Trigger type liquid ejector

Abstract

The present invention is a trigger-type liquid injector (1) provided with an injector body (2) and a nozzle member (3), the injector body (2) being provided with a vertical supply cylinder section (10) and a trigger mechanism (15) having a main pump section (14) and a trigger section (40) provided so as to be capable of moving rearward in a state in which the trigger section (40) is biased forward by a biasing member (43), and the injector body (2) being provided with a nozzle member (3), the nozzle member (3) being provided to the main pump section (14) and the trigger section (40) being provided so as to be capable of moving rearward in a state in which the nozzle member (3) is biased forward by the biasing member (43). The nozzle member (3) is provided with a first support section (3e) and a second support section (3b), and the initial biasing force of the biasing member (43) when the trigger section (3) is located at the most distal position is set to 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a trigger-type liquid ejector. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-212406 filed in Japan on December 28, 2022, and incorporates its content herein by reference. Background Art

[0002] As a trigger-type liquid ejector, the following structure is disclosed: It includes: an ejector main body through which liquid flows; a nozzle member having a liquid ejection port that ejects liquid forward and mounted at the front end of the ejector main body; and a trigger mechanism that causes the liquid in the ejector main body to flow toward the ejection port (see Patent Document 1 below). The trigger mechanism includes: a cylinder body that communicates with the inside of the ejector main body; a piston that slides in the front-rear direction on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder body; and a trigger portion that is biased forward by a biasing member and is supported by the nozzle member so as to be rotatable.

[0003] According to this structure, if the trigger portion is pulled backward, since the inside of the cylinder body is pressurized by the piston, the liquid in the ejector main body flows toward the ejection port. As a result, the liquid is ejected through the ejection port. On the other hand, since the inside of the cylinder body is decompressed during the forward return of the trigger portion, the liquid in the container body is sucked into the cylinder body through the ejector main body.

[0004] Prior Art Documents Patent Documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-213497 Summary of the Invention

[0005] Technical Problem However, in a state where the trigger portion is in the most forward position, the biasing member is interposed between the cylinder body and the trigger portion in a state of being compressed relative to its natural length. Therefore, the trigger portion is biased forward by the initial acting force (set load) of the biasing member at the most forward position. In this case, at the most forward position, the restricting portion provided in the nozzle member abuts against the trigger portion from the rear to restrict the forward movement of the trigger portion relative to the nozzle member.

[0006] However, due to the forward load received from the trigger portion, a moment is generated at the connecting portion between the nozzle member and the ejector main body as the starting point in the restricting portion. Therefore, if the initial acting force of the biasing member is too large, the nozzle member may be displaced upward and forward due to the above moment. If the displacement of the nozzle member exceeds the allowable value that can be tolerated for use, the piston advances to a position more forward than the desired position, and when the liquid is sucked into the cylinder body, there is a possibility that external gas flows into the cylinder body. In this case, the desired ejection amount cannot be ensured, resulting in a reduction in reliability.

[0007] The present invention provides a trigger-type liquid ejector that can suppress displacement of a nozzle member upward and forward caused by an initial force of a biasing member and ensure a desired ejection amount.

[0008] Technical solution In order to solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following method.

[0009] A first aspect of the present invention is a trigger-type liquid ejector including: an ejector body mounted on a container body that houses a liquid; and a nozzle member provided in front of the ejector body and having an ejection port that opens forward along a nozzle axis in a front-rear direction. The ejector body includes: a longitudinal supply cylinder portion that extends in an up-down direction and allows liquid to flow therethrough; and a trigger mechanism having a main pump portion and a trigger portion. The main pump portion sends liquid toward the ejection port through the longitudinal supply cylinder portion. The trigger portion is configured to be movable rearward in a state of being biased forward by a biasing member disposed between the trigger portion and the main pump portion and to operate the main pump portion. The nozzle member includes: a first support portion that supports the trigger portion in a portion below the nozzle axis so as to be movable back and forth; and a second support portion that restricts forward movement of the trigger portion by abutting against the trigger portion from behind when the trigger portion is at a foremost position. An initial force of the biasing member when the trigger portion is at the foremost position is set to be 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less.

[0010] According to this aspect, by setting the initial force of the biasing member to be 4.0 N or more, a desired load can be applied to the main pump portion when operating the main pump portion via the trigger portion. Thereby, a desired amount of liquid can be effectively sent toward the ejection port.

[0011] On the other hand, by setting the initial force of the biasing member to be 7.0 N or less, even when a moment acting on the second support portion is generated starting from a connection portion between the nozzle member and the ejector body due to the force of the biasing member when the trigger portion is at the foremost position, it is possible to suppress displacement of the nozzle member upward and forward beyond an allowable value tolerable for use. Thereby, a desired ejection amount can be ensured for a long time, and excellent reliability can be obtained.

[0012] In the second mode of the present invention, based on the trigger-type liquid injector of the first mode, the main pump unit includes: a main cylinder body that communicates with the longitudinal supply cylinder portion and opens forward; and a main piston that is urged forward by the biasing member interposed between the main piston and the main cylinder body, and moves rearward relative to the main cylinder body as the trigger portion moves rearward. The injector body includes: a storage cylinder body that is provided between the longitudinal supply cylinder portion and the nozzle member, and supplies the liquid that has passed through the longitudinal supply cylinder portion to the inside of the storage cylinder body as the trigger portion moves rearward; and a storage plunger that is disposed in the storage cylinder body so as to be movable in the axial direction along the axis of the storage cylinder body, moves toward one side in the axial direction as the liquid is supplied into the storage cylinder body, and is urged toward the other side in the axial direction.

