Adhesive container

An adhesive is filled in an adhesive-containing member, while positively fixing the adhesive-containing member, and after the filling of the adhesive, a nozzle can be positively capped on the adhesive-containing member at high speed. The adhesive-containing member 2 has a hollow cylindrical body 3 with a non-cylindrical bottom portion 7. A nozzle 8 includes a polygonal tubular portion 11 of square shape or regular polygonal shape in plan view, formed on an upper end of cylindrical proximal end portion 9. A cylindrical portion 12 thereof is formed integrally on the polygonal tubular portion 11 via a step portion, and a conical discharge portion 13 is formed integrally on the cylindrical portion 12. A recess 14 is formed in a central portion of an outer surface of a closed top of the discharge portion. Nozzles 8 are lined up in a predetermined direction, using the cylindrical portions 12, and then each nozzle is engaged with and retained by a nozzle tightening jig 21 having an inner peripheral surface substantially corresponding in shape to that of the polygonal tubular portion 11, and the nozzle tightening jig 21 is rotated, so that the nozzle 8 is capped at high speed on the adhesive-containing member 2 which is fixed by engaging its bottom portion 7 within a fixing jig 23.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an adhesive container best suited for holding an 
.alpha.-cyanoacrylate-type adhesive known as an instantaneous adhesive. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In a representative example of adhesive container for holding an 
instantaneous adhesive, such as an .alpha.-cyanoacrylate-type adhesive, as 
disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. 48-4046, 
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 54-40352 and Japanese Laid-Open 
Utility Model Application No. 58-116576, a conical nozzle whose distal end 
is closed or not closed is threaded at its proximal end portion on the 
outer periphery of an upper end of a hollow cylindrical 
adhesive-containing member having a closed bottom. 
In this type of adhesive container, an adhesive is poured into the 
adhesive-containing member through an upper end opening thereof after 
separating the nozzle therefrom, and then the opening is closed by 
tightening the nozzle. Such an adhesive container is best suited for use 
as a container for holding an .alpha.-cyanoacrylate-type adhesive which 
needs to be prevented from contact with the air, except when using it. 
Such container has a high utility. 
Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
As described above, in the above known adhesive container, when the 
adhesive is to be filled, the nozzle is separated from the 
adhesive-containing member, and in this condition the adhesive is filled 
in the adhesive-containing member by a feeding machine, and then the 
nozzle is attached to the adhesive-containing member. However, where the 
adhesive-containing member is in the form of a tube of cylindrical shape, 
and also the proximal end portion of the nozzle is cylindrical, when the 
two are to be threadedly connected together using a capping machine, it 
has been necessary to fix them by the use of jigs of a special shape so as 
to prevent the adhesive-containing member and the nozzle from rotating. 
Further, when the nozzles are to be lined up at high speed, it is 
impossible to uniformly line up the nozzles since most nozzles have the 
conical nozzle portion formed integrally with the proximal end portion 
having the outer diameter generally equal to the diameter of the outer 
periphery of the adhesive-containing member. Besides, when the line-up is 
to be made using the proximal end portion of a certain outer diameter as a 
reference, a hopper feeder having a large diameter is needed, and further 
the number of the nozzles to be lined up at a time is limited. On the 
other hand, a line-up device of a relatively large size is needed for 
lining up many nozzles simultaneously. Because of these problems, it has 
been difficult to cap the nozzle for the adhesive-containing member at 
high speed. 
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an adhesive 
container in which an adhesive can be filled in an adhesive-containing 
member while positively fixing the adhesive-containing member, and a 
nozzle can be capped onto the adhesive-containing member at high speed 
after the filling of the adhesive. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An adhesive container according to the present invention is characterized 
by the provision of an adhesive-containing member having a neck portion 
formed integrally on an upper end of a hollow cylindrical body through a 
shoulder portion, said neck portion having a thread on its outer periphery 
and being open at its end. A lower end portion of said adhesive-containing 
member tapers toward a lower end thereof, so that the opposed walls of 
said lower end portion gradually approach each other to provide flat 
surface portions, respectively. The lower end is closed, and a nozzle 
including a cylindrical proximal end portion has at its inner surface a 
thread engaged with the thread formed on the neck portion. A polygonal 
tubular portion has a square or a regular pentagonal outer periphery in 
transverse cross-section, and further includes at an upper end of said 
proximal end portion an outer cylindrical peripheral portion integral with 
the polygonal tubular portion through a step portion. A tubular discharge 
portion is formed on a central portion of said cylindrical portion with a 
recess formed in a central portion of an outer end surface of a closed top 
of a discharge portion at a distal end thereof. 
