Ejector
The dispenser addresses content leakage and air exchange issues in non-delaminated containers by using a cylinder, stem, and check valve configuration with sealed air intake paths, ensuring efficient operation and air exchange.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-08
AI Technical Summary
Conventional dispensers designed for laminated peeling containers face challenges when applied to non-delaminated containers, as they struggle with content leakage through outside air intake holes due to negative pressure and air exchange issues.
A dispenser with a cylinder, stem, piston, and check valve configuration that includes separate outside air intake paths and seals to prevent content leakage while allowing air exchange, featuring a cylinder cover that encloses the intake holes and airtight sections to manage pressure changes.
Effectively prevents content leakage and ensures proper air exchange in non-delaminated containers, maintaining discharge efficiency and preventing air contamination, suitable for a variety of applications.
Smart Images

Figure 2026060592000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a dispenser.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, for example, a dispenser suitable for discharging the contents stored in the first container body into a second container body different from the first container body is known. The dispenser has a suction hole and a cylinder for the contents, a fixing part attached to the mouth part of the first container body, a piston and a discharge hole for the contents, and an operating part that can move forward and backward in the vertical direction with respect to the fixing part, and a pump chamber whose internal pressure increases and decreases as the operating part moves forward and backward. Further, the operating part has a pressing part that can be pressed against the mouth part of the second container body. When discharging the contents, with the first container body in an inverted posture so that the discharge port faces downward, while pressing the pressing part against the mouth part of the second container body, the first container body is pushed down. As a result, the operating part can be advanced with respect to the fixing part, and the inside of the pump chamber can be pressurized. Therefore, the contents in the pump chamber can be discharged through the discharge hole and can be mixed, etc. in the second container body. The first container body is a laminated peelable container (delamination container) including an inner layer body that stores the contents and reduces its volume as the contents decrease, and an outer layer body that houses the inner layer body inside. Between the inner layer body and the outer layer body, outside air can be introduced through an outside air introduction hole formed at the bottom of the first container body. Thereby, the inner layer body is configured to be able to reduce its volume and deform so as to peel off from the outer layer body as the contents decrease.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
[0004] While the conventional dispensing devices described above are used in combination with a first container body which is a laminated peeling container, there is a need to apply them to container bodies that are not laminated peeling containers (non-delamin containers) in order to apply them to a variety of applications. In this case, to eliminate the negative pressure inside the container body caused by the decrease in contents, it is necessary to introduce outside air into the container body and perform air exchange. For this reason, for example, it is conceivable to form an outside air intake hole in the cylinder to introduce outside air into the container body. However, for example, when the container is inverted, there was a possibility that the contents inside the container body could enter the outside air intake hole and leak out.
[0005] The present invention provides a dispenser that can properly replace the air inside the container body and suppress leakage of contents through the outside air intake hole. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] A discharger according to one aspect of the present invention is a discharger that is attached to the mouth of a container body containing contents and has a discharge hole for discharging contents, comprising: a cylinder having a first inlet hole formed at its lower end for allowing contents to flow into the interior and a first outside air inlet hole formed therein; a stem arranged to be movable downward with respect to the cylinder in an upward biased state, and whose interior communicates the inside of the cylinder and the discharge hole with each other; a piston fitted to the cylinder so as to be vertically slidable and linked to the vertical movement of the stem; a check valve provided in the cylinder that allows the movement of contents from the container body toward the cylinder through the first inlet hole and suppresses the movement of contents from the cylinder toward the container body through the first inlet hole; a bottomed cylindrical cylinder cover into which the cylinder is inserted and into which the cylinder has a second inlet hole formed at its lower end that communicates with the first inlet hole and covers the first outside air inlet hole; and a bottomed cylindrical outer cylinder into which the cylinder cover is inserted. The first outside air inlet hole is located at the highest position of the piston. The cylinder cover is closed and opens when the piston moves downward from the highest position, and the cylinder cover has a second outside air intake hole that penetrates radially, the lower end of the second outside air intake hole is located above the first outside air intake hole, and the second outside air intake hole is provided and exposed in a position where at least a part of the second outside air intake hole is visible when viewed from radially outside the outer cylinder, and between the cylinder and the cylinder cover there is an outside air intake passage that connects the first outside air intake hole and the second outside air intake hole to each other, An airtight portion is provided to block communication between the outside air intake passage and the second inlet hole, and at least one of the cylinder cover and the outer cylinder has a projection that extends continuously around the entire circumference and abuts against the other of the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder, and an inlet passage that straddles the projection in the vertical direction and connects the inside of the container body and the second inlet hole to each other through the upper end opening of the outer cylinder, and the upper ends of the second outside air intake hole and the inlet passage are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction.
