Composite container lid

Abstract

A composite container lid includes an inner plug 1 with a flow-out port and an upper lid 3 detachably attached to a container mouth portion 80, wherein: the inner plug 1 includes an upper lid engaging cylinder 5, a container mouth portion-securing member 7 having a circumferential wall 9 that surrounds the upper lid engaging cylinder 5, and linking pieces 11 that link the inner surface of the circumferential wall 9 to the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 so as to form a flow-out port 13; the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 is provided, on the upper end portion of the outer surface thereof, with a circumferential protuberance 5a for temporary engagement; engaging pieces 37 are formed on the inner surface of a top plate 31 of the upper lid 3, the engaging pieces 37 having an undercut 37a for temporarily engaging with the circumferential protuberance 5a that temporary engages with the upper lid engaging cylinder; and a sound-suppressing protrusion 50 is provided in a region surrounded by the engaging pieces 37.

Claims

1. A composite container lid including an inner plug with a flow-out port fitted and secured to a container mouth portion and an upper lid detachably attached to the container mouth portion so as to cover said inner plug, wherein: said inner plug includes a hollow upper lid engaging cylinder with a closed upper end, a container mouth portion-securing member having a circumferential wall that surrounds said upper lid engaging cylinder, and linking pieces that link an inner surface of said circumferential wall to said upper lid engaging cylinder so as to form a flow-out port; said upper lid engaging cylinder is provided, at an upper end on an outer surface thereof, with a circumferential protuberance for temporary engagement with said upper lid; said upper lid includes a top plate and a skirt portion that stretches downward from an outer circumferential edge of said top plate and that has, on an inner surface thereof, a screw thread for screw-engagement with the container mouth portion; said top plate has engaging pieces formed on an inner surface thereof, said engaging pieces having an undercut for temporarily engaging with said circumferential protuberance that temporarily engages with said upper lid engaging cylinder; a sound-suppressing protrusion is provided on said inner surface of said top plate in a region that is surrounded by said engaging pieces, or on said upper end surface of said upper lid engaging cylinder; and during descending motion of said upper lid, a gap is maintained between a lower side surface of said screw thread of said upper lid skirt portion and the outer surface of the container mouth portion when said sound-suppressing protrusion starts coming into contact with said upper end surface of said upper lid engaging cylinder or with said inner surface of said top plate of said upper lid.

2. The composite container lid according to claim 1, wherein said sound-suppressing protrusion is an annular protrusion formed on said inner surface of said top plate of said upper lid.

3. The composite container lid according to claim 1, wherein said engaging pieces are circumferentially formed as divided into a plurality of segments maintaining a distance.

4. The composite container lid according to claim 1, wherein said container mouth portion-securing member includes, in addition to said circumferential wall, an annular outer wall and a horizontal wall linking said circumferential wall to said annular outer wall, said horizontal wall permitting an upper part of the container mouth portion to be fitted and secured in a space between said circumferential wall and said annular outer wall, and said annular outer wall having an undercut formed in an inner surface at a lower end of said annular outer wall to engage with an outer surface at the upper end part of the container mouth portion.

5. The composite container lid according to claim 1, wherein said inner plug is attached to the container mouth portion together with said upper lid when said upper lid engaging cylinder is temporarily held by said upper lid by being inserted in said region surrounded by said engaging pieces of said upper lid and when said upper lid in this state descends while being put on the container mouth portion, said inner plug remaining on the container mouth portion despite said upper lid being opened and removed from the container mouth portion.

6. The composite container lid according to claim 1, wherein said container mouth portion-securing member of said inner plug is provided with a flow-out guide cylinder that stretches upward, and a seal ring is formed on said inner surface of said top plate of said upper lid to come into close contact with an inner surface of said flow-out guide cylinder when said upper lid is closed.

7. The composite container lid according to claim 1, wherein said top plate of said upper lid is provided, on said inner surface thereof, with a protrusion for preventing over-wrap-seaming of said upper lid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 It is a side sectional view illustrating a state where a composite container lid of the present invention is closing a container mouth portion.

