Doubled-walled container

Abstract

A double-walled container includes a plurality of ribs. The plurality of ribs include at least one expanded diameter part rib whose upper end is disposed immediately below at least one diameter expansion part of ring and at least one intermittent part rib whose upper end is disposed immediately below at least one intermittent part of ring located immediately below at least one air introduction hole. The at least one intermittent part includes an extending portion extending beyond the upper end of the at least one expanded diameter part rib.

Claims

1. A double-walled container comprising: an outer layer body that is bottle-shaped and that includes a mouth, the mouth being cylindrical, a trunk that is connected to the mouth and has a diameter larger than a diameter of the mouth, and a bottom connected to the trunk; and an inner layer body that is accommodated inside the outer layer body, has a shape corresponding to a shape of the outer layer body and is configured to be deformed to undergo volume reduction, the mouth being provided with at least one air introduction hole that passes through the outer layer body and introduces air between the outer layer body and the inner layer body, the double-walled container further comprising: an engaging part for plug used for fitting a dispensing tool to the mouth by plugging; a neck ring provided around the mouth; and a plurality of ribs that are provided on at least an upper part of the trunk and extends in a direction from the mouth toward the bottom; wherein the neck ring includes at least one ring diameter expansion part whose diameter is expanded by bending a peripheral wall forming the mouth so that it projects radially outward and at least one ring intermittent part that is circumferentially adjacent to the at least one ring diameter expansion part and whose diameter is less expanded than that of the at least one ring diameter expansion part, and the plurality of ribs include at least one expanded diameter part rib whose upper end is disposed immediately below the at least one ring diameter expansion part and at least one intermittent part rib whose upper end is disposed immediately below the at least one ring intermittent part located immediately below the at least one air introduction hole, and the at least one intermittent part rib includes an extending portion extending beyond the upper end of the at least one expanded diameter part rib.

2. The double-walled container according to claim 1, wherein the neck ring is disposed above a lower end of the mouth, and the extending portion extends over the lower end of the mouth.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the accompanying drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a double-walled container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of the double-walled container in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the double-walled container viewed from an angle different from FIG. 2 by 90;

(5) FIG. 4(a) illustrates a sectional view taken along a line A-A in FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 4(b) illustrates a sectional view taken along a line B-B in FIG. 2;

(7) FIG. 5(a) illustrates a sectional view taken along a line C-C in FIG. 2;

(8) FIG. 5(b) illustrates a sectional view taken along a line D-D in FIG. 2;

(9) FIG. 5(c) illustrates a sectional view taken along a line E-E in FIG. 2;

(10) FIG. 6(a) illustrates a side view of the double-walled container of Comparative Example 1;

(11) FIG. 6(b) illustrates a side view of the double-walled container of Comparative Example 2; and

(12) FIG. 6(c) illustrates a side view of the double-walled container of Comparative Example 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) The double-walled container 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. It is to be noted that, in this specification, the vertical direction refers to upward and downward directions in FIG. 2 on the basis of the erected state of the double-walled container 1.

(14) As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the double-walled container 1 according to the present embodiment includes a bottle-shaped outer layer body 10 having a cylindrical mouth 11, a trunk 12 including a conical upper part connected to the mouth 11 and a cylindrical lower part, and an approximately disk shaped bottom 13 connected to the trunk 12. The trunk 12 is flexible, can dent when squeezed and recover to its original form from the dent state.

(15) Further, the double-walled container 1 includes an inner layer body (not illustrated), which has a shape corresponding to that of the outer layer body 10 and is configured to be deformed to undergo volume reduction. The inner layer body is formed into a bag shape that is thinner than the outer layer body 10. The external surface thereof separately adheres to the interior surface of the outer layer body 10. The opening of the inner layer body is connected to the open end of the mouth 11 of the outer layer body 10, and the inside of the inner layer body is an accommodation part connected to the opening. Cosmetics such as face lotion, shampoo, rinse, liquid soap, food seasoning, or the like are accommodated in the accommodation part.

(16) In this embodiment, the double-walled container 1 is configured as a lamination separation container also referred to as a delamination container, which has a lamination structure in which the inner layer body separately adheres to the interior surface of the outer layer body 10. The structure is formed by coextruding a synthetic resin having low compatibility for outer layer and a synthetic resin for inner layer to obtain a laminated parison, and applying a blow molding to the laminated parison by using a die. It is to be noted that the double-walled container 1 is obtained not only by the aforementioned direct flow molding (Extrusion Blow Molding) but also may be obtained as a lamination separation container formed by subjecting a preform of a lamination structure to biaxial stretching blow-molding, for example. Further, the double-walled container 1 may be configured by separately forming the outer layer body 10 and the inner layer body, and subsequently incorporating the inner layer body into the outer layer body 10.