[0007] When discharging the contents, the stem, which is biased upward relative to the cylinder, is pushed down and moved downward. This allows the piston to move downward from its highest position along with the stem. As a result, the inside of the cylinder can be pressurized while the check valve remains closed, and the contents inside the cylinder can be supplied to the discharge port through the stem. Consequently, the contents can be discharged to the outside through the discharge port. When the contents are discharged, the first outside air intake port is opened as the piston moves downward from its highest position. After the contents are discharged, releasing the downward pressure on the stem relative to the cylinder allows the piston to move upward along with the stem due to the upward bias of the stem. This reduces the pressure inside the cylinder (creating negative pressure), allowing the check valve to open. As a result, the contents of the container body can be supplied into the cylinder through the inlet passage, the second inlet port, and the first inlet port, preparing for the next discharge. Furthermore, the movement of contents from the container body to the cylinder causes a decrease in pressure (negative pressure) inside the container body. This allows outside air to be supplied into the container body through the first outside air inlet, the outside air inlet passage, and the second outside air inlet. As a result, air replacement can be performed inside the container body, and the decrease in pressure inside the container body can be eliminated. The first outside air inlet is closed when the piston moves upward (returns to its highest position). Because it is equipped with a cylinder cover that encloses the cylinder, even if the container is used in an inverted position, for example, with the opening of the container body facing downwards, it is difficult for the contents of the container body to reach the first outside air intake hole via the second outside air intake hole and the outside air intake passage. Furthermore, the lower end of the second outside air intake hole is located above the first outside air intake hole, and the first outside air intake hole is closed when the piston is in its highest position. Therefore, leakage of the contents of the container body to the outside through the first outside air intake hole can be suppressed. The airtight seal prevents communication between the outside air intake passage and the second inlet. Therefore, it is possible to prevent problems such as poor discharge due to outside air in the outside air intake passage flowing into the cylinder through the second and first inlet ports, and to prevent problems such as the contents of the inlet passage leaking to the outside through the second inlet port, the outside air intake passage, and the first outside air intake port. Since the second outside air inlet and the upper end of the inlet passage are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, when used in an inverted position, outside air (bubbles) introduced into the container body from the second outside air inlet is less likely to reach the upper end of the inlet passage. This prevents outside air from flowing into the cylinder along with the contents, and reliably suppresses the occurrence of discharge problems.
[0008] Of the inflow passage, the portion that straddles the protruding portion in the vertical direction and extends in the vertical direction may be formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover.
[0009] Since the portion of the inlet passage that straddles the protruding section in the vertical direction and extends in the vertical direction is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover, a configuration can be obtained in which the second outside air intake hole and the upper end of the inlet passage are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, even without aligning the relative positions of the cylinder cover and the outer cylinder in the circumferential direction.
[0010] The second outside air intake hole may have a smaller circumferential size as it extends downwards.
[0011] Since the circumferential size of the second outside air intake port decreases as it extends downwards, when used in an inverted position, it becomes difficult for the outside air (bubbles) introduced into the container body from the second outside air intake port to diffuse circumferentially, and the outside air can be reliably prevented from reaching the upper end of the inflow channel.
[0012] The upper end opening of the outer cylinder may be located below the lower end of the second outside air intake hole.
[0013] Since the upper end opening edge of the outer cylinder is located below the lower end of the second outside air introduction hole, while separating the second outside air introduction hole and the upper end of the inflow path in the vertical direction, it becomes possible to open the entire second outside air introduction hole into the container body. When maintaining the inverted posture, it is possible to suppress the bubbles accumulated inside the second outside air introduction hole from being sucked into the inflow path following the entry of the content into the inflow path.
