Foam pump

Abstract

To provide a foam pump in which an exterior body can be firmly attached to a head body.SOLUTION: A foam pump according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a pump having a stem that is arranged so as to be moved downward in an upward energizing state; and a push-down head that is attached to the stem so as to be vertically movable. The push-down head has a mounting wall, a covering wall and a fitted cylindrical part, and comprises: a head body assembled to the stem via the fitted cylindrical part; and an exterior body having a surrounding cylinder surrounding the fitted cylindrical part and attached to the mounting wall. The exterior body includes: a locking part that extends radially from an upper end part of the surrounding cylinder and is inserted into a through hole that penetrates the mounting wall radially and is locked to a lower opening edge of the through hole; and an elastic piece that extends upward from the surrounding cylinder and is interposed between the exterior body and the top wall part to energize the exterior body downward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A foam pump that foams and discharges the liquid contents is known to have a configuration that includes a stem that is configured to be able to move downwards while being biased upwards, a liquid cylinder in which a liquid piston connected to the stem is provided so that it can slide up and down, an air cylinder in which an air piston connected to the stem is provided so that it can slide up and down, and an air-liquid mixing chamber that mixes the liquid contents transferred from the liquid cylinder with air transferred from the air cylinder, causing the liquid contents to foam. In this type of foam pump, when the push-down head is pressed down, the stem descends, causing the liquid piston and the air piston to descend. This causes the liquid to be supplied from the liquid cylinder and the air to be supplied from the air cylinder to the gas-liquid mixing chamber. The liquid is mixed with the air in the gas-liquid mixing chamber to foam, and then discharged through the nozzle hole formed in the push-down head.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a configuration in which a pressing head includes a topped cylindrical head body having an attachment tube portion attached to a stem, and an outer casing attached to the head body and surrounding the attachment tube portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-020764 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the prior art, there is still room for improvement in terms of firmly attaching the exterior body to the head main body.

[0006] The present invention provides a foam pump in which the exterior body can be firmly attached to the head body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following aspects. A foam pump according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a pump having a stem arranged in an opening of a container body that contains a liquid content and that is movable downward while being biased upward; a push-down head having a nozzle hole for discharging the liquid content and that is movable up and down on the stem; and an attachment cap for attaching the pump to the opening, wherein the pump comprises a liquid cylinder having a liquid piston connected to the stem that is slidable up and down therein; an air cylinder having an air piston connected to the stem that is slidable up and down therein; and an air-liquid mixing chamber that mixes the liquid content transferred from the liquid cylinder with air transferred from the air cylinder to foam the liquid content; and the push-down head has a top wall portion, the head main body having a mounting wall extending downward from the top wall portion, a covering wall extending downward from a portion of the top wall portion located radially outward from the mounting wall, and a mounting tube portion extending downward from a portion of the top wall portion located radially inward from the mounting wall, and being assembled to the stem via the mounting tube portion; and an outer body having an enclosing tube surrounding the mounting tube portion and attached to the mounting wall, wherein the outer body comprises: a locking portion extending radially from the upper end of the enclosing tube, inserted into a through hole that penetrates the mounting wall in the radial direction and locked to the lower end opening edge of the through hole, and an elastic piece extending upward from the enclosing tube, and being interposed between the enclosing tube and the top wall portion to urge the outer body downward.

[0008] According to this aspect, with the locking portion locked to the lower opening edge of the through-hole, the exterior body is biased downward (away from the head body) by the elastic piece. This makes it easy to ensure frictional force acting between the locking portion and the lower opening edge of the through-hole, regardless of dimensional variations due to manufacturing errors, etc. As a result, the exterior body can be firmly attached to the head body, preventing the exterior body from coming off the head body due to an impact such as being dropped. Furthermore, because rattle of the exterior body relative to the head body can be reduced, marketability can be improved.

[0009] In the foam pump according to the above aspect, it is preferable that a plurality of the locking portions and a plurality of the elastic pieces are arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the surrounding cylinder. According to this aspect, the degree of freedom in designing the locking portions and elastic pieces can be improved when molding the exterior body. In addition, since multiple locking portions and multiple elastic pieces are provided at different positions in the circumferential direction, the assembled state of the exterior body can be stabilized.

