Powder ejection container

Abstract

To reliably dispense a fixed amount of powder with simple operation. [Solution] The present invention provides a powder dispensing container 1 comprising a container body 2 for containing powder M, an inner stopper member 3, a measuring member 4 having a measuring chamber R1 and being combined to be movable relative to the inner stopper member, a dispensing member 7 having a nozzle cylinder 6 with a dispensing hole 5 formed therein, and an operating member 8 defining an air chamber R2 between itself and the dispensing member and being elastically deformable downwards, wherein the measuring member is switchable between a measuring position P1 and a dispensing position, the inner stopper member has a first communication hole 27 that connects the inside of the container body and the measuring chamber only when the measuring member is in the measuring position, the dispensing member has a second communication hole 54 that connects the inside of the nozzle cylinder and the measuring chamber only when the measuring member is in the dispensing position and an air passage 57 that connects the air chamber and the inside of the nozzle cylinder, and the operating member pressurizes the air chamber by elastic deformation and supplies air to the inside of the nozzle cylinder through the air passage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a powder discharge container.

Background Art

[0002] As a powder discharge container for discharging powder, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, there is known a powder administration device including a container in which at least one dose of powder is placed, an administration head having an administration port, and an air supply device that administers one dose of powder to a discharge target (nostril) by the generated compressed air. In this powder administration device, by operating the air supply device with a fingertip or the like, a piston having a projection is moved so as to be pushed into an air chamber. As a result, the air chamber is pressurized and the air in the air chamber is compressed. Then, by further moving the piston, the projection contacts the insert that seals the inside of the container, and the insert is pushed out from the closed position. As a result, the compressed air in the air chamber can be made to flow into the container, and the closure that seals the inside of the container can be pushed out to open the container. As a result, it is possible to discharge one dose of powder through the administration port.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above conventional powder administration device, an insert and a closure are disposed inside a container in which at least one dose of powder is placed. Therefore, when discharging powder from the container to the outside using compressed air, the flow of the powder is particularly likely to be obstructed by the closure. Therefore, it may be difficult to stably discharge a fixed amount of powder, and there is room for improvement.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and its object is to provide a powder dispensing container that can stably dispense a fixed amount of powder with simple operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The powder dispensing container according to the present invention comprises a container body for containing powder, a stopper member attached to the mouth of the container body and closing the inside of the container body, a measuring member having a measuring chamber and being assembled to be movable relative to the stopper member, a dispensing member positioned above the measuring member and integrally assembled to the stopper member, having a nozzle cylinder with a dispensing hole formed at its tip for dispensing powder to the outside, and an operating member positioned above the dispensing member, defining an air chamber between itself and the dispensing member, and being elastically deformable downward, wherein the measuring member is the stopper member The device is switchable between a metering position and a discharge position by movement relative to the material, the stopper member has a first communication hole that connects the inside of the container body and the metering chamber only when the metering member is in the metering position, the discharge member has a second communication hole that connects the inside of the nozzle cylinder and the metering chamber only when the metering member is in the discharge position, and an air passage that connects the air chamber and the inside of the nozzle cylinder, and the operating member pressurizes the air chamber by elastic deformation and supplies air from the air chamber to the nozzle cylinder through the air passage.

[0007] According to the powder dispensing container of the present invention, when dispensing powder, the measuring member is moved relative to the inner stopper member to switch to the measuring position. This allows communication between the inside of the container body and the measuring chamber through the first communication hole, so that, for example, by placing the container body in an inverted position with the mouth facing downwards, the powder inside the container body can flow into the measuring chamber. In this state, the measuring member is moved relative to the inner stopper member to switch from the measuring position to the dispensing position. At this time, since the communication between the inside of the container body and the measuring chamber can be blocked when the measuring member moves from the measuring position, the measuring member can be switched to the dispensing position while retaining only the amount of powder that has been measured (the amount that has flowed in) in the measuring chamber. As a result, by switching the measuring member to the dispensing position, the amount of powder that has been measured can flow into the nozzle cylinder through the second communication hole.

