Patent Application
20230331460
The present disclosure relates to a container with separable laminated layers (which is also referred to as a delamination container).
As containers for storing food seasonings such as soy sauce, food such as beverages, cosmetics such as skin lotion, and toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, or liquid soap as contents, containers with separable laminated layers are known. Such a container with separable laminated layers includes an outer layer body, an inner layer body separably laminated on an inner surface of the outer layer body and capable of undergoing volume reduction and deformation, and an ambient air inlet extending between the outer layer body and the inner layer body. In the container with separable laminated layers configured as above, after the contents are dispensed to the outside, it is possible to cause the inner layer body to undergo volume reduction and deformation in conjunction with dispensing of the contents, by introducing ambient air between the outer layer body and the inner layer body through the ambient air inlet. The contents can therefore be dispensed without being replaced by ambient air. This reduces contact between the contents stored in the inner layer body with ambient air, thereby preventing deterioration and change in quality of the contents.
Known examples of such a container with separable laminated layers include a squeeze-type container that has a bottle shape with a tubular mouth, a shoulder that is continuous with the mouth, a trunk that is continuous with the shoulder, and a bottom that is continuous with the trunk, wherein the trunk includes a flexible and restorable cylindrical squeeze area, which can be squeezed (pressed) so that the contents stored within the container are dispensed to the outside through the mouth (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).
In the aforementioned existing container with separable laminated layers, however, when the squeeze area restores to its original shape after it has been squeezed so as to dispense the contents, the inner layer body sometimes may not be able to easily separate from the outer layer body in the squeeze area. There is still room for improvement in this respect.
It would be helpful to provide a squeeze-type container with separable laminated layers in which separability of the inner layer body from the outer layer body is increased.
A container with separable laminated layers according to the present disclosure includes an outer layer body, an inner layer body separably laminated on an inner surface of the outer layer body and capable of undergoing volume reduction and deformation, and an ambient air inlet extending between the outer layer body and the inner layer body, wherein the container has a bottle shape with a tubular mouth, a shoulder that is continuous with the mouth, a trunk that is continuous with the shoulder, and a bottom that is continuous with the trunk, the trunk includes a squeeze area, and the squeeze area has a substantially polygonal tubular shape with three or more panel-shaped portions, and three or more corner portions that each connect adjacent panel-shaped portions.
In a preferred embodiment of the present container with separable laminated layers configured as above, a circumferential step portion is provided between the shoulder and the squeeze area, and recesses that are concave toward an inner side of the container are provided in the step portion between the panel-shaped portions and the shoulder.
In another preferred embodiment of the present container with separable laminated layers configured as above, the container is a blow-molded product that has been formed by blow molding a preform assembly including an outer preform corresponding to the outer layer body, and an inner preform corresponding to the inner layer body that is embedded inside the outer preform.
In still another preferred embodiment of the present container with separable laminated layers configured as above, each of the panel-shaped portions is shaped so as to be curved in a circumferential direction with a predetermined curvature and to be convex toward an outer side of the container, and each of the corner portions is shaped so as to be curved in the circumferential direction with a curvature greater than the curvature of the panel-shaped portions and to be convex toward the outer side of the container.
In still another preferred embodiment of the present container with separable laminated layers configured as above, each of the panel-shaped portions is shaped so as to extend linearly in a circumferential direction, and each of the corner portions is shaped so as to be curved in the circumferential direction with a predetermined curvature and to be convex toward an outer side of the container.
In still another preferred embodiment of the present container with separable laminated layers configured as above, the squeeze area has a substantially barrel shape wherein part thereof between one end and another end in an axial direction protrudes radially outward.
In still another preferred embodiment of the present container with separable laminated layers configured as above, the ambient air inlet is provided in the mouth.
According to the present disclosure, a squeeze-type container with separable laminated layers in which separability of the inner layer body from the outer layer body is increased can be provided.
In the accompanying drawings:
Hereinafter, a container 1 with separable laminated layers according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail by illustration with reference to the drawings.
In the present specification and claims, a vertical direction means an up and down direction (a direction in which an axis O extends) in a state in which the container 1 with separable laminated layers is in an upright position as illustrated in
The container 1 with separable laminated layers of
The outer layer body 2 defines an outer shell of the container 1 with separable laminated layers, and it is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin in the present embodiment. It is to be noted that the outer layer body 2 is not limited to a single layer structure. The outer layer body 2, which is configured using polyethylene terephthalate resin as the main material, may have a structure made of a plurality of layers, in order to improve its barrier properties or the like.
