes a lid
section which spreads above the hollow section such that the lid
section covers the hollow section, and a junction section which is
junctioned circumferentially to an upper end edge of the hollow
section and closes an opening on an upper end of the hollow section
together with the lid section, and that is a component integrated
with the main body, closes the mouth of the bottle together with
the main body, and receives pressing from above to have the
junction section broken so as to become a part separate from the
main body, the cap comprises: a shell section that is formed to be
hollow while opening downward and is put over the mouth of the
bottle while covering the inner stopper; a receiving section that
protrudes downward from an inner side upper surface of the shell
section, has a lower opening section, and receives the lid section
in an inside to surround an edge of the lid section; and a
protrusion section that protrudes inward from an inner
circumference surface of the receiving section, interferes with the
edge of the lid section to cause the lid section to expand the
receiving section when the cap and the inner stopper are assembled,
causes the receiving section to return to an original shape when
the lid section comes to a side of an upper surface of the shell
section so as to be positioned below the lid section, and supports
the lid section after the junction section is broken, and the cap
is coupled with the inner stopper in a state in which the cap
receives the lid section in the receiving section, the protrusion
section is positioned below the lid section, and the lid section is
arranged at a position which is inside the receiving section and
has a space between the lid section and the inner surface of the
shell section.
2. The cap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inner stopper
includes a screw thread which circles helically on an outer
circumference surface of the hollow section, and the cap includes a
screwing section which protrudes in a cylindrical shape and
downward from the inner side upper surface of the shell section,
and has a lower opening section, and on whose inner circumference
surface a screw thread to be screwed to the screw thread of the
inner stopper is formed.
3. The cap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cap includes
on an inner surface of the shell section a screw thread to be
screwed to a screw thread formed in the bottle.
4. The cap assembly according to claim 1, wherein an upper end
surface surrounding the upper opening and being oriented upward of
the hollow section has a gradient rising outward.
5. A method for assembling of assembling a cap assembly, wherein,
the cap assembly comprises: an inner stopper that is put over a
mouth of a bottle to close the mouth; and a cap that is put over
the mouth such that the cap covers the inner stopper, the inner
stopper comprises: a main body that includes a hollow section which
has a hollow shape having an upper opening and a lower opening and
communicating with the mouth of the bottle, and whose lower end
section is inserted to the mouth of the bottle, and a holding
section which holds an upper end section of the bottle in
cooperation with the lower end section of the hollow section after
the insertion has been executed; and a lid body that includes a lid
section which spreads above the hollow section such that the lid
section covers the hollow section, and a junction section which is
junctioned circumferentially to an upper end edge of the hollow
section and closes an opening on an upper end of the hollow section
together with the lid section, and that is a component integrated
with the main body, closes the mouth of the bottle together with
the main body, and receives pressing from above to have the
junction section broken so as to become a part separate from the
main body, the cap comprises: a shell section that is formed to be
hollow while opening downward and is put over the mouth of the
bottle while covering the inner stopper; a receiving section that
protrudes downward from an inner side upper surface of the shell
section, has a lower opening section, and receives the lid section
in an inside to surround an edge of the lid section; and a
protrusion section that protrudes inward from an inner
circumference surface of the receiving section, interferes with the
edge of the lid section to cause the lid section to expand the
receiving section when the cap and the inner stopper are assembled,
causes the receiving section to return to an original shape when
the lid section comes to a side of an upper surface of the shell
section so as to be positioned below the lid section, and supports
the lid section after the junction section is broken, and the
method for assembling is a method for assembling of assembling the
inner stopper and the cap, and the method for assembling comprises:
putting the cap over the inner stopper, and causing the receiving
section to receive the lid section up to a position in which the
protrusion section goes beyond the lid section to be positioned
below the lid section and the space between the lid section and the
inner surface of the shell section becomes relatively narrow; and
moving the cap upward relatively to the inner stopper in a range in
which a state in which the protrusion section is positioned below
the lid section is maintained, so as to expand the space between
the lid section and the inner surface of the shell section.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention is related to a cap assembly which is
put over a mouth of a bottle and a method for assembling of the cap
assembly.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Conventionally, there have been used many containers of
configuration in which, for example, a mouth of a bottle filled
with food having fluidity such as mayonnaise, jam and the like is
closed with an inner stopper, a seal and the like, and then a cap
is put thereon. In a case of such configuration, in order to take a
content from a bottle, operations such as removing a cap at first,
and after that, opening a pull-tab of an inner stopper, or removing
a seal are required, and so, it is pointed out that it may be
difficult for an elderly person to remove the pull-tab, or the
content of the bottle may stick to a hand or scatter around when
removing the seal, and so on, and thus, the usability is poor.
[0003] In order to improve this, in recent years, there has been
proposed cap assemblies of configuration in which, when removing a
cap initially, by rotating temporarily the cap in a direction
opposite to a direction of removing to open an inner stopper and
then rotating the cap in the direction of removing, it is possible
to remove the cap in a state in which the inner stopper is opened
(see, Patent Literatures 1, 2 and 3). According to the cap
assemblies of the proposals, it is not required to open the inner
stopper after removing the cap, and thus, the usability is much
improved.
PRIOR ART LITERATURES
Patent Literatures
[0004] Patent Literature 1: International Patent Publication
Pamphlet No. WO/2007/126062.