The adhesive container of the present invention comprises the 
adhesive-containing member, and the nozzle having the closed distal end. 
The adhesive-containing member, as well as the nozzle, are molded of a 
synthetic resin material such for example polyethylene and polypropylene 
which is inert relative to an adhesive to be contained. 
The adhesive-containing member, that is, one of the parts constituting the 
adhesive container, has a cylindrical neck portion of a reduced diameter 
formed integrally on the upper end of the hollow cylindrical body through 
a smooth shoulder portion, and a thread (usually, an external thread) 
constitutes an inverse thread formed on the outer periphery of the neck 
portion, and the distal end of the neck is open. 
The nozzle, that is the other part, includes the cylindrical proximal end 
portion having at an inner peripheral surface the other thread (internal 
thread) engaged with the thread formed on the neck portion, and the 
polygonal tubular portion which has a square or a regular polygonal outer 
periphery in transverse cross-section, is formed on the upper end of the 
proximal end portion thereof. The polygonal tubular portion may be formed 
integrally with the cylindrical 10 proximal end portion through an 
intermediate step portion. In either case, the nozzle is integrally 
injection-molded of a synthetic resin which is inert with respect to an 
.alpha.-cyanoacrylate-type adhesive. 
The polygonal tubular portion of the nozzle is provided so as to prevent 
the nozzle from being unnecessarily angularly moved at the time of capping 
of the adhesive-containing member, and no particular problem arises when 
the polygonal tubular portion is basically polygonal in its plan view. As 
regards the adhesive-containing member to be filled with the 
.alpha.-cyanoacrylate-type adhesive because of the characteristics of the 
adhesive, the outer diameter of the cylindrical body is relatively small, 
usually, on the order of about 9.5 mm, and the outer diameter of the neck 
portion is relatively small on the order of about 6.8 mm, and hence, 
naturally, the outer diameter of the proximal end portion of the nozzle is 
small. Therefore, if the polygonal tubular portion is, for example, 
hexagonal in its plan view, the resin at the corner portions tends to be 
rounded by a jig, which results in an unsatisfactory tightening. And, 
where only opposed walls are made straight, the jig must be rotated 
through an angle of about 179 degrees at the maximum if the two opposed 
walls are out of position when attaching the nozzle to the jig. This 
prevents a high-speed nozzle attaching operation, and therefore a regular 
pentagonal shape or square shape is highly preferred. 
The cylindrical portion is integrally formed on the polygonal tubular 
portion via the step portion. This cylindrical portion is fitted in a 
retaining hole for line-up purposes formed in a line-up device, thereby 
stably lining up the nozzles at high speed, and therefore its outer 
diameter is less than that of the polygonal tubular portion. 
The line-up device for lining up the nozzles may have a pair of support 
levers spaced from each other by a distance substantially equal to the 
outer diameter of the cylindrical portion of the nozzle, in which case the 
cylindrical portion of each nozzle is engaged in a groove defined by the 
support levers, and the proximal end portion formed integrally with the 
cylindrical portion is engaged with the support levers for retaining 
purposes. 
The discharge portion of the nozzle is formed integrally and coaxially at 
the upper end of the cylindrical portion, and may taper (that is, 
decreasing in diameter progressively) toward the distal end thereof, or 
may be a cylindrical portion of uniform small diameter. The top of the 
discharge portion of the nozzle is closed, and a recess is formed at the 
center of the outer surface of this closed top. A sharp pointed article, 
such as a needle, may readily pierce the recess of the top portion, 
thereby allowing discharge of the adhesive, contained in the 
adhesive-containing member, to the exterior. 
Before the use of the adhesive container of the present invention, the 
nozzle having the discharge portion with the closed top is attached to the 
adhesive-containing member, and therefore the adhesive contained in the 
adhesive-containing member is completely isolated from the outside air. In 
use, a sharp pointed article such as a needle, pierces through the top at 
the recess of the discharge portion, thereby destroying the seal. 