(17) For example, a dispensing tool (not illustrated) such as a dispensing cap provided with a valve for dispensing, various types of nozzles or dispensing pump is fitted to the mouth 11 by plugging it, and the contents are dispensed through such dispensing tools. In this double-walled container 1, when a dispensing cap provided with a valve for dispensing is fitted to the mouth 11, the contents can be dispensed from the mouth 11 by squeezing the trunk 12 of the outer layer body 10. When the outer layer body 10 restores to its original state after the contents are dispensed, ambient air is introduced between the outer layer body 10 and the inner layer body from an air introduction hole 11b described later. Thus the outer layer body 10 can be restored to its original state with the volume of the accommodation part of the inner layer body reduced. Therefore, even after the contents are dispensed, ambient air will not flow from the mouth 11 into the accommodation part of the inner layer body. Thus the contents accommodated in the accommodation part will not come in contact with air, and thus are prevented from being deteriorated. Further, when the outer layer body 10 is inclined, the contents accommodated in the accommodation part of the inner layer body can be dispensed from the mouth 11 by its own weight. It is to be noted that, when a pump is fitted to the mouth 11, an inflexible outer layer body 10 may be used.

(18) The mouth 11 is provided with an engaging protrusion 11a as an engaging part for plugging the mouth 11 with a dispensing tool, which comes into undercut engagement. The engaging protrusion 11a is adapted for undercut engagement with an engaging groove provided in the inner circumferential surface of a fitting tube of the dispensing tool, and thus can engage the dispensing tool with the mouth 11. In a plan view, the engaging protrusion 11a forms a pair of circular arcs having an intermittent part at two sections opposed to each other over the central axis O of the double-walled container 1 aligned with the central axis of the mouth 11.

(19) In a slightly lower portion of the intermittent part of the engaging protrusion 11a in the mouth 11 of the outer layer body 10, a circular air introduction hole 11b is provided at two portions opposed to each other over the axis O. A pair of these air introduction holes 11b pass through the outer layer body 10 and communicates between the outer layer body 10 and the inner layer body, and can introduce air when the inner layer body is separated from the outer layer body 10.

(20) A step 11c formed by the peripheral wall that forms the mouth 11 is provided below the air introduction hole 11b of the mouth 11. The peripheral wall is bent so that the diameter thereof expands downward. The step 11c permits ambient air to be introduced into the air introduction hole lib. On the other hand, when the dispensing tool including an ambient air introduction valve that prevents air from leaking from the air introduction hole 11b is fitted to the mouth 11, the step 11c adheres to the lower end of a fitting tube of the dispensing tool and prevents the air from leaking from the lower end of the fitting tube.

(21) A neck ring 11d is provided below the step 11c of the mouth 11. The neck ring 11d includes four diameter expansion parts of ring 11d1. Each of them is disposed at an interval in the circumferential direction and has an expanded diameter obtained by bending the peripheral wall that forms the mouth 11 so that it projects radially outward (see FIG. 5(b)). Further, four intermittent parts of ring 11d2 whose diameter is smaller than the aforementioned diameter expansion part of ring 11d1 are disposed between each of the diameter expansion parts of ring 11d1.

(22) The four intermittent parts of ring 11d2 are formed of two first intermittent parts of ring 11d21 located immediately below two air introduction holes 11b and two second intermittent parts of ring 11d22 located between these first intermittent parts of ring 11d21 in the circumferential direction. As illustrated in FIG. 5(c), the first intermittent part of ring 11d21 is formed by bending the peripheral wall that forms the mouth 11 so that it has a vertically V-shaped profile. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the second intermittent part of ring 11d22 is formed by bending the peripheral wall that forms the mouth 11 so that it has a horizontally V-shaped profile

(23) A pair of rib groups 14A corresponding to a pair of air introduction holes 11b are formed on the upper part of the trunk 12. Each of the pair of rib groups 14A is formed of four ribs 14 radially extending from the mouth 11 toward the bottom 13. The four ribs 14 are formed of two expanded diameter parts of rib 14a each having an upper end 14a1 disposed immediately below the diameter expansion part of ring 11d1 and two intermittent parts of rib 14b each having an upper end 14b1 disposed immediately below the first intermittent part of ring 11d21. Each intermittent part rib 14b includes an extending portion 14b2 extending beyond the upper end 14a1 of the expanded diameter part rib 14a.