[0013] In a structure having a storage cylinder body and a storage plunger as in this mode, since it is necessary to move the storage plunger toward one side in the axial direction, it is necessary to make the pressure of the liquid sent out by the main pump unit relatively high. Therefore, in a structure having a storage cylinder body and a storage plunger, in order to ensure the acting force of the main piston, it is inclined to set the initial acting force of the biasing member to be relatively large.

[0014] In contrast, as in this mode, by presetting the initial acting force of the biasing member to be 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less, it is easy to ensure a desired injection amount on the basis of suppressing the displacement of the nozzle member upward and forward beyond the allowable value tolerable for use.

[0015] In the third mode of the present invention, based on the trigger-type liquid injector of the first mode or the second mode, the injector body includes an outlet cylinder portion that communicates with the inside of the longitudinal supply cylinder portion and extends forward relative to the longitudinal supply cylinder portion. The nozzle member includes a connecting cylinder, and the connecting cylinder is sleeved with the outlet cylinder portion and communicates the inside of the outlet cylinder portion with the injection port.

[0016] In a structure in which the nozzle member is connected to the outlet cylinder portion as in this mode, due to the bending rigidity of the outlet cylinder portion, etc., the nozzle member is liable to displace upward and forward due to the moment acting on the second support portion by the acting force of the biasing member.

[0017] In contrast, as in this mode, by presetting the initial acting force of the biasing member to be 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less, it is easy to ensure a desired injection amount on the basis of suppressing the displacement of the nozzle member upward and forward beyond the allowable value tolerable for use.

[0018] The fourth mode of the present invention is based on the trigger-type liquid injector of the first mode or the second mode, and the biasing member is made of metal.

[0019] According to this mode, compared with the case of using a resin biasing member, elastic attenuation and the like are small, and it is easy to maintain a desired acting force for a long time even in a case where an acting force is relatively required. As a result, the durability of the trigger-type liquid injector can be improved.

[0020] Technical effects According to the present invention, displacement of the nozzle member upward and forward caused by the initial acting force of the biasing member can be suppressed, and a desired injection amount can be ensured. Description of the drawings

[0021] Figure 1 It is a longitudinal sectional view of the trigger-type liquid injector of the embodiment.

[0022] Figure 2 It is an enlarged sectional view of the trigger-type liquid injector of the embodiment.

[0023] Symbol description 1 Trigger-type liquid injector 2 Injector body 3 Nozzle member 3a Connecting cylinder 3b Restricting wall (second supporting portion) 3e Bearing portion (first supporting portion) 4 Injection port 10 Longitudinal supply cylinder portion 13 Ejection cylinder portion 14 Main pump portion 15 Trigger mechanism 31 Accumulation cylinder body 32 Accumulation plunger 40 Trigger portion 41 Main cylinder body 42 Main piston 43 Biasing member A Container body O1 Axis O4 Central axis (nozzle axis) Detailed description of the invention

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, an injection container in which a trigger-type liquid injector 1 is installed in a container body A will be described as an example.

[0025] Figure 1The trigger-type liquid ejector 1 shown has: an ejector main body 2 mounted on a container body A for housing a liquid; a nozzle member 3 formed with an ejection port 4 for ejecting the liquid; and a shield 100 covering the ejector main body 2 and the nozzle member 3. In the present embodiment, examples of the liquid housed in the container body A include detergents for household and tableware use, deodorants / aromatics used for spaces, clothing, etc., and antibacterial alcohols containing aqueous sodium hypochlorite solution, etc. It should be noted that each component of the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 is assumed to be a molded product formed of a resin material unless otherwise specified. As the resin material, PP (polyethylene), POM (polyoxymethylene), soft PE (polyethylene), etc. are selectively used according to each component.

[0026] The ejector main body 2 has a longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10, a mounting cover 11, a storage pump portion 12, an ejection cylinder portion 13, and a trigger mechanism 15 having a main pump portion 14.

[0027] In the present embodiment, the central axis of the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 is referred to as axis O. The direction along axis O is set as the vertical direction, and in the vertical direction, the container body A side is set as the lower side, and the opposite side is set as the upper side. When viewed from the vertical direction, one direction intersecting with axis O is referred to as the front-rear direction L1, and the direction orthogonal to both the vertical direction and the front-rear direction L1 is referred to as the left-right direction L2. In the front-rear direction L1, the nozzle member 3 side is set as the front side, and the opposite side is set as the rear side.

[0028] The longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 allows the liquid sucked from inside the container body A by the main pump portion 14 to flow through. The longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 is formed in a multi-stage double-cylindrical shape with an outer diameter that decreases as it is located higher. The longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 is mounted on the container body A using the mounting cover 11. The upper portion of a tube 16 is inserted into the lower end opening portion of the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10. In a state where the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 is mounted on the container body A, the tube 16 extends downward inside the container body A.