[0008] Next, the operating member is pressed with a fingertip or the like to cause elastic deformation. This pressurizes the air chamber, allowing pressurized air to be supplied from the air chamber to the nozzle cylinder through the air passage. As a result, the pressurized air can be used to blow away the measured amount of powder, which can then be discharged to the outside from the nozzle cylinder through the discharge hole.

[0009] In particular, the amount of powder weighed in the weighing chamber can be discharged to the outside without being obstructed by any other components, allowing for stable discharge of a fixed amount of powder. Furthermore, the powder can be discharged with a simple operation that only requires switching the weighing component (switching from the weighing position to the discharge position) and pressing the operating component, making it easy to use and highly convenient. Furthermore, during product distribution and storage, positioning the weighing component at the weighing position prevents powder from unintentionally entering the nozzle cylinder, and also prevents dust and other particles from entering the weighing chamber from the outside through the nozzle cylinder.

[0010] (2) The measuring member is assembled to the stopper member so as to be rotatable about the container axis of the container body, and may be switched between the measuring position and the dispensing position by rotation around the container axis.

[0011] In this case, the measuring element can be switched between the measuring position and the dispensing position by rotating it around the container axis. Therefore, unlike when using a sliding mechanism, for example, there is no need to secure space for the measuring element to move in the radial direction intersecting the container axis. As a result, the powder dispensing container can be made compact.

[0012] (3) The air passage may be provided with a filter member that allows the movement of air between the air chamber and the nozzle cylinder, and restricts the movement of powder.

[0013] In this case, since a filter member is provided in the air passage, it is possible to prevent powder from unintentionally entering the air chamber from inside the nozzle cylinder. Therefore, the air chamber can be kept clean, and a more stable and precise amount of powder can be discharged.

[0014] (4) The filter member may be arranged to face the second communication hole in the vertical direction.

[0015] In this case, when the measuring element is switched to the discharge position while the container body is in an inverted position with the opening facing downwards, the measured powder can be flowed into the nozzle cylinder so as to overlap the filter element. Therefore, the powder can be efficiently blown away using the air supplied from the air chamber.

[0016] (5) The operating member may be formed to bulge upward in a vertical cross-sectional view of the container body and be elastically deformable to invert downward.

[0017] In this case, when the operating member is pushed in, it can be elastically deformed so as to be inverted, so that the air chamber can be efficiently and instantaneously pressurized. As a result, the pressurized air can be vigorously supplied from the air chamber into the nozzle cylinder, and the powder can be discharged so as to be ejected outward.

Advantages of the Invention

[0018] According to the powder discharge container of the present invention, a fixed amount of powder can be stably discharged with a simple operation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of the powder discharge container according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where powder has flowed into the measuring chamber by placing the powder discharge container in an inverted posture after removing the nozzle cap shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the powder in the measuring chamber has flowed into the nozzle cylinder by switching the measuring member shown in FIG. 2 to the discharge position. [Figure 4] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the powder is blown off by pushing in the operating member shown in FIG. 3 and the powder is discharged outward from the discharge hole.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] An embodiment of the powder discharge container according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the powder discharge container 1 of the present embodiment includes a bottomed cylindrical container body 2 in which powder M is housed, a toped cylindrical inner plug member 3 that closes the inside of the container body 2, a toped cylindrical measuring member 4 having a measuring chamber R1, a discharge member 7 having a nozzle cylinder 6 in which a discharge hole 5 for discharging the powder M to the outside is formed at the tip, and an operating member 8 combined with the discharge member 7.

[0021] Although the powder M is not particularly limited, for example, powdery pharmaceuticals such as nasal drops can be used. In this case, the powder discharge container 1 is used as a nasal drop container for discharging nasal drops into the nasal cavity. However, it is not limited to this case. For example, as the powder M, it is also possible to use pharmaceuticals other than nasal drops, cosmetics, etc. Furthermore, as the powder M, it is also possible to use, for example, powdery food seasonings such as salts, powdery contents such as flour, and powdery contents such as fertilizers and herbicides.

