Patent ID: 7798356

Claim:
A tubular case, comprising: a case having a substantially cylindrical shape one end of which is opened to receive an item to be received in a reciprocating manner so as to come out and retract through the opening; a cap engaged with an open side of the case to cover the opening; and an operating member mounted on the periphery of said case and arranged to release the cap from engagement, wherein said operating member includes a peripheral member, which is rotatably supported at two points on an imaginary straight line crossing an axial direction of said case as a rotation center, and an operating force imparting portion formed continuously with the peripheral member, said peripheral member has a closed loop shape enclosing the peripheral surface of said case and includes force apply points for imparting a force in a direction where said cap is released from the engagement, the peripheral member including an upper flat face portion and inclined face portions continuous with the upper flat face portion and located at opposite sides to the operating force imparting portion, said force apply points are respectively located at symmetrical positions away from said rotation center at the opposite side to said operating force imparting portion; wherein said cap is formed in a shape having an open end and includes a top wall and a peripheral wall continuous with the periphery of the top wall, and when an operating force is imparted to said operating force imparting portion and said peripheral member is rotated and displaced, said force apply points only are brought into contact with end portions at said open end side of said peripheral wall thereby releasing said cap from the engagement.