[0029] A ball valve 21 is provided inside the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10. The ball valve 21 is arranged to be able to contact / separate from an upper valve seat portion 10a provided in the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 from above the lower valve seat portion 10a. The ball valve 21 switches between connecting and disconnecting the inside of the container body A and the main pump portion 14 through the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10. Specifically, the ball valve 21 is provided as a check valve that cuts off the connection between the inside of the container body A and the main pump portion 14 during pressurization by the main pump portion 14 (the main cylinder body 41 described later), and allows the connection between the inside of the container body A and the main pump portion 14 during decompression by the main pump portion 14.

[0030] In the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10, an accumulation valve 26 is provided at a position above the ball valve 21. The accumulation valve 26 is arranged to be able to contact / separate from above the upper valve seat part 10b provided in the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10. The accumulation valve 26 switches the connection and disconnection between the main pump part 14 and the accumulation pump part 12 passing through the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10. Specifically, the accumulation valve 26 is provided as a check valve that allows the supply of liquid from the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10 into the accumulation pump part 12 (accumulation cylinder block 31 described later) when the main pump part 14 is pressurized, and restricts the outflow of liquid from the accumulation pump part 12 into the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10.

[0031] A connection cylinder part 29 extending forward is provided at the upper end part of the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10. The inside of the connection cylinder part 29 communicates with the inside of the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10. A cylinder block cylinder part 30 is provided in front of the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10 and between the connection cylinder part 29 and the mounting cover 11. The cylinder block cylinder part 30 protrudes forward from the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10 and opens forward.

[0032] The accumulation pump part 12 includes an accumulation cylinder block 31, an accumulation plunger 32, and a biasing member 33.

[0033] The accumulation cylinder block 31 is provided above the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10. The accumulation cylinder block 31 is formed in a toped cylinder shape opening rearward. The liquid sent out by the main pump part 14 is supplied into the accumulation cylinder block 31 through the inside of the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10 and the inside of the connection cylinder part 29. A communication port 31c penetrating the front wall part 31b in the front-rear direction L1 is formed in the front wall part 31b of the accumulation cylinder block 31. The communication port 31c is located on the central axis of the accumulation cylinder block 31 (hereinafter referred to as the axis O1). In the present embodiment, the axis O1 extends in the front-rear direction L1. That is, in the present embodiment, the front-rear direction L1 corresponds to the axial direction along the axis O1. In the present embodiment, the rear corresponds to one side of the axial direction. In addition, in the present embodiment, the front corresponds to the other side of the axial direction. However, the axial direction may not be the same as the front-rear direction L1.

[0034] The accumulation plunger 32 is arranged to be movable in the accumulation cylinder block 31 in the front-rear direction L1. The accumulation plunger 32 is formed in a toped cylinder shape opening rearward. The accumulation plunger 32 closely slides in the front-rear direction L1 on the inner peripheral surface of the accumulation cylinder block 31. The accumulation plunger 32 cuts off the communication between the inside of the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10 and the injection port 4 (inside the emission cylinder part 13) at the most forward position. When the accumulation plunger 32 moves rearward from the most forward position, it makes the inside of the longitudinal supply cylinder part 10 communicate with the injection port 4 (inside the emission cylinder part 13). In the accumulation cylinder block 31, the space at a position in front of the accumulation plunger 32 functions as an accumulation space 31a.

[0035] The storage space 31a is always in communication with the inside of the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 through the connecting cylinder portion 29. On the other hand, it can be in communication with the inside of the ejection cylinder portion 13 by the movement of the storage plunger 32. The liquid that has passed through the inside of the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 is stored in the storage space 31a. The storage plunger 32 moves rearward by supplying liquid into the storage cylinder body 31, thereby expanding the storage space 31a. When the storage plunger 32 is in the foremost position, the communication between the storage space 31a and the inside of the ejection cylinder portion 13 is cut off. If the storage plunger 32 retreats from the foremost position, the storage space 31a communicates with the inside of the ejection cylinder portion 13.

[0036] The biasing member 33 is provided behind the storage plunger 32. The biasing member 33 is sandwiched between the storage plunger 32 and the storage cylinder body 31, and biases the storage plunger 32 forward. It should be noted that the biasing member 33 is, for example, a metal spiral spring.

[0037] As Figure 2 shown, the ejection cylinder portion 13 extends forward from the storage cylinder body 31. The inside of the ejection cylinder portion 13 can communicate with the storage space 31a through the communication port 31c of the storage cylinder body 31. That is, the ejection cylinder portion 13 extends forward from the front wall portion 31b in a state surrounding the periphery of the communication port 31c. In the present embodiment, the central axis of the ejection cylinder portion 13 is referred to as the axis O2. The axis O2 extends parallel to the axis O1 in a state of being offset upward with respect to the axis O1. However, the axis O2 may also be arranged coaxially with the axis O1. In addition, the axial direction along the axis O2 may not coincide with the front-rear direction L1. In the following description, the direction orthogonal to the axis O2 is sometimes referred to as the nozzle radial direction, and the direction around the axis O2 is referred to as the nozzle circumferential direction. It should be noted that the ejection cylinder portion 13, the storage cylinder body 31, the outer cylinder portion of the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10, etc. are integrally formed of PP or the like.

[0038] The outer diameter of the ejection cylinder portion 13 is smaller than the outer diameter of the storage cylinder body 31. A rib 35 is formed at the root of the ejection cylinder portion 13. The rib 35 projects outward in the nozzle radial direction and extends in the front-rear direction L1. The rear end edge of the rib 35 is connected to the front wall portion 31b. In the present embodiment, a plurality of ribs 35 are arranged at intervals in the nozzle circumferential direction.

