Discharger

Abstract

To discharge contents in a stable manner while stably maintaining the attitude of a container body.SOLUTION: There is provided a dispenser 1 which includes a cylinder 10 having an inflow hole 13 for making contents flow therein, a stem 20 having a discharge hole 21 and disposed for vertical movement with respect to the cylinder, a piston 30 that operates in conjunction with the vertical movement of the stem, a first operation cylinder 40 attached to a mouth of a container body, and a second operation cylinder 50 that is rotatable relative to the first operation cylinder about a container axis O. Between the stem and the second operation cylinder, provided are a switching member 120 that switches a rotational motion associated with a relative rotation between the first operation cylinder and the second operation cylinder to a linear motion to pull up the stem upward and guides the stem to an allowable position where a downward movement is allowed, and an urging member 150 that urges the stem located at the allowable position downward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dispenser. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as shown in, for example, Patent Document 1 below, dispensers have been known that have a pump mechanism and are suitable for discharging contents contained in a container body into a main container separate from the container body. The pump mechanism includes a fixed part having a suction hole and a cylinder for the contents and attached to the mouth of the container body, an actuating part having a piston and a discharge hole for the contents and movable up and down relative to the fixed part, and a pump chamber whose internal pressure increases and decreases as the actuating part moves back and forth. Furthermore, the actuating part includes a pressing part that can be pressed against the mouth of the container.

[0003] When discharging the contents, the container body is inverted so that the discharge port faces downward, and the container body is pressed down while the pressing part is pressed against the mouth of the container. This causes the operating part to advance against the fixed part, and the pump chamber can be pressurized. Therefore, the contents in the pump chamber can be discharged through the discharge hole, making it possible to mix the contents in the container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-001790 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional dispenser, since it is operated in conjunction with the pressing down of the container body, stress is likely to act on the container body during operation, and the attitude of the container body is likely to become unstable. Therefore, for example, there is a possibility that the container body may tilt or tip over, causing inconvenience such as spilling of the contents. Furthermore, the operation of the dispenser is easily affected by the force exerted when the container body is pressed down, making it difficult to stabilize the force with which the contents are dispensed.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a dispenser that can dispense the contents while stably maintaining the posture of the container body and can dispense the contents in a stable manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) The dispenser according to the present invention comprises a cylinder attached to the mouth of a container body in which the contents are stored and having an inlet hole formed therein for allowing the contents to flow into the inside of the cylinder, a topped cylindrical stem having a discharge hole formed at its upper end for discharging the contents and arranged so as to be movable up and down relative to the cylinder with the inside of the cylinder communicating with the inside of the cylinder, a piston fitted into the cylinder so as to be slidable up and down and operated in conjunction with the up and down movement of the stem, a support member for supporting the stem so as to be movable up and down while restricting the rotation of the container body around the container axis relative to the cylinder, a first operating tube attached to the mouth of the container body, and a piston driven by the cylinder. and a second operating tube that is arranged above the first operating tube and radially surrounds the stem from the outside, and is rotatable relative to the first operating tube around the container axis of the container body. Between the stem and the second operating tube, there is provided a switching member that switches the rotational motion associated with the relative rotation of the first operating tube and the second operating tube around the container axis into linear motion along the container axis, thereby pulling the stem upward and guiding the stem to an allowable position where downward movement is allowed, and a biasing member that biases the stem positioned at the allowable position downward.

[0008] According to the dispenser of the present invention, when discharging the contents, the first and second operating cylinders attached to the mouth of the container body are rotated relative to each other around the container axis. This allows the switching member to switch the rotational motion associated with the relative rotation between the first and second operating cylinders to linear motion, and the stem can be pulled upward. At this time, since the stem is supported by the support member, the stem can be pulled upward without rotating relative to the cylinder. This allows the piston to move upward together with the stem, and the pressure inside the cylinder can be reduced (negative pressure created). Therefore, the contents inside the container body can be flowed into the cylinder through the inlet hole.

[0009] Therefore, the stem can be pulled upward while the contents flow into the cylinder by the relative rotation between the first and second operating cylinders. Furthermore, the switching member guides the stem, which has been pulled upward, to an allowable position where downward movement is permitted in accordance with the relative rotation between the first and second operating cylinders. Therefore, the stem that has reached the allowable position can be urged downward by utilizing the urging force of the urging member. This allows the piston to move downward together with the stem, and the inside of the cylinder can be pressurized. As a result, the contents in the cylinder can be supplied to the discharge hole through the stem, and can be discharged to the outside through the discharge hole.

[0010] In particular, unlike conventional dispensers that were actuated by a pushing force, the dispenser can be actuated by the relative rotation of the first and second operating cylinders about the container axis to dispense the contents. Therefore, when discharging the contents, stress is unlikely to act on the container body, and the attitude of the container body can be maintained in a stable state. Furthermore, the spring force of the spring member is used to move the stem, which has been pulled upward, downward to eject the contents, so that the contents can be ejected in a stable manner, unlike conventional methods in which ejection was easily affected by the magnitude or speed of the downward force.

[0011] (2) The switching member has an inclined wall facing one circumferential direction around the container axis and a vertical wall facing the other circumferential direction, and is provided with a guide wall portion protruding radially inward from the inner surface of the second operating tube, and a guide protrusion formed to protrude radially outward from the stem and moving relatively along the inclined wall and the vertical wall as the first operating tube and the second operating tube rotate relative to each other, wherein the inclined wall is formed to extend upward as it moves from one circumferential direction side to the other circumferential direction side, and the vertical wall is formed to extend downward from a top portion of the inclined wall along the container axis, the permissible position is located above the vertical wall, and the biasing member may bias the guide protrusion that has moved relatively along the inclined wall to the permissible position downward along the vertical wall.

[0012] In this case, the guide protrusion formed on the stem can be moved relatively along the inclined wall by rotating the first operating cylinder and the second operating cylinder relative to each other around the container axis. This allows the stem to be pulled upward stably and smoothly as the guide protrusion moves. Then, by further relative rotation between the first operating cylinder and the second operating cylinder, the guide protrusion that has been moved to the top of the inclined wall can be moved to an allowable position located above the vertical wall, and the guide protrusion can be urged downward by utilizing the urging force of the urging member. At this time, since the guide protrusion can be urged along the vertical wall, the stem can be moved straight along the container axis. Therefore, the inside of the cylinder can be efficiently pressurized by utilizing the piston, and the contents can be discharged in a more stable manner.

[0013] (3) The top portion of the inclined wall may be provided with a flat wall that extends along the circumferential direction from one side in the circumferential direction to the other side in the circumferential direction and faces upward.

[0014] In this case, the guide protrusion that has moved along the inclined wall can be moved circumferentially along the flat wall and then moved to the allowable position. Therefore, the stem can be temporarily maintained in the raised state rather than immediately biasing the stem downward after the stem is raised. Therefore, it is possible to know when the stem has been raised, improving the operability of the discharge.

[0015] (4) A cylindrical pressing member is provided that is arranged to surround the stem from the outside in the radial direction and holds the biasing member so as to press the biasing member from above, and the pressing member is directly combined with the first operating tube, and the second operating tube may be combined with the first operating tube via the pressing member.

