Application container

Abstract

The present invention is provided with a container body (2), an inner plug member (20), and an impregnation material (30). The inner plug member (20) is provided with: an impregnation-member-accommodating part (21); and a valve-body-accommodating part (22) having a valve seat (22a) on the impregnation-member-accommodating-part (21) side and a valve body support part (22b) on the container-body (2) side, there being a valve body (22c) movably installed between the valve seat (22a) and the valve body support part (22b). In a state in which the valve body (22c) is supported by the valve body support part (22b), a communication groove (50) that forms a gap is formed between the valve body (22c) and the valve-body-accommodating part (22).

Description

Coating container

[0001] The present invention relates to a coating container. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-105125 filed in Japan on May 31, 2018, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-135943 filed in Japan on July 19, 2018, and incorporates the content herein by reference.

[0002] Conventionally, a coating container for applying a content liquid such as a chemical solution to an application part such as the scalp or skin of a human body has been known. This type of coating container includes, for example, a coating plug as shown in Patent Document 1 below. This coating plug is attached to the mouth of the container body, and a cylindrical middle plug member is formed with a communication hole communicating with the inside of the container body and a discharge hole communicating with the communication hole and discharging the content liquid. Inside the middle plug member, a coating member (impregnating material) is disposed so that the tip end thereof can move toward the communication hole side in a state of protruding from the discharge hole to the outside, and a biasing member for biasing the coating member toward the discharge hole side. In the middle plug member, a valve seat is formed at a portion located between the communication hole and the discharge hole, where a valve body formed on the coating member abuts so as to be separable from the communication hole side. Therefore, according to this coating container, in the standby state, the valve is closed to regulate the movement of the content liquid from the inside of the container body to the impregnating material side, and when the impregnating material is pushed into the inside of the container body, the valve is opened to allow the movement of the content liquid from the inside of the container body to the impregnating material side.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-34859

[0004] By the way, in the above conventional coating container, since the valve is closed in the standby state, for example, when the temperature of the hand is transmitted to the container body, the pressure inside the container body rises. In this state, if the impregnating material is pushed into the inside of the container body to open the valve, the pressure of the container body is released, and the content liquid may blow out vigorously, and there is a possibility of applying an excessive amount of the content liquid to the application part.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its object is to provide a coating container that can apply an appropriate amount of the content liquid to the application part and has excellent usability.

[0006] (1) In a first aspect of the present invention, a coating container is adopted, comprising: a container body for containing liquid contents; a cylindrical stopper member attached to the mouth of the container body; and an impregnating material fitted inside the stopper member and capable of impregnating the liquid contents, wherein the stopper member comprises an impregnating material storage portion for containing the impregnating material with its tip protruding; and a valve storage portion communicating with the impregnating material storage portion and having a valve seat on the impregnating material storage portion side and a valve support portion on the container body side, with a valve body movably disposed between the valve seat and the valve support portion, wherein a gap is formed between the valve body and the valve storage portion when the valve body is supported by the valve support portion, and a communication groove is formed that connects the container body to the outside via the valve storage portion and the impregnating material storage portion.

[0007] According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the upright state with the container body at the bottom and the impregnating material at the top, the valve body is supported by the valve body support, and the container body communicates with the outside through a communication groove that forms a gap between the valve body and the valve body housing, thus releasing the pressure in the container body. For this reason, when using the coating container, the liquid contents do not spill out due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container body. Furthermore, when using the coating container in an inverted state from the upright state, a certain amount of liquid contents in the valve body housing is pushed out into the impregnating material housing by the vertical movement of the valve body. When the valve body contacts the valve seat, the supply of liquid contents from the valve body housing to the impregnating material is restricted, so excessive impregnation of the impregnating material is prevented, and dripping can be prevented.

[0008] (2) In a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect described above, the valve seat may have a liquid content supply groove formed therein that supplies liquid content from the valve body housing to the impregnation material while in contact with the valve body.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention, even when the container body is inverted and the valve body is in contact with the valve seat, the liquid contents can be supplied from the valve body housing to the impregnation material. Therefore, even if the liquid contents become difficult to dispense while using the coating container, the number of operations required, such as once upright and then inverting the coating container to impregnate the impregnation material again, can be reduced.