[0039] As Figure 2 shown, the nozzle member 3 is assembled to the ejection cylinder portion 13 from the front. The nozzle member 3 has an ejection port 4 for ejecting forward the liquid flowing in the ejection cylinder portion 13. The nozzle member 3 includes a connecting cylinder 3a, a restricting wall (second support portion) 3b, a engaging piece 3c, a projecting wall 3d, a bearing portion (first support portion) 3e, and a nozzle cylinder 3g. It should be noted that the nozzle member 3 is integrally formed of PP or the like.

[0040] The connecting cylinder 3a is arranged coaxially with the axis O2. The exit cylinder part 13 is inserted into the inside of the connecting cylinder 3a from the rear of the connecting cylinder 3a. The rear end edge of the connecting cylinder 3a approaches the rib 35 from the front.

[0041] The restricting wall 3b projects outward in the radial direction of the nozzle from the front end opening edge of the connecting cylinder 3a. The portion of the restricting wall 3b located below the connecting cylinder 3a is longer than the portion of the restricting wall 3b located above the connecting cylinder 3a.

[0042] The engaging piece 3c extends rearward in a cantilever manner from the portion of the restricting wall 3b located above the connecting cylinder 3a. The rear end portion of the engaging piece 3c engages with the connecting piece 31d extending forward from the storage cylinder body 31 in the front-rear direction L1.

[0043] The protruding wall 3d extends rearward from the portion of the restricting wall 3b located below the connecting cylinder 3a. The upper end edge of the protruding wall 3d is connected to the connecting cylinder 3a.

[0044] A pair of bearing portions 3e are provided on both sides of the protruding wall 3d in the left-right direction L2. Each bearing portion 3e is formed in a C shape opening rearward in a side view. In the illustrated example, each bearing portion 3e is connected to a support wall 3f extending from the protruding wall 3d to both sides in the left-right direction L2.

[0045] The nozzle cylinder 3g projects forward from the restricting wall 3b. The nozzle cylinder 3g is formed in a toped cylinder shape arranged coaxially with the axis O2. The nozzle cylinder 3g communicates with the inside of the connecting cylinder 3a through a communication hole 3h formed in the restricting wall 3b. An ejection port 4 is formed in the top wall portion of the nozzle cylinder 3g. In the present embodiment, the central axis (nozzle axis) O4 of the ejection port 4 is arranged coaxially with the axis O2. However, the central axis O4 may also be arranged offset with respect to the axis O2. It should be noted that a rib 3i is formed at the root of the nozzle cylinder 3g. The rib 3i projects outward in the radial direction of the nozzle from the nozzle cylinder 3g and extends in the front-rear direction L1. The rear end edge of the rib 3i is connected to the restricting wall 3b. In the present embodiment, a plurality of ribs 3i are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the nozzle.

[0046] As Figure 1 、 Figure 2 shown, the trigger mechanism 15 includes a main pump portion 14, a trigger portion 40, and a stopper 50.

[0047] The main pump portion 14 accumulates and pumps the liquid in the container body A according to the operation of the trigger portion 40. The main pump portion 14 includes a main cylinder body 41 and a main piston 42.

[0048] The main cylinder body 41 includes a cylinder body main body 41a, a piston guide 41b, and a flange portion 41c.

[0049] The cylinder block main body 41a is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape centered on the pump axis O3 along the front-rear direction L1 and opening forward. The cylinder block main body 41a is inserted into the cylinder block cylindrical portion 30 from the front of the cylinder block cylindrical portion 30. The cylinder block main body 41a communicates with a portion in the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 that is above the ball valve 21. An air replacement hole 41d is formed in the front portion of the cylinder block main body 41a. The air replacement hole 41d communicates with the space S1 between the cylinder block main body 41a and the cylinder block cylindrical portion 30. The space S1 communicates with the inside of the container body A through the communication holes 10c, 10d formed in the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10.

[0050] The piston guide 41b protrudes forward from the bottom of the cylinder block main body 41a. The piston guide 41b is formed into a cylindrical shape arranged coaxially with the pump axis O3.

[0051] The flange portion 41c extends in a direction away from the pump axis O3 at the front end opening edge of the cylinder block main body 41a. The flange portion 41c approaches or abuts against the front end edge of the cylinder block cylindrical portion 30 from the front of the cylinder block cylindrical portion 30.

[0052] The main piston 42 is disposed in the main cylinder block 41 so as to be movable along the front-rear direction L1. The main piston 42 includes a connecting portion 42a and a sliding portion 42b.

[0053] The connecting portion 42a extends along the front-rear direction L1 on the pump axis O3. The connecting portion 42a is formed into a toped cylindrical shape. The connecting portion 42a is disposed in the main cylinder block 41 with its front end protruding from the main cylinder block 41 (cylinder block main body 41a). The piston guide 41b is inserted into the connecting portion 42a. The inner peripheral edge of the rear end of the connecting portion 42a closely slides on the outer peripheral surface of the piston guide 41b as the main piston 42 moves back and forth relative to the main cylinder block 41.

[0054] A biasing member 43 is interposed between the portions surrounded by the connecting portion 42a and the piston guide 41b. The biasing member 43 is, for example, a metal helical spring arranged coaxially with the pump axis O3. However, the biasing member 43 may also be made of resin depending on the application. The biasing member 43 is interposed between the bottom of the cylinder block main body 41a and the front end portion of the connecting portion 42a. Thus, the main piston 42 is configured to be movable along the front-rear direction L1 while being biased forward.