(2) FIG. 2 It is a view showing an inner plug in the composite container lid of FIG. 1, wherein (a) is a top view, (b) is a half-sectional side view, and (c) is a bottom view.

(3) FIG. 3 It is a view showing an upper lid in the composite container lid of FIG. 1, wherein (a) is a top view, (b) is a half-sectional side view, and (c) is a bottom view.

(4) FIG. 4 It is a view illustrating the steps of resealing with the upper lid using the composite container lid of FIG. 1, wherein (a) illustrates the initial state of resealing, (b) illustrates a state where an undercut of engaging pieces is moving on an upper end portion (circumferential protuberance for temporary engagement) of an upper lid engaging cylinder, and (c) illustrates a state where the undercut has moved on the upper end portion of the upper lid engaging cylinder.

(5) FIG. 5 It is a view illustrating a state where the undercut of the engaging pieces has moved over the upper end part of the upper lid engaging cylinder in the composite container lid of a form that has no sound-suppressing protrusion employed by the present invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(6) Reference is now made to FIG. 1 illustrating a state where a composite container lid of the present invention is closing a container mouth portion, FIG. 2 illustrating an inner plug and FIG. 3 illustrating an upper lid. The composite container lid includes an inner plug 1 and an upper lid 3, and is attached to a container mouth portion designated at 80.

(7) The container mouth portion 80 is forming, in the outer surface thereof, a recessed portion 81 for holding the inner plug 1 at an upper part thereof, and is, further, forming a screw 83 for screw-fixing the upper lid 3 at a portion under the recessed portion 81.

(8) The composite container lid is attached to the container mouth portion 80 in a state where the inner plug 1 is held by the upper lid 3 by putting the upper lid 3 on the mouth portion 80 of the container that is containing a liquid content to close the mouth portion (i.e., by turning the upper lid 3 in a closing direction).

(9) The inner plug 1 is constituted by a hollow upper lid engaging cylinder 5 and with its upper end closed, and a container mouth portion-fixing member 7. That is, the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 is a member that engages with the upper lid 3 to hold it while the container mouth portion-fixing member 7 is a member that works to bring the inner plug 1 into firm and close contact with the container mouth portion 80 to fix it thereto.

(10) The upper lid engaging cylinder 5 is a member that temporarily engages with engaging pieces 37 (described later) formed on the inner surface of the upper lid 3, and is forming, at the upper end thereof, a circumferential protuberance 5a for temporary engagement in a shape that is swollen outward. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 has a hollow shape with its upper end closed, and assumes such a shape that easily deflects inward. Therefore, the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 is capable of easily engaging with the upper lid 3 to hold it. As viewed on the side surface, furthermore, the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 as a whole is tapered with its diameter contracting from the lower side toward the upper side. Due to this shape, too, the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 easily engages with the upper lid 3 to hold it.

(11) How to engage with the upper lid 3 to hold it will be described later.

(12) The container mouth portion-fixing member 7 includes a circumferential wall 9 that is so provided as to surround the upper lid engaging cylinders. The circumferential wall 9 forms, on the outer surface thereof, a swollen portion 9a that slightly swells outward (see FIG. 2(b)). The swollen portion 9a, therefore, comes into close contact with the inner surface of the container mouth portion 80 as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 2(a) and (c), further, the inner surface of the circumferential wall 9 is linked to the lower end of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 via a plurality of linking pieces 11 that are formed maintaining a predetermined distance. Therefore, spaces among the linking pieces 11 serve as a plurality of flow-out ports 13 for flowing out the liquid content.

(13) As will be understood from FIGS. 1 and 2 (b), the linking pieces 11 have regions 11a that are tilted downward and outward from the lower end of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5. Therefore, the linking pieces 11 can be easily deflected, eventually, permitting the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 to move up and down to some extent.