[0016] In this case, the second operating tube is combined with the first operating tube via a cylindrical pressing member that is directly combined with the first operating tube. This allows the first operating tube and the second operating tube, which are rotatable relative to each other, to be stably combined, and the number of parts can be reduced to suppress manufacturing costs. In particular, since they are stably combined, even if they are subjected to a biasing force from a biasing member or an external impact, it is possible to suppress rattling or operational failure. Therefore, the operation of rotating the first operating tube and the second operating tube relative to each other can be stably performed, and the discharge operability can be improved. In particular, the pressing member is prone to rattling because the biasing force from the biasing member acts directly on it. However, since the pressing member is directly combined with the first operating cylinder, it can stably receive the biasing force from the biasing member and is less likely to rattle. Therefore, the biasing member can be stably held and can be stably operated.

[0017] (5) The second operating cylinder and the pressing member may be integrally formed.

[0018] In this case, since the second operating tube and the pressing member are integrally formed, the first operating tube and the second operating tube can be combined more stably, and the number of parts can be further reduced.

[0019] (6) The cylinder and the first operating tube may be integrally formed.

[0020] In this case, the operation of assembling the dispenser to the mouth of the container body can be performed efficiently. When assembling each component of the dispenser from the separated state before assembling the dispenser to the mouth of the container body, if the cylinder and the first operating tube are separate, the assembly of the cylinder in particular tends to be difficult due to the influence of the biasing force of the biasing member. However, since the cylinder and the first operating tube are integrally formed, stable assembly can be performed even in a state where they are influenced by the biasing force of the biasing member. Therefore, the assembly operation can be performed efficiently. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the dispenser of the present invention, the content can be dispensed while the orientation of the container body is stably maintained, and the content can be dispensed in a stable manner. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of a dispenser according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a development view of the inner connecting tube shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the inside in the radial direction, illustrating the relationship between a guide wall portion and a guide protrusion. FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the dispenser shown in FIG. 1 is in an inverted position and a cap member is attached to the mouth of another container body. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the stem and the piston have been moved toward the cap member from the state shown in FIG. 3. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a second embodiment of a dispenser according to the present invention. [Figure 6] 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the dispenser shown in FIG. 5 is in an inverted position, a cap member is attached to the mouth of another container body, and a stem and a piston are moved toward the cap member. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view showing a third embodiment of a dispenser according to the present invention. [Figure 8] 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 7, showing the relationship between the outer connecting tube of the operation cover and the connecting tube of the pressing member. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a dispenser according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the dispenser 1 of this embodiment is attached to the mouth 3 of a container body 2 in which the contents W are contained, and comprises a bottomed, cylindrical cylinder 10 which allows the contents W to flow inside, a topped, cylindrical stem 20 in which a discharge hole 21 is formed through which the contents W is discharged, a cylindrical piston 30 fitted into the cylinder 10, a cylindrical operating cover (first operating tube according to the present invention) 40 attached to the mouth 3 of the container body 2, and a cylindrical cap member (second operating tube according to the present invention) 50 which is rotatable relative to the operating cover 40.

[0024] Unless otherwise specified, each component part of the dispenser 1 is a molded product made of a synthetic resin material. The contents W are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include liquids such as food, fragrances, medicines, cosmetics, disinfectants, and cleaning agents.

[0025] The cylinder 10, stem 20, piston 30, operation cover 40 and cap member 50 are arranged coaxially with the container axis O of the container body 2. Hereinafter, the cap member 50 side along the container axis O will be referred to as the upper side, and the container body 2 side will be referred to as the lower side, and the direction along the container axis O will be referred to as the up-down direction. Furthermore, in a plan view seen from the up-down direction, the direction intersecting the container axis O will be referred to as the radial direction, and the direction going around the container axis O will be referred to as the circumferential direction. Furthermore, among the circumferential directions, a direction going around the container axis O clockwise in a top view of the dispenser 1 is referred to as a first direction M1, and a direction going around the container axis O counterclockwise is referred to as a second direction M2.

[0026] (Container body) The container body 2 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with a mouth 3, a shoulder 4, a body 5, and a bottom (not shown) arranged in sequence from above. A male screw portion 6 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the mouth 3 of the container body.

[0027] (Cylinder) The cylinder 10 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having a cylinder peripheral wall 11 and a bottom wall portion, and is disposed coaxially with the container axis O. An annular flange portion 12 that protrudes radially outward is formed at the upper end portion of the cylinder peripheral wall 11. The flange portion 12 is disposed on the upper opening edge of the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 via a packing, and is sandwiched in the vertical direction between the operation cover 40 attached to the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 and the upper opening edge of the mouth portion 3 via a support member 80 described later. As a result, the cylinder 10 is attached to the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2. The cylinder 10 extends downward beyond the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 and enters the inside of the container body 2. The cylinder peripheral wall 11 opens upward.

[0028] An inlet hole 13 is formed in the bottom wall of the cylinder 10, penetrating the bottom wall in the vertical direction. The inlet hole 13 is formed, for example, in a circular shape when viewed from above. Furthermore, a protruding tube 14 is formed in the bottom wall of the cylinder 10, protruding downward. The inside of the protruding tube 14 is in communication with the inlet hole 13.

[0029] A check valve 60 that freely closes the inflow hole 13 is provided inside the cylinder 10 configured as described above. The check valve 60 has a valve body 61 that freely closes the inflow hole 13 and is movable upward. The check valve 60 utilizes the valve body 61 to permit the movement of the contents W from the outside of the cylinder 10 through the inflow hole 13 to the inside, and to restrict the movement of the contents W from the inside of the cylinder 10 to the outside through the inflow hole 13. In this embodiment, a multi-point valve (for example, a three-point valve) is used as the check valve 60, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other known valve structures may be used.

[0030] Furthermore, a cylinder cover 70 is attached to the cylinder 10, covering the cylinder 10 from the outside and below in the radial direction. The cylinder cover 70 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and is disposed coaxially with the container axis O. Specifically, the cylinder cover 70 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom that covers the cylinder peripheral wall 11 and the protruding tube 14 from the outside in the radial direction, and covers the lower end opening of the protruding tube 14 from below. The cylinder cover 70 is mainly fitted to the cylinder peripheral wall 11 and the protruding tube 14, and is thus integrally assembled to the cylinder 10.

[0031] A suction hole 71 is formed at the upper end of the cylinder cover 70, penetrating the cylinder cover 70 in the radial direction and communicating with the inside of the container body 2. A groove 72 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder cover 70, extending in the vertical direction and communicating with the suction hole 71. The groove 72 extends from the bottom wall of the cylinder cover 70 to the edge of the upper opening of the cylinder cover 70, and is formed, for example, in an arc shape in a plan view. As a result, a communication passage 73 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder 10 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder cover 70 , which communicates between the suction hole 71 and the inlet hole 13 of the cylinder 10 via the recessed groove 72 .

[0032] In the illustrated example, the cylinder cover 70 fits into the gap between the cylinder peripheral wall 11 and the mouth 3 of the container body 2, thereby covering almost the entire length of the cylinder peripheral wall 11 from the radial outside, but this is not limited to this case. For example, the length of the cylinder cover 70 may be shortened to such an extent that the suction hole 71 is located below the mouth 3 of the container body 2. More specifically, the length of the cylinder cover 70 may be shortened so that the position of the upper end portion of the cylinder cover 70 including the suction hole 71 is located on the shoulder 4 of the container body 2, that is, in a portion having a larger diameter than the mouth 3.