[0010] In the foam pump according to the above aspect, it is preferable that a restricting portion is formed at the tip of the engaging portion, extending downward from the engaging portion and facing radially opposite the mounting wall on the radially opposite side of the surrounding tube with respect to the mounting wall. According to this aspect, the restricting portion and the mounting wall abut against each other in the radial direction, thereby restricting the radial rattle of the exterior body relative to the head main body, thereby further improving the marketability of the product. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the exterior body can be firmly attached to the head body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the discharge container according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the discharge container according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the head main body according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an exterior body according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the discharge container according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a discharge container according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an exterior body according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, a discharge container having a foam pump according to the present invention attached to a container body will be described. (First embodiment) The discharge container 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a cylindrical container body 11 with a bottom, and a foamer pump 12 detachably attached to an opening 11a of the container body 11. A liquid content is contained in the container body 11. The liquid content is, for example, shampoo, body soap, hand soap, or the like.

[0014] The foam pump 12 includes a cylindrical mounting cap 14 with a top, a pump 16 having a cylindrical stem 15, and a cylindrical depression head 17 with a top.

[0015] The container body 11, the attachment cap 14, the stem 15, and the push-down head 17 are each arranged coaxially with a common axis. Hereinafter, this common axis will be referred to as the axis O, and the direction along the axis O will be referred to as the up-down direction. Within the up-down direction, the direction from the bottom of the container body 11 toward the foam pump 12 will be referred to as the up-down direction, and the direction from the foam pump 12 toward the bottom of the container body 11 will be referred to as the down-down direction. In addition, in a plan view seen from the up-down direction, the direction intersecting the axis O will be referred to as the radial direction, and the direction going around the axis O will be referred to as the circumferential direction.

[0016] The attachment cap 14 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a top. The foam pump 12 is detachably attached to the opening 11a via the attachment cap 14. The attachment cap 14 includes a top wall 14a, an attachment cylinder 14b, and a guide cylinder 14c. The top wall 14a is formed in an annular shape and is arranged coaxially with the axis O. The top wall 14a is arranged above the mouth portion 11a. The inner peripheral edge of the top wall 14a is located radially inward of the mouth portion 11a. The mounting tube 14b extends downward from the outer peripheral edge of the top wall 14a. The mounting tube 14b is detachably attached to the mouth portion 11a by screwing. However, the mounting tube 14b may be attached to the mouth portion 11a by a method other than screwing, such as undercut fitting.

[0017] The guide tube 14c extends upward from the inner peripheral edge of the top wall 14a. An outer flange 14d that protrudes radially outward is formed at the upper end of the guide tube 14c. The outer flange 14d is formed in an annular shape that extends around the entire circumference of the guide tube 14c. A restricting member 18 that restricts downward movement of the press-down head 17 relative to the attachment cap 14 is removably attached to a portion of the guide tube 14c located below the outer flange 14d.

[0018] The pump 16 includes an air cylinder 21, a liquid cylinder 22, a liquid valve member 23, a liquid piston 24, an air piston 25, an air valve member 26, a stem 15, a biasing member 27, a discharge valve 28, and a foaming section 29.

[0019] The air cylinder 21 is held inside the attachment cap 14. The air cylinder 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The upper opening edge of the air cylinder 21 is sealed via a packing provided between the inner surface of the attachment cap 14 and the opening portion 11a.

[0020] The liquid cylinder 22 is formed integrally with the air cylinder 21. The liquid cylinder 22 is provided coaxially with the air cylinder 21. Specifically, the liquid cylinder 22 includes a housing tube 31 and a tapered portion 32. The housing cylinder 31 extends downward from the center in the radial direction of the bottom wall of the air cylinder 21. The outer diameter of the housing cylinder 31 is smaller than the outer diameter of the air cylinder 21. The tapered portion 32 extends downward from the housing tube 31. The diameter of the tapered portion 32 gradually decreases as it extends downward. An attachment tube 33 is formed integrally with the tapered portion 32 at the lower edge of the tapered portion 32. A suction tube 34 is fitted into the attachment tube 33. The lower opening of the suction tube 34 is close to the bottom of the container body 11.

[0021] The liquid valve member 23 switches between communication and cut-off between the inside of the container body 11 and the inside of the liquid cylinder 22. The liquid valve member 23 is disposed so as to be movable up and down within the liquid cylinder 22. The liquid valve member 23 includes a rod-shaped portion 41, a lower valve body 42, and an upper valve body 43. The rod-shaped portion 41 extends vertically within the liquid cylinder 22. The upper portion of the rod-shaped portion 41 protrudes upward from the liquid cylinder 22. The lower valve element 42 is formed at the lower end of the rod-shaped portion 41. The lower valve element 42 is configured to be able to come into contact with and separate from the inner peripheral surface of the tapered portion 32 as the liquid valve member 23 moves up and down. The lower valve element 42 is a check valve that comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the tapered portion 32 when the liquid cylinder 22 is pressurized, keeping the lower end opening of the tapered portion 32 closed, and moves away from the inner peripheral surface of the tapered portion 32 when the liquid cylinder 22 is depressurized, opening the lower end opening of the tapered portion 32. The upper valve body 43 is formed at the upper end of the rod-shaped portion 41. The upper valve body 43 is formed in a tapered cylindrical shape that gradually widens as it extends upward.