(14) The container mouth portion-fixing member 7, further, has a low annular outer wall 15 in addition to the above circumferential wall 9, the upper inner surface of the annular outer wall 15 being continuous to the upper outer surface of the circumferential wall 9 via a horizontal wall 17.

(15) As will be understood from FIG. 1, the upper end portion of the container mouth portion 80 is fitted into the space between the annular outer wall 15 and the circumferential wall 9. To do so, an undercut 15a is formed in the inner surface at the lower end of the annular outer wall 15. The undercut 15a comes into a firm engagement with a recessed portion 81 formed in the outer surface of the container mouth portion 80. Namely, due to the undercut 15a and the swollen portion 9a formed on the outer surface of the circumferential wall 9, the inner plug 1 is reliably fitted and fixed to the container mouth portion 80, and is held thereby in a state where the lower surface of the horizontal wall 17 is in close contact with the upper end surface 80a of the container mouth portion 80.

(16) A rattling-prevention piece 19 is provided on the outer surface at the lower end of the annular outer wall 15. Therefore, the inner plug 1 held in the upper lid 3 prior to being attached to the container mouth portion 80, is allowed to be held therein maintaining stability without rattling in the upper lid 3. This prevents the inner plug from falling down prior to being attached to the container mouth portion 80, and is also effective in attaining alignment with respect to the container mouth portion 80. The rattling-prevention piece 19 is simply for preventing the rattling and, therefore, may be formed in a small thickness so as to easily deflect.

(17) In this embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(b), further, a flow-out guide cylinder 21 is stretching upward together with the circumferential wall 9. The flow-out guide cylinder 21 works as a passage for guiding the solution contained in the container when it is flown out through the flow-out ports 13. The flow-out guide cylinder 21 is expanding like a horn at its upper end. Upon employing the above shape, the flow-out guide cylinder 21 becomes capable of sharply discontinuing the flow out of the liquid content and suppressing the liquid content from dripping.

(18) Here, the flow-out guide cylinder 21 does not have to be directly stretched from the upper end of the circumferential wall 9, but may be erected on the upper surface of the horizontal wall 17 maintaining a gap from the upper end of the circumferential wall 9.

(19) In the inner plug 1 described above, the annular outer wall 15 may be omitted, and the container mouth portion-fixing member 7 may be constituted by the circumferential wall 9 and the horizontal wall 17 only. In order for the inner plug 1 to be firmly fitted and fixed to the container mouth portion 80, however, it is desired to provide the above-mentioned annular outer wall 15.

(20) Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the upper lid 3 includes a top plate 31 and a skirt portion 33 stretching downward from the outer circumferential edge of the top plate 31. On the inner surface of the skirt portion 33, there is formed a screw thread 35 that engages with a screw 83 formed on the container mouth portion 80.

(21) By utilizing the engagement of the screw thread 35 with the screw 83, the thus formed upper lid 3 is detachably attached to the container mouth portion 80 so as to cover the inner plug 1 fitted and fixed to the container mouth portion 80.

(22) On the inner surface of the top plate 31 of the upper lid 3, there are provided a plurality of (three in the diagramed embodiment) separate engaging pieces 37 stretching downward from the central portion thereof. The engaging pieces 37 are for holding the inner plug 1 in the upper lid 3. Namely, the plurality of engaging pieces 37 are circumferentially arranged, and the upper portion of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 is inserted in a region surrounded by the engaging pieces 37. Besides, at the lower end of each engaging piece 37, there is formed an undercut 37a that is capable of engaging with the circumferential protuberance 5a for temporary engagement formed at the upper end of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5. As the circumferential protuberance 5a and the undercut 37a engage with each other, the inner plug 1 is stably held so will not to be removed from the upper lid 3.

(23) It is in principle possible to hold the inner plug 1 in the upper lid 3 by inserting the upper part of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 in space in a ring by using an engaging piece of a ring shape instead of using the plurality of engaging pieces 37 lacking, however, the practicability. This is because the engaging piece of the ring shape easily undergoes the deflection, and it becomes difficult to insert the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 in the space in the ring. Further, if the inner diameter of the ring is increased to facilitate the insertion of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5, then it becomes difficult to stably hold the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 that is inserted.