[0010] (3) In a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect described above, the valve body housing has a peripheral wall connecting the valve seat and the valve body support, the valve body is formed in a non-spherical shape and has a guide surface that is guided by the peripheral wall of the valve body housing, and the communication groove may be formed on the guide surface of the valve body.

[0011] According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the container body is in an upright position, the communication groove formed in the valve body allows the container body to communicate with the outside, thereby releasing the pressure inside the container body. Therefore, when using the coating container, the liquid contents do not spill out due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container body. Furthermore, the valve body is non-spherical and has a guide surface that is guided by the peripheral wall of the valve body housing. Therefore, even if the valve body moves up and down, the position of the valve body is maintained at a constant position, and the pressure inside the container body can be reliably released through the communication groove formed in the valve body.

[0012] According to the present invention, an appropriate amount of liquid can be applied to the part to be coated, and an application container with excellent usability can be obtained.

[0013] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a coating container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of using a coating container in an inverted state after removing the overcap from the coating container shown in Figure 1. This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a coating container according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a coating container according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This is a plan view of a valve body according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] A coating container according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0015] (First Embodiment) As shown in Figure 1, the coating container 1 of this embodiment comprises a bottomed cylindrical container body 2 that contains the liquid to be applied to the part to be coated, a cylindrical coating stopper 3 fitted inside the mouth 10 of the container body 2, and a topped cylindrical overcap 4 that is detachably fitted to the mouth 10 of the container body 2 and covers the coating stopper 3. The liquid to be applied is not particularly limited, but examples include hair growth agents, antifungal drugs, cosmetics, and other liquids applied to the part to be coated, such as the human body or skin.

[0016] In Figure 1, the container body 2, the coating stopper 3, and the overcap 4 are arranged with their respective central axes on a common axis. In this embodiment, this common axis is called the container axis O, the side of the overcap 4 along the direction of the container axis O is called the upper direction, and the opposite side (the side of the container body 2) is called the lower direction. The direction of the container axis O can also be called the up-down direction, and within the direction of the container axis O, the direction from the bottom of the container body 2 (described later) toward the cap top wall 61 of the overcap 4 (described later) can be called the upper direction, and the opposite direction can be called the lower direction. That is, the direction from the bottom of the container body 2 toward the upper end portion 30a (tip portion) of the impregnating material 30 (described later) can also be called the upper direction, and the opposite direction can be called the lower direction. Furthermore, the direction that intersects the container axis O in a plan view from the container axis O is called the radial direction, and the direction that circles around the container axis O is called the circumferential direction.

[0017] The mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 is formed to have a smaller diameter than the other parts of the container body 2 (shoulder portion, body portion, and bottom portion). In the illustrated example, a male thread is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2, to which the overcap 4 can be screwed. The overcap 4 is formed in a top-shaped cylindrical form, comprising a cap cylinder 60 that surrounds the mouth portion 10 and the coating stopper 3 of the container body 2 from the radially outer side, and a cap top wall 61 that closes the upper end opening of the cap cylinder 60.

[0018] On the inner circumferential surface of the cap cylinder 60, the portion surrounding the mouth 10 of the container body 2, is formed with female threads that screw onto the male threads of the mouth 10 of the container body 2. This allows the overcap 4 to be detachably attached to the mouth 10 of the container body 2. Note that the method of attaching the overcap 4 is not limited to screwing; for example, the overcap 4 may also be attached by undercut fitting to the mouth 10 of the container body 2.

[0019] The top wall 61 of the cap has a support cylinder portion 63 that extends downward and is detachably fitted to the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion 43 of the coating plug 3, which will be described later. This allows the overcap 4 to be rotated around the container axis O with the support cylinder portion 63 fitted to the second cylindrical portion 43, so that the overcap 4 can be stably attached to and removed from the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2.

[0020] The coating stopper 3 comprises a cylindrical inner stopper member 20 attached to the mouth 10 of the container body 2, and an impregnating material 30 fitted inside the inner stopper member 20 and capable of impregnating the contents. Examples of the impregnating material 30 include porous materials such as sponges, and fibrous materials in which synthetic fibers are solidified with a resin solution and can be impregnated with the contents using capillary action. However, the impregnating material 30 is not limited to these cases, and any material that can impregnate the contents is acceptable.

