JP2005335713A - Bottle container for drinking water feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To pour out drinking water filled in a container without bringing it into contact with an outside air by improving a bottle container replaced and mounted to a drinking water feeding apparatus used mainly for a drinking water delivery service. <P>SOLUTION: To a conventional bottle container B comprising a narrow-necked bottle-shaped outer container 1 made of a transparent rigid resin, and a bung 3 sealing a bottle opening of the outer container 1 and being freely removable, a bag-like inner container 2 made of a flexible resin being freely inserted and removable into the outer container 1 is added. Air vent holes 12a and 12b to which stoppers are respectively inserted are made at least one of positions of a shoulder part and a bottom part of the outer container 1. The inner container 2 is provided with a brim part outward of an opening end edge, and when the bottle opening of the outer container 1 is mounted with the bung 3, the brim part is pinched between the bottle opening and the bung 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a bottle container that is filled with drinking water and is used by being mounted on a drinking water supply device generally called a water server or simply a server.

  In recent years, it has been recognized that drinking water is not only essential for maintaining human life but also has a significant impact on health. More safe and delicious drinking water has been proposed. Mineral water packaged in PET bottles sold at retail stores is a typical example, but the capacity of bottle containers is small, and the volume of empty containers collected for disposal or material recycling is enormous. In addition, there are drawbacks such as being troublesome to purchase one by one and being troubled by the storage location of many plastic bottles.

  On the other hand, when a large amount of drinking water is provided, a transport container called a bag-in-box in which an inner container made of soft resin is accommodated in an outer container made of cardboard or hard resin is used (for example, a patent Reference 1). In such a bag-in-box, the spout of the inner container can be exposed from a part of the outer container, and a necessary amount of drinking water is poured out by opening and closing the water stop provided at the spout. Although it is configured, it is convenient that the container can be used as a server as it is, but from the viewpoint of hygiene, etc., not only the outer container but also the inner container is usually discarded without being reused. Therefore, there is a drawback that it is still difficult to dispose of.

  Therefore, recently, there is a home delivery service for drinking water that combines a large-capacity bottle container that can be used repeatedly and a drinking water supply device (also referred to as a server or a dispenser) that replaces and attaches the bottle container. Has come to be offered. In this drinking water delivery service, for example, a drinking water supplier signs a contract with an individual household and installs a drinking water supply device in each household individually by a rental method, etc. The bottle containers delivered to the home are made returnable, and empty bottle containers are collected and washed and then refilled with drinking water for reuse. And as drinking water to be filled and provided in bottle containers, it passes through reverse osmosis membranes with the eyes of a tiny purification pore filter of 1 / 10,000,000mm, and environmental hormones such as dioxins and trihalomethanes as well as chlorine and chlorine It is characterized by the addition of mineral components to so-called "pure water" from which harmful substances that cannot be removed by activated carbon and hollow fiber membranes used in general water purifiers are removed. .

  In addition, some drinking water supply devices installed in each home or office are equipped with a thermal heater, and when the bottle outlet is turned downward and attached to the upper part of the drinking water supply device The drinking water flowing down from the bottle container is supplied as cold water or heated hot water as it is (Non-Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-171735 A (Claims, FIGS. 1 and 2) Aqua Clara Japan Co., Ltd., "About Aqua Clara", "Introduction to Water Cooler", [online], [Search April 30, 2004], Internet <URL: http://www.aquaclara.co.jp/ ac_index.html>

  However, in the drinking water supply device used for the drinking water home delivery service, external air flows so as to replace the drinking water flowing down from the bottle container, in other words, external air flows from the outlet of the bottle container, Since the drinking water that has been replaced by this external air flows down, it is provided with aseptically filled drinking water that does not contain impurities. It was inevitable that outside air mixed with touched drinking water. As a preventive measure, an air filter or an ultraviolet sterilizer may be interposed in the ventilation path of the external air flowing into the bottle container. However, it is difficult to block even fine bacteria with the air filter, and ultraviolet sterilization is possible. Providing the device has a drawback that the structure is complicated and the cost is increased. In particular, in facilities such as hospitals, it was inconvenient that only the outside air that might be contaminated with bacteria was always in contact with drinking water.

  However, an object of the present invention is to provide a bottle container for a drinking water supply device that can pour the filled drinking water without bringing it into contact with external air.

  In order to solve the desired problem, a bottle container for a drinking water supply apparatus according to the present invention includes an outer container in the form of a narrow bottle made of a transparent hard resin, and a soft and removable inside the outer container. It consists of a plastic bag-like inner container and a detachable stopper that seals the bottle mouth of the outer container, and the outer container is fitted with a hermetic stopper at each of at least one of the shoulder and the bottom. A hole is drilled, and the inner container is provided with a collar part outward from the edge of the mouth part. When the stopper is attached to the bottle mouth of the outer container, the collar part is sandwiched between the bottle mouth and the mouth stopper. As shown in the figure, the spout was provided with a cylindrical spout that was recessed inward at the center, and a cap was fitted from the inside of the spout.

