Liquid storage container

Abstract

To provide a liquid storage container which has a simple structure, yet allows easy operation when discharging liquid stored therein, and has an excellent discharging property.SOLUTION: A liquid storage container 1 of the present invention includes a storage part 24 having an internal storage space for a liquid f, and a discharge part E that closes an opening 21 of the storage part 24. The discharge part E is formed from a small-hole elastomer sheet 3. The small-hole elastomer sheet 3 has a plurality of small holes P, and the small holes P can be opened and closed by expansion and contraction of the small-hole elastomer sheet 3. The liquid storage container 1 is capable of discharging the liquid f through the small holes P by pressing the storage part 24 and increasing an internal pressure of the storage part 24.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid container capable of discharging stored liquid. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a bellows-shaped container that contains a liquid therein, and that expels or ejects the liquid content to the outside by increasing the internal pressure of the container. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid container having a body consisting of a bellows body formed by shaping a cylindrical seamless woven fabric into a bellows shape, both open ends of the bellows body being sealed with lids, and at least one of the lids being provided with an inlet / outlet. Patent Document 2 discloses a dispenser container that includes a cap having a liquid content discharge device and equipped with a nozzle, and a bellows-shaped container with the discharge device attached thereto. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-194288 [Patent Document 2] JP 2012-126434 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The liquid container of Patent Document 1 is intended to store liquid, and there is room for improvement in terms of discharging the liquid stored inside the container body to the outside of the container by a simple operation. In addition, the dispenser container described in Patent Document 2 can be pushed downward when the container is placed horizontally, thereby increasing the pressure inside the container and discharging the liquid content upward from the nozzle. However, the dispenser container disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a complex structure, and there is room for improvement in the ease of handling the liquid discharged outside the article by such a pushing operation.

[0005] The present invention relates to a liquid storage container that has a simple structure, yet allows for easy operation when discharging liquid contained therein, and has excellent discharge properties. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to a liquid storage container having a storage section having an internal space for storing liquid, and a discharge section that closes an opening of the storage section. In one embodiment, the accommodation portion is preferably capable of reducing the accommodation space by being pressed. In one embodiment, the discharge portion is formed from a small-pore elastomer sheet, the small-pore elastomer sheet has a plurality of small holes, and it is preferable that the small holes can be opened and closed by expanding and contracting the small-pore elastomer sheet. In one embodiment, it is preferable that the liquid can be discharged through the small hole by pressing the container and increasing the internal pressure of the container. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The liquid storage container of the present invention has a simple structure, yet allows easy operation when discharging the liquid stored therein, and has excellent discharging properties. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a liquid storage container according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows (a) a perspective cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, and (b) an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the fixing positions of the small-pore elastomer sheet. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3A is a plan view showing the small-pore elastomer sheet shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged perspective view and an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a schematic state in which small holes in the sheet are closed. [Figure 4] FIG. 4A is a plan view showing a porous elastomer sheet with open pores, and FIG. 4B is an enlarged perspective view and an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the open pores in the sheet. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5(a) is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line AA of the liquid storage container shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the top surface portion is pressed, and FIG. 5(b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the small-pore elastomer sheet. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the liquid storage container shown in FIG. 5, showing a state in which the pressure on the top surface portion is released. [Figure 7] FIG. 7(a) is a perspective cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the liquid storage container shown in FIG. 6 in a state where the top surface portion is pressed again, and FIG. 7(b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the small-pore elastomer sheet. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which the pressure on the top surface of the liquid storage container shown in FIG. 7 has been released again. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a state in which the pressure on the top surface of yet another embodiment of a liquid storage container according to the present invention is released. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which the pressure on the top surface of the liquid storage container shown in FIG. 9 has been released. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional perspective view of still another embodiment of a liquid storage container according to the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the liquid storage container shown in FIG. 11 as viewed from the bottom side. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of a liquid storage container according to the present invention. [Figure 14] 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a method of using the liquid storage container shown in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a method for producing a small-pore elastomer sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a plan view of the original sheet after being introduced between the pair of rolls shown in FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the method for producing a small-pore elastomer sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a graph showing the discharge amount in Example 1. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a graph showing the discharge amount in Comparative Example 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 and 2 show one embodiment of a liquid storage container of the present invention. For convenience of explanation, small holes P, which will be described later, are omitted in Figures 1 and 2. A liquid storage container 1 (hereinafter also simply referred to as “container 1”) of this embodiment includes a substantially cylindrical container body 20 having a bottom surface portion 23 and an opening 21 facing the bottom surface portion 23.

[0010] In this specification, "upper", "upper side" or "upper side" refers to the direction toward the upper side (upper side) in the vertical direction when the bottom surface part 23 of the container body 20 is placed on a horizontal surface, and "lower", "lower side" or "lower side" refers to the direction toward the lower side (lower side) in the vertical direction when the bottom surface part 23 is placed on a horizontal surface. In this state, the height direction Z of the container 1 coincides with the vertical direction (see FIG. 1). The description of the container 1 in this specification is for the above-mentioned state, unless otherwise specified.

[0011] The container body 20 has a bottom surface portion 23, a side surface portion 27, and an upper surface portion 22. The side surface portion 27 is located between the upper surface portion 22 and the bottom surface portion 23 in the height direction Z of the container 1. In the container body 20, one opening of the side surface portion 27 is closed by the bottom surface portion 23, and an annular upper surface portion 22 is provided at the end of the other (upper) opening side of the side surface portion 27. A small-pore elastomer sheet 3 described later is attached to the opening 21 of the upper surface portion 22. The opening 21 of the annular upper surface portion 22 communicates with the opening of the side surface portion 27 via the small-pore elastomer sheet 3. The opening 21 of the upper surface portion 22 is the opening of the container body 20. The upper surface portion 22 is an annular plate-like member, and has a top surface portion 22a, a peripheral wall portion 22b that hangs down from the peripheral edge of the top surface portion 22a, and an opening 21 that penetrates the upper surface portion 22. The upper surface portion 22 has a hollow structure, and has a pair of annular fixing portions 29 that sandwich and fix the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 described below from both upper and lower sides in the internal space (hereinafter also referred to as the "hollow portion") of the upper surface portion 22 (see FIG. 2). The fixing portions 29 can be formed from inorganic materials such as metals and glass, synthetic resins, etc. The fixing portions 29 can be manufactured using the above-mentioned forming material by injection molding or press blow molding using a mold. From the viewpoint of making the pressing operation, which will be described later, easier, the thickness of the upper surface portion 22 is preferably 3 mm or more and 15 mm or less, and more preferably 5 mm or more and 12 mm or less.