[0005] Patent Literature 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Literature
No. 2011-225220.
[0006] Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent No. 4581034.
ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0007] In a case of the cap assemblies of the above-described
proposals, when a cap is rotated in a direction of closing which is
opposite to a direction of removing in order to open the cap
initially, the rotating temporarily becomes heavy and then becomes
light, and however, an inner stopper is not opened yet at this
stage, and thus, it is required that the cap is further rotated in
the same direction to open the inner stopper, and then, the cap is
now rotated in the direction of removing.
[0008] However, at a stage in which the rotating becomes light
after the rotating temporarily becomes heavy while rotating the cap
in the closing direction, there may be a case in which
misunderstanding that the inner stopper has been opened occurs, and
thus, it is required to eliminate such misunderstanding.
[0009] In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present
invention to provide a cap assembly which prevents an occurrence of
the above-described misunderstanding when opening a cap initially
and is easy to handle, and an assembly method thereof.
Solution to Problem
[0010] A cap assembly according to the present invention to obtain
the above-described object includes:
[0011] an inner stopper that is put over a mouth of a bottle to
close the mouth; and
[0012] a cap that is put over the mouth such that the cap covers
the inner stopper, wherein
[0013] the inner stopper includes:
[0014] a main body that includes a hollow section which has a
hollow shape having an upper opening and a lower opening and
communicating with the mouth of the bottle, and whose lower end
section is inserted to the mouth of the bottle, and a holding
section which holds an upper end section of the bottle in
cooperation with the lower end section of the hollow section after
the insertion has been executed; and
[0015] a lid body that includes a lid section which spreads above
the hollow section such that the lid section covers the hollow
section, and a junction section which is junctioned
circumferentially to an upper end edge of the hollow section and
closes an opening on an upper end of the hollow section together
with the lid section, and that is a component integrated with the
main body, closes the mouth of the bottle together with the main
body, and receives pressing from above to have the junction section
broken so as to become a part separate from the main body,
[0016] the cap includes:
[0017] a shell section that is formed to be hollow while opening
downward and is put over the mouth of the bottle while covering the
inner stopper;
[0018] a receiving section that protrudes downward from an inner
side upper surface of the shell section, has a lower opening
section, and receives the lid section in an inside to surround an
edge of the lid section; and
[0019] a protrusion section that protrudes inward from an inner
circumference surface of the receiving section, interferes with the
edge of the lid section to cause the lid section to expand the
receiving section when the cap and the inner stopper are assembled,
causes the receiving section to return to an original shape when
the lid section comes to a side of an upper surface of the shell
section so as to be positioned below the lid section, and supports
the lid section after the junction section is broken, and
[0020] the cap is coupled with the inner stopper in a state in
which the cap receives the lid section in the receiving section,
the protrusion section is positioned below the lid section, and the
lid section is arranged at a position which is inside the receiving
section and has a space between the lid section and the inner
surface of the shell section.
[0021] Since, in the cap assembly according to the present
invention, the inner stopper and the cap respectively include the
above-described configurations, and the cap is coupled with the
inner stopper in a state in which the cap receives the lid section
in the receiving section, the protrusion section is positioned
below the lid section, and the lid section is arranged at a
position which is inside the receiving section and has a space
between the inner surface of the shell section and the lid section,
the cap assembly according to the present invention does not have
behaviors that cause a user to misunderstand like becoming
temporarily heavy and then becoming light as the conventional cases
when opening the inner stopper with the cap, and thus, the cap
assembly according to the present invention has a configuration
which is easy to handle.
[0022] Here, in the cap assembly according to the present
invention, it is preferable that the inner stopper includes a screw
thread which circles helically on an outer circumference surface of
the hollow section, and the cap includes a screwing section which
protrudes in a cylindrical shape and downward from the inner side
upper surface of the shell section, and has a lower opening
section, and on whose inner circumference surface a screw thread to
be screwed to the screw thread of the inner stopper is formed.
[0023] In a case of this configuration, it is possible to assemble
the inner stopper and the cap independently of a bottle.
[0024] Or, in the cap assembly according to the present invention,
it is acceptable that the cap includes on an inner surface of the
shell section a screw thread to be screwed to a screw thread formed
in the bottle.
[0025] In addition, in the cap assembly according to the present
invention, it is preferable that an upper end surface surrounding
the upper opening and being oriented upward of the hollow section
has a gradient rising outward.
[0026] In a case of this configuration, when a bottle is inclined
to pour a content in the bottle and then the bottle is stood up,
the content is cut well, and thus, it is prevented that the content
drips inadvertently.
[0027] In addition, a method for assembling according to the
present invention is a method for assembling of assembling the
inner stopper and the cap included in the cap assembly according to
the present invention, and includes putting the cap over the inner
stopper, and causing the receiving section to receive the lid
section up to a position in which the protrusion section goes
beyond the lid section to be positioned below the lid section and
the space between the lid section and the inner surface of the
shell section becomes relatively narrow, and thereafter, moving the
cap upward relatively to the inner stopper in a range in which a
state in which the protrusion section is positioned below the lid
section is maintained, so as to expand the space between the lid
section and the inner surface of the shell section.
