Liquid medicine supply device

Abstract

A medical liquid supply device that includes: a container including a containing portion with a mouth (16); an interior cap (30); and an exterior cap (60). The interior and exterior caps (30, 60) include a ratchet mechanism (50, 80). The interior cap (30) includes: an interior-cap main body (32) and an interior-cap protrusion (54). The interior-cap main body (32) includes a contact ring (44). The exterior cap (60) includes: an exterior-cap main body (62); and an exterior-cap protrusion (84) configured to be engaged with the interior-cap protrusion (54). The contact ring (44) is distant from the interior-cap protrusion (54) in the radial direction of the interior-cap main body (32).

Claims

1. A liquid medicine supply device comprising: a container including a tubular containing portion for containing a liquid medicine, and a cylindrical mouth connected to the containing portion, the mouth including a male thread; an interior cap including an interior-cap circular wall having a female thread with which the male thread of the mouth is engaged, a first portion forming a circular top surface of the interior cap, and a cylindrical second portion extending in an axial direction from a circumferential edge of the first portion and having an outer circumferential surface which is connected to an upper end of the interior-cap circular wall, the interior cap being made of synthetic resin to have a shape operable to block an opening of the mouth; and an exterior cap attached to an outside of the interior cap, and having a shape operable to cover the interior cap, a ratchet mechanism including engaging portions integrally formed with an outer surface of the interior-cap circular wall and engaged portions integrally formed with an inner surface of the exterior cap, the engaging portions and the engaged portions being configured to be engaged to allow an integral rotation of the exterior and interior caps when the exterior cap is rotated in a direction to remove the exterior cap from the mouth under a pressed state of the exterior cap pressed against the interior cap whereas the ratchet mechanism allows the exterior cap to be rotated relative to the interior cap when the exterior cap is rotated in a direction to remove the exterior cap from the mouth under an unpressed state of the exterior cap which is not pressed against the interior cap so that the engaged portions are disengaged from the engaging portions, an interior-cap protrusion protruding from the top surface of the interior cap to the exterior cap, an annular contact ring protruding from a bottom surface of the second portion to come into contact with the mouth or a stopper attached to the mouth to tightly seal the container, an exterior-cap protrusion protruding from an inner surface of the exterior cap to the top surface of the interior cap, the exterior-cap protrusion having a shape operable to be engaged with the interior-cap protrusion, wherein one of the interior-cap protrusion and the exterior-cap protrusion urges the exterior cap away from the interior cap to disengage the engaged portions from the engaging portion under the unpressed state, and engages with the other of the interior-cap protrusion and the exterior-cap protrusion to allow the integral rotation of the interior cap and the exterior cap when the exterior cap is rotated in a direction to close the mouth with the exterior cap under the unpressed state, wherein one of the interior-cap protrusion and the exterior-cap protrusion elastically deforms and slides over the other protrusion when the exterior cap is rotated in a direction to remove the exterior cap from the mouth under the unpressed state, and wherein the contact ring is distant from the interior-cap protrusion in a radial direction of the interior cap.

2. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 1, wherein the exterior-cap protrusion forms the one protrusion, the exterior-cap protrusion including spring pieces which extend from the inner surface of the exterior cap to the top surface of the interior cap, and elastically deform and bend in a direction so that the spring pieces connect the inner surface of the exterior cap with the top surface of the interior cap, wherein the interior-cap protrusion forms the other protrusion, the interior-cap protrusion including ribs, each of which has a shape operable to be engaged with lower ends of the spring pieces, and wherein the ribs include: receiving portions configured to receive the spring pieces, respectively when the exterior cap is rotated in a direction to close the mouth with the exterior cap under the unpressed state; and guiding portions configured to guide the spring pieces, respectively to allow the spring pieces to elastically deform and slide over the ribs when the exterior cap is rotated in a direction to remove the exterior cap from the mouth under the unpressed state.