At this time, the recess of the discharge portion serves to guide the sharp 
pointed member, so that the piercing of the top can be effected easily and 
accurately. 
In the adhesive container of the present invention, the cylindrical portion 
of the nozzle is provided with a step between the discharge portion and 
the cylindrical proximal end portion of the nozzle, and therefore the 
nozzles can be lined up in a predetermined direction on a line-up plate of 
a line-up device at high speed, using the cylindrical portions, and also 
after this lining-up, the nozzle is inverted to direct the discharge 
portion upwardly, and then an nozzle tightening device is fitted on the 
polygonal tubular portion, so that the nozzle can be positively capped on 
the neck portion of the adhesive-containing member at high speed. 
The lower end portion of the cylindrical adhesive-containing member tapers 
toward the lower edge thereof, so that the opposed walls of the lower end 
portion gradually approach each other to provide non-curved, flat surface 
portions, respectively. Therefore, by fitting the bottom portion of the 
adhesive-containing member in a fixing jig having a recess identical in 
shape in this bottom portion, the adhesive-containing member and the 
nozzle can be more readily, positively connected together.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The illustrated adhesive container, forming a preferred embodiment, serves 
to hold an .alpha.-cyanoacrylate-type adhesive. This adhesive container 1 
consists of an adhesive-containing member 2 and a nozzle 8. Each of the 
adhesive-containing member 2 and the nozzle 8 is integrally molded of 
polyethylene which is inert relative to an .alpha.-cyanoacrylate-type 
adhesive to be carried thereby. 
The hollow tubular adhesive-containing member 2 has a neck portion 4 of 
cylindrical form of a reduced diameter formed integrally at an upper end 
of a hollow cylindrical body 3 through a smooth rounded shoulder portion. 
An external inverse thread 5 is formed on the outer periphery of the neck 
portion 4 and the lower portion of the cylindrical body 3 tapers toward a 
lower end thereof, so that the opposed walls of this lower portion 
gradually approach each other to define non-curved, flat surface portions 
6, respectively. This lower end of body 3 is closed, and a bottom portion 
of the adhesive-containing member 2 has a flat surface. 
The nozzle 8 has a proximal end portion 9 enveloping neck portion 4 of 
member 2 having a short, axial length, cylindrical inner periphery with a 
diameter generally equal to that of the outer periphery of the neck 
portion 4 of the adhesive-containing member 2, and an internal thread 10 
for engagement with an external thread 5 formed on the outer periphery of 
neck 4. A polygonal tubular portion 11 of the nozzle 8 which has, in the 
illustrated embodiment, a square outer periphery in plan view and in 
transverse cross-section, is formed on the upper end of the nozzle 
proximal end portion 9. In order, a cylindrical reduced diameter portion 
12 whose outer periphery is disposed radially inwardly of the four sides 
of the underlying square portion of the nozzle is formed integrally on the 
upper surface of the polygonal portion 11 as a step portion. A generally 
conical, tapered discharge portion 13, of decreasing diameter, 
progressively toward its distal end, is formed integrally on the center of 
the cylindrical portion 12 in step fashion as seen in the perspective 
view, FIG. 7. 
As is clear from FIGS. 3 and 4, a cylindrical recess 14 is formed in the 
center of the outer surface of the top of the discharge portion 13, and 
the recess 14 is closed off by a transverse closure wall 15 at the bottom 
of the recess to prevent the communication between a liquid discharge port 
16, defined by the recess 14, and a liquid discharge passage 17 within the 
discharge portion 13. The nozzle 8 is provided with an annular groove 24 
in the lower end of the proximal end portion thereof defining a hollow 
cylindrical guide which rides on the inner periphery of neck portion 4 of 
the adhesive-containing member 2. 
In the adhesive container of the above construction, the 
.alpha.-cyanoacrylate-type adhesive is filled in the adhesive-containing 
member 2, and then the internal thread 10 formed at the proximal end 9 of 
the nozzle 8 is threaded onto the external thread 5 formed on the neck 
portion 4 of the adhesive-containing member 2, thereby closing the 
adhesive container 1 with the sealed adhesive therein. When the adhesive 
thus contained is to be discharged and used, a distal end 18a of a sharp 
pointed member 18, such as a needle, is inserted in recess 14, formed on 
the outer surface of the top of the nozzle 8, using the inner peripheral 
surface of the recess as a guide. The needle pierces through the closure 
wall 15 at the bottom of the recess 14 to open the seal, thereby 
communicating the liquid discharge port 16 with the liquid discharge 
passage 17. 
