JP7658145B2 - cap - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cap that is screwed onto the mouth of a container.

In recent years, from the perspective of environmental protection, there has been an increase in refillable pouch products that use standing pouch containers. In large-capacity pouch products, a spout, which is a pouring outlet device, is attached to the center or corner of the upper side of the container body, and a cap that seals the spout's pouring outlet is attached to this spout. Since it is intended for refilling purposes, the cap can be opened and closed even after opening, allowing multiple refill operations.

In general, in pouch products for refilling purposes, the spout is welded and fixed to the container body, which is made of a laminated flexible sheet. The cap is molded small, but it is known that the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical wall of the cap has vertical knurling (in the vertical direction of the cap along the cylindrical wall) that is a convex ridge that is equally spaced and of the same shape and protruding outward.

And not only small caps for pouch products, but also caps for PET bottles have multiple vertical knurls on the outer periphery of the cylindrical wall, making it easier for the fingers to grip when opening or closing.

Specifically, Patent Document 1 shows a technology for improving the grip of the cap when opening and closing a beverage bottle cap. Patent Document 1 shows that the outer peripheral surface of the cap has multiple vertical knurls, and further shows that an elastomer is used in the knurled portion to prevent the fingers from slipping.

JP 2020-079106 A

When opening and closing small caps used on pouch products, the user grasps the cylindrical wall portion, which has multiple vertical knurls arranged on the outer periphery, with their fingertips and turns it while applying force in the opening or closing direction.

However, it has been reported that applying force to the fingertips when opening or closing the cap can cause pain in the fingertips.

This depends on the strength of the fit between the cap and the external threaded part of the spout, but it is also related to the shape of the knurling on the outer surface of the cap's cylindrical wall and the height of its outward protrusion.

In addition, the technology in Patent Document 1 uses elastomers to prevent slipping, which requires the preparation of multiple materials, resulting in problems such as increased weight and an additional molding process.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention relates to a small cap used in pouch products, etc., and aims to provide a cap that places less strain on the fingertips without increasing its weight, while providing a knurled outer surface of the cylindrical wall that provides a finger grip when opening and closing the cap, while minimizing pain on the fingertips.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and provides a cap having a plurality of vertical knurls formed as outwardly protruding stripes on an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical wall portion, the knurls being spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical wall portion,
The cylindrical wall portion is provided in two stages, that is, a small diameter portion on the top side and a large diameter portion located below the small diameter portion with a step portion interposed therebetween,
The step portion has a slope portion,
The knurling provided on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion in the lower stage is made up of two types of knurling: a large knurling and a small knurling which is narrower than the large knurling and protrudes less outwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion, and the large knurling and the small knurling are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction of the large diameter portion,
the knurling provided on the outer peripheral surface of the upper small diameter portion is made of one type of knurling, the protruding height from the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion being equal to or less than the height of a step portion between the small diameter portion and the large diameter portion;
the knurling of the small diameter portion is disposed on an extension line of the large knurling of the large diameter portion on the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion,
the knurling of the small diameter portion has the same width as the small knurling of the large diameter portion, and an outward protruding height dimension is greater than a protruding height dimension of the small knurling of the large diameter portion,
The above-mentioned problem is solved by providing a cap characterized in that the lower end portion of the knurling on the small diameter portion is continuous with the inclined surface portion .

In the present invention, the upper end portion of the knurled portion of the small diameter portion is provided with a chamfered R-shaped portion having an outer edge shape of a vertical cross section of the upper end portion in an arc shape,
It is preferable that the chamfered R-shaped portion is shaped so that the protruding height of the upper end portion gradually decreases toward zero as it approaches the apex.

In addition, in the present invention, it is preferable that the knurling of the small diameter portion is arranged on an extension line of the knurling of the large diameter portion on the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion toward the top side of the knurling of the large diameter portion.

According to the present invention, the knurling on the outer peripheral surface of the upper small diameter section is made of a single type of knurling whose height from the outer peripheral surface of this small diameter section is equal to or less than the height of the step between the small diameter section and the large diameter section, so the knurling itself located on the small diameter section does not have a cross-sectional shape that protrudes significantly outward.