  As the outer container of the present invention, a plastic resin bottle container having a large capacity of about 3 gallons (12 liters) used in recent home delivery services for drinking water can be used. In the conventional bottle container, only the resin stopper is directly placed in the bottle mouth portion formed in the narrow mouth, but in the present invention, the conventional bottle container is used as the outer container, and the inside On the other hand, a bag-like inner container is inserted and used, and a hook provided at the mouth edge of the inner container is sandwiched between the bottle mouth and the stopper of the outer container and fixed. In order to improve the water sealability, an annular packing may be interposed between the bottle mouth of the outer container and the ridge of the inner container, and between the ridge of the inner container and the inside of the stopper. The air vent hole drilled in the shoulder of the outer container mainly discharges air that exists between the outer container and the outer container when filling the inner container with drinking water, and the air vent hole drilled in the bottom of the outer container Is intended to allow the inflow of air to press the inner container mainly when drinking water is poured out.

  The spout has a cylindrical spout that is recessed inwardly at the center, but since a cap is fitted from the inside of the spout, the drinking water filled even when the bottle container falls Will not leak. A cap having a substantially U-shaped cross section is used, and a hook provided on the periphery of the bottom is fitted on the inside while abutting against the edge of the spout. Corresponding ridges and grooves are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cap and the inner peripheral surface of the spout so that they do not fall off easily from the spout, but the fitting state is strongly pressed from the outside of the spout. When adjusted, it is adjusted to the extent of withdrawal.

  The inner container used for the bottle container according to the present invention can have a contour shape substantially conforming to the inner shape of the outer container, but when using a container in which a handle is also integrally formed as an outer container, The contour shape is along the inner wall surface excluding the handle portion. Moreover, it is not always necessary to use a transparent material for the inner container, and it may be a container in which coloring or a pattern is drawn.

  Further, in an empty state not filled with drinking water, it is desirable that the inner container is extremely flexible so that air can escape from the mouth and completely contract, and is formed of, for example, a polyethylene film. However, if a mechanism that can withstand the pouring pressure of drinking water such as a check valve is added, it may be balloon-shaped with natural rubber or the like. In addition, it is desirable to use a synthetic resin that has been subjected to antibacterial treatment as a member that comes into direct contact with drinking water, such as an inner container or a stopper.

  According to the bottle container for a drinking water supply apparatus according to the present invention, only the inner container expands / contracts according to the remaining amount of drinking water filled in the inner container, so that the drinking water filled in an aseptic state can be removed from the outside. Without being brought into contact with air, it can be used for drinking in its original state. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide any external air intakes or ventilation paths as in the conventional drinking water supply apparatus, and the structure can be simplified.

  In addition, after the drinking water has been poured out, the entire outer container is collected. However, by discarding only the inner container and reusing the outer container, waste is minimized while ensuring safety. Can do. And since the outer container never touches the drinking water from start to finish, it is not necessary to consider the safety of the material, and it is possible to adopt a design that only considers the landscape, etc. Even if tampered with, a new inner container is inserted and used every time, so that safety is ensured and there is an advantage that the cleaning operation at the time of reuse can be simplified.

  In addition, the inner container formed of a soft resin has a contour shape that substantially conforms to the inner shape of the outer container formed of a transparent hard resin. While ensuring the amount visibility, the presence of the inner container can be made inconspicuous and a sense of unity with the outer container can be produced, and the possibility of damage to the inner container due to an impact applied to the outer container can be reduced.

  Furthermore, by making the inner container extremely flexible, not only the insertion / removal operation into / from the outer container is facilitated, but also the filling operation of the drinking water into the inner container is facilitated and the inflow of external air is prevented. Smooth dispensing can be achieved.

  Hereinafter, a bottle container for a drinking water supply apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a partially broken perspective view showing an example of a bottle container according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bottle container in the vicinity of a cap, and FIG. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a state. These illustrated bottle containers B are inserted into the outer container 1 formed by blow molding or the like using a transparent hard resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polystyrene (PS) and the like. In addition, it is formed by an inner container 2 formed from a film of transparent polyethylene (PE) or the like, and a mouth plug 3 of a synthetic resin injection-molded product fitted into the bottle mouth 11 of the outer container 1.