Advantages of the Invention
[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately perform air replacement inside the container body and suppress leakage of the content through the first outside air introduction hole.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0015] [Figure 1] It is a longitudinal sectional view of the ejector shown as one embodiment. [Figure 2] Among the ejectors of FIG. 1, it is a side view showing a state in which a cylinder, a cylinder cover, and an outer cylinder are combined. [Figure 3] It is a view showing a state in which the ejector of FIG. 1 is in an inverted posture and the nozzle member is attached to the mouth portion of another container body. [Figure 4] In FIG. 3, it is a view showing a state in which the stem and the piston are moved to the container body side.
Modes for Carrying Out the Invention
[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the ejector according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the ejector 1 is attached to the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 in which the content is stored, and has a discharge hole 11 for discharging the content. In addition, each component of the ejector 1 is a molded product using a synthetic resin material unless otherwise specified. The content is not particularly limited, and examples include liquids such as foods, fragrances, chemicals, cosmetics, disinfectants, and detergents.
[0017] Each component of the ejector 1 is arranged coaxially with the central axis of the container body 2 (hereinafter referred to as the container axis O). Hereinafter, the side of the discharge hole 11 along the container axis O is referred to as the upper side, the side of the container body 2 is referred to as the lower side, and the direction along the container axis O is referred to as the vertical direction. Further, in a plan view seen from the vertical direction, the direction intersecting the container axis O is referred to as the radial direction, and the direction orbiting around the container axis O is referred to as the circumferential direction. Note that the posture in which the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 faces upward is referred to as the upright posture, and the posture in which the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 faces downward is referred to as the inverted posture. Hereinafter, the configuration of the ejector 1 will be described in the upright posture.
[0018] (Container body) The container body 2 to which the ejector 1 is combined is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape in which the mouth portion 3, the shoulder portion 4, the body portion 5, and the bottom portion (not shown) are successively connected from above. A male screw portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 3.
[0019] (Ejector) The ejector 1 includes a mounting cap 20 mounted on the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2, a cylinder 30 in which a first inflow hole 31 for allowing the content to flow in is formed, a stem 40 that is arranged to be movable downward in an upward biasing state with respect to the cylinder 30 and whose inside communicates with the inside of the cylinder 30 and the discharge hole 11, a piston 50 that is fitted to slide vertically within the cylinder 30 and operates in conjunction with the vertical movement of the stem 40, a check valve 60 provided within the cylinder 30, a bottomed cylindrical cylinder cover 70 into which the cylinder 30 is inserted inside, and an outer cylinder 140.
[0020] (Mounting cap) The mounting cap 20 is formed in a toped cylindrical shape having an annular top wall. On the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall of the mounting cap 20, a female screw portion that screws into the male screw portion formed on the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 is formed. However, the mounting method of the mounting cap 20 is not limited to screwing, and for example, it may be mounted by undercut fitting or the like with respect to the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2. An outer guide tube 23a and an inner guide tube 23b are formed on the upper surface of the top wall of the mounting cap 20, extending upward. The outer guide tube 23a and the inner guide tube 23b guide the vertical movement of the nozzle member 15. The inner guide tube 23b is provided on the inner peripheral edge of the top wall of the mounting cap 20, and the upper end of the cylinder 30 is fitted and fixed inside the lower part of the inner guide tube 23b. The diameter of the outer guide tube 23a is larger than the diameter of the inner guide tube 23b.
[0021] (Cylinder) The cylinder 30 is formed in a multi-stage cylindrical shape, with the diameter decreasing from top to bottom. The cylinder 30 has a first outside air inlet 34 that penetrates the cylinder 30 radially. The first outside air inlet 34 guides outside air introduced from outside the discharger 1 to an outside air inlet passage 81, which will be described later. The first outside air inlet 34 is formed in the part of the cylinder 30 that can be closed by the piston 50 when the piston 50 is in the highest position shown in Figure 1. Therefore, the first outside air inlet 34 is closed by the piston 50 when it is in the highest position and opens when the piston 50 moves downward from the highest position. A first inlet hole 31, which opens vertically, is formed at the lower end of the cylinder 30. The lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 30 extends radially outward as it goes upward. The lower end of the cylinder 30 is located below the mouth 3 of the container body 2. A first engaging cylinder 35, which extends downward, is provided at the opening periphery of the first inlet hole 31 at the lower end of the cylinder 30.
