Mechanism for assisting opening and closing of screw cap

Abstract

A screw cap opening/closure assistance mechanism ( 10 ) assists in opening and closure of a screw cap ( 20 ) in a screw cap mechanism. The screw cap opening/closure assistance mechanism includes a coupling part ( 13 ) provided on the screw cap ( 20 ) and an opening/closure assistance part ( 14 ) connected to the coupling part ( 13 ). One end of the coupling part is adapted to be rotated in unison with the screw cap ( 20 ). This opening/closure assistance part is positioned in proximity to an outer surface of the screw cap ( 20 ) when the screw cap opening/closure assistance mechanism has not been used or when it is not in use. For opening/closure, the screw cap opening/closure assistance part is moved away from the screw cap ( 20 ) so as to form a large diameter moving part rotatable in unison with the screw cap ( 20 ), An arrangement is so made that the force of rotation needed for the opening/closure operation for the screw cap ( 20 ) may be smaller.

1 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A screw cap rotation assistance mechanism for assisting in the opening/closure of a screw cap in a screw cap mechanism including:
 an opening of a vessel; said opening carrying a spirally extending mating engagement part in an outer peripheral surface thereof; and   said screw cap having a tubular base part and a closure part; said tubular base part carrying, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a spirally extending engagement part adapted for being in threaded engagement with said mating engagement part; said closure part closing one end of said tubular base part to openably stop up said opening;   said screw cap rotation assistance mechanism including a rotation assistance section that may be turned to close to or away from said tubular base part of said screw cap;   said rotation assistance section being adapted to be turned towards or away from said tubular base part by a hinge-like coupling part, operating as a fulcrum, in a state in which said rotation assistance section is as-one with said tubular base part;   said rotation assistance section having a free end and a rotation stop; said free end when said rotation assistance section is turned away from said tubular base part of said screw cap being moved away from said tubular base part about said coupling part as a fulcrum; said rotation stop approaching to and abutting against said tubular base part with said coupling part as a fulcrum;   the distance from said coupling part to said free end being longer than a distance from said coupling part to said rotation stop.   
     
     
         40 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , further comprising:
 an annular part fitted over said tubular base part of said screw cap;   said rotation assistance section being formed as one with an outer surface of said annular part via said coupling part.   
     
     
         41 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 said rotation assistance section is formed as one with said tubular base part via said coupling part.   
     
     
         42 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 said coupling part is substantially band-shaped; the profile of both contour lines of a plan shape defined by front and back surfaces of said coupling part being hyperbolas.   
     
     
         43 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , further comprising:
 an idle rotation inhibiting part on an inner surface of said annular part; said idle rotation inhibiting part intruding into a vertical groove formed in an outer peripheral surface of said tubular base part to inhibit idle rotation of said annular part relative to said screw cap.   
     
     
         44 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 said coupling part includes a temporary bridging part that temporarily bridges said rotation assistance part and said tubular base part so that said rotation assistance part and said tubular base part are in an as-one state; said temporary bridging part rupturing on application of a force greater than a preset force.   
     
     
         45 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , further comprising:
 a retention part provided on said rotation assistance part and a mating retention part provided on an outer peripheral surface of said tubular base part or said annular part; said retention part and said mating retention part being engaged with each other to keep said annular part or said tubular base part engaged with said rotation assistance part.   
     
     
         46 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein,
 said rotation assistance part includes a curved portion extending along said outer peripheral surface of said tubular base part; said rotation assistance part also including, in the vicinity of a distal end of a free end side thereof, a finger support curved in a direction away from said outer peripheral surface of said tubular base part;   said rotation stop being provided in the vicinity of a proximal end of said rotation assistance part connected to said coupling part; said rotation stop prescribing the angle of rotation of said rotation assistance part.   
     
     
         47 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 said rotation assistance part includes a curved portion extending along the outer peripheral surface of said tubular base part.   
     
