Inner plug member and discharge container

Abstract

To provide an inner plug member capable of achieving simplification of assembly work, and to provide a discharge container.SOLUTION: An inner plug member includes: an inner plug body having a discharge port at an end part on one side; a bottomed cylindrical attachment part which can be mounted on a mouth part of a container body, and in which the inner plug body can be fitted; and a valve part held between an end part on the other side of the inner plug body and the attachment part. The attachment part includes an opening part at a bottom part. The valve part includes: a base part; a valve body provided inside the base part; and a spring part for connecting the base part and the valve body. In a state where at least part of the base part is held between the inner plug body and the attachment part, the spring part enables switching between a closed state where the opening part of the attachment part is closed by the valve body, and an open state where the valve body is separated from the opening part of the attachment part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inside plug member and a discharge container. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, containers in which a valve mechanism is attached to the inner plug member of a nozzle are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a knock-type container in which the inner plug member fitted into the nozzle is equipped with a ball valve, a spring body connected to the upper part of the inner plug member, and a movable rod connected to the upper part of the spring body, thereby making it possible to prevent the contents from accidentally blowing out without providing a special air vent mechanism. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-43397 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the inner plug member of Patent Document 1 has a complex structure of components that make up the valve mechanism, making assembly work complicated. For this reason, the inner plug member of Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in terms of simplifying the assembly work.

[0005] The present invention relates to an inside plug member and a discharge container that can simplify assembly work. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The plug member of the present invention comprises a plug body having a discharge outlet at one end, a bottomed, tubular attachment part that can be attached to the mouth of a container body and into which the plug body can be fitted, and a valve part that is held between the other end of the plug body and the attachment part, wherein the attachment part has an opening at the bottom, and the valve part has a base, a valve body provided inside the base, and a spring part that connects the base and the valve body, and the spring part is configured to be switchable between a closed state in which the opening of the attachment part is blocked by the valve body, and an open state in which the valve body is moved away from the opening of the attachment part when at least a part of the base is held between the plug body and the attachment part.

[0007] Moreover, a dispensing container according to the present invention includes a container body having a mouth portion formed therein, the inner plug member, and a cap configured to be detachable from the container body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The inside plug member and the discharge container of the present invention can simplify the assembly work. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the discharge container according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside plug member according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the inside plug member according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside plug member according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a valve portion according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which liquid is introduced into the inner plug member by squeezing the discharge container and the valve portion is raised (open state). FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the introduction of liquid into the inner plug member is stopped by releasing the squeezing operation of the discharge container, and the valve portion is restored to its original state (closed state). FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the inventions according to the claims, and not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention. Furthermore, in the present embodiments, the scale and dimensions of each component may be exaggerated, and some components may be omitted.

[0011] [Overall configuration of the discharge container] As shown in FIG. 1 , the discharge container 100 according to this embodiment includes a container body 110 having a mouth portion 114 formed on one side in the axial direction, a plug member 1 that can be attached to the mouth portion 114, and a cap 120 that is configured to be detachable from the container body 110. The discharge container 100 according to this embodiment is formed in a cylindrical shape in which the length in the vertical direction (axial direction) is longer than the length in the width direction (radial direction) when the cap 120 is attached to the container body 110 so as to cover the mouth portion 114 and the plug member 1. Note that the cap 120 can have various known configurations as long as it is detachable from the container body 110, and therefore, a description of the specific configuration of the cap 120 will be omitted in this specification. The shape of the discharge container 100 is not limited to the above-described shapes, and various shapes known in the field of discharge containers can be used.

[0012] In this specification, the direction from the bottom surface of the container body 110 toward the mouth portion 114 is defined as "upward," and the opposite direction is defined as "downward." However, the up-down direction here is merely a direction defined for the convenience of explanation, and is not necessarily the up-down direction in actual usage. In addition, in this specification, the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction when viewing the discharge container 100 and the inner plug member 1 from the front, i.e., the radial direction of the discharge container 100 and the inner plug member 1, is defined as the "width direction."

[0013] [Container body configuration] As shown in FIG. 1 , the container body 110 includes a body 112 capable of containing a liquid to be dispensed, and a mouth 114 configured to allow attachment of a stopper member 1 and through which the liquid contained in the body 112 can be introduced into the stopper member 1. The body 112 has a bottom surface, a peripheral wall extending upward from the bottom surface, and a shoulder portion extending radially inward from the upper end of the peripheral wall, with an opening formed in the center of the shoulder portion. The mouth 114 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending upward from an opening formed in the shoulder portion of the body 112. The container body 110 also includes a stirring ball (not shown) within the body 112, which is configured to stir the liquid contained in the body 112. Note that in this embodiment, the body 112 and the mouth 114 are integrally formed, but this is not limited thereto, and the mouth 114 may be a separate member attached to the upper end of the body 112. In this embodiment, the peripheral wall of body 112 and mouth 114 have a circular cross-sectional shape in the width direction (that is, a generally cylindrical shape overall), but this is not limiting and various shapes can be adopted.