[0022] (non-return valve) The check valve 60 is installed inside the cylinder 30 and can open and close the first inlet hole 31. The check valve 60 is spherical and is positioned at the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 30 so as to be able to move away from it upward. The check valve 60 allows the contents to move from inside the container body 2 into the cylinder 30 through the first inlet hole 31, and restricts the movement of contents from inside the cylinder 30 into the container body 2 through the first inlet hole 31. Note that the check valve 60 is not limited to the example shown, but may be a three-point valve, for example.
[0023] (Cylinder cover) The cylinder cover 70 covers the first outside air intake hole 34 and the first engagement cylinder 35 of the cylinder 30 from the radial outside, and also covers the lower end opening of the first engagement cylinder 35 from below. The upper end opening of the cylinder cover 70 is open into the container body 2. A second inlet hole 71 is formed at the lower end of the cylinder cover 70, which communicates with the first inlet hole 31. The second inlet hole 71 penetrates the bottom wall of the cylinder cover 70 in the vertical direction. A second engaging cylinder 73 extending upward is provided at the periphery of the opening of the second inlet hole 71 in the bottom wall of the cylinder cover 70. The second engaging cylinder 73 is tightly fitted onto the first engaging cylinder 35 of the cylinder 30. The space between the inner circumferential surface of the second engaging cylinder 73 and the outer circumferential surface of the first engaging cylinder 35 is an airtight section 82 provided between the cylinder 30 and the cylinder cover 70, which blocks communication between the outside air introduction passage 81 (described later) and the second inlet hole 71. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cylinder cover 70 has a second outside air inlet 72 that penetrates radially. The lower end of the second outside air inlet 72 is located above the first outside air inlet 34. The second outside air inlet 72 is positioned so that at least a portion of it is visible when viewed from the radially outside of the outer cylinder 140, and is exposed inside the container body 2. The circumferential size of the second outside air inlet 72 decreases as it extends downward. The circumferential size of the second outside air inlet 72 may be the same throughout its entire vertical range. The second outside air inlet 72 is located at the upper end of the cylinder cover 70, opens upward, and penetrates radially. As the second outside air inlet 72, for example, a through hole that penetrates radially through the cylinder cover 70 may be used in the portion of the cylinder cover 70 located below the upper end opening edge and above the first outside air inlet 34.
[0024] An air intake passage 81 is provided between the cylinder 30 and the cylinder cover 70, connecting the first air intake hole 34 and the second air intake hole 72 to each other. In the illustrated example, a radial gap is provided between the outer surface of the cylinder 30 and the inner surface of the cylinder cover 70, and this gap serves as the air intake passage 81. The air intake passage 81 is open into the container body 2 through the upper end opening of the cylinder cover 70.
[0025] (Outer cylinder) The outer cylinder 140 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, and the cylinder cover 70 is inserted inside the outer cylinder 140. The outer cylinder 140 covers the second inlet hole 71 of the cylinder cover 70 from below. The upper surface of the bottom wall of the outer cylinder 140 is set lower than the lower surface of the bottom wall of the cylinder cover 70. The upper end opening edge 140a of the outer cylinder 140 is located below the lower end of the second outside air inlet hole 72. For example, the upper end opening edge 140a of the outer cylinder 140 may be positioned above the upper end of the second outside air intake hole 72, and a radial through-hole may be formed in the outer cylinder 140 so that at least a portion of the second outside air intake hole 72 is exposed inside the container body 2. In this configuration, a seal portion that circumferentially separates the second outside air intake hole 72 from the inlet passage 13 (described later) may be provided between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover 70 and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder 140.
[0026] At least one of the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover 70 and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder 140 has a projection 12 that extends continuously around its entire circumference and abuts against the other of the two, the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover 70 and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder 140, and an inlet passage 13 that straddles the projection 12 in the vertical direction and connects the inside of the container body 2 and the second inlet hole 71 to each other through the upper end opening of the outer cylinder 140.
