Abstract:
A container for, for instance, an adhesive agent, comprising a main cap and a container main body formed with a nozzle section that has a twist-off cap that can be separated from and opens the nozzle section; wherein the main cap is formed therein with an accommodating section that holds the twist-off cap, and the main cap is rotatably mounted on the nozzle section. When the main cap is turned or twisted, the twist-off cap inside the main cap is twisted and separated from the nozzle section but stays inside the accommodating section of the main cap even after the main cap is detached from the container main body.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a container used mainly for accommodating liquid-form or paste-form contents that have ample fluidity, such as adhesive agents. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Conventionally known plastic containers for liquid-form contents that have ample fluidity such as instant adhesive agents are made of, for instance, polyethylene. In such containers, a small-diameter nozzle hole is opened upon use by a pin in the tip end of the nozzle section, or the tip end of a sealed nozzle of the container having a small-diameter nozzle hole is opened by being cut away. After this, the contents are applied to objects. The contents of the container are stored for future use by inserting a pin into the nozzle hole or fitting a cap tightly over the tip end of the nozzle. 
     However, the above containers have drawbacks. When the nozzle hole is opened by a pin, or when the tip end of the nozzle section is cut away, since such opening or cutting away is done after the cap is removed from the container main body, it is likely that the contents of the container jet out by the gripping pressure of the hand of a user. When this happens, the contents adhere to the skin, clothing, etc. Furthermore, the pin or cap become separated from the container and may be lost after the container is opened. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is to solve the above problems. 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a twist-off type container that is opened by twisting off the tip end of the nozzle and is free from the problems seen in the existing containers. 
     The above object is accomplished by a unique structure for a container for adhesive agents and the like, wherein the container comprises: 
     a container main body provided with a nozzle section that squirts out the contents of the container, the nozzle section having a twist-off cap that can be separated from and opens the nozzle section; and 
     a main cap removably mounted on the nozzle section, and in the present invention: 
     the main cap is provided with an accommodating section which accommodates the twist-off cap, the accommodating section restricting the rotation of the twist-off cap about the axis thereof when the main cap is mounted on the nozzle section; 
     the main cap is mounted on the nozzle section so as to be rotatable about the axis thereof; 
     a twist-off section is formed between the nozzle section and the twist-off cap so that the twist-off cap is separated from the nozzle section when the twist-off cap is twisted. 
     In the above structure, either the container main body or the main cap or both of them is made of an elastic material so as to possess resilience. 
     In addition, a detent portion is formed between the main cap and the twist-off cap so as to hold the twist-off cap in a fixed position inside the cap accommodating section of the main cap. The detent portion holds the twist-off cap when the main cap is mounted on the nozzle section, and it further holds the twist-off cap even after the twist-off cap is separated from the nozzle section. 
     Furthermore, in the container of the present invention, an axially oriented nozzle hole is formed in the twist-off section so that the nozzle hole communicates with the interior of the container main body and squirts out the contents of the container after the twist-off cap is removed. 
     In the above structure, it is preferable to form the interior of the twist-off cap hollow. 
     Furthermore, in the container of the present invention, the main cap is put on the container main body so that the container is sealed off from the outside, and an engagement section is provided in the engaging surfaces of the main cap and container main body so as to hold the main cap in a fixed position when the main cap is put on the container main body. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of the essential portion of the container according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the essential portion of the container; 
     FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the main cap on the nozzle section of the container of the present invention; and 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B are sectional views taken along lines  4 A— 4 A and  4 B— 4 B, respectively, in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In FIGS. 1 and 2, the container for, for instance, adhesives, has a total length of approximately 70 mm and a diameter of approximately 10 mm. The container comprises a container main body  1 , a main cap  2  and a bottom cover  3  that are made of a transparent or semi-transparent plastic material that possesses resilience such as a polyethylene plastic. 
     The container main body  1  comprises a tubular main body  7  and a conical nozzle section  9 . The tubular main body  7  has a threaded sleeve  4  formed on its lower end. The conical-cylindrical nozzle section  9  is formed on the upper end of the main body  7  so as to be continuous to the main body  7 . In addition, a twist-off cap  8  is continuously formed at the upper end of the nozzle section  9 . 
     The threaded sleeve  4  forms an open end for accommodating liquid-form contents such as an adhesive agent into the main body  7 . The bottom cover  3  is screwed to the threaded sleeve  4 . An insertion sleeve  11  is formed in the center of the interior of the bottom cover  3  so that the bottom portion of the main body  7  is sealed when the insertion sleeve  11  is pushed into the inside of the threaded sleeve  4 . 
     The lower end portion of the nozzle section  9  forms an engaging circumferential surface  12 . The engaging circumferential surface  12  is a cylinder that has a specified height and a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the main body  7 . The lower end portion of the main cap  2  thus makes a tight engagement with the engaging circumferential surface  12  of the nozzle section  9  (see FIG.  4 B). An engagement section  13  is formed between the outer surface of the engaging circumferential surface  12  and the inner circumferential surface of the lower end of the main cap  2 . The engagement section  13  elastically holds the main cap  2  on the nozzle section  9  by a constant fastening force in a specified position when the main cap  2  is put on the container main body  7  so that the main cap  2  is prevented from coming off of the main body  7 . The engagement section  13  increases tight sealing properties of the engagement. The engagement section  13  has a known structure; and it, as best seen from FIG. 3, comprises a ring-form indentation formed on the main cap  2  and the ring-form projection formed on the nozzle section  9  that tightly engage with each other. 