As a result, even if you apply force to your fingertips while holding the cap to open or close it, there will be no areas on the cap where the knurling will dig deeply into your fingertips. This has the excellent effect of reducing pain in your fingertips when opening and closing the cap.

In addition, the knurling on the small diameter portion has a chamfered R-shaped portion with an arc-shaped outer edge in the vertical cross section of the upper end portion, and the protruding height of the upper end portion of the chamfered R-shaped portion gradually decreases toward zero as it approaches the apex, further reducing the occurrence of pain when opening and closing the door.

In addition, the knurling on the small diameter portion is positioned on the outer periphery of the small diameter portion on an extension of the top of the knurling on the large diameter portion, which provides an even better grip when turning the cap.

In addition, the lower end of the knurling on the small diameter portion is connected to the step portion, which has the effect of ensuring that the length of the knurling on the small diameter portion is long enough to grip when turning the cap.

1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a cap according to the present invention, viewed obliquely from above. FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the embodiment as viewed from the side. FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a part of the embodiment as viewed from above. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing half of the cap body at a vertical cross-sectional position passing through the large knurled portion. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing half of the cap body at a vertical cross-sectional position passing through the small knurled portion. FIG. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the cap of the studied technology as viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing half of a cap body at a vertical cross-sectional position passing through a portion of the large knurling of the considered technology. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing half of a cap body at a vertical cross section passing through a portion of the small knurling of the considered technology. FIG. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a cap that does not have a step portion among the four types of caps that were subjected to a sensory evaluation. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing half of the cap body at a vertical cross-sectional position passing through the knurled portion of FIG. 10 . FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of the sensory evaluation in a table format.

Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiment. A spout is welded to the upper edge of a standing pouch type container as a pouring outlet, and in the figure, 1 is a cap that is screwed onto the spout.

The cap 1 is molded from a synthetic resin molding material, and the material may be a thermoplastic resin such as polypropylene resin (PP) or polyethylene resin (PE). In this embodiment, it is molded by injection molding, but the molding method of the cap 1 is not limited to injection molding.

The spout of the pouch product that uses cap 1 is a narrow-mouthed type that can be inserted into the mouth of another container. Therefore, cap 1, which is attached to the spout to seal the spout and open and close it, is also small.

The cap 1 is composed of a cap body 4 with a cylindrical wall portion 3 continuing downward from the periphery of a flat top portion 2, and a ring-shaped bottom portion 5 connected to the lower end surface of the cap body 4 (the lower end surface of the cylindrical wall portion 3) via a bridge. The bottom portion 5 functions as a tamper-evident band. Note that the structure that performs this tamper-evident function is not shown in the figure.

(Cap body)
1 and 2, the cylindrical wall 3 of the cap body 4 is provided in two steps, an upper and lower part, with a small diameter part 6 on the apex 2 side and a large diameter part 8 located below the small diameter part 6 via a step part 7. The outer diameter of the entire cylindrical wall 3 becomes smaller as one moves from the lower end side to the apex 2 side, and the wall part of the cylindrical wall 3 is slightly inclined towards the center of the cap in the direction of the vertical cross section, and the degree of inclination of the wall part of the small diameter part 6 and the wall part of the large diameter part 8 is the same.

(Knurling)
The cap 1 of this embodiment has a plurality of vertical knurlings 10 that are convex outwardly protruding on the outer surface 9 of the cylindrical wall portion 3 so as to provide a finger grip when rotating the cap 1 to open and close the spout's spouting outlet, and the knurlings 10 are arranged at intervals around the circumference of the cylindrical wall portion 3 so that the ridge positions of the knurlings 10 are equally spaced around the circumference.

(Large diameter part)
The knurling 10 provided on the outer peripheral surface 9 of the large diameter portion 8 in the lower stage is composed of two types of knurling 10: large knurling 11 and small knurling 12 which are narrower than the large knurling 11 and protrude less outwardly from the outer peripheral surface 9 of the large diameter portion 8. In the large diameter portion 8, the large knurling 11 and the small knurling 12 are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction on the annular outer peripheral surface 9.