[0033] (Stem) The stem 20 is formed in a topped cylindrical shape with the upper end serving as a nozzle portion 22, and is disposed coaxially with the container axis O inside the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2. The stem 20 is disposed so as to be movable up and down relative to the cylinder 10 with the interior of the stem 20 communicating with the cylinder 10. When the dispenser 1 is in a pre-use state, the stem 20 is disposed so that the nozzle portion 22 protrudes above the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 and the lower end is accommodated within the cylinder 10.

[0034] The nozzle portion 22 of the stem 20 is formed with a discharge hole 21 for discharging the contents W. The discharge hole 21 penetrates the nozzle portion 22 in the vertical direction and is formed, for example, in a circular shape when viewed from above. The discharge hole 21 is formed to be minute in size with a small diameter. This makes it possible to forcefully discharge the contents W to the outside while narrowing the discharge diameter of the contents W. Furthermore, the lower end of the stem 20 is formed into an expanded diameter tube 23 that expands radially outward. As a result, the entire stem 20 is formed into a multi-stage tube shape whose outer diameter changes in the vertical direction.

[0035] A restricting rib 24 protruding radially outward is formed on the outer peripheral surface of a portion of the stem 20 that is located above the expansion tube 23. The restricting rib 24 is formed as a vertical rib extending vertically over a range from the middle portion of the stem 20 in the up-down direction to the expansion tube 23, and multiple restricting ribs 24 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0036] The stem 20 configured as described above can be pulled upward by a switching member 120, which will be described later, due to the relative rotation of the operation cover 40 and the cap member 50 about the container axis O.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1, the stem 20 is supported by a support member 80 . The support member 80 is formed in an annular shape surrounding the cylinder 10 from the outside in the radial direction, and is disposed on the flange portion 12 of the cylinder 10. The outer peripheral edge of the support member 80 is engaged with the operation cover 40 in a rotationally prevented state. Furthermore, the outer peripheral edge of the support member 80 is sandwiched in the vertical direction between the operation cover 40, which is attached to the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2, and the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 via the flange portion 12. In this way, the support member 80 is combined integrally with the cylinder 10.

[0038] A plurality of slide grooves 81 are formed on the inner peripheral edge of the support member 80, penetrating the support member 80 in the up-down direction and recessed radially outward. The slide grooves 81 are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction corresponding to the restricting ribs 24, and house the restricting ribs 24 so that they can move up and down. As a result, the slide grooves 81 restrict the circumferential movement of the restricting ribs 24, and allow the restricting ribs 24 to move up and down. Therefore, the stem 20 is allowed to move up and down while its rotation is restricted relative to the cylinder 10.

[0039] (Piston guide) Furthermore, a piston guide 90 for holding the piston 30 relative to the stem 20 is combined with the stem 20 . The piston guide 90 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and is disposed coaxially with the container axis O while being disposed below the stem 20. The piston guide 90 has an upper end portion fitted inside the stem 20. This allows the piston guide 90 to move up and down together with the stem 20. A through hole 91 is formed in the peripheral wall of the piston guide 90, penetrating the peripheral wall in the radial direction. The through hole 91 is formed vertically long, and a plurality of through holes 91 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. An annular retaining tube 92 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the piston guide 90 on the bottom wall side, and is arranged coaxially with the container axis O.

[0040] The inside of the piston guide 90 configured in this manner communicates with the inside of the stem 20. Therefore, the discharge hole 21 formed in the stem 20 communicates with the inside of the cylinder 10 through the inside of the stem 20, the inside of the piston guide 90, and the through hole 91.

[0041] (piston) The piston 30 is disposed between the retaining tube 92 of the piston guide 90 and the lower end opening edge of the enlarged diameter tube 23 in the stem 20. The piston 30 is fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the enlarged diameter tube 23 so as to be vertically slidable, and is also fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder peripheral wall 11 so as to be vertically slidable. This allows the piston 30 to operate in conjunction with the vertical movement of the stem 20.

[0042] The piston 30 in this embodiment is movable vertically relative to the stem 20 and the piston guide 90. When the retaining tube 92 of the piston guide 90 contacts the piston 30 from below, it is possible to restrict the movement of the contents W from inside the cylinder 10 toward inside the stem 20. In contrast, when the piston 30 contacts the lower end opening edge of the expansion tube 23 from below and the piston 30 and the retaining tube 92 are separated (see Figure 1), it is possible to allow the contents W to move from inside the cylinder 10 toward inside the stem 20.

[0043] 1, before use of the dispenser 1, the piston 30 is located at the lowest position (bottom dead center) relative to the cylinder 10. In addition, the retaining cylinder 92 of the piston guide 90 is disposed below the piston 30 with a gap between them.

[0044] (Rod material) A vertically elongated rod member 100 is disposed inside the stem 20 and inside the piston guide 90 coaxially with the container axis O. The rod member 100 is fitted inside the stem 20 with its upper end located near the nozzle portion 22 of the stem 20 and its lower end located near the bottom wall portion of the piston guide 90. The inside of the piston guide 90 has a flow path cross-sectional area through which the contents W flow narrowed by the rod member 100. Similarly, the inside of the stem 20 has a flow path cross-sectional area through which the contents W flow narrowed by the rod member 100. This makes it possible to guide the contents W to the discharge hole 21 while increasing the pressure of the contents W.

[0045] (Operation cover) The operation cover 40 includes an operation tube 41 that surrounds the container body 2 from the outside in the radial direction, and an outer connecting tube 42 that extends upward from the upper end of the operation tube 41. The operating tube 41 is formed so as to surround the mouth 3, shoulder 4, and at least a part of the body 5 of the container body 2 from the radial outside, and is, for example, in contact with or close to the body 5 of the container body 2. A female thread portion 43 that screws into the male thread portion 6 formed on the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the portion of the operating tube 41 that surrounds the mouth 3 of the container body 2 from the radial outside.

[0046] As a result, the entire operation cover 40 is attached to the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2. The operation cover 40 is attached to the container body 2 in a state in which it is prevented from rotating. The outer connecting cylinder 42 is disposed above the support member 80 and is formed in a cylindrical shape having a smaller diameter than the operation cylinder 41. An annular first protrusion 44 protruding radially inward is formed on the upper end of the outer connecting cylinder 42.

[0047] (Cap material) The cap member 50 is disposed coaxially with the container axis O in a state where it is disposed above the cylinder 10 and the support member 80, and is rotatable relative to the operation cover 40 about the container axis O. The cap member 50 comprises an inner connecting tube 51 which surrounds from the radial outside the portion of the stem 20 which protrudes above the support member 80, and a cap tube 52 which extends further upward from the upper end of the inner connecting tube 51 and has a larger diameter than the inner connecting tube 51.