[0021] When the above-mentioned fibrous material is used as the impregnation material 30, for example, multiple synthetic fibers having a fiber diameter of several microns to tens of microns (e.g., polyester fibers, nylon fibers, acrylic fibers, etc.) can be bundled together, and the bundled synthetic fibers can be solidified using a resin solution. At that time, the density of the synthetic fibers should be adjusted so that the porosity (the volume ratio or volume ratio of the solid part of the synthetic fibers to the pores (voids)) falls within a range of, for example, 40% to 80%. This makes it possible to properly impregnate the contents using capillary action. As the above-mentioned resin solution, for example, a solution of polyurethane resin can be used.

[0022] The impregnating material 30 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and is arranged coaxially with the container axis O. The upper end portion 30a (tip portion) of the impregnating material 30 protrudes above the inner stopper member 20. The upper end portion 30a of the impregnating material 30 is formed in a semi-ellipsoidal shape. Note that the shape of the upper end portion 30a of the impregnating material 30 is not limited to this shape and may be appropriately changed depending on the area to be coated. On the other hand, the lower end portion 30b of the impregnating material 30 is located inside the inner stopper member 20. The lower end portion 30b of the impregnating material 30 gradually decreases in diameter as it goes downwards.

[0023] The inner stopper member 20 has an annular flange portion 40, a cylindrical fitting portion 41, a top-shaped first cylindrical portion 42, and a bottom-shaped second cylindrical portion 43. The flange portion 40, the fitting portion 41, the first cylindrical portion 42, and the second cylindrical portion 43 are arranged coaxially with the container axis O as a common axis. The flange portion 40 is positioned at the upper opening edge of the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 and extends radially inward from the upper opening edge. The fitting portion 41 extends downward from the flange portion 40, and its outer circumferential surface is fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the mouth portion 10.

[0024] The first cylindrical portion 42 is positioned radially inward from the fitting cylindrical portion 41 and extends downward from the flange portion 40. The second cylindrical portion 43 is positioned radially inward from the fitting cylindrical portion 41 and extends upward from the flange portion 40. The bottom of the second cylindrical portion 43 is formed integrally with the top of the first cylindrical portion 42, and the outer diameter of the second cylindrical portion 43 is smaller than the inner diameter of the fitting cylindrical portion 41 and larger than the outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion 42. The top-shaped first cylindrical portion 42 and the bottom-shaped second cylindrical portion 43 are in communication with each other through a communication hole 23 formed coaxially with the container axis O.

[0025] The second cylindrical portion 43 forms an impregnation material housing portion 21 that houses the impregnation material 30 with its upper end portion 30a protruding. The impregnation material housing portion 21 has a length that can accommodate approximately two-thirds of the total height of the impregnation material 30. That is, the impregnation material housing portion 21 can accommodate a portion of the impregnation material 30 that corresponds to approximately two-thirds of the total length of the impregnation material 30 in the direction of the container axis O. Multiple fitting ribs 21a are formed on the impregnation material housing portion 21. The multiple fitting ribs 21a extend axially along the inner circumferential surface of the second cylindrical portion 43 and are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction. The impregnation material 30 is fitted into the impregnation material housing portion 21 with its outer circumferential surface slightly deformed radially inward by the multiple fitting ribs 21a.

[0026] The lower end surface of the impregnating material 30 is supported by a plurality of support ribs 45 protruding from the bottom of the second cylindrical portion 43. The plurality of support ribs 45 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction along the opening edge of the communication hole 23 at the bottom of the second cylindrical portion 43. The first cylindrical portion 42 has a valve seat 22a on the impregnating material housing portion 21 side and a valve body support portion 22b on the container body 2 side, forming a valve body housing portion 22 in which the valve body 22c is disposed to move freely by its own weight between the valve seat 22a and the valve body support portion 22b. Specifically, the valve seat 22a is formed near the impregnation material housing portion 21 in the first cylindrical portion 42, the valve body support portion 22b is formed near the container body 2 in the first cylindrical portion 42, the valve body housing portion 22 is formed between the valve seat 22a and the valve body support portion 22b in the first cylindrical portion 42, and the valve body 22c is disposed in the valve body housing portion 22 so as to be movable by its own weight between the valve seat 22a and the valve body support portion 22b.