For filling the adhesive in the adhesive container 1, a number of 
adhesive-containing members 2, as well as a number of nozzles 8 which are 
molded separately from the adhesive-containing members 2, are lined up by 
a line-up device, and the adhesive-containing members 2 are moved toward 
an adhesive filling device (not shown), with their neck portions 4 
directed upwardly, and the .alpha.-cyanoacrylate-type adhesive is filled 
successively in each of the adhesive-containing members 2. 
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the cylindrical portion 12 of each 
nozzle 8 is fitted in a retaining hole 20 of a line-up plate 19 of a 
line-up device, so that each nozzle 8 is suspended in an inverted manner, 
and all of the nozzles 8 are thus oriented in the same direction. Then the 
nozzles are inverted, so that the discharge portions 13 thereof are 
directed upwardly. 
Then as shown in FIG. 5, a nozzle tightening jig 21, which has an opening 
with an inner peripheral surface adapted to substantially snugly fit on 
the polygonal tubular portion 11 of the nozzle 8, is fitted on each of the 
upwardly-directed, lined-up nozzles 8 from above, and the nozzle 
tightening jig 21 holding the nozzle 8 is rotated, so that the internal 
thread 10 of the proximal end portion 9 of the nozzle 8 threadedly engages 
with the external thread 5 formed on the neck portion 4 of the 
adhesive-containing member 2. The bottom portion 7 of the 
adhesive-containing member 2 filled with the adhesive is fitted in a 
fixing jig 23 having a recess 22 of mirror shape to the shape of the 
bottom end or portion 7, thereby positively maintaining the 
adhesive-containing member in fixed position, and therefore the 
adhesive-containing member 2 and the nozzle 8 can be positively connected 
together more readily. 
Advantageous Effects of the Invention 
The adhesive container of the present invention comprises the 
adhesive-containing member for containing the adhesive, and the nozzle 
threadedly attached to the neck portion of the adhesive-containing member. 
The opposed walls of the lower end portion of the hollow cylindrical body 
of the adhesive-containing member approach each other progressively toward 
the lower end thereof to provide the non-cylindrical bottom portion having 
the non-curved, i.e. flat, opposite surface portions 6. Therefore, this 
bottom portion 7 is fitted in and retained by the fixing jig 23 having the 
recess of corresponding shape to this bottom portion, and when the nozzle 
is to be attached to the neck portion after the adhesive is filled, this 
attachment operation can be effected without rotating the 
adhesive-containing member at all, and the nozzle can be positively 
attached easily to the adhesive-containing member at high speed. Thus 
leakage of the adhesive and the introduction of the air (which causes the 
solidification of the adhesive) due to an incomplete tightening can be 
completely prevented. 
The polygonal tubular portion of the nozzle 8, which is of square shape or 
other regular polygonal shape, in plan view, is formed on the upper end of 
the cylindrical proximal end portion of the nozzle engaged with the neck 
portion of the adhesive-containing member. Therefore, the polygonal 
tubular portion of the nozzle is fitted in the nozzle tightening jig of 
substantially corresponding cross-sectional shape to the polygonal tubular 
portion, and then the nozzle tightening jig is rotated, so that the nozzle 
8 can be positively, threadedly attached to the neck of the 
adhesive-containing member at high speed. Further, since the polygonal 
tubular portion has a square shape or a regular polygonal shape, the 
corner portions thereof will not be rounded even if the nozzle tightening 
jig is rotated at high speed, and positive tightening of the nozzle can be 
achieved. Also, the nozzle can be easily attached to the nozzle tightening 
jig. 
In the adhesive container of the present invention, the cylindrical portion 
is provided between the discharge portion and the proximal end portion of 
the nozzle through step portions, and therefore this cylindrical portion 
is fitted in the hole formed through the line-up plate of the line-up 
device, so that the nozzles can be easily lined up in a predetermined 
direction at high speed. The filling of the adhesive and the capping can 
be carried out at high speed, and therefore high-speed stable lining-up, 
high-speed supply and high-speed stable attachment can be more positively 
effected.