[0048] The inner connecting tube 51 is disposed inside the outer connecting tube 42 of the operation cover 40. The lower end of the inner connecting tube 51 is in contact with or close to the support member 80 from above, and the upper end is located at the same height as the nozzle portion 22 of the stem 20. An annular second protrusion 53 protruding radially outward is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inner connecting cylinder 51. The second protrusion 53 contacts the first protrusion 44 formed on the outer connecting cylinder 42 from below. As a result, the inner connecting cylinder 51 is disposed inside the outer connecting cylinder 42 so as to be relatively rotatable while being prevented from coming off upward. Therefore, in this embodiment, the cap member 50 is directly combined with the operation cover 40 .

[0049] A locking hole 54 that penetrates the inner connecting cylinder 51 in the radial direction is formed in a portion of the inner connecting cylinder 51 that is located above the second protrusion 53. A plurality of locking holes 54 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0050] Furthermore, a cylindrical retaining cylinder (pressing member according to the present invention) 110 that holds a coil spring 150 (described later) so as to press the coil spring 150 from above is combined with the inside of the inner connecting cylinder 51 by fitting. The retaining tube 110 comprises a first retaining tube 111 fitted into the inner surface of the inner connecting tube 51, a ring-shaped top wall portion 112 protruding radially inward from the upper end of the first retaining tube 111, and a second retaining tube 113 extending downward from the inner peripheral edge portion of the top wall portion 112.

[0051] The first retaining tube 111 extends upward beyond the inner connecting tube 51 and enters into the cap tube 52. At the lower end of the first retaining tube 111, locking projections 114 are formed which protrude radially outward and are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction corresponding to the number of locking holes 54. The locking projections 114 are locked into the locking holes 54. As a result, the entire holding tube 110 is integrally combined with the cap member 50 by fitting the first holding tube 111 into the inner connecting tube 51 and by locking the locking projections 114 into the locking holes 54 .

[0052] The second holding cylinder 113 is disposed radially inward from the first holding cylinder 111. As a result, an annular holding space that is open downward is formed between the first holding cylinder 111 and the second holding cylinder 113. The inner diameter of the second holding tube 113 is larger than the outer diameter at the upper end of the stem 20. This makes it possible to move the stem 20 through the inside of the second holding tube 113 when the stem 20 is pulled upward, and to position the discharge hole 21 above the holding tube 110.

[0053] (Switching member) As shown in Figure 1, a switching member 120 is provided between the stem 20 and the inner connecting tube 51 in the cap member 50, which switches the rotational movement associated with the relative rotation of the operating cover 40 and the cap member 50 around the container axis O to up and down movement along the container axis O. The switching member 120 plays a role of pulling the stem 20 upward from the state shown in FIG. 1, and guiding the stem 20 to an allowed position P (see FIG. 2) where downward movement is allowed.

[0054] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the switching member 120 includes a guide wall portion 130 that protrudes radially inward from the inner surface of the inner connecting tube 51, and a guide protrusion 140 that protrudes radially outward from the stem 20 and moves relatively along an inclined wall 131 and a vertical wall 132 (described later) of the guide wall portion 130 as the operation cover 40 and the cap member 50 rotate relative to each other. 2 is a development view of the inner connecting tube 51 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the inside in the radial direction, showing the relationship between the guide wall portion 130 and the guide protrusion 140. As shown in FIG.

[0055] The guide wall portion 130 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of a portion of the inner connecting tube 51 that is located below the locking hole 54. The lower end portion of the guide wall portion 130 is flush with the lower end opening edge of the inner connecting tube 51. In the illustrated example, the amount of radial inward protrusion of the guide wall portion 130 is equal to that of the first retaining tube 111. 2, a plurality of guide walls 130 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. The number of guide walls 130 and the intervals between adjacent guide walls 130 in the circumferential direction may be changed as appropriate.

[0056] The guide wall portion 130 has an inclined wall 131 facing the second direction M2 side (one side in the circumferential direction) and a vertical wall 132 facing the first direction M1 side (the other side in the circumferential direction). The inclined wall 131 is formed so as to extend upward in the first direction M1 from the lower end of the guide wall portion 130. The inclination angle of the inclined wall 131 may be changed as appropriate. For example, if the inclination angle of the inclined wall 131 is made steep, the degree of lifting of the stem 20 with the rotation operation becomes high, so the stem 20 can be lifted with a small rotation operation, but a large rotation operation force is likely to be required. On the other hand, if the inclination angle of the inclined wall 131 is made gentle, the degree of lifting of the stem 20 with the rotation operation becomes low, so the stem 20 can be lifted with a small rotation operation force, but a large rotation operation is required.

[0057] Furthermore, the guide wall portion 130 is formed at the top of the inclined wall 131 with a flat wall 133 that extends circumferentially toward the first direction M1 and faces upward. The vertical wall 132 is disposed on the first direction M1 side relative to the flat wall 133, and is formed to extend downward from the flat wall 133 along the container axis O. The allowable position P is located above the vertical wall 132.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 1, the guide projection 140 is formed on a fixing ring 141 that is integrally assembled with the stem 20 . The fixing ring 141 is formed so as to surround the stem 20 from the outside in the radial direction, and is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the stem 20, for example, by undercut fitting. In the illustrated example, the fixing ring 141 is attached in a state in which it is circumferentially locked to the restricting rib 24. As a result, the fixing ring 141 is attached to the stem 20 in a rotation-preventing state.

[0059] The guide protrusions 140 are formed so as to protrude radially outward from the fixing ring 141, and are formed in plurality at intervals in the circumferential direction corresponding to the number of the guide wall portions 130. The guide protrusions 140 protrude to an extent that they overlap with the inclined wall 131 in the circumferential direction. As shown in Fig. 2, the guide protrusions 140 are formed in a semicircular shape with a lower end side protruding downward in a side view.

[0060] As a result, as the operating cover 40 and the cap member 50 rotate relative to each other around the container axis O, the guide protrusion 140 can move relatively along the inclined wall 131 and the flat wall 133 while its lower end side comes into contact with the inclined wall 131 and the flat wall 133 with little resistance, and can move to the permissible position P. More specifically, for example, by rotating the cap member 50 in the first direction M1 with the operation cover 40 fixed, it is possible to move the guide protrusion 140 from the inclined wall 131 to the allowable position P via the flat wall 133 as shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, it is possible to pull up the stem 20 to which the fixing ring 141 is attached.

[0061] (coil spring) As shown in FIG. 1, a coil spring (a biasing member according to the present invention) 150 is provided between the stem 20 and the cap member 50. The coil spring 150 elastically deforms as the stem 20 is pulled upward, and biases the stem 20 downward when it reaches the permissible position P.

[0062] The coil spring 150 is disposed in a state of being compressed in the vertical direction between the fixing ring 141 attached to the stem 20 and the retaining cylinder 110 fitted into the cap member 50. The coil spring 150 contacts the fixing ring 141 from above with its lower end surrounding the fixing ring 141, and contacts the top wall portion 112 of the retaining cylinder 110 from below with its upper end inserted into the annular retaining space. As a result, the coil spring 150 urges the fixing ring 141 and the stem 20 downward with its posture stable. Therefore, when the guide projection 140 moves to the permissible position P shown in FIG. 2, the guide projection 140 is urged downward along the vertical wall 132 by the urging force (elastic restoring force) of the coil spring 150.