[0027] The valve seat 22a is formed at the top of the first cylindrical portion 42, on the periphery of the communication hole 23. The valve seat 22a is formed coaxially with the communication hole 23 and is tapered, decreasing in diameter towards the top. The maximum diameter of the valve seat 22a is greater than the outer diameter of the valve body 22c. Also, the minimum diameter of the valve seat 22a is smaller than the outer diameter of the valve body 22c. Therefore, the valve body 22c can seat over the entire circumference of the valve seat 22a.

[0028] The valve support portion 22b prevents the valve body 22c from falling from the bottom opening of the first cylindrical portion 42 (i.e., the opening provided at the bottom) towards the container body 2. The valve support portion 22b also guides the vertical movement of the valve body 22c in the valve housing portion 22. The valve support portion 22b is formed as a rib extending downward in the direction of the container axis O along the inner circumferential surface from the top of the first cylindrical portion 42. Multiple valve support portions 22b are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 42. The lower end of the valve support portion 22b protrudes radially inward.

[0029] The virtual circle formed by the radially inner edges of the lower ends of the multiple valve body support portions 22b is smaller than the outer diameter of the valve body 22c. Therefore, the valve body 22c is supported by the lower ends of the multiple valve body support portions 22b. The valve body 22c is a steel ball with a specific gravity greater than that of the liquid inside. The valve body 22c may also be a resin ball as long as its specific gravity is greater than that of the liquid inside. Furthermore, the valve body support portion 22b may consist only of its lower end. That is, the valve body support portion 22b does not have to extend rib-like downwards in the direction of the container axis O from the top of the first cylindrical portion 42. In this case, the outer diameter of the valve body 22c should be smaller than the inner diameter of the valve body housing portion 22. The stopper member 20 with the above configuration has a communication groove 50 formed therein that connects the container body 2 to the outside via the valve body housing portion 22 and the impregnation material housing portion 21 while the valve body 22c is supported by the valve body support portion 22b.

[0030] The communication groove 50 includes a first communication groove 51, a second communication groove 52, and a third communication groove 53. The first communication groove 51 is formed in the valve body housing portion 22 of the first cylindrical portion 42. The first communication groove 51 is formed in the gap between the circumferentially adjacent rib-shaped valve body support portions 22b described above. That is, multiple first communication grooves 51 are formed along the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 42 at intervals in the circumferential direction, and each extends axially toward the top of the first cylindrical portion 42.

[0031] The second communication groove 52 and the third communication groove 53 are formed in the impregnation material receiving portion 21 of the second cylindrical portion 43. The second communication groove 52 is formed in the gap between the circumferentially adjacent support ribs 45 as described above. That is, the second communication groove 52 is formed radially at a circumferential spacing from the communication hole 23 at the bottom of the second cylindrical portion 43. The third communication groove 53 is formed in the gap between the circumferentially adjacent fitting ribs 21a as described above. That is, multiple third communication grooves 53 are formed at circumferential spacing along the inner circumferential surface of the second cylindrical portion 43, and each extends axially toward the top opening of the second cylindrical portion 43 (i.e., the opening provided at the top).

[0032] Furthermore, the valve seat 22a of this embodiment is formed with a liquid content supply groove 22a1 that supplies liquid content from the valve body housing 22 to the impregnating material 30 when the valve seat 22a is in contact with the valve body 22c. The liquid content supply groove 22a1 is sufficiently smaller than the communication groove 50 described above. The liquid content supply groove 22a1 is formed radially so as to transcend the sealing surface of the valve seat 22a, which the valve body 22c contacts in an annular manner, in the radial direction. This liquid content supply groove 22a1 can supply a small amount of liquid content from the valve body housing 22 to the impregnating material 30 even when the valve body 22c is in contact with the valve seat 22a.

[0033] Next, we will explain the case in which the liquid contents are applied to the area to be coated using the coating container 1 configured as described above.

