Dispenser

Abstract

To provide a dispenser from which contents do not leak out during discharge in an inverted position, and that can effectively introduce external air even if an external air introduction valve component swells, reducing the inner diameter.SOLUTION: A dispenser 2 includes: a cylinder portion 5a; a sliding member 6; a holding member 7 that performs a vertical motion relative to a cylinder 5a accompanied by the sliding member 6 in response to operation; an internal flow path C that causes contents 4 to be discharged in accordance with the vertical motion of the holding member 7 through a pump chamber C2; an outside air introduction path P having an air vent 5a1 provided in the cylinder portion 5a; and an outside air introduction valve member 8 with an outside air introduction valve body 8a1 located below the air vent 5a1. The outside air introduction valve body 8a1 suppresses the leakage of the contents 4 into the outside air introduction path P by contacting the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 5a when in an inverted posture during discharge, and allows outside air to enter the container body 3 by separating from the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 5a during outside air introduction. The cylinder portion 5a has a recess extending from the side of the outside air introduction valve body 8a1 toward the side of the air vent 5a1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A dispenser is known that is attached to the mouth of a container body and dispenses the contents of the container body to the outside in an upright or inverted position depending on the operation, the dispenser having an air vent provided in the cylinder part, an outside air introduction path that introduces outside air into the container body through the air vent, and an outside air introduction valve member that is provided around the entire circumference of the cylinder part, straddling the air vent in the vertical direction, and is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder part above the air vent and has an outside air introduction valve body below the air vent, the outside air introduction valve body contacting the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder part to prevent the contents from leaking into the outside air introduction path when dispensed in an inverted position, and allowing outside air to be introduced into the container body by moving away from the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder part when outside air is introduced through the outside air introduction path (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-47354 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned dispenser, when the diameter of the cylinder is set large to increase the amount of discharge per time, the outside air introduction valve member made of rubber or elastomer may swell depending on the type of contents, and the inside diameter may decrease, causing the outside air introduction valve member to adhere tightly to the outer surface of the cylinder between the air vent and the outside air introduction valve body, which may prevent the outside air introduction valve body from opening and making it impossible to introduce outside air.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser that prevents the contents from leaking out when dispensed in an inverted position and that can effectively introduce outside air even when the outside air intake valve member swells and reduces its inner diameter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is as follows.

[0007] [1] A dispenser that is attached to the mouth of a container body and dispenses the contents of the container body to the outside in response to an operation, A cylinder portion; a sliding member that slides on the cylinder portion; a holding member having a discharge port and moving up and down relative to the cylinder portion together with the sliding member in response to the operation; an internal flow path that sends and discharges the content to the discharge port through a pump chamber defined by the cylinder portion and the sliding member in response to the lifting and lowering movement of the holding member; an outside air introduction path having an air vent provided in the cylinder portion, and introducing outside air into the container body through the air vent in response to the lifting and lowering operation of the holding member; an outside air introduction valve member that is provided over the entire circumference of the cylinder portion, straddling the vent port in the vertical direction, and that has an outside air introduction valve body below the vent port; the outside air introduction valve body prevents the contents from leaking into the outside air introduction path when the container is discharged in an inverted position by contacting the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion, and allows the outside air to be introduced into the container body by separating from the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion when the outside air is introduced through the outside air introduction path, The cylinder portion has a recess extending from the outside air introduction valve body side toward the vent port side.

[0008] [2] The recess extends in a concave shape from a first edge on one circumferential side to a second edge on the other circumferential side, [1] The discharger according to claim 1, wherein, in a predetermined radial direction passing through the center of the vent hole, the first edge of the recess is located outside the edge on one circumferential side of the vent hole on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion, or the second edge of the recess is located outside the edge on the other circumferential side of the vent hole on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion.

[0009] [3] The dispenser according to [1] or [2], wherein the cylinder portion has a first convex portion that forms one circumferential end of the recess and a second convex portion that forms the other circumferential end of the recess.

