JP7542473B2 - A product consisting of a container and a spherical content - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a product consisting of a container and a spherical content, and in particular to a product consisting of a container and a spherical content that provides sensory feedback to the user when the spherical content is dispensed.

Patent Document 1 discloses a container for spherical objects that has a film body with an opening whose opening area is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the maximum diameter part of the contents, and at least one slit that is provided radially outward from the inner periphery of the opening and that allows the opening to be deformed to a size that allows the contents to pass through, so that the container can be tilted to remove the spherical contents one by one.

JP 2017-13840 A

In the container described in Patent Document 1, the spherical contents can be taken out one by one, but it is difficult to feel the sensation when taking out the spherical contents. This makes it easy for mistakes to occur when taking out the spherical contents, and makes it difficult to get a good feeling when taking out the contents.

Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide a product consisting of a container and spherical contents, which allows the user to easily feel the sensation of removing the spherical contents and provides a sense of use associated with the removal operation.

The present invention relates to a product comprising a container and a spherical content.
The container preferably comprises a container body which can be squeezably deformed, and a neck portion having a tip opening connected to the container body.
It is preferable that spherical contents are contained within the container body and that the spherical contents are taken out through the neck portion.
The neck portion preferably has a small diameter portion in which the diameter of the discharge opening provided in the neck portion is smaller than the diameter of the spherical contents.

The product of the present invention, which is made up of a container and a spherical content, provides an easy-to-understand response when removing the content, and a sense of use that accompanies the removal operation.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a product comprising a container and spherical contents of the present invention, and is a diagram for explaining the overall structure of the product. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a neck portion and a discharge port in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams illustrating the mechanism of discharging spherical contents in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 4A to 4D are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating modified examples of the ejection port in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The following describes in detail the embodiments of the present invention by way of example, with reference to the drawings. However, the configurations and numerical values described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and may be freely modified or changed, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the following description.

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a product comprising a container and a spherical content of the present invention. Such a product is a squeeze container containing a content. Hereinafter, the squeeze container 1 (product) containing a content is also simply referred to as a container 1.
The container 1 of this embodiment includes a container body 10 and a neck portion 11. The container body 10 is a container that can be deformed by squeezing. Spherical contents 20 are accommodated inside the container body 10. The container 1 of this embodiment is a tube container, and the container body 10 has a body portion 18 consisting of a cylindrical tube body made of synthetic resin, and an end seal portion 19 formed between the inner surfaces at one end of the tube body in the longitudinal direction by a known method such as heat fusion or ultrasonic waves.

The container body 10 in this embodiment is in the form of a squeezable tube. Alternatively, the container body 10 may be a blow molded body such as a squeezable blow bottle or blow tube.

The container body 10 of this embodiment has a shape that is long in one direction, and its longitudinal direction coincides with the discharge direction V in which the spherical contents 20 are discharged to the outside. In Figure 1, the discharge direction is represented by the symbol V.

The neck portion 11 is connected to the container body 10 and has a tip opening 12 on the opposite side to the part connected to the container body 10. The spherical contents 20 pass through the neck portion 11 and are taken out of the container 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the neck portion 11 is provided with a discharge port 13. The discharge port 13 has a cylindrical shape overall, but tapers toward the tip opening 12, with the diameter of the discharge port 13 gradually decreasing, until the very tip is cylindrical. The entire neck portion 11 also has a tapered shape that tapers toward the tip of the container 1.

In this specification, the "tip" refers to the opening 12 side of the neck portion 11, and the opposite side of the container body 10. Also, the "tip" refers to the opposite side of the container body 10 from the end seal portion 19. Conversely, the "end" refers to the container body 10 side of the neck portion 11, and the end seal portion 19 side of the container body 10.
In this specification, "upper side" and "upper", as well as "lower side" and "lower" refer to the directions when the container 1 is in the state described below. When the end seal portion 19 faces vertically upward and the central axes of the body portion 18 and the neck portion 11 are parallel to the vertical direction, "upper side" and "upper" refer to the vertically upper side and vertically upper side, and "lower side" and "lower" refer to the vertically lower side and vertically lower side. "Upper side" and "upper" refer to the container body 10 side of the neck portion 11, and "lower side" and "lower" refer to the opposite side of the container body 10.