[0012] The bottom surface portion 23 is a circular plate-like portion that closes the lower opening of the side surface portion 27 and protrudes radially outward beyond the side surface portion 27 . From the viewpoint of further improving the self-supporting ability of container 1, height H1 of side portion 27 [see FIG. 2(a)] is preferably 50% or more and 200% or less of the outer diameter of side portion 27. From the same viewpoint as above, the outer diameter r1 of the bottom surface portion 23 (see FIG. 2(a)) is preferably 105% or more and 140% or less of the outer diameter of the side surface portion 27. From the same viewpoint as above, the outer diameter r2 of the side portion 27 (see FIG. 2(a)) is preferably 20 mm or more and 200 mm or less, and more preferably 50 mm or more and 120 mm or less. If the cross-sectional shape of side portion 27 is not circular, or if the outer diameter of side portion 27 changes in height direction Z, the minimum span length of side portion 27 in the radial direction, i.e., the length between side portions 27, can be used instead of the outer diameter.

[0013] The container 1 contains a liquid f therein. The liquid f contained in the container 1 of this embodiment has foaming properties. The liquid f contained in the container 1 of this embodiment contains a foaming agent such as a surfactant. The foaming agent stabilizes bubbles generated in the liquid and forms a foam-like foam consisting of a large number of bubbles, and is specifically a known surfactant or the like. Examples of the foaming liquid f include cleaning agents used on floors, toilets, bathrooms, etc., facial cleansers, hand soaps, body soaps, shampoos, conditioners, dishwashing detergents, laundry detergents, hair dyes, hair styling agents, etc.

[0014] The container 1 has a storage section 24 capable of storing liquid f therein (see FIG. 2). In the container 1 of this embodiment, the internal space of the container body 20 serves as the storage section 24. In the container body 20, the storage space for liquid f is formed mainly by the side surface portion 27, and the internal space of the side surface portion 27 serves as the main storage space for liquid f. The opening 21 of the container body 20 serves as an opening of the storage section 24. In the storage section 24, the liquid level C of the liquid f is located at a position separated from the discharge portion E (see FIG. 2). The container 1 has a discharge part E that discharges the liquid f to the outside. This discharge part E is formed from a small-pore elastomer sheet 3 described later. The discharge part E is located between the top surface part 22a of the upper surface part 22 of the container 1 in the height direction Z and the upper opening of the side surface part 27, and closes the opening 21 of the upper surface part 22.

[0015] 1 and 2, the container body 20 has a generally cylindrical shape with a hollow interior, and the side portion 27 has a bellows structure 28 formed by repeatedly folding in the height direction Z. As shown in Fig. 2, the bellows structure 28 is formed such that large diameter portions 28a and small diameter portions 28b are alternately arranged in the height direction Z. The large diameter portions 28a are folded back portions when the side portion 27 is folded back radially inward, and the small diameter portions 28b are folded back portions when the side portion 27 is folded back radially outward. The bellows structure 28 may be formed over the entire side surface portion 27 as shown in FIG. 2, or may be formed only on a part of the side surface portion 27.

[0016] In this embodiment, the container body 20 (storage section 24) is expandable and contractable in the height direction Z because the side surface section 27 has a bellows structure 28. More specifically, the container body 20 (storage section 24) can be contracted by pressing the top surface section 22a downward with a user's finger or the like. In other words, this container body 20 (storage section 24) can compress the storage section 24, thereby reducing the storage space for the liquid f. The pressing of the storage section 24 that increases the internal pressure of the storage section 24 may be pressing the container body 20 which has the storage section 24.

[0017] In the container 1 of this embodiment, when the top surface portion 22a is pressed until the discharge portion E contacts the liquid surface C of the liquid f and then the pressing is released, the height of the storage portion 24 can be restored. In other words, the height of the storage portion 24 can be restored to its original height by pressing the storage portion 24 to reduce the size of the storage portion 24 and then releasing the pressing. Being restorable means that the deformation caused by the application of force can be restored to its original state when the force is removed.

[0018] The small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is a stretchable sheet having a plurality of small holes P. Figures 3(a) and (b) show the small holes P in the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 in a closed state, and Figures 4(a) and (b) show the small holes P in the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 in an open state. "Elasticity" refers to the property of being stretched by being pulled in a certain direction and contracting by releasing the tension. The closer the length after contraction is to the length before elongation, the higher the elasticity. Moreover, "having elasticity" means that the residual strain (%) measured by the method for measuring residual strain described below is less than 150%.

[0019] [Method of measuring residual strain] A piece of 25 mm×70 mm is cut out from the small hole elastomer sheet 3, and this is used as a sample piece. Next, the sample piece is attached to the chuck of a tensile tester (for example, Shimadzu Corporation's "AUTOGRAPH AG-X" model). When the shape of the small hole P is long in one direction, the sample is attached between the chucks so that the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the small hole P is the tensile direction. Also, the sample piece is attached between the chucks so that the longitudinal direction of the sample piece coincides with the tensile direction. The distance between the chucks is 50 mm. This distance between the chucks is the natural length a before elongation. Next, the sample piece between the chucks is elongated at a speed of 50 mm / min until the distance between the chucks becomes 55 mm, and then returned at a speed of 50 mm / min until the tensile strength becomes 0 N. The distance b between the chucks when the tensile strength is returned to 0 N is measured, and the ratio (%) of the distance b to the natural length a (50 mm) is measured. The measurement is repeated three times, and the average value is used as the residual strain (%). The larger the residual strain (%), the smaller the shrinkage force, and vice versa.

[0020] The small holes P in the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 are through-holes penetrating the sheet 3. In the liquid storage container 1, the small holes P can be opened and closed by the expansion and contraction of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3. This configuration will be described in detail below. In the porous elastomer sheet 3, when no tensile stress is applied to the sheet (natural state), the openings of the small pores P are closed (closed state) (see Figs. 3(a) and (b)). This is because in the porous elastomer sheet 3 in its natural state, the portions (peripheral edges) that form the peripheries of the small pores P are in close contact with each other. The natural state is the state before the porous elastomer sheet 3 is stretched, and is a state in which no external force is applied to the sheet 3. On the other hand, when the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is stretched in the stretching direction, the openings of the small pores P are open (open state) (see Figs. 4(a) and (b)). This is because the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is deformed by stretching, and the adhesion between the parts (peripheral edges) that form the peripheries of the small pores P in the sheet 3 is released, and the parts move away from each other. The greater the degree of stretching of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3, the larger the openings of the small pores P. When the stretched state of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is released, the openings of the small pores P return to a closed state. The small pores P may be formed over the entire surface of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3, or may be formed only in a part of it.

[0021] 5 to 7 show how to use the container 1 of this embodiment. The container 1 can discharge the liquid f from the discharge portion E by pressing the top surface portion 22a. More specifically, by pressing the top surface portion 22a downward (hereinafter also referred to as "first pressing") (see FIG. 5(a)), the storage portion 24 is contracted in the height direction Z. This increases the internal pressure of the storage portion 24, causing the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 to expand and the small holes P to open. In the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 pressed against the liquid surface C via the top surface portion 22a, the liquid f is discharged through the open small holes P (see FIG. 5(b)). That is, the liquid f moves onto the discharge portion E through the small holes P.