(24) Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 4(a), 4 (b) and 5(a), four ribs 14 each has a recess groove concaving radially inward. Further, a depth of the recess groove formed by the extending portion 14b2 is shallower than that of the portion immediately below the extending portion 14b2. Moreover, the upper end of the extending portion 14b2, that is, the upper end 14b1 of the intermittent part rib 14b extends to the lower part of the mouth 11. In other words, the neck ring 11d is provided above the lower end of the mouth 11, and the extending portion 14b2 extends over the lower end of the mouth 11.

(25) Since the double-walled container 1 is provided with such a rib group 14A, when the inner layer body is once separated from the outer layer body 10, it is difficult for the ribs of inner layer body to adhere the ribs 14 of the outer layer body 10. Thus a clearance is maintained between the ribs 14 of outer layer body 10 and the ribs of inner layer body. Further, since the first intermittent part of ring 11d21 is disposed immediately below the air introduction hole 11b and the upper end 14b1 of the extending portion 14b2 of the intermittent part rib 14b is disposed immediately below the first intermittent part of ring 11d21, the clearance maintained between the ribs 14 of outer layer body 10 and the ribs of the inner layer body can be connected to the air introduction hole lib.

(26) For example, after a blow molding of this double-walled container 1, when the inner layer body is contracted by negative pressure suction and is separated entirely from the outer layer body 10 and subsequently air is sent into the inner layer body, the other parts of the inner layer body can be adhered to the inner surface of the outer layer body 10 while a clearance is maintained between the ribs 14 of outer layer body 10 and the ribs of inner layer body and between the first intermittent part of ring 11d21 of outer layer body 10 and the first intermittent part of ring of inner layer body. Therefore, when the contents are accommodated in the inner layer body and then are dispensed from the mouth 11, the clearance between the first intermittent part of ring 11d21 and the rib 14 serves as an air passage, and thus ambient air entering from the air introduction hole 11b can be easily introduced between the outer layer body 10 and the inner layer body on the side of the bottom 13 of the trunk 12. Thus the inner layer body can be easily separated from the outer layer body 10, and insufficient separation of the inner layer body and deformation of the outer layer body 10 of the double-walled container 1 can be prevented.

(27) Further, the mouth 11 is subjected to little stretch processing during blow molding, and thus is formed to be thicker than the trunk 12. Therefore, it is more difficult for such a thick mouth 11 to secure an air passage than for the trunk 12. However, as mentioned above, an air passage can be secured more positively by extending the extending portion 14b2 over the lower end of the mouth 11.

(28) Further, since the double-walled container 1 is provided with the neck ring 11d, when a dispensing tool is fitted to the mouth 11 by plugging, the mouth 11 can be plugged with the dispensing tool with the undersurface of the expanded diameter part rib 14a of the neck ring 11d supported with a support tool. Further, since the neck ring 11d is provided with the intermittent part of ring 11d2 whose diameter is smaller than that of the diameter expansion part of ring 11d1, the intermittent part of ring 11d2 can be used as a column part, and thus the buckling strength of the neck ring 11d to the stress during plugging can be improved. Therefore, in the double-walled container 1, stabilization of work of plugging a dispensing tool into the mouth 11 can be realized.

(29) As described above, the double-walled container 1 according to this embodiment includes a bottle-shaped outer layer body 10 having a cylindrical mouth 11, a trunk 12 that is connected to the mouth 11 and has a diameter larger than that of the mouth 11, and a bottom 13 connected to the trunk 12, and an inner layer body that is accommodated inside the outer layer body 10, has a shape corresponding to the shape of the outer layer body 10 and is configured to be deformed to undergo volume reduction. The mouth 11 is provided with at least one air introduction hole 11b that passes through the outer layer body 10 and introduces air between the outer layer body 10 and the inner layer body.

(30) Further, the double-walled container 1 includes an engaging part for plug (engaging protrusion 11a) that is provided in the mouth 11 for fitting a dispensing tool to the mouth 11 by plugging, a neck ring 11d provided around the mouth 11 and a plurality of ribs 14 provided at least on the upper part of the trunk 12 and extending from the mouth 11 toward the bottom 13.

(31) Further, in the double-walled container 1, the neck ring 11d includes at least one diameter expansion part of ring 11d1 whose diameter is expanded by bending the peripheral wall forming the mouth 11 so that it projects radially outward and at least one intermittent part of ring 11d2 that is circumferentially adjacent to the at least one diameter expansion part of ring 11d1 and whose diameter is less expanded than that of the at least one diameter expansion part of ring 11d1; the plurality of ribs 14 include at least one expanded diameter part rib 14a whose upper end 14a1 is disposed immediately below the at least one diameter expansion part of ring 11d1 and at least one intermittent part rib 14b whose upper end 14b1 is disposed immediately below the at least one intermittent part of ring 11d2 located immediately below the at least one air introduction hole 11b; and at least one intermittent part rib 14b includes an extending portion 14b2 extended over the upper end of the at least one expanded diameter part rib 14a.