In the present embodiment, the inner layer body 3 is also made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin. The inner layer body 3 is formed in a bag shape having a thickness smaller than that of the outer layer body 2. The inner layer body 3 is separably laminated on an inner surface of the outer layer body 2. Separation of the inner layer body 3 from the inner surface of the outer layer body 2 may be any of separation from a bonded state, separation from a quasi-bonded state, and separation from a close contact state. A storage space S is defined within the inner layer body. The contents can be stored in the storage space S. In conjunction with dispensing of the contents from the storage space S to the outside, the inner layer body 3 can undergo volume reduction and deformation so as to reduce its internal volume, while separating from the inner surface of the outer layer body 2. It is to be noted that the inner layer body 3 is also not limited to a single layer structure. The inner layer body 3, which is configured using polyethylene terephthalate resin as the main material, may have a structure made of a plurality of layers, in order to improve its barrier properties or the like.
In the present embodiment, the container 1 with separable laminated layers is made of polyethylene terephthalate resin, with both the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3 being formed using biaxially stretchable polyethylene terephthalate resin. Examples of such polyethylene terephthalate resin include homo PET. Other types of PET, such as isophthalic acid (IPA) modified PET or CHDM modified PET, can also be used. Polyethylene terephthalate resin that forms the outer layer body 2 and polyethylene terephthalate resin that forms the inner layer body 3 may have the same composition or different compositions.
Since the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3 are made of polyethylene terephthalate resin, the container 1 with separable laminated layers can be formed lightweight, strong, and highly transparent.
It is to be noted that the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3 are not necessarily made of polyethylene terephthalate resin, and they may be made of another synthetic resin material, such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE).
The container 1 with separable laminated layers has a bottle shape with the mouth 4, a shoulder 5 that is continuous with a lower end of the mouth 4, a trunk 6 that is continuous with a lower end of the shoulder 5, and a bottom 7 that is continuous with a lower end of the trunk 6.
The mouth 4 has a substantially cylindrical shape centered around the axis O, and a male thread 4a is integrally provided on its outer peripheral surface. A member, such as a dispensing cap, may be fitted to the male thread 4a. A neck ring 8 is also integrally provided below the male thread 4a of the mouth 4.
The outer peripheral surface of the mouth 4 may be provided with a projection, instead of the male thread 4a, so that the mouth 4 can be capped with a member, such as a dispensing cap, by undercut engagement. Further, the neck ring 8 may also be omitted.
The mouth 4 is provided with an ambient air inlet 9. In the embodiment, the ambient air inlet 9 is provided in part of the outer layer body 2 that constitutes the mouth 4, as a through hole passing through the outer layer body 2 in the radial direction. The ambient air inlet 9 extends between the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3, and as the inner layer body 3 separates from the outer layer body 2, ambient air can be introduced between the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3.
The shoulder 5 has a shape that gradually increases in diameter downward. In the present embodiment, the shoulder 5 has a dome shape that is convex toward an outer side of the container. The shoulder 5 has a substantially circular sectional shape perpendicular to the axis O.
The shoulder 5 is provided with a plurality of concave ribs (18 concave ribs) 10, which are arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction (for convenience, only a single concave rib is denoted by a reference numeral in
By configuring the shoulder 5 with the plurality of concave ribs 10, a passage for ambient air is easily formed from the ambient air inlet 9 provided in the mouth 4 to the trunk 6 between the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3. The inner layer body 3 can therefore easily separate from the outer layer body 2.
The shape of the shoulder 5, which gradually increases in diameter downward, may be changed in various ways. Further, the shoulder 5 may be configured without concave ribs 10.
The trunk 6 has a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole, and it includes a squeeze area 6a and a reinforced area 6b.
The squeeze area 6a is provided in a predetermined area of the trunk 6 in the vertical direction that is located near the shoulder 5. The squeeze area 6a is flexible and can elastically deform radially inward (toward the inner side of the container) upon being squeezed (pressed) radially inward. That is, in the container 1 with separable laminated layers, by squeezing (pressing) the squeeze area 6a of the trunk 6 toward the inner side of the container, the contents stored in the storage space S can be pushed and dispensed to the outside through the mouth 4. The squeeze area 6a is flexible and can also restore to the original shape from the deformed state when the squeeze is released. Additionally, no circumferential ribs are provided in the squeeze area 6a.
The bottom 7 includes a ring-shaped ground contacting portion 7a that extends around the axis O, and a bottom panel 7b that is located inward of the ground contacting portion 7a. The bottom 7 closes the lower end of the trunk 6.
The container 1 with separable laminated layers configured as above is a blow-molded product.
In the present embodiment, the container 1 with separable laminated layers is a blow-molded product that has been formed by biaxially stretch blow molding a preform assembly having a double-layer structure in which an outer preform and an inner preform are combined. The outer preform has been formed by injection molding polyethylene terephthalate resin. The inner preform has been formed independently of the outer preform, by injection molding polyethylene terephthalate resin. The outer preform corresponds to the outer layer body 2, and the inner preform corresponds to the inner layer body 3.