[0022] The liquid piston 24 is provided so as to be able to move up and down within the liquid cylinder 22 in conjunction with the up and down movement of the stem 15. The liquid piston 24 includes a sliding cylinder 45 and a base cylinder portion 46. The sliding cylinder 45 surrounds the rod-shaped portion 41 inside the liquid cylinder 22. The sliding cylinder 45 slides on the inner peripheral surface of the containing cylinder 31 as the liquid piston 24 moves up and down. The base tubular portion 46 extends upward from the sliding tube 45. The upper valve body 43 moves from above toward and away from the edge of the upper opening of the base tubular portion 46. That is, the upper valve body 43 functions as a check valve that moves away from the edge of the upper opening of the base tubular portion 46 to open the upper opening of the base tubular portion 46 when the pressure inside the liquid cylinder 22 is increased, and comes into contact with the edge of the upper opening of the base tubular portion 46 to close the upper opening of the base tubular portion 46 when the pressure inside the liquid cylinder 22 is reduced.

[0023] The air piston 25 is configured to be linked to the stem 15 and to be able to move up and down inside the air cylinder 21. The air piston 25 divides the inside of the air cylinder 21 into an upper chamber 21a and a lower chamber 21b. The air piston 25 is configured such that an outer sliding cylinder 51 and an inner sliding cylinder 52 are connected by a connecting portion 53. The outer sliding cylinder 51 is configured so that both ends in the vertical direction can slide vertically on the inner peripheral surface of the air cylinder 21 . The inner sliding cylinder 52 is disposed inside the outer sliding cylinder 51 coaxially with the axis O.

[0024] In a cross-sectional view, the connecting portion 53 is formed in a stepped shape that gradually extends upward as it moves radially inward. The outer peripheral edge of the connecting portion 53 is connected to the vertical center of the outer sliding cylinder 51. The inner peripheral edge of the connecting portion 53 is connected to the lower end of the inner sliding cylinder 52. The connecting portion 53 is formed with a communication hole 53a that passes through the connecting portion 53 in the vertical direction. A plurality of communication holes 53a are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0025] The air valve member 26 switches between communication and blocking between the upper chamber 21a and the lower chamber 21b of the air cylinder 21 through the communication hole 53a. The air valve member 26 includes a valve body 26a that can open and close the communication hole 53a. The valve body 26a is configured to be elastically deformable in the vertical direction. The outer periphery of the valve body 26a is configured to be able to come into contact with and separate from the lower surface of the connecting portion 53. That is, when the valve body 26a is in contact with the lower surface of the connecting portion 53, it closes the communication hole 53a from below. This blocks communication between the upper chamber 21a and the lower chamber 21b of the air cylinder 21 through the communication hole 53a. On the other hand, when the valve body 26a moves away from the lower surface of the connecting portion 53, communication between the upper chamber 21a and the lower chamber 21b of the air cylinder 21 is established through the communication hole 53a.

[0026] The stem 15 is disposed in an upwardly biased state and downwardly movable in the mouth portion 11a of the container body 11 via the mounting cap 14. The stem 15 includes a lower stem 61 and an upper stem 62. The lower stem 61 includes a fitting cylinder 65 , a base portion 66 , and a seat portion 67 .

[0027] The fitting cylinder 65 extends vertically from inside the liquid cylinder 22, through the air cylinder 21, and into the guide cylinder 14c. The base cylinder portion 46 is fitted into the lower part of the fitting cylinder 65 from below the fitting cylinder 65. Therefore, the liquid piston 24 moves up and down integrally with the lower stem 61. The vertical middle part of the fitting cylinder 65 passes through the inner sliding cylinder 52. The inner sliding cylinder 52 is configured to be able to move up and down relative to the fitting cylinder 65. In addition, a lower groove 65a extending vertically is formed in the part of the outer circumferential surface of the fitting cylinder 65 surrounded by the inner sliding cylinder 52.