[0014] In this embodiment, the container body 110 is a bottle or tube that can be elastically deformed by a squeezing operation. Specifically, the body 112 of the container body 110 according to this embodiment is a so-called squeeze bottle that has an outer shape that can be held by hand, and has flexibility that allows it to be elastically deformed by pressing (squeezing operation). Because the body 112 has flexibility that allows it to be elastically deformed, when the peripheral wall of the body 112 is pressed inward in the width direction, the liquid contained in the body 112 can be introduced into the inside of the inner plug member 1 through the opening 114.

[0015] Here, from the viewpoint of improving the feel during the squeezing operation and improving the design after the squeezing operation, the material constituting the container body 110 is preferably an elastic material that has both excellent flexibility (squeezability) that allows deformation by the squeezing operation and excellent recovery (squeeze-back property) when the external force is removed. Examples of such materials include polyolefin resins such as polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), either alone or in combination. Furthermore, the container body 110 may be formed to include an ionomer resin layer or a resin layer (EVOH layer) made of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer as an outer layer on the outer peripheral surface, an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer as an inner layer on the inner peripheral surface, or an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer as an intermediate layer (EVOH layer) between the outer and inner peripheral surfaces. The material for forming the container body 110 is not limited to this, and various materials can be used.

[0016] The liquid contained in the body 112 can be any liquid agent depending on the purpose, and examples thereof include various liquids (fluids) used in the form of skin care serum, makeup cosmetics (for example, base makeup, liquid foundation, etc.), sunscreen, conditioner, cleaning solution, gel disinfectant, toilet gel stamp, hair cosmetics, various foods (for example, edible oils and fats such as mayonnaise and margarine, cream, etc.), etc. For example, the dispensing container 100 according to this embodiment is a cosmetic product in which a liquid cosmetic is contained in the container body 110.

[0017] The mouth portion 114 is provided on one side in the axial direction of the container body 110, and is configured to allow attachment of the inside plug member 1, which will be described later. Specifically, the mouth portion 114 extends upward from the upper end of the barrel portion 112, and the inner surface of the end portion on one side in the axial direction (the upper side in FIG. 1) is configured to fit with the outer surface of the attachment portion 20 of the inside plug member 1, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the mouth portion 114 has an annular protrusion (male thread) formed on its outer surface to allow attachment of the cap 120, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the annular protrusion may not be formed.

[0018] The other axial end of the mouth 114 communicates with the interior of the body 112, and with the plug member 1 attached to the mouth 114, the peripheral wall of the body 112 can be pressed inward in the width direction to introduce the liquid contained in the body 112 into the plug member 1. Note that the shape and dimensions of the mouth 114 can be any of a variety of known shapes, as long as they at least allow the plug member 1 to be attached and allow the liquid contained in the body 112 to be introduced into the plug member 1 attached to the mouth 114.

[0019] [Configuration of inner plug component] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the plug member 1 of this embodiment comprises a substantially cylindrical plug body 10 having a discharge outlet 12a at one end (upper end), a bottomed cylindrical attachment part 20 that can be attached to the mouth part 114 of the container body 110 and into which the plug body 10 can be fitted, and a valve part 30 that is held between the other end (lower end) of the plug body 10 and the attachment part 20.

[0020] In this specification, "fitted" is explained as including not only a state in which both components are in close contact with each other without forming any gaps, etc., but also a state in which a gap is formed between the two components to the extent that liquid does not leak out. Also, "bottomed cylindrical" is explained as referring to a cylindrical shape having a bottom at one end and an opening at the other end.

[0021] [Configuration of inner plug body] 2 to 4, the inside plug body 10 according to this embodiment has a discharge outlet 12a at one end. Specifically, the inside plug body 10 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape capable of discharging liquid, and is provided with a nozzle portion 12 in which the discharge outlet 12a is formed on one side (upper side) of the axial center, and a fitting portion 14 on the other side (lower side) of the axial center. The inside plug body 10 also has a middle cylindrical portion 16 that connects the inside of the fitting portion 14 with the discharge outlet 12a.

[0022] In this embodiment, the outer surface of the plug body 10 is configured to fit into the inner surface of the attachment part 20. Specifically, the outer diameter of the largest diameter portion of the fitting part 14 of the plug body 10 is formed to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the attachment part 20, and the outer surface of the fitting part 14 is press-fitted into the inner surface of the attachment part 20, thereby allowing the plug body 10 to fit into the attachment part 20.