[0027] In the illustrated example, the protruding portion 12 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover 70 and abuts against the inner circumferential surface of the upper end of the outer cylinder 140. The protruding portion 12 is undercut-fitted to a locking projection formed on the inner circumferential surface of the upper end of the outer cylinder 140. Of the inlet passage 13, the vertical groove portion 13a that straddles the protruding portion 12 in the vertical direction and extends in the vertical direction is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover 70. The vertical groove portion 13a is located below the upper end of the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover 70. The vertical groove portion 13a may also be formed on the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder 140, or it may be located at the upper end of the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover 70 and open upward. The upper end of the inlet passage 13 is located at the same vertical position as the upper end opening edge 140a of the outer cylinder 140, and is located below the first outside air inlet hole 34. The upper end of the inlet passage 13 and the second outside air inlet hole 72 are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. The upper end of the inlet passage 13 and the second outside air inlet hole 72 are spaced apart from each other by 90° or more in the circumferential direction. However, the upper end of the inlet passage 13 and the second outside air inlet hole 72 may be spaced apart from each other by less than 90° in the circumferential direction. The lower end of the inlet passage 13 is formed by the vertical gap 13b between the upper surface of the bottom wall of the outer cylinder 140 and the lower surface of the bottom wall of the cylinder cover 70, and is in communication with the lower end opening of the vertical groove portion 13a.
[0028] (Stem) The stem 40 is positioned such that its lower end is inserted into the cylinder 30 and its upper end protrudes upward from the mounting cap 20. The stem 40 is inserted inside the inner guide cylinder 23b. Retaining projections that abut each other in the vertical direction are separately formed on the outer circumferential surface of the stem 40 and the inner circumferential surface of the inner guide cylinder 23b, thereby restricting further upward movement of the stem 40. Multiple locking projections 41 that protrude radially inward are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the lower part of the stem 40 at intervals in the circumferential direction.
[0029] A rod-shaped piston guide 110 is fitted and fixed inside the stem 40. The outer circumferential surface of the piston guide 110 is supported by a plurality of locking projections 41. A radial gap is provided between the outer circumferential surface of the piston guide 110 and the inner circumferential surface of the stem 40. The lower part of the piston guide 110 is located below the lower end opening edge of the stem 40. A contact portion 111 is formed on the lower part of the piston guide 110, projecting radially outward and extending continuously around its entire circumference. The lower surface of the contact portion 111 supports the upper end opening edge of a first biasing member 90, such as a coil spring. The lower end opening edge of the first biasing member 90 is supported by the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 30.
[0030] (piston) The piston 50 is fitted so as to be vertically slidable within the lower end of the stem 40, while being radially separated from the outer circumferential surface of the piston guide 110, and is also fitted so as to be vertically slidable within the cylinder 30. The piston 50 is in contact with the upper surface of the contact portion 111 so as to be separated in the vertical direction.
[0031] A second biasing member 112, such as a coil spring, extending in the vertical direction, is positioned between the piston 50 and the lower surface of the retaining projection formed on the outer circumferential surface of the stem 40. The lower end of the stem 40 is inserted into the second biasing member 112. The spring constant of the second biasing member 112 is higher than the spring constant of the first biasing member 90. However, the spring constant of the second biasing member 112 may be less than or equal to the spring constant of the first biasing member 90. In the process of moving the stem 40 downward together with the piston guide 110, the piston 50 also moves downward first, and when the portion of the cylinder 30 located below the piston 50 (hereinafter referred to as the pressurized space 30a) is pressurized and its internal pressure exceeds a predetermined value, the piston 50 moves upward while compressing and deforming the second biasing member 112, and moves upward away from the upper surface of the contact portion 111. As a result, the pressurized space 30a inside the cylinder 30 communicates with the upper end of the stem 40.