[0022] In the present embodiment, the central axis of the container body 2 is defined as the container axis O. Also, the operation member 8 side is defined as upward along the container axis O, and the bottom 12 side of the container body 2 is defined as downward. Furthermore, in a plan view seen from the container axis O direction, the direction intersecting the container axis O is defined as the radial direction, and the direction circulating around the container axis O is defined as the circumferential direction.

[0023] (Container body) As shown in FIG. 1, the container body 2 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape in which the mouth part 10, the body part 11, and the bottom part 12 are continuously provided in this order from the upper side. In the illustrated example, the mouth part 10 is formed so as to extend further upward from the upper end opening of the body part 11. Thereby, the container body 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape having the same inner diameter over the mouth part 10 and the body part 11. An annular flange part 13 protruding outward in the radial direction is formed at the continuous part between the lower end part of the body part 11 and the bottom part 12.

[0024] (Inner stopper member) The inner stopper member 3 is formed in a toped cylindrical shape for closing the inside of the container body 2, and is attached to the mouth part 10 of the container body 2 in a state of being coaxially arranged with the container axis O. The inner stopper member 3 includes a mounting cylinder 20 that surrounds the mouth part 10 of the container body 2 from the outside in the radial direction, an annular flange part 21 that protrudes inward in the radial direction from the upper end part of the mounting cylinder 20, a seal cylinder 22 that protrudes downward from the inner peripheral edge part of the flange part 21 and fits inside the mouth part 10 of the container body 2, and a closing wall 23 that is disposed inside the seal cylinder 22 and closes the mouth part 10 of the container body 2.

[0025] The mounting cylinder 20 is fitted to the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 by an undercut fitting in a manner that prevents relative rotation. As a result, the entire inner stopper member 3 is integrally assembled with the container body 2. However, the method of attaching the mounting cylinder 20 to the mouth 10 of the container body 2 is not limited to undercut fitting; for example, it may be attached by screw connection. In this case, the mouth 10 of the container body 2 and the measuring member 4 should be screw-connected with a frictional force sufficient to prevent the inner stopper member 3 from rotating together with the rotational movement of the measuring member 4, which will be described later.

[0026] The mounting cylinder 20 is formed such that the outer diameter at the upper end is smaller than the outer diameter at the lower end. A first guide projection 29 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the upper end of the mounting cylinder 20, projecting radially outward. The first guide projection 29 is formed in an annular shape that extends around the entire circumference of the mounting cylinder 20, and is formed with a projection amount such that it does not protrude radially outward beyond the lower end of the mounting cylinder 20.

[0027] The flange portion 21 is in contact with the upper opening edge of the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 from above, all around its circumference. As a result, the inner stopper member 3 is assembled in a position relative to the container body 2. The sealing cylinder 22 is tightly fitted inside the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 all around its circumference. As a result, the sealing cylinder 22 restricts communication between the inside and outside of the container body 2 through the space between the sealing cylinder 22 and the container body 2.

[0028] The sealing wall 23 is formed in a circular shape in plan view, and its outer edge is integrally formed with the sealing cylinder 22. In the illustrated example, the sealing wall 23 is positioned such that its outer edge is located below the flange portion 21. A connecting shaft 24 extending upward is formed in the central part of the sealing wall 23. The connecting shaft 24 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is positioned coaxially with the container axis O. A vertically elongated first rib 25 is formed on the connecting shaft 24, projecting radially outward. Multiple first ribs 25 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0029] Furthermore, the closing wall 23 has an annular base portion 26 that protrudes upward and surrounds the connecting shaft 24 from the radial outside. The base portion 26 is positioned radially outward from the connecting shaft 24 to ensure a certain gap between it and the connecting shaft 24, and radially inward from the seal cylinder 22 to ensure a certain gap between it and the upper end of the seal cylinder 22. As a result, an annular space opening upward is formed between the base portion 26 and the connecting shaft 24. Furthermore, the base portion 26 is formed to be lower in height than the connecting shaft 24, and its upper end surface is formed to be an annular flat surface. The base portion 26, configured in this way, uses its upper end surface to rotatably support the weighing member 4 from below.