[0023] In this way, the outer surface of the inside plug body 10 is configured to be able to fit with the inner surface of the attachment part 20, so that the inside plug body 10 and the attachment part 20 can be fitted together without the need for separate parts such as connecting parts or sealing parts, thereby improving the work efficiency when manufacturing the inside plug member 1.

[0024] The inside plug body 10 is preferably formed from a material that is rigid enough to prevent deformation when mated with the attachment portion 20. Examples of such materials that can be used include polyolefin resins such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE), polyolefin elastomers, and polypropylene (PP). Among these, polyolefin resins such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE) are preferred from the viewpoint of providing rigidity sufficient to prevent deformation when mated with the attachment portion 20 and flexibility sufficient to prevent breakage when mated with the attachment portion 20. The inside plug body 10 is preferably formed from the same material as the attachment portion 20 and the valve portion 30, which will be described later. By forming the inside plug body 10, the attachment portion 20, and the valve portion 30 from the same material, the recyclability of the inside plug member 1 can be improved.

[0025] The nozzle portion 12 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with a tapered outer surface that tapers from the lower end to the upper end, and is provided at its upper end with a discharge port 12a that communicates with the middle cylinder portion 16. The shape of the nozzle portion 12 is not limited to the configuration described above, and various shapes can be adopted as long as the shape has at least a discharge port 12a that can discharge liquid.

[0026] The fitting portion 14 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape extending downward from the lower end of the nozzle portion 12. In the present embodiment, the fitting portion 14 has a tapered outer surface that tapers slightly downward, which is configured to further improve the efficiency of the work when press-fitting the fitting portion 14 into the inner surface of the attachment portion 20. Furthermore, the fitting portion 14 has a plurality of (two in this embodiment) annular protrusions 14a that protrude radially outward from an upper region of the outer surface, which is configured to prevent the fitting portion 14 from slipping out after being press-fitted into the inner surface of the attachment portion 20.

[0027] Although the fitting portion 14 has been described as having a tapered outer surface, the present invention is not limited to this and does not necessarily have to be tapered. Also, although the fitting portion 14 has been described as having a plurality of annular protrusions 14a in an upper region of the outer surface, the annular protrusions 14a may be formed in a lower region of the outer surface, or the fitting portion 14 may not have any annular protrusions 14a at all.

[0028] The middle tube portion 16 has a cylindrical shape with a flow path formed therein through which a liquid can flow. The middle tube portion 16 has a communication port at its lower end that communicates with the interior of the fitting portion 14 and a communication port at its upper end that communicates with the discharge port 12a of the nozzle portion 12, thereby connecting the interior of the fitting portion 14 with the discharge port 12a. By providing a flow path within the middle tube portion 16 in the middle plug body 10, a long flow path can be ensured for liquid introduced into the middle plug body 10 until it is discharged from the discharge port 12a, thereby preventing the liquid from accidentally spraying out of the discharge port 12a. In this embodiment, the lower end of the middle tube portion 16 is located slightly above the lower end of the fitting portion 14 so that the communication port at the lower end is not blocked by a valve element 34 (described later) of the valve portion 30 when the valve element 34 (described later) is separated from an opening 22a (described later) of the attachment portion 20 (open state).

[0029] In this embodiment, the flow path of the middle cylindrical portion 16 is formed so that the cross section of the flow path gradually increases from the lower end to the upper end. Specifically, the middle cylindrical portion 16 is configured so that the inner diameter of the communication port at the lower end is smaller than the inner diameter of the communication port at the upper end. Furthermore, the middle cylindrical portion 16 is configured so that the inner surface extending from the communication port at the lower end to the communication port at the upper end gradually increases in diameter from the lower end to the upper end. In this way, by forming the flow path of the middle cylindrical portion 16 so that the cross section of the flow path gradually increases from the lower end to the upper end, the flow rate of the liquid introduced into the flow path decreases from the lower end to the upper end, making it possible to prevent the liquid from spraying out when being discharged from the discharge port 12a.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the plug body 10 is provided with a flange portion 18 in the axial center portion that extends radially outward from the plug body 10. By providing the plug body 10 with the flange portion 18 in the axial center portion in this way, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the work when press-fitting the fitting portion 14 into the inner surface of the attachment portion 20.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the outer diameter of the flange portion 18 is configured to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of a flange portion 24 provided on the attachment portion 20, which will be described later. Specifically, the flange portion 18 is configured so that when the fitting portion 14 is press-fitted into the inner surface of the attachment portion 20, the outer surface is flush with the flange portion 24 provided on the attachment portion 20, which will be described later. This configuration also makes it possible to improve the design when the inside plug body 10 and the attachment portion 20 are fitted together.