[0028] According to the method for assembling, it is possible to
make an arrangement in which the space between the lid section of
the inner stopper and the inner surface of the shell section of the
cap is securely expanded, and even in a case in which the cap is
inadvertently pressed before opening, it is avoided that a force is
applied to the lid section of the inner stopper, and thus, it is
prevented that the inner stopper is inadvertently opened.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0029] According to the above present invention, misunderstanding
that the inner stopper has been opened even though the inner
stopper has not been opened yet when removing the cap initially is
prevented, and thus, the usability is improved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a cap assembly of a
comparative example.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating behaviors at the time of
opening by a consumer as to the comparative example illustrated in
FIG. 1.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating behaviors at the time of
opening by an user as to the comparative example illustrated in
FIG. 1.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating behaviors at the time of
opening by an user as to the comparative example illustrated in
FIG. 1.
[0034] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating torque changes when a cap is
rotated temporarily in a direction of closing in order to open the
cap initially in the comparative example illustrated in FIG. 1 to
FIG. 4.
[0035] FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a cap assembly of a
first embodiment according to the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a cap
included in the cap assembly of the first embodiment.
[0037] FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged sectional view illustrating a
portion of the cap assembly of the first embodiment in a state in
which a lid section of an inner stopper is received in a receiving
section of the cap.
[0038] FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged sectional view illustrating a
portion of an edge of the lid section in a section in which the lid
section is sectioned horizontally in a state in which the lid
section of the inner stopper enters the receiving section of the
cap.
[0039] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of a method for assembling of
assembling the cap to the inner stopper in the cap assembly of the
first embodiment.
[0040] FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of the method for assembling
of assembling the cap to the inner stopper in the cap assembly of
the first embodiment.
[0041] FIG. 12 is an explanatory view of the method for assembling
of assembling the cap to the inner stopper in the cap assembly of
the first embodiment.
[0042] FIG. 13 is an explanatory view of the method for assembling
of assembling the cap to the inner stopper in the cap assembly of
the first embodiment.
[0043] FIG. 14 is an explanatory view of a scene in which the cap
assembly of the first embodiment is capped to a bottle.
[0044] FIG. 15 is an explanatory view of a scene in which the cap
assembly of the first embodiment is capped to a bottle.
[0045] FIG. 16 is an explanatory view of a scene in which the cap
is opened initially.
[0046] FIG. 17 is an explanatory view of a scene in which the cap
is opened initially.
[0047] FIG. 18 is a view illustrating torque changes when the cap
is rotated temporarily in a direction of closing in order to open
the cap initially in the first embodiment.
[0048] FIG. 19 is a vertical sectional view of a cap assembly of a
second embodiment according to the present invention.
[0049] FIG. 20 is an explanatory view of a scene in which a cap is
opened initially in the cap assembly of the second embodiment.
[0050] FIG. 21 is an explanatory view of a scene in which the cap
is opened initially in the cap assembly of the second
embodiment.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0051] In the following, a comparative example which is compared to
the present invention will be explained firstly, and next,
embodiments according to the present invention will be
explained.
[0052] FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a cap assembly of a
comparative example.
[0053] A cap assembly 1A of the comparative example illustrated in
this FIG. 1 includes a inner stopper 10 and a cap 20.
[0054] The inner stopper 10 is a component which is put over a
mouth 31 of a bottle 30 to close the mouth 31. In addition, the cap
20 is a component which is put over the mouth 31 of the bottle 30
upon the inner stopper 10 such that the cap 20 covers the inner
stopper 10.
[0055] This FIG. 1 illustrates a state in which the inner stopper
20 is already capped to the mouth 31 of the bottle 30, the cap 20
is put upon the inner stopper 10 and is in a predetermined relation
with respect to the inner stopper 10.
[0056] The inner stopper 10 includes a main body 11 and a lid body
12.
[0057] The main body 11 includes a hollow section 111 and a holding
section 112. Of them, the hollow section 111 has a hollow shape
which has an upper opening and a lower opening, and communicates
with the mouth 31 of the bottle 30, and a lower end section 111a of
the hollow section 111 is inserted to the mouth 31 of the bottle
30.
[0058] In addition, the holding section 112 included in the main
body 11 plays a role of receiving an insertion of an upper end
section 32 of the bottle 30 to hold the upper send section 32 of
the bottle 30 in cooperation with the lower end section 111a of the
hollow section 111 which lower end section 111a is inserted to the
mouth 31 of the bottle 30. The holding section 112 has a
configuration in which a rib 112a is formed to protrude inward in
the holding section 112, and the rib 112a enters a depressed
section 33 of the bottle 30 so that the holding section 112 firmly
holds the upper end section 32 of the bottle 30 and is not removed
from the mouth 31 of the bottle 30.
[0059] In addition, the lid body 12 included in the inner stopper
10 includes a lid section 121 and a junction section 122. Of them,
the lid section 121 is a portion which spreads in a plate shape and
above the hollow section 111 such that the lid section 121 covers
the hollow section 111. In addition, the junction section 122 is
junctioned circumferentially to an upper end edge 111b of the
hollow section 111, and closes an opening on an upper end of the
hollow section 111 together with the lid section 121. The main body
11 and the lid body 12 which are included in the inner stopper 10
are integrally formed as a single component, and however, the
junction section 122 is easily broken when the lid section 121 is
pressed from above, and when the junction section 122 is broken,
the lid body 12 becomes a part separate from the main body 11. This
point will be described later.