[0032] (Nozzle component) The nozzle member 15 is formed in a top-cylindrical shape, with its lower end fitted to the upper end of the stem 40. A discharge hole 11 is formed in the top wall of the nozzle member 15, penetrating vertically and communicating with the upper end opening of the stem 40. The peripheral wall of the nozzle member 15 comprises an outer cylindrical portion 15b and an inner cylindrical portion 15c, with the stem 40 fitted into the inner cylindrical portion 15c. A flange portion 15a is formed on the outer cylindrical portion 15b, projecting radially outward and extending continuously around its entire circumference.
[0033] (Function of the dispensing device) Next, we will explain the case in which the contents are discharged using the discharger 1 configured as described above. In the following explanation, we will use as an example the case in which the contents are discharged with the container body 2 and the dispenser 1 in an inverted position, such that the mouth 3 and discharge hole 11 of the container body 2 face downwards, as shown in Figure 3. Furthermore, we will use as an example the case in which the nozzle member 15 is inserted into the mouth 131 of another container body 130, and the mouth 131 of the other container body 130 is brought into contact with the flange portion 15a, thereby discharging the contents into the other container body 130. Initially, the contents of the container body 2 are stored in the pressurized space 30a within the cylinder 30 through the inflow passage 13, the second inflow hole 71, the first engaging cylinder 35, and the first inflow hole 31.
[0034] When the container body 2 is pushed toward another container body 130, and the container body 2 and the nozzle member 15 are moved relative to each other in the vertical direction, the stem 40, piston guide 110, and piston 50 move together toward the inside of the cylinder 30, compressing and deforming the first biasing member 90. As a result, the pressurized space 30a inside the cylinder 30 is pressurized, and when the internal pressure exceeds a predetermined value, the piston 50 moves away from the contact portion 111, compressing and deforming the second biasing member 112, as shown in Figure 4. At this time, the pressurized space 30a inside the cylinder 30 communicates with the discharge hole 11 through the stem 40, and the contents are discharged through the discharge hole 11, which can be used to mix, for example, with the contents contained in another container body 130. During the above process, as the piston 50 moves toward the interior of the cylinder 30, it moves away from the first outside air intake hole 34, and the first outside air intake hole 34 is opened.
[0035] As the contents are discharged, the internal pressure of the pressurized space 30a inside the cylinder 30 decreases, causing the second biasing member 112 to deform back to its original state, and the piston 50 to move toward the contact portion 111 and make contact, thereby blocking communication between the pressurized space 30a inside the cylinder 30 and the inside of the stem 40. Subsequently, when the pressure on the container body 2 is released, the first biasing member 90 deforms back to its original shape, moving the cylinder 30 and the container body 2, etc., in a direction away from another container body 130. At this time, the stem 40, piston guide 110, and piston 50 move relative to the cylinder 30 from inside the cylinder 30 toward the nozzle member 15, causing the pressurized space 30a inside the cylinder 30 to be reduced in pressure (created negative pressure). This opens the check valve 60, and the contents of the container body 2 are supplied to the pressurized space 30a inside the cylinder 30 through the inflow passage 13, the second inflow hole 71, the first engaging cylinder 35, and the first inflow hole 31, preparing for the next discharge.
[0036] The movement of contents from the container body 2 to the pressurized space 30a in the cylinder 30 causes a decrease in pressure (negative pressure) inside the container body 2. As a result, outside air can be supplied into the container body 2 through the first outside air inlet 34, the outside air inlet passage 81, and the second outside air inlet 72 until the first outside air inlet 34 is closed by the piston 50. Therefore, air replacement can be performed inside the container body 2, and the decrease in pressure inside the container body 2 can be eliminated.
[0037] As explained above, the discharger 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a cylinder cover 70 that covers the cylinder 30. Therefore, even if it is used in an inverted position with the mouth 3 of the container body 2 facing downwards, as shown in Figure 3, it is difficult for the contents inside the container body 2 to reach the first outside air inlet 34 via the second outside air inlet 72 and the outside air inlet passage 81. In particular, since the outside air inlet passage 81 is formed in the narrow gap between the outer surface of the cylinder 30 and the inner surface of the cylinder cover 70, this also contributes to the difficulty of the contents inside the container body 2 reaching the first outside air inlet 34. Furthermore, the lower end of the second outside air intake hole 72 is located above the first outside air intake hole 34, and the first outside air intake hole 34 is closed when the piston 50 is in its highest position. Therefore, leakage of the contents of the container body 2 to the outside through the first outside air intake hole 34 can be suppressed.