[0032] [Attachment configuration] 4, the attachment part 20 is a bottomed, cylindrical intermediate member having an opening 22a in the bottom part 22. Specifically, the attachment part 20 has the bottom part 22 extending radially inward from the lower end, and the bottom part 22 has the opening part 22a formed along the axial direction of the inside plug body 10 when the attachment part 20 and the inside plug body 10 are fitted together. Note that in this embodiment, the attachment part 20 is formed into a cylindrical shape with a circular cross section in the width direction, but is not limited to this, and various shapes can be adopted as long as they are shapes that allow the inside plug body 10 to be attached and that allow attachment to the mouth 114 of the container body 110.

[0033] The attachment part 20 is configured so that a base 32 and valve element 34 (described later) of the valve part 30 can be placed on the bottom part 22. With this configuration, by fitting the inside plug body 10 to the attachment part 20 with the base 32 and valve element 34 placed on the bottom part 22, the base 32 and valve element 34 can be stably held on the bottom part 22, thereby enhancing the check valve effect of the valve element 34.

[0034] The outer surface of the attachment part 20 is configured to fit into the inner surface of the mouth part 114 of the container body 110. Specifically, the attachment part 20 has an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the mouth part 114 of the container body 110, and is configured so that the outer surface of the attachment part 20 can be press-fitted into the inner surface of the mouth part 114. With this configuration, the attachment part 20 can be attached to the mouth part 114 of the container body 110 without providing a separate member such as a connecting member or a sealing member, thereby improving the efficiency of the work when attaching the inside plug member 1 to the mouth part 114 of the container body 110.

[0035] 4, the outer surface of the attachment part 20 is formed in a tapered shape that tapers slightly downward. This configuration can further improve the efficiency of the work when the outer surface of the attachment part 20 is press-fitted into the inner surface of the mouth part 114 of the container body 110.

[0036] The attachment part 20 is preferably formed from a material that is rigid enough to allow the fitting portion 14 of the inside plug body 10 to be press-fitted therein. Examples of such materials that can be used include polyolefin resins such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE), polyolefin elastomers, and materials such as polypropylene (PP). However, from the viewpoint of providing rigidity sufficient to allow the fitting portion 14 of the inside plug body 10 to be press-fitted therein and flexibility sufficient to prevent damage when the outer surface of the attachment part 20 is press-fitted into the inner surface of the mouth 114 of the container body 110, it is preferable to form the attachment part 20 from a polyolefin resin such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), or low-density polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE). The attachment part 20 is preferably formed from the same material as the inside plug body 10 described above and the valve part 30 described below. In this way, by forming the inside plug body 10, the attachment portion 20 and the valve portion 30 from the same material, it is possible to improve the recyclability of the inside plug member 1.

[0037] The opening 22a is configured to discharge the liquid contained in the barrel 112 of the container body 110 from the discharge port 12a through the central cylindrical portion 16 of the stopper body 10 when the inner surface of the attachment portion 20 is engaged with the outer surface of the stopper body 10 and when the outer surface of the attachment portion 20 is engaged with the inner surface of the mouth portion 114 of the container body 110.

[0038] In this embodiment, only one opening 22a is formed, but the present invention is not limited to this and a configuration in which multiple openings 22a are formed is also possible. Furthermore, in this embodiment, opening 22a is formed so as to be coaxial with the central axes of container body 110 and inside plug body 10 when the inner surface of attachment part 20 is fitted with the outer surface of inside plug body 10 and when the outer surface of attachment part 20 is fitted with the inner surface of mouth part 114 of container body 110, but the present invention is not limited to this and opening 22a may be provided at a position spaced apart from the central axes of container body 110 and inside plug body 10.

[0039] The opening width of the opening 22a is preferably 70% or less of the outer diameter of the attachment part 20, more preferably 50% or less, even more preferably 45% or less, and even more preferably 35% or less, from the viewpoint of increasing the flow pressure of the liquid introduced into the attachment part 20 and making it easier to displace the valve body 34 placed on the bottom part 22 from a closed state to an open state.

[0040] In addition, the opening width of the opening 22a is preferably 1.0 mm or more, more preferably 1.5 mm or more, and even more preferably 2.5 mm or more, from the viewpoint of preventing the flow pressure of the liquid introduced into the attachment part 20 from increasing excessively and facilitating the squeezing operation.

[0041] Here, the "opening width of the opening" refers to the length of the opening 22a in the width direction when the opening 22a is viewed from the opening direction (from below in FIG. 4). Note that when multiple openings 22a are formed, the "opening width" refers to the total length of the multiple openings 22a in the width direction.

