Cap and nutritional supplement container using the same

Abstract

A cap ( 13 ) to be mounted to a mouth part of a main container unit of a nutritional supplement container ( 10 ) is provided for flowing out a liquid substance filled in the main container unit. The main container unit includes a thin film ( 16 ) that is attached to the mouth part so as to seal the interior of the main container unit. The cap can take a first mounted state and a second mounted state with respect to the mouth part. In the first mounted state, the mounted state of the cap with respect to the mouth part is held in a state where an end surface of a hollow nozzle ( 22 ) of the cap is located not in contact with the thin film or in contact with the thin film but not pressing the thin film. In the second mounted state, the mounted state of the cap with respect to the mouth part is held in a state where the thin film is broken by the hollow nozzle and the hollow nozzle is located inside the mouth part.

1 . A cap to be mounted to a mouth part of a main container unit of a nutritional supplement container in order to deliver a liquid substance filled in the main container unit,
 the main container unit comprises a thin film that is attached to the mouth part so as to seal the interior of the main container unit,   the cap comprises:   a base part comprising a top panel part to block an opening of the mouth part and a side wall part to surround an outer peripheral surface of the mouth part at the time of mounting the cap to the mouth part;   a connection part that comprises a tubular part protruding from an outer main surface of the top plate part and to which a connector can be connected; and   a hollow nozzle that protrudes from an inner main surface of the top plate part and that has a through hole in communication with a through hole of the tubular part,   the cap is allowed to take a first mounted state and a second mounted state with respect to the mouth part,   in the first mounted state, the mounted state of the cap with respect to the mouth part is held in a state where an end surface of the hollow nozzle is located not in contact with the thin film or in contact with the thin film but not pressing the thin film, and   in the second mounted state, the mounted state of the cap with respect to the mouth part is held in a state where the thin film is broken by the hollow nozzle and the hollow nozzle is located inside the mouth part.   
     
     
         2 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the mouth part comprises a distal cylindrical part having an outer peripheral surface on which a male thread is formed, and a proximal cylindrical part having a larger outer diameter in comparison with the distal cylindrical part and having an outer peripheral surface on which a first protrusion is formed,
 the side wall part of the cap comprises a small-diameter cylindrical part facing the distal cylindrical part in the second mounted state and having an inner peripheral surface on which a female thread to be engaged with the male thread is formed, and a large-diameter cylindrical part facing the proximal cylindrical part in the second mounted state and having an inner peripheral surface on which a second protrusion is formed,   the first mounted state is obtained by pushing the mouth part into the cap so that the second protrusion surmounts the first protrusion, and   the second mounted state is obtained by puncturing the thin film with the hollow nozzle while rotating the cap in the first mounted state so as to engage the female thread with the male thread and by rotating the cap to its rotational limit.   
     
     
         3 . The cap for a container according to  claim 2 , wherein a slit is formed on the large-diameter cylindrical part from the opening end side of the cap toward the top plate part side. 
     
     
         4 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the mouth part has an outer peripheral surface on which a male thread is formed,
 in the cap, a notched part is formed on the side wall part, and   a female thread that can be engaged with the male thread in the second mounted state is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the side wall part at a position closer to the top plate part than the notched part, and   a third protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the side wall part at a position farther from the top plate part than the position at which the female thread is formed,   where the first mounted state is obtained by pushing the mouth part into the cap so that the third protrusion surmounts the male thread, and   the second mounted state is obtained by puncturing the thin film with the hollow nozzle while rotating the cap in the first mounted state so as to engage the female thread with the male thread and further rotating the cap to its rotational limit.   
     
     
         5 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection part comprises further a seat part that is formed in the circumference of the tubular part and a claw part that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of the seat part. 
     
     
         6 . The cap according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sealer arranged on the inner main surface of the top plate part. 
     
     
         7 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the top plate part has a vent hole formed to penetrate in the thickness direction, and a vent filter is attached to the top plate part so as to cover the vent hole, so that in the second mounted state, air outside the main container unit flows into the main container unit through the vent filter. 
     
     
         8 . The cap according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rib for partitioning the through hole of the tubular part,
 the through hole of the tubular part is partitioned into at least three by the rib when viewing the tubular part from the distal side.   
     
     
         9 . A nutritional supplement container comprising:
 a main container unit comprising a mouth part;   a liquid substance filled in the main container unit;   a thin film attached to the mouth part so as to seal the interior of the main container unit; and   the cap according to  claim 1 , which is mounted to the mouth part,   wherein the cap is mounted to the mouth part in the first mounted state.