[0030] As described above, the plug member 3 has a first communication hole 27 that penetrates the base portion 26 and the closing wall 23 in the vertical direction. The first communication hole 27 is formed, for example, in a circular shape in plan view, and is positioned radially opposite the nozzle cylinder 6 with the container axis O in between. As a result, the inside of the container body 2 can communicate with the outside through the first communication hole 27. Furthermore, an inclined wall 28 is formed on the lower surface of the closing wall 23, which slopes upward from the outer peripheral edge of the closing wall 23 toward the first communication hole 27. This makes it easier to move the powder M toward the first communication hole 27 by utilizing the inclined wall 28 when the powder dispensing container 1 is in an inverted position with the mouth 10 of the container body 2 facing downward (see Figure 2).

[0031] (Measuring component) The measuring member 4 is assembled to the inner stopper member 3 so as to be movable relative to it, while being positioned coaxially with the container axis O. Specifically, the measuring member 4 is assembled to the inner stopper member 3 so as to be rotatable about the container axis O. The measuring member 4 can be switched between the measuring position P1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the dispensing position P2 shown in Figures 3 and 4 by rotating around the container axis O.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the measuring member 4 is formed in a top-shaped cylindrical form and includes a lower rotating cylinder 30 that surrounds the mounting cylinder 20 of the inner plug member 3 from the radial outside, an upper rotating cylinder 31 connected to the upper end of the lower rotating cylinder 30 and extending further upward than the lower rotating cylinder 30, and a top wall portion 32 connected to the upper end of the upper rotating cylinder 31.

[0033] The lower rotating cylinder 30 is formed not only to surround the mounting cylinder 20, but also to surround the entire body portion 11 of the container body 2 from the radial outside. In the illustrated example, the lower rotating cylinder 30 is formed so that its outer diameter is the same as the outer diameter of the flange portion 13 of the container body 2. The lower end of the lower rotating cylinder 30 is positioned above the flange portion 13, with a gap between it and the flange portion 13. The lower rotating cylinder 30 is formed such that its upper end protrudes above the mounting cylinder 20. A second guide projection 33 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the portion of the lower rotating cylinder 30 that surrounds the mounting cylinder 20 from the radial outside, projecting radially inward. The second guide projection 33 is formed in an annular shape that extends around the entire circumference of the lower rotating cylinder 30 and is in rotatable contact with the first guide projection 29 from below.

[0034] Therefore, while the upward movement (dislodgement) of the measuring member 4 is suppressed by the first guide projection 29, the contact between the first guide projection 29 and the second guide projection 33 makes it possible to stably rotate the measuring member 4 around the container axis O.

[0035] The upper rotating cylinder 31 is positioned radially inward from the lower rotating cylinder 30 and above the mounting cylinder 20. Furthermore, the upper rotating cylinder 31 is formed such that its inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the mounting cylinder 20. A third guide projection 34 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the upper rotating cylinder 31, projecting radially outward. The third guide projection 34 is formed in an annular shape that extends around the entire circumference of the upper rotating cylinder 31.

[0036] The top wall portion 32 is formed in a circular shape in plan view and closes the upper end opening of the upper rotating cylinder 31. A through hole 35 is formed in the central part of the top wall portion 32, penetrating the top wall portion 32 in the vertical direction. The through hole 35 is formed, for example, in a circular shape in plan view and is arranged coaxially with the container axis O. The top wall portion 32 is placed on the upper end surface of the base portion 26 with the connecting shaft 24 of the inner plug member 3 inserted through the through hole 35. As a result, the entire measuring member 4 is stably supported from below by the base portion 26 and is rotatable around the container axis O. Furthermore, an annular guide groove 36 that is recessed downwards is formed on the upper surface of the portion of the top wall 32 that is radially outward from the base portion 26. Therefore, the guide groove 36 opens upwards.

[0037] Furthermore, the measuring member 4 has an operating piece 37 for rotating the measuring member 4 around the container axis O. The operating piece 37 is formed in the shape of a plate, with its length in the vertical direction being longer than its length in the radial direction, and is integrally formed on the outer circumferential surface of the lower rotating cylinder 30. In the illustrated example, the operating piece 37 is formed to be located below the nozzle cylinder 6. Therefore, the operating piece 37 is positioned on the radially opposite side of the container axis O from the first communication hole 27. Furthermore, the operating piece 37 extends upward from the lower rotating cylinder 30 so as to surround the upper rotating cylinder 31 from the radial outside. The height of the upper end of the operating piece 37 is equal to the height of the top wall portion 32.