[0063] (Ejector Action) Next, a case where the content W is discharged using the dispenser 1 configured as described above will be described. In the following description, an example will be given of discharging the contents W with the dispenser 1 in an inverted position so that the discharge hole 21 faces downward as shown in Fig. 3. Furthermore, an example will be given of discharging the contents W into the inside of another container body 160 by attaching the cap member 50 to the mouth portion 161 of the other container body 160. Therefore, in the initial state, the contents W in the container body 2 are supplied to the inside of the protruding tube 14 through the suction hole 71 and the communication passage 73.

[0064] When discharging the contents W, the operation cover 40 and the cap member 50 are rotated relatively around the container axis O. Specifically, while the cap member 50 attached to the mouth portion 161 of another container body 160 is fixed, the operation cover 40 in an inverted posture is rotated. At this time, the operation cover 40 is rotated so that the cap member 50 rotates relatively in the first direction M1 shown in FIG.

[0065] As a result, by utilizing the switching member 120, the rotational motion associated with the relative rotation between the operation cover 40 and the cap member 50 can be switched to linear motion, and the stem 20 can be moved toward the cap member 50. Specifically, the relative rotation between the operation cover 40 and the cap member 50 can cause the guide protrusion 140 to move relatively along the inclined wall 131 as shown in Fig. 3. As a result, the stem 20 can be moved stably and smoothly toward the cap member 50 as the guide protrusion 140 moves.

[0066] 3, the stem 20 is supported by the support member 80, so that the stem 20 can be moved without rotating relative to the cylinder 10. This allows the piston guide 90 to move together with the stem 20, so that the retaining cylinder 92 can come into contact with the piston 30, and further allows the piston 30 to be moved together. 4, the pressure inside the cylinder 10 can be reduced (negative pressure can be created). This allows the check valve 60 to open, and the contents W can flow into the cylinder 10 through the inlet hole 13.

[0067] In this way, the relative rotation between the operation cover 40 and the cap member 50 causes the stem 20 to move while causing the contents W to flow into the cylinder 10, thereby moving the piston 30 from the bottom dead center toward the top dead center. Furthermore, the coil spring 150 can be elastically deformed in association with the movement of the stem 20.

[0068] Further relative rotation between the operation cover 40 and the cap member 50 allows the guide protrusion 140, which has been moved to the top of the inclined wall 131, to be moved to the permitted position P shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, the urging force due to the elastic restoring deformation of the coil spring 150 can be used to urge the guide protrusion 140, which has reached the permitted position P, toward the cylinder 10. This allows the piston guide 90 to move together with the stem 20, so that the piston 30 can be moved while maintaining a gap between the retaining tube 92 and the piston 30.

[0069] Therefore, the inside of the cylinder 10 can be pressurized, and the contents W in the cylinder 10 can be supplied to the discharge hole 21 through the piston guide 90 and the stem 20. Therefore, the contents W can be discharged through the discharge hole 21. For this reason, various usage methods (e.g., two-liquid mixing) can be performed, for example, by mixing the discharged contents W with contents W contained in another container body 160.

[0070] In particular, unlike the conventional dispenser 1 that was actuated by a pushing force, the dispenser 1 can be actuated by the relative rotation of the operation cover 40 and the cap member 50 about the container axis O to dispense the contents W. Therefore, when discharging the contents W, stress is unlikely to act on the container body 2, and the attitude of the container body 2 can be maintained in a stable state. Therefore, even when the dispenser 1 is used in an inverted attitude as shown in Fig. 3, the contents W can be stably dispensed without tipping over another container body 160.

[0071] Furthermore, the stem 20, which has been moved toward the cap member 50, is moved toward the cylinder 10 by utilizing the biasing force of the coil spring 150 to eject the contents W. Therefore, unlike the conventional method in which ejection was easily affected by the magnitude or speed of the downward force, the contents W can be ejected in a stable manner.

[0072] As described above, according to the dispenser 1 of this embodiment, the contents W can be dispensed while the attitude of the container body 2 is stably maintained, and the contents W can be dispensed in a stable manner. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the discharge hole 21 is formed to be a minute size with a small diameter, and the rod member 100 can guide the contents W to the discharge hole 21 while increasing the pressure of the contents W. Therefore, the contents W can be discharged with force while narrowing the discharge diameter of the contents W, and can be efficiently mixed with the contents contained in another container body 160. Therefore, after discharging the contents W, it is possible to omit the trouble of, for example, shaking another container body 160 to mix the contents together.

[0073] 2, the guide projection 140 can be biased along the vertical wall 132, so that the stem 20 can be moved straight along the container axis O. Therefore, the piston 30 can be used to efficiently apply pressure to the inside of the cylinder 10, and the content W can be discharged in a more stable manner.

[0074] 2, the guide protrusion 140 that has moved along the inclined wall 131 can be moved circumferentially along the flat wall 133 and then moved to the permissible position P. Therefore, the stem 20 can be temporarily maintained in a moved state, rather than immediately biasing the stem 20 toward the cylinder 10 after the stem 20 has moved toward the cap member 50. Therefore, it is possible to know that the movement of the stem 20 toward the cap member 50 has been completed, and the ejection operability can be improved.

[0075] Second embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the dispenser according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In the first embodiment, the cap member 50 is directly combined with the operation cover 40, but in this embodiment, the cap member is combined with the operation cover via a pressing member.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 5, in a dispenser 200 of this embodiment, a cap member (second operating cylinder according to the present invention) 210 is combined with an operating cover (first operating cylinder according to the present invention) 250 via a pressing member 220.

[0077] The operation cover 250 of this embodiment is formed integrally with the cylinder 10. Specifically, the outer peripheral edge portion of the flange portion 12 of the cylinder 10 is formed integrally with the connection portion of the operation cover 250 between the operation tube 41 and the outer connecting tube 42. Furthermore, the outer connecting tube 42 of the operation cover 250 protrudes further upward than in the first embodiment. The outer connecting tube 42 is formed with a fitting hole 251 that penetrates the outer connecting tube 42 in the radial direction. A plurality of fitting holes 251 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. Note that the first protrusion portion in the first embodiment is not formed on the upper end portion of the outer connecting tube 42.

[0078] The check valve 60 provided in the cylinder 10 includes a topped cylindrical fitting member 62, a valve body 61, and an elastic arm 63 that is elastically deformable. The fitting member 62 is fitted inside the cylinder 10. A communication hole (not shown) that penetrates the top wall in the vertical direction is formed in the top wall of the fitting member 62. This allows the contents W from the inlet 13 to move into the inside of the cylinder 10 through the communication hole. However, the fitting member 62 does not need to be formed in a topped cylindrical shape, and may be formed in a ring shape that fits inside the cylinder 10, for example, as in the first embodiment.

[0079] The elastic arms 63 integrally connect the valve body 61 and the cylindrical portion of the fitting member 62, and are formed, for example, in a plurality of positions spaced apart in the circumferential direction. Note that the elastic arms 63 are formed, for example, to extend in the circumferential direction to ensure appropriate springiness, and have their inner ends connected to the outer edge of the valve body 61 and their outer ends connected to the cylindrical portion of the fitting member 62. Therefore, the valve body 61 is capable of elastic displacement in the vertical direction in accordance with the elastic deformation of the multiple elastic arms 63.

