Container for adhesive

A container for adhesive, particularly .alpha.-cyanoacrylate adhesive, which has an excellent storage stability and decreases production cost due to simple assembling with the small number of parts is provided. The container for adhesive comprises a container body having a filling portion containing an adhesive and a nozzle connecting to the filling portion for pouring the adhesive, wherein a press portion having a thin wall, for sending the adhesive from the filling portion to the nozzle, is formed on the container body, and a cap having a thick wall, for covering the press portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a container for an adhesive that can 
stably store .alpha.-cyanoacrylate adhesive that can instantaneously 
adhere a material to be adhered by pouring and application the adhesive on 
the material to be adhered. 
PRIOR ART 
A plastic-made double container comprising an inner container filled with 
an adhesive and an outer container having incorporated therein the inner 
container together with a desiccating agent is generally used as a 
container for .alpha.-cyanoacrylate adhesive that is known as an 
instantaneous adhesive, for the purpose of increasing storage stability. 
However, in this double container, the inner container must be taken out 
from the outer container for use, and must be inserted back after use into 
the outer container for further storage. Thus is troublesome. 
As a container that improves a complicated handling in such a double 
structured container, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-46863 
proposes a container having a structure in which an inner container filled 
with an adhesive is incorporated in an outer container in a fixed state, 
and container by press operation of a push plate provided on the outer 
container. 
However, this container has a complicated structure for integrating the 
inner and outer containers into one body and also for ejecting the 
adhesive from the inner container by press operation of the outer 
container. Further, the number of parts as the container for adhesive is 
increased, and assembling thereof is complicated due to this increase, 
with a result that an increase in cost cannot be avoided. 
Further, the greatest disadvantage of this container is that since the push 
plate is provided in appearable/diappearable in an operating window formed 
on the outer container, the inner container is brought into contact with 
an outside air through the operating window, with a result that moisture 
in air permeates into the inner container, so that storage stability of 
the adhesive remarkably deteriorates. 
On the other hand, a pen-type container for adhesive, in which a needle 
valve is provided on a tip of a nozzle portion, is developed as another 
container that improves the complicated handling of the double container. 
However, in this container, an adhesive is not ejected unless a tip of the 
pen is pushed on a material to be adhered. Therefore, the adhesive cannot 
be applied on the material to be adhered which is soft, and also the 
adhesive is applied only to a downward direction due to its mechanism. 
Further, the amount of the adhesive to be applied cannot be controlled, 
and the structure of the needle valve is complicated, resulting in 
increase in the cost. Thus, this container involves various practical 
problems. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the above circumstances, a material of the present invention is 
to provide a container for adhesive in which an excellent storage 
stability can be obtained, and a material cost and assembling cost can be 
decreased by easy assembling of the container with small number of parts. 
To attain the above materials, a container for adhesive according to the 
present invention comprises (A) a container body having a filling portion 
which contains .alpha.-cyanoacrylate adhesive and a nozzle connecting to 
the filling portion, for pouring the .alpha.-cyanoacrylate adhesive, the 
container body forming therein a thin wall portion including at least a 
press portion for sending the .alpha.-cyanoacrylate adhesive from the 
filling portion to the nozzle, and (B) a thick wall cap which covers press 
portion. 
The container for adhesive according to the present invention is to contain 
.alpha.-cyanoacrylate adhesive (hereinafter referred to as an "adhesive" 
for simplicity). The container is constituted of a container body 
comprising a synthetic resin which is deactive to the adhesive, and a cap. 
A slim pen-type container is preferred in view of use. 
The container body constituting a container for adhesive is basically 
formed by a cylindrical filling portion for storing the adhesive and a 
tapered nozzle for application the adhesive stored in the filling portion 
on a material to be adhered. The adhesive is introduced from an inlet for 
filling the adhesive formed on a base end side of the filling portion, and 
the inlet for filling the adhesive is sealed with a sealing member. 
The shape of the filling portion is preferably a cylindrical shape in view 
of molding, but may be an elliptically cylindrical shape or a square 
cylindrical shape. 
The nozzle may have a thin wall or a thick wall because it is completely 
covered with the thick-wall cap. The shape of the nozzle may be a pyramid 
shape besides a conical shape. 
The sealing member preferably has such a structure that it cannot easily be 
detached from the container body after fixing thereto. 
A thin wall press portion for sending the adhesive contained in the filling 
portion to the nozzle side is formed on the container body. 
This press portion may be formed such that, for example, the filling 
portion including the inlet for filling the adhesive is constituted to 
have a thick wall and further in the case that a neck portion having a 
diameter smaller than that of the filling portion provided in connection 
with the filling portion and the nozzle are integrally provided, a part or 
the whole of the neck portion may be molded to have a thin wall. 