[0038] The airtight section 82 blocks communication between the outside air intake passage 81 and the second inlet hole 71. Therefore, it is possible to prevent problems such as poor discharge due to outside air in the outside air intake passage 81 flowing into the cylinder 30 through the second inlet hole 71 and the first inlet hole 31, and to prevent problems such as the contents of the inlet passage 13 leaking to the outside through the second inlet hole 71, the outside air intake passage 81, and the first outside air intake hole 34.
[0039] Since the second outside air inlet 72 and the upper end of the inlet passage 13 are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, when used in an inverted position, outside air (bubbles) introduced into the container body 2 from the second outside air inlet 72 is less likely to reach the upper end of the inlet passage 13. This prevents outside air from flowing into the cylinder 30 along with the contents, and reliably suppresses the occurrence of discharge problems.
[0040] Since a vertical groove portion 13a of the inlet passage 13 that straddles the protruding portion 12 in the vertical direction and extends in the vertical direction is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover 70, a configuration can be obtained in which the second outside air intake hole 72 and the upper end of the inlet passage 13 are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, even without aligning the relative positions of the cylinder cover 70 and the outer cylinder 140.
[0041] Since the circumferential size of the second outside air inlet 72 decreases as it extends downward, when used in an inverted position, it becomes difficult to diffuse the outside air (bubbles) introduced into the container body 2 from the second outside air inlet 72 in the circumferential direction, and the outside air can be reliably prevented from reaching the upper end of the inlet passage 13.
[0042] Since the upper end opening edge 140a of the outer cylinder 140 is located below the lower end of the second outside air inlet 72, it is possible to open the entire second outside air inlet 72 into the container body 2 while separating the second outside air inlet 72 from the upper end of the inlet passage 13 in the vertical direction. When maintained in an inverted position, it is possible to suppress the air bubbles accumulated inside the second outside air inlet 72 from being sucked into the inlet passage 13 as the contents enter the inlet passage 13.
[0043] As described above, the discharger 1 of this embodiment allows for proper air exchange within the container body 2 and suppresses leakage of contents through the first outside air inlet 34. Therefore, it can be suitably used with container bodies 2 that are non-delamined containers, and the discharger 1 can be applied to a variety of uses.
[0044] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Embodiments and their modifications include, for example, those that can be easily imagined by those skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are equivalent.
[0045] For example, in the above embodiment, the nozzle member 15 was described as being configured to move up and down relative to the container body 2, but the invention is not limited to this case, and it is acceptable as long as it is configured to move relative to the container body. For example, the nozzle member 15 may be configured to rotate relative to the container body 2 around the container axis O, and the stem 40 may be moved downward relative to the cylinder 30 by the relative rotation between the container body 2 and the nozzle member 15.
[0046] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the example described was one in which a discharge hole 11 is formed in the nozzle member 15 and the nozzle member 15 and the stem 40 are combined integrally to connect the inside of the stem 40 to the discharge hole 11, but the invention is not limited to this case. For example, the discharge hole 11 may be formed at the upper end of the stem 40.