[0034] When applying the liquid contents, first remove the overcap 4 from the mouth 10 of the container body 2. For example, if the container body 2 contains a volatile liquid contents (such as athlete's foot medicine), heat from the hand can be transferred to the container body 2, easily increasing the internal pressure of the container body 2. However, as shown in Figure 1, that is, in the upright state with the container body 2 at the bottom and the impregnating material 30 at the top, the valve body 22c is supported by the valve body support 22b, and the container body 2 communicates with the outside through the communication groove 50 provided in the stopper member 20. The upright state means that the application container 1 is positioned such that the container body 2 is vertically below the impregnating material 30 and the impregnating material 30 is vertically above the container body 2, and includes the state in which the application container 1 is positioned such that the tip of the impregnating material 30 is pointing diagonally upward relative to the vertical direction.

[0035] In other words, the gas pressurized inside the container body 2 enters the valve body housing 22 through the bottom opening of the first cylindrical portion 42, passes axially through the first communication groove 51 in the gap of the valve body support portion 22b, and then enters the impregnation material housing 21 through the communication hole 23. The gas that enters the impregnation material housing 21 passes radially through the second communication groove 52 in the gap of the support rib 45, then passes axially through the third communication groove 53 in the gap of the fitting rib 21a, and exits to the outside through the top opening of the second cylindrical portion 43. Therefore, as soon as the overcap 4 is removed from the container body 2, the pressure inside the container body 2 is released, and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container body 2 disappears.

[0036] When using the coating container 1, as shown in Figure 2, the container body 2 is positioned on top and the impregnating material 30 is positioned on the bottom in an inverted state. Note that the inverted state includes a tilted position in which the impregnating material 30 is facing diagonally downward. More specifically, the inverted state means that the coating container 1 is positioned such that the container body 2 is vertically above the impregnating material 30 and the impregnating material 30 is vertically below the container body 2, and this includes a state in which the tip of the impregnating material 30 is facing diagonally downward relative to the vertical direction. In this inverted state, the valve body 22c moves away from the lower end of the valve body support 22b and toward the valve seat 22a due to its own weight. This movement of the valve body 22c pushes the liquid contents in the valve body housing 22 into the impregnating material housing 21 and impregnates the impregnating material 30. When the valve body 22c contacts the valve seat 22a, the supply of liquid contents from the valve body housing 22 to the impregnating material 30 is restricted. That is, a certain amount of liquid contents is supplied to the impregnating material 30 by the up and down movement of the valve body 22c. In this state, by pressing the impregnating material 30 against the area to be coated, an appropriate amount of liquid contents can be applied to the area to be coated. Alternatively, the liquid contents may be impregnated into the impregnating material 30 beforehand by shaking the container body 2 with the overcap 4 attached in an inverted position.

[0037] If the liquid contents become difficult to dispense during use of the coating container 1, the container body 2 can be turned upright and then inverted to allow the impregnation material 30 to be impregnated again with the liquid contents. In this embodiment, a liquid contents supply groove 22a1 is formed in the valve seat 22a. The liquid contents supply groove 22a1 supplies a small amount of liquid contents to the impregnation material 30 from the valve body housing 22, even when the valve body 22c is in contact with the valve seat 22a. Therefore, even if the liquid contents become difficult to dispense during use of the coating container 1, the number of operations required to re-impregnate the impregnation material 30 by turning the container body 2 upright and then inverted can be reduced.

[0038] As explained above, in the upright position with the container body 2 at the bottom and the impregnating material 30 at the top, the valve body 22c is supported by the valve body support portion 22b, and the container body 2 is connected to the outside by the communication groove 50 provided in the inner stopper member 20, thus releasing the pressure inside the container body 2. For this reason, when using the coating container 1, no spillage of the contents due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container body 2 occurs. Furthermore, when the container body 2 changes from an upright position to an inverted position, a certain amount of the contents in the valve body housing portion 22 is pushed out into the impregnating material housing portion 21 by the vertical movement of the valve body 22c. When the valve body 22c comes into contact with the valve seat 22a, the supply of the contents from the valve body housing portion 22 to the impregnating material 30 is restricted, so excessive impregnation of the impregnating material 30 does not proceed, and dripping can be prevented.