[0080] The cylinder cover 70 that covers the cylinder 10 is formed so as to cover from the radially outer side a portion of the cylinder peripheral wall 11 that is located below the mouth portion 33 of the container body 2. As a result, the cylinder cover 70 is formed shorter than that of the first embodiment, and the position of the suction hole 71 is located below the mouth portion 33 of the container body 2. However, the length of the cylinder cover 70 is not limited to this case, and may be formed, for example, to the same length as in the first embodiment, and may be formed so as to cover almost the entire length of the cylinder peripheral wall 11 from the radial outside while fitting into the gap between the cylinder peripheral wall 11 and the mouth 3 of the container body 2.

[0081] (Cap material) The cap member 210 of this embodiment comprises a cap tube 211 that is positioned above the outer connecting tube 42 of the operating cover 250 and opens upward, a ring-shaped cap bottom wall 212 that protrudes radially inward from the lower end of the cap tube 211, and an inner tube 213 that protrudes upward from the inner peripheral edge of the cap bottom wall 212. The cap tube 211 and the inner tube 213 are integrally connected in the radial direction by a plate-shaped connecting rib 214. The connecting rib 214 is also connected to the cap bottom wall 212, and is formed in plurality at intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0082] The cap tube 211 is disposed so as to contact from above the upper end opening edge of the outer connecting tube 42 of the operation cover 250. The cap bottom wall 212 is formed with a hanging tube 215 that protrudes downward and fits inside the outer connecting tube 42. As a result, the entire cap member 210 is disposed in a state in which it is stably overlapped with the operation cover 250 from above, and is capable of relative rotation with respect to the operation cover 250 about the container axis O.

[0083] A vertically elongated rotation restricting groove 216 recessed radially outward is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 213. The rotation restricting grooves 216 open downward and are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0084] The pressing member 220 is arranged inside the inner tube 213 of the cap member 210 and inside the outer connecting tube 42 of the operating cover 250 so as to surround the stem 20 from the radial outside, and holds the coil spring 150 so as to press the coil spring 150 from above. The pressing member 220 includes a holding tube 230 and a connecting tube 240 .

[0085] The retaining tube 230 comprises a first retaining tube 231 fitted into the inner surface of the inner tube 213 of the cap member 210, a ring-shaped top wall portion 232 protruding radially inward from the upper end of the first retaining tube 231, a second retaining tube 233 extending downward from the inner peripheral edge of the top wall portion 232, a third retaining tube 234 protruding radially outward from the lower end of the first retaining tube 231 and then extending downward, and a ring-shaped flange piece 235 protruding radially outward from the lower end of the third retaining tube 234.

[0086] The first holding tube 231 extends upward beyond the inner tube 213 and is recessed within the cap tube 211. A vertically elongated rotation restriction rib 236 protruding radially outward is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the first holding tube 231. A plurality of rotation restriction ribs 236 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction corresponding to the rotation restriction grooves 216. The first holding tube 231 is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the inner tube 213 with the rotation restricting rib 236 housed in the rotation restricting groove 216. As a result, the entire holding tube 230 is integrally assembled with the cap member 210 in a state in which it is prevented from rotating.

[0087] The second holding cylinder 233 is disposed radially inward from the first holding cylinder 231. As a result, an annular holding space that opens downward is formed between the first holding cylinder 231 and the second holding cylinder 233. The inner diameter of the second holding cylinder 233 is larger than the outer diameter of the upper end portion of the stem 20. This allows the stem 20 to move through the inside of the second holding cylinder 233. In this embodiment, before the discharge device 200 is used, the nozzle portion (upper end portion) 22 of the stem 20 in which the discharge hole 21 is formed protrudes upward beyond the pressing member 220.

[0088] The third retaining cylinder 234 is disposed so as to radially surround the fixing ring 141. The upper end of the third retaining cylinder 234 contacts the cap bottom wall 212 from below, and the lower end of the third retaining cylinder 234 contacts or is close to the support member 80 from above.

[0089] Connecting tube 240 is disposed so as to surround third retaining tube 234 from the outside in the radial direction, and is fitted inside outer connecting tube 42 of operation cover 250. Connecting tube 240 has an upper end that contacts or is close to a lower end of hanging tube 215 of cap member 210 from below, and a lower end that contacts or is close to support member 80 from above.

[0090] A fitting protrusion 241 protruding radially outward is formed at the upper end of the connecting cylinder 240. The fitting protrusions 241 are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction corresponding to the number of fitting holes 251 formed in the outer connecting cylinder 42. The fitting protrusions 241 are fitted into the fitting holes 251. Furthermore, an annular pressing protrusion 242 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the connecting tube 240, protruding radially inward and pressing down on the flange piece 235 formed on the holding tube 230 from above.

[0091] The pressing member 220 configured as described above is directly combined with the operation cover 250. Therefore, the cap member 210 is combined with the operation cover 250 via the pressing member 220. However, the holding tube 230 constituting the pressing member 220 is rotatable around the container axis O together with the cap member 210. In contrast, the connecting tube 240 constituting the pressing member 220 is non-rotatably combined with the operation cover 250 by fitting into the outer connecting tube 42 and by fitting the fitting protrusion 241 into the fitting hole 251. Therefore, in this embodiment, the third holding cylinder 234 and the connecting cylinder 240 are in a relative rotational relationship in accordance with the relative rotation of the operation cover 250 and the cap member 210. At this time, the third holding cylinder 234 is allowed to rotate relatively to the connecting cylinder 240 while being restricted from moving upward (coming out) by the pressing protrusion 242.

[0092] The switching member 120 of the present embodiment includes a guide cylinder 260 fitted inside the third holding cylinder 234, and a guide protrusion 140. A guide wall portion 130 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the guide cylinder 260 so as to protrude radially inward. The guide cylinder 260 is prevented from rotating relative to the third holding cylinder 234 by utilizing a rotation restriction groove, a rotation restriction rib, or the like which fit together.

[0093] (Ejector Action) Even when the content W is discharged using the dispenser 200 of this embodiment configured as described above, the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment can be achieved. For example, we will explain the case where the dispenser 200 is in an inverted position so that the discharge hole 21 faces downward as shown in Figure 6, the cap member 210 is attached to the mouth 161 of another container body 160, and the contents W are dispensed into the inside of the other container body 160. In the illustrated example, the cap member 210 is screwed onto the mouth portion 161 of the separate container body 160, so that the dispenser 200 can be in an inverted position in a more stable manner.

[0094] When discharging the contents W, the operation cover 250 and the cap member 210 are rotated relative to each other around the container axis O. For example, while the cap member 210 attached to the mouth portion 161 of another container body 160 is fixed, the operation cover 250 in an inverted position is rotated.

[0095] As a result, by utilizing the switching member 120, the rotational motion caused by the relative rotation between the operation cover 250 and the cap member 210 can be switched to linear motion, and the stem 20 can be moved toward the cap member 210 side, as shown in Fig. 6. This makes it possible to reduce the pressure inside the cylinder 10 (create negative pressure), opening the check valve 60 and allowing the contents W to flow into the cylinder 10 through the inlet hole 13.