[0060] In order to secure a safety margin ratio such that the
junction section 122 is not inadvertently broken, it is devised
such that a recess 121a is formed on an upper surface of the lid
section 121 so that the lid section 121 is made to have a shape of
being away from an upper surface of the cap 20, and even if a force
is applied to the upper surface of the cap 20 and the upper surface
is depressed, the force is not applied to the lid section 121.
[0061] In addition, the cap 20 included in the cap assembly 1A of
the comparative example includes a shell section 21, a receiving
section 22 and a protrusion section 23.
[0062] The shell section 21 is a portion which is formed to be
hollow while opening downward, and is put over the mouth 31 of the
bottle 30 upon the inner stopper 10 while covering the inner
stopper 10. A female screw thread 211 which is screwed to a male
screw thread 34 provided in the bottle 30 is formed on an inner
circumference surface of the shell section 21, and the cap 20 is
rotated to be attached or removed.
[0063] In addition, the receiving section 22 is a portion which
protrudes downward from an inner side upper surface of the shell
section 22, has a lower opening section, and receives the lid
section 121 of the main body 11 in an inside thereof to surround an
edge 121b of the lid section 121.
[0064] Further, the protrusion section 23 is a portion which has a
shape of rib protruding inward from an inner circumference surface
of the receiving section 22. As described later, the protrusion
section 23 protrudes up to a position where the protrusion section
23 interferes with the edge 121b of the lid section 121.
[0065] In order to attach the cap assembly 1A having the
configuration illustrated in this FIG. 1 to the bottle 30, after
the bottle 30 is filled with a content, the upper end section 32 of
the bottle 30 is held between a lower end section of the hollow
section 11 of the inner stopper 10 and the holding section 112. In
other words, the inner stopper 10 is capped to the bottle 30. After
this capping, the cap 20 is put thereover and rotated, and the cap
20 is attached such that the protrusion section 23 of the cap 20
comes to a position immediately above the lid section 121 of the
inner stopper 20, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Then, shrink wrap
packaging and the like are performed, and the cap 20 becomes a
state in which the cap 20 is not rotated inadvertently from the
position illustrated in this FIG. 1.
[0066] FIG. 2 to FIG. 4 are views illustrating behaviors at the
time of opening by a consumer as to the comparative example
illustrated in FIG. 1
[0067] After delivered to a consumer in the state illustrated in
FIG. 1, when the consumer is going to open the cap initially, after
the consumer removes the shrink wrap at first, the consumer rotates
the cap in a direction of closing further. Then, the cap 20 moves
in a direction indicated by arrow A illustrated in FIG. 2, and the
lid section 121 moves and comes upper than the protrusion section
23 while the edge 121b of the lid section 121 of the inner stopper
10 interferes with the protrusion section 23 of the cap 20 to
expand the receiving section 22 elastically, as illustrated in FIG.
2. Then, the interference between the edge 121b of the lid section
121 and the protrusion section 23 of the cap 20 is released and the
receiving section 22 returns to an original shape, and the
protrusion section 23 of the cap 20 comes below the edge 121b of
the lid section 121.
[0068] When the cap 20 is further rotated in the direction of
closing so that the cap 20 is further moved in the direction of
arrow A, the cap 20 presses the lid section 121, and the junction
section 122 is broken, as illustrated in FIG. 3. When the cap 20 is
rotated in the direction of closing and becomes the state
illustrated in FIG. 3, the cap 20 becomes not further rotating in
the direction of closing, and then, the cap 20 is now rotated in a
direction of opening. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the lid
section 12 is removed from the bottle 30 together with the cap 20
while only the lid section 12 of the inner stopper 10 is separated
from the main body 11 and remains entering the receiving section 22
of the cap 20. Since the protrusion section 23 is formed in the cap
20, the lid section 20 thereafter remains entering the receiving
section 22 of the cap 20.
[0069] In the case of the comparative example illustrated in these
FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, it is possible to open the inner stopper 10 by
rotating temporarily the cap 20 in the direction of closing when
opening the cap 20 initially, such an action to open an inner
stopper after opening a cap is not required, and thus, the
usability is much improved.
[0070] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating torque changes when the cap 20
is rotated temporarily in a direction of closing in order to open
the cap 20 initially in the comparative example illustrated in FIG.
1 to FIG. 4.
[0071] When the shrink wrap is removed and the cap 20 is rotated in
the direction of closing, the cap 20 moves in a direction indicated
by arrow A illustrated in FIG. 2, the edge 121b of the lid section
121 of the inner stopper 10 interferes with the protrusion section
23 of the cap 20 to expand the receiving section. At this moment,
as illustrated in region a of FIG. 5, a force (torque) to rotate
the cap 20 increases. When the cap 20 is further rotated in the
direction of closing, the lid section 121 moves and comes upper
than the lid section 23 and the torque temporarily decreases
(region b). When the cap is further rotated in the direction of
closing, the cap 20 now presses the lid section 121, and when the
cap 20 is furthermore rotated in the direction of closing, the
junction section 122 is broken while the torque is increasing
(region c). Then, the cap 20 becomes not rotating in the direction
of closing, and then, the cap 20 is now rotated in the direction of
opening, so that the cap 20 is removed.