(24) Therefore, the number of the engaging pieces 37 and the size (diameter) of the region surrounded by the engaging pieces 37 should be determined depending on the size of the upper end of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 such that the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 is allowed to enter as the engaging pieces 37 are deflected and that the undercut 37a and the circumferential protuberance 5a work together to stably hold the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 so will not to escape.

(25) On the inner surface of the top plate 31 of the upper lid 3, further, a cylindrical seal ring 39 is provided on the outer side of the engaging piece 37. As shown in FIG. 1, when the upper lid 3 is attached to the container mouth portion 80, the seal ring 39 comes into close contact with the inner surface of the flow-out guide cylinder 21 assuring the sealing property so that the content solution does not leak.

(26) On the inner surface of the top plate 31, furthermore, an over-wrap-seam prevention protrusion 41 is formed along the circumference thereof on the outer side of the seal ring 39. The protrusion 41 is a member that comes into contact with the upper surface of the horizontal wall 17 of the inner plug 1 when the upper lid 3 is in its closing motion; i.e., the protrusion 41 blocks excess of closing motion (wrap-seaming) to let the consumer know that the mouth portion has been completely closed.

(27) By using the above-mentioned composite container lid, the upper part of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 of the inner plug 1 is pushed into the region surrounded by the engaging pieces 37 of the upper lid 3, and the inner plug 1 is held by the upper lid 3. In this state, the upper lid 3 is put on the mouth portion 80 of the container filled with the content solution; i.e., the composite container lid is attached to the container mouth portion 80.

(28) That is, due to the engagement (temporary engagement) of the undercut 37a of the engaging pieces 37 with the circumferential protuberance 5a at the upper end of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5, the inner plug 1 is not removed from the upper lid 3 enabling the closing operation to be quickly carried out.

(29) As the upper lid 3 descends accompanying the closing operation, the upper part of the container mouth portion 80 is fitted to between the circumferential wall 9 of the inner plug 1 and the annular outer wall 15, whereby the outer surface (swollen portion 9a) of the circumferential wall 9 comes into close contact with the inner surface of the container mouth portion, and the lower surface of the horizontal wall 17 of the inner plug 1 comes into close contact with the upper end surface 80a of the container mouth portion 80. In this state where the sealing property is maintained, the inner plug 1 is firmly fixed to the container mouth portion 80.

(30) In the above-mentioned composite container lid of the present invention, a sound-suppressing protrusion 50 is provided on the inner surface of the top plate 31 of the upper lid 3. This effectively suppresses the generation of sound when the upper lid 3 removed from the container mouth portion 80 is to be resealed. Namely, this effectively prevents such an occurrence that a consumer might misunderstand the generation of sound as the completion of the closing operation (i.e., prevents defective closing).

(31) To flow out the liquid content from the container, a general consumer would remove the upper lid 3 from the container mouth portion 80 by turning the upper lid 3 in the opening direction in a state where the composite container lid has been attached to the container mouth portion 80 as shown in FIG. 1. In this case, the inner plug 1 has been firmly fitted and secured to the container mouth portion 80. As the upper lid 3 rises, therefore, the upper part of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 is pulled out from the region surrounded by the engaging pieces 37 of the upper lid 3 and, accordingly the upper lid 3 only is removed from the container mouth portion 80. Upon tilting the container, therefore, the liquid content flows through the flow-out port 13 and flows out along the wall surface of the flow-out guide cylinder 21. After the liquid content is flown out by a predetermined amount, the container is returned it its upright state. The upper lid 3 that is removed is put on the container mouth portion 80 in which the inner plug 1 has been secured. The upper lid 3 is then turned in the closing direction so as to be attached to the container mouth portion 80 again.

(32) Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which illustrates the resealing operation.