In the container 1, the spherical contents 20 are taken out through the discharge port 13, but the spherical contents 20 can stop at the discharge port 13 to close the discharge port 13. That is, the neck portion 11 has a portion where the diameter of the discharge port 13 is smaller than the spherical diameter (diameter) of the spherical contents 20. Such a portion is also called the "small diameter portion 16." In the small diameter portion 16 of the discharge port 13, the passage width of the spherical contents 20 is narrowed, so that the spherical contents 20 stop in the discharge direction V. When the spherical contents 20 stop at the discharge port 13, they play the role of a lid (or plug), and by closing the discharge port 13, the inside of the container body 10 can be sealed.
In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the discharge port 13 including the tip opening 12 and the small diameter portion 16 is circular.

From the viewpoint of further improving the operability of removing the spherical contents 20 to the outside, the diameter of the small diameter portion 16 is preferably 75% or more, more preferably 80% or more, and also preferably 90% or less, more preferably 95% or less, and also preferably 75% or more and 95% or less, more preferably 80% or more and 90% or less, of the spherical diameter of the spherical contents 20. The diameter of the small diameter portion 16 is the diameter of the spherical contents 20 before passing through the small diameter portion 16. The "state before passing through the small diameter portion 16" does not include the state in which the spherical contents 20 are passing through the small diameter portion 16.
The small diameter section 16 is usually the portion of the neck section 11 where the diameter of the discharge port 13 is the smallest. In the present embodiment, when the diameter of the discharge port 13 changes in the discharge direction V, the small diameter section 16 is the portion of the neck section 11 where the diameter of the discharge port 13 is the smallest.

2, the neck portion 11 of this embodiment is provided with a connecting portion 15 having a thread 17 on the inner peripheral surface on the container body 10 side. The container body 10 and the neck portion 11 are connected via this connecting portion 15. The neck portion 11 may be detachably fixed to the container body 10, or may be non-detachably fixed to the container body 10.
If it is removable, the contents can be replenished (refilled).

The container body 10 is deformable by squeezing, and the spherical contents 20 contained within the container body 10 can be removed to the outside by grasping and pressing (squeezing) the body 18 with the hand.
From the viewpoint of facilitating deformation by squeezing and increasing the internal pressure of the container body 10, and allowing the container body 10 to more efficiently restore its shape after deformation, it is preferable that the container body 10 has the following physical properties.
The internal volume of the container body 10 is preferably 30 mL or more, more preferably 50 mL or more, and is preferably 600 mL or less, more preferably 500 mL or less, and is preferably 30 mL or more and 600 mL or less, more preferably 50 mL or more and 500 mL or less.

From the same viewpoint as above, the thickness of the material forming the container body 10 is preferably 0.3 mm or more, more preferably 0.5 mm or more, and is preferably 1.5 mm or less, more preferably 1.5 mm or less.

The container 1 of this embodiment is designed to contain spherical contents and to allow the spherical contents to be removed to the outside. When removing the spherical contents 20, the user 30 first tilts the container 1 so that the discharge outlet 13 is located below the container body 10. For example, the multiple spherical contents 20 move toward the discharge outlet 13, and one of them stops at the discharge outlet 13 (small diameter portion 16) and blocks the discharge outlet 13. This causes the container body 10 to become sealed.