In the case that the filling portion including the inlet for filling the 
adhesive is constituted to have a thick wall and the nozzle is provided in 
such a manner as to connect to the filling portion, a part of the filling 
portion having a thick wall is molded to have a thin wall. 
In either case, the container body except for at least the nozzle for 
applying the adhesive and the press portion is molded to have a thick wall 
so as not to permeate moisture therein. 
A part or the whole of the container body may be semi-transparent such that 
the amount of the adhesive remained in the container body can be visually 
observed. 
The cap covered on the container body preferably has a wall thickness more 
than that of the thick wall portion of the container body, and also has a 
length sufficient to cover at least a thin wall nozzle and a press 
portion, formed on the container body. 
In other words, it is preferred for the cap to cover most of the filling 
portion of the container body which contains the adhesive. However, it is 
sufficient if the cap can sufficiently cover the press portion having a 
thin wall formed on the container body. 
The container body and the cap are integrally molded with a plastic 
material such as polyethylene or polypropylene, which is deactive to the 
adhesive. A material such as polyester, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride or 
polybutadiene can also be selectively used as the material the cap. The 
container body and the cap are obtained by injection molding or blow 
molding. 
A cylindrical wall having a low height is preferably formed around the base 
end portion of the nozzle in the container body to form a liquid reservoir 
comprising a circular recess portion between the wall and the base end 
portion. As a result, the adhesive flown down along the top outer 
periphery of the nozzle is received by this liquid reservoir. It 
preferably has a structure which can prevent that the adhesive is 
polymerized and the cap cannot be detached from the container body. 
The tip of the nozzle may be molded in the sealed state. When the cap is 
deeply covered on the container body as in the normal state, a needle 
member formed on an inner surface of a canopy of the cap sticks the sealed 
portion of the nozzle to form a hole on the sealed portion, and 
simultaneously the adhesive in the filling portion can be prevented from 
leakage in the state that the needle member is stuck in the nozzle. 
Further, the nozzle may be a so-called twisting off type in which the 
nozzle is molded so as to have a knob on its tip, and the nozzle is opened 
by twisting off the knob. In this case, after the knob is twisted off, the 
nozzle-opened portion may be sealed with a needle member which is 
separately attached. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a 
needle member on the inner surface of the canopy of the cap. 
The cap may be fitted on the container body by screwing female and male 
screws formed on the inner side of the open portion of the cap and the 
outer periphery of the container body, respectively. 
Further, the cap may be fitted on the container body by fitting a convex 
portion and a concave groove formed on the cap and the container body, 
respectively. In summary, the structure is sufficient if the cap and the 
container body are air-tightly fitted, and the cap is not accidentally 
detached from the container body. 
Since the container for adhesive according to the present invention 
comprises the container body in which at least the press portion for 
sending the adhesive from the filling portion to the nozzle is formed in 
such a manner as to have a thin wall, and the cap having a thick wall for 
covering the press portion, the thin wall portion of the container body is 
covered with the thick wall cap so that this portion substantially 
constitutes a double container, thereby securing moisture proof property 
and the thick wall filling portion which is not covered with the cap 
certainly shields moisture in air by its thick wall, thereby increasing 
the wholly moisture proof property. Accordingly, the storage stability of 
the adhesive contained in the container can be improved over a long period 
of time.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
An embodiment of a container if or adhesive according to the present 
invention is explained below in more detail with reference to the 
accompanying drawings. 
The container 1 for adhesive according to the present invention comprises a 
container body 2 having a filling portion 3 containing an adhesive and a 
tapered nozzle for pouring the adhesive contained in the filling portion 3 
and application the same on a material to be adhered, and a cap 12 that 
covers the nozzle of the container body 2 and also covers the 
predetermined peripheral portion of the filling portion 3 connecting to 
the nozzle. 
The container body 2 is a cylindrical member obtained by injection molding 
of a plastic material (polyethylene in the embodiment) which is deactive 
to the adhesive. The cylindrical wall of the filling portion 3 including 
an inlet 7 for filling the adhesive is molded to have a thick wall. 
Simultaneously, a thin wall and short cylindrical neck portion 4 having a 
diameter smaller than that of the filling portion 3 and a base end portion 
5 of a cylindrical nozzle (hereinafter referred to as "nozzle base end") 
formed by gradually decreasing the diameter of the tip end potion of the 
neck portion 4 are continuously provided on the tip end portion of the 
filling portion 3 via a step portion. A thin wall and conical nozzle tip 
end portion 6 (hereinafter referred to as "nozzle tip end") are integrally 
formed on the tip end portion of the nozzle base end 5. The tip of the 
nozzle tip end 6 is sealed during molding. 