[0038] A weighing chamber R1 is formed in the top wall portion 32 of the weighing member 4 configured as described above. The weighing chamber R1 is formed to penetrate the top wall 32 in the vertical direction and is positioned above the first communication hole 27. In particular, the weighing chamber R1 is formed in a circular shape in plan view, having a diameter equal to the diameter of the first communication hole 27.

[0039] In this embodiment, the metering position P1 is defined as the position of the metering member 4 when the metering chamber R1 is located above the first communication hole 27, as described above. In contrast, the discharge position P2 is defined as the position of the metering member 4 rotated 180 degrees around the container axis O from the metering position P1, as shown in Figure 3. Therefore, at the discharge position P2, the operating piece 37 is positioned on the radially opposite side of the nozzle cylinder 6, with the container axis O in between. As shown in Figure 1, the container body 2 and the measuring chamber R1 can be connected through the first communication hole 27 only when the measuring member 4 is located at the measuring position P1.

[0040] (Discharge component) The discharge member 7 is positioned above the measuring member 4 and is integrally assembled with the plug member 3 via the connecting shaft 24. The discharge member 7 comprises a discharge section body 40 on which a base nozzle cylinder 41 is formed, and a tip nozzle cylinder 42 combined with the base nozzle cylinder 41. The nozzle cylinder 6 is composed of the base nozzle cylinder 41 and the tip nozzle cylinder 42.

[0041] In this embodiment, the nozzle cylinder 6 is given as an example in which the base nozzle cylinder 41 and the tip nozzle cylinder 42, which are separate parts, are combined to form a two-part nozzle cylinder 6. However, it is not limited to this case, and for example, the nozzle cylinder 6 may be constructed as a one-part configuration in which the base nozzle cylinder 41 and the tip nozzle cylinder 42 are integrally formed.

[0042] The discharge unit body 40 is positioned above the top wall portion 32 of the measuring member 4 and includes a bottom wall portion 45 that covers the entire top wall portion 32 from above, a support cylinder 46 that extends downward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 45 and surrounds the upper rotating cylinder 31 of the measuring member 4 from the radial outside, and a peripheral wall portion 47 that extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 45.

[0043] A connecting cylinder 48 extending downward is formed coaxially with the container axis O in the central part of the bottom wall portion 45. The connecting cylinder 48 is positioned inside the through hole 35 formed in the measuring member 4 and is fitted onto the connecting shaft 24. Specifically, a vertically elongated second rib 49 is formed on the inside of the connecting cylinder 48, projecting radially inward. Multiple second ribs 49 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. The connecting cylinder 48 is fitted with the inner peripheral edge of the second rib 49 to the connecting shaft 24, with the multiple second ribs 49 circumferentially locked to the multiple first ribs 25 formed on the connecting shaft 24.

[0044] As a result, the entire discharge member 7 is integrally assembled to the inner plug member 3 via the connecting shaft 24 while being prevented from rotating. The outer circumferential surface of the connecting cylinder 48 is in close proximity to or sliding contact with the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 35 formed in the measuring member 4. The bottom wall portion 45 is in close proximity to or sliding contact with the top wall portion 32 of the measuring member 4 from above. Therefore, the measuring member 4 is rotatable relative to the inner plug member 3 and the discharge member 7.

[0045] A guide ring 50 is formed in the bottom wall portion 45, specifically in the portion located above the guide groove 36 formed in the measuring member 4, and protruding downwards. The guide ring 50 is in sliding contact with the inner circumferential wall that defines the guide groove 36.

[0046] The support cylinder 46 has an outer diameter that is the same as the outer diameter of the lower rotating cylinder 30 of the measuring member 4. A fourth guide projection 51 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the support cylinder 46, projecting radially inward. The fourth guide projection 51 is formed in an annular shape that extends around the entire circumference of the support cylinder 46 and is in rotatable contact with the third guide projection 34 formed on the measuring member 4 from below. Therefore, in addition to the contact between the first guide projection 29 and the second guide projection 33 mentioned above, the contact between the third guide projection 34 and the fourth guide projection 51, and the contact between the guide ring 50 and the guide groove 36, make it possible to rotate the measuring member 4 around the container axis O even more stably.