[0042] Moreover, the attachment part 20 according to this embodiment includes a flange part 24 extending radially outward from the upper end part. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the flange part 24 is formed to be substantially the same as the outer diameter of the mouth part 114 of the container body 110. This configuration makes it possible to improve the efficiency of attaching the attachment part 20 to the mouth part 114 of the container body 110. Furthermore, when the attachment part 20 is attached to the mouth part 114 of the container body 110, it is possible to prevent the inner plug member 1 from falling off into the container body 110 and to reduce the possibility of liquid leaking from the connection part between the attachment part 20 and the mouth part 114. The attachment to the mouth 114 of the container body 110 may be accomplished by first attaching the attachment part 20 to the mouth 114 and then pressing the inner plug body 10 into the inner surface of the attachment part 20, or by first pressing the inner plug body 10 into the inner surface of the attachment part 20 and then attaching the attachment part 20 to the mouth 114.

[0043] Furthermore, the flange portion 24 is formed to have the same outer diameter as the flange portion 18 of the inside plug body 10. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility of liquid leaking from the connection point when the inside plug body 10 is fitted into the attachment portion 20, and it is also possible to improve the design when the inside plug body 10 and the attachment portion 20 are fitted together.

[0044] [Valve section configuration] 3 to 5, the valve unit 30 has a base 32, a valve element 34 provided inside the base 32, and a spring portion 36 connecting the base 32 and the valve element 34. Specifically, the valve unit 30 has an annular base 32, a disk-shaped valve element 34 provided on the inner peripheral surface of the base 32, and a substantially arc-shaped spring portion 36 connecting the base 32 and the valve element 34, and is formed into a disk shape (disk shape) overall whose diameter is greater than its thickness. In this embodiment, the base 32, the valve element 34, and the spring portion 36 are formed by integral molding.

[0045] The shape of the valve portion 30 is not limited to this, and may be formed into a polygonal shape such as a rectangle or a triangle in a plan view. Furthermore, although the base portion 32, the valve body 34, and the spring portion 36 have been described as being formed by integral molding, this is not limiting, and some or all of the base portion 32, the valve body 34, and the spring portion 36 may be separate members.

[0046] The valve portion 30 is configured to be held between the other end (lower end) of the inside plug body 10 and the attachment portion 20. Specifically, the valve portion 30 is configured such that, with the base portion 32 and the valve body 34 placed on the bottom portion 22 of the attachment portion 20, the attachment portion 20 and the inside plug body 10 are fitted together, thereby sandwiching the base portion 32 between the lower end of the fitting portion 14 of the inside plug body 10 and the upper surface of the bottom portion 22 of the attachment portion 20. In this way, since the valve portion 30 is held between the other end portion of the inside plug body 10 and the attachment portion 20, there is no need to separately provide a holding member, a sealing member, or the like for holding the valve portion 30, and therefore the work efficiency when manufacturing the inside plug member 1 can be dramatically improved.

[0047] The valve portion 30 is preferably formed from a material that is rigid enough to prevent deformation when held between the other end of the inside plug body 10 and the attachment portion 20, and is flexible enough to be deformed by the hydraulic pressure of the liquid introduced from the barrel portion 112. Examples of such materials that can be used include polyolefin resins such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE), polyolefin elastomers, and materials such as polypropylene (PP). Among these, it is preferable to form the valve portion 30 from a polyolefin resin such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), or low-density polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE), from the viewpoint of being rigid enough to prevent deformation when held between the other end of the inside plug body 10 and the attachment portion 20, and being flexible enough to be deformed by the hydraulic pressure of the liquid introduced from the barrel portion 112. The valve portion 30 is preferably formed from the same material as the above-described material of the inside plug body 10 and the above-described material of the attachment portion 20. In this way, by forming the inside plug body 10, the attachment portion 20 and the valve portion 30 from the same material, it is possible to improve the recyclability of the inside plug member 1.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 3, the base 32 has an annular upper edge 32a, a cylindrical peripheral wall 32b extending downward from the upper edge 32a, and a tapered lower edge 32c extending downward and radially inward from the lower end of the peripheral wall 32b. The thickness of the base 32 ensures sufficient liquid-tightness between the inside plug body 10 and the attachment 20. Furthermore, the tapered lower edge 32c improves the efficiency of placing the base 32 on the bottom 22 of the attachment 20. However, the shape of the lower edge 32c is not limited to this, and the lower edge 32c does not have to be tapered.

[0049] The outer diameter of the base 32 is set to a diameter that allows at least a portion of it to be held between the inside plug body 10 and the attachment part 20. Specifically, the outer diameter of the base 32 is formed to be smaller than the inner diameter of the attachment part 20 and larger than the opening 22a formed in the bottom part 22. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the valve part 30 from falling off from the opening 22a.