The nozzle tip end 6 is semi-transparent so that the adhesive in the inside 
can be visually observed. 
The entire length of the container body 2 is a length such that when the 
neck portion 4 is held with thumb and forefinger, the tip end or its 
vicinity of the thick wall filling portion 3 contacts with a root portion 
of thumb and forefinger so that the adhesive can stably be poured. More 
specifically, the container body is a pen-type having a length of 100 to 
150 mm, similar to the length of a ball-point pen or the like. The 
diameter of the container body is also almost the same as in the diameter 
of a ball-point pen. 
The adhesive is introduced at a predetermined amount from the inlet 7 for 
filling the adhesive in the container body 2. Then a sealing member 8 
penetrating a fine hole (not shown) for discharging air is inserted into 
the inlet 7 for filling the adhesive, and is strongly fixed in such a 
manner that the sealing member 8 is not accidentally detached. Thereafter, 
the fine hole is sealed with ultrasonic wave sealing to completely clog 
the inlet 7 for filling the adhesive. 
It should be noted that the sealing member 8 is also molded using a 
synthetic resin which is deactive to the adhesive to be filled. 
In such a container body 2, excluding the thin wall nozzle tip end 6 and 
the thin wall nozzle base end 5 connecting to the nozzle tip end 6, the 
neck portion 4 and the filling portion 3 substantially constitute a 
portion containing the adhesive. 
The wall thickness of the filling portion 3 in the container body 2 is a 
thickness to such an extent to avoid that at least moisture in outside air 
permeates into the filling portion 3 so as to deteriorate the adhesive. 
The wall thickness of the filling portion 3 is preferably about 1 to 6mm. 
On the other hand, the neck portion 4 may have a wall thickness to such an 
extent that the inside adhesive can easily be poured through the nozzle 
tip end 6 by pressing the neck portion 4 with fingers from the outside and 
the neck portion 4 is returned to the original shape when the pressing is 
stopped. A press portion having a thin wall may be formed on a part of the 
neck portion 4, facilitating to pour the adhesive, and the other portion 
thereof may have a relatively thick wall so as to prevent permeation of 
moisture in air as much as possible. The wall thickness of the press 
portion is preferably about 0.1 to 1.5mm. 
Incidentally, a cylindrical wall 9 having a small height is formed 
integrally on the outer periphery of the connecting portion of the nozzle 
base end 5 and the nozzle tip end 6. A circular concave portion is formed 
between the cylindrical wall 9 and the outer peripheral surface of the 
nozzle tip end 6 to constitute a liquid reservoir 10. The adhesive flown 
down along the outer periphery of the nozzle tip end 6 at a time of 
pouring the adhesive is received with this liquid reservoir 10 so as to 
prevent that the fitted cap 12 cannot be separated from the container body 
by polymerization of the adhesive. 
Even if the adhesive flown over from the liquid reservoir 10 is flown out 
along the outer periphery of the nozzle base end 5, a space X is formed 
between the inner surface of the cap 12 and the nozzle base end 5, so that 
adhesion of the cap 12 can be prevented due to this space X. 
On the other hand, the cap 12 is provided with a clip 15 on its outside, 
and has a length which can sufficiently cover a portion from the nozzle 
tip end 6 of the container body 2 to the upper end portion of the filling 
portion 3, including the thin wall neck portion 4. 
At the center of the inner surface of the canopy inside the cap 12, a 
needle-like sealing member 13 is provided, which can stick the tip point 
of the nozzle tip end 6 obtained in the closed state to perforate the 
nozzle tip end, and can shield leakage of the inside adhesive by inserting 
the same into the perforated portion of the nozzle 6 after perforation. A 
solid desiccating agent 14 is fixed onto the outer periphery of the 
sealing member 13. 
Further, an inner surface 16 having a step portion of an increased 
diameter, on which the filling portion 3 of the container body 2 is 
contact fitted, is formed on the inner surface of the open portion of the 
cap 12, and a convex portion 16a fitting to the concave groove 11 formed 
on the outer periphery of the filling portion 3 of the container body 2 is 
provided under the inner surface 16 having an increased diameter. 
The cap 12 can easily be obtained by an injection molding of polyethylene 
similar to the container body 2, particularly by an insert injection 
molding in which the base end of the needle-like sealing member 13 is 
inserted. 
Further, the wall thickness of the cap 12 can be freely selected from the 
thickness to such an extent that permeation of the moisture in air can be 
prevented. 