[0022] In the container 1 of this embodiment, when the top surface portion 22a shown in FIG. 5(a) is pressed and then the pressing is released, the height of the storage portion 24 is restored as shown in FIG. 6. The storage portion 24 is restored while air is being supplied into the storage portion 24 through the small hole P. At this time, the liquid f that has moved onto the discharge portion E flows into the storage portion 24 together with the air. Since the liquid f of this embodiment has foaming properties, the air that has flowed into the storage portion 24 through the small hole P is mixed with the liquid f, and a part of the liquid f becomes foamy (see FIG. 6). Then, after the storage portion 24 is restored, the top surface portion 22a is pressed downward again (hereinafter also referred to as "second pressing") (see FIG. 7(a)), thereby reducing the storage portion 24 in the height direction Z. Then, the internal pressure of the storage portion 24 rises, the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 expands, the small holes P open, and the foam f1 stored in the storage portion 24 is expelled (see FIG. 7(b)). In this way, the container 1 of this embodiment can expel the liquid f from the outlet E by the simple operation of pressing the top surface portion 22a.

[0023] The foam discharged through the small holes P is held in a spread state on the discharge part E even after the second pressing (see FIG. 8). More specifically, the foam is discharged from each small hole P, spreads along the surface of the discharge part E, and rises upward. In other words, the foam discharged from each small hole P rises as a single mass and is held in a dome shape. In this manner, the container 1 of this embodiment has excellent ejection properties because it can eject liquid (foam) over a wide range via the ejection part E made of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3, rather than via a long and thin ejection member such as a nozzle.

[0024] As described above, the container 1 of this embodiment can discharge the liquid f as foam f1 through the small hole P and hold the foam f1 on the discharge part E, making it easy to handle the foam f1 (liquid f) after discharge. Furthermore, compared to conventional containers that foam the liquid inside the container and discharge it as a foam, the container 1 can turn the liquid f into a foam by a simple structure that includes a storage part 24 that can be contracted and restored and a discharge part E. Furthermore, even if the container 1 is unintentionally knocked over, the small hole P does not become open, so leakage of the liquid f can be suppressed.

[0025] As described above, in the container 1 of this embodiment, when the top surface portion 22a is pressed until the discharge portion E contacts the liquid surface of the liquid f, and then the pressing is released, the height of the storage portion 24 can be restored. From the viewpoint of more reliably obtaining the restorability of the storage portion 24, it is preferable that at least a part of the side surface portion 27 is formed from a material having flexibility, and it is more preferable that the container body 20 (storage portion 24) is formed from a material having flexibility. Examples of such forming materials include thermoplastic elastomers, thermosetting elastomers, various synthetic resins, etc. Examples of thermoplastic elastomers include styrene-based elastomers, urethane-based elastomers, olefin-based elastomers, ester-based elastomers, etc. Examples of styrene-based elastomers include styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS), etc. Examples of thermosetting elastomers include silicone rubber (SiQ), chloroprene rubber (CR), butadiene rubber (BR), nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM), isoprene rubber (IR), and natural rubber (NR). Examples of synthetic resins include polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Flexibility is the property of being able to change its external shape when subjected to an external force. From the viewpoint of further improving the ejection property and chemical resistance, it is preferable that the material for forming the container body 20 is SiQ. In the container 1 of this embodiment, the top surface portion 22, the side surface portion 27, and the bottom surface portion 23 are integrally formed of SiQ.

[0026] From the viewpoint of generating bubbles more easily and of easily compressing and deforming the storage section 24, the spring constant in the compression direction of the storage section 24 is preferably 0.22 N / mm or more, more preferably 0.25 N / mm or more, and preferably 1.50 N / mm or less, more preferably 1.0 N / mm or less, and preferably 0.22 N / mm or more and 1.50 N / mm or less, and more preferably 0.25 N / mm or more and 1.0 N / mm or less.

[0027] <Method of measuring spring constant> The spring constant (k) is calculated from the displacement (Δz) of the container 1 when a predetermined load (F) is applied in the height direction Z of the container 1, using the following formula (1). When a compressive load is applied to the container 1 in the height direction Z, the container 1 contracts in the height direction Z of the container 1. The displacement Δz of the container 1 is the absolute value of the difference in the height direction Z between the height of the container 1 before the load is applied and the height of the container 1 when it contracts when the load is applied. For example, the spring constant (k) can be calculated as follows: First, a flat plate (174 mm long x 15 mm wide, weighing 10 g) is placed horizontally on the upper surface 22 (top surface 22a) of the container 1, and is then placed on an electronic balance (FZ-3000i, manufactured by A&D Co., Ltd.). Next, the zero point of the value (reaction force) read by the electronic balance is adjusted, and then a load is applied to the flat plate so that the displacement (Δz) is 20 mm. At this time, the maximum value displayed by the electronic balance is measured. The compression speed is 20 mm / s. The measurement is repeated three times, and the average value of the reaction force is taken as the load (F), and the spring constant k is calculated by the following formula (1). The above measurement is performed in a state where the liquid f is discharged from the opening 21 and the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is removed. Alternatively, the measurement is performed in a state where the liquid f is discharged from the opening 21 and a hole with a diameter of 20 mm or more is made in the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 without blocking the hole. Spring constant (k) = F / Δz (1) F: Load applied to the sample in the height direction Z (N) Δz: Displacement of the sample (mm)

[0028] From the viewpoint of preventing leakage of the liquid f and discharging the liquid f, the thickness of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is preferably 10 μm or more and 500 μm or less, more preferably 100 μm or more and 450 μm or less, and further preferably 200 μm or more and 400 μm or less. When the thickness of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is within the above-mentioned range, leakage of the liquid f can be suppressed even if the container 1 is unintentionally knocked over.

[0029] [Method of measuring thickness] The thickness of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 can be measured based on Method A of JIS K6250-3 (2019 edition). Specifically, a cylindrical measuring terminal (indenter) with a diameter of 5 mm is used to measure the thickness while applying a pressure of 22±5 kPa (44 gf) to the portion of the sample other than the small holes P. This measurement is performed at three different measurement points, and the average value of these values ​​is taken as the thickness of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3.

[0030] From the viewpoint of the drainage property of the liquid f, the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 has a tensile strength at 110% elongation of preferably 3 N / 25 mm or more and 40 N / 25 mm or less, more preferably 5 N / 25 mm or more and 25 N / 25 mm or less. Such tensile strength is measured by the following method.

[0031] [Method for measuring tensile strength at 110% elongation] The tensile strength of the porous elastomer sheet 3 at 110% elongation is measured by the following method. First, a sample piece cut out from the porous elastomer sheet 3 is attached to the chucks of a tensile tester by the same method as in the above [Method of Measuring Residual Strain]. The distance between the chucks (natural length a) is 50 mm. Next, the tensile strength is measured when the sample between the chucks is stretched to 110% elongation (until the distance between the chucks becomes 55 mm) at a speed of 500 mm / min. This measurement is repeated three times, and the average value is taken as the tensile strength at 110% elongation.

[0032] The shape of the small holes P in the small-hole elastomer sheet 3 is not particularly limited, and may be a circular hole such as a circle or an ellipse, or may be a slit extending in one direction. Such a shape is the shape of the small holes P when they are open.