[0055] The sliding portion 42b is connected to the rear end portion of the connecting portion 42a. The sliding portion 42b is formed into a cylindrical shape arranged coaxially with the pump axis O3. The sliding portion 42b surrounds the periphery of the connecting portion 42a. The sliding portion 42b is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder block main body 41a. The sliding portion 42b closely slides on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder block main body 41a as the main piston 42 moves back and forth relative to the main cylinder block 41. It should be noted that the sliding portion 42b closes the air replacement hole 41d when the main piston 42 is at the most forward position.

[0056] The trigger part 40 is disposed in front of the main piston 42 and is used to perform a pressing operation on the main piston 42. The trigger part 40 includes a base part 40a, an operation piece 40b, and a pressing projection 40c. It should be noted that the trigger part 40 is integrally formed of, for example, PP. That is, the trigger part 40, the emission cylinder part 13, and the nozzle member 3 are formed of the same material (PP).

[0057] The base part 40a constitutes the upper end part of the trigger part 40. The base part 40a is formed in a box shape that is open upward and rearward. The base part 40a includes a base side wall 51, a base front wall 52, and a base bottom wall 53.

[0058] The base side walls 51 are respectively disposed on both sides in the left - right direction L2 with respect to the protruding wall 3d. Shaft parts 51a protruding outward in the left - right direction L2 are formed on each of the base side walls 51. Each of the shaft parts 51a is respectively fitted into the corresponding bearing part 3e. Thus, the trigger part 40 is supported by the nozzle member 3 so as to be rotatable about an axis O5 along the left - right direction L2. In the illustrated example, the vertical distance between the axis O2 and the axis O5, and the vertical distance between the axis O5 and the pump axis O3 are equal.

[0059] The base front wall 52 connects the front end edges of the base side walls 51 to each other in the left - right direction L2. When the trigger part 40 is in the rearmost position, the base front wall 52 abuts against a portion of the restricting wall 3b that is located below the connecting cylinder 3a from the rear. Thus, when the trigger part 40 is in the rearmost position, the forward movement of the trigger part 40 with respect to the nozzle member 3 is restricted.

[0060] The base bottom wall 53 connects the lower end edges of the base bottom wall 53 to each other in the left - right direction L2. A retracting part 55 is formed in a portion of the base part 40a that overlaps with the protruding wall 3d. The retracting part 55 is formed over the base front wall 52 and the base bottom wall 53.

[0061] The operation piece 40b extends downward from the base bottom wall 53. Specifically, the operation piece 40b extends while bending forward as it goes downward. The operation piece 40b is formed in a box shape that is open rearward.

[0062] The pressing projection 40c protrudes rearward from the front wall of the operation piece 40b at the upper part of the operation piece 40b. The pressing projection 40c engages (for example, abuts) with the front end part of the connecting part 42a from the front of the connecting part 42a. The pressing projection 40c is biased forward by a biasing member 43 via the main piston 42. Thus, the trigger part 40 is configured to be movable rearward in a state of being biased forward.

[0063] The stopper 50 is supported by a portion of the operating piece 40b located below the press-fitting projection 40c so as to be rotatable about an axis along the left-right direction L2. The stopper 50 rotates between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the stopper 50 is disposed between the operating piece 40b and the master cylinder body 41 (flange portion 41c). In the locked position, the stopper 50 abuts against the lower portion of the flange portion 41c from the front, thereby restricting the rearward movement of the trigger portion 40. In the unlocked position, the stopper 50 is housed inside the operating piece 40b. Thereby, the rearward movement of the trigger portion 40 is allowed.

[0064] The shroud 100 is formed in a T shape in side view and is formed in a box shape that opens forward and downward. With the injection port 4 exposed forward, the shroud 100 surrounds the injector body 2 and the nozzle member 3 from above, behind, and laterally.

[0065] Next, the operation of the trigger-type liquid injector 1 will be described. In the following description, the state in which the stopper 50 is in the locked position will be described as the initial state.

[0066] First, as Figure 1 shown, the stopper 50 located in the locked position is moved to the unlocked position. Thereby, the master piston 42 is allowed to move rearward relative to the master cylinder body 41.

[0067] Next, in the trigger-type liquid injector 1, in order to eject the liquid, with the hand looped around the mounting cover 11, the finger is hooked on the trigger portion 40. While holding the trigger-type liquid injector 1, the trigger portion 40 is pulled rearward. Then, the master piston 42 moves rearward from the foremost position. As the master piston 42 moves rearward in the master cylinder body 41, the inside of the master cylinder body 41 is pressurized. Then, the liquid in the master cylinder body 41 is supplied into the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10. The liquid supplied into the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 presses the ball valve 21 downward and presses the accumulation valve 26 upward. Thereby, in a state where the ball valve 21 is in contact with the lower valve seat portion 10a, the accumulation valve 26 moves upward away from the upper valve seat portion 10b.

[0068] If the accumulation valve 26 moves upward away from the upper valve seat portion 10b, the liquid in the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 is supplied into the accumulation cylinder body 31 (accumulation space 31a) through the connecting cylinder portion 29. If liquid is supplied into the accumulation space 31a, the accumulation space 31a is pressurized. Thereby, the accumulation plunger 32 moves rearward against the acting force of the biasing member 33. As a result, the liquid is accumulated in the accumulation cylinder body 31.