[0072] Here, as seen from this FIG. 5, in the case of the
above-described cap assembly 1A of the comparative example, when
the cap 20 is rotated in the direction of closing in order to open
the inner stopper 10, there is a peak P of the torque before the
cap abuts against the lid section 121 of the inner stopper. For
this reason, a consumer who is not familiar to handling a bottle to
which the cap assembly 1A is attached may misunderstand that the
inner stopper 10 has been opened based on that the peak P of the
torque has passed, and at this point, the consumer accordingly
rotates the cap 20 in the direction of opening, and then the
consumer notices that the inner stopper 10 has not been opened yet
after opening the cap 20. Even if noticing that the inner stopper
10 has not been opened yet after opening the cap 20, such an
inexperienced consumer may not notice that the inner stopper 10 is
not opened before proceeding up to region c, and thus, a complaint
as a defective product may be raised.
[0073] Based on the above explanations of the comparative example,
embodiments according to the present invention will be explained
next.
[0074] FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a cap assembly of a
first embodiment according to the present invention.
[0075] A cap assembly 1B of the first embodiment includes an inner
stopper 40 and a cap 50.
[0076] The inner stopper 40 is a component which is put over a
mouth 61 of a bottle 60 to close the mouth 61 (see FIG. 14). In
addition, the cap 50 is a component which is put over the mouth 61
of the bottle 60 upon the inner stopper 40 such that the cap 50
covers the inner stopper 40.
[0077] The inner stopper 40 includes a main body 41 and a lid body
42.
[0078] The main body 41 includes a hollow section 411 and a holding
section 412. Of them, the hollow section 411 has a hollow shape
which has an upper opening and a lower opening and communicates
with the mouth 61 of the bottle 60, and at the time of capping, a
lower end section 411a thereof is inserted to the mouth 61 of the
bottle 60 (see FIG. 15).
[0079] In addition, a male screw thread 411c which circles
helically on an outer circumference surface of the hollow section
411 and is screwed to a female screw thread 541 of the cap 50 is
formed on the outer circumference surface in the hollow section
411.
[0080] In addition, the holding section 412 included in the main
body 41 plays a role of receiving an insertion of an upper end
section 62 of the bottle 60 to hold the upper end section 62 of the
bottle 60 in cooperation with the lower end section 411 of the
hollow section 411 which lower end section 411a is inserted to the
mouth of the bottle 60. The holding section 412 has a configuration
in which a rib 412a is formed in the holding section 412, and the
rib 412a enters a depressed section 63 (see FIG. 14) of the bottle
60 so that the holding section 412 firmly holds the upper end
section 62 of the bottle 60 and is not removed from the mouth 61 of
the bottle 60.
[0081] In addition, the lid body 42 included in the inner stopper
40 includes a lid section 421 and a junction section 422. Of them,
the lid section 421 is a portion which spreads in a plate shape
above the hollow section 411 such that the lid section 421 covers
the hollow section 411. In addition, the junction section 422 is
junctioned circumferentially to an upper end edge 411b of the
hollow section 411, and closes an opening on an upper end of the
hollow section 411 together with the lid section 421. The main body
41 and the lid body 42 which are included in the hollow section 40
are integrally formed as a single component, and however, the
junction section 422 is considerably easily broken when the lid
section 421 is pressed from above. When the junction section 422 is
broken, the lid body 42 becomes a part separate from the main body
41.
[0082] In order to secure a safety margin ratio as large as
possible such that the junction section 422 is not broken
inadvertently, it is devised such that a recess 421a is formed on
an upper surface of the lid section 421 so that the lid section 421
is made to be away as much as possible from an upper surface of the
cap 50, and thus, even if a force is applied to the upper surface
of the cap 50 and the upper surface is depressed, the force is not
applied to the lid section 421.
[0083] The cap 50 includes a shell section 51, a receiving section
52, a protrusion section 53, a screwing section 54 which are
illustrated in FIG. 6, and further, hooks 55 (see FIG. 7).
[0084] The shell section 51 is a portion which is formed to be
hollow while opening downward, and is put over the mouth 61 (see
FIG. 15) of the bottle 60 upon the inner stopper 40 while covering
the inner stopper 40.
[0085] In addition, the receiving section 52 is a portion which
protrudes downward from an inner side upper surface of the shell
section 51, has a lower opening section, and receives the lid
section 421 of the main body 41 in an inside thereof to surround an
edge 421b of the lid section 421.
[0086] Further, the protrusion section 53 is a portion which has a
rib shape protruding inward from an inner circumference surface of
the receiving section 52. The protrusion section 53 protrudes up to
a position in which the protrusion section 53 interferes with the
edge 421b of the lid section 421 when the cap 50 and the inner
stopper 40 are assembled.
[0087] In addition, the screwing section 54 has a shape which
protrudes in a cylindrical shape and downward from an inner side
upper surface of the shell section 51 and opens downward. The
female screw thread 541 which is screwed to the male screw thread
411c formed on the outer circumference surface of the hollow
section 411 of the inner stopper 40 is formed on an inner
circumference surface of the screwing section 54. In other words,
in the above-described comparative example, the cap 20 is opened or
closed with respect to the bottle 30, and in contrast, in the case
of the cap assembly 1B of the first embodiment, it is configured
such that the cap 50 is opened or closed with respect to the inner
stopper 40 in terms of directly.