When the user 30 grasps and presses (squeezes) the container body 10 with their hands while the spherical contents 20 are blocking the discharge port 13, the container body 10 deforms (squeezing deformation) and the pressure (internal pressure) inside the container body 10 increases. As the pressing (squeezing) progresses, the spherical contents 20 are discharged as if they are flying out of the discharge port 13. After the spherical contents 20 are discharged, the blockage of the discharge port 13 is released, so the pressure inside the container body 10 is reduced and the shape of the container body 10 is restored.
In this way, the container 1 of this embodiment squeezes and deforms the container body 10, and takes out the spherical contents 20 by utilizing the increase in the internal pressure in the container body 10, so that the fluctuation in the internal pressure in the container body 10 is easily conveyed to the user as a tactile sensation when taking out the contents. This allows the spherical contents 20 to be reliably taken out of the container 1, and operation failure is unlikely to occur. In addition, since the diameter of the discharge port 13 is smaller than the diameter of the spherical contents 20, the spherical contents 20 can be taken out one by one, and the tactile sensation is felt every time a spherical content 20 is taken out, so that the user can easily get a sense of use associated with the take-out operation.

Here, when the discharge outlet 13 (tip opening 12) is located below the container body 10, i.e., when the discharge outlet 13 faces downward (downward from horizontal), the discharge direction V of the spherical contents 20 is from above to below. If the discharge outlet 13 is located below the container body 10, the stopped state of the spherical contents 20 at the discharge outlet 13 (small diameter portion 16) can be easily maintained.

Even if the container 1 is held upright so that the tip opening 12 is positioned above the container body 10, it is possible to eject the spherical contents 20 upward (above horizontal) if the spherical contents 20 can be kept stopped at the discharge port 13, i.e., the spherical contents 20 can be kept blocking the discharge port 13. The container 1 is designed so that the spherical contents 20 can be ejected upward as well as downward.

In this way, when the user 30 presses (squeezes) the container body 10, the spherical contents 20 are discharged, and at that time, the container 1 of this embodiment provides the user 30 with sensory feedback caused by the discharge of the spherical contents 20. The sensory feedback is feedback that appeals to the five senses of the user 30. Specifically, it is a sensory stimulus given to the user when the spherical contents 20 are taken out of the container 1, and is mainly either an auditory or tactile sensory stimulus. For example, at least one of the sound and vibration generated when the spherical contents 20 pass through the tip opening 12 of the discharge port 13 is given to the user as a sensory stimulus.
When the sensory feedback is sound, the sensory feedback is provided to the user by a sound generated by a change in air pressure when the spherical contents 20 are discharged as they pass through the tip opening 12. Such a sound is not particularly limited, but is, for example, a sound such as "pop" that is generated when the blockage of the discharge port 13 by the spherical contents 20 is released.
When the sensory feedback is vibration, as the spherical contents 20 pass through the tip opening 12, the part of the neck portion 11 on the tip opening 12 side vibrates, and the vibration is transmitted to the user's hand, providing sensory feedback to the user.
By perceiving sensory feedback such as sound and vibration, the user can more accurately feel the completion of the operation of removing the spherical contents 20 to the outside, making it easier to evoke feelings such as a sense of accomplishment, elation, and comfort (exhilaration).

From the viewpoint of making it easier to obtain the aforementioned tactile response or sensory feedback, the maximum internal pressure of the squeezed container body 10 is preferably 0.5 kPa or more, more preferably 1 kPa or more, and also preferably 4 kPa or less, more preferably 3 kPa or less, and also preferably 0.5 kPa or more and 4 kPa or less, more preferably 1 kPa or more and 3 kPa or less. Such a maximum internal pressure is the maximum internal pressure at which the discharge port 13 can be blocked without the spherical contents 20 being discharged.

The maximum internal pressure is measured by the following method.
First, the container 1 is set in a state where the spherical contents 20 are blocking the discharge port 13. The container 1 is set in a tabletop physical property measuring instrument (manufactured by Yamaden, model number TPU-2D). The container 1 is set in a state where the compression direction of the tabletop physical property measuring instrument and the discharge direction V are perpendicular to each other. The body 18 of the container body 10 is compressed by the tabletop physical property measuring instrument. The compression speed is 5 mm/sec. Compression is continued until the spherical contents 20 are discharged from the container 1, and the maximum internal pressure of the body 18 measured during the compression process is obtained. The above operation is repeated five times for the same container 1, and the average value is taken as the maximum internal pressure of the container body 10.

