The present invention relates to a container including a housing space that can hold contents and a method for producing the container.
Various containers for holding contents have been known. The container described in Patent Literature 1 as an example is produced by injection molding of a polypropylene resin. The container has a base plate whose surface is formed with a gate mark.
[PTL 1]: JP 2015-30478 A
Because the container has the gate mark exposed at the surface of the base plate, when the container is conveyed together with another object, for example, the gate mark may be in contact with the object and damage the other object.
An object of the present invention is to provide a container having a gate mark that is unlikely to contact another object and a method for producing the container.
To achieve the aforementioned object, a container according to an aspect of the present invention includes a housing space, a first layer, a second layer and a gate mark. The housing space can hold contents. The first layer forms the housing space. The second layer includes an adhered surface that is adhered externally to the first layer, and a non-adhered surface that is not adhered to the first layer. The gate mark is formed on at least one of the inner surface of the first layer and the non-adhered surface.
The preferred embodiments are described below. It is understood that the embodiments descried below are intended to be representative of the present invention. The present invention is not necessarily limited to the embodiments described below.
As shown in
The container body 10 includes a circular opening 11 facing the lid 20. Along the circumferential direction of the opening 11, a male thread 12 is formed. The container body 10 includes a first layer 10A that forms a housing space 13 for holding the contents 300, and a second layer 10B that is stacked on the outer circumferential area of the first layer 10A. The first and second layers 10A and 10B are formed by injection molding.
The first layer 10A can be made of any material. A preferred example of the material for forming the first layer 10A is a synthetic resin. According to an example, the material for forming the first layer 10A is a polypropylene. The material for forming the first layer 10A preferably has a melting point higher than that of the second layer 10B.
The second layer 10B can be made of any material. A preferred example of the material for forming the second layer 10B is a synthetic rubber. According to an example, the material for forming the second layer 10B is a butadiene rubber. When the second layer 10B is formed of a synthetic rubber, the container body 10 can have a non-slippery surface which provides the end user with a secure grip on the container body 10.
The lid 20 includes a circular opening 21 facing the container body 10. Along the circumferential direction of the opening 21, a female thread 22 is formed (see
As shown in
The first layer 30 can be made of any material. A preferred example of the material for forming the first layer 30 is a synthetic resin. According to an example, the material for forming the first layer 30 is a polypropylene. The material for forming the first layer 30 preferably has a melting point higher than that of the second layer 40. The first layer 30 has a first thickness XA which is the thickness dimension of the first layer 30, and which is approximately uniform all over the first layer 30. In a plan view of the lid 20, the first layer 30 has a center having an aperture 31 penetrating the first layer 30. The second layer 40 is formed on a part of the aperture 31.
The second layer 40 can be made of any material. A preferred example of the material for forming the second layer 40 is a synthetic rubber. According to an example, the material for forming the second layer 40 is a butadiene rubber. When the second layer 40 is formed of a synthetic rubber, the lid 20 can have a non-slippery surface which provides the end user with a secure grip on the lid 20. The second layer 40 includes an adhered surface 40A that is adhered externally to the first layer 30, and a non-adhered surface 40B which continues from the adhered surface 40A and is not adhered to the first layer 30. The part of the second layer 40 including the adhered surface 40A has a second thickness XB which is approximately uniform all over the second layer 40. The second thickness XB is larger than the first thickness XA.
The recess 50 is a portion where a part of the non-adhered surface 40B in the second layer 40 is recessed outward from the housing space 23. In other words, the recess 50 is a portion where a part of the non-adhered surface 40B is recessed in a direction away from the center of the housing space 23. The recess 50 includes a first part 51 which is open to the housing space 23, and a second part 52 which communicates with the first part 51. The depth of the recess 50, namely, a depth XC which is a distance from the end surface of the first part 51 to the end surface of the second part 52, is larger than the first thickness XA. The recess 50 has an opening area which gradually decreases from the second part 52 toward the first part 51.
The first part 51 is formed at the center of the aperture 31 of the first layer 30. The second part 52 is formed further outward than the first part 51, and is tapered from the housing space 23 toward the outer side to increase the opening area.
The gate mark 60 is a portion formed by injection-molding the second layer 40. The gate mark 60 is formed in a bottom surface 52A of the second part 52 of the recess 50.
Referring to
The method for producing the lid 20 includes a first process of injection-molding the first layer 30, and a second process of injection-molding the second layer 40.