[0039] As described above, the coating container 1 of this embodiment comprises a container body 2 for containing the liquid contents, a cylindrical stopper member 20 attached to the mouth 10 of the container body 2, and an impregnating material 30 fitted inside the stopper member 20 and capable of impregnating the liquid contents. The stopper member 20 has an impregnating material housing portion 21 that houses the impregnating material 30 with its upper end portion 30a protruding, and a valve seat 22 that communicates with the impregnating material housing portion 21 and is located on the side of the impregnating material housing portion 21. a. The container body 2 has a valve support portion 22b, and a valve housing portion 22 in which a valve body 22c is movably disposed between a valve seat 22a and the valve support portion 22b. When the valve body 22c is supported by the valve support portion 22b, a gap is formed between the valve body 22c and the valve housing portion 22, and a communication groove 50 is formed that connects the container body 2 to the outside via the valve housing portion 22 and the impregnation material housing portion 21. This configuration allows for the application of an appropriate amount of liquid to the area to be coated, resulting in a coating container 1 with excellent usability.

[0040] (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same or equivalent components as those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be simplified or omitted.

[0041] As shown in Figure 3, the coating container 1A of the second embodiment differs from the above embodiment in that the stopper member 20 has a first stopper member 20A and a second stopper member 20B.

[0042] The first middle plug member 20A forms an impregnating material accommodating portion 21. The impregnating material accommodating portion 21 of the second embodiment integrally forms the fitting rib 21a and the support rib 45 described above, and has a configuration in which they are connected to each other. This first middle plug member 20A has the flange portion 40, the fitting cylinder portion 41, and the second cylinder portion 43 described above.

[0043] The second middle plug member 20B forms a valve body accommodating portion 22. The second middle plug member 20B corresponds to the first cylinder portion 42 described above and is a separate member from the first middle plug member 20A. The second middle plug member 20B is formed in a toped cylindrical shape with a through hole 24 formed in the top wall. The second middle plug member 20B and the through hole 24 are arranged coaxially with the container axis O as a common axis.

[0044] The second middle plug member 20B has a second flange portion 71 that contacts the lower end opening edge of the fitting cylinder portion 41, a second fitting cylinder portion 72 that is continuously provided at the radially inner edge of the second flange portion 71 and fits into the inner peripheral surface of the lower end portion of the fitting cylinder portion 41, and a toped cylinder portion 73 that is continuously provided at the upper end portion of the second fitting cylinder portion 72. The second flange portion 71 is formed in an annular shape extending radially outward from the lower end opening edge of the second fitting cylinder portion 72. The second fitting cylinder portion 72 extends upward from the second flange portion 71, and its outer peripheral surface is undercut and fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the fitting cylinder portion 41.

[0045] The toped cylinder portion 73 has a smaller diameter than the second fitting cylinder portion 72. That is, the outer diameter of the toped cylinder portion 73 is smaller than the outer diameter of the second fitting cylinder portion 72. A step is formed between the toped cylinder portion 73 and the second fitting cylinder portion 72. This toped cylinder portion 73 is arranged in non-contact with the fitting cylinder portion 41 (the first middle plug member 20A). The through hole 24, the valve seat 22a, and the content liquid supply groove 22a1 described above are formed in the toped cylinder portion 73. Further, the rib-shaped valve body support portion 22b described above is formed from the toped cylinder portion 73 to the second fitting cylinder portion 72.

[0046] According to the coating container 1A configured as described above, when the overcap 4 is removed from the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2, the gas pressurized inside the container body 2 enters the valve body accommodation portion 22 from the bottom opening of the second middle plug member 20B, passes axially through the first communication groove 51 in the gap of the valve body support portion 22b, and then enters the impregnating material accommodation portion 21 through the through hole 24 and the communication hole 23. The gas that has entered the impregnating material accommodation portion 21 passes radially through the second communication groove 52 in the gap of the support rib 45, then passes axially through the third communication groove 53 in the gap of the fitting rib 21a, and escapes to the outside from the top opening of the first middle plug member 20A. For this reason, simultaneously with the removal of the overcap 4, the pressure of the container body 2 is released, and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container body 2 does not occur. Therefore, according to this second embodiment, the same operational effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained. Also, the first middle plug member 20A and the second middle plug member 20B can be made of different materials.

[0047] (Third Embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to the same or equivalent configurations as those in the above-described embodiments, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4, the coating container 1B of the third embodiment is different from the above-described embodiment in that the communication groove 50 is formed in the valve body 22c1.