[0033] From the viewpoint of achieving a better balance between the effect of preventing leakage and the ability to drain the liquid f, the small hole P preferably has a length of 2.0 mm or less when open. From the viewpoint of achieving a better balance between the ability to drain and the ability to retain the liquid f, the small hole P preferably has a length of 0.3 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less when open, more preferably 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less, and even more preferably 0.8 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less. The length of the small hole P when opened is the maximum diameter length of the small hole P when the small hole elastomer sheet 3 is stretched by 10% in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the opening of the small hole P, i.e., when the length is 110% of the length before stretching. The length of the small holes P when opened can be adjusted by the size of the punching convex portion used when forming the small holes P. Specifically, the length of the small holes P when opened can be adjusted by the size of the punching pin or blade used when forming the small holes P. The small-pore elastomer sheet 3 may have small holes P of the same size, or may have small holes P of different sizes. In this case, it is preferable that the length of some of the small holes P when opened in the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is within the above-mentioned range, and it is more preferable that the length of all of the small holes P when opened is within the above-mentioned range.

[0034] The liquid storage container 1 of this embodiment has a plurality of small hole rows P1 in which a plurality of small holes P are arranged in one direction in the small hole elastomer sheet 3 (see Fig. 3(a) and Fig. 4(a)). The extension direction Y of the small hole row P1 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the small holes P. The direction X perpendicular to the extension direction Y of the small hole row P1 is also simply referred to as the "orthogonal direction X". The small hole rows P1 are arranged in a plurality of rows along the orthogonal direction X, and the positions of the small holes P between adjacent small hole rows P1 are shifted by half a pitch in the extension direction Y. That is, in the small hole elastomer sheet 3 of this embodiment, a plurality of small holes P are arranged in a staggered pattern. With this configuration, the intervals between the small holes P can be made wider, so that the liquid f can be discharged over a wider range and the liquid f can be more stably held on the discharge part E. The small holes P may be arranged in a staggered manner. Alternatively, the positions of the small holes P in the extending direction Y between adjacent small hole rows P1 may coincide with each other.

[0035] From the viewpoint of achieving both the effect of preventing leakage of the liquid f from the discharge portion E and the dischargeability, the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 has preferably 1 small hole P per unit area at 110% elongation of 1 hole / cm 2 More than 60 pieces / cm 2 Less than 6 / cm, more preferably2 More than 20 pieces / cm 2 The following is the result.

[0036] [Method of measuring the number of small holes P per unit area] A sample piece of 50 mm square is cut out from the perforated elastomer sheet 3. When the sheet from which the sample piece is cut has both an area where a plurality of small holes P are formed and an area where no small holes P are formed, the sample piece is cut out from the area where a plurality of small holes P are formed. Next, the square sample piece is stretched by 110% in a direction along one of the opposing sides. That is, the sample piece is stretched so that the length after stretching is 110% (55 mm) of the length before stretching. When the shape of the small holes P is elongated in one direction, the sample piece is stretched so that the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the small holes P becomes the tensile direction. Then, the number of small holes P in the sample piece is counted, and the unit area (100 mm square of 10 mm square) is calculated from the number of small holes P and the area of ​​the sample piece when stretched by 110%. 2 Such a measurement is carried out at any three points of the small hole elastomer sheet 3, and the average value thereof is regarded as the number of small holes P per unit area.

[0037] In order to achieve a better balance between the effect of preventing leakage of the liquid f and the ability to discharge it, the distance D1 (see Figure 3) between the small holes P in the small hole elastomer sheet 3 when stretched by 110% is preferably 0.5 mm or more, more preferably 1.0 mm or more, and preferably 50 mm or less, more preferably 10 mm or less, and also preferably 0.5 mm or more and 50 mm or less, more preferably 1.0 mm or more and 10 mm or less.

[0038] [Method of measuring the distance between small holes] The distance between the small holes P in the small hole elastomer sheet 3 at 110% elongation is measured by the following method. First, a sample piece is elongated by 110% by the same method as in the above [Method for measuring the number of small holes P per unit area]. Next, the distance between the centroids of adjacent small holes P in the sample piece is measured at three points, and the average of these distances is taken as the distance between the small holes P in the small hole elastomer sheet 3 at 110% elongation. Here, the "distance between the small holes P" refers to the distance between the small holes P in the tensile direction of the small hole elastomer sheet 3 (sample piece) when the small holes P are not elongated in one direction. When the small holes P are elongated in one direction, the distance refers to the distance between the small holes P located in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the small holes P.

[0039] Films made of various elastic resins can be used as the material for forming the small-pore elastomer sheet 3. It is preferable to use a thermoplastic elastomer as the elastic resin because it is easy to achieve the desired elasticity and because, when the container body 20 is made of a thermoplastic elastomer, the elastomer sheet can be bonded to the container body 20 by heat. Examples of the thermoplastic elastomer include styrene-based elastomers, ester-based elastomers, urethane-based elastomers, olefin-based elastomers, and amide-based elastomers. Examples of the styrene-based elastomer include SBS, SIS, SEBS, and SEPS. Examples of the ester-based elastomer include those in which the hard segment is polyester and the soft segment is polyester, polyether, or poly(ether-ester). Examples of urethane-based elastomers include those in which the hard segment is an aromatic polyurethane or an aliphatic polyurethane, and the soft segment is a polyester, a polyether, a poly(ether-ester), a polycarbonate, or a polycaprolactone. Examples of olefin-based elastomers include copolymers of polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene with ethylene-propylene rubber (EPM) and ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM). From the viewpoint of chemical resistance, polypropylene elastomers are preferred. Examples of the amide-based elastomer include copolymers of a polyamide structure and a polyether structure. The elastic resin may be, for example, SiQ or fluororubber (F), which provides a porous elastomer sheet with excellent chemical resistance.

[0040] The small-pore elastomer sheet 3 may be composed of a single elastic resin film layer, or may be composed of multiple elastic resin film layers. In the latter case, the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 may have a laminated structure in which multiple elastic resin film layers made of the same type of elastic resin are laminated, or may have a laminated structure in which multiple elastic resin film layers made of different types of elastic resin are laminated. The small-pore elastomer sheet 3 may have portions having different hardnesses and thicknesses on the same plane.

[0041] The porous elastomer sheet 3 may have self-adhesiveness. Self-adhesiveness is a property of only adhering to the same kind of material and not substantially adhering to other materials. The porous elastomer sheet 3 can have self-adhesiveness by being provided with an elastic resin film layer having self-adhesiveness. That is, the porous elastomer sheet 3 in this form is configured by including an elastic resin film layer having both self-adhesiveness and stretchability. Examples of the constituent resin of the elastic resin film layer having both self-adhesiveness and stretchability include acrylic polymer resins such as methyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate. If the porous elastomer sheet 3 has self-adhesiveness, it is effective in that the closed state of the small holes P can be better maintained when the sheet is unused.

[0042] The porous elastomer sheet 3 may have a self-repairing property. Self-repairing property is a property of restoring damage caused by an impact or the like. The porous elastomer sheet 3 can have a self-repairing property by being provided with an elastic resin film layer having a self-repairing property. That is, the porous elastomer sheet 3 in this form is configured by including an elastic resin film layer having both self-repairing property and stretchability. The elastic resin film layer having both self-repairing property and stretchability is configured by, for example, a crosslinked polyurethane elastomer or the like. If the porous elastomer sheet 3 has a self-repairing property, it is effective in better maintaining the closed state of the small holes P when they are not in use.