In addition, it is preferable that a groove-shaped notch 14 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the neck portion 11. It is preferable that the notch 14 is provided at a position where it overlaps with the small diameter portion 16 in the discharge direction V and/or near the overlapping position. It is preferable that the notch 14 is provided along the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface along the circumferential direction of the discharge port 13, but it may be a part of the outer peripheral surface. The length of the notch 14 in the discharge direction V and the length in the cross-sectional direction perpendicular to the discharge direction V are not particularly limited and are set according to the diameter of the tip opening 12, the discharge port 13, the small diameter portion 16, etc. In addition, although an example in which one notch 14 is provided is shown in FIG. 2, two or more notches 14 may be provided. When multiple notches 14 are provided, the interval (distance) between each of the notches 14 is not particularly limited and is set according to the diameter of the tip opening 12, the discharge port 13, the small diameter portion 16, etc. By providing the notch 14, as described below, if the neck portion 11 is made of an elastically deformable material, the neck portion 11 becomes more easily elastically deformable, making it easier to widen the opening diameter of the tip opening 12 and the diameter of the small diameter portion 16.

Next, the mechanism by which the spherical contents 20 are discharged from the discharge port 13 will be described with reference to Figures 3(a) and (b). Figure 3(a) shows a case in which the neck portion 11 does not elastically deform and the spherical contents 20 do, while Figure 3(b) shows a case in which the neck portion 11 elastically deforms and the spherical contents 20 do not elastically deform. Hereinafter, "elastically deform" will also be referred to as "having elasticity".

First, referring to FIG. 3(a), a case will be described in which the neck portion 11 (discharge port 13) is made of a material that does not elastically deform. Here, the diameter of the discharge port 13 (diameter of the small diameter portion 16) is smaller than the diameter of the spherical contents 20. Therefore, if the spherical contents 20 do not elastically deform, they cannot pass through the discharge port 13, and the spherical contents 20 cannot be taken out.

When the spherical contents 20 contained in the container 1 undergo elastic deformation, the spherical contents 20 pass through the discharge port 13 while deforming, making it possible to remove the spherical contents 20 to the outside. When the neck portion 11 is made of a material that does not undergo elastic deformation, it is highly moldable, making it easier to increase the degree of freedom in the shape of the neck portion 11, and the tactile response, including sensory feedback, can be easily controlled.

Next, referring to FIG. 3(b), a case will be described in which the neck portion 11 (discharge port 13) is made of an elastically deformable material. Even if the spherical contents 20 contained in the container 1 are contents that do not elastically deform, the portion of the neck portion 11 that defines the discharge port 13 will elastically deform, and as the spherical contents 20 pass through, the discharge port 13 will deform so as to widen outward. This makes it possible to remove the spherical contents 20 even if the diameter of the discharge port 13 is smaller than the spherical diameter of the spherical contents 20. The spherical contents 20 may be deformable.

In this way, the discharge port 13 deforms so as to widen outward, making it possible to remove the spherical contents 20 from the container 1. As described above, in the container 1 according to this embodiment, the spherical contents 20 are discharged by deformation of at least one of the spherical contents 20 and the discharge port 13. Furthermore, by deformation of at least one of the spherical contents 20 and the discharge port 13, the inside of the container body 10 becomes more airtight, making it easier for the internal pressure of the container body 10 to fluctuate. This makes it easier to provide the tactile response and sensory feedback.

The above-mentioned "having elasticity" means that the elongation at break of a test piece measured by the following method is 200% or more. The test piece is a sheet piece cut out from the part of the neck portion 11 on the tip opening 12 side, having a size of 10 mm in the circumferential direction and 40 mm in the discharge direction V.
First, the chuck distance is set to 10 mm, and the test piece is attached to the chuck of a tensile tester (for example, Shimadzu Corporation, model "AUTOGRAPH AG-X"). Next, the test piece is pulled at a pulling speed of 200 mm/min until the test piece breaks, and the tensile strength (N) that changes with the pulling distance during the elongation process is measured. The maximum value of the tensile strength that changes with the pulling distance during this elongation process is the breaking strength, and the point at which this breaking strength is shown is the "break" of the elongation part. The distance between the chucks of the test piece at the time of breaking is the elongation at the time of breaking. "The elongation at break is 200% or more" means that the chuck distance of the test piece at break is 200% or more of the chuck distance (10 mm) before elongation, that is, 20 mm or more.