(32) Therefore, the double-walled container 1 according to this embodiment permits both sufficient securing of an air passage from the air introduction hole 11b and stabilization of work of plugging a dispensing tool into a mouth.

(33) Further, in the double-walled container 1 according to this embodiment, the neck ring 11d is provided above the lower end of the mouth 11, and the extending portion 14b2 extends over the lower end of the mouth 11.

(34) Therefore, in the double-walled container 1 according to this embodiment, an air passage can be secured in more positive manner.

(35) The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes may be made without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. For example, in the above embodiments, the mouth 11 is provided with a pair of air introduction holes lib, and a pair of intermittent part of rings 11d2 and a pair of rib groups 14A are provided corresponding to the air introduction holes lib. However, the numbers of air introduction holes lib, intermittent parts of ring 11d2 and rib groups 14A are respectively not limited to 2, and may be 1 or 3 or more. Further, the number of ribs 14 in the rib group 14A can be appropriately changed. Further, the rib 14 is only required to be provided at least on the upper part of the trunk 12 and to extend from the mouth 11 toward the bottom 13. The shape and length thereof can be appropriately changed. Further, the ribs 14 are not limited to those forming a recess groove concaving radially inward, and may be those forming a protruding section projecting radially outward. Moreover, although the mouth 11, the trunk 12 and the bottom 13 are illustrated as a circular shape in plan view, they may have other shapes such as ellipse.

Examples

(36) In order to confirm the effects of the present disclosure, double-walled containers as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 were produced as Examples. Further, their neck ring strengths were measured and whether or not a dispensing cap can be fitted by plugging was confirmed. Further, the contents were dispensed from the dispensing cap fitted and the trunk was observed for smooth restoration to confirm if sufficient air passage was secured. Moreover, as Comparative Examples 1 to 3, double-walled containers each configured as those illustrated in FIGS. 6 (a) to (c) were produced, and as in the case of the Examples, neck ring strength was measured and whether or not a dispensing tool can be fitted by plugging and if sufficient air passage is secured were confirmed.

(37) Both in the Example and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, the double-walled container was formed by direct blow molding (Extrusion Blow Molding) and the volume was defined as 200 ml. Further, the plugging force was defined as 300N. The results are shown in Table 1.

(38) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Com- Com- Com- parative parative parative Exam- Exam- Exam- Exam- ple ple 3 ple 2 ple 1 Structure FIGS. FIG. FIG. FIG. 1 to 5 6(c) 6(b) 6(a) Neck strength (N) 650 650 650 260 Plugging available available available N/A Air passage secured not secured not secured

(39) As obvious from Table 1, in Comparative Example 1 of FIG. 6(a) in which the neck ring has no intermittent part and the upper ends of all four ribs have the same height, the neck ring strength was not enough, and the dispensing cap could not be plugged into the mouth. Thus the air passage securing state could not be confirmed. Further, in Comparative Example 2 of FIG. 6(b) in which the intermittent part of the neck ring is not located immediately below the air introduction hole and the upper ends of all four ribs have the same height, the dispensing cap could be plugged, but air passage could not be secured sufficiently. Further, in Comparative Example 3 of FIG. 6(c) in which the intermittent part of the neck ring is located immediately below the air introduction hole and the upper ends of all four ribs have the same height, the dispensing cap could be plugged, but air passage could not be secured sufficiently. Whereas in Example illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 in which the intermittent part of the neck ring is located immediately below the air introduction hole and the upper end of the extending portion of the rib is located immediately below the intermittent part, both plugging and securing of enough air passage were possible.

(40) From the above results, when the intermittent part of the neck ring is disposed immediately below the air introduction hole and the upper end of the extending portion of the rib is disposed immediately below the intermittent part in accordance with the present disclosure, it was confirmed that both plugging of a dispensing tool and securing of enough air passage could be realized.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(41) 1: Double-walled container 10: Outer layer body 11: Mouth 11a: Engaging protrusion (engaging part for plug) 11b: Air introduction hole 11c: Step 11d: Neck ring 11d1: Diameter expansion part of ring 11d2: Intermittent part of ring 11d21: First intermittent part of ring 11d22: Second intermittent part of ring 12: Trunk 13: Bottom 14: Rib 14A: Rib group 14a: Expanded diameter part rib 14a1: Upper end of expanded diameter part rib 14b: Intermittent part rib 14b1: Upper end of intermittent part rib 14b2: Extending portion O: Axis