In a case in which the container 1 with separable laminated layers is a blow-molded product that has been formed by biaxially stretch blow molding the aforementioned preform assembly, the mouth 4 is configured with a non-biaxially stretch blow molded part of the inner layer body 3 that is located radially inward of a non-biaxially stretch blow molded part of the outer layer body 2.
Since the container 1 with separable laminated layers is a blow-molded product that has been formed by blow molding the preform assembly including the outer preform corresponding to the outer layer body 2, and the inner preform corresponding to the inner layer body 3 that is embedded inside the outer preform, the container 1 with separable laminated layers can be formed easily and precisely.
It is to be noted that the container 1 with separable laminated layers may also be formed by biaxially stretch blow molding a preform with laminated layers that is configured with laminated synthetic resin materials corresponding to the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3.
Further, the container 1 with separable laminated layers may also be formed by subjecting a cylindrical parison with laminated synthetic resin materials corresponding to the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3 to extrusion blow molding (EBM) in which blow molding is performed using a splittable mold.
In the container 1 with separable laminated layers according to the present embodiment, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Consequently, after the squeeze area 6a is squeezed so as to dispense the contents, when the squeeze is released and the squeeze area 6a is restored to the original shape from the deformed state, it is ensured that the inner layer body 3 can be separated from the outer layer body 2 in the panel-shaped portions 6a1 in which the inner layer body 3 is more easily separable.
Thus, in the container 1 with separable laminated layers according to the present embodiment, the squeeze area 6a provided in the trunk 6 has a substantially polygonal tubular shape with three or more panel-shaped portions 6a1, and three or more corner portions 6a2 that each connect adjacent panel-shaped portions 6a1. This increases separability of the inner layer body 3 from the outer layer body 2 in the squeeze area 6a compared with a case in which the squeeze area 6a has a cylindrical shape. As a result, it is ensured that the inner layer body 3 can be separated from the outer layer body 2 in conjunction with dispensing of the contents. The squeeze-type container 1 with separable laminated layers can therefore provide increased dispensing operability for dispensing the contents.
In particular, in a case in which the container 1 with separable laminated layers is a blow-molded product in which the outer layer body 2 and inner layer body 3 are made of polyethylene terephthalate resin as in the present embodiment, the inner layer body 3 is less likely to separate from the outer layer body 2. Even in such a case, however, since the squeeze area 6a provided in the trunk 6 is configured in a substantially polygonal tubular shape with three or more panel-shaped portions 6a1, and three or more corner portions 6a2 that each connect adjacent panel-shaped portions 6a1, it is ensured that the inner layer body 3 can be separated from the outer layer body 2 in conjunction with dispensing of the contents. The squeeze-type container 1 with separable laminated layers can therefore provide increased dispensing operability for dispensing the contents.
Further, in the present embodiment, each panel-shaped portion 6a1 is shaped so as to be curved in the circumferential direction with a predetermined curvature and to be convex toward the outer side of the container, and each corner portion 6a2 is shaped so as to be curved in the circumferential direction with a curvature greater than that of the panel-shaped portions 6a1 and to be convex toward the outer side of the container. Accordingly, the panel-shaped portions 6a1 are preferentially separated compared with the corner portions 6a2, and therefore, separability of the inner layer body 3 from the outer layer body 2 can be increased. At the same time, the squeeze area 6a can acquire an increased ability to restore to the original shape after it has undergone radially inward deformation in response to squeeze. This allows the squeeze area 6a to quickly restore to the original shape when the squeeze is released after dispensing the contents, so that squeeze-type container 1 with separable laminated layers can provide even more increased dispensing operability for dispensing the contents.
As illustrated in
In the present embodiment, the step portion 11 has a curved shape that gradually decreases in diameter in a direction from the shoulder 5 toward the squeeze area 6a and that is convex toward the outer side of the container. This increases rigidity of the step portion 11, so that when the squeeze area 6a is squeezed, deformation of the step portion 11 or the shoulder 5, along with the squeeze area 6a, can be prevented. The squeeze-type container 1 with separable laminated layers can therefore provide increased dispensing operability for dispensing the contents.
Recesses 20 that are concave toward the inner side of the container are provided in the step portion 11 between the six panel-shaped portions 6a1 and the shoulder 5. Because in the present embodiment the six panel-shaped portions 6a1 are provided in the squeeze area 6a at regular intervals in the circumferential direction, six recesses 20 are correspondingly provided in the step portion 11 at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. Each recess 20 is located above the circumferentially center position of the corresponding panel-shaped portion 6a1. Additionally, only three recesses 20 are illustrated in
As illustrated in
When the contents are dispensed and the inner layer body 3 undergoes volume reduction and deformation relative to the outer layer body 2, the inner layer body 3 starts to collapse from parts of the step portion 11 at which the recesses 20 are provided. The inner layer body 3 can therefore easily separate from the outer layer body 2 in the parts of the step portion 11 at which the recesses 20 are provided. Further, since the recesses 20 are provided between the panel-shaped portions 6a1 and the shoulder 5, when the inner layer body 3 separates from the outer layer body 2 in the parts of the step portion 11 at which the recesses 20 are provided, the inner layer body 3 can accordingly easily separate from the outer layer body 2 in the panel-shaped portions 6a1 as well.