[0088] FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a cap
included in the cap assembly 1B of the first embodiment illustrated
in FIG. 6.
[0089] In addition, FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged sectional view
illustrating a portion of the cap assembly 1B of the first
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 in a state in which the lid
section 42 of the inner stopper 40 is received in the receiving
section 52 of the cap 50.
[0090] In the case of the cap assembly 1B of the first embodiment,
as illustrated in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8, the lid section 421 of the
inner stopper 40 enters a space upper than the protrusion section
53 in the receiving section 52 of the cap 50. However, there is
formed a space between an inner surface of an upper section of the
shell section 51 and the lid section 422 such that the space is
opened to an extent in which even if a force is applied to the
shell section 51 from above and the shell section 51 is depressed
slightly, the force is not applied to the lid section 421.
[0091] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the hooks 55
protruding inward are formed in a portion immediately above the
protrusion section 53 and inside the receiving section 50 of the
cap 50. The hooks 55 are formed at plural locations with spaces
with respect to a circumferential direction, respectively.
[0092] FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged sectional view illustrating a
portion of an edge 421b of the lid section 421 in a section in
which the lid section 421 is sectioned horizontally in a state in
which the lid section of the inner stopper enters the receiving
section of the cap.
[0093] As illustrated in this FIG. 9, there are included rotation
preventing protrusions 421d which are formed circumferentially in a
circumferential direction on a circumference surface 421c of the
lid section 421 of the inner stopper 40 in large numbers. The
rotation preventing protrusions 421d engage with the hooks 55 to
prevent a positional relation between the cap 50 and the inner
stopper 40 from being deviated from a predetermined relation.
[0094] FIG. 10 to FIG. 13 are explanatory views of a method for
assembling of assembling the cap to the inner stopper in the cap
assembly of the first embodiment which have been explained with
reference to FIG. 6 to FIG. 9.
[0095] At first, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the inner stopper 40 is
placed on a jig 70 which agrees with a shape of the inner stopper
40. Ribs 411e are formed on an inner circumference surface of the
hollow section 411 in the inner stopper 40, and the ribs 411e are
fitted in depressions (not illustrated in the drawings) of the jig
70 to prevent rotation.
[0096] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the cap 50 is put on, and
with the cap 50 being fixed, the jig 70 is moved up in a direction
of arrow U while being rotated in a direction of arrow R1 as
illustrated in FIG. 12. Since the inner stopper 40 is prevented
from rotating with respect to the jig 70, the inner stopper 40
rotates together with the jig 70, and the male screw thread 411c of
the inner stopper 40 is screwed to the female screw thread 541 of
the screwing section 54 of the cap 50. Then, the edge 421b of the
lid section 421 of the inner stopper 40 interferes with the
protrusion 53 (see FIG. 7) formed on the inner circumference
surface of the receiving section 52 of the cap 50, and thus, the
receiving section 52 is expanded elastically by the lid section 421
of the inner stopper 40, and when the lid section 421 goes beyond
the protrusion section 53 and comes to a side of the upper surface
of the shell section 51, the receiving section 52 returns to an
original shape. With this, the protrusion section 53 plays a role
in which the protrusion section 53 is positioned below the lid
section 421, and as described later, even after the junction
section 422 is broken, the protrusion section 53 supports the lid
section 421 to keep the lid section 421 in an inside of the
receiving section 52.
[0097] When the lid section 421 rides on the protrusion section 53,
the receiving section 52 is expanded and the torque to rotate the
jig 70 increases, and when the lid section 421 goes beyond the
protrusion section 53, the torque quickly decreases. Accordingly,
by monitoring the torque, it is possible to detect that the lid
section 421 has gone beyond the protrusion section 53. Or, instead
of monitoring the torque, by using a rotation angle in the
direction of arrow R1 or a movement amount in the direction of
arrow U of the jig 70, it may be detected that the lid section 421
has gone beyond the protrusion section 53.
[0098] Here, only by rotating the jig 70 and the inner stopper 40
in the direction of arrow R1 illustrated in FIG. 12, it is
difficult to hold the lid section 421 at a position beyond the
protrusion section 53 and immediately above the protrusion section
53, and thus, the lid section 421 results in going upward
excessively in the receiving section 52.
[0099] Then next, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the jig 70 is moved
downward in a direction of arrow D while the jig 70 is now
inversely rotated in a direction of arrow R2, so that the lid
section 421 is positioned immediately above the protrusion section
53. Since the torque to rotate the jig 70 begins to increase when
the lid section 421 abuts against the protrusion section 53, it is
possible to detect that the lid section 421 comes down up to
immediately above the protrusion section 53 by monitoring the
torque. Or, it may be detected that the lid section 421 reaches
immediately above the protrusion section 53 by using a rotation
angle in the direction of arrow R2, an amount of moving down in the
direction of arrow D or the like.