[0010] [4] the cylinder portion has an annular protrusion provided over the entire circumference above the vent port and adapted to fit with the outside air introduction valve member; the first protrusion has a vertical rib shape extending upward from the outside air introduction valve body beyond the vent hole, The discharger according to [3], wherein the second protrusion is a vertical rib extending upward from the outside air introduction valve body beyond the vent hole. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a dispenser that prevents the contents from leaking out when dispensing in an inverted position and that can effectively introduce outside air even when the outside air introduction valve member swells and reduces its inner diameter. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state before discharging of the dispensing container in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state during discharging of the discharge container shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2 in a state where the outside air introduction valve member has swelled and its inner diameter has been reduced. [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2 before the outside air introduction valve member has its inner diameter reduced due to swelling. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of B in FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a side view of the cylinder member as viewed in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] 1 to 6, in one embodiment of the present invention, a dispensing container 1 has a dispenser 2 and a container body 3. The container body 3 has a mouth 2a, a body 2b, and a bottom 2c connected in this order, and contains a content 4. In this embodiment, the content 4 is a liquid that swells an outside air introduction valve member 8 made of rubber or elastomer, which will be described later.

[0015] The dispenser 2 is attached to the opening 2a of the container body 3 and dispenses the contents 4 in the container body 3 to the outside in response to operation, and comprises a cylinder portion 5a, a sliding member 6 that slides on the cylinder portion 5a, a holding member 7 having a discharge port C1 and moving up and down relative to the cylinder portion 5a together with the sliding member 6 in response to operation, an internal flow path C that sends and dispenses the contents 4 to the discharge port C1 in response to the up and down movement of the holding member 7 via a pump chamber C2 defined by the cylinder portion 5a and the sliding member 6, an outside air introduction path P having an air vent 5a1 provided in the cylinder portion 5a and introducing outside air into the container body 3 through the air vent 5a1 in response to the up and down movement of the holding member 7 (see the two-dot chain line arrow in Figure 2), and and an outside air introduction valve member 8 that is provided across the entire circumference of the cylinder portion 5a, spanning the downward direction, in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 5a above the vent port 5a1, and has an outside air introduction valve body 8a1 below the vent port 5a1, the outside air introduction valve body 8a1 prevents the contents 4 from leaking into the outside air introduction path P when the container is discharged in an inverted position by contacting the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 5a, and allows outside air to be introduced into the container body 3 by separating from the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 5a when outside air is introduced through the outside air introduction path P, and the cylinder portion 5a has a recess 5a2 (see Figures 3, 5, and 6) that extends from the outside air introduction valve body 8a1 side (from the outside air introduction valve body 8a1 in this embodiment) toward the vent port 5a1 side. In this embodiment, the vertical direction is the direction along the central axis O of the cylinder portion 5a, and the upward direction is the direction from the cylinder portion 5a side to the discharge outlet C1 side (from the bottom 2c side of the container body 3 to the mouth portion 2a side) along the vertical direction, and the downward direction is the opposite direction.

[0016] According to the above configuration, the outside air introduction valve member 8 can prevent the contents 4 from leaking to the outside through the outside air introduction path P when the container body 3 is discharged in an inverted position. Furthermore, even if the rubber or elastomer outside air introduction valve member 8 swells upon contact with the contents 4 and reduces its inner diameter from a state in which its inner diameter is larger than the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 5a as shown in FIG. 4 to a state in which its inner diameter is equal to the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 5a as shown in FIG. 3, the recess 5a2 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 5a in the outside air introduction path P from the vent 5a1 to the outside air introduction valve ensures an airway through the recess 5a2. This makes it easier for the outside air introduction valve element 8a1 to open near the recess 5a2 (the area surrounded by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 6), allowing outside air to be introduced through the outside air introduction valve element 8a1. Therefore, even if the outside air introduction valve member 8 swells and reduces its inner diameter, outside air can be introduced satisfactorily.