From the viewpoint of making it easier to obtain sensory feedback, when the neck portion 11 has elasticity, it is preferable that the neck portion 11 has the following physical properties.
The tensile elongation (%) of the neck portion 11 is preferably 150% or more, more preferably 170% or more, and is preferably 300% or less, more preferably 250% or less, and is preferably 150% or more and 300% or less, more preferably 170% or more and 250% or less.
The tensile elongation (%) can be measured in accordance with JIS K71247:1999 (ISO527-3). Specifically, the test piece is pulled by a tensile tester in the same manner as in the above-mentioned method for measuring breaking strength, and the distance L between the chucks is measured at the point when the tensile strength (the value obtained by dividing the tensile load value by the cross-sectional area of the test piece) becomes maximum, and the tensile elongation (%) is calculated by the following formula.
Tensile elongation (%) = 100 × (L - Lo) / Lo
Lo: Distance between chucks before elongation L: Distance between chucks at break

From the same viewpoint as above, the thickness of the portion of the neck portion 11 defining the discharge port 13 is preferably 0.3 mm or more, more preferably 0.5 mm or more, and is preferably 3.0 mm or less, more preferably 2.5 mm or less, and is preferably 0.3 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less, more preferably 0.5 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less.
When the thickness of the portion defining the discharge port 13 varies depending on the position, it is preferable that the minimum and maximum thicknesses of the portion are within the above-mentioned ranges. In particular, when the neck portion 11 has elasticity, it is preferable that the thickness of the portion is within the above-mentioned ranges.

As mentioned above, if the neck portion 11 does not have elasticity, a deformable spherical content 20 is used. "Deformable" means that the Young's modulus measured by the following method is 100 Pa or more, preferably 100 Pa or more, more preferably 1 kPa or more, and also preferably 100 kPa or less, more preferably 80 kPa or less, and also preferably 100 Pa or more and 100 kPa or less, more preferably 1 kPa or more and 80 kPa or less.

The Young's modulus of the spherical contents 20 is measured using a softness measuring device (Model YWS-5N-1, manufactured by Tech Gihan Co., Ltd.). The measurement is performed by pressing an indenter against the measurement object (spherical contents 20) to compress the spherical contents 20. The compression speed is 1 mm/sec. The compression is performed until the spherical contents 20 change by 2 mm, and the Young's modulus of the spherical contents 20 measured during the compression process is obtained. The above operation is repeated five times for the same spherical contents 20, and the average value is regarded as the Young's modulus of the spherical contents 20.

Examples of the form in which the spherical contents 20 can be deformed include (a1) a solid having elasticity or flexibility, and (a2) a soft capsule filled with a powder, liquid, or solid as the contents.
Examples of the form of (a1) include foods such as sweets such as gummies and tablet-type nutritional supplements, toys such as silicone or rubber balls, and air fresheners (water-absorbent bead-type) in which an aroma component is impregnated in a jelly ball made of a water-absorbent polymer.

Examples of the contents in (a2) include cosmetics such as lotion, milky lotion, beauty essence, sunscreen, and makeup remover; hair care products such as shampoo, conditioner, hair dye, hair styling agent, and hair growth agent; soaps such as body soap and hand soap; detergents such as food detergent and laundry detergent; oral cleansers such as toothpaste; fabric softeners, bleaches, fragrances such as aroma oils; liquid medicines such as bath additives and eye drops; supplements; cleaning agents for baths, toilets, and floors; liquid foods such as soups, sauces, and dressings; and powdered foods such as spices and powdered seasonings.
The soft capsule in (a2) can be formed from a water-soluble polymer, which may be one or more selected from the group consisting of pullulan, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, poly-γ-glutamic acid, modified corn starch, β-glucan, glucooligosaccharide, heparin, and keratosulfate mucopolysaccharides, cellulose, pectin, xylan, lignin, glucomannan, galacturonic acid, psyllium seed gum, tamarind seed gum, gum arabic, tragacanth gum, soybean water-soluble polysaccharides, alginic acid, carrageenan, laminaran, agar (agarose), fucoidan, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose natural polymers, partially saponified polyvinyl alcohol (when not used in combination with a crosslinking agent), low-saponified polyvinyl alcohol, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), as well as polyethylene oxide and synthetic polymers of sodium polyacrylate.