[0043] In this embodiment, the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is fixed to a pair of upper and lower annular fixing parts 29 disposed around the opening 21 of the storage part 24 in a state in which the small holes P are not opened. The small-pore elastomer sheet 3 has an elongation of preferably 90% or more and 100% or less, more preferably 100%, and is fixed to a pair of annular fixing parts 29 of the container body 20. An elongation of 100% means that no elongation force is applied to the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 and the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is in a flat state. An elongation of less than 100% means that the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is bent and the central part of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is recessed towards the liquid supply surface C. Alternatively, it is also preferable that the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is fixed to the container body 20 with an elongation of more than 100%. This allows the small holes P to open more easily when the top surface portion 22a is pressed, thereby further improving the dischargeability of the liquid f. The elongation is the ratio (%) of the length after elongation to the length before elongation (length in the natural state).

[0044] In this embodiment, a pair of annular fixing parts 29 sandwich and fix the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 between the top and bottom. The pair of annular fixing parts 29 are fixed by known fixing means such as screws, fitting, or adhesive. From the viewpoint of more stably fixing the small-pore elastomer sheet 3, it is preferable that the pair of annular fixing parts 29 have a recess 31 and a protrusion 32 that fit with each other and sandwich the small-pore elastomer sheet 3. The recess 31 is formed on the upper surface of the lower fixing part 29, and the protrusion 32 is formed on the lower surface of the upper fixing part 29. As shown in FIG. 2(b), in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the recess 31 and the protrusion 32 is designed to be V-shaped, so that the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 can be more firmly fixed and the liquid f can be more effectively prevented from leaking out of the container 1. The outer diameter of the fixing part 29 is preferably larger than the outer diameter of the hollow part of the upper surface part 22 in a natural state where no external force is applied. That is, when the length of the outer diameter of the hollow part when the fixing part 29 is not arranged in the hollow part of the upper surface part 22 is L2, and the length of the outer diameter of the fixing part 29 is L1, it is preferable that the length of the outer diameter L1 of the fixing part 29 is larger than the length of the outer diameter L2 of the hollow part (L1>L2). In this embodiment, when the fixing part 29 is arranged on the upper surface part 22, the inner surface of the peripheral wall part 22b on the radially outer side is pressed by the fixing part 29. In this case, the fixing part 29 arranged in the hollow part on the radially outer side and the inner surface of the peripheral wall part 22b are maintained in close contact with each other, so that liquid leakage through the hollow part is less likely to occur. In this way, the container body 20 of this embodiment can suppress the liquid f from leaking out of the container 1 with a simple structure. To further enhance the above-mentioned effects, the difference between the outer diameter L1 of the fixed portion 29 and the outer diameter L2 of the hollow portion is preferably 0.05 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and more preferably 0.1 mm or more and 0.6 mm or less.

[0045] The liquid storage container of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the above-mentioned Figures 1 to 8. Another embodiment of the liquid storage container according to the present invention will be described below. In the following, the other embodiment will be described mainly with respect to components different from the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 8, and similar components will be given the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted. For components that are not particularly described, the description of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 8 will be applied as appropriate.

[0046] A liquid storage container 1a (hereinafter, simply referred to as "container 1a") shown in Figs. 9 and 10 has a side portion 27 having a bellows structure 28 between an upper surface portion 22 and a bottom surface portion 23, similar to the container 1 of the above-mentioned embodiment. In the container 1 of the above-mentioned embodiment, when the container 24 is pressed until the discharge portion E contacts the liquid surface of the liquid f and then the pressing is released, the height of the container 24 can be restored, but in the container 1a of this embodiment, the height of the container 24 does not return to its original state. More specifically, even if the container 24 is pressed until the discharge portion E contacts the liquid surface of the liquid f and then the pressing is released, the contact state between the discharge portion E and the liquid surface C is maintained (see Fig. 9). That is, in the container 1a of this embodiment, even if the pressing is released, air does not flow into the container 24, so that the liquid f can be discharged without foaming. A method of using such a container 1a will be described below.

[0047] The container 1a can discharge the liquid f from the discharge part E by pressing the top surface part 22a against the liquid supply surface C. More specifically, the top surface part 22a is pressed downward with a user's finger or the like to reduce the storage part 24 in the height direction Z. This increases the internal pressure of the storage part 24, causing the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 to expand and the small holes P to open. In parallel with this, the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is pressed against the liquid surface C, causing the liquid f to be discharged through the open small holes P. That is, the liquid f moves onto the discharge part E through the small holes P. In this way, the container 1a can discharge the liquid f from the discharge part E by a simple operation of pressing the storage part 24. Furthermore, when the pressure is released, the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 contracts and the small holes P close. This allows the discharged liquid f2 to be held on the discharge part E (see FIG. 10). In this manner, the container 1a of this embodiment is also excellent in ejection properties since the liquid f can be ejected over a wide range.

[0048] As described above, the container 1a of this embodiment can hold the liquid f2 discharged through the small hole P on the discharge part E. This allows the liquid f2 on the discharge part E to be attached to or applied to a separate object, making it easy to handle the liquid f2 after it has been discharged. In addition, after the liquid f is discharged, the contact state between the discharge part E and the liquid surface C is maintained, so that the liquid f can be easily discharged by pressing the top surface part 22a again. This effect is effective in that the liquid f can be stably discharged even if the remaining amount of the liquid f is small. Furthermore, the inventors have found that when the top surface 22a of the container 1a of this embodiment is repeatedly pressed with the same pressing force, the liquid f can be discharged without a large change in the discharge amount of the liquid f for each pressing. This stable discharge amount is believed to be due to the fact that the contact state between the discharge part E and the liquid surface C is maintained.

[0049] From the viewpoint of ejecting the liquid f without turning the liquid f into bubbles, and from the viewpoint of preventing the liquid f from leaking out of the container 1a, it is preferable that the spring constant in the pressing direction of the storage section 24 of this embodiment is in the following range. The spring constant in the pressing direction of the accommodating section 24 is preferably less than 0.22 N / mm, more preferably 0.19 N / mm or less, and also preferably 0.05 N / mm or more, more preferably 0.09 N / mm or more, and also preferably 0.05 N / mm or more and less than 0.22 N / mm, and more preferably 0.09 N / mm or more and 0.19 N / mm or less.

