Application container

Abstract

To provide an application container which allows a user to grasp, a residual amount of a drawing material, can maintain sanitary properties, and can secure an air tight state.SOLUTION: An application container 1 in one embodiment comprises: a tip cylinder 2; an outside cylindrical member 4; an inside cylindrical member 7 fixed to the outside cylindrical member 4; and a pressing rod 6 which advances for pressing a drawing material M in the inside cylindrical member 7, for extracting the drawing material A from an opening 2b of the tip cylinder 2. The outside cylindrical member 4 has an open hole 4d which is formed on a side face 4c of the outside cylindrical member 4. At least a part exposed from the open hole 4d of the inside cylindrical member 7 is a transparent part 7b, and an interior part of the inside cylindrical member 7 can be visually recognized through the transparent part 7b. The pressing rod 6 has a visual recognition part 6d which can be visually recognized from outside of the inside cylindrical member 7 through the transparent part 7b. By visual recognition of the state of the visual recognition part 6d which can be visually recognized through the transparent part 7b, the residual amount of the drawing material M can be grasped.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an application container for applying a drawing material. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a dispensing container having a case body that dispenses a solid content. The case body has a cylindrical case main body that extends along an axis and a cylindrical nozzle body attached to the upper part of the case main body. A bottom cover body that closes the lower end opening of the case main body is attached to the lower end of the case main body.

[0003] A shaft body extending straight along the axis is disposed inside the case body. The shaft body has a holding portion at its upper end for holding the solid contents. When the shaft body moves upward relative to the case body, the solid contents whose lower end portion is held by the holding portion move upward together with the shaft body and are dispensed to the outside from a dispense port formed at the upper end of the nozzle body.

[0004] The dispensing container has a window portion extending vertically in the case body for checking the remaining amount, and a remaining amount display portion that allows the shaft body to be viewed from the outside through the window portion. The window portion is a slit-shaped hole that penetrates the case body from the inside to the outside. The vertical dimension of the window portion corresponds to the distance the shaft body can move upward inside the case body. The remaining amount display portion is cylindrical in shape, expanding in diameter from the lower end of the shaft body and extending downward from the shaft body. The bottom cover body has a cylindrical inner wall that extends upward from the bottom cover body, and the inner wall is located inside the remaining amount display portion.

[0005] When the solid contents are new and the shaft is in the initial position, which is the lower stroke end position, the bottom end of the remaining amount indicator is slightly lower than the bottom end of the window, and the window is entirely covered by the remaining amount indicator. The user can confirm that the solid contents are new because the window is entirely covered by the remaining amount indicator.

[0006] On the other hand, when the shaft moves upward relative to the case body as the solid content is dispensed, the remaining amount indicator moves upward relative to the shaft, and the inner wall located inside the remaining amount indicator becomes visible. The user can check the remaining amount of solid content by visually checking the length of the remaining amount indicator exposed in the window and the length of the inner wall.

[0007] Furthermore, when the shaft reaches the upper stroke end position and there is no more solid content to dispense, the bottom end of the remaining amount indicator moves above the window, exposing only the inner wall through the window. At this time, only the inner wall is visible through the window, allowing the user to confirm that there is no more solid content. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-27171 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] In the dispensing container described above, the window is a slit-shaped hole penetrating the case body from the inside to the outside, and a movable remaining amount indicator is disposed inside the hole. An inner wall is disposed further inside the moving remaining amount indicator. Therefore, since the remaining amount indicator, which is located between the window and the inner wall, moves, there is a possibility that dust or other foreign matter may get in between the edge of the window and the remaining amount indicator, and between the remaining amount indicator and the inner wall as it moves. As a result, there is a possibility that dust or the like may accumulate inside the window, and there is room for improvement in terms of hygiene.

[0010] Incidentally, highly volatile painting materials are sometimes used in application containers. However, as in the case of the aforementioned dispenser container, if the remaining amount indicator located inside the window that penetrates the inside and outside moves, it may become impossible to maintain airtightness inside. Therefore, it is required to ensure airtightness.

[0011] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an application container that allows the remaining amount of drawing material to be known, is hygienic, and ensures airtightness. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] (1) The application container according to the present disclosure includes a front tube for containing a drawing material and having an opening at a tip for making the drawing material appear, an outer cylindrical member connected to the front tube on the opposite side of the opening, an inner cylindrical member fixed to the outer cylindrical member inside the outer cylindrical member, and a push rod that is synchronously rotatable with the inner cylindrical member inside the inner cylindrical member and moves forward relative to the inner cylindrical member to push the drawing material, thereby making the drawing material appear from the opening. The outer cylindrical member has a through hole formed in a side surface of the outer cylindrical member. At least a portion of the inner cylindrical member exposed from the through hole is a transparent portion, and the inside of the inner cylindrical member can be viewed through the transparent portion. The push rod has a viewing portion that can be viewed from the outside of the inner cylindrical member through the transparent portion. The remaining amount of drawing material can be grasped by viewing the state of the viewing portion that can be viewed through the transparent portion.

[0013] In this applicator container, the remaining amount of drawing material can be ascertained by looking at the visible portion of the push rod that is visible through the transparent portion. In this applicator container, the inner tubular member having a transparent portion is fixed to the outer tubular member, and the inner tubular member does not move relative to the outer tubular member. Therefore, since the inner tubular member located between the through hole of the outer tubular member and the push rod does not move, the possibility of foreign matter entering inside the through hole is reduced, making it a hygienic applicator container. Furthermore, since the inner tubular member is fixed to the outer tubular member inside the through hole, airtightness inside the through hole can be ensured.