FIG. 4 shows a half-section of the vertical section of the cap body 4 passing through the portion of the large knurl 11, and shows the protruding height 13 of the large knurl 11 which forms an outwardly protruding ridge.
The protruding height 13 of this large knurl 11 is the dimension from the position of the outer peripheral surface 9 of the large diameter portion 8 to the position of the ridge line of the large knurl 11, and is the dimension from the position where it is assumed that the annular outer peripheral surface 9 passes circumferentially through the large knurl 11.

Similarly, Figure 5 shows half of the position of a vertical cross section of the cap body 4 passing through the small knurling 12 portion. Figure 5 also shows the protruding height 14 of the small knurling 12, which forms a protruding strip. The protruding height 14 of the small knurling 12 is the dimension from the position of the outer peripheral surface 9 of the large diameter portion 8 to the position of the ridge of the small knurling 12, and, as with the large knurling 11, is the dimension from the position where it is assumed that the outer peripheral surface 9 passes through the small knurling 12 portion in the circumferential direction.

In this embodiment, as described above, the protruding height 13 of the large knurling 11 is greater than the protruding height 14 of the small knurling 12. As shown in the plan view of FIG. 3, the outer edge shape in the planar cross section at the portion where the ridgelines of the large diameter portion 8 pass through is formed to have an arc shape. Furthermore, as shown in the plan view of FIG. 3, the width of the small knurling 12 (the width of the rise in the circumferential direction) is formed to be narrower than the width of the large knurling 11, as described above.

(Small diameter part)
Knurling 10 is also arranged at intervals on the outer peripheral surface 9 of the upper small diameter portion 6 in the circumferential direction of this annular outer peripheral surface 9. The knurling 10 on the small diameter portion 6 has the same width as the small knurling 12 on the large diameter portion 8, and a small knurling 15 is provided whose outward protruding height is greater than the protruding height 14 of the small knurling 12 on the large diameter portion 8.

In the upper small diameter section 6, unlike the large diameter section 8, only one type of small knurling 15 is arranged at intervals around the circumference of the small diameter section 6. In the cap 1 shown in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the small knurling 15 of the small diameter section 6 is arranged on the extension line of the large knurling 11 on the outer circumferential surface 9 of the small diameter section 6 toward the top of the cap (towards the apex 2).

The small knurling 15 is formed so that the outer edge shape in the planar cross section direction at the portion where the ridgeline passes is arc-shaped, just like the knurling 10 (large knurling 11, small knurling 12) at the large diameter portion 8.

The small knurling 15 is provided to have the same height as the step portion 7 as shown in FIG. 4, and the outward protruding height 16 of the small knurling 15 is set to be greater than the protruding height 14 of the small knurling 12 of the large diameter portion 8, as long as it does not exceed the height 18 of the step portion 7.

(The small knurled part at the bottom of the small diameter part)
4, the lower end portion of the small knurling 15 of the small diameter portion 6 is continuous with the step portion 7 and is integrated with the slope portion of the step portion 7. Therefore, as described above, the small knurling 15 of the small diameter portion 6 can ensure a long length for finger hooking when turning the cap 1.

(Upper end of small knurl on small diameter part)
The shape of the small knurling 15 in the small diameter portion 6 is designed so that the small knurling 15 does not protrude significantly outward on its own near the portion where the shape of the outer surface of the cap body changes significantly from the small diameter portion 6 to the apex 2, as shown in Figure 4. As a result, a chamfered R-shaped portion 17 is provided at the upper end of the small knurling 15.

(Beveled R-shape portion)
The chamfered R-shaped portion 17 is a surface shape of the upper end portion of the small knurling 15 that is smooth. In order to achieve a smooth surface shape, the outer edge shape of the vertical cross section of the upper end portion of the small knurling 15 is made arc-shaped, and further, as shown in FIG. 4, the protruding height 16 at the upper end portion of the small knurling 15 is gradually reduced toward zero as it approaches the apex 2 side.