[0028] The seat portion 66 protrudes radially outward from a portion of the fitting cylinder 65 that is located below the inner sliding cylinder 52. The seat portion 66 is configured to be able to move toward and away from the lower end edge of the inner sliding cylinder 52 as the lower stem 61 and the liquid piston 24 move relative to each other. The seat portion 67 projects radially inward from the upper end of the fitting cylinder 65 .

[0029] The upper stem 62 is assembled to the upper end of the fitting cylinder 65 from above. The upper stem 62 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a reduced diameter portion 62a whose diameter is reduced midway in the vertical direction. A lower cylinder portion 62b of the upper stem 62 extends downward from the reduced diameter portion 62a and is positioned within the guide cylinder 14c. The upper end of the fitting cylinder 65 is fitted into the lower cylinder portion 62b. An upper groove 62d extending in the vertical direction is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lower cylinder portion 62b. A plurality of upper grooves 62d are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0030] The upper stem 62 includes an extension tube 62e extending downward from the lower tube portion 62b. The inner diameter of the extension tube 62e is larger than the inner diameter of the lower tube portion 62b. The upper end of the inner sliding tube 52 is fitted into the extension tube 62e so as to be slidable up and down.

[0031] The upper stem 62 has an upper cylindrical portion 62c extending upward from the reduced diameter portion 62a, which protrudes upward beyond the mounting cap 14 through the upper end opening of the guide cylinder 14c.

[0032] The biasing member 27 is disposed inside the liquid cylinder 22. The biasing member 27 biases the lower stem 61 upward via the liquid piston 24. The lower end of the biasing member 27 contacts from above with a vertical rib protruding from the inner circumferential surface of the tapered portion 32. The upper end of the biasing member 27 contacts from below with the lower edge of the base tubular portion 46.

[0033] The discharge valve 28 is provided in a space located above the seating portion 67 inside the fitting cylinder 65. The discharge valve 28 is seated so as to be able to move upward from the seating portion 67. The discharge valve 28 switches between communication between the inside and outside of the fitting cylinder 65 through the inside of the seating portion 67. A pressing member 70 is provided in the space located above the seating portion 67 inside the fitting cylinder 65. The pressing member 70 limits the lifting of the discharge valve 28 when the discharge valve 28 moves away from the seating portion 67. A communication passage 70a is formed in the pressing member 70, which connects the inside of the lower stem 61 and the inside of the upper stem 62.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 2, the foaming section 29 is fitted into the upper cylindrical section 62c. The foaming section 29 is configured by stacking a plurality of foaming elements (for example, two) in the vertical direction, each of which has a mesh body disposed on the open end edge of a cylindrical body. Note that within the stem 15, the space located between the pressing member 70 and the foaming section 29 forms an air-liquid mixing chamber 71 in which the content liquid transferred from the liquid cylinder 22 and the air transferred from the air cylinder 21 are mixed.

[0035] The presser head 17 is attached to the upper cylindrical portion 62c. The presser head 17 includes a head main body 80 and an exterior body 81. The head body 80 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a top that is arranged coaxially with the axis O. The head body 80 includes a top wall portion 85, a mounting cylindrical portion 86, a nozzle cylinder 87, a mounting wall 88, and a covering wall 89.

[0036] The mounting tubular portion 86 extends downward from the top wall portion 85. The upper tubular portion 62c is fitted inside the mounting tubular portion 86. The lower end of the mounting tubular portion 86 is inserted into the guide tube 16c. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, an inner rib 91 and an outer rib 92 are formed at the upper end of the mounting tubular portion 86. The inner rib 91 is plate-shaped and protrudes radially inward from the mounting tubular portion 86, with the circumferential direction being its thickness direction. The upper edge of the inner rib 91 is continuous with the top wall portion 85. The lower edge of the inner rib 91 is close to or abuts the upper edge of the upper tubular portion 62c. The outer rib 92 is plate-shaped and protrudes radially outward from the mounting tubular portion 86, with the circumferential direction being its thickness direction. The upper edge of the outer rib 92 is continuous with the top wall portion 85. The corners formed by the lower edge and the radially outer edge of the outer rib 92 are rounded. The inner ribs 91 and the outer ribs 92 are provided in plural numbers at intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0037] The nozzle cylinder 87 extends radially outward from the upper end of the mounting cylinder portion 86. The interior of the nozzle cylinder 87 is in communication with the interior of the stem 15 through the mounting cylinder portion 86. A tip opening of the nozzle cylinder 87 forms a nozzle hole 87a. In the following description, the radial direction in which the nozzle cylinder 87 extends is referred to as the front-rear direction. In this case, the direction in which the nozzle hole 87a opens is referred to as the front, and the opposite side of the front is referred to as the rear. As shown in FIG. 3, the top wall portion 85 has a shape including a circular portion that is arranged coaxially with the axis O, and a visor portion that narrows in circumferential width from the circular portion toward the front and covers the nozzle cylinder 87 from above.