[0050] The liquid f contained in the container 1a may or may not have foaming properties. Examples of the liquid f that does not have foaming properties include liquid cosmetics such as lotion, milky lotion, beauty essence, and liquid foundation, liquid hair care products such as hair styling products, cleaning detergents for floors and toilets, impregnating liquids for floor wipers, fabric softeners, dyes or pigments such as paints, and the like. The container 1a of this embodiment can be used for purposes similar to those of wet wipes impregnated with disinfectant or cleaning detergent, floor wipers used to wipe floors, and makeup wipes for applying cosmetics such as lotion, milky lotion, beauty serum, and foundation to the skin. The container 1a of this embodiment can be used for applications according to the type of the liquid f described above. For example, the container 1a can be used to add a disinfectant or cleaning detergent to a sheet. The sheet can be used as a wet sheet to which a disinfectant has been added, or a floor wiper used to wipe a floor. In this case, the liquid f discharged from the container 1a is attached to or impregnated into a fiber sheet such as a nonwoven fabric or paper on the discharge section E, and then the fiber sheet is brought into contact with the application target, etc., so that the liquid f is indirectly applied to the application target. The container 1a can also be used as a container for storing cosmetics such as lotion, milky lotion, beauty essence, foundation, etc. In this case, the container 1a can be used in a state where a liquid f such as lotion is held on the discharge portion E.

[0051] When the container 1a of this embodiment contains a foamable liquid f, the liquid f may be transferred onto the discharge section E without being foamed, and then the liquid f may be foamed using hands, a sponge, or the like before use.

[0052] FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of a liquid storage container having a configuration different from the above-described embodiment. A liquid storage container 1b shown in FIG. 11 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "container 1b") has a side portion 27 having a bellows structure 28 between an upper surface portion 22 and a bottom surface portion 23, similar to the container 1 of the above-mentioned embodiment. The container 1b of this embodiment has a liquid supply port 33 for liquid f that communicates with the storage portion 24 (see FIG. 11). Specifically, the container 1b of this embodiment has a cylindrical protruding portion 38 formed in the approximate center of the bottom surface portion 23, protruding from the bottom surface portion 23 toward the upper surface portion 22. The protruding portion 38 has a hollow structure, and a liquid supply port 33 is formed that penetrates the top surface portion of the protruding portion 38 and a lower cylindrical portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top surface portion. The liquid supply port 33 forms a flow path that communicates between the inside and outside of the storage portion 24 in the container 1b. The liquid supply port 33 of this embodiment is closed by a plug 34. The plug 34 includes a flat flange 36, a substantially oval-spherical plug body 35 protruding from one side of the flange 36, and a columnar grip 37 protruding from the other side of the flange 36. The outer diameter of the flange 36 is larger than the aperture of the liquid supply port 33 and the outer diameter of the lower tube. The maximum outer diameter of the plug body 35 is larger than the aperture of the liquid supply port 33 and smaller than the outer diameter of the flange 36. By inserting the plug body 35 of the plug 34 into the liquid supply port 33, the liquid supply port 33 is closed, and the liquid f contained in the container 24 is prevented from leaking from the liquid supply port 33. The plug 34 may be made of synthetic resin, rubber, or the like. The container 1b of this embodiment is provided with the raised portion 38 and the stopper 34, so that the liquid f can be easily supplied into the storage section 24 through the liquid supply port 33. More specifically, the container 1b is turned upside down, the stopper 34 closing the liquid supply port 33 is pulled out, and the liquid supply port 33 is opened, and then the liquid is supplied. After the liquid supply is completed, the stopper body 35 is inserted into the liquid supply port 33 to close the liquid supply port 33. Even if the container 1b is turned upside down, the liquid f will not leak out from the discharge part E (the small-pore elastomer sheet 3) unless the discharge part E is stretched.

[0053] The raised portion 38 in this embodiment has a shape that protrudes (rises) toward the inside of the storage portion 24. This allows the container 1b to stably maintain a self-supporting state with the bottom surface 23 as the ground surface while enabling the supply of the liquid f. Also, the plug 34 can be easily inserted and removed. Furthermore, by designing the height from the bottom (bottom surface 23) of the storage portion 24 to the discharge portion E in the height direction Z when the storage portion 24 is compressed to the maximum, and the height of the raised portion 38, i.e., the height H2 from the bottom of the storage portion 24 to the top surface of the raised portion 38 (see FIG. 11), to be approximately equal, the residual liquid in the container 1b can be suppressed.

[0054] It is preferable that grooves 39 are provided on the bottom surface 23 of the container 1b of this embodiment (see FIG. 12). This effectively prevents the bottom surface 23 from sticking to the placement surface of the container 1b, making it difficult to lift the container 1b. The bottom surface 23 of this embodiment has a plurality of linear grooves 39 formed thereon, which extend in the horizontal direction. Specifically, the plurality of grooves 39 are arranged in a cross shape with the intersections and their vicinity removed by the raised portions 38 (see FIG. 12). The grooves 39 of the container 1b of this embodiment extend in four directions, but the number of grooves 39 is not limited to this.

[0055] The container 1b shown in Figures 11 and 12 may be such that, after the storage section 24 is pressed until the discharge section E contacts the liquid surface C of the liquid f, when the pressure is released, the height of the storage section 24 can be restored and the contact state between the discharge section E and the liquid surface C can be maintained.

[0056] FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of a liquid storage container having a configuration different from the above-described embodiment. A liquid storage container 1c (hereinafter, simply referred to as "container 1c") shown in FIG. 13 does not have a bellows structure 28, and has a cylindrical container body 20 with an open bottom, and a support part 50 that supports the container body 20. The container body 20 has a cylindrical side part 27 with a smooth inner circumferential surface, and an upper part 22 that closes the upper opening of the side part 27. A small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is fixed to the upper part 22 with the opening of the small hole P closed (closed state). Specifically, it can be fixed by being sandwiched between a V-shaped convex part 32 and a V-shaped concave part 31 as shown in FIG. 2b, or by being bonded by a known bonding means. The support part 50 of this embodiment includes a support plate 51 that closes the opening at the bottom of the container body 20, a base part 52 that forms the grounding surface of the container 1c, and a column part 54 that is disposed between the support plate 51 and the base part 52 and supports the support plate 51 in the vertical direction. The outer peripheral surface of the support plate 51 has an annular groove part 40 that extends continuously in the circumferential direction, and an O-ring 41 is disposed in the annular groove part 40. The O-ring 41 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the side part 27, thereby making it possible to further prevent the liquid f contained in the container body 20 from leaking out from the support plate 51. As described above, the container 1c of this embodiment is composed of the container body 20 having the side surface portion 27, the top surface portion 22, and the small-pore elastomer sheet 3, and the support portion 50. The top surface portion 22, the side surface portion 27, and the support portion 50 are preferably formed from a material having high rigidity. Such materials are preferably inorganic materials such as metals and glass, or synthetic resins. Examples of inorganic materials include glass, ceramics such as porcelain, and metals. Examples of synthetic resins include polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyethylene such as high-density polyethylene, vinyl chloride, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer synthetic resin (ABS resin). Examples of glass include soda glass, borosilicate glass, silica glass, and quartz glass.

[0057] In the container 1c (storage section 24) of this embodiment, the container body 20 is provided so as to be vertically slidable relative to the support section 50, and the peripheral portion of the support plate 51 is disposed in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the side section 27. As a result, when the top surface section 22a is pressed downward with a user's finger or the like, the space between the top surface section 22a and the support plate 51 can be reduced. In other words, the storage section 24 is made retractable. At this time, the peripheral portion of the support plate 51 slides along the inner peripheral surface of the side section 27, so that the liquid f does not leak from between the support plate 51 and the side section 27.