     The twist-off cap  8  is formed so as to be integrally continuous to the tip end of the nozzle section  9  with twist-off section  14  in between. The twist-off section  14  is in a shape of circumferentially oriented cut-in grooves. As seen from FIG. 4A, the twist-off cap  8  is formed in a non-circular box or block shape such as a square, circle, etc.; and it is somewhat flat when seen from above. The twist-off cap  8  shown in FIG. 4A has a hollow part  16 . A nozzle hole  17  that is a small-diameter hole oriented in an axial direction of the nozzle  9  is formed in the center of the twist-off section  14 . The nozzle hole  17  communicates with the hollow part of the twist-off cap  8 . As will be described later, the nozzle hole  17  squirts out the contents after the twist-off cap  8  is separated by being twisted from the nozzle section  9  at the twist-off section  14 . 
     The deepest portion (or inside upper most portion) of the interior of the main cap  2  forms an accommodating section  18 . The accommodating section  18  conforms to the outer circumference of the twist-off cap  8  and can accommodate therein the twist-off cap  8  in an engaged fashion when the main cap  2  is mounted on the nozzle section  9  (and twist-off cap  8 ) in the axial direction of the nozzle section (see FIG.  4 A). Thus, when the main cap  2  is rotated relative to the container main body  1 , the twist-off cap  8  is rotated together with the main cap  2 , and the twist-off cap  8  is separated from the nozzle section  9  by being twisted and cut at the twist-off section  14 . 
     Furthermore, a detent portion  19  is formed between the main cap  2  and the twist-off cap  8 . More specifically, the detent portion  19  comprises projecting portions of the main cap  2  and corresponding recessed portions of the twist-off cap  8 . The projecting portions have a convex shape formed on the inner surface of the accommodating section  18  of the main cap  2 . The recessed portions have a dish shape or concave shape and formed on the center of the front and back circumferential surfaces of the twist-off cap  8 . The projecting portions of the main cap  2  elastically engages the recessed portions of the twist-off cap  8 , so that the twist-off cap  8  is held in a fixed position inside the accommodating section  18  when the main cap  2  is mounted on the nozzle  9  after the twist-off cap  8  has been separated from the nozzle  9 . 
     On the exterior of the main cap  2 , cutout planes are formed on the front and back surfaces of the upper half of the main cap  2  so as to form grip sections  21 . The grip sections  21  are used when the main cap  2  is rotated. Furthermore, spline-form projections  22  for preventing slipping during the rotation of the main cap are formed on the outer circumference of the lower half of the main cap  2 . 
     In the container as described above, the contents such as an adhesive agent are accommodated in the container from the lower end opening with the main cap mounted on the container main body  1 . When the adhesive agent is to be extracted from the container, the lower end opening is closed with the bottom cover  3 , and the main cap  2  is rotated about the axis of the container main body  1 . With this rotation, the twist-off cap  8  that is at the tip end of the nozzle section  9  and in the accommodating section  18  of the main cap  2 , is rotated or twisted and separated from the nozzle section  9  at the twist-off section  14 . As a result, the container is opened. 
     Though the container is thus opened, the nozzle hole  17  at the tip end of the nozzle section  9  is still in a closed state by the twist-off cap  8 , since the twist-off section  14  which has been cut and separated is in an elastically pressed state by the main cap  2 . As a result, jetting out of the adhesive agent from the container is prevented. Even if some of the adhesive agent should jet out, the adhesive agent remains inside the closed main cap  2 . Thus, there is no jetting of the adhesive agent contents to the outside. 
     Then, the main cap  2  is pulled in the axial direction of the nozzle section  9 , overcoming the fastening force of the engagement section  13 . When the main cap  2  is thus removed, the twist-off cap  8  remains in a fixed position inside the accommodating section  18  of the main cap  2  by the detent portion  19 . When the tip end of the nozzle section  9  is to be closed after the use of the contents, the main cap  2  is put back on the nozzle section  9 . This results in that the tip end of the nozzle section  9  is tightly closed off from the outside with the twist-off cap  2  and the main cap  2 . Furthermore, the nozzle hole  17  is tightly closed by being pressed against the surface of the twist-off section that remains on the lower end of the twist-off cap  8 . The nozzle hole  17  in the twist-off cap  8  is plugged by the adhesive agent, and the tip end of the nozzle section  9  is not left opened. 
     As seen from the above, according to the present invention, the contents of the container such as an adhesive container is prevented from jetting out when the nozzle is opened by being cut. Thus, adhesion of the adhesive agent to the skin, clothing, etc. can be prevented. When the container is stored after use, leakage of the contents that would be resulted from opening of a plug as seen in the prior art containers is prevented, and the deterioration in quality of the contents can be prevented until next time the adhesive agent is used.