[0069] By the rearward movement of the accumulation plunger 32, the accumulation space 31a communicates with the inside of the ejection cylinder portion 13 through the communication port 31c. Thus, the liquid accumulated in the accumulation cylinder 31 flows toward the ejection port 4 inside the ejection cylinder portion 13. After that, the liquid that has passed through the ejection cylinder portion 13 is ejected to the outside from the ejection port 4 through the connection cylinder 3a and the nozzle cylinder 3g. It should be noted that when the operation of the trigger portion 40 is released, the main piston 42 moves forward and returns inside the main cylinder 41 due to the acting force of the biasing member 43, and along with this, the trigger portion 40 also moves forward and returns. As a result, the inside of the main cylinder 41 is depressurized. Then, the ball valve 21 floats from the lower valve seat portion 10a, and the inside of the container body A communicates with the main cylinder 41 through the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10. On the other hand, the accumulation valve 26 cuts off the communication between the inside of the main cylinder 41 passing through the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 and the inside of the accumulation cylinder 31 by maintaining the state of being seated on the upper valve seat portion 10b. As a result, the liquid inside the container body A is sucked into the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10. The liquid flowing into the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 is introduced into the main cylinder 41, so that the next ejection operation can be prepared. When sucking the liquid inside the container body A by the negative pressure inside the main cylinder 41, outside air is introduced into the container body A instead of the liquid sucked by the main pump portion 14. Specifically, the outside air flows into the space S1 through the air replacement hole 41d and then flows into the container body A through the communication holes 10c and 10d.

[0070] As in the present embodiment, in the structure provided with the accumulation pump portion 12, each time the trigger portion 40 is operated, a part of the liquid supplied from the main cylinder 41 is ejected from the ejection port 4, and a part of the liquid is accumulated in the accumulation space 31a. Therefore, when the operation of the trigger portion 40 is stopped, although the supply of the liquid to the accumulation space 31a is stopped, by moving the accumulation plunger 32 forward by the acting force of the biasing member 33, the liquid accumulated in the accumulation space 31a is continuously supplied to the ejection cylinder portion 13. Thus, the liquid can be continuously ejected from the ejection port 4.

[0071] Here, the trigger portion 40 is configured to be rotatable about the axis O5 in a state of being biased forward by the biasing member 43. Specifically, the trigger portion 40 is brought into contact with the restricting wall 3b from the rear by the base front wall 52 to define the foremost position. The trigger portion 40 is biased forward at least by the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 at the foremost position. In the present embodiment, the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 is set to be 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less. It should be noted that the initial acting force is the acting force generated only by assembling between the main cylinder 41 and the main piston 42 in a state where the biasing member 43 is compressed, and is a value obtained by excluding the increase and decrease of the acting force caused by the stroke of the main piston 42, the expansion of the liquid, etc., as described later.

[0072] In addition, if a load acts on the nozzle member 3 in the vertical direction and the front-rear direction L1 with respect to the nozzle member 3, a moment is generated in the nozzle member 3 starting from the connecting portion (the root of the emission cylinder portion 13) that connects the connecting cylinder 3a and the emission cylinder portion 13. Therefore, if the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 is too large, since the emission cylinder portion 13 flexes and deforms upward due to the above-mentioned moment, the nozzle member 3 may be displaced upward and forward. If the displacement of the nozzle member 3 exceeds the allowable value that can be tolerated for use, the main piston 42 advances to a position further forward than the desired position, and it is possible that the air replacement hole 41d communicates with the inside of the main cylinder body 41 at the foremost end position of the main piston 42. Then, when the liquid is sucked into the main cylinder body 41, the outside gas (air) in the container body A flows into the main cylinder body 41 through the communication holes 10c and 10d and the air replacement hole 41d, or through the space between the main cylinder body 41 and the main piston 42. In this case, the desired injection amount cannot be ensured, resulting in a decrease in reliability.

[0073] For example, in the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 of the present embodiment, if a load of 10.0 N or more acts upward with respect to the front end portion (nozzle cylinder 3g) of the nozzle member 3, the nozzle member 3 starts to be displaced upward and forward. And if a load of 35.0 N or more acts on the front end portion of the nozzle member 3, the nozzle member 3 may be displaced beyond the allowable value that can be tolerated for use.

[0074] On the other hand, in a state where a liquid (for example, an aqueous solution containing a surfactant) is accommodated in the main cylinder body 41, in order to move the main piston 42 from the foremost end position to the rearmost end position, a load of 15.0 N or more and 30.0 N or less is required. In addition, in the trigger-type liquid ejector 1, if it is left at a high temperature while the liquid is accommodated in the main cylinder body 41, the pressure in the main cylinder body 41 fluctuates due to the expansion of the liquid or the like. Therefore, the forward acting force applied to the trigger portion 40 (for example, the sum of the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 and the force acting on the main piston 42 due to the expansion force of the liquid) in a state where the trigger portion 40 is at the foremost end position may be larger than the initial acting force of the biasing member 43.

[0075] Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described above, a structure is adopted in which the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 is set to be 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less.