As mentioned above, if the neck portion 11 is elastic, the spherical contents 20 may be non-deformable. Examples of non-deformable spherical contents 20 include (b1) solids that are not elastic or flexible, and (b2) hard capsules filled with powder, liquid, solid, or semi-solid contents.

Examples of the form of (b1) include sweets such as candy and gum, tablets, foods such as supplements, toys such as toy guns, bath additives and detergents made by solidifying powder into spherical shapes, etc.
As the contents in (b2), those exemplified as the contents in (a2) can be used.
The hard capsule in (b2) can be made of gelatin, starch, agar, pullulan, cellulose, carrageenan, etc. Examples of the form of (b2) include tablets, foods such as supplements, medicines, etc. In addition to foods and medicines, examples of the form include gardening fertilizers and fish feeds in which fertilizers or feeds are encapsulated in the hard capsules.

The diameter of the spherical contents 20 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less, more preferably 10 mm or more and 15 mm or less. If the spherical contents 20 are not deformable, the diameter of the contents is the diameter of the contents before deformation. The diameter of the spherical contents 20 refers to its minimum diameter.
The shape of the spherical contents 20 may be a substantially perfect sphere or an elliptical sphere. When the spherical contents 20 are elliptical spheres, the diameter of the cross section of the elliptical sphere in the short side direction (short axis direction) that has the largest diameter when viewed along the long side direction (long axis direction) of the elliptical sphere is defined as the spherical diameter of the spherical contents 20. In addition, it is preferable to provide an arrangement structure (guide) extending in the discharge direction V in the container 1, and adjust the direction of the discharged elliptical sphere so that the long side direction of the elliptical sphere coincides with the discharge direction.

Next, the materials used to form the components of the container 1 according to this embodiment will be described.
From the viewpoint of deformability due to squeezing, the container body 10 is preferably formed of a flexible resin such as polyolefin such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc. The container body 10 may be formed of a laminate or composite using one or more of these resin layers, and a barrier layer made of aluminum foil, a barrier resin, an adsorbent, etc.

When the neck portion 11 has elasticity, it is formed from an elastic resin. Examples of elastic resins include styrene-based elastomers such as SBS (styrene-butadiene-styrene), SIS (styrene-isoprene-styrene), SEBS (styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene), and SEPS (styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene), olefin-based elastomers (ethylene-based α-olefin elastomers, propylene-based elastomers copolymerized with ethylene, butene, octene, etc.), polyester-based elastomers, polyurethane-based elastomers, silicone rubber, and EPDM (ethylene-propylene rubber). One of these can be used alone or two or more can be used in combination. From the viewpoint of obtaining the above-mentioned physical properties, styrene-based elastomers or olefin-based elastomers are preferable as the material for forming the neck portion 11.

When the neck portion 11 does not have elasticity, examples of materials for forming the neck portion 11 include polyolefins such as PE (polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene), polyesters such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), synthetic resins such as polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and polylactic acid, and metals.

Next, a method for manufacturing the container 1 of this embodiment will be described.
The container body 10 is formed by extruding a synthetic resin into a tube body constituting the barrel 18, etc. Alternatively, the container body 10 may be formed by rolling a sheet-like molded body into a cylindrical shape and fusing the overlapping side edges together.

The container 1 of this embodiment is formed by joining a neck portion 11, which is separate from the container body 10, to the end portion on the tip side of the container body 10. Alternatively, the container 1 may be formed such that the container body 10 and the neck portion 11 are integrally formed.