3. A liquid medicine supply device comprising: a container including a tubular containing portion for containing a liquid medicine, and a cylindrical mouth connected to the containing portion, the mouth including a male thread; an interior cap including an interior-cap circular wall having a female thread with which the male thread of the mouth is engaged, and a first portion forming a circular top surface of the interior cap, the interior cap being made of synthetic resin to have a shape operable to block an opening of the mouth; and an exterior cap attached to an outside of the interior cap, and having a shape operable to cover the interior cap, a ratchet mechanism including engaging portions integrally formed with an outer surface of the interior-cap circular wall and engaged portions integrally formed with an inner surface of the exterior cap, the engaging portions and the engaged portions being configured to be engaged to allow an integral rotation of the exterior and interior caps when the exterior cap is rotated in a direction to remove the exterior cap from the mouth under a pressed state of the exterior cap pressed against the interior cap whereas the ratchet mechanism allows the exterior cap to be rotated relative to the interior cap when the exterior cap is rotated in a direction to remove the exterior cap from the mouth under an unpressed state of the exterior cap which is not pressed against the interior cap so that the engaged portions are disengaged from the engaging portions, an interior-cap protrusion protruding from the top surface of the first portion to the exterior cap, a contact ring which is annular around a central axis of the interior cap and comes into contact with the mouth or a stopper attached to the mouth to tightly seal the container, an exterior-cap protrusion protruding from an inner surface of the exterior cap to the top surface of the first portion, the exterior-cap protrusion having a shape operable to be engaged with the interior-cap protrusion, wherein the first portion is curved so that the top surface protrudes toward the exterior cap in an axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall, wherein the exterior-cap protrusion applies a force in the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall to the curved top surface under the pressed state whereas the exterior-cap protrusion supports the exterior cap at a position away from the curved top surface to disengage the engaged portions from the engaging portions under the unpressed state of the exterior cap, wherein the exterior-cap protrusion engages with the interior-cap protrusion to allow the integral rotation of the interior cap and the exterior cap when the exterior cap is rotated in a direction to close the mouth with the exterior cap under the unpressed state, wherein the exterior-cap protrusion elastically deforms and slides over the interior-cap protrusion when the exterior cap is rotated in a direction to remove the exterior cap from the mouth under the unpressed state, and wherein the contact ring is distant from the interior-cap protrusion in a radial direction of the interior can.

4. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 2, wherein the top surface perpendicularly intersects the axial direction, and wherein the first portion has a bottom surface curved to be convex toward the exterior cap in the axial direction.

5. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 1, wherein the contact ring is distant from the engaging portions in the radial direction.

6. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 2, wherein the spring pieces are spirally formed.

7. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 2, wherein each of ribs is formed on a portion at which each of the ribs overlaps with a circle connecting proximal ends of the spring pieces in a direction connecting the exterior cap with the interior cap.

8. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 2, wherein the contact ring is distant from the engaging portions in the radial direction.

9. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 3, wherein the contact ring is distant from the engaging portions in the radial direction.

10. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 4, wherein the contact ring is distant from the engaging portions in the radial direction.

11. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 4, wherein the spring pieces are spirally formed.

12. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 5, wherein the spring pieces are spirally formed.

13. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 4, wherein each of ribs is formed on a portion at which each of the ribs overlaps with a circle connecting proximal ends of the spring pieces in a direction connecting the exterior cap with the interior cap.

14. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 5, wherein each of ribs is formed on a portion at which each of the ribs overlaps with a circle connecting proximal ends of the spring pieces in a direction connecting the exterior cap with the interior cap.

15. The liquid medicine supply device according to claim 6, wherein each of ribs is formed on a portion at which each of the ribs overlaps with a circle connecting proximal ends of the spring pieces in a direction connecting the exterior cap with the interior cap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a front view of a medical liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a plan view of the medical liquid supply device in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the medical liquid supply device in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the medical liquid supply device in FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a mouth, an interior cap and an exterior cap in FIG. 4.

(6) FIG. 6 is a front view of the interior cap.

(7) FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6.

(8) FIG. 8 is a front view of the exterior cap.

(9) FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8.

(10) FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an open-time-pressing-surface of engaged portions configured to press an open-time-pressed-surface of engaging portions.

(11) FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an example of variation of the interior cap.