[0014] (2) In the above (1), the application container may be synchronously rotatable with the leading tube inside the leading tube and may include a tubular female screw member having a female screw inside. The push rod may have a male screw that screws into the female screw. The outer tubular member may be rotatable relative to the leading tube. The relative rotation of the outer tubular member with respect to the leading tube may cause the male screw and female screw to screw together, thereby moving the push rod forward relative to the female screw member. In this case, the outer tubular member may rotate relative to the leading tube to move the push rod forward, and the drawing material can be made to appear from the opening by the push rod.

[0015] (3) In the above (1) or (2), the inner cylindrical member may have a printed portion located on the opposite side of the transparent portion from the through hole. The remaining amount of drawing material may be ascertained by visually checking the printed portion. In this case, a user of the applicator container can more directly ascertain the remaining amount of drawing material by visually checking the printed portion. This makes it easier to ascertain the remaining amount of drawing material.

[0016] (4) In the above (3), the inner cylindrical member may have an outer surface facing the outer cylindrical member and an inner surface facing the push rod. The transparent portion may have a first surface exposed from the through hole and a second surface facing away from the first surface. The second surface may have a convex surface portion that protrudes inwardly of the inner cylindrical member with respect to a virtual extension surface extending along the inner surface. In this case, the transparent portion has a lens shape due to the second surface of the transparent portion protruding inwardly. Therefore, when the above-mentioned printed portion is viewed through the transparent portion, the printed portion appears enlarged, making it possible to more clearly display the remaining amount of drawing material.

[0017] (5) In the above (2), the application container may include a ratchet mechanism that allows the outer tubular member to rotate relative to the front tube in one direction and restricts the outer tubular member from rotating relative to the front tube in the opposite direction. The transparent portion may allow the push rod, which only moves forward when the outer tubular member rotates relative to the front tube in one direction, to be visible. In this case, the push rod does not move backward, so that the remaining amount of drawing material can be more accurately displayed by the visible portion of the push rod. Therefore, the remaining amount of drawing material can be more appropriately grasped. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the present disclosure, the remaining amount of drawing material can be grasped, and hygienic and airtightness can be ensured. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1(a) is a side view showing an application container according to an embodiment, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Diagram 3] 3(a) is a side view showing an inner cylindrical member of an application container according to an embodiment, and (b) is a side view showing the inner cylindrical member of FIG. 3(a) as viewed from a different direction than that of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 3(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. [Diagram 5] 5(a) is a side view showing a push rod of the application container according to the embodiment, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. [Figure 6] 6(a) is a side view showing the female screw member of the application container according to the embodiment, and (b) is a side view showing the female screw member as viewed from a different direction than that in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 6(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE of FIG. [Figure 8] 8(a) is a side view showing the application container in a state where the cap of the application container in FIG. 1(a) has been removed and the drawing material has been used up, and FIG. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line FF in FIG. 8(a). [Figure 9]8(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line GG in Fig. 8(a), and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing an application container according to a modified example. [Figure 10] 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D are diagrams showing examples of a through-hole, a transparent portion, or a visual portion of an application container according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the application container according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions are omitted as appropriate. The drawings may be partially simplified or exaggerated for ease of understanding, and the dimensional ratios and the like are not limited to those shown in the drawings.

[0021] Fig. 1(a) is a side view showing an applicator container according to this embodiment. Fig. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 1(a). As shown in Fig. 1(a) and Fig. 1(b), the applicator container 1 according to this embodiment is, for example, a pencil that advances (pushes out) a drawing material M contained inside the applicator container 1 by the user's operation.

[0022] In this embodiment, the drawing material M is a cosmetic. The "cosmetic" is, for example, lipstick, lip liner, lip gloss, eyeliner, eyebrow, eyeshadow, concealer, or beauty stick. The "cosmetic" may be a stick-shaped material containing a flexible material (for example, a semi-solid, soft, jelly, mousse, or a paste containing these). For example, the drawing material M is volatile. As an example, the drawing material M is a stick-shaped cosmetic.

[0023] The application container 1 has a front tube 2 that contains a drawing material M, a cap 3 that covers the front tube 2, and an outer cylindrical member 4 that is located on the opposite side of the front tube 2 from the cap 3. In the application container 1, some parts, including the front tube 2, the cap 3, and the outer cylindrical member 4, are cylindrical. In the application container 1, when the parts are assembled, the directions in which the axes L of the cylindrical parts extend are the same. Hereinafter, the direction in which the axis L extends is referred to as the axial direction D1. For example, the axial direction D1 is the same as the longitudinal direction of the application container 1.

[0024] "Front", "front side", and "forward" refer to the direction from the outer cylindrical member 4 to the leading tube 2 in the axial direction D1, and "rear", "rear side", and "rear" refer to the direction from the leading tube 2 to the outer cylindrical member 4 in the axial direction D1. "Radial direction" refers to the direction perpendicular to the axis L, and "circumferential direction" refers to the direction (rotational direction) along a ring centered on the axis L. In this embodiment, the extrusion direction of the drawing material M is the forward direction (advancing direction), and the opposite direction is the rearward direction.

[0025] The front tube 2 has an opening 2b at its tip (the front end of the front tube 2) for allowing the drawing material M to appear. The front tube 2 includes a front tube portion 2A that is exposed when the cap 3 is removed, a rear tube portion 2B that is inserted inside the outer cylindrical member 4, and a flange portion 2C that is interposed between the front tube portion 2A and the rear tube portion 2B. The front tube portion 2A has an opening 2b located at one end in the axial direction D1, and a tapered surface 2c that is inclined so that the diameter of the front tube 2 increases as it moves away from the opening 2b.

[0026] The opening 2b is a portion of the front tube 2 where the drawing material M is exposed, and the drawing material M protrudes from the opening 2b for use. The tapered surface 2c extends, for example, from the opening 2b to a position beyond the center of the front tube 2 in the axial direction D1. The front tube portion 2A has a protrusion 2d located on the rear side of the tapered surface 2c. The protrusion 2d engages with a recess 3b of the cap 3, which will be described later. The cap 3 is attached to the front tube 2 in a state where an end surface 3c that defines the opening of the cap 3 faces the flange portion 2C along the axial direction D1. The flange portion 2C is exposed when the cap 3 is attached to the front tube 2.