(33) In FIG. 4, as the upper lid 3 is put on the container mouth portion 80 to close it, the undercut 37a at the lower end of the engaging pieces 37, first, comes in contact with the circumferential protuberance 5a at the upper end of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 of the inner plug 1 (see FIG. 4(a)). At this step, the over-wrap-seaming prevention protrusion 41 has been greatly separated away from the upper surface of the horizontal wall 17 and, besides, there exists a large gap between the seal ring 39 and the inner surface of the flow-out guide cylinder 21. Moreover, the sound-suppressing protrusion 50, too, is positioned being considerably separated away from the upper end surface of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5.

(34) In this state, as the upper lid 3 is further turned in the closing direction, the undercut 37a rides on the circumferential protuberance 5a of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5, and the pushing force acts on the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 (hereinafter often referred to simply as cylinder 5) due to the upper lid 3 that is descending (see FIG. 4(b)). Even in this state, the gap is still large between the over-wrap-seaming prevention protrusion 41 and the upper surface of the horizontal wall 17. Therefore, the seal ring 39 is separated away from the inner surface of the flow-out guide cylinder 21, and the sound-suppressing protrusion 50, too, remains considerably separated away from the upper end surface of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5.

(35) As the upper lid 3 is further turned in the closing direction, the cylinder 5 is gradually pushed down accompanying the upper lid 3 (engaging pieces 37) that descends, and the undercut 37a of the engaging pieces 37 moves over the circumferential protuberance 5a of the cylinder 5 (see FIG. 4(c)). This is because the linking pieces 11 linking the cylinder 5 to the circumferential wall 9 undergo the deflection and become tilted outward from the lower end of the cylinder 5 and, besides, the cylinder 5 is hollow and easily undergoes the deflection.

(36) In this state, the over-wrap-seaming prevention protrusion 41 remains separated away from the upper surface of the horizontal wall 17 and, besides, a gap still exists between the seal ring 39 and the inner surface of the flow-out guide cylinder 21. It will, therefore, be understood that the closing operation has not yet been completed. Here, however, the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 provided on the upper lid 3 is in a state of being contacted to the upper end surface of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 making it, therefore, possible to effectively suppress the generation of sound when the undercut 37a of the engaging pieces 37 has moved over the circumferential protuberance 5a of the cylinder 5.

(37) FIG. 5 illustrates a composite container lid without the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 at a moment when the undercut 37a of the engaging pieces 37 has moved over the circumferential protuberance 5a of the cylinder 5. As will be obvious, when there is formed no sound-suppressing protrusion 50, the upper end surface of the cylinder 5 in this state is separating away from the inner surface of the top plate 31. Here, when the undercut 37a of the engaging pieces 37 moves over the circumferential protuberance 5a of the cylinder 5, the engagement between the undercut 37a and the circumferential protuberance 5a is released at one time. Due to the reaction thereof, therefore, the upper lid 3 descends abruptly. As a result, the lower surface of the screw thread 35 of the skirt portion 33 of the upper lid 3 comes in contact with the upper surface of the screw 83 of the container mouth portion 80 to generate sound.

(38) As the sound is generated, a general consumer would erroneously take it that the closing operation has been completed and may discontinue the closing operation. At this moment as described above, however, the closing operation has not been completed yet and there may occur a problem of defective closing.

(39) Referring to FIG. 4(c) again, according to the present invention, provision is made of the sound-suppressing protrusion 50. At a moment when the undercut 37a of the engaging pieces 37 has moved over the circumferential protuberances 5a of the cylinder 5, therefore, the sound-suppressing protuberance 50 is in contact with the upper end surface of the cylinder 5. Therefore, the reaction due to the engaging force that is released, is effectively restricted, and the state of contact between the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 and the upper end of the cylinder 5 serves as resisting force against the closing operation. This prevents the upper lid 3 from abruptly descending and, therefore, also prevents the contact between the screw thread 35 and the screw 83. For instance, a gap is present between the lower surface of the screw thread 35 and the upper surface of the screw 83.