[0096] In this way, the relative rotation between the operation cover 250 and the cap member 210 causes the stem 20 to move while causing the contents W to flow into the cylinder 10, thereby moving the piston 30 from the bottom dead center toward the top dead center. Furthermore, the coil spring 150 can be elastically deformed in association with the movement of the stem 20.

[0097] Further relative rotation between the operation cover 250 and the cap member 210 allows the guide projection 140, which has been moved to the top of the inclined wall, to be moved to the permitted position P (see FIG. 2). Therefore, the urging force due to the elastic restoring deformation of the coil spring 150 can be used to urge the guide projection 140, which has reached the permitted position P, toward the cylinder 10. This allows the inside of the cylinder 10 to be pressurized, and the content W in the cylinder 10 to be discharged into another container body 2 through the discharge hole 21.

[0098] Therefore, even with the dispenser 200 of this embodiment, as with the first embodiment, the contents W can be dispensed while stably maintaining the posture of the container body 2, and the contents W can be dispensed in a stable manner.

[0099] In particular, in the case of the dispenser 200 of this embodiment, the cap member 210 is combined with the operation cover 250 via the pressing member 220 that is directly combined with the operation cover 250. This allows the operation cover 250 and the cap member 210, which are rotatable relative to each other, to be stably combined, and the number of parts can be reduced to suppress manufacturing costs. Furthermore, since they are stably combined, even if they are subjected to the biasing force of the coil spring 150 or external impact, it is possible to suppress rattling or operational failure. Therefore, the operation of rotating the operation cover 250 and the cap member 210 relative to each other can be stably performed, and the discharge operability can be improved.

[0100] Moreover, since pressing member 220 receives the biasing force from coil spring 150, there is a tendency for rattling to occur. However, since pressing member 220 is directly combined with operation cover 250, it can stably receive the biasing force from coil spring 150 and is less likely to generate rattling. Therefore, coil spring 150 can be stably held and can be operated stably.

[0101] In addition, in the dispenser 200 of this embodiment, the nozzle portion 22 protrudes above the pressing member 220. Therefore, after the stem 20 is pulled up to the allowable position P with the relative rotation of the operation cover 250 and the cap member 210, when the stem 20 is biased by utilizing the biasing force of the coil spring 150, the discharge hole 21 can be positioned above the pressing member 220. Therefore, the contents W can be discharged to the outside without coming into contact with the pressing member 220. Therefore, the contents W can be discharged in a more stable manner. Furthermore, problems such as the contents W getting inside the pressing member 220 are unlikely to occur.

[0102] Furthermore, in the dispenser 200 of this embodiment, the cylinder 10 and the operation cover 250 are integrally formed. Therefore, the operation of assembling the dispenser 200 to the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 can be performed efficiently. When assembling each component of the dispenser 200 from the separated state before assembling the dispenser 200 to the mouth 3 of the container body 2, if the cylinder 10 and the operation cover 250 are separate bodies, the influence of the biasing force of the coil spring 150 tends to make assembling the cylinder 10 in particular difficult. However, in this embodiment, the cylinder 10 and the operation cover 250 are integrally formed, so that stable assembly can be performed even under the influence of the biasing force of the coil spring 150. Therefore, the assembly work can be performed efficiently.

[0103] Furthermore, the cylinder cover 70 is formed to be short in length so as to cover from the radially outer side the portion of the cylinder peripheral wall 11 that is located below the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2. As a result, when assembling the dispenser 200 to the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2, it is not necessary to insert the cylinder cover 70 into the narrow annular space between the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 and the cylinder peripheral wall 11. Therefore, in this respect as well, the assembling work can be performed efficiently.

[0104] Third embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the dispenser according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the third embodiment, the same components as those in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In the second embodiment, the cap member 210 and the pressing member 220 are formed separately, but in this embodiment, the cap member and the pressing member are formed integrally.

[0105] 7, a dispenser 300 of this embodiment includes a cap member 210 having a cap tube 211. Therefore, the cap member 210 does not include the cap bottom wall 212, the inner tube 213, and the hanging tube 215 of the second embodiment.

[0106] Further, in the outer connection cylinder 42 of the operation cover 250 of this embodiment, instead of the fitting hole 251 in the second embodiment, a first fitting projection 320 formed so as to protrude radially inward is formed. 7 and 8, the first fitting protrusions 320 are formed in a circular arc shape extending in the circumferential direction when viewed from above, and are formed in plurality at intervals in the circumferential direction. In the illustrated example, four first fitting protrusions 320 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. However, the shape and number of the first fitting protrusions 320 are not limited to this case and may be changed as appropriate. Note that the outer connecting cylinder 42 is formed with punched holes 321 for forming the first fitting protrusions 320 by molding.

[0107] As shown in FIG. 7, the pressing member 310 is formed as a single part in which the holding tube 230 and the connecting tube 240 in the second embodiment are integrated together. Specifically, the pressing member 310 of this embodiment includes a first retaining tube 231, a top wall portion 232, a second retaining tube 233, a third retaining tube 234, a ring-shaped connecting wall 311 protruding radially outward from the lower end of the third retaining tube 234, and a connecting tube 240 extending upward from the outer circumferential edge portion of the connecting wall 311.

[0108] The connecting tube 240 is integrally formed so that its upper end is connected to the lower end of the cap tube 211. As a result, the cap member 210 and the pressing member 310 are integrally formed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the entire pressing member 310 is rotatable around the container axis O together with the cap member 210. In this embodiment, the cap member 210 is combined with the operation cover 250 via the pressing member 310.

[0109] In addition, the connecting tube 240 of this embodiment is disposed inside the outer connecting tube 42 of the operation cover 250 so as to be relatively rotatable. As shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, an annular second fitting protrusion 312 protruding radially outward is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the connecting tube 240. The second fitting protrusion 312 is rotatable relative to the outer connecting cylinder 42 in a state where it is fitted (contacted) with the first fitting protrusion 320 from below. As a result, the pressing member 310 is directly combined with the operation cover 250 in a relatively rotatable state.

[0110] The guide wall portion 130 constituting the switching member 120 of this embodiment is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the third holding cylinder 234.

[0111] (Ejector Action) Even when the dispenser 300 of this embodiment configured as described above is used to dispense the contents W, it is possible to achieve the same effects as those of the second embodiment. In particular, in the case of this embodiment, since the cap member 210 and the pressing member 310 are integrally formed, it is possible to provide a structure in which the cap member 210 and the operation cover 250 are combined more stably, and the number of parts can be further reduced.

[0112] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. The embodiments and their modifications include, for example, those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, those that are within the scope of the equivalents, and the like.

[0113] For example, in each of the above embodiments, the case has been described in which the container is used in an inverted position with the discharge hole 21 facing downward, and the contents W are discharged into another container body 160, but the present invention is not limited to this usage form. For example, the contents W may be discharged to the outside in an upright position with the discharge hole 21 facing upward.

[0114] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the guide protrusions 140 are formed on the fixing ring 141 attached to the stem 20, but the fixing ring 141 is not essential and may not be provided. For example, the guide protrusions 140 may be integrally formed on the outer circumferential surface of the stem 20.