[0027] The internal space 2f of the front tube 2 extends rearward from the opening 2b. The internal space 2f penetrates the front tube 2 in the axial direction D1. The internal space 2f accommodates the drawing material M, the piston 5, and the push rod 6. The piston 5 has, for example, a first recess 5b recessed at the front end and a second recess 5c recessed at the rear end. The drawing material M, the piston 5, and the push rod 6 are arranged in this order.

[0028] The rear cylinder portion 2B has an annular recess 2g located on the rear side of the flange portion 2C, a first annular protrusion 2h located rearward of the annular recess 2g, and a second annular protrusion 2j located rearward of the first annular protrusion 2h. The first annular protrusion 2h engages with the inner surface 4b of the outer cylindrical member 4 in the axial direction D1. This allows the front cylinder 2 to be connected to the outer cylindrical member 4 so as to be immovable in the axial direction but rotatable relative to the outer cylindrical member 4.

[0029] The cap 3 includes a cylindrical outer cap 3A with a bottom and a stepped cylindrical inner cap 3B held at the bottom of the outer cap 3A. For example, the outer cap 3A is made of PP (polypropylene), and the inner cap 3B is made of TPEE (polyester thermoplastic elastomer). However, the materials of the outer cap 3A and the inner cap 3B are not limited to the above examples.

[0030] For example, the outer cylindrical member 4 has a bottomed tube shape (as an example, a bottomed cylindrical shape). The outer cylindrical member 4 is connected to the front tube 2 on the side opposite to the opening 2b. The outer cylindrical member 4 has a side surface 4c facing a direction intersecting the axial direction D1. The outer cylindrical member 4 has a through hole 4d formed in the side surface 4c. For example, the through hole 4d extends from the center of the outer cylindrical member 4 in the axial direction D1 to the end (rear end) of the outer cylindrical member 4 in the axial direction D1.

[0031] The through hole 4d communicates between the inside and the outside of the outer cylindrical member 4. That is, the through hole 4d penetrates the outer cylindrical member 4 in the radial direction. For example, the through hole 4d has a long axis 4f extending along the axial direction D1 and a short axis 4g extending along the circumferential direction D2 of the outer cylindrical member 4. As an example, the through hole 4d has a rectangular shape with rounded corners.

[0032] The through hole 4d is defined by, for example, a straight portion 4h extending along the axial direction D1 and a pair of curved portions 4j that curve at both ends of the straight portion 4h so that the through hole 4d bulges outward. In this case, the through hole 4d is defined by a pair of straight portions 4h aligned along the circumferential direction D2 and a pair of curved portions 4j aligned along the axial direction D1.

[0033] The outer cylindrical member 4 has an opening 4r into which a part of the front tube 2 (rear tube portion 2B) fits. The outer cylindrical member 4 has, on an inner surface 4b of the outer cylindrical member 4, an annular recess 4q recessed radially outward of the outer cylindrical member 4, and an annular protrusion 4s located in front of the annular recess 4q. A first annular protrusion 2h of the front tube 2 engages with the annular recess 4q in the axial direction D1.

[0034] The application container 1 has an inner cylindrical member 7 fixed to the outer cylindrical member 4 inside the outer cylindrical member 4. The outer cylindrical member 4 has a protrusion 4p that protrudes radially inward from an inner surface 4b of the outer cylindrical member 4. The inner cylindrical member 7 engages with the protrusion 4p in the circumferential direction. As a result, the inner cylindrical member 7 engages with the outer cylindrical member 4 so as to be synchronously rotatable.

[0035] The push rod 6 is rotatable synchronously with the inner cylindrical member 7 inside the inner cylindrical member 7. The push rod 6 advances relative to the inner cylindrical member 7 to push the drawing material M, causing the drawing material M to appear from the opening 2b of the front tube 2. The push rod 6 has a male screw 6b formed on the outer periphery of the push rod 6 and an engagement portion 6c that engages with the inner cylindrical member 7 in the circumferential direction D2. The male screw 6b and the engagement portion 6c are aligned along the axial direction D1. The male screw 6b is located in front of the engagement portion 6c.

[0036] The application container 1 has a cylindrical female screw member 8. The female screw member 8 is provided inside the front tube 2. More specifically, the female screw member 8 is housed inside the rear side tube portion 2B of the front tube 2. For example, an end portion 8c in the axial direction D1 of the female screw member 8 protrudes from an opening 2p formed at one end of the front tube 2 in the axial direction D1. The female screw member 8 is rotatable synchronously with the front tube 2. The female screw member 8 has a female screw 8b therein. The male screw 6b of the push rod 6 is screwed into the female screw 8b. The push rod 6 and the female screw member 8 will be described in detail later.

[0037] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 1(a). As shown in Fig. 1(a), Fig. 1(b) and Fig. 2, the push rod 6 is housed in the inner cylindrical member 7, which is housed in the outer cylindrical member 4. A part of the inner cylindrical member 7 is exposed from the through hole 4d of the outer cylindrical member 4.

[0038] The inner cylindrical member 7 has a transparent portion 7b. The term "transparent portion" refers to a portion or part that is transparent, and "transparent" refers to an average transmittance of visible light that is equal to or greater than a certain value. The above-mentioned "certain value" is, for example, 60%, 80%, or 90%. "Transparent" may be colorless transparent, colored transparent, or translucent. In this embodiment, the inside of the inner cylindrical member 7 is visible through the transparent portion 7b.