(12) FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an example of variation of the exterior cap.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

(13) A medical liquid supply device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. The medical liquid supply device 1 supplies a medical liquid to a supplied part such as the skin. The medical liquid supply device 1 includes what is called a child resistant mechanism (child-proof mechanism) configured to prevent infants and children from accidentally opening the medical liquid supply device 1. The medical liquid supply device 1 is not limited by a direction at a time of usage. However, the vertical direction is defined on the basis of the vertical direction in FIG. 1, for convenience.

(14) As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, for example, the medical liquid supply device 1 includes a container 10, a stopper 20, an interior cap 30 and an exterior cap 60. The interior and exterior caps 30, 60 include a ratchet mechanism as the child resistant function. The ratchet mechanism is engaged and disengaged. The ratchet mechanism is engaged under a condition of the exterior cap 60 pressed against the interior cap 30, so that the ratchet mechanism allows an integral rotation of the exterior and interior caps 60, 30 when the exterior cap 60 is rotated. The ratchet mechanism is disengaged under a condition of the exterior cap 60 which is not pressed against the interior cap 30, so that the ratchet mechanism allows the exterior cap 60 to be rotated relative to the interior cap 30 (idling) when the exterior cap 60 is rotated. The ratchet mechanism is described in detail below.

(15) The container 10 includes a containing portion 11, a neck 15 and a mouth 16.

(16) The containing portion 11 contains a medical liquid. In detail, the containing portion 11 includes a bottom wall 12, a body 13 and a contractive portion 14.

(17) The body 13 extends upward from an edge of the bottom wall 12. The body 13 is tubular. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the body 13 is longer in length in first directions (vertical direction in FIG. 3) perpendicularly intersecting the axial direction of the body 13 than second directions (lateral direction in FIG. 3) perpendicularly intersecting both the axial direction and the first direction of the body 13.

(18) The contractive portion 14 is connected to the upper end of the body 13. A diameter of the contractive portion 14 becomes gradually smaller from the body 13 to the upper end of the contractive portion 14.

(19) The neck 15 is connected to the upper end of the contractive portion 14.

(20) The mouth 16 is connected to the upper end of the neck 15. The mouth 16 is cylindrical. The mouth 16 includes a male thread 17. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the central axis of the mouth 16 is inclined from the central axis of the containing portion 11 by a predetermined angle θ. With regard to the present embodiment, the predetermined angle θ is 60°. In order to prevent infants and children from accidentally opening the medical liquid supply device 1, the predetermined angle θ is preferably 15° to 75°. As shown in FIG. 2, a projected line of the axial direction of the mouth 16 is in parallel to the first direction when the line is projected on a projection plane from a plan view of the container 10.

(21) The stopper 20 is attached to the mouth 16. The stopper 20 includes a stopper main body 21 pressed into the mouth 16, a sponge 23 made of polyurethane to cover the stopper main body 21, and a sandwiching portion 24. The sponge 23 is sandwiched between the sandwiching portion 24 and the stopper main body 21. The stopper main body 21 includes an urging portion 22 configured to urge the sponge 23 against an interior-cap upper wall of the interior cap 30 (leftward in FIG. 5). The urging portion 22 is configured to block a medical liquid outlet 21a of the stopper main body 21. An edge of the sponge 23 is sandwiched between the sandwiching portion 24 and the stopper main body 21. When the medical liquid supply device 1 is used (under a removal condition of the interior and exterior caps 30, 60), the sponge 23 and the urging portion 22 are pressed against an urging force of the urging portion 22 under a condition of the sponge 23 in contact with the supplied part. Consequently, the medical liquid flows through the medical liquid outlet 21a. The sponge 23 absorbs the medical liquid flown through the medical liquid outlet 21a to supply the medical liquid onto a supplied part.

(22) Next, the interior cap 30 is described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. The interior cap 30 is removably connected to the mouth 16. The interior cap 30 is connected to the mouth 16 to tightly seal the container 10. The interior cap 30 is made of synthetic resin. The interior cap 30 includes an interior-cap main body 32, engaging portions 50 to constitute a part of the ratchet mechanism on an outer surface of the interior-cap main body 32, and ribs 54 on the outer surface of the interior-cap main body 32, the ribs 54 being used as the exterior-cap protrusions.