     
         48 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 said rotation assistance part includes a finger support in the vicinity of a distal end thereof as a free end; said finger support being curved in a direction away from the outer peripheral surface of said tubular base part.   
     
     
         49 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 said rotation stop is provided in the vicinity of a proximal end of said rotation assistance part where said coupling part is connected; said rotation stop prescribing the angle of rotation of said rotation assistance part.   
     
     
         50 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 a pressuring part that thrusts and abuts against a portion of said tubular base part is provided on an inner surface of said annular part.   
     
     
         51 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 said annular part is provided with an annular upper portion extending along said annular part and radially inwards from said annular part to form a ring.   
     
     
         52 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 said annular part includes an upper portion at an upper end thereof; said upper portion closing said annular part substantially globally.   
     
     
         53 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 said upper portion includes a plurality of through-holes traversing the front and back sides thereof and a plurality of bridging portions bridging said annular part and the upper portion; said bridging portions being delimited between said through-holes.   
     
     
         54 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 a plurality of rotation assistance parts are provided on said tubular base part.   
     
     
         55 . A screw cap rotation assistance mechanism for assisting in the opening/closure of a screw cap in a screw cap mechanism including:
 an opening of a vessel; said opening carrying a spirally extending mating engagement part in an outer peripheral surface thereof; and   said screw cap having a tubular base part and a closure part; said tubular base part carrying, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a spirally extending engagement part adapted for being in threaded engagement with said mating engagement part; said closure part closing one end of said tubular base part to openably stop up said opening;   said screw cap rotation assistance mechanism including   an annular part fitted over said tubular base part of said screw cap; and   a rotation assistance section provided on an outer peripheral surface of said annular part; said rotation assistance section being adapted to be movable to close to or away from said annular part;   said rotation assistance section being rotated by a hinge-like coupling part, operating as a fulcrum, so as to be movable towards and away from said tubular base part; said hinge-like coupling part being formed as one with said tubular base part;   said rotation assistance section having a free end and a rotation stop; said free end when said rotation assistance section is turned away from said tubular base part of said screw cap being turned about said coupling part as a fulcrum so as to be moved away from said annular part; said rotation stop approaching to and abutting against said tubular base part with said coupling part as a fulcrum;   the distance from said coupling part to said free end being longer than a distance from said coupling part to said rotation stop.   
     
     
         56 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  17 , further comprising:
 an idle rotation inhibiting part on an inner surface of said annular part; said idle rotation inhibiting part intruding into a vertical groove formed in an outer peripheral surface of said tubular base part to inhibit idle rotation of said annular part relative to said screw cap.   
     
     
         57 . A screw cap rotation assistance mechanism for assisting in the opening/closure of a screw cap in a screw cap mechanism including:
 an opening of a vessel; said opening carrying a spirally extending mating engagement part in an outer peripheral surface thereof; and   said screw cap having a tubular base part and a closure part; said tubular base part carrying, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a spirally extending engagement part adapted for being in threaded engagement with said mating engagement part; said closure part closing one end of said tubular base part to openably stop up said opening;   said screw cap rotation assistance mechanism including   a rotation assistance section provided on an outer peripheral surface of said annular part so as to be movable to close to or away from said annular part;   said rotation assistance section being turned towards and away from said tubular base part about a hinge-like coupling part operating as a fulcrum; said coupling part being formed as one with said tubular base part;   said rotation assistance section having a free end and a rotation stop; said free end when said rotation assistance section is turned away from said tubular base part of said screw cap being turned away from said tubular base part about said coupling part as a fulcrum; said rotation stop approaching to and abutting against said tubular base part with said coupling part as a fulcrum;   the distance from said coupling part to said free end being longer than a distance from said coupling part to said rotation stop.   
     
     
         58 . The screw cap rotation assistance mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein
 said coupling part includes a temporary bridging part that temporarily bridges said rotation assistance part and said tubular base part so that said rotation assistance part and said tubular base part are temporarily in an as-one state; said temporary bridging part rupturing on application of a force greater than a preset force.