# US 12,600,548 B2 · Hard container and device comprising same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,600,548 B2 - Document ID: US12600548B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/921,155 - Filed: 2021-04-26 - Published: 2023-06-08 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-30 - Assignees: Kyoraku Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Kyoraku Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Takayuki Kato; Takeru Sano; Kentaro Uchihashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600548B2 ## CPC - B65D 23/02: Linings or internal coatings - B65D 77/06: Liquids or semi-liquids {or other materials or articles} enclosed in flexible containers disposed within rigid containers - B65D 83/7711: {the contents of a flexible bag being expelled by the contracting forces inherent in the bag or a sleeve fitting snugly around the bag} - B05B 11/0038: {Inner container disposed in an outer shell or outer casing} - B05B 11/1001: {Piston pumps (B05B11/1087, B05B11/1088, B05B11/109 take precedence)} - B65D 2577/041: Details of two or more containers disposed one within another - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) ## Abstract Provided is a hard container capable of appropriately discharging or spraying content. The present invention provides a resin-made hard container for use with a suction device attached thereto that is configured to discharge or spray suctioned content. The hard container is provided with a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag. The container body is configured such that the inner bag contracts as the content is reduced. An innermost layer of the outer shell comprises an EVOH layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hard container configured to be used with a suction device attached thereto, the suction device configured to discharge or spray suctioned content, the hard container comprising a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag, wherein the container body is configured such that the inner bag contracts as the content is reduced, the outer shell comprises a base layer, an adhesive layer, and an EVOH layer in order from outside of the container, the EVOH layer is an innermost layer of the outer shell, an elastic modulus gradient of the container body is 20 N/mm or above, the base layer comprises a polyolefin layer, the container body is provided with an outside air introduction hole that introduces outside air between the outer shell and the inner bag, the outside air introduction hole is provided on a pinch-off part that is formed when a bottom end of a laminated parison is interposed between split molds and crushed by the split molds, and the inner bag is provided to cover an open end of the outer shell. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hard container of claim 1, wherein the inner bag does not comprise an EVOH layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The hard container of claim 2, wherein the inner bag is constituted of a polyolefin layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hard container of claim 1, wherein the content is 1 to 10 mL. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A device comprising the hard container of claim 1, comprising a suction device attached to the hard container, wherein the suction device comprises: a nebulizing mechanism, an outer container, and a puncture needle, the nebulizing mechanism is attached to the hard container and configured to discharge or spray suctioned content suctioned from the hard container; the outer container is configured to attach to and remove from the nebulizing mechanism; the hard container has a cap mounted to the container body, and a film attached to an upper surface of the cap to seal the hard container; the cap has a through hole that enables the puncture needle to punch the film and reach the inside of the inner bag via the through hole, thereby ensuring that the content of the hard container can be suctioned by the nebulizing mechanism. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the suction device has a discharge or spray amount of 10 to 50 μL for one time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hard container of claim 1, further comprising: a plug-in cap attached to the container body, wherein the container body has a mouth part and a neck part having a diameter smaller than the mouth part, an engagement part to which the cap is attached is formed by a difference in diameter between the neck part and the mouth part, the cap has an outer cylindrical part having an engagement claw protruding inwardly in a radial direction, the cap is attached to the container body by engagement between the engagement claw and the engagement part, an elastic modulus gradient of the container body is 30 N/mm or above, and a content amount of the hard container is 1 to 20 mL. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The hard container of claim 7, wherein the inner bag is provided to cover an open end of the outer shell, and the inner bag is sandwiched between the cap and the outer shell in an open end of the container body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The hard container of claim 7, wherein a lower surface of the mouth part is perpendicular to an outer circumferential surface of the mouth part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hard container of claim 1, further comprising: a plug-in cap attached to the container body, wherein the container body has a mouth part and a neck part having a diameter smaller than the mouth part, an engagement part to which the cap is attached is formed by a difference in diameter between the neck part and the mouth part, the cap has a disk-shaped top part, an outer cylindrical part that extends downwards from an outer edge part of the top part and an inner cylindrical part that extends downwards from a middle part of the top part, the outer cylindrical part has an engagement claw protruding inwardly in a radial direction, the cap is attached to the container body by engagement between the engagement claw and the engagement part, a through hole through the top part and the inner cylindrical part is formed in the middle part of the cap, an elastic modulus gradient of the container body is 30 N/mm or above, and a content amount of the hard container is 1 to 20 mL. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hard container of claim 1, wherein an ethylene content of an EVOH resin that constitutes the EVOH layer is 32 mol % or below and a thickness ratio of the EVOH layer in the container body is 0.1 to 10%. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The hard container of claim 1, wherein the base layer further comprises a homopolypropylene layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The hard container of claim 1, wherein a thickness ratio of the inner bag in the container body is 5 to 25%. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The hard container of claim 1, wherein a content amount of the hard container is 1 to 20 mL. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The hard container of claim 1, wherein the container body is formed by direct blow-molding a laminated parison and the outside air introduction hole is provided on the pinch-off part that is formed when the bottom end of the laminated parison is interposed between the split molds and crushed by the split molds in the direct blow-molding.