[0100] In the cap assembly 1B of the first embodiment, through such
assembling procedures described above, the cap 50 and the inner
stopper 40 are coupled with each other in a state in which the cap
50 receives the lid section 421 in the receiving section 52 and the
protrusion section 53 is positioned below the lid section 421, and
the lid section 421 is arranged at a position which is in the
inside of the receiving section 52 and has a space between the lid
section 421 and the inner surface of the shell section 51.
[0101] Here, in the state in which the lid section 421 is
immediately above the protrusion section 53, as illustrated in FIG.
9, the rotation preventing protrusions 421d engage with the hooks
55, and thus, the inner stopper 40 and the cap 50 are not rotated
inadvertently by such a degree as a vibration at the time of
transportation, and thus, the positional relation thereof is
maintained.
[0102] Incidentally, as illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the hooks
55 for rotation prevention are provided only in a portion
immediately above the protrusion section 53, and not provided in a
portion further above in the receiving section 52. This is because,
when the cap 50 is closed again, after delivered to a consumer and
the cap 50 is opened together with the lid body 42 of the inner
stopper 40, if the rotation preventing protrusions 421d remain
engaging with the hooks 55, closing the cap 50 results in becoming
heavy, and thus, when the cap 50 is closed again, the lid section
421 moves to an upper area where the hooks 55 are not provided, and
thus, it is possible to close the cap 50 with a small force.
[0103] Incidentally, the example in which the jig 70 and the inner
stopper 40 are rotated and moved vertically has been explained in
here, and however, a jig (not illustrated in the drawings) to hold
the cap 50 may be rotated or moved vertically with the inner
stopper 40 being fixed.
[0104] As described above, in the cap assembly 1B of the first
embodiment, the inner stopper 40 and the cap 50 are assembled
before being capped to a bottle. In other words, assembling of the
cap assembly 1B may be performed at a side of a manufacturer of the
cap assembly 1B. The assembling of the inner stopper 40 and the cap
50 is required to be performed under a substantially high precision
control. The respect that the assembling may be performed at a side
of a manufacturer of the cap assembly 1B accordingly does not put a
burden of manufacturing facilies on a side of manufacturer which
fills the bottle 30 with a content and caps the bottle 30 from a
technical viewpoint for the assembling, and thus, the first
embodiment is preferable also in this respect.
[0105] Next, a scene in which the cap assembly is capped to a
bottle will be explained.
[0106] FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 are explanatory views of a scene in
which the cap assembly of the first embodiment is capped to a
bottle.
[0107] The bottle 60 is filled with a content, and, as illustrated
in FIG. 14, the cap assembly 1B is pressed down, for example, with
a flat plate 80 being put thereon, while the state in which the
inner stopper 40 and the cap 50 are coupled with each other is
maintained. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the upper end section
62 of the bottle 60 enters between the lower end section 411a of
the hollow section 41 of the inner stopper 40 and the holding
section 412, the rib 412a formed in the holding section 412 enters
the depressed section 63 of the bottle 60, and thus, the inner
stopper 40 is firmly fixed to the mouth 61 of the bottle 60.
[0108] After the cap assembly 1B is capped to the bottle 60, shrink
wrap packaging is performed.
[0109] FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 are explanatory views of a scene in
which the cap is opened initially.
[0110] A product is delivered to a consumer, in the state
illustrated in FIG. 15.
[0111] After the consumer opens the shrink wrap, the consumer
temporarily rotates the cap 50 in the direction of closing. Then,
as illustrated in FIG. 16, the cap 50 presses down the lid section
42 of the inner stopper 40, and with this, the junction section
421b is broken. Then, when the cap 50 is rotated in the direction
of opening, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the cap 50 is removed while
the lid section 421 of the inner stopper 40 is kept in the
receiving section 52 of the cap 50. At this moment, the mouth of he
inner stopper 40 is in a state of opened already.
[0112] Incidentally, the upper end surface 411d being oriented
upward and surrounding the upper opening of the inner stopper 40 is
formed to be a surface which has a gradient rising outward, as
illustrated in FIG. 8. The upper end surface 411d having the
gradient rising outward has an effect that when the bottle 60 is
inclined to pour a content thereof and then is stood up, the
content is cut well, and thus, it is prevented that the content
drips inadvertently.
[0113] FIG. 18 is a view illustrating torque changes when the cap
50 is rotated temporarily in the direction of closing in order to
open the cap 50 initially in the first embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 6 to FIG. 17. This FIG. 18 is a view which is compared to FIG.
5 in the above-described comparative example.
[0114] In the case of the cap assembly 1B of the first embodiment,
the peak P of the torque illustrated in FIG. 5 is passed when the
inner stopper 40 and the cap 50 are assembled, and in the state in
which the inner stopper 40 and the cap 50 have been assembled, the
lid section 421 of the inner stopper 40 is inside the receiving
section 52 of the cap 50 and on a side of the upper surface of the
cap 50 than the protrusion section 53. Accordingly, the peak P of
the torque illustrated in FIG. 5 does not appear at a stage in
which the cap 50 is opened initially, and it is when the cap 50
presses the lid section 421 that the force (torque) to rotate the
cap 50 increases. For this reason, there is avoided such an
occurrence that a consumer who is trying to open the inner stopper
40 and remove the cap 50 is caused to misunderstand that the inner
stopper 40 has been opened, thereby providing the consumer with a
feeling of safety, and thus, a cap assembly having good usability
is obtained.