[0050] The valve element 34 is provided at the center of the inside of the base 32 (within the area defined by the base 32). Specifically, the valve element 34 is formed in a disk shape with a diameter larger than the diameter of the opening 22a of the attachment part 20, and is configured to be able to switch between a closed state and an open state with respect to the opening 22a in cooperation with the spring part 36. That is, in the open state, the valve element 34 is configured to allow the flow of liquid in the direction from the opening 22a of the attachment part 20 toward the discharge port 12a, and to function as a check valve that prevents the flow of fluid in the opposite direction in the closed state. Here, in this specification, "closing the opening" does not only refer to a state in which the valve element 34 completely closes the opening 22a without any gap, but also to a state in which a gap (clearance) is formed between the valve element 34 and the bottom 22 of the attachment part 20 to a degree that allows slight backflow.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the valve element 34 is disposed so as to be located directly above the opening 22a when at least a portion of the valve portion 30 is held between the inside plug body 10 and the attachment portion 20. Specifically, the valve element 34 is disposed so that its centroid is located on the central axis of the opening 22a. This configuration makes it possible to enhance the check valve effect compared to when the valve element 34 is not disposed directly above the opening 22a.

[0052] In the above description, the shape of the valve element 34 has been described as being disk-shaped, but the shape is not limited to this as long as it is a shape that can close at least the opening 22a formed in the bottom 22. For example, the valve element 34 may be spherical or semispherical, the valve element 34 may be arc-shaped curving from the outer diameter toward the centroid, at least a portion of the outer diameter of the valve element 34 may be protruding or curved, the valve element 34 may be formed in a polygonal shape such as a triangular or rectangular shape, or may have various other shapes.

[0053] In this embodiment, the valve body 34 has a shape that is thinner than the thickness of the base 32. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the thickness L2 of the valve body 34 is configured to be thinner than the thickness L1 of the base 32. In this way, when the inside plug body 10 and the attachment part 20 are fitted together, interference with the middle cylindrical part 16 in the open state described above can be suppressed, and the vertical length of the entire inside plug member 1 can be shortened. Note that the "valve body thickness" refers to the vertical thickness of the valve body 34 when the inside plug body 10 and the attachment part 20 are fitted together (see FIG. 4). Also, the "base thickness" refers to the vertical thickness of the base 32 when the inside plug body 10 and the attachment part 20 are fitted together.

[0054] The spring portion 36 is configured to be switchable between a closed state in which the opening 22a of the attachment portion 20 is blocked by the valve body 34, and an open state in which the valve body 34 is separated from the opening 22a of the attachment portion 20, when at least a portion of the base portion 32 is held between the inside plug body 10 and the attachment portion 20. In the present embodiment, the spring portion 36 is configured to be elastically deformable, and is configured to be switchable between the open state and the closed state in cooperation with the valve body 34.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 5, the spring portion 36 has a base end portion 36a extending radially inward from the lower end of the inner peripheral surface of the lower edge portion 32c of the base portion 32, an arc-shaped elastic portion 36b extending from the base end portion 36a along the circumferential direction of the base portion 32, and a tip portion 36c connecting the tip of the elastic portion 36b to the radially outer end face of the valve body 34, and is formed in a generally arc-like shape as a whole.

[0056] The shape of the spring portion 36 is not limited to this, and various known shapes can be adopted. However, when the spring portion 36 is formed in an arc shape having an arc-shaped elastic portion 36b, as in this embodiment, the valve body 34 can be moved not only upward but also in the width direction, and therefore the valve body 34 can be displaced from the closed state to the open state more reliably compared to a shape in which the spring portion 36 linearly connects the base 32 and the valve body 34.

[0057] In this embodiment, a plurality of spring portions 36 (three in this embodiment) are provided, and are arranged so that the base ends 36a are spaced apart in the circumferential direction at equal intervals (120° intervals in this embodiment). This configuration allows the force acting on each spring portion 36 to be evenly distributed, thereby reducing the possibility of each spring portion 36 breaking. Furthermore, even when the amount of liquid introduced through the opening 22a is small, the valve body 34 can be stably displaced to the open state, improving the user experience during use. The number of spring portions 36 is not limited to the number in this embodiment, and may be three or more, or may be three or less.

[0058] The spring portion 36 is configured such that the base end 36a and the tip end 36c form a predetermined angle. Specifically, in a plan view as shown in FIG. 5 , the angle θ formed by an imaginary line VL1 passing through the center of the base end 36a and the center of the valve body 34 and an imaginary line VL2 passing through the center of the tip end 36c and the center of the valve body 34 is preferably 10° or greater, more preferably 30° or greater, and even more preferably 60° or greater, from the viewpoint of ensuring the amount of displacement of the valve body 34, thereby improving the liquid dischargeability and providing a comfortable feel when in use. Furthermore, the angle θ formed by the imaginary lines VL1 and VL2 is preferably 120° or less, more preferably 110° or less, and even more preferably 100° or less, from the viewpoint of ensuring good moldability. That is, the angle θ formed by the imaginary lines VL1 and VL2 is preferably 10° or greater and 120° or less, more preferably 30° or greater and 110° or less, and even more preferably 60° or greater and 100° or less.