[0017] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the recess 5a2 extends concavely from a first edge 9a on one circumferential side to a second edge 9b on the other circumferential side, and in a predetermined radial direction D passing through the center of the ventilation port 5a1, the first edge 9a of the recess 5a2 is located outside the edge (vent port first edge 10a) on one circumferential side of the ventilation port 5a1 on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 5a, and the second edge 9b of the recess 5a2 is located outside the edge (vent port second edge 10b) on the other circumferential side of the ventilation port 5a1 on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 5a. Alternatively, the first edge 9a of the recess 5a2 may be positioned outside the first edge 10a of the ventilation port and the second edge 9b of the recess 5a2 may be positioned inside the second edge 10b of the ventilation port in the predetermined radial direction D, or the first edge 9a of the recess 5a2 may be positioned inside the first edge 10a of the ventilation port and the second edge 9b of the recess 5a2 may be positioned outside the second edge 10b of the ventilation port in the predetermined radial direction D. According to the above configuration, the recess 5a2 can easily secure an airway.

[0018] The cylinder portion 5a has a first protrusion 5a3 that forms one circumferential end of the recess 5a2 and a second protrusion 5a4 that forms the other circumferential end of the recess 5a2. According to the above configuration, the recess 5a2 can be formed efficiently with a small amount of material.

[0019] The cylinder portion 5a has an annular protrusion 5a5 that is provided around the entire circumference above the vent port 5a1 and that fits with the outside air introduction valve member 8, the first protrusion 5a3 being a vertical rib that extends upward from the outside air introduction valve body 8a1 beyond the vent port 5a1, and the second protrusion 5a4 being a vertical rib that extends upward from the outside air introduction valve body 8a1 beyond the vent port 5a1. According to the above configuration, the outside air introduction valve member 8 can be assembled to the cylinder portion 5a by the annular protrusion 5a5, and the recess 5a2 can be efficiently formed with a small amount of material by the annular protrusion 5a5, the vertical rib-like first protrusion 5a3, and the vertical rib-like second protrusion 5a4.

[0020] The dispenser 2 has a pressure-accumulating cylinder section 11 having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the cylinder section 5a, and a pressure-accumulating sliding member 12 that slides on the pressure-accumulating cylinder section 11, and the holding member 7, when operated, moves up and down relative to the cylinder section 5a together with the pressure-accumulating sliding member 12, the pressure-accumulating cylinder section 11, and the sliding member 6, and the internal flow path C sends and discharges the contents 4 to the discharge port C1 in accordance with the moving up and down of the holding member 7 via a pump chamber C2 defined by the pressure-accumulating cylinder section 11, the pressure-accumulating sliding member 12, the cylinder section 5a, and the sliding member 6, and the dispenser 2, when operated, moves the holding member 7, when operated together with the pressure-accumulating sliding member 12, forward relative to the pressure-accumulating cylinder section 11, and then moves down relative to the cylinder section 5a together with the pressure-accumulating cylinder section 11 and the sliding member 6, The pressure accumulator opening / closing unit 15 has a connecting portion 13 that connects the holding member 7 to the pressure accumulator cylinder portion 11 so that after the holding member 7 rises relative to the pressure accumulator cylinder portion 11, it moves upward relative to the cylinder portion 5a together with the pressure accumulator cylinder portion 11 and the sliding member 6; a holding member biasing portion 14 (compression spring) that applies a biasing force to the holding member 7 for an upward movement relative to the cylinder portion 5a in order to raise the pressure accumulator cylinder portion 11 and the sliding member 6 via the connecting portion 13; and a pressure accumulator opening / closing unit 15 that opens the internal flow path C when the internal pressure of the pump chamber C2 increases due to the downward movement of the pressure accumulator sliding member 12 relative to the pressure accumulator cylinder portion 11, and closes when the internal pressure of the pump chamber C2 decreases due to the upward movement of the pressure accumulator sliding member 12 relative to the pressure accumulator cylinder portion 11.