Because the small knurling 15 of the small diameter portion 6 has a chamfered R-shaped portion 17 at its upper end, the upper end of the small knurling 15 does not dig into the fingertips that turn the cap 1 when opening and closing it, which reduces the occurrence of pain.

The small knurling 15 of the small diameter portion 6 has a chamfered R-shaped portion 17 at the upper end portion so that it does not dig deeply into the fingers when rotating the cap, and the small knurling 15 does not dig deeply into the fingers over the entire length direction. Therefore, the protruding height 16 of the small knurling 15 does not need to be the same as the height 18 of the step portion 7, but it can be equal to or less than the height 18 of the step portion 7.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the small knurling 15 in the small diameter portion 6 is arranged on an extension of the large knurling 11 toward the top of the cap (toward the apex 2), but the arrangement of the small knurling 15 in the small diameter portion 6 is not limited to the above embodiment.

Figure 6 shows another example, in which small knurls 15 are arranged on the extensions of the large knurls 11 and small knurls 12 in the large diameter section 8, and it is also possible to narrow the spacing between the small knurls 15.

Furthermore, it is also possible to arrange the small knurls 15 in the small diameter section 6 in a portion that is offset from the position of the extension line of the knurls 10 in the large diameter section 8. Note that the other embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is the same as the above embodiment, except that the arrangement interval of the small knurls 15 is narrowed.

(Comparison-review technology)
In arriving at the present invention, the applicant considered providing a knurled outer circumferential surface of the cap in order to improve the grip of the fingers when rotating the cap. Figure 7 shows a cap 1a that represents this considered technology.

The cap 1a of this technology under consideration consists of a cap body 4 and a bottom portion 5, with the tube wall portion 3 continuing from the periphery of the top portion 2, just like the embodiment described above. The wall portion of the tube wall portion 3 is slightly inclined toward the central axis of the cap, and has a small diameter portion 6, a step portion 7, and a large diameter portion 8, and the outer peripheral surface of the tube wall portion 3 has multiple vertical knurls 10 spaced apart in the circumferential direction.

In the cap 1a of this study technology, large knurling 11a and small knurling 12a are alternately arranged at intervals on the outer peripheral surface 9 of the large diameter portion 8 in the lower stage. The large knurling 11a is arranged without interruption of the ridge line from the large diameter portion 8 to the small diameter portion 6 in the upper stage. Therefore, in the study technology, as shown in Figure 8, the large knurling 11a has a protruding height 20 at the small diameter portion 6 that is greater than the protruding height 19 at the large diameter portion 8. Note that Figure 9 shows a vertical cross section (half surface) passing through the small knurling 12a in the study technology, and the small knurling 12a is only formed on the outer peripheral surface 9 of the large diameter portion 8.

With the cap 1a of this investigated technology, the protruding height 20 of the large knurling 11a at the small diameter portion 6 is increased, which has the effect of providing a good finger grip when opening and closing the cap 1a.

However, when opening an unopened cap 1a, when one holds the cap 1a tightly between one's fingertips and applies force to cut the bridge portion (not shown) connected to the hem portion 5, the large knurling 11a digs deeply into one's fingers, which can cause pain.
Therefore, the present invention has been designed to ensure that the large knurling does not dig too deeply into the fingers when opening the cap while still providing a comfortable grip for the fingers.

(Sensory evaluation)
Four types of caps (A), (B), (C), and (D) were prepared, and the results of the sensory evaluation using these four types of caps are shown in table form in Figure 11. The four types of caps are shown below.
1A shows the above-mentioned embodiment, in which the small knurling 15 is disposed on the small diameter portion 6 and is located on the extension line of the large knurling 11 on the large diameter portion 8 .
The protruding height 16 of the small knurling 15 of the small diameter portion 6 is 0.35 mm.
The protruding height 13 of the large knurl 11 of the large diameter portion 8 is 0.4 mm.
The protruding height 14 of the small knurling 12 on the large diameter portion 8 is 0.2 mm.