[0039] For example, the inner tubular member 7 is made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). In this embodiment, the inner tubular member 7 is made of transparent parts. That is, the inner tubular member 7 is a transparent member. In this case, the transparent portion 7b is the entire inner tubular member 7. However, the transparent portion 7b may be provided in a part of the inner tubular member 7. At least the part of the inner tubular member 7 exposed from the through hole 4d is the transparent portion 7b. Therefore, the inside of the inner tubular member 7 can be seen through the transparent portion 7b.

[0040] For example, the outer cylindrical member 4 has a plurality of protrusions 4p, and the inner cylindrical member 7 has a recess 7c recessed radially inward of the inner cylindrical member 7. The plurality of protrusions 4p are aligned along the circumferential direction D2. The inner cylindrical member 7 has a plurality of recesses 7c, and the plurality of recesses 7c are aligned along the circumferential direction D2. At least one of the plurality of protrusions 4p fits into the recess 7c.

[0041] 2, two of the three protrusions 4p fit into the recesses 7c. This fixes the outer cylindrical member 4 to the inner cylindrical member 7. In order to ensure airtightness inside the application container 1, protrusions for airtightness may be provided on either the inner surface 4b of the outer cylindrical member 4 or the outer surface 7d of the inner cylindrical member 7.

[0042] The push rod 6 has a visible portion 6d that is visible from outside the inner cylindrical member 7 through the transparent portion 7b. The visible portion 6d indicates a portion of the push rod 6 that is visible from outside the inner cylindrical member 7 through the transparent portion 7b. For example, the visible portion 6d includes a part (rear portion) of the male screw 6b and an engaging portion 6c that engages with the inner cylindrical member 7.

[0043] The engagement portion 6c has a plurality of protrusions 6f that protrude radially outward from the push rod 6. The multiple protrusions 6f are aligned along the circumferential direction D2. The inner cylindrical member 7 has a protrusion 7g that protrudes radially inward from an inner surface 7f of the inner cylindrical member 7. For example, the inner cylindrical member 7 has a plurality of protrusions 7g aligned along the circumferential direction D2. The protrusion 7g fits between two protrusions 6f aligned along the circumferential direction D2.

[0044] The application container 1 has a ratchet mechanism 9 located at the front end of the inner cylindrical member 7 and the rear end of the female screw member 8. The ratchet mechanism 9 allows the outer cylindrical member 4 to rotate relative to the leading tube 2 in one direction, and restricts the outer cylindrical member 4 from rotating relative to the leading tube 2 in the opposite direction.

[0045] When the outer cylindrical member 4 rotates in one direction relative to the leading tube 2, the inner cylindrical member 7 and the push rod 6 rotate together with the outer cylindrical member 4 relative to the leading tube 2 and the female screw member 8. The push rod 6 rotates relative to the female screw member 8, and the screwing action between the male screw 6b and the female screw 8b occurs, causing the push rod 6 to move forward relative to the female screw member 8. On the other hand, the outer cylindrical member 4 does not rotate relative to the leading tube 2 in the opposite direction, so the push rod 6 does not move backward.

[0046] As described above, the push rod 6 advances relative to the inner cylindrical member 7 to push the drawing material M. In this embodiment, the push rod 6 can only advance relative to the inner cylindrical member 7, and does not retreat relative to the inner cylindrical member 7. For example, in the initial state, that is, when the drawing material M is not being used (the drawing material M is unused), the position of the rear end 6g of the push rod 6 in the axial direction D1 coincides with the position of the rear end 4k of the through hole 4d in the axial direction D1.

[0047] Therefore, in the initial state, the entire visible portion 6d of the push rod 6 is visible through the transparent portion 7b from the through hole 4d, and the visible portion 6d is visible throughout the axial direction D1 of the transparent portion 7b. Because the entire visible portion 6d is visible through the transparent portion 7b, the user of the application container 1 can know that the push rod 6 is not moving forward and that the drawing material M is not being used.

[0048] When the push rod 6 advances and the drawing material M is used, the visible portion 6d advances in the transparent portion 7b, and the length of the visible portion 6d in the axial direction D1 decreases. By seeing the shortened length of the visible portion 6d seen through the transparent portion 7b, the user can know that the amount of drawing material M is decreasing.

[0049] When more of the drawing material M is used and the drawing material M is about to run out, the visible portion 6d advances further in the transparent portion 7b. Then, the position of the rear end 6g of the push rod 6 in the axial direction D1 coincides with the position of the front end 4t of the through hole 4d in the axial direction D1, and the visible portion 6d becomes invisible through the transparent portion 7b (see FIG. 8(b)). When the visible portion 6d becomes invisible through the transparent portion 7b, the user can know that the drawing material M is about to run out.

[0050] As described above, the remaining amount of drawing material M can be grasped by visually checking the state of the visible portion 6d that is visible through the transparent portion 7b. Note that the visible portion 6d may be colored to make the display of the visible portion 6d through the transparent portion 7b easier to understand. In this case, the amount of remaining drawing material M can be displayed more clearly by visually checking the length of the colored visible portion 6d.

[0051] Next, the detailed structure of each part of the application container 1 will be described. Fig. 3(a) is a side view showing the inner cylindrical member 7. Fig. 3(b) is a side view showing the inner cylindrical member 7 seen from a different direction from Fig. 3(a). Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 3(a). As shown in Figs. 2, 3(a), 3(b) and 4, the inner cylindrical member 7 has a cylindrical shape extending, for example, along the axial direction D1.