  The outer container 1 of this example is shaped like a narrow-mouthed bottle, with air vents 12a and 12b each fitted with a tight stopper (not shown), one at the shoulder and one at the bottom. Has been. The air vent hole 12a in the shoulder portion is the air existing between the inner wall of the outer container 1 and the outer wall of the inner container 2 so that the inner container 2 expands smoothly when the bag-like inner container 2 is filled with drinking water. The air vent hole 12b at the bottom is formed on the inner wall of the outer container 1 so that the inner container 2 contracts smoothly when the drinking water filled in the inner container 2 is poured out. It plays a role of allowing air to flow between the outer wall of the inner container 2. As the airtight stoppers fitted into these air vent holes 12a and 12b, an adhesive film seal can be used in addition to a rubber stopper, and after filling the inner container 2 with drinking water, the air vent hole 12a at the shoulder is closed, At the time of water pouring, the air vent hole 12b at the bottom that has been previously closed is opened.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the stopper 3 is stoppered so as to seal the bottle opening 11 of the outer container 1, and is removed as it is when it is collected and reused after drinking, or is engraved in advance. It is formed so as to be removed by tearing the side wall surface 31 along the line of disconnection, and includes a cylindrical spout 32 that hangs down so as to be inwardly inserted at the center thereof. A cap 4 made of synthetic resin is fitted from the inner side of the spout 32, that is, from the lowermost end, and is provided on the protrusion 41 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cap 4 and the inner peripheral surface of the spout 32. The cap 4 is prevented from falling off the spout 32 by engaging with the ridge 33.

  A bag-shaped inner container 2 is inserted and accommodated inside the outer container 1. Since the inner container 2 contracts small in an empty state not filled with drinking water, it can be easily inserted into the outer container 1 from the bottle opening 11 of the outer container 1. And after putting the collar part 22 extended outward from the edge of the mouth part 21 in the inner container 2 on the bottle mouth 11 of the outer container 1 and filling with drinking water, the stopper 3 is plugged. By this, it is clamped between the bottle mouth 11 and the stopper 3. In this example, a donut-shaped packing 5 is disposed around the spout 32 in order to further improve water tightness.

  The flange portion 22 of the inner container 2 may be integrally formed by increasing the wall thickness from the main body side of the inner container 2, or the portion including the flange portion 22 or its periphery as a separate cylindrical member. It may be formed and bonded and integrated with the main body of the inner container 2 formed of a thin synthetic resin film.

   In order to attach the bottle container B formed as described above to the drinking water supply device, the seal 32 attached to the cap 3 in the bottle container B is peeled off to expose the spout 32, and then the spout 32 Is placed on the upper part of the drinking water supply device while maintaining the vertical state. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper part of the drinking water supply device is provided with a connection portion C whose upper surface is a trumpet shape. When the bottle container B with its top and bottom is lowered vertically, the connection portion C A water guide pipe 6 erected in the central recess is inserted into the spout 32 in the cap 3 of the bottle container B. When the bottle container B is further lowered, the dome-shaped tip portion 61 in the water conduit 6 pushes up the cap 4 to release the engagement with the spout 32, while the ridge provided inside the opening of the cap 4 42 fits into a groove 62 formed in the water guide pipe 6. When the stopper 3 is lowered together with the outer container 1, the through hole 63 provided near the tip of the water conduit 6 is exposed, and the drinking water filled in the inner container 2 flows into the water conduit 6 from the through hole 63. Then, it flows down to a storage tank (not shown) connected to the lower part of the connection portion C. At this time, the shoulder portion of the outer container 1 is stably held by being placed on the upper surface of the connection portion C.

It is a partially broken perspective view which shows an example of the bottle container which concerns on this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view near the stopper in the bottle container of FIG. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state with which the bottle container of FIG. 1 was mounted | worn with the drinking water supply apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outer container 2 Inner container 3 Port plug 4 Cap 5 Packing 6 Water conduit
11 Bottle mouth
12a, 12b Air vent
21 mouth
22 Buttocks
32 outlet

Claims (3)

An outer container in the form of a narrow bottle made of transparent hard resin, a soft resin bag-like inner container which can be inserted into and removed from the outer container, and a removable cap for sealing the bottle mouth of the outer container The outer container is provided with air vent holes in each of which at least one portion of the shoulder portion and the bottom portion to which the sealing plugs are fitted, and the inner container is disposed outward from the edge of the mouth portion. When the cap is attached to the bottle mouth of the outer container, the collar is configured to be sandwiched between the bottle mouth and the mouth cap, and the mouth cap is indented in the middle at the center. A bottle container for a drinking water supply apparatus, which is provided with a shaped spout and has a cap fitted from the inside of the spout. The bottle container for a drinking water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner container has a contour shape substantially conforming to the inner shape of the outer container. 3. The bottle container for a drinking water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner container is extremely flexible so as to be completely contracted in an unfilled empty state.

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