6B is the same embodiment, but showing the cap 1 in which the interval between the small knurls 15 is narrowed (the embodiment shown in FIG. 6).
The protruding height 16 of the small knurling 15 of the small diameter portion 6 is 0.35 mm.
The protruding height 13 of the large knurl 11 of the large diameter portion 8 is 0.4 mm.
The protruding height 14 of the small knurling 12 on the large diameter portion 8 is 0.2 mm.

7C is the cap 1a (FIGS. 7 to 9) of the above-mentioned examined technique in which a large knurl 11a is arranged from the large diameter portion 8 to the small diameter portion 6.
The protruding height 20 of the large knurl 11a on the small diameter portion 6 is 0.75 mm.
The protruding height 19 of the large knurl 11a on the large diameter portion 8 is 0.35 mm.
The protruding height 21 of the small knurling 12a over the large diameter portion 8 is 0.2 mm.

10. (D) is a current cap 1b in which one type of knurling 10 is arranged at intervals on the outer circumferential surface 9 of the cylindrical wall portion 3 which does not have the step portion shown in FIG.
FIG. 11 shows half of the cap body at a vertical cross section passing through the portion of the knurling 10 of the cap 1b, and the protruding height 22 of this knurling 10 is 0.4 mm.

The subjects were then asked to use these caps to open the caps by turning them to cut the bridge, and to make a sensory evaluation of the degree of pain felt by the knurling during the opening operation. The degree of pain was rated using a score, with 3 points for no pain, 2 points for slight pain, and 0 points for pain.

(Evaluation Results)
Based on the results of the sensory evaluation in FIG. 11, and by comparing cap 1 in (A) and (B) with caps 1a and 1b in (C) and (D), it was confirmed that the smaller the difference between the outer peripheral surface of the cap and the position of the ridge of the knurling located on that outer peripheral surface (the protruding height of the knurling), the smaller the pain in the fingers.

In addition, because both caps 1 (A) and (B) were favorably evaluated, it was found that, if the difference in the position of the ridge of the knurling located on the outer periphery is small, the pain can be reduced and the opening operation can be performed reliably even if the spacing of the small knurling, which has a chamfered R-shaped portion at the top end of the small diameter part, is narrowed. It was also found that by lowering the protruding height of the small knurling in the small diameter part, the amount of resin can be reduced, which has the effect of reducing weight.

Reference Signs List 1: Cap 3: Cylindrical wall portion 4: Cap body 6: Small diameter portion 7: Step portion 8: Large diameter portion 9: Outer circumferential surface 10: Knurling 11: Large knurling 12: Small knurling (large diameter portion)
13...Protruding height (large diameter part large knurling)
14...Protruding height (small knurling on large diameter part)
15...Small knurling (small diameter part)
16...Protruding height (small diameter part small knurling)
17 ... Chamfered R-shaped portion 18 ... Height of step portion

Claims (2)

A cap having a plurality of outwardly protruding vertical knurls on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical wall portion, the knurls being spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical wall portion,
The cylindrical wall portion is provided in two stages, that is, a small diameter portion on the top side and a large diameter portion located below the small diameter portion with a step portion interposed therebetween,
The step portion has a slope portion,
The knurling provided on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion in the lower stage is made up of two types of knurling: a large knurling and a small knurling which is narrower than the large knurling and protrudes less outwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion, and the large knurling and the small knurling are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction of the large diameter portion,
the knurling provided on the outer peripheral surface of the upper small diameter portion is made of one type of knurling, the protruding height from the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion being equal to or less than the height of a step portion between the small diameter portion and the large diameter portion;
the knurling of the small diameter portion is disposed on an extension line of the large knurling of the large diameter portion on the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion,
the knurling of the small diameter portion has the same width as the small knurling of the large diameter portion, and an outward protruding height dimension is greater than a protruding height dimension of the small knurling of the large diameter portion,
A cap characterized in that a lower end portion of the knurling on the small diameter portion is continuous with the inclined portion . The upper end portion of the knurled portion of the small diameter portion is provided with a chamfered R-shaped portion having an outer edge shape in a vertical cross section of the upper end portion in an arc shape,
2. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the chamfered R-shaped portion is shaped so that the protruding height of the upper end portion gradually decreases toward zero as it approaches the apex side.

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