[0052] The inner cylindrical member 7 has a recess 7c extending along the axial direction D1 on the outer surface 7d, and a flat surface 7h formed on the outer surface 7d. The flat surface 7h is located on the opposite side to the portion exposed from the through hole 4d of the inner cylindrical member 7 when viewed from the center of a cross section of the inner cylindrical member 7 perpendicular to the axial direction D1. The flat surface 7h faces, for example, the protrusion 4p of the outer cylindrical member 4. When viewed from the outside of the inner cylindrical member 7, the flat surface 7h has, for example, a rectangular shape. The flat surface 7h extends from one end 7k of the inner cylindrical member 7 in the axial direction D1 to near the other end 7q of the inner cylindrical member 7 in the axial direction D1.

[0053] The recess 7c extends from one end 7k in the axial direction D1 of the inner cylindrical member 7 to near the center of the inner cylindrical member 7 in the axial direction D1. The recess 7c has a widened portion 7j extending from the one end 7k in the axial direction D1, and a linear portion 7p extending along the axial direction D1 from an end of the widened portion 7j opposite the one end 7k. The width (length in the circumferential direction D2) of the linear portion 7p is constant, and the width of the widened portion 7j becomes wider from the linear portion 7p toward the one end 7k.

[0054] The inner cylindrical member 7 has a protrusion 7g extending from one end 7k along the axial direction D1 on the inner surface 7f, and a convex portion 7r extending from the other end 7q toward the one end 7k. The protrusion 7g extends linearly. The inner cylindrical member 7 has a plurality of convex portions 7r, which are aligned along the circumferential direction D2. The plurality of convex portions 7r constitute a ratchet mechanism 9. The function of the ratchet mechanism 9 will be described in detail later.

[0055] Fig. 5(a) is a side view showing the push rod 6. Fig. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in Fig. 5(a). As shown in Fig. 5(a) and Fig. 5(b), the push rod 6 has a male screw 6b, an engagement portion 6c, an enlarged diameter portion 6h located at a rear end 6g, and a pressing portion 6k located at a front end 6j. The pressing portion 6k is a portion that enters the second recess 5c (see Fig. 1(b)) of the piston 5 to press the piston 5 forward.

[0056] As described above, the engagement portion 6c has the projection 6f. The projection 6f has a first portion 6p extending from the enlarged diameter portion 6h along the axial direction D1 and a second portion 6q extending from the end of the first portion 6p opposite the enlarged diameter portion 6h toward the male screw 6b. For example, the projection height of the first portion 6p toward the radially outward direction of the push rod 6 is greater than the projection height of the second portion 6q toward the radially outward direction of the push rod 6.

[0057] Fig. 6(a) is a side view showing the female screw member 8. Fig. 6(b) is a side view showing the female screw member 8 seen from a different direction than Fig. 6(a). Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE of Fig. 6(b). As shown in Figs. 6(a), 6(b) and 7, the female screw member 8 has a front cylinder portion 8d, a rear cylinder portion 8f, and a spring portion 8g located between the front cylinder portion 8d and the rear cylinder portion 8f.

[0058] The front side tube portion 8d has, for example, a cylindrical shape. The female screw 8b of the female screw member 8 described above is formed, for example, inside the front side tube portion 8d. The front side tube portion 8d has a protrusion 8j that protrudes from an outer surface 8h of the front side tube portion 8d radially outward of the female screw member 8 and extends along the axial direction D1. The protrusion 8j engages with an inner surface 2q (see FIG. 1(b)) of the front tube 2 in the circumferential direction D2. As a result, the female screw member 8 engages with the front tube 2 so as to be synchronously rotatable and movably in the axial direction D1 relative to the front tube 2.

[0059] The front cylinder portion 8d has a plurality of protruding portions 8j arranged along the circumferential direction D2. For example, the plurality of protruding portions 8j include a first protruding portion 8k and a second protruding portion 8p having a length in the axial direction D1 longer than the first protruding portion 8k. The first protruding portions 8k and the second protruding portions 8p are arranged alternately along the circumferential direction D2.

[0060] The spring portion 8g has a cylindrical portion 8q extending from the front cylindrical portion 8d to the rear cylindrical portion 8f, and a slit 8r formed in a spiral shape in the cylindrical portion 8q, penetrating the female screw member 8 in the radial direction. For example, the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 8q is smaller than the outer diameter of the front cylindrical portion 8d and smaller than the outer diameter of the rear cylindrical portion 8f. The spring portion 8g is capable of expanding and contracting in the axial direction D1 by having the slit 8r formed in a spiral shape in the cylindrical portion 8q.

[0061] The rear cylinder portion 8f has, for example, a cylindrical shape. The rear cylinder portion 8f has a protrusion 8t that protrudes from an outer surface 8s of the rear cylinder portion 8f radially outward of the female screw member 8 and extends along the axial direction D1. The protrusion 8t engages with the inner surface 2q of the front cylinder 2 in the circumferential direction D2, similar to the above-mentioned protrusion 8j. The rear cylinder portion 8f has, for example, a plurality of protrusions 8t aligned along the circumferential direction D2.

[0062] The female screw member 8 has a protrusion 8v formed at one end in the axial direction D1. For example, the female screw member 8 has a plurality of protrusions 8v, and each protrusion 8v protrudes in the axial direction D1 from the rear cylinder portion 8f. The protrusion 8v is formed by an inclined surface 8w that is inclined with respect to both the axial direction D1 and the circumferential direction D2, and a contact surface 8x that extends in the axial direction D1 and in the radial direction of the female screw member 8.

[0063] The multiple protrusions 8v are aligned along the circumferential direction D2. The abutment surface 8x extends forward from the rear end of the inclined surface 8w. The multiple protrusions 8v engage with the multiple convex portions 7r (see FIG. 4) of the inner cylindrical member 7 described above. The multiple protrusions 8v constitute a ratchet mechanism 9 together with the multiple convex portions 7r.