[0038] The mounting wall 88 extends downward from a portion of the top wall portion 85 (circular portion) located radially outward from the mounting tube portion 86. In a plan view, the mounting wall 88 is formed in a C-shape with the axis O as the center of curvature and opening forward. Both circumferential ends of the mounting wall 88 are connected to the respective circumferential side surfaces of the nozzle tube 87. As shown in FIG. 4 , the mounting wall 88 is formed with through holes 88a that penetrate the mounting wall 88 in the radial direction. The through holes 88a are formed at the upper end of the mounting wall 88 at positions that do not overlap with the outer rib 92 when viewed radially, and are spaced apart circumferentially. Of the outer peripheral surface of the mounting wall 88, a portion located below the through hole 88a extends radially downward from the lower end opening edge of the through hole 88a. Therefore, the radial thickness of the portion of the mounting wall 88 located below the through hole 88a increases as it extends downward.

[0039] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, support pieces 95 are formed on the mounting wall 88 at positions that are different in the circumferential direction from the through holes 88a and the outer rib 92. The support pieces 95 protrude radially inward from the mounting wall 88. The vertical dimensions of the support pieces 95 gradually decrease as they move radially inward. That is, the lower surfaces of the support pieces 95 form an inclined surface that extends upward as they move radially inward. The upper surfaces of the support pieces 95 are continuous with the top wall portion 85. In the illustrated example, the circumferential width of the support pieces 95 is wider than the circumferential width of the outer rib 92. The radially inner ends of the support pieces 95 are located radially inward relative to the radially outer ends of the outer ribs 92.

[0040] The covering wall 89 extends downward from the outer peripheral edge of the top wall portion 85. In a plan view, the covering wall 89 is formed in a C-shape that opens forward. The covering wall 89 surrounds the mounting wall 88 from the outside in the radial direction. The covering wall 89 protrudes downward further than the mounting wall 88.

[0041] 2 and 4, the exterior body 81 is attached to the head main body 80. The exterior body 81 includes a surrounding tube 100, a hook portion 101, and an elastic piece . The surrounding tube 100 is disposed coaxially with the axis O between the mounting wall 88 and the outer rib 92 in the radial direction. The surrounding tube 100 surrounds the mounting tube portion 86 from the outside in the radial direction. The upper end of the surrounding tube 100 overlaps with the mounting wall 88 when viewed from the radial direction. Note that a relief portion 100a is formed in the portion of the upper end of the surrounding tube 100 that overlaps with the nozzle tube 87 when viewed from the radial direction to avoid interference with the nozzle tube 87.

[0042] The lower end of the surrounding tube 100 protrudes downward below the covering wall 89. In the illustrated example, the lower end of the surrounding tube 100 is located at the same height as the lower end of the mounting tube portion 86. An inner flange 103 that protrudes radially inward is formed at the lower end of the surrounding tube 100. The inner flange 103 is formed at a position that faces the outer flange 14d in the radial direction when the push-down head 17 is at its uppermost position. The inner flange 103 and the outer flange 14d are close to each other in the radial direction so that liquid and the like cannot easily pass through from the outside of the discharge container 1. However, the vertical dimension of the surrounding tube 100 can be changed as appropriate.

[0043] 4 and 5, the hook portions 101 are formed at positions (the same positions in the circumferential direction) on the upper end of the surrounding tube 100 that overlap with the respective through holes 88a when viewed from the radial direction. The hook portions 101 are formed in a downward L-shape when viewed from the circumferential direction. Specifically, the hook portions 101 include a locking portion 101a and a restricting portion 101b.

[0044] The locking portion 101a protrudes radially outward from the upper end of the surrounding tube 100. The locking portion 101a penetrates the through-hole 88a from the inside to the outside in the radial direction. The locking portion 101a abuts (locks) from above against the lower end opening edge of the through-hole 88a (the portion of the opening edge of the through-hole 88a that faces upward). This restricts downward movement of the exterior body 81 relative to the head main body 80.