Next, modified examples of the discharge port 13 will be described with reference to Figures 4(a) to (d). As shown in Figure 4(a), the shape of the discharge port 13 may be cylindrical. In other words, the shape of the discharge port 13 may be such that the diameter of the discharge port 13 does not change (the diameter is constant) from the part where the discharge port 13 is connected to the container body 10 to the tip opening 12. In this way, when the discharge port 13 is cylindrical, the diameter of the discharge port 13 is constant and does not change, so the entire discharge port 13 also becomes the small diameter section 16.

As shown in FIG. 4(b), the shape of the discharge port 13 may be a shape that combines a tapered shape and an inverse tapered shape. That is, the discharge port 13 has a tapered shape in which the diameter of the discharge port 13 gradually decreases from the connecting portion of the discharge port 13 with the container body 10 to a predetermined position, and the end of the tapered shape has an inverse tapered shape in which the diameter of the discharge port 13 gradually increases from the position where the diameter of the discharge port 13 is smallest (small diameter portion 16). In this way, the discharge port 13 may have a shape in which the small diameter portion 16 exists in the middle (midway along the path), that is, the tip opening 12 may not necessarily be the small diameter portion 16. Note that the discharge port 13 shown here may be one in which the tapered shape and the inverse tapered shape are integrally formed, or one in which the two members are connected.

As shown in FIG. 4(c), the shape of the discharge port 13 may be a shape that combines a tapered shape with a cylindrical shape. That is, the discharge port 13 has a tapered shape in which the diameter of the discharge port 13 gradually decreases from the connecting portion of the discharge port 13 with the container body 10 to a predetermined position, and from the position where the diameter of the discharge port 13 is smallest (small diameter portion 16), the discharge port 13 has a cylindrical shape in which the diameter remains constant. Note that the discharge port 13 shown here may be one in which the tapered shape and the cylindrical shape are integrally formed, or one formed by connecting the two members.

As shown in FIG. 4(d), the shape of the discharge port 13 may be curved inward, with the diameter gradually decreasing from the connecting portion with the container body 10 and gradually increasing from a height position approximately halfway through the total height. In this case, a small diameter portion 16 is formed at a height position approximately halfway through the total height of the discharge port 13.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be modified as appropriate. As long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, a product consisting of the container and spherical contents of the present invention can be used, for example, as a toy or a refreshing item, in addition to its use as a container for storing spherical contents. In addition, by changing the area of the tip opening, the sound (high pitch, low pitch, etc.) and vibration (short, strong vibration, long, gentle vibration, etc.) can be changed. Furthermore, the sensory feedback can be changed by the materials used for the spherical contents 20 and the neck portion 11 (discharge port 13), and the shape and size of the tip opening 12.

Reference Signs List 1 Container 10 Container body 11 Neck portion 12 Tip opening 13 Discharge port 14 Notch portion 15 Connecting portion 16 Small diameter portion 17 Thread 18 Body portion 19 End seal portion 20 Spherical contents 30 User

Claims (4)

A product consisting of a container and a spherical content,
The container comprises a squeezable container body and a neck portion having a tip opening connected to the container body, the spherical contents are contained in the container body, and the spherical contents are taken out through the neck portion,
The neck portion has a small diameter portion in which the discharge port provided in the neck portion has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the spherical contents ,
A product comprising a container and a spherical content , which provides a user with sensory feedback caused by the expulsion of the spherical content when the spherical content is expelled . A product comprising the container of claim 1 and spherical contents, wherein the discharge outlet is cylindrical. When the container is tilted so that the discharge outlet is located below the container body, the spherical contents move and stop at the discharge outlet, blocking the discharge outlet;
3. A product comprising a container and spherical contents as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, with the spherical contents blocking the discharge outlet, the container body is squeezed and deformed to increase the internal pressure of the container body, thereby deforming at least one of the spherical contents and the discharge outlet, thereby discharging the spherical contents. A product comprising a container and spherical contents as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sensory feedback is at least one of sound and vibration emitted when the spherical contents are discharged and pass through the discharge outlet.

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