[0064] When the inner cylindrical member 7 rotates relative to the female screw member 8 in a direction (one direction) in which the convex portion 7r contacts the inclined surface 8w of the protrusion 8v, the convex portion 7r climbs over the inclined surface 8w in the circumferential direction D2, and the inner cylindrical member 7 and the push rod 6 rotate relative to the female screw member 8. At this time, the aforementioned screwing action works to move the push rod 6 forward relative to the female screw member 8, and the drawing material M is pushed by the push rod 6 and delivered from the opening 2b of the front tube 2.

[0065] In contrast, when the inner cylindrical member 7 attempts to rotate relative to the female screw member 8 in a direction (opposite direction) in which the convex portion 7r contacts the abutment surface 8x of the protrusion 8v, the convex portion 7r does not climb over the abutment surface 8x, and therefore the inner cylindrical member 7 does not rotate relative to the female screw member 8. Therefore, in this embodiment, the push rod 6 does not retract relative to the female screw member 8, and the drawing material M does not retract either. As described above, the ratchet mechanism 9 allows the inner cylindrical member 7 to rotate relative to the female screw member 8 in one direction, and restricts the inner cylindrical member 7 from rotating relative to the female screw member 8 in the opposite direction.

[0066] Next, the operation of each part of the application container 1 during use will be described. First, in the state shown in FIG. 1(b), the cap 3 is removed from the leading tube 2 to expose the tapered surface 2c and the opening 2b of the leading tube 2. In this state, when the outer cylindrical member 4 is rotated in one direction relative to the leading tube 2, the outer cylindrical member 4, the inner cylindrical member 7, and the push rod 6 rotate in one direction relative to the leading tube 2 and the female screw member 8. At this time, the female screw 8b and the male screw 6b engage with each other, and the push rod 6 advances relative to the female screw member 8, so that the drawing material M is fed out from the opening 2b of the leading tube 2, and the drawing material M is available for use.

[0067] As described above, when the drawing material M is used for the first time (initial state), the position of the rear end 6g of the push rod 6 in the axial direction D1 coincides with the position of the rear end 4k of the through hole 4d in the axial direction D1. When the drawing material M is fed from the opening 2b of the front tube 2 in this state, the visible portion 6d of the push rod 6 advances relative to the transparent portion 7b of the inner cylindrical member 7, and the length of the portion of the visible portion 6d visible through the transparent portion 7b becomes shorter.

[0068] As the use of the drawing material M continues, as shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), the visible portion 6d advances further relative to the transparent portion 7b, and when the drawing material M runs out, the position of the rear end 6g of the push rod 6 in the axial direction D1 coincides with the position of the front end 4t of the through hole 4d in the axial direction D1. At this time, as shown in Figures 8(b) and 9(a), the push rod 6 (visible portion 6d) no longer exists inside the through hole 4d due to the advancement of the push rod 6, and therefore the visible portion 6d cannot be seen from the transparent portion 7b.

[0069] For example, the inner cylindrical member 7 has a printed portion 7s located on the opposite side of the transparent portion 7b from the through hole 4d. As shown in Figures 8(b), 9(a) and 10(a), the printed portion 7s is provided, for example, at the front end of an exposed portion 7t that is a portion of the inner cylindrical member 7 exposed from the through hole 4d.

[0070] The printed portion 7s is provided on the flat surface 7h. For example, the printed portion 7s is formed of ink. The printed portion 7s is text information. For example, the printed portion 7s indicates that the drawing material M will soon run out (for example, the characters "END"). When the push rod 6 is present inside the exposed portion 7t, the printed portion 7s is hidden by the push rod 6 and is not visible.

[0071] However, when the drawing material M is used and the push rod 6 moves forward so that the rear end 6g of the push rod 6 reaches the front end of the exposed portion 7t, the printing portion 7s that was hidden by the push rod 6 starts to become visible from the rear side. Then, when the rear end 6g moves forward beyond the front end of the exposed portion 7t and all of the printing portion 7s becomes visible, the user can recognize that the drawing material M is about to run out.

[0072] 9(b) is a cross-sectional view showing an inner cylindrical member 7A according to a modified example. The inner cylindrical member 7A has a transparent portion 7v that has a different shape from the transparent portion 7b, and the configuration of the inner cylindrical member 7A other than the transparent portion 7v is the same as that of the inner cylindrical member 7. Each of the inner cylindrical member 7 and the inner cylindrical member 7A has an outer surface 7w facing the outer cylindrical member 4 and an inner surface 7f facing the push rod 6.

[0073] Each of the transparent portion 7b and the transparent portion 7v has a first surface 7y exposed from the through hole 4d and a second surface 7z facing away from the first surface 7y. In a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction D1, the first surface 7y of the transparent portion 7b and the second surface 7z of the transparent portion 7b are arc-shaped and extend parallel to each other.

[0074] In a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction D1, the first surface 7y of the transparent portion 7v is arc-shaped. In a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction D1, the second surface 7z of the transparent portion 7v has a convex portion 7z1 that protrudes toward the inside of the inner cylindrical member 7A with respect to a virtual extension plane S that extends along the inner surface 7f.

[0075] For example, the convex surface portion 7z1 has a flat shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the inner cylindrical member 7. However, the convex surface portion 7z1 may protrude radially inward of the inner cylindrical member 7A. When the transparent portion 7v has the convex surface portion 7z1, the printed portion 7s appears larger when viewed from the through hole 4d than when the printed portion 7s does not have the convex surface portion 7z1 due to a lens effect.

[0076] Next, the effects obtained from the applicator container 1 according to this embodiment will be described in more detail. As shown in Fig. 1(b) and Fig. 8(b), the applicator container 1 allows the user to grasp the remaining amount of drawing material M by looking at the visible portion 6d of the push rod 6, which is visible through the transparent portion 7b.