[0047] The peripheral wall portion 47 is formed to have the same outer diameter as the support cylinder 46. Therefore, the peripheral wall portion 47, the support cylinder 46, the lower rotating cylinder 30 of the measuring member 4, and the flange portion 13 of the container body 2 are all formed to have the same diameter. Thus, except for the operating piece 37 and the nozzle cylinder 6, the powder dispensing container 1 can be made into a simple and compact shape, resulting in an excellent appearance. Furthermore, a connecting cylinder 52 is formed at the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 47, extending upward. The connecting cylinder 52 has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the peripheral wall portion 47, and an inner diameter that is the same as the inner diameter of the peripheral wall portion 47.

[0048] The base nozzle cylinder 41 is integrally formed with the bottom wall portion 45 and is also formed to penetrate a portion of the peripheral wall portion 47 and open radially outward. Therefore, a portion of the peripheral wall portion 47 also functions as part of the base nozzle cylinder 41. The base nozzle cylinder 41 has a protruding cylinder 53 that extends radially outward from the support cylinder 46. The tip nozzle cylinder 42 is combined with the base nozzle cylinder 41 via a protruding cylinder 53. The tip nozzle cylinder 42 is formed to extend radially outward from the operating piece 37. The tip opening of the tip nozzle cylinder 42 functions as a discharge hole 5 for discharging the powder M to the outside.

[0049] As described above, the discharge member 7 has a second communication hole 54 that penetrates the bottom wall portion 45 in the vertical direction. The second communication hole 54 is formed, for example, in a circular shape in plan view, and is located on the radially opposite side of the container axis O from the metering chamber R1 and the first communication hole 27, and is formed to communicate with the inside of the nozzle cylinder 6. In particular, as shown in Figure 3, the second communication hole 54 is formed to communicate with the metering chamber R1 when the metering member 4 is positioned at the discharge position P2. The second communication hole 54 is formed in a circular shape in plan view, having a diameter equal to the diameter of the metering chamber R1. Therefore, the nozzle cylinder 6 and the metering chamber R1 can be connected through the second communication hole 54 only when the metering member 4 is in the discharge position P2.

[0050] As shown in Figure 1, the internal space enclosed by the peripheral wall 47, bottom wall 45, base nozzle cylinder 41, and operating member 8 of the discharge unit body 40 functions as an air chamber R2. In the portion of the base nozzle cylinder 41 located above the second communication hole 54, a first air hole 55 opening upward and a second air hole 56 connecting the first air hole 55 to the inside of the nozzle cylinder 6 are formed. The inner diameter of the second air hole 56 is formed to be smaller than the inner diameter of the first air hole 55. As a result, the air chamber R2 and the nozzle cylinder 6 are in communication through the first air hole 55 and the second air hole 56. The first air hole 55 and the second air hole 56 function as an air passage 57.

[0051] The first air holes 55 that constitute the air passage 57 are provided with a filter member 60 that allows the movement of air between the air chamber R2 and the nozzle cylinder 6, while restricting the movement of the powder M. The filter member 60 comprises a cylindrical body 61 that is tightly fitted inside the first air hole 55, and a mesh member 62 stretched over the lower opening end of the cylindrical body 61. The mesh member 62 has multiple micropores smaller than the particle size of the powder M formed in a mesh pattern. The mesh member 62 may be provided not only at the lower opening end of the cylindrical body 61 but also at the upper opening end, or it may be provided only at the upper opening end. In particular, since the filter member 60 is located inside the first air hole 55, it is positioned to face the second communication hole 54 in the vertical direction.

[0052] (Operating component) The operating member 8 is positioned coaxially with the container axis O and above the discharge section body 40 that constitutes the discharge member 7. By being combined with the discharge section body 40, the operating member 8 works in cooperation with the discharge section body 40 to define