(40) No sound is now generated at the moment when the undercut 37a of the engaging pieces 37 moves over the circumferential protuberance 5a of the cylinder 5. Therefore, the consumer would continue to turn the upper lid 3 in the closing direction to fulfil the closing. As shown in FIG. 1, therefore, the upper lid 3 descends in a state where the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 is in contact with the upper end of the cylinder 5. Thereafter, the over-wrap-seaming prevention protrusion 41 comes in contact with the upper surface of the horizontal wall 17. Moreover, the seal ring 39 comes in close contact with the inner surface of the flow-out guide cylinder 21 to thereby complete the closing operation. Here, the cylinder 5 is urged downward by the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 of the upper lid 3, the linking pieces 11 are deflected downward, and the cylinder 5 by itself assumes a slightly descended state.

(41) In the invention described above, it is in theory possible to suppress the generation of sound without providing the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 but permitting the inner surface of the top plate 31 to come into contact with the upper end surface of the cylinder 5 when the undercut 37a has moved over the circumferential protuberance 5a. In fact, however, it is quite difficult to so design that the gap becomes zero at the time of temporary engagement. Besides, permitting the inner surface of the top plate 31 to come into direct contact with the upper end surface of the cylinder 5 causes a great increase in the resisting force against the closing operation; i.e., it becomes difficult to close the container mouth portion. Therefore, it is not allowable to employ the means that brings the inner surface of the top plate 31 into direct contact with the upper end surface of the cylinder 5.

(42) In the embodiment described above, the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 is in contact with the upper end surface of the cylinder 5 when the undercut 37a has moved over the circumferential protuberance 5a. Generation of sound, however, can be suppressed to a considerable degree if rise of the cylinder 5 is limited to a certain degree despite of the reaction caused by the release of engagement. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to only the embodiment in which the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 is in contact with the upper end surface of the cylinder 5 but may also be so modified that a small gap is maintained between them.

(43) The sound-suppressing protrusion 50 is a member that adjusts the gap to the upper end surface of the cylinder 5 and restricts the rise of the cylinder 5 caused by the reaction. In the embodiment of the drawings, therefore, the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 is an annular protrusion of the shape of a ring. As far as the resisting force against the closing operation is not excessively increased by the contact of the cylinder 5, therefore, the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 is not limited to the above-mentioned shape only, but may assume a solid form or may assume the form of a plurality of fine projections.

(44) Furthermore, it is also allowable to form the sound-suppressing protrusion 50 on the upper end surface of the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 instead of forming it on the inner surface of the top plate 31.

(45) In the invention, further, in order to further improve the effect for suppressing the generation of sound, it is desired not to provide any protuberance that engages with the rattle-prevention piece 19 on the inner surface of the skirt portion 33 of the upper lid 3 to which the outer circumferential edge of the rattle-prevention piece 19 faces. Specifically, it is desired not to provide any protuberance that engages with the rattle-prevention piece 19 on the surface to which the rattle-prevention piece 19 faces until the engagement is released between the upper lid engaging cylinder 5 and the engaging pieces 37. This is because any protuberance formed on this portion may generate sound as the rattle-prevention piece 19 comes in contact therewith or is released therefrom.

(46) According to the present invention, generation of sound is effectively suppressed at the time when the upper lid 3 is to be resealed making it possible to effectively prevent defective sealing caused by an incomplete closing.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(47) 1: inner plug

(48) 3: upper lid

(49) 5: upper lid engaging cylinder

(50) 7: container mouth portion-securing member

(51) 9: circumferential wall

(52) 11: linking pieces

(53) 13: flow-out port

(54) 15: annular outer wall

(55) 17: horizontal wall

(56) 19: rattle-prevention piece

(57) 21: flow-out guide cylinder

(58) 31: top plate

(59) 33: skirt portion

(60) 35: screw thread

(61) 37: engaging pieces

(62) 39: seal ring

(63) 41: over-wrap-seaming prevention protrusion

(64) 50: sound-suppressing protrusion

(65) 80: container mouth portion