[0058] The container 1c has a biasing means 49 on the inner surface side of the side surface portion 27 for biasing the support plate 51 in the height direction Z. The biasing means 49 in this embodiment is made of a spring member, and is disposed in contact with both the inner surface side of the top surface portion 22a and the support plate 51. In the container 1c of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, by pressing the top surface portion 22a downward, the biasing means 49 is contracted in the height direction Z and the top surface portion 22a (discharge portion E) is brought closer to the support plate 51. That is, the side portion 27 is slid downward to reduce the storage portion 24 in the height direction Z. This increases the internal pressure of the storage portion 24 and allows the liquid f to be discharged. When this pressing is released, the biasing means 49 is restored to the height direction Z and the top surface portion 22a (discharge portion E) is separated from the liquid surface C. This causes the discharge portion E to be separated from the liquid surface C and allows a part of the liquid f to become foam. Thereafter, the foamy liquid f can be discharged by the same operation as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, and the foamy liquid f can be held on the discharge portion E.

[0059] 13 and 14 may be such that the height of the containing section 24 does not return to its original state. In this case, the spring constant of the biasing means 49 is set low enough that the height of the containing section 24 does not return to its original state. In such a container 1c, the liquid f can be discharged without foaming.

[0060] Next, a method for producing the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 provided in the liquid storage container of the present invention will be described based on a preferred embodiment thereof. In the manufacturing method of this embodiment, an original sheet 3' of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is prepared. This original sheet 3' is stretched and cut (see FIG. 15). Small holes P are formed in the cutting process to manufacture the small-pore elastomer sheet 3. In the cutting process, the original sheet 3' is stretched at the time of cutting, so that small holes P that can be opened and closed by expansion and contraction can be formed. The raw sheet 3' is an elastomer sheet having elasticity, and it is preferable to use one having the above-mentioned thickness.

[0061] When perforated, the original sheet 3' is preferably elongated to an elongation of more than 100% and not more than 200%, more preferably 101% or more and not more than 130%, and even more preferably 110%. By elongating the original sheet 3' within this range, the small holes P can be well maintained in a closed state, and unintended leakage of liquid f can be suppressed. The elongation is the ratio (%) of the length after elongation to the length before elongation. The above-mentioned "before elongation" refers to the state in which the original sheet 3' is flattened without applying a stretching force. The raw sheet 3' may be cut in two or more stages. In this case, the raw sheet 3' may be cut in a state in which it is stretched to a given degree of elongation, and then cut in a state in which it is stretched to a different degree of elongation.

[0062] In this embodiment, the raw sheet 3' is introduced between a pair of rolls including a cutter roll 60 and an anvil roll 63, and a predetermined region of the raw sheet 3' is cut (see FIG. 15). As a result, the raw sheet 3' has a region where a plurality of small holes P are formed (hereinafter also referred to as a "small hole region") and a region where no small holes P are formed (hereinafter also referred to as a "non-small hole region"). The small hole region of the raw sheet 3' becomes the small hole elastomer sheet 3. The cutter roll 60 has a blade 61 on its circumferential surface. The blade 61 has a shape corresponding to the outline of the small hole P when opened. In this embodiment, the original sheet 3' is stretched in the machine direction (MD direction) to form the small hole P. In this case, from the viewpoint of further improving the blocking property of the small hole P and further improving the liquid retention of the small hole elastomer sheet 3, it is preferable that the blade 61 of the cutter roll 60 has a shape long in the direction perpendicular to the machine direction (CD direction). In other words, it is preferable that the longitudinal direction of the blade 61 of the cutter roll is perpendicular to the stretching direction of the original sheet 3'. For example, it is preferable that the blade 61 of the cutter roll 60 has a shape long in the axial direction of the cutter roll that coincides with the CD direction. In order to improve the cutting performance, the cutter roll 60 may be installed so that the tip edge of the blade 61 is inclined by about 1 to 30 degrees with respect to the CD direction. In this case, the angle θ of the small hole P (slit) formed by the blade 61 with respect to the CD direction is in the above-mentioned range (see FIG. 16). The above-mentioned cutting process may be performed by introducing the original sheet 3' between a cutting tool having a plurality of blades 61 protruding from a substrate and a receiving tool that receives the blades 61, and raising and lowering the cutting tool relative to the original sheet 3'.

[0063] In order to further improve the liquid retention of the small-pore elastomer sheet 3, the length of the blade 61 used in the cutting process is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less, more preferably 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less, and even more preferably 0.8 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less.

[0064] The small-hole elastomer sheet 3 may be produced by punching using a punch pin P10 instead of cutting using a cutter roll (see FIG. 17). Even when the small holes P are formed by punching, it is preferable that the raw sheet 3' is elongated to the above-mentioned degree of elongation. The perforation process can be performed, for example, by introducing the original sheet 3' in an elongated state between a pin roll having a plurality of perforation pins P10 on its peripheral surface and an anvil roll. Alternatively, the original sheet 3' in an elongated state may be introduced between a perforation jig having a plurality of perforation pins P10 protruding from a substrate and a pin receiving jig that receives the perforation pins, and the perforation jig may be raised and lowered relative to the original sheet 3'.

[0065] The diameter of the piercing pin P10 is preferably 0.1 mm or more and less than 1.5 mm, and more preferably 0.5 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less. The pin receiving jig may have a receiving hole for receiving the piercing pin. In this case, the diameter of the receiving hole is larger than the diameter of the piercing pin by preferably 0.1 mm to 10 mm, more preferably 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm. The pin receiving jig does not have to have a receiving hole, and may be made of a foam such as polystyrene foam.

[0066] When a pair of rolls including a cutter roll or a pin roll and an anvil roll is used for the cutting or punching, the diameter of the cutter roll or the pin roll is preferably more than 100 mm. With this configuration, deflection of the roll due to the reaction force from the raw sheet 3' during cutting or punching is suppressed, so that the accuracy of forming the small holes P can be further improved.

[0067] In this embodiment, after forming the small hole regions in the raw sheet 3', the sheet is cut to a predetermined size to obtain the small hole elastomer sheet 3. Then, after the liquid f is poured into the storage portion 24 of the container body 20, the obtained small-pore elastomer sheet 3 is joined to the container body 20. In this way, the liquid storage container 1 is obtained.

[0068] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be modified as appropriate. In addition, the above-described embodiments may be combined. The liquid storage container of the present invention is capable of storing liquid in the storage portion 24, and includes both a form in which liquid is stored and a form in which no liquid is stored.

[0069] The liquid storage container of the present invention is not limited in the orientation of the container when in use, and is also not limited in the location to be pressed as long as the storage section 24 can be reduced in size when in use. That is, the method of using the liquid storage container of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned method. For example, the container shown in Fig. 2 may be placed with the opening 21 facing downward, and the bottom section 23 may be pressed with a finger or the like to discharge liquid vertically downward. Alternatively, the pressing may be performed by a mechanical device that performs linear motion using an electric actuator or the like.