[0045] The restricting portion 101b extends downward from the tip end (the radially outer end) of the locking portion 101a. The restricting portion 101b extends at an angle radially outward as it extends downward. The restricting portion 101b faces, from the radially outer side, a portion of the mounting wall 88 that is positioned below the through-hole 88a. The restricting portion 101b abuts against the outer circumferential surface of the mounting wall 88, thereby restricting radial movement of the exterior body 81 relative to the head main body 80.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 2 , the elastic piece 102 extends upward from a portion of the surrounding tube 100 that overlaps with the support piece 95 in a plan view (at the same position in the circumferential direction). The elastic piece 102 is formed thinner than the surrounding tube 100. The elastic piece 102 abuts against the underside of the support piece 95. Preferably, the elastic piece 102 abuts against the support piece 95 in a state where it is elastically deformed, for example, by buckling deformation or bending deformation. This allows the elastic piece 102 to bias the exterior body 81 downward between the surrounding tube 100 and the top wall portion 85. In this embodiment, the elastic piece 102 extends upward from the bottom of a recess 100b that opens on the upper edge of the surrounding tube 100. This makes it easier to ensure the length of the elastic piece 102 compared to when the elastic piece 102 is formed from the upper edge of the surrounding tube 100.

[0047] To assemble the exterior body 81 to the head main body 80, the mounting tube portion 86 is positioned between the surrounding tube 100 and the outer rib 92 in a plan view, and the surrounding tube 100 is positioned inside the mounting wall 88. Then, the head main body 80 and the exterior body 81 are moved toward each other in the vertical direction. The restricting portion 101b slides against the inner circumferential surface of the mounting wall 88, elastically deforming radially inward, and the upper end of the exterior body 81 is fitted inside the mounting wall 88. After that, the restricting portion 101b returns to its original shape and deforms radially outward when it passes upward over the lower opening edge of the through-hole 88a. As a result, the restricting portion 101b clears the through-hole 88a in the radial direction. Furthermore, during the process of moving the head main body 80 and the exterior body 81 toward each other, the elastic piece 102 is elastically deformed by the support piece 95. In this state, the head main body 80 and the exterior body 81 are moved away from each other in the vertical direction. As a result, the locking portion 101a is locked onto the lower opening edge of the through-hole 88a, and the exterior body 81 is assembled to the head main body 80.

[0048] Next, as an operation of the above-mentioned discharge container 1, a method of discharging the content liquid will be described. 1, first, the push-down head 17 is pushed down via the top wall portion 85. Then, the push-down head 17, the stem 15, the foaming portion 29, and the liquid piston 24 move downward relative to the air piston 25 as a unit.

[0049] As the stem 15 and other components move downward, the base tubular portion 46 of the liquid piston 24 moves downward away from the upper valve body 43, thereby connecting the liquid cylinder 22 and the lower stem 61 through the gap between the upper valve body 43 and the base tubular portion 46. In this state, when the depression head 17 is further depressed, the liquid piston 24 moves further downward together with the stem 15 and other components, thereby pressurizing the liquid cylinder 22. At this time, the lower valve body 42 maintains a state in which communication between the liquid cylinder 22 and the container body 11 is blocked. As a result, the liquid in the liquid cylinder 22 enters the lower stem 61 through the gap between the upper valve body 43 and the base tubular portion 46. The liquid that has entered the lower stem 61 flows upward within the lower stem 61. The liquid flowing within the lower stem 61 flows upward through the inside of the seating portion 67, pushing up the discharge valve 28. This causes the discharge valve 28 to move away from the seating portion 67. As a result, the liquid content flows through the gap between the seating portion 67 and the discharge valve 28, and then flows into the gas-liquid mixing chamber 71.

[0050] Meanwhile, as the stem 15 and other components move downward relative to the air piston 25, the inner sliding cylinder 52 moves upward away from the base 66. This opens the air cylinder 21 between the inner sliding cylinder 52 and the base 66. In this state, if the stem 15 and other components are moved further downward, the lower edge of the lower cylinder portion 62b comes into contact with the inner sliding cylinder 52 from above. As a result, the air piston 25 is pushed down by the lower cylinder portion 62b via the inner sliding cylinder 52, and the air piston 25 moves downward together with the stem 15 and other components. This causes the inside of the air cylinder 21 to be pressurized. At this time, the air valve member 26 maintains a state in which communication between the upper chamber 21a and the lower chamber 21b through the communication hole 53a is blocked. As a result, the air in the air cylinder 21 flows upward between the inner sliding cylinder 52 and the base portion 66, between the inner sliding cylinder 52 and the fitting cylinder 65 (lower groove 65a), and between the lower cylinder portion 62b (upper groove 62d) and the fitting cylinder 65. The air then flows around above the fitting cylinder 65, passes through the inside of the reduced diameter portion 62a, and flows into the gas-liquid mixing chamber 71.