[0021] According to the above configuration, when the operation is performed, first, the holding member 7, together with the pressure-accumulator sliding member 12, descends relative to the pressure-accumulator cylinder portion 11, increasing the internal pressure of the pump chamber C2. As a result, the pressure-accumulator opening / closing portion 15 opens, and the increased internal pressure of the pump chamber C2 causes the contents 4 to be forcefully discharged to the outside. Further, by continuing the operation, the holding member 7, together with the pressure-accumulator cylinder portion 11 and the sliding member 6, descends relative to the cylinder portion 5a. The increased internal pressure of the pump chamber C2 holds the pressure-accumulator opening / closing portion 15 in the open state (the state shown in FIG. 2 ), allowing the contents 4 to continue to be forcefully discharged. When the discharge of the contents 4 is completed, the internal pressure of the pump chamber C2 decreases, causing the pressure-accumulator opening / closing portion 15 to close. When the operation is released, with the pressure-accumulator opening / closing portion 15 closed, the biasing force of the holding member biasing portion 14 causes the holding member 7 to ascend relative to the cylinder portion 5a toward its initial position, decreasing the internal pressure of the pump chamber C2, allowing the contents 4 to be sucked into the pump chamber C2 from the upstream side. Thus, according to the above configuration, pressure is first accumulated by the pressure accumulator cylinder section 11 and pressure accumulator sliding member 12 on the side with the smaller cross-sectional area during operation, so that a light operation can achieve a powerful discharge of the contents 4 from the start. Further, the cylinder section 5a and sliding member 6 on the side with the larger cross-sectional area are used for subsequent discharge, so that the cylinder stroke can be prevented from becoming long even when designed to obtain a large discharge amount.

[0022] In the case where the cylinder portion 5a is made cylindrical with a large diameter to ensure a large cross-sectional area and the vent port 5a1 is provided at the top of the cylinder portion 5a as in this embodiment, when the outside air introduction valve member 8 swells and the inside diameter decreases, it is likely to adhere to the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 5a, so it is particularly useful to provide the recess 5a2 that prevents adhesion as in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the pressure accumulator opening and closing portion 15 is made up of the pressure accumulator sliding member 12, the pressure accumulator biasing portion 15a (compression spring) that biases the pressure accumulator sliding member 12 downward, and the seating portion 7a of the holding member 7 on which the pressure accumulator sliding member 12 sits, and the pressure accumulator sliding member 12 rises from a state where it is seated on the seating portion 7a against the biasing force from the pressure accumulator biasing portion 15a due to an increase in the internal pressure of the pump chamber C2, and thereby separates from the seating portion 7a, thereby opening the pressure accumulator opening and closing portion 15, but the configuration of the pressure accumulator opening and closing portion 15 is not limited to this. The holding member 7 has a finger-type push-down head 7b that has the discharge port C1 and is pressed down by a finger, but is not limited to this and may have a push-down head other than a finger-type. Furthermore, the holding member 7 is not limited to a configuration having a push-down head.

[0023] The dispenser 2 has a normal and inverted unit 16 having a lower suction port C3 and an upper suction port C4 provided above the lower suction port C3, and when the dispenser container 1 is in the upright position, the holding member 7 moves up and down to cause the contents 4 in the container body 3 to flow from the lower suction port C3 of the normal and inverted unit 16 to the pump chamber C2, and when in the inverted position, the holding member 7 moves up and down to cause the contents 4 in the container body 3 to flow from the upper suction port C4 of the normal and inverted unit 16 to the pump chamber C2. With the above configuration, the contents 4 in the container body 3 can be dispensed from the discharge port C1 of the dispenser 2 by moving the holding member 7 up and down in both the upright and inverted positions.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 , the discharger 2 includes a cylinder member 5 having a cylindrical cylinder portion 5a, a flange 5b extending radially outward from the upper end of the cylinder portion 5a, and a suction port 5c for the pump chamber C2. The vent port 5a1 extends radially through the cylinder portion 5a. In an initial state before the holding member 7 is operated, the sliding member 6 blocks the outside air introduction path P. When the holding member 7 is lowered by operation, the sliding member 6 can unblock the outside air introduction path P. The cylinder member 5 is made of, for example, resin. The outside air introduction valve member 8 includes a cylindrical tubular portion 8a and an annular flange portion 8b centered on a central axis O that protrudes radially outward from the upper end of the tubular portion 8a along the flange 5b. The lower end of the tubular portion 8a forms an outside air introduction valve element 8a1, and a portion of the tubular portion 8a above the outside air introduction valve element 8a1 faces the recess 5a2.