[0059] In this way, by providing a predetermined angle between base end 36a and tip end 36c of spring portion 36, valve element 34 can be moved with a weaker external force than when spring portion 36 linearly connects the inner circumferential surface of base 32 to the radially outer end of valve element 34. Therefore, even in the closed state where opening 22a is blocked by valve element 34, outside air introduced from discharge port 12a can be appropriately introduced into container body 110, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in design due to the occurrence of a dent in the outer diameter after use of container body 110. In other words, the valve portion 30 according to this embodiment allows an appropriate amount of air bagging after a squeezing operation, and it is possible to reduce shrinkage (dentation) of container body 110.

[0060] The plug member 1 having the above-described configuration can be assembled by placing the valve portion 30 on the bottom 22 of the attachment portion 20 and then press-fitting the fitting portion 14 of the plug body 10 into the inner surface of the attachment portion 20, which dramatically improves work efficiency during manufacturing, thereby shortening manufacturing time and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0061] [Operation of the inside plug member according to this embodiment] Next, the operation of the inner plug member 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The discharge container 100 according to this embodiment is configured so that when a user grips and presses the barrel portion 112 of the container body 110, the liquid contained in the barrel portion 112 is introduced into the inner plug member 1 through the opening portion 114. Specific operations of the inner plug member 1 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 illustrates the flow path of the liquid introduced into the inner plug member 1 when the barrel portion 112 of the container body 110 is pressed (squeezed), and the operation of the valve unit 30 when the liquid is introduced. FIG. 7 illustrates the flow paths of the liquid and outside air (air) and the operation of the valve unit 30 when an external force is removed from the barrel portion 112 of the container body 110 and the container body 110 is restored to its original state. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the black arrows indicate the flow path of the liquid introduced into the inner plug member 1, and the open arrows indicate the direction of movement of the valve unit 30.

[0062] First, as shown in Figure 6, when the barrel 112 of the container body 110 is pressed by the user, the liquid contained in the barrel 112 is introduced into the attachment part 20 through the opening 22a of the attachment part 20. At this time, the pressure of the liquid is applied to the underside of the valve element 34 of the valve part 30, which closes the opening 22a, causing the spring part 36 to elastically deform, moving the valve element 34 upward and displacing it to the open state. This introduces the liquid into the attachment part 20 and into the inside of the inside plug body 10 that fits into the attachment part 20, and the liquid is then discharged to the outside from the discharge port 12a via the inner cylindrical part 16 of the inside plug body 10.

[0063] Furthermore, when the external force on the body portion 112 is removed after an appropriate amount of liquid has been dispensed, the introduction of liquid into the inner plug member 1 stops. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7 , the restoring force of the spring portion 36 moves the valve element 34 downward and displaces it toward the closed state. That is, the spring portion 36 constantly biases the valve element 34 toward the closed state. In this case, because the spring portion 36 according to this embodiment has a long total length of the base end portion 36a, the elastic portion 36b, and the tip portion 36c, and a wide stroke width, there is a slight time lag between the cessation of the squeezing operation and the valve element 34 closing the opening 22a. Furthermore, because the spring portion 36 is long and has play, if the interior of the container body 110 is under excessively negative pressure, the spring portion 36 slightly displaces to create a small gap between the valve element 34 and the opening 22a, allowing the liquid or gas in the inner plug member 1 to be introduced into the container body 110. This allows airbags to be appropriately formed after the squeezing operation, and makes it possible to reduce shrinkage (depression) of the container body 110, thereby preventing deterioration in the aesthetic appearance of the discharge container 100 after discharging the liquid.

[0064] [Advantages of the inner plug member according to this embodiment] As described above, the plug member 1 according to this embodiment comprises the plug body 10 having the discharge outlet 12a at one end, the bottomed, tubular attachment part 20 that can be attached to the opening 114 of the container body 110 and into which the plug body 10 can be fitted, and the valve part 30 that is held between the other end of the plug body 10 and the attachment part 20. The attachment part 20 has an opening 22a at the bottom 22, and the valve part 30 has a base 32, a valve element 34 provided inside the base 32, and a spring part 36 that connects the base 32 and the valve element 34. When at least a portion of the base 32 is held between the plug body 10 and the attachment part 20, the spring part 36 is switchable between a closed state in which the valve part 30 blocks the opening 22a of the attachment part 20, and an open state in which the valve part 30 is spaced apart from the opening 22a of the attachment part 20.