[0076] In that way, by setting the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 to be 4.0 N or more, when operating the main pump portion 14 via the trigger portion 40, a desired load can be applied to the main pump portion 14. Thereby, a desired amount of liquid can be effectively sent out toward the ejection port 4.

[0077] On the other hand, by setting the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 to 7.0 N or less, when the trigger portion 40 is in the most forward position, even if a moment acting on the restricting wall 3b is generated starting from the connecting portion of the nozzle member 3 and the injector body 2 (the root portion of the outlet cylinder portion 13) due to the acting force of the biasing member 43, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the nozzle member 3 upward and forward beyond the allowable value that can be tolerated for use. Thereby, it is possible to ensure the desired injection amount for a long period of time and obtain excellent reliability.

[0078] Here, the inventors of the present application used the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 as a variable, prepared a plurality of samples of the trigger-type liquid injector 1, and placed them in a thermostat at 40°C to measure the change in the injection amount (g) over time. The initial acting forces of the various samples are as follows.

[0079] Comparative Example 1: 7.5 N Comparative Example 2: 3.0 N Example 1: 6.8 N Example 2: 4.0 N The injection amounts were measured immediately after assembly (immediately after being placed in the thermostat), after 1 day, after 3 days, and after 1 week. In addition, the numerical values of the injection amounts shown below are the averages of the injection amounts obtained from a plurality of (for example, 5) samples. It should be noted that the liquid accommodated in the container body A is water.

[0080] As a result of the measurement, in Comparative Example 1, an injection amount of 11.26 g could be ensured immediately after assembly, and the injection amount tended to gradually increase until after 3 days. It is considered that as time passed, the main piston 42 gradually moved forward due to the restoring force of the biasing member 43, causing the liquid to flow into the main cylinder body 41. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, the result showed that the injection amount decreased after 1 week compared to immediately after assembly (the measurement result was 9.476 g). It is considered that this is because the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 was too large, that is, as described above, it displaced upward and forward with respect to the nozzle member 3, and air flowed into the main cylinder body 41 from the air replacement hole 41d, the gap between the main piston 42 and the main cylinder body 41, etc.

[0081] In Comparative Example 2, the injection amount was only 7.82 g immediately after assembly, and the desired injection amount could not be ensured. This is because the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 was too small to introduce enough liquid into the main cylinder body 41.

[0082] In contrast, in Example 1 and Example 2, results showed that sufficient ejection amounts could be ensured at any time point after one week from just after assembly. This indicates that the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 is sufficient and the displacement of the nozzle member 3 is also less than the allowable value. In particular, as in Example 1, by setting the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 to 6.8 N, an ejection amount of 11.28 g could be ensured just after assembly, and an ejection amount of 12.0124 g could also be ensured after one week. Thus, by setting the initial acting force to 4 N or more and 6.8 N or less (especially 6.8 N), regardless of manufacturing deviations or the like, the displacement of the nozzle member 3 can be reliably suppressed and the desired ejection amount can be ensured.

[0083] In the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 of the present embodiment, the ejector main body 2 is configured to include: a storage cylinder 31 into which a liquid that has passed through the longitudinal supply cylinder portion 10 is supplied; and a storage plunger 32 that can move in the front-rear direction L1 within the storage cylinder 31.

[0084] As in the present embodiment, in a structure having a storage cylinder 31 and a storage plunger 32, it is necessary to move the storage plunger 32 rearward (one side in the axial direction), so the pressure of the liquid sent out by the main pump portion 14 needs to be relatively high. Therefore, in a structure having a storage cylinder 31 and a storage plunger 32, in order to ensure the acting force of the main piston 42, it is inclined to set the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 relatively large.

[0085] In contrast, as in the present embodiment, by presetting the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 to 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less, on the basis of suppressing the displacement of the nozzle member 3 upward and forward beyond the allowable value that can be tolerated for use, it is easy to ensure the desired ejection amount.

[0086] Moreover, in the present embodiment, since the biasing member 43 uses a metal spiral spring, elastic attenuation and the like are smaller compared to the case of using a resin biasing member. Even in a case where an acting force is relatively required, it is easy to maintain the desired acting force for a long time. As a result, the durability of the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 can be improved.

[0087] In the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 of the present embodiment, the nozzle member 3 is configured to include a connection cylinder 3a into which the ejection cylinder portion 13 is inserted and which communicates the inside of the ejection cylinder portion 13 with the ejection port 4.

[0088] In a structure where the nozzle member 3 is connected to the ejection cylinder portion 13 as in the present embodiment, due to the bending rigidity of the ejection cylinder portion 13 and the like, the nozzle member 3 is likely to be displaced upward and forward due to the moment acting on the restriction wall 3b by the acting force of the biasing member 43.

[0089] In this regard, as in the present embodiment, by presetting the initial acting force of the biasing member 43 to be 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less, it is possible to easily ensure a desired ejection amount while suppressing the displacement of the nozzle member 3 upward and forward beyond the allowable value that can be tolerated for use.