As shown in
After the core 110 and the cavity 120 are supported by the support stand 150, a nozzle 140 of an injection molding machine 130 is inserted into the cavity 120. Then, the material for forming the first layer 30 is filled between the core 110 and the cavity 120. The core 110 has a center where a projection 111 is formed toward the cavity 120. Accordingly, when the material for forming the first layer 30 is filled between the core 110 and the cavity 120, the aperture 31 is formed at the center of the first layer 30. When the material for forming the first layer 30 is filled and hardened, the first layer 30 thus formed is removed from the core 110 and the cavity 120. Then, the first layer 30 is conveyed to a support stand 260 where the second process is performed (see
As shown in
After the core 210 and the cavity 220 are supported by the support stand 260, a nozzle 250 connected to a cylinder 240 of an injection molding machine 230, is inserted from the housing space 23 into the aperture 31 of the first layer 30.
In a plan view of the lid 20, the nozzle 250 includes a tip portion 251 which extends in the radial direction of the lid 20. The tip portion 251 has a lower surface 251A which is tapered being widened toward the outer side. Accordingly, the tip portion 251 is narrowed toward the inner side.
A nozzle dimension LA is a dimension of the tip portion 251 of the lid 20 in the radial direction. The nozzle dimension LA is smaller than an aperture dimension LB which is a dimension of the aperture 31 of the first layer 30 in the radial direction of the lid 20. Accordingly, the nozzle 250 does not come in contact with the aperture 31 when inserted into the aperture 31. After the nozzle 250 is inserted into the aperture 31, the material for forming the second layer 40 is filled between the core 210 and the cavity 220.
As shown in
As shown in
When the second layer 40 moves together with the cavity 220 in a state of being bonded to the cavity 220, the upward movement of a contact portion 40X of the second layer 40 is restricted by the lower surface 251A of the tip portion 251 because the contact portion 40X is in contact with the lower surface 251A of the tip portion 251. The restriction of the upward movement of the second layer 40 allows the cavity 220 to be appropriately separated from the second and first layers 40 and 30.
As shown in
Referring to
The container 1 further provides the following advantages.
(1) Since the gate mark 60 is not exposed outside the container 1, the gate mark 60 is unlikely to be visually recognized by the end user. This enhances the designability of the container 1.
(2) In the container 1, the entire gate mark 60 is entirely inside the recess 50. Therefore, the gate mark 60 is unlikely to be in contact with the contents 300 held in the housing space 23 when compared with a part of the gate mark 60 being protruded from the recess 50. Therefore, the contents 300 are less likely to be damaged.
(3) The container 1 has the depth XC larger than the first thickness XA. Accordingly, the gate mark 60 is located more further from the housing space 23 when compared to the cases where the depth XC is smaller than the first thickness XA2, and where the depth XC is equal to the first thickness XA. With this structure, the gate mark 60 is less likely to be in contact with the contents 300 and accordingly the contents 300 are less likely to be damaged.
(4) The opening area of the recess 50 gradually decreases from the second part 52 toward the first part 51 which means that the gate mark 60 formed on the second part 52 is unlikely to be visually recognized. This enhances the designability of the container 1.
The description of the above embodiment is only an example of the container and the method for producing the container according to the present invention, and thus should not be construed as limiting the mode. The container and the method for producing the container according to the present invention could encompass, for example, modifications of the above embodiments and combinations of at least two modifications that are mutually consistent.
As shown in
According to a container 1 of a modification, a recess 50 is filled with a synthetic resin or the like.
According to a container 1 of a modification, a non-adhered surface 40B of a second layer 40 is protruded further toward a housing space 23 side than to an inner surface 30A side of a first layer 30. Alternatively, the non-adhered surface 40B of the second layer 40 is located further outward than the inner surface 30A of the first layer 30.
According to a container 1 of a modification, the dimension of at least one of a first thickness XA of a lid 20 and a second thickness XB varies depending on the location on the lid 20.
A container 1 of a modification holds contents 300 other than hair wax. Examples of the contents 300 other than hair wax include lip balm and cosmetics.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2015-212921 | Oct 2015 | JP | national |
This application is continuation application filed under 35 U.S.C. § 111(a) claiming the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §§ 120 and 365(c) of International Application No. PCT/JP2016/081640, filed Oct. 25, 2016, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-212921, filed Oct. 29, 2015, the entireties of which are all hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2016/081640 | Oct 2016 | US |
Child | 15916842 | US |