(23) The interior-cap main body 32 includes a female thread 37 with which the male thread 17 engages. The interior-cap main body 32 is configured to block the opening of the mouth 16. In detail, the interior-cap main body 32 includes an interior-cap circular wall 34 having the female thread 37, an interior-cap upper wall 42 and a contact ring 44.

(24) The interior-cap circular wall 34 includes a cylindrical large-outer-diameter portion 36, and a small-outer-diameter portion 38 which is smaller in outer diameter than the large-outer-diameter portion 36. The female thread 37 is on an inner curved surface of the large-outer-diameter portion 36.

(25) The small-outer-diameter portion 38 is connected to the upper end of the large-outer-diameter portion 36. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the outer surface of the interior-cap circular wall 34 includes an inner arrangement surface 40 at the boundary between the large-outer-diameter portion 36 and the small-outer-diameter portion 38. The inner arrangement surface 40 perpendicularly intersects the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. As shown in FIG. 7, the inner surface of the small-outer-diameter portion 38 may include a small female thread 39. The small female thread 39 is not engaged with the male thread 17 of the mouth 16. With regard to the present embodiment, a projection amount of the female thread 37 from the inner surface of the large-outer-diameter portion 36 is 0.95 mm. On the other hand, a projection dimension of the small female thread 39 from the inner surface of the small-outer-diameter portion 38 is approximately 0.1 mm.

(26) The interior-cap upper wall 42 is connected to the upper end of the interior-cap circular wall 34. The interior-cap upper wall 42 has a shape like a disk. The top and bottom surfaces of the interior-cap upper wall 42 are curved to be convex outward (leftward in FIGS. 6 and 7) in the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34.

(27) The contact ring 44 protrudes inward (rightward in FIG. 7) from the bottom surface (inner surface) of the interior-cap upper wall 42. The contact ring 44 is annular around the central axis of the interior-cap upper wall 42. As shown in FIG. 5, when the female thread 37 is engaged with the male thread 17, the contact ring 44 comes into contact with the top surface of the sandwiching portion 24 of the stopper 20 to tightly seal the container 10.

(28) The engaging portions 50 are on the inner arrangement surface 40. The engaging portions 50 protrude from the inner arrangement surface 40 to the exterior cap 60 (leftward in FIG. 6). The engaging portions 50 are arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34.

(29) As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the engaging portions 50 are distant from the contact ring 44 in the radial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. The engaging portions 50 are also distant from the female thread 37 in the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. In detail, the engaging portions 50 are between the contact ring 44 and the female thread 37 in the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. The engaging portions 50 are on the inner arrangement surface 40 outside the contact ring 44 in the radial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34.

(30) As shown in FIG. 6, each of the engaging portions 50 includes an open-time-pressed-surface 51 and a close-time-pressed-surface 52. These are described below.

(31) The ribs 54 protrude upward from the top surface of the interior-cap upper wall 42. The ribs 54 (four in the present embodiment) are arranged at regular intervals to be annular around the central axis of the interior-cap circular wall 34. As shown in FIG. 7, the ribs 54 are inside the contact ring 44 in the radial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. Functions of the ribs 54 are described below.

(32) The exterior cap 60 is described with reference to FIGS. 5, 8 and 9. The exterior cap 60 is attached to the outside of the interior cap 30. The exterior cap 60 is movable relative to the interior cap 30 in the axial direction of the interior cap 30. The exterior cap 60 is made of synthetic resin. The exterior cap 60 includes an exterior-cap main body 62, and engaged portions 80 on the inner surface of the exterior-cap main body 62. The engaged portions 80 and the engaging portions 50 constitute the ratchet mechanism. The exterior cap 60 also includes spring pieces 84 configured to be engaged with the ribs 54, the exterior cap 60 being used as the exterior-cap protrusions.

(33) The exterior-cap main body 62 is configured to cover the interior-cap main body 32. The exterior-cap main body 62 includes an exterior-cap circular wall 64 and an exterior-cap upper wall 72.

(34) The exterior-cap circular wall 64 includes a cylindrical large-inner-diameter portion 66, and a small-inner-diameter portion 68 which is smaller in inner diameter than the large-inner-diameter portion 66. As shown in FIG. 8, for example, an outer curved surface of the exterior-cap circular wall 64 includes a knurled pattern 65. As shown in FIG. 1, the exterior-cap circular wall 64 is larger in outer diameter than the neck 15.