[0065] The inside plug member 1 having such a configuration has a built-in valve section 30, which makes it possible to prevent liquid overflow (liquid leakage) when the cap 120 is removed from the container body 110. Furthermore, with the inside plug member 1 according to this embodiment, the inside plug member 1 can be assembled by the extremely simple operation of fitting the inside plug body 10 to the attachment section 20 with the valve section 30 positioned between the inside plug body 10 and the attachment section 20. This simplifies the assembly process, thereby shortening the manufacturing time and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0066] Furthermore, in the plug member 1 according to this embodiment, the attachment part 20 is configured so that the valve element 34 of the valve part 30 can be placed on the bottom part 22. With the plug member 1 having such a configuration, the valve element 34 can be more stably held between the plug body 10 and the attachment part 20, thereby improving the function of the valve element 34 as a check valve.

[0067] Furthermore, in the inside plug member 1 according to this embodiment, the valve portion 30 is molded from resin. With the inside plug member 1 having such a configuration, the molding process of the valve portion 30 can be easily performed.

[0068] Furthermore, in the inside plug member 1 according to this embodiment, the valve body 34 is configured to have a thickness thinner than the thickness of the base 32. With the inside plug member 1 having such a configuration, the overall length of the inside plug member 1 in the vertical direction can be shortened, making it possible to make the inside plug member 1 more compact.

[0069] Furthermore, in the inside plug member 1 according to this embodiment, the outer surface of the attachment part 20 is configured to be able to fit into the inner surface of the mouth part 114 of the container body 110. With the inside plug member 1 having such a configuration, it is possible to improve the fit when the inside plug member 1 is attached to the mouth part 114 of the container body 110 and to suppress liquid leakage from the connection point between the inside plug member 1 and the mouth part 114.

[0070] Furthermore, in the inside plug member 1 according to this embodiment, the outer surface of the inside plug body 10 is configured to be able to fit onto the inner surface of the attachment part 20. With the inside plug member 1 having such a configuration, it is possible to improve the fit between the inside plug body 10 and the attachment part 20 and to suppress liquid leakage from the connection point between the inside plug body 10 and the attachment part 20.

[0071] [Variations] The inside plug member according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

[0072] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the plug body 10 is described as having a central cylindrical portion 16 that communicates with the interior of the nozzle portion 12 and the interior of the fitting portion 14, but this is not limited to this, and the plug body 10 may not have a central cylindrical portion 16 and may have only the discharge port 12a.

[0073] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the inside plug body 10 has been described as having a flange portion 18, but this is not limitative, and the inside plug body 10 may have a configuration without a flange portion 18.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, it has been described that no annular protrusion or the like is formed on the outer surface of the attachment part 20, but this is not limited thereto, and an annular protrusion or the like may be provided on the outer surface of the attachment part 20. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the attachment part 20 from slipping out after the attachment part 20 is press-fitted into the inner surface of the mouth part 114 of the container body 110.

[0075] It is clear from the claims that the above-mentioned modifications are included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1: Inner plug material 10: Inner stopper body 12: Nozzle part 12a:Discharge port 14: Fitting part 14a: Annular protrusion 16: Middle cylinder part 18: Flange part 20: Attachment part 22: Bottom 22a: Opening 24: Flange part 30: Valve section 32: Base 32a: Upper edge 32b: Peripheral wall part 32c: Lower edge 34: Valve body 36: Spring part 36a: Proximal end 36b: Elastic part 36c:Tip 100: Discharge container 110: Container body 112: Torso 114: Mouth 120: Cap

Claims

1. an inside plug body having a discharge port at one end; a bottomed cylindrical attachment part that can be attached to the mouth of the container body and into which the inside plug body can be fitted; a valve portion held between the other end of the inside plug body and the attachment portion; Equipped with The attachment portion has an opening at a bottom portion, The valve portion includes a base portion, a valve element provided inside the base portion, and a spring portion connecting the base portion and the valve element, The spring portion is configured to be switchable between a closed state in which the opening of the attachment portion is closed by the valve body and an open state in which the valve body is separated from the opening of the attachment portion when at least a portion of the base portion is held between the inside plug body and the attachment portion. Inner plug component.

2. The attachment portion is configured so that the valve body of the valve portion can be placed on the bottom portion. The inside plug member according to claim 1 .

3. The valve portion is molded from resin. The inside plug member according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The valve body is thinner than the base. The inside plug member according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The outer surface of the attachment part is configured to be able to fit onto the inner surface of the mouth part of the container body. The inside plug member according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The outer surface of the inside plug body is configured to be able to fit onto the inner surface of the attachment part. The inside plug member according to claim 1 or 2.

7. a container body having a mouth portion; The inside plug member according to claim 1 or 2; a cap configured to be detachable from the container body; A discharge container comprising:

8. The container body is a bottle or tube that can be elastically deformed by a squeezing operation. The discharge container according to claim 7.

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