[0051] The air and the liquid content that have flowed into the gas-liquid mixing chamber 71 join together in the gas-liquid mixing chamber 71. As a result, the air and the liquid content are mixed in the gas-liquid mixing chamber 71. The liquid content mixed with the air foams and turns into foam as it passes through the foaming section 29. The foamed liquid content flows through the nozzle tube 87 and is then discharged to the outside through the nozzle hole 87a.

[0052] When the stem 15 is released from its depressed position after the content liquid has been discharged, the stem 15 and other components are pushed up by the upward biasing force of the biasing member 27. Then, the depression head 17, stem 15, liquid piston 24, and foaming portion 29 move upward together relative to the air piston 25. When the base tube portion 46 abuts against the upper valve body 43, communication between the inside of the liquid cylinder 22 and the inside of the lower stem 61 is blocked. Furthermore, when the pedestal portion 66 abuts against the inner sliding tube 52 from below, communication between the pedestal portion 66 and the inner sliding tube 52 is blocked.

[0053] Thereafter, the depression head 17, stem 15, liquid piston 24, air piston 25, and foaming portion 29 move upward together. As a result, the liquid cylinder 22 is depressurized, the liquid valve member 23 is pulled up, and the lower valve body 42 moves away from the inner circumferential surface of the tapered portion 32, thereby connecting the liquid cylinder 22 to the container body 11. Then, the liquid content in the container body 11 is sucked up through the suction tube 34 and flows into the liquid cylinder 22. Also, as the air cylinder 21 (lower chamber 21b) is depressurized, the air valve member 26 is pulled down, connecting the upper chamber 21a and the lower chamber 21b. Then, air in the upper chamber 21a flows into the lower chamber 21b through the communication hole 53a. Note that air also flows into the upper chamber 21a through the gap between the guide tube 14c and the stem 15, etc.

[0054] In the foam pump 12 of this embodiment, the push-down head 17 includes a head main body 80 having a top wall portion 56, a mounting wall 88 extending downward from the top wall portion 85, a surrounding covering wall 89 extending downward from a portion of the top wall portion 85 located radially outward from the mounting wall 88, and a mounting tubular portion 86 extending downward from a portion of the top wall portion 85 located radially inward from the mounting wall 88, and an exterior body 81 having an enclosing tube 100 surrounding the mounting tubular portion 86 and attached to the mounting wall 88. The exterior body 81 includes a locking portion 101a extending radially from the upper end of the enclosing tube 100 and inserted into a through-hole 88a in the mounting wall 88 to lock onto the lower opening edge of the through-hole 88a, and an elastic piece 102 extending upward from the enclosing tube 100 and interposed between the exterior body 81 and the top wall portion 85 to urge the exterior body 81 downward. According to this configuration, with the locking portion 101a locked to the lower opening edge of the through-hole 88a, the exterior body 81 is urged downward (away from the head main body 80) by the elastic piece 102. This makes it easy to ensure a frictional force acting between the locking portion 101a and the lower opening edge of the through-hole 88a, regardless of dimensional variations due to manufacturing errors or the like. As a result, the exterior body 81 can be firmly attached to the head main body 80, and it is possible to prevent the exterior body 81 from coming off the head main body 80 due to an impact such as being dropped. Furthermore, rattle of the exterior body 81 relative to the head main body 80 can be reduced, thereby improving marketability.

[0055] In the foam pump 12 of this embodiment, a plurality of the locking portions 101a and the elastic pieces 102 are arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the surrounding cylinder 100. This configuration improves the degree of freedom in designing the locking portions 101a and the elastic pieces 102 when molding the exterior body 81. Furthermore, since multiple locking portions 101a and multiple elastic pieces 102 are provided at different positions in the circumferential direction, the assembled state of the exterior body 81 can be stabilized.

[0056] In the foam pump 12 of this embodiment, a restricting portion 101b is formed at the tip of the engaging portion 101a, extending downward from the engaging portion 101a and facing the mounting wall 88 from the radially outer side. According to this configuration, the restricting portion 101b abuts against the mounting wall 88 in the radial direction, thereby restricting radial rattle of the exterior body 81 relative to the head main body 80. This can further improve the merchantability.