(35) The small-inner-diameter portion 68 is connected to the upper end of the large-inner-diameter portion 66. As shown in FIG. 9, the inner surface of the exterior-cap circular wall 64 includes an outer arrangement surface 70 at the boundary between the large-inner-diameter portion 66 and the small-inner-diameter portion 68. The outer arrangement surface 70 perpendicularly intersects the axial direction of the exterior-cap circular wall 64.

(36) The exterior-cap upper wall 72 is connected to the upper end of the exterior-cap circular wall 64. The exterior-cap upper wall 72 has a shape like a disk. The exterior-cap upper wall 72 protrudes outward (leftward in FIG. 9) in the axial direction of the exterior-cap circular wall 64. A label may protrude upward from the top surface of the exterior-cap upper wall 72.

(37) Each of the engaged portions 80 is configured to be engaged with each of the engaging portions 50. The engaged portions 80 are on the outer arrangement surface 70. The engaged portions 80 protrude from the outer arrangement surface 70 to the interior cap 30 (rightward in FIG. 10). The engaged portions 80 are arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the exterior-cap circular wall 64. The engaged portions 80 is as many as the engaging portions 50.

(38) Each of the engaged portions 80 includes an open-time-pressing-surface 81 and a close-time-pressing-surface 82. Each of the open-time-pressing-surfaces 81 and each of the close-time-pressing-surfaces 82, and the open-time-pressed-surface 51 and the close-time-pressed-surface 52 of the interior cap 30 are described.

(39) The open-time-pressed-surface 51 is pressed by the open-time-pressing-surface 81 of the engaged portion 80 when the exterior-cap main body 62 is rotated in a direction (counterclockwise) to open the exterior-cap main body 62 under a pressed state of the exterior-cap main body 62 pressed against the interior-cap main body 32. The close-time-pressed-surface 52 is pressed by the close-time-pressing-surface 82 of the engaged portion 80 when the pressed exterior-cap main body 62 is rotated in a direction (clockwise) to close the exterior-cap main body 62 under the pressed state. Even when the exterior-cap main body 62 is rotated without being pressed against the interior-cap main body 32, the open-time-pressing-surface 81 or the close-time-pressing-surface 82 does not press the open-time-pressed-surface 51 or the close-time-pressed-surface 52.

(40) An angle defined between each of the open-time-pressed-surfaces 51 and the inner arrangement surface 40 is 90°. An angle defined between each of the close-time-pressed-surfaces 52 and the inner arrangement surface 40 is 90°. An angle defined between each of the open-time-pressing-surfaces 81 and the outer arrangement surface 70 is 90°. An angle defined between each of the close-time-pressing-surfaces 82 and the outer arrangement surface 70 is 90°.

(41) The spring pieces 84 extend from the inner surface of the exterior-cap upper wall 72 to the interior-cap upper wall 42. The spring pieces 84 elastically deform and bend in a direction from the exterior-cap upper wall 72 to the interior-cap upper wall 42. The spring pieces 84 are spirally formed around the central axis of the exterior-cap circular wall 64. The spring pieces 84 urge the exterior-cap main body 62 away from the interior-cap main body 32 to keep the engaged portions 80 away from the engaging portions 50 (the ratchet mechanism disengages) in the unpressed state of the exterior-cap main body 62 which is not pressed against the interior-cap main body 32. When the exterior-cap main body 62 is rotated in a direction (clockwise) to close the mouth 16 with the exterior-cap main body 62 in the unpressed state, the spring pieces 84 engage with the ribs 54 to allow an integral rotation of the interior-cap main body 32 and the exterior-cap main body 62. In detail, the ribs 54 include receiving portions 55 (c.f. FIG. 6) configured to receive the lower ends of the spring pieces 84, respectively when the exterior-cap main body 62 is rotated in a direction (clockwise) to close the mouth 16 with the exterior-cap main body 62 in the unpressed state. The receiving, portions 55 of the ribs 54 are formed to overlap with a circle connecting the proximal ends (upper ends) of the spring pieces 84 in a direction connecting the exterior-cap upper wall 72 with the interior-cap upper wall 42. When the exterior-cap main body 62 is rotated in a direction (counterclockwise) to remove the exterior-cap main body 62 from the mouth 16 in the unpressed state, the spring pieces 84 elastically deform and slide over the ribs 54. In detail, the ribs 54 include guiding portions 56 (c.f. FIG. 6) configured to guide the spring pieces 84, respectively so that the guiding portions 56 allow the spring pieces 84 to slide over the ribs 54 when the exterior-cap main body 62 is rotated in a direction (counterclockwise) to remove the exterior-cap main body 62 from the mouth 16 in the unpressed state.