[0025] The dispenser 2 has an attachment cap 17, which has an annular flange holder 17a centered on the central axis O, and a locking tubular portion 17b extending downward from the outer periphery of the flange holder 17a and engaging with the outer periphery of the mouth portion 2a with the flange 5b sandwiched between the flange holder 17a and the mouth portion 2a. The dispenser 2 also has a retaining member 18 which is annular and surrounds the pressure accumulator cylinder portion 11 and is attached to the upper end of the cylinder portion 5a to prevent the sliding member 6 from slipping out upward from the cylinder portion 5a. The outside air introduction path P introduces outside air into the container body 3 by passing it between the push-down head 7b and the flange holder 17a of the attachment cap 17, between the pressure accumulator cylinder portion 11 and the retaining member 18, through the vent 5a1, the recess 5a2, and between the cylinder portion 5a and the outside air introduction valve body 8a1, in this order. The dispenser 2 includes, but is not limited to, an overcap 19 that is attached to the mounting cap 17 to cover the push-down head 7b and that is removed from the mounting cap 17 to expose the push-down head 7b.

[0026] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the above-described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1 Discharge container 2 Dispenser 2a Mouth 2b Torso 2c bottom 3 Container body 4 Contents 5 Cylinder parts 5a Cylinder section 5a1 Ventilation hole 5a2 recess 5a3 First convex part 5a4 Second convex part 5a5 Annular convex part 5b flange 5c Intake port 6. Sliding member 7 Retaining member 7a Seating area 7b Push-down head 8. Outside air intake valve member 8a Cylindrical part 8a1 Outside air intake valve body 8b Flange part 9a 1st edge 9b 2nd edge 10a First edge of vent 10b Second edge of vent 11 Accumulator cylinder section 12 Pressure storage sliding member 13 Connection 14 Holding member biasing portion 15 Accumulator opening and closing section 15a Accumulated pressure section 16 Forward and inverted unit 17 Mounting cap 17a Flange holder 17b Locking cylinder part 18 Anti-slip member 19 Overcap C Internal flow path C1 outlet C2 Pump Room C3 Lower intake port C4 Upper intake port D Specified radial direction O center axis P Outside air intake route

Claims

1. A dispenser that is attached to the mouth of a container body and dispenses the contents of the container body to the outside in response to an operation, A cylinder portion; a sliding member that slides on the cylinder portion; a holding member having a discharge port and moving up and down relative to the cylinder portion together with the sliding member in response to the operation; an internal flow path that sends and discharges the content to the discharge port through a pump chamber defined by the cylinder portion and the sliding member in response to the lifting and lowering movement of the holding member; an outside air introduction path having an air vent provided in the cylinder portion, and introducing outside air into the container body through the air vent in response to the lifting and lowering movement of the holding member; an outside air introduction valve member that is provided over the entire circumference of the cylinder portion, straddling the vent port in the vertical direction, and that has an outside air introduction valve body below the vent port; the outside air introduction valve body prevents the contents from leaking into the outside air introduction path when the container is discharged in an inverted position by contacting the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion, and allows the outside air to be introduced into the container body by separating from the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion when the outside air is introduced through the outside air introduction path, The cylinder portion has a recess extending from the outside air introduction valve body side toward the vent port side.

2. The recess extends in a concave shape from a first edge on one circumferential side to a second edge on the other circumferential side, 2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein, in a predetermined radial direction passing through a center of the vent hole, the first edge of the recess is located outside an edge on one circumferential side of the vent hole on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion, or the second edge of the recess is located outside an edge on the other circumferential side of the vent hole on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the cylinder portion has a first protrusion that forms one circumferential end of the recess, and a second protrusion that forms the other circumferential end of the recess.

4. the cylinder portion has an annular protrusion provided over the entire circumference above the vent port and adapted to fit with the outside air introduction valve member; the first protrusion has a vertical rib shape extending upward from the outside air introduction valve body beyond the vent hole, The dispenser according to claim 3 , wherein the second protrusion is a vertical rib extending upward from the outside air introduction valve body beyond the vent hole.

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