[0047] Examples of the present invention are as follows: <1> A dispenser that is attached to the mouth of a container body containing contents and has a discharge port for discharging the contents, A cylinder having a first inlet hole formed at its lower end for allowing contents to flow into the interior, and a first outside air inlet hole formed therein, A stem is positioned to be movable downward while being biased upward relative to the cylinder, and whose interior communicates the inside of the cylinder and the discharge hole with each other. A piston is fitted into the cylinder so as to be able to slide up and down, and is linked to the up and down movement of the stem, A check valve provided within the cylinder allows the movement of contents from the container body toward the cylinder through the first inlet hole, and suppresses the movement of contents from the cylinder toward the container body through the first inlet hole, The cylinder is inserted inside, and a second inlet hole communicating with the first inlet hole is formed at its lower end, and a bottomed cylindrical cylinder cover covers the first outside air intake hole, The cylinder cover comprises a bottomed cylindrical outer cylinder into which the cylinder cover is inserted, The first outside air intake port is closed by the piston when it is in its highest position, and opens when the piston moves downward from the highest position. The cylinder cover has a second outside air intake hole that penetrates in the radial direction. The lower end of the second outside air inlet is located above the first outside air inlet. The second outside air intake hole is provided and exposed in a position where at least a portion of it is visible when viewed from radially outside the outer cylinder, Between the cylinder and the cylinder cover, An outside air intake passage connecting the first outside air intake port and the second outside air intake port, An airtight section is provided to block communication between the outside air intake passage and the second inlet hole. At least one of the cylinder cover and the outer cylinder is: A protruding portion that extends continuously around the entire circumference and abuts against the other of either the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover or the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder, An inlet passage is formed that spans the aforementioned protruding portion in the vertical direction and connects the inside of the container body and the second inlet hole to each other through the upper end opening of the outer cylinder, A discharger in which the second outside air intake port and the upper end of the inlet passage are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. <2> Of the inflow passage, the portion that straddles the protruding portion in the vertical direction and extends in the vertical direction is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover, <1> The discharger described above. <3> The second outside air intake hole has a circumferential size that decreases as it goes downwards. <1> or <2> The discharger described above. <4> The upper end opening edge of the outer cylinder is located below the lower end of the second outside air intake hole, <1> from <3> A dispensing device as described in one of the following. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0048] 1 Dispenser 2. Container body 3 Mouth 11 Discharge hole 12 Projection part 13 Inflow channel 30 cylinders 31 1st inflow hole 34 First outside air inlet 40 Stem 50 pistons 60 Check valve 70 Cylinder Cover 71 2nd inflow hole 72 Second outside air inlet 81 Outside air intake 82 Airtight parts 140 Outer cylinder 140a Upper end opening edge of the outer cylinder
Claims
1. A dispenser that is attached to the mouth of a container body containing contents and has a discharge port for discharging the contents, A cylinder having a first inlet hole formed at its lower end for allowing contents to flow into the interior, and a first outside air inlet hole formed therein, A stem is positioned to be movable downward while being biased upward relative to the cylinder, and whose interior communicates the inside of the cylinder and the discharge hole with each other. A piston is fitted into the cylinder so as to be able to slide up and down, and is linked to the up and down movement of the stem, A check valve provided within the cylinder, which allows the movement of contents from the container body toward the cylinder through the first inlet hole and suppresses the movement of contents from the cylinder toward the container body through the first inlet hole, The cylinder is inserted inside, and a second inlet hole communicating with the first inlet hole is formed at its lower end, and a bottomed cylindrical cylinder cover covers the first outside air intake hole, The cylinder cover comprises a bottomed cylindrical outer cylinder into which the cylinder cover is inserted, The first outside air intake port is closed by the piston when it is in its highest position, and opens when the piston moves downward from the highest position. The cylinder cover has a second outside air intake hole that penetrates in the radial direction. The lower end of the second outside air intake port is located above the first outside air intake port. The second outside air intake hole is provided and exposed in a position where at least a portion of it is visible when viewed from radially outside the outer cylinder, Between the cylinder and the cylinder cover, An outside air intake passage connecting the first outside air intake port and the second outside air intake port, An airtight section is provided to block communication between the outside air intake passage and the second inlet hole. At least one of the cylinder cover and the outer cylinder is: A protruding portion that extends continuously around the entire circumference and abuts against the other of either the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover or the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder, An inlet passage is formed that spans the aforementioned protruding portion in the vertical direction and connects the inside of the container body and the second inlet hole to each other through the upper end opening of the outer cylinder, A discharger in which the second outside air inlet and the upper end of the inlet passage are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction.
2. The discharger according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the inflow passage that straddles the protruding portion in the vertical direction and extends in the vertical direction is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder cover.
3. The discharger according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second outside air intake port has a smaller circumferential size as it extends downward.
4. The discharger according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper end opening edge of the outer cylinder is located below the lower end of the second outside air intake hole.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Two-liquid mixing container and ejection container for mixing two liquids
JP2020001790A