[0070] The liquid storage container of the present invention may be equipped with any accessories. For example, in order to control the discharge range of the liquid f or foam f1, a flat plate-shaped part having a through hole may be attached to the upper surface 22 (top surface 22a) of the container 1, or the upper surface 22 may be provided with a hole or the like through which a string or the like for suspending the container can be connected, or the container may be turned upside down and connected to a handle on the bottom surface 23, and a nonwoven fabric sheet may be attached so as to contact the discharge portion E, allowing it to be used as a floor wiper product. EXAMPLES

[0071] The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0072] Example 1 A container having the same structure as the liquid storage container shown in Fig. 9 was prepared. The container body of this container was obtained by injection molding using SiQ, and the side portion 27, the top portion 22, and the bottom portion 23 having a bellows structure were integrally molded. After the liquid f was stored in the storage portion 24, the small-pore elastomer sheet 3 fixed with the fixing portion 29 was placed in the hollow portion of the top portion 22 to form the discharge portion E. Before use, the discharge portion E (small-pore elastomer sheet 3) was placed at a position separated from the liquid surface C of the liquid f in the height direction Z. The storage portion of the container had a spring constant of 0.13 N / mm in the pressing direction. The liquid f used was a mixture of 49 mass % ion-exchanged water, 50 mass % ethanol, and 1 mass % viscosity modifier (Carbopol, manufactured by Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc.). In the container of Example 1, after the storage section 24 was pressed until the discharge section E contacted the liquid surface C of the liquid f, the contact state between the discharge section E and the liquid surface C was maintained even when the pressure was released.

[0073] The small-pore elastomer sheet 3 was produced by subjecting a stretchable sheet material (styrene-based elastomer, manufactured by Aronkasei Co., Ltd.) to a cutting process. Specifically, a square sheet material (80 mm x 80 mm) was stretched 110% in the direction along one edge (hereinafter referred to as "MD direction") and the sheet material was introduced between a cutter roll and an anvil roll to form small holes P. The cutter roll had multiple blades with a length of 0.9 mm arranged thereon, and the longitudinal direction of the blades coincided with the axial direction of the cutter roll. The cutter roll had multiple rows of blades arranged in the circumferential direction of the roll, with the blades aligned along the axial direction of the roll. The blade tip angle was 50°, and the number of blades per unit area of ​​the cutter roll was 13.3 / cm. 2 It was.

[0074] Comparative Example 1 A container without a bellows structure was manufactured. Specifically, a box-shaped container body was manufactured with four flat plate-like parts standing upright from a rectangular bottom part, and after liquid f was contained in the container body, the opening facing the bottom part was blocked with a small-pore elastomer sheet. The small-pore elastomer sheet and liquid f were the same as those in Example 1. The container body was manufactured using a 3D printer (Keyence Corporation, Agilista3220). In the container of Comparative Example 1, a small-pore elastomer sheet 3 was fixed to the upper inner peripheral surface of the four flat plate-like parts with an adhesive to block the opening of the container body. Before use, the discharge part E (small-pore elastomer sheet 3) was arranged at a position separated from the liquid surface C of the liquid f in the height direction Z. Since the container of Comparative Example 1 does not have a bellows structure, the internal pressure of the storage portion does not increase even when the container body (storage portion) is pressed unless the discharge portion E (small-pore elastomer sheet 3) is pressed, and liquid f cannot be discharged through the small holes P. The container of Comparative Example 1 was capable of discharging liquid f from the opening of discharge part E (small-pore elastomer sheet 3) by pushing discharge part E into the inside of the container part. When discharge part E was pressed until it contacted liquid level C and then the pressure was released, the stretched state of discharge part E was released and discharge part E moved away from liquid level C.

[0075] [Measurement of the discharge amount of liquid f] For each of the containers of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, liquid f was repeatedly discharged from the discharge part E by the following method, and the discharge amount of liquid f was measured. The container of Example 1 was placed on an electronic balance (FZ-3000i, manufactured by A & D Co., Ltd.), and the top surface portion 22a was pressed to 2 kgf (19.6 N), shrinking the storage space of the storage portion 24 and discharging the liquid f from the discharge portion E. The amount of liquid f discharged from the discharge portion E was measured as the discharge amount. The compression time when pressing the top surface portion 22a was 1 s. Such pressing and measurement were repeated 50 times in succession. The measurement results are shown in FIG. 18. For the container of Comparative Example 1, the discharge amount of liquid f was measured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the discharge part E was pressed. The measurement results are shown in FIG.

[0076] The container of Example 1 had a simple structure, but was able to satisfactorily dispense the liquid f by the easy operation of pressing the top surface portion 22a. 18, the container 1 of Example 1 resulted in a discharge amount of 1 g or less even when the liquid f was discharged 50 times. In other words, it was shown that the container 1 of Example 1 can stably discharge the liquid f. On the other hand, the container of Comparative Example 1, as shown in FIG. 19, had the largest discharge amount the first time, and the discharge amount rapidly decreased as the number of discharges (number of pressings) increased. From the above results, it has been shown that by pressing the storage section 24 and increasing the internal pressure of the storage section 24, it is possible to discharge the liquid f through the small hole P, and that the contact state between the discharge section E and the liquid surface C is maintained even when the pressure is released, which is effective in stabilizing the amount of liquid f discharged. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1, 1a, 1b, 1c Liquid storage container 3. Small-pore elastomer sheet 20 Container body 21 Aperture 22 Top part 23 Bottom part 24 Storage unit 27 Side part 28 Bellows structure 29 Fixed part 34 Plug body 38 Ridge 39 Groove 49 Actuation means 50 Support part 51 Support plate 52 Base 54 Column section 60 Cutter Roll 61 Blades 63 Anvil Roll C Liquid supply surface E Discharge section f liquid f1 foam P small hole Z height direction

Claims

1. A liquid storage container comprising a storage section having a liquid storage space therein and a discharge section that closes an opening of the storage section, The accommodation portion is capable of reducing the accommodation space by pressing, the discharge portion is formed of a small-pore elastomer sheet, the small-pore elastomer sheet has a plurality of small holes, and the small holes can be opened and closed by the expansion and contraction of the small-pore elastomer sheet; A liquid storage container, wherein the liquid can be discharged through the small hole by pressing the storage portion and increasing the internal pressure of the storage portion.

2. The liquid storage container according to claim 1 , wherein the height of the storage portion is restoreable when the pressure applied to the storage portion by the discharge portion until the discharge portion contacts the liquid surface and the pressure is then released.

3. The liquid storage container according to claim 2 , wherein the storage portion has a spring constant in a pressing direction of 0.22 N / mm or more.

4. The liquid container according to claim 2 , wherein the liquid has foaming properties.

5. The liquid storage container according to claim 1 , wherein after the storage portion is pressed until the discharge portion contacts the liquid surface, the contact state between the discharge portion and the liquid surface is maintained even when the pressing is released.

6. The liquid storage container according to claim 5 , wherein the storage portion has a spring constant in a pressing direction of less than 0.22 N / mm.

7. 7. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein the storage portion has a bellows structure that expands and contracts in a height direction of the liquid storage container.

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