[0049] The valve body 22c1 of the third embodiment is formed in a non-spherical shape. Specifically, the valve body 22c1 is a rotating body centered on the container axis O and is formed in a rice-bag shape or a bullet shape. The valve body 22c1 has a cylindrical guide surface 22c2 guided by the peripheral wall 22d of the valve body accommodation portion 22, and the communication groove 50 is formed in this guide surface 22c2. The communication groove 50 of the third embodiment includes the second communication groove 52 formed in the impregnating material accommodation portion 21 described above, the third communication groove 53 also formed in the impregnating material accommodation portion 21 described above, and a fourth communication groove 54 formed in the valve body 22c1 in the valve body accommodation portion 22.

[0050] The peripheral wall 22d of the valve body housing 22 extends cylindrically in the direction of the container axis O and connects the valve seat 22a and the valve body support portion 22b described above. The inner wall surface of the peripheral wall 22d is a smooth surface, and no grooves or the like extending in the direction of the container axis O are formed therein. In the third embodiment, the valve body support portion 22b protrudes radially inward in an annular shape from the inner wall surface of the peripheral wall 22d. In addition, the valve body support portion 22b may have grooves or the like extending in the direction of the container axis O formed therein, as in the above embodiment, so that the valve body support portion 22b is rib-shaped.

[0051] The outer diameter of the valve body 22c1 at the guide surface 22c2 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the peripheral wall 22d. As a result, the valve body 22c1 can rotate around the container axis O in the valve body housing 22, but it is not possible to rotate it in a way that reverses its top and bottom, i.e., to rotate it around an axis intersecting the container axis O. In other words, the valve body 22c1 can rotate around the container axis O in the valve body housing 22. However, the valve body 22c1 cannot rotate in the valve body housing 22 in a way that reverses its top and bottom, i.e., it cannot rotate around an axis intersecting the container axis O. The fourth communication groove 54 is formed extending above and below the cylindrical guide surface 22c2, and also extends to a lower hemispherical lower end surface 22c3 connected to the lower end of the guide surface 22c2.

[0052] As shown in the plan view of the valve body 22c1 in Figure 5, multiple (six in this embodiment) fourth communication grooves 54 are formed on the guide surface 22c2 of the valve body 22c1 at intervals in the circumferential direction. The six fourth communication grooves 54 converge at the center of the lower end surface 22c3 (container axis O). It is not necessary for all six fourth communication grooves 54 to converge at the center of the lower end surface 22c3; at least one pair of fourth communication grooves 54 arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the container axis O in the radial direction must converge.

[0053] Returning to Figure 4, a bottomed hole 22c5 extending in the direction of the container axis O is formed in the upper hemispherical upper end surface 22c4 connected to the upper end of the guide surface 22c2. The bottomed hole 22c5 is formed at the center of the valve body 22c1. Specifically, the bottomed hole 22c5 is formed at the radial center of the valve body 22c1. Also, for example, when the valve body 22c1 is resin-molded, the bottomed hole 22c5 becomes a weight-reducing hole. Furthermore, when the valve body 22c1 is inserted from the lower end of the valve body housing 22, the bottomed hole 22c5 forms a space that allows the valve body 22c1 to undergo a diameter reduction deformation to pass through the valve body support portion 22b. That is, when the valve body 22c1 passes through the valve body support portion 22b, the valve body support portion 22b causes the valve body 22c1 to temporarily elastically deform to reduce in diameter; in other words, the space formed by the bottomed hole 22c5 temporarily shrinks radially inward. Furthermore, the diameter of the bottomed hole 22c5 is smaller than the diameter of the communication hole 23. This allows the upper end surface 22c4 of the valve body 22c1 to be in close contact with the valve seat 22a in the circumferential direction.

[0054] In the coating container 1B with the above configuration, when the container body 2 is in an upright position, the valve body 22c is supported by the valve body support portion 22b, and the container body 2 is in communication with the outside through the communication groove 50. That is, the gas pressurized inside the container body 2 enters the valve body housing portion 22 from the bottom opening of the first cylindrical portion 42, passes through the gap between the valve body 22c1 and the peripheral wall 22d in the axial direction through the fourth communication groove 54 formed in the valve body 22c1, and then enters the impregnation material housing portion 21 through the communication hole 23. The gas that has entered the impregnation material housing portion 21 passes radially through the second communication groove 52 in the gap of the support rib 45, then passes axially through the third communication groove 53 in the gap of the fitting rib 21a, and exits to the outside through the top opening of the second cylindrical portion 43. As a result, the pressure inside the container body 2 is released, and there is no longer a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container body 2.