Thus, in the container 1 with separable laminated layers according to the present embodiment, the recesses 20 that are concave toward the inner side of the container are provided between the respective panel-shaped portions 6a1 and the shoulder 5 in the circumferential step portion 11 formed between the shoulder 5 and the squeeze area 6a of the trunk 6. Accordingly, when the contents are dispensed and the inner layer body 3 undergoes volume reduction and deformation relative to the outer layer body 2, the inner layer body 3 starts to collapse from the recesses 20, so that the inner layer body 3 can easily separate from the outer layer body 2 in the step portion 11. Moreover, the inner layer body 3 can accordingly easily separate from the outer layer body 2 in the panel-shaped portions 6a1 located in correspondence with the recesses 20. Consequently, even when the container 1 with separable laminated layers is configured with the circumferential step portion 11 formed between the shoulder 5 and the squeeze area 6a, a passage for ambient air can be formed straight from the ambient air inlet 9 provided in the mouth 4 to the trunk 6, and the inner layer body 3 can easily separate from the outer layer body 2 during dispensing of the contents. The container 1 with separable laminated layers can therefore even further increase separability of the inner layer body 3 from the outer layer body 2, while providing increased dispensing operability for the contents.
In particular, in a case in which the container 1 with separable laminated layers is a blow molded product in which the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3 are made of polyethylene terephthalate resin as in the present embodiment, the inner layer body 3 is less likely to separate from the outer layer body 2 in the step portion 11. Nevertheless, by providing the recesses 20 in the step portion 11 as in the present embodiment, the inner layer body 3 can easily separate from the outer layer body 2 in the step portion 11 even in such a container 1 with separable laminated layers.
As illustrated in
An upper end of the reinforced area 6b protrudes radially further outward than a lower end 6a4 of the squeeze area 6a. A circumferential secondary step portion 12 is also provided around the axis O between the upper end of the reinforced area 6b and the lower end 6a4 of the squeeze area 6a. That is, the upper end of the reinforced area 6b is continuous with the lower end 6a4 of the squeeze area 6a via the secondary step portion 12.
By providing the trunk 6 with the reinforced area 6b that is continuous with the lower end 6a4 of the squeeze area 6a via the secondary step portion 12, the lower end 6a4 of the squeeze area 6a is firmly supported by the reinforced area 6b via the secondary step portion 12. Accordingly, the dispensing operability of the squeeze area 6a can be increased.
Additionally, a plurality of depressed portions 6b2 may be provided at regular intervals in the circumferential direction on both sides of each annular rib 6b1.
As illustrated in
Consequently, the squeeze area 6a may be configured to be more easily squeezed (pressed).
As illustrated in
Consequently, the squeeze area 6a can acquire an increased ability to restore to the original shape after it has undergone radially inward deformation in response to squeeze. This allows the squeeze area 6a to quickly restore to the original shape when the squeeze is released after squeezing the squeeze area 6a and dispensing the contents, so that squeeze-type container 1 with separable laminated layers can provide even more increased dispensing operability for dispensing the contents.
The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.
For example, although in the above embodiment the squeeze area 6a is configured with six panel-shaped portions 6a1 and six corner sections 6a2 that each connect adjacent panel-shaped portions 6a1, it is sufficient that the number of panel-shaped portions 6a1 and the number of corner portions 6a2 are both three or more, and these numbers may be changed in various ways.
Further, although in the above embodiment the step portion 11 is provided between the shoulder 5 and the squeeze area 6a, and the plurality of recesses 20 is provided in the step portion 11, the present disclosure is not limited to this, The step portion 11 or the recesses 20 may be omitted.
Moreover, although in the above embodiment the ambient air inlet 9 is provided in part of the outer layer body 2 that constitutes the mouth 4, as a through hole passing through this part in the radial direction, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The ambient air inlet 9, which is configured to allow ambient air to be introduced between the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3, may be provided in any of the shoulder 5, the trunk 6, and the bottom 7. The ambient air inlet 9 may also be in the form of a slit, or a gap that opens at the boundary between the outer layer body 2 and the inner layer body 3, without being limited to a through hole.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-066090 | Apr 2020 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2021/008832 | 3/5/2021 | WO |