(42) Next, it is described how to remove the exterior and interior caps 60, 30.

(43) First, the body 13 or the contractive portion 14 is held with one hand whereas the exterior cap 60 is held with the other hand. Then, the exterior cap 60 is pressed to the interior cap 30 (mouth 16) against an urging force of the spring pieces 84. Consequently, the ratchet mechanism is engaged. In detail, the lower ends of the engaged portions 80 come into contact with the inner arrangement surface 40, as shown in FIG. 10. Since the axial direction of the mouth 16 is inclined from the axial direction of the containing portion 11 by the predetermined angle θ in the present embodiment, it is difficult that infants and children press the exterior cap 60 to engage the ratchet mechanism without understanding how to remove the exterior and interior caps 60, 30.

(44) Then, the exterior cap 60 is rotated counterclockwise relative to the mouth 16 in the pressed state of the exterior cap 60 pressed to the interior cap 30 against the urging force of the spring pieces 84 (the engaged state of the ratchet mechanism). Consequently, the exterior and interior caps 60, 30 are rotated counterclockwise relative to the mouth 16 since the open-time-pressing-surfaces 81 of the engaged portions 80 press the respective open-time-pressed-surfaces 51 of the engaging portions 50. Consequently, the caps 30, 60 are removed from the container 10.

(45) On the other hand, even when the exterior cap 60 is rotated counterclockwise without being pressed against the interior cap 30 (without the ratchet mechanism engaging), the open-time-pressing-surfaces 81 do not press the open-time-pressed-surfaces 51, or a sufficient force is not transmitted from the open-time-pressing-surfaces 81 to the open-time-pressed-surfaces 51. Therefore, the exterior cap 60 is rotated relative to the interior cap 30 (i.e. the interior cap 30 does not rotate). Consequently, the caps 60, 30 are not removed from the container 10. At this time, the spring pieces 84 elastically deform and slide over the ribs 54.

(46) In order to attach the caps 60, 30 to the container 10, the exterior cap 60 is rotated in a direction to close the exterior cap 60. In detail, when the exterior cap 60 is rotated in a direction to close the exterior cap 60, the lower ends of the spring pieces 84 presses the receiving portions 55 of the ribs 540 even under the unpressed state. Consequently, rotating the exterior cap 60 in a direction to close the exterior cap 60 results in an integral rotation of the exterior and interior caps 60, 30 relative to the mouth 16. Consequently, when the exterior cap 60 is rotated in a direction to close the exterior cap 60, the exterior and interior caps 60, 30 are attached to the container 10.

(47) As described above, the contact ring 44 is distant from the ribs 54 in the radial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34, in the present embodiment. In short, the contact ring 44 does not overlap the ribs 54 in the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. Therefore, the ribs 54 do not cause sink marks on the contact ring 44 when synthetic resin is shaped into the interior cap 30 in a mold. Therefore, the container 10 is tightly sealed.

(48) With regard to the present embodiment, the top surface of the interior-cap upper wall 42 is curved to be convex outward in the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. Therefore, it is less likely that the engagement weakens with time between the spring pieces 84 and the ribs 54. In detail, since the top surface of the interior-cap upper wall 42 of the present embodiment is curved to be convex toward the exterior-cap main body 62, it is less likely that the interior-cap upper wall 42 dent inwardly even under an inward load continuously acting along the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34, the inward load being transmitted from the spring pieces 84 to the interior-cap upper wall 42. Therefore, it is less likely that the engagement is weakened between the spring pieces 84 and the ribs 54 by the inward load.