[0115] In the above-mentioned second embodiment, the pressing member 220 is formed of two parts, the retaining tube 230 and the connecting tube 240, which are separate bodies, but as shown in the third embodiment, the retaining tube 230 and the connecting tube 240 may be formed as one integral part. In this case, the connecting tube 240 may be directly combined with the outer connecting tube 42 of the operation cover 250 in a relatively rotatable state. Furthermore, in the above second embodiment, an example was described in which the guide tube 260, on which the guide wall portion 130 constituting the switching member 120 is formed, is provided on the inner surface of the third retaining tube 234, but this is not limited to this case, and the guide wall portion 130 may be formed directly on the inner surface of the third retaining tube 234.

[0116] Furthermore, in the second and third embodiments, the nozzle portion 22 of the stem 20 is described as protruding above the pressing members 220, 310 as an example, but this is not limited to this case, and for example, as shown in the first embodiment, the nozzle portion 22 of the stem 20 may be positioned below the pressing members 220, 310. In particular, by positioning the nozzle part 22 of the stem 20 below the pressing members 220, 310, the nozzle part 22 can be stored compactly inside the pressing members 220, 310. Therefore, for example, when the dispenser 200, 300 is attached to the mouth part 161 of another container body 160, it is possible to prevent the mouth part 161 from interfering with the nozzle part 22.

[0117] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as shown in the second and third embodiments, the nozzle portion 22 of the stem 20 may be formed so as to protrude above the retaining cylinder 110 which is the pressing member. In this way, in any of the first to third embodiments, the nozzle portion 22 of the stem 20 may protrude above the pressing member or may be positioned below the pressing member, and may be modified as appropriate depending on the application, etc.

[0118] The present invention includes the following aspects. <1> a cylinder attached to the mouth of a container body in which the contents are contained and having an inlet hole for allowing the contents to flow into the inside of the container body; a topped cylindrical stem having an outlet hole at an upper end thereof for outletting the contents, the stem being arranged so as to be movable up and down relative to the cylinder while the inside of the stem is in communication with the cylinder; a piston that is fitted in the cylinder so as to be vertically slidable and that operates in conjunction with the vertical movement of the stem; a support member that supports the stem so as to be movable up and down while restricting rotation of the container body around the container axis relative to the cylinder; A first operating cylinder attached to a mouth portion of the container body; a second operating tube that is disposed above the cylinder and radially surrounds the stem from the outside, and is rotatable relative to the first operating tube around a container axis of the container body; Between the stem and the second operating tube, a switching member that switches a rotational motion caused by the relative rotation of the first operating cylinder and the second operating cylinder about the container axis into a linear motion along the container axis to pull the stem upward and guide the stem to an allowable position where downward movement is allowed; a biasing member that biases the stem downward when the stem is positioned at the permissible position. <2> <1> In the dispenser according to the present invention, The switching member is a guide wall portion having an inclined wall facing one direction in the circumferential direction around the container axis and a vertical wall facing the other direction in the circumferential direction, the guide wall portion being provided so as to protrude radially inward from an inner peripheral surface of the second operating cylinder; a guide protrusion formed to protrude radially outward from the stem and relatively move along the inclined wall and the vertical wall in response to relative rotation between the first operating cylinder and the second operating cylinder, The inclined wall is formed so as to extend upward from one side in the circumferential direction to the other side in the circumferential direction, The vertical wall is formed so as to extend downward from a top portion of the inclined wall along the container axis, the permissive position is located above the vertical wall; The biasing member biases the guide projection, which has moved relatively along the inclined wall to the permitted position, downward along the vertical wall. <3> <2> In the dispenser according to the present invention, The dispenser has a flat wall at the top of the inclined wall, the flat wall extending along the circumferential direction from one side in the circumferential direction to the other side in the circumferential direction and facing upward. <4> <1> from <3> In the dispenser according to any one of the above items, a cylindrical pressing member that is disposed so as to surround the stem from the outside in the radial direction and that holds the biasing member so as to press the biasing member from above; The pressing member is directly combined with the first operating cylinder, The second operating cylinder is combined with the first operating cylinder via the pressing member. <5> <4> In the dispenser according to the present invention, The second operating cylinder and the pressing member are integrally formed. <6> <1> from <5> In the dispenser according to any one of the above items, The cylinder and the first operating tube are integrally formed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] P…Permissible position O…Container axis 1, 200, 300...dispenser 2…Container body 3…Mouth of container body 10...Cylinder 13...Inflow hole 20…Stem 21...Discharge hole 30…Piston 40...Operation cover (first operation tube) 50, 210...Cap member (second operating tube) 80...Support member 110... Retaining tube (holding member) 120...Switching member 150...Coil spring (biasing member) 130…Guide wall 131…Slanted wall 132…Vertical wall 133…Flat wall 140…Guide protrusion 220, 310...holding member

Claims

1. a cylinder attached to the mouth of a container body in which the contents are contained and having an inlet hole for allowing the contents to flow into the inside of the container body; a topped cylindrical stem having an outlet hole at an upper end thereof for outletting the contents, the stem being arranged so as to be movable up and down relative to the cylinder while the inside of the stem is in communication with the cylinder; a piston that is fitted in the cylinder so as to be vertically slidable and that operates in conjunction with the vertical movement of the stem; a support member that supports the stem so as to be movable up and down while restricting rotation of the container body around the container axis relative to the cylinder; A first operating cylinder attached to a mouth portion of the container body; a second operating tube that is disposed above the cylinder and radially surrounds the stem from the outside, and is rotatable relative to the first operating tube around a container axis of the container body; Between the stem and the second operating cylinder, a switching member that switches a rotational motion caused by the relative rotation of the first operating cylinder and the second operating cylinder about the container axis into a linear motion along the container axis to pull the stem upward and guide the stem to an allowable position where downward movement is allowed; a biasing member that biases the stem downward when the stem is positioned at the permissible position.

2. 2. The dispenser of claim 1, The switching member is a guide wall portion having an inclined wall facing one direction in a circumferential direction around the container axis and a vertical wall facing the other direction in the circumferential direction, the guide wall portion being provided so as to protrude radially inward from an inner peripheral surface of the second operating cylinder; a guide protrusion formed to protrude radially outward from the stem and relatively move along the inclined wall and the vertical wall in accordance with relative rotation between the first operating cylinder and the second operating cylinder, The inclined wall is formed so as to extend upward from one side in the circumferential direction to the other side in the circumferential direction, The vertical wall is formed so as to extend downward from a top portion of the inclined wall along the container axis, the permissive position is located above the vertical wall; The biasing member biases the guide projection, which has moved relatively along the inclined wall to the permitted position, downward along the vertical wall.

3. The dispenser according to claim 2, The dispenser has a flat wall at the top of the inclined wall, the flat wall extending along the circumferential direction from one side in the circumferential direction to the other side in the circumferential direction and facing upward.

4. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, a cylindrical pressing member that is disposed so as to surround the stem from the outside in the radial direction and that holds the biasing member so as to press the biasing member from above; The pressing member is directly combined with the first operating cylinder, The second operating cylinder is combined with the first operating cylinder via the pressing member.

5. The dispenser according to claim 4, The second operating cylinder and the pressing member are integrally formed.

6. The dispenser according to claim 4, The cylinder and the first operating tube are integrally formed.

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