[0077] In the applicator container 1, the inner tubular member 7 having the transparent portion 7b is fixed to the outer tubular member 4, and the inner tubular member 7 does not move relative to the outer tubular member 4. Therefore, since the inner tubular member 7 located between the through hole 4d of the outer tubular member 4 and the push rod 6 does not move, the possibility of foreign matter entering the inside of the through hole 4d is reduced, resulting in a hygienic applicator container 1. Furthermore, since the inner tubular member 7 is fixed to the outer tubular member 4 inside the through hole 4d, airtightness inside the through hole 4d can be ensured.

[0078] In this embodiment, the application container 1 is synchronously rotatable with the leading tube 2 inside the leading tube 2, and includes a cylindrical female screw member 8 having a female screw 8b therein. The push rod 6 has a male screw 6b that screws into the female screw 8b. The outer cylindrical member 4 is rotatable relative to the leading tube 2. The relative rotation of the outer cylindrical member 4 with respect to the leading tube 2 causes the male screw 6b and the female screw 8b to screw together, and the push rod 6 advances relative to the female screw member 8. In this case, the relative rotation of the outer cylindrical member 4 with respect to the leading tube 2 advances the push rod 6, and the drawing material M can be made to appear from the opening 2b by the push rod 6.

[0079] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8(b), Fig. 9(a), Fig. 9(b) and Fig. 10(a), the inner cylindrical member 7 has a printed portion 7s located on the opposite side of the through hole 4d as seen from the transparent portion 7b, and the remaining amount of the drawing material M can be grasped by visually checking the printed portion 7s. In this case, a user who uses the application container 1 can more directly grasp the remaining amount of the drawing material M by visually checking the printed portion 7s. In the case of the example shown in Fig. 10(a), the user can grasp that the drawing material M is running low by looking at the printed portion 7s. Therefore, the remaining amount of the drawing material M can be more easily understood.

[0080] As described above, the inner cylindrical member 7A has an outer surface 7w facing the outer cylindrical member 4 and an inner surface 7f facing the push rod 6, and the transparent portion 7v has a first surface 7y exposed from the through hole 4d and a second surface 7z facing away from the first surface 7y. The second surface 7z may have a convex surface portion 7z1 protruding toward the inside of the inner cylindrical member 7A with respect to a virtual extension surface S extending along the inner surface 7f. In this case, the transparent portion 7v has a lens shape by the second surface 7z of the transparent portion 7v protruding toward the inside. Therefore, when the printing portion 7s is viewed through the transparent portion 7v, the printing portion 7s appears enlarged, so that the remaining amount of the drawing material M can be displayed more clearly.

[0081] In this embodiment, the application container 1 includes a ratchet mechanism 9 that allows the outer cylindrical member 4 to rotate relative to the front tube 2 in one direction and restricts the outer cylindrical member 4 from rotating relative to the front tube 2 in the opposite direction. The transparent portion 7b allows the push rod 6, which only moves forward when the outer cylindrical member 4 rotates relative to the front tube 2 in one direction, to be visible. In this case, the push rod 6 does not move backward, so the remaining amount of drawing material M can be displayed more accurately by the visible portion 6d of the push rod 6. Therefore, the remaining amount of drawing material M can be more appropriately grasped.

[0082] The above describes the embodiment and modified examples of the applicator container according to the present disclosure. However, the applicator container according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment or modified example, and may be further modified within the scope of the gist described in the claims. That is, the shape, size, material, number and arrangement of each part of the applicator container according to the present disclosure can be appropriately changed within the scope of the above gist.

[0083] For example, in the above-described embodiment, as shown in Fig. 10(a), a printed portion 7s which is character information formed on the front end of the exposed portion 7t of the inner cylindrical member 7 has been described. However, the form of the printed portion is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 10(a). As shown in Fig. 10(b), the inner cylindrical member 7 may have a printed portion 17s which indicates the remaining amount of the drawing material M instead of the printed portion 7s.

[0084] For example, the printed portion 17s includes a first printed portion 17s1 located at the center of the exposed portion 7t in the axial direction D1, and a second printed portion 17s2 located at the front end of the exposed portion 7t. The first printed portion 17s1 is character information indicating that the remaining amount of the drawing material M is about half (about 50%), and the second printed portion 17s2 is character information indicating that the drawing material M is almost gone (close to about 0%).

[0085] In an applicator container equipped with an inner cylindrical member having the printing portion 17s, the user can grasp with high accuracy the remaining amount of drawing material M by looking at the first printing portion 17s1 and the second printing portion 17s2 that gradually appear from the rear as the drawing material M is used. Therefore, the user can predict with high accuracy the time to replace the applicator container 1.

[0086] In the example of Fig. 10(b), the first printing section 17s1 displaying "50%" and the second printing section 17s2 displaying "0%" have been described. However, instead of the first printing section 17s1 and the second printing section 17s2, printing sections displaying 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% may be provided.

[0087] Furthermore, the printed portion does not have to be text information such as "0%" and may be, for example, a scale indicating the remaining percentage of the drawing material M. This scale may be formed on the transparent portion 7b, or may be formed above or below the transparent portion 7b on the outer cylindrical member 4 in a side view. In this way, the form of the printed portion indicating the remaining amount of the drawing material M can be changed as appropriate.

[0088] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 10(c) and Fig. 10(d), the application container may have an inner cylindrical member without a printed portion. In this case, the ratio of the length A2 of the visible portion 6d of the push rod 6 to the length A1 of the transparent portion 7b indicates the remaining amount of the drawing material M. Fig. 10(c) shows that the remaining amount of the drawing material M is about 90%, and Fig. 10(d) shows that the remaining amount of the drawing material M is about 5%. In this way, it is also possible to omit the printed portion.