(49) The contact ring 44 is distant from the engaging portions 50 in the radial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. In short, the contact ring 44 does not overlap the engaging portions 50 in the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. Therefore, the engaging portions 50 do not cause sink marks on the contact ring 44 when synthetic resin is shaped into the interior cap 30 in a mold.

(50) The aforementioned embodiment is exemplified in all respects and should not be regarded as restrictive. The scope of the present invention is not determined from the aforementioned description of the embodiment, but from the claims. Further, the scope of the present invention includes all variations within the spirit and scope of the claim and the equivalents.

(51) For example, the interior-cap protrusions and the exterior-cap protrusions of the interior and exterior caps 30, 60 may form ribs. However, when the interior-cap protrusions form the ribs 54 like the aforementioned embodiment, it becomes easy to manufacture the interior cap 30. In detail, the interior cap 30 includes the female thread 37. Therefore, when synthetic resin is shaped into the interior cap 30 in a mold, the interior cap 30 has to be rotated to be removed from the mold. In this case, when there are highly protrusive and complicated parts such as the spring pieces, a design of a mold becomes too complicated to allow a rotation of the interior cap 30 for the removal of the interior cap 30 from the mold. Therefore, it becomes more easier to remove the interior cap 30 from a mold when the interior-cap protrusions form ribs 54 than when the interior-cap protrusions form spring pieces.

(52) As shown in FIG. 11, the interior-cap upper wall 42 may have the top surface inside the contact ring 44 in the radial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34, the top surface perpendicularly intersecting the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. The interior-cap upper wall 42 may have a bottom surface which is curved to be convex outward in the axial direction of the interior-cap circular wall 34. According to this configuration, the interior-cap upper wall 42 become thick enough inside the contact ring 44. Therefore, the interior-cap upper wall 42 becomes thick enough to prevent sink marks on the contact ring 44 when synthetic resin is shaped into the interior cap 30 in a mold. It is less likely that the interior-cap upper wall 42 dents inwardly under a load transmitted from the spring pieces 84 to the interior-cap upper wall 42. Therefore, it becomes less likely that the engagement is weakened between the spring pieces 84 and the ribs 54 by the inward load.

(53) As shown in FIG. 12, the spring pieces 84 may not be spiral but extend radially from the center of the exterior-cap upper wall 72 (a point of the intersection of the exterior-cap upper wall 72 and the central axis of the exterior-cap circular wall 64). However, when the spring pieces 84 is spirally formed around the central axis of the exterior-cap circular wall 64 like the aforementioned embodiment, a force acting on the proximal ends of the spring pieces 84 is reduced when the exterior-cap main body 62 is pressed against the interior-cap main body 32. Therefore, the spring pieces becomes durable enough. When the spring pieces 84 are spirally formed, the spring pieces is not so hard and gives an appropriate urging force, in comparison to when the spring pieces 84 extend radially from the center of the exterior-cap upper wall 72.

REFERENCE SIGNS

(54) 1 medical liquid supply device

(55) 10 container

(56) 11 containing portion

(57) 13 body

(58) 15 neck

(59) 16 mouth

(60) 17 male thread

(61) 20 stopper

(62) 30 interior cap

(63) 32 interior-cap main body

(64) 34 interior-cap circular wall

(65) 36 large-outer-diameter portion

(66) 37 female thread

(67) 38 small-outer-diameter portion

(68) 40 inner arrangement surface

(69) 42 interior-cap upper wall

(70) 44 contact ring

(71) 50 engaging portion (ratchet mechanism)

(72) 51 open-time-pressed-surface

(73) 52 close-time-pressed-surface

(74) 54 rib (interior-cap protrusion)

(75) 60 exterior cap

(76) 62 exterior-cap main body

(77) 64 exterior-cap circular wall

(78) 66 large-inner-diameter portion

(79) 68 small-inner-diameter portion

(80) 70 outer arrangement surface

(81) 72 exterior-cap upper wall

(82) 80 engaged portion (ratchet mechanism)

(83) 81 open-time-pressing-surface

(84) 82 close-time-pressing-surface

(85) 82 spring piece exterior-cap protrusion)