[0090] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Without departing from the gist of the present invention, additions, omissions, replacements, and other changes can be made to the structure. The present invention is not limited by the above description, but only by the appended claims.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the structure in which the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 includes the storage pump section 12 has been described, but it is not limited to this structure. The trigger-type liquid ejector 1 of the present invention may also be configured such that the liquid sent out from the main pump section 14 is ejected without being stored.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the structure in which the nozzle member 3 is connected to the ejector body 2 via the ejection cylinder section 13 has been described, but it is not limited to this structure. The nozzle member 3 may also be integrally formed with the ejector body 2, for example.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the bearing section 3e that rotatably supports the trigger section 40 has been described as an example of the first support section of the nozzle member 3, but it is not limited to this structure. The first support section may also support the trigger section 40 in a manner that allows it to slide in the front-rear direction L1.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the restriction wall 3b that the upper end portion (base portion 40a) of the trigger section 40 abuts against from the rear has been described as an example of the second support section of the nozzle member 3, but it is not limited to this structure. The second support section may also support any position of the trigger section 40 in the vertical direction.

[0095] In addition, without departing from the gist of the present invention, the constituent elements in the above embodiments can be appropriately replaced with well-known constituent elements, and the above modification examples can also be appropriately combined.

[0096] The embodiments of the present invention are as follows, for example.

[0097] <1>A trigger-type liquid ejector, comprising: An ejector body mounted on a container body for storing a liquid; and A nozzle member provided in front of the ejector body and having an ejection port that opens forward on a nozzle axis along the front-rear direction, The ejector body includes: A longitudinal supply cylinder section that extends in the vertical direction and allows the liquid to flow through; and A trigger mechanism having a main pump section and a trigger section, wherein the main pump section sends out liquid toward the ejection port through the longitudinal supply cylinder section, and the trigger section is arranged to be able to move rearward in a state where it is urged forward by a biasing member disposed between the trigger section and the main pump section and to operate the main pump section. The nozzle member includes: A first support portion that supports the trigger section in a portion below the nozzle axis so as to be movable back and forth; and A second support portion that restricts the forward movement of the trigger section by abutting against the trigger section from the rear when the trigger section is at the foremost position. The initial acting force of the biasing member when the trigger section is at the foremost position is set to be 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less.

[0098] <2>The trigger-type liquid ejector according to <1>, wherein, The main pump section includes: A main cylinder body that communicates with the longitudinal supply cylinder section and opens forward; and A main piston that is urged forward by the biasing member interposed between the main piston and the main cylinder body and moves rearward relative to the main cylinder body as the trigger section moves rearward. The ejector body includes: A storage cylinder body that is provided between the longitudinal supply cylinder section and the nozzle member and supplies the liquid that has passed through the longitudinal supply cylinder section to the inside of the storage cylinder body by the rearward movement of the trigger section; and A storage plunger that is disposed in the storage cylinder body so as to be movable in the axial direction along the axis of the storage cylinder body, moves toward one side in the axial direction as liquid is supplied into the storage cylinder body, and is urged toward the other side in the axial direction.

[0099] <3>The trigger-type liquid ejector according to <1> or <2>, wherein, The ejector body includes an ejection cylinder section that communicates with the inside of the longitudinal supply cylinder section and extends forward relative to the longitudinal supply cylinder section. The nozzle member includes a connection cylinder into which the ejection cylinder section is inserted and that communicates the inside of the ejection cylinder section with the ejection port.

[0100] <4>The trigger-type liquid ejector according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein, The biasing member is made of metal.

[0101] Industrial availability According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the nozzle member upward and forward caused by the initial acting force of the biasing member, and ensure a desired injection amount.

Claims

1. A trigger-type liquid injector, characterized in that, Comprising: An injector body installed on a container body for containing liquid; and A nozzle member provided in front of the injector body and having an ejection port opening forward on a nozzle axis along the front-rear direction, The injector body comprises: A longitudinal supply cylinder portion extending in the up-down direction for liquid to flow through; and A trigger mechanism having a main pump portion and a trigger portion. The main pump portion sends out liquid toward the ejection port through the longitudinal supply cylinder portion. The trigger portion is arranged to be able to move backward in a state of being urged forward by a biasing member disposed between the trigger portion and the main pump portion, and to actuate the main pump portion, The nozzle member comprises: A first support portion supporting the trigger portion in a portion below the nozzle axis in a manner capable of moving back and forth; And A second support portion restricting the forward movement of the trigger portion by abutting against the trigger portion from the rear when the trigger portion is at the foremost position, The initial acting force of the biasing member when the trigger portion is at the foremost position is set to be 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less.

2. The trigger-type liquid injector according to claim 1, wherein The main pump portion comprises: A main cylinder body communicating with the longitudinal supply cylinder portion and opening forward; and A main piston urged forward by the biasing member sandwiched between the main piston and the main cylinder body, and moving backward relative to the main cylinder body as the trigger portion moves backward, The injector body comprises: A storage cylinder body provided between the longitudinal supply cylinder portion and the nozzle member, and supplying the liquid that has passed through the longitudinal supply cylinder portion into the interior of the storage cylinder body by the backward movement of the trigger portion; And A storage plunger arranged in the storage cylinder body in a manner capable of moving in the axial direction along the axis of the storage cylinder body, moving toward one side in the axial direction as liquid is supplied into the storage cylinder body, and being urged toward the other side in the axial direction.

3. The trigger-type liquid injector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The injector body comprises an ejection cylinder portion communicating with the interior of the longitudinal supply cylinder portion and extending forward relative to the longitudinal supply cylinder portion, The nozzle member comprises a connecting cylinder into which the ejection cylinder portion is inserted, and communicating the interior of the ejection cylinder portion with the ejection port.

4. The trigger-type liquid injector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The biasing member is made of metal.

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