The nozzle tip end 6 of the container body 2 is molded in the closed state 
as shown in FIG. 2. The adhesive is filled into the container body 2 from 
the inlet 7 for filling the adhesive. The inlet for filling the adhesive 
is sealed with the sealing member 8, to store and maintain the adhesive in 
the container body. 
In this case, the cap 12 is lifted upward the container body 2, and the 
convex portion 16a formed on the inner surface in the vicinity of the 
opening portion is obstructed by the step portion formed on the connecting 
portion of the filling portion 3 of the container body 2 and the neck 
portion 4, so that the cap covers the nozzle slightly. The container is 
packaged in such a manner that the cap does not cover the nozzle deeply 
any more, and is offered for sale. 
In this state, the sealing member 13 is positioned on the upper portion of 
the closed nozzle tip end 6 while securing the state that the sealing 
member does not stick the tip face of the nozzle tip end 6. Simultaneously 
the inner surface of the cap 12 and the outer periphery of the filling 
portion 3 of the container body 2 are brought into contact at a contact 
portion a to shield the thin wall portion of the container body 2 from the 
outside, thereby securing moisture proof property. 
FIG. 3 shows other embodiment in which the cap slightly covers the nozzle 
in the state that the nozzle is not stuck. A stopper 17 which can easily 
be removed by breakage is formed at the step portion of the filling 
portion 3 of the container body 2 and the neck portion 4, so that the cap 
12 can slightly cover the nozzle similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 
2. 
Accordingly, in opening the nozzle tip end 6, the embodiment shown in FIG. 
2 is constituted such that the cap 12 is simply pushed down, and the 
embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is constituted such that the stopper 17 is 
removed and the cap 12 is then pushed down, so that the convex portion 16a 
is fitted to the concave groove 11 formed on the filling portion 3 of the 
container body 2, and the tip of the sealing member 13 sticks the nozzle 
tip end 6 to shield leakage of the adhesive. 
In this state, the cap 12 covers a thin wall portion including the nozzle 
tip end 6 of the container body 2 to prevent permeation of moisture, and 
the portion of the filling portion 3 of the container body 2 which is not 
covered with the cap 12 is prevented from permeation of moisture due to 
the thick wall. As a result, the container as a whole secures moisture 
proof property, thereby making the usable state as shown in FIG. 1. 
In actual use, since the cap 12 is lifted upward to be removed from the 
container body 2, whereby the sealing member 13 is pulled out from the 
nozzle tip end 6, by holding the thin wall neck portion 4 with fingers and 
pressing the portion, the adhesive can be poured from the nozzle tip end 6 
to apply on a material to be adhered. 
FIG. 4 shows other embodiment of the container for adhesive according to 
the present invention. The entire body including the inlet for filling the 
adhesive (not shown) is molded with polypropylene into a thick wall 
cylindrical shape to form the container body 21. Simultaneously a thin 
wall nozzle tip end 23 is integrally formed on a tip end of the container 
body 21 through a thin wall and conical nozzle base end 22. Further 
simultaneously a part of an outer periphery of a tip end of the thick wall 
container body 21 is molded to have a thin wall so as to form a press 
portion 24. A container 20 for adhesive is structured such that a cap 25 
covers the press portion 24 of the thin wall of the container body 22. 
Therefore, upon use, the cap 25 is removed from the container body 21, and 
the thin wall press portion 24 is pressed by fingers, whereby the adhesive 
can simply and easily be poured from the container body. 
The container for adhesive according to the present invention is 
constituted such that the filling portion containing a-cyanoacrylate 
adhesive is formed to have a thick wall and at least the press portion for 
sending the .alpha.-cyanoacrylate adhesive to the nozzle is formed to have 
thin wall so as to form the container body, and the thin wall portion of 
the container body is covered with the thick wall cap. Therefore, in the 
state that the container body is covered with the cap, the thin wall 
portion of the container body is covered with the cap to substantially 
form a structure of a double container, thereby maintaining the moisture 
proof property. The thick wall portion not covered with the cap surely 
shields permeation of moisture from the outside due to its thick wall 
itself, and moisture proof property is surely increased as a whole. As a 
result, it is possible to secure the storage stability of the inside 
adhesive over a long period of time. 
Further, upon using the adhesive, the adhesive can be poured from the 
nozzle by only removing the cap, which is easy to handle. 
Furthermore, a combination of the container body and the cap provides a 
partial double structure, and the other portion has a single structure 
having a moisture proof property, so that the container for adhesives can 
be produced with the small number of parts. Therefore, material cost, 
package cost (e.g., assembling cost), and the like can be greatly 
decreased.