[0055] Here, the valve body c1 is formed in a non-spherical shape and has a guide surface 22c2 that is guided by the peripheral wall 22d of the valve body housing 22, and a fourth communication groove 54 is formed on the guide surface 22c2 of the valve body 22c1. For this reason, for example, when using the coating container 1B, even if the container body 2 is inverted, the valve body 22c1 moves up and down, but the valve body 22c1 rotates around the container axis O in the valve body housing 22, but it is not possible for the valve body 22c1 to rotate in a way that reverses its up and down orientation, that is, to rotate around an axis that intersects the container axis O. As a result, the position of the valve body 22c1 is maintained in a constant position, and the pressure of the container body 2 can be reliably released through the fourth communication groove 54 formed in the valve body 22c1.

[0056] Furthermore, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0057] For example, the above embodiment describes a configuration in which the valve body moves within the valve body housing by its own weight, but it is not limited to this. For example, the valve body may move within the valve body housing by pressurization caused by the squeeze deformation of the container body.

[0058] Furthermore, while the first and second embodiments described above describe a configuration in which the valve body is spherical, and the third embodiment described a configuration in which the valve body is a rotating body (barrel-shaped or bullet-shaped) around the container axis, the invention is not limited to these. For example, the valve body may be cylindrical. In other words, the shape of the valve body is not limited as long as the valve body can move within the valve body housing.

[0059] Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to forming the communication groove in only one of the valve body housing or the valve body. For example, the configurations of the first and second embodiments described above may be combined with the configuration of the third embodiment described above to form the communication groove in both the valve body housing and the valve body.

[0060] According to the present invention, an appropriate amount of liquid can be applied to the part to be coated, and an application container with excellent usability can be obtained.

[0061] 1. Coating container 1A. Coating container 1B. Coating container 2. Container body 3. Coating stopper 4. Overcap 10. Mouth 20. Inner stopper member 20A. First inner stopper member 20B. Second inner stopper member 21. Impregnation material housing section 21a. Fitting rib 22. Valve body housing section 22a. Valve seat 22a1. Content liquid supply groove 22b. Valve body support section 22c. Valve body 22c1. Valve body 22c2. Guide surface 22c3. Lower end surface 22c4. Upper end surface 22c5. Bottomed hole 22d. Peripheral wall 23. Communication hole 24. Through hole 30. Impregnation material 30a. Upper end (tip) 30b. Lower end 40. Flange 41. Fitting cylinder section 42. First cylinder section 43. Second cylinder section 45. Support rib 50 Connecting groove 51 First connecting groove 52 Second connecting groove 53 Third connecting groove 54 Fourth connecting groove 60 Cap cylinder 61 Cap top wall 63 Support cylinder part 71 Second flange part 72 Second fitting cylinder part 73 Top cylinder part O Container shaft

Claims

1. An application container comprising: a container body for containing a liquid content; a cylindrical inner plug member attached to the mouth of the container body; and an impregnating material fitted inside the inner plug member and capable of impregnating the liquid content, wherein the inner plug member comprises: an impregnating material storage section for storing the impregnating material with its tip protruding; and a valve body storage section that communicates with the impregnating material storage section and has a valve seat on the impregnating material storage section side and a valve body support section on the container body side, with the valve body disposed movably between the valve seat and the valve body support section, wherein when the valve body is supported on the valve body support section, a gap is formed between the valve body and the valve body storage section, and a communication groove is formed that communicates the container body with the outside via the valve body storage section and the impregnating material storage section.

2. The application container according to claim 1, wherein the valve seat is formed with a content liquid supply groove that supplies content liquid from the valve body accommodating portion to the impregnating material while in contact with the valve body.

3. An applicator container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the valve body accommodating section has a peripheral wall connecting the valve seat and the valve body support section, the valve body is formed aspherically and has a guide surface that is guided by the peripheral wall of the valve body accommodating section, and the communicating groove is formed on the guide surface of the valve body.

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