[0057] (Second embodiment) In the first embodiment described above, the elastic piece 102 abuts against the lower surface of the support piece 95, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, as in the foam pump 12 shown in FIG. 6, the elastic piece 102 may abut directly against the lower surface of the top wall portion 85. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the elastic piece 102 is preferably bent radially inward as it extends upward before the exterior body 81 is assembled to the head main body 80. This makes it easier for the elastic piece 102 to bend radially inward along the lower surface of the top wall portion 85 when the exterior body 81 is assembled to the head main body 80. However, in the second embodiment, the elastic piece 102 may also be configured to secure a biasing force by buckling deformation.

[0058] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configuration are possible within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. The present invention is not limited by the above description, but is limited only by the appended claims. In the above-described embodiment, a configuration in which four hook portions 101 and four elastic pieces 102 are provided has been described, but this configuration is not limited to this. The numbers of hook portions 101 and elastic pieces 102 can be changed as appropriate. In this case, the numbers of hook portions 101 and elastic pieces 102 may be the same or different. In the above-described embodiment, the hook portion 101 and the elastic piece 102 are provided at different positions in the circumferential direction, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The hook portion 101 and the elastic piece 102 may be provided at the same position in the circumferential direction.

[0059] In the above-described embodiment, the surrounding tube 100 is disposed radially inward relative to the mounting wall 88, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The surrounding tube 100 may be disposed radially outward relative to the mounting wall 88. In this case, the hook portion 101 is engaged with the through-hole 88a from the radially outer side. In the above-described embodiment, the hook portion 101 is configured to include the locking portion 101a and the restricting portion 101b, but is not limited to this configuration. The hook portion 101 may include only the locking portion 101a.

[0060] In the above-described embodiment, the mounting wall 88 and the covering wall 89 are configured to be cylindrical (C-shaped) and arranged coaxially with the axis O, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The mounting wall 88 and the covering wall 89 may be provided only in the portion corresponding to the hook portion 101 in the circumferential direction. In the above-described embodiment, the elastic piece 102 is formed in a thin plate shape, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The elastic piece 102 may be formed in a corrugated plate shape or the like.

[0061] In addition, within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described modified examples may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 11: Container body 11a: Mouth 12: Forma Pump 14: Mounting cap 14b: Mounting tube 15: Stem 16: Pump 17: Pressing head 21: Air cylinder 22: Liquid cylinder 24: Liquid piston 25: Air piston 56:Top wall part 71: Gas-liquid mixing chamber 80: Head body 81: Exterior body 85:Top wall part 86: Mounting tube 87a: Nozzle hole 88: Mounting wall 88a: Through hole 89: Covered wall 100: Surrounding tube 101a: Locking part 101b:Regulatory Department 102: Elastic piece

Claims

1. a pump having a stem disposed in an opening of a container body in which the liquid content is accommodated, the stem being movable downward while being biased upward; a depression head having a nozzle hole for discharging the liquid content and provided on the stem so as to be movable up and down; a mounting cap for attaching the pump to the mouth portion, The pump a liquid cylinder having a liquid piston connected to the stem and arranged therein so as to be slidable up and down; an air cylinder having an air piston connected to the stem and arranged therein so as to be able to slide up and down; an air-liquid mixing chamber in which the liquid transferred from the liquid cylinder and the air transferred from the air cylinder are mixed to foam the liquid; The pressing head a head body having a top wall portion, a mounting wall extending downward from the top wall portion, a cover wall extending downward from a portion of the top wall portion located radially outward from the mounting wall, and a mounting tubular portion extending downward from a portion of the top wall portion located radially inward from the mounting wall, the head body being assembled to the stem via the mounting tubular portion; an exterior body having a surrounding tube surrounding the mounting tube portion and attached to the mounting wall, The exterior body is a locking portion extending radially from an upper end portion of the surrounding cylinder, inserted into a through hole that penetrates the mounting wall in the radial direction, and locked to a lower end opening edge of the through hole; a resilient piece extending upward from the surrounding cylinder and interposed between the resilient piece and the top wall portion to urge the exterior body downward.

2. 2. The foam pump according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the locking portions and a plurality of the elastic pieces are disposed at different positions in the circumferential direction of the surrounding cylinder.

3. 3. The foam pump according to claim 1, wherein a restricting portion is formed at the tip of the engaging portion, extending downward from the engaging portion and facing the mounting wall in the radial direction on the opposite side of the mounting wall from the surrounding cylinder in the radial direction.

Images