[0089] In the above-described embodiment, the application container 1 has a ratchet mechanism 9 that allows the outer cylindrical member 4 to rotate relative to the front tube 2 in only one direction, and the push rod 6 that moves forward only can be visually observed. However, the application container may not have the ratchet mechanism 9. The application container may allow the outer cylindrical member to rotate relative to the front tube in one direction and the opposite direction, and the push rod that moves forward and backward can be visually observed. In this case, too, the same effect as the above-described embodiment can be obtained by viewing the position of the push rod through the transparent part when the tip of the drawing material is exposed at the opening of the front tube.

[0090] In the above-described embodiment, the application container 1 is described as including the inner cylindrical member 7 and the female screw member 8 having the female screw 8b and the spring portion 8g. However, the application container may include an inner cylindrical member having a female screw and a spring portion instead of the inner cylindrical member 7 and the female screw member 8. In this case, the number of parts of the application container can be reduced.

[0091] In the above-described embodiment, the application container 1 is described in which the drawing material M is fed by the relative rotation in one direction of the outer cylindrical member 4 with respect to the front tube 2. However, the application container may be an application container that does not rely on relative rotation. In other words, the application container may have a mechanical extrusion mechanism such as a knock type, and may extrude the drawing material by the extrusion mechanism, or may be equipped with a squeeze type extrusion mechanism.

[0092] In the above-described embodiment, the application container 1 including the drawing material M, which is a cosmetic, has been described. However, the drawing material may be something other than a cosmetic. For example, the drawing material may be a core material used in writing implements such as crayons. In this way, the application container according to the present disclosure is not limited to cosmetics, and can be applied to various drawing materials such as writing implements or stationery. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1... Coating container, 2... Front cylinder, 2A... Front side cylinder part, 2b... Opening, 2B... Rear side cylinder part, 2C... Flange part, 2c... Tapered surface, 2d... Protrusion, 2f... Internal space, 2g... Annular recess, 2h... First annular protrusion, 2j... Second annular protrusion, 2p... Opening, 2q... Inner surface, 3... Cap, 3A... Outer cap, 3b... Recess, 3B... Inner cap, 3c... End face, 4... Outer cylindrical member, 4b... Inner surface, 4c... Side surface, 4d... Through hole, 4f... Long axis, 4g... Short axis, 4h... Straight part, 4j... Curved part, 4k... Rear end, 4p... Protrusion, 4q... Annular recess, 4r... Opening, 4s... Annular protrusion, 4t... Front end, 5... Piston, 5b... First recess, 5c... Second recess, 6... Pushing rod, 6b... Male screw, 6c... Engaging part, 6d... Visible part, 6f... Protrusion, 6g... Rear end, 6h... Diameter-expanded part, 6j... Front end, 6k... Pressing part, 6p... First part, 6q... Second part, 7, 7A... Inner cylindrical member, 7b... Transparent part, 7c... Recess, 7d... Outer surface, 7f... Inner surface, 7g... Protrusion, 7h... Flat surface, 7j... Width-expanded part, 7k... One end, 7p... Linear part, 7q... The other end, 7r... Protrusion, 7s... Printing part, 7t... Exposed part, 7v... Transparent part, 7w... Outer surface, 7y... First surface, 7z... Second surface, 7z1... Convex surface part, 8... Female screw member, 8b... Female screw, 8c... End part, 8d... Front side cylinder part, 8f... Rear side cylinder part, 8g... Spring part, 8h... Outer surface, 8j... Protrusion, 8k... First protrusion, 8p... Second protrusion, 8q... Cylindrical part, 8r... Slit, 8s... Outer surface, 8t... Protrusion, 8v... Protruding part, 8w... Inclined surface, 8x... Contact surface, 9... Ratchet mechanism, 17s... Printing part, 17s1... First printing part, 17s2... Second printing part, D1... Axial direction, D2... Circumferential direction, L... Axis, M... Drawing material, S... Extended surface.

Claims

1. a tip tube for accommodating a drawing material and having an opening at a tip for allowing the drawing material to appear; an outer tubular member connected to the front tube on the opposite side to the opening; an inner tubular member fixed to the outer tubular member within the outer tubular member; a push rod that is rotatable synchronously with the inner cylindrical member within the inner cylindrical member and moves forward relative to the inner cylindrical member to push the drawing material, thereby causing the drawing material to appear through the opening; Equipped with the outer cylindrical member has a through hole formed in a side surface of the outer cylindrical member, At least a portion of the inner tubular member exposed through the through hole is a transparent portion, and an inside of the inner tubular member can be visually observed through the transparent portion, the push rod has a visible portion that is visible from the outside of the inner cylindrical member through the transparent portion, and the remaining amount of the drawing material can be grasped by visually checking the state of the visible portion that is visible through the transparent portion. Coating container.

2. a cylindrical female screw member having a female screw therein, the female screw member being rotatable synchronously with the leading tube within the leading tube; The push rod has a male screw that screws into the female screw, The outer cylindrical member is rotatable relative to the front tube, a push rod that moves forward relative to the female screw member by a screw-engagement action between the male screw and the female screw caused by a relative rotation of the outer cylindrical member with respect to the leading tube; The application container according to claim 1 .

3. the inner tubular member has a printed portion located on the opposite side of the transparent portion from the through hole, The remaining amount of the drawing material can be grasped by visually checking the printing portion. The application container according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the inner tubular member has an outer surface facing the outer tubular member and an inner surface facing the push rod, the transparent portion has a first surface exposed from the through hole and a second surface facing away from the first surface, the second surface has a convex portion that protrudes toward the inside of the inner tubular member with respect to a virtual extension plane that extends along the inner surface; The application container according to claim 3.

5. a ratchet mechanism that allows the outer tubular member to rotate relative to the front tube in one direction and restricts the outer tubular member to rotate relative to the front tube in a direction opposite to the one direction, The transparent portion allows the push rod, which only moves forward when the outer tubular member rotates relative to the front tube in the one direction, to be visually observed. The application container according to claim 2 .

Images