[0115] Next, a cap assembly of a second embodiment according the
present invention will be explained. Since the cap assembly of the
second embodiment may be easily understood when being compared to
the above-described comparative example, elements corresponding to
the respective elements of the cap assembly 1A according to the
comparative example will be illustrated while denoted with
reference signs same as those denoted in the drawings (FIG. 1 to
FIG. 4) of the cap assembly 1A of the comparative example even if
there are some slight differences as to shapes and the like, and
only differences will be explained.
[0116] FIG. 19 is a vertical sectional view of a cap assembly of
the second embodiment according to the present invention.
[0117] In a cap assembly 1C of the second embodiment, a cap 20 is
coupled with an inner stopper 10 in a state in which the cap 20
receives a lid section 121 in a receiving section 22 and a
protrusion section 23 is positioned below the lid section 121, and
the lid section 121 is arranged at a position which is in an inside
of the receiving section 22 and has a space between an inner
surface of a shell section 21 and the lid section 121.
[0118] In order to obtain this, in the case of the cap assembly 1C
of the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 19, a size of the
receiving section 22 is determined such that a sufficiently wide
space is secured between the lid section 121 and the shell section
21 even when the lid section 121 is received upper than the
protrusion section 23 in the receiving section 22.
[0119] In the cap assembly 1C of the second embodiment, in order to
assemble the inner stopper 10 and the cap 20, similarly to the
comparative example, there are used such procedures that after the
bottle 30 is filled with a content and is capped with the inner
stopper 10, and then the cap 20 is attached. In order to attach the
cap 20 to the inner stopper 10 which has been capped, a real bottle
30 is used instead of the jig 70 illustrated in FIG. 10 to FIG. 13,
and there is used the method for assembling explained with
reference to FIG. 10 to FIG. 13, that is, a method for assembling
in which after the lid section 121 is moved up to the side of the
upper surface of the lid section 21 where the lid section 121 goes
beyond the protrusion section 23 in the receiving section 22, the
cap 20 is then inversely rotated so that the lid section 121 is
positioned immediately above the protrusion section 23.
[0120] When the cap assembly 1C is assembled as illustrated in FIG.
19, it is packaged together with the bottle 30 by shrink wrap
packaging, and with this, the cap 20 may not be rotated and becomes
a state in which a position thereof with respect to the inner
stopper 10 is fixed.
[0121] FIG. 20 and FIG. 21 are explanatory views of a scene in
which the cap is opened initially in the cap assembly 1C of the
second embodiment.
[0122] A product is to be delivered to a consumer, in the state
illustrated in FIG. 19.
[0123] After opening the shrink wrap, the consumer temporarily
rotates the cap 20 in the direction of closing. Then, as
illustrated in FIG. 20, the cap 20 presses down the lid section 12
of the inner stopper 10, and with this, the junction section 121b
is broken. Then, when the cap 20 is rotated in the direction of
opening, as illustrated in FIG. 21, the cap 20 is removed while the
lid section 121 of the inner stopper 10 is kept in the receiving
section 22 of the cap 20. At this moment, the mouth of the inner
stopper 10 is in a state of already opened.
[0124] Also in the case of the cap assembly 1C of the second
embodiment, similarly to the cap assembly 1B of the above-described
first embodiment, the peak P of the torque illustrated in FIG. 5 is
passed when the inner stopper 10 and the cap 20 are assembled, and
in the state in which the inner stopper 10 and the cap 20 have been
assembled, the lid section 121 of the inner stopper 10 is inside
the receiving section 22 of the cap 20 and on the side of the upper
surface of the cap 20 than the protrusion section 23. Accordingly,
at the stage when the cap is initially opened, the peak P of the
torque illustrated in FIG. 5 does not appear, and it is when the
cap 20 presses the lid section 121 that the force (torque) to
rotate the cap 20 increases. For this reason, there is avoided such
an occurrence that a consumer who is going to open the inner
stopper 10 and remove the cap 20 is caused to misunderstand that
the inner stopper 10 has been opened, thereby providing the
consumer with a feeling of safety, and thus, a cap assembly having
good usability is obtained.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0125] 1A, 1B, 1C Cap assembly [0126] 10, 40 Inner stopper [0127]
11, 41 Main body [0128] 12, 42 Lid body [0129] 20, 50 Cap [0130]
21, 51 Shell section [0131] 22, 52 Receiving section [0132] 23, 53
Protrusion section [0133] 30, 60 Bottle [0134] 31, 61 Mouth [0135]
32, 62 Upper end section [0136] 34, 411c Male screw thread [0137]
112a, 412a, 411e Rib [0138] 54 Screwing section [0139] 55 Hook
[0140] 63 Depressed section [0141] 70 Jig [0142] 80 Plate [0143]
111, 411 Hollow section [0144] 112, 412 Holding section [0145]
111a, 411a Lower end section [0146] 111b, 411b Upper end section
[0147] 121, 421 Lid section [0148] 121b, 421b Edge [0149] 122, 422
Junction section [0150] 121a, 421a Recess [0151] 411d Upper end
surface [0152] 421b Junction section [0153] 421c Circumference
surface [0154] 421d Rotation preventing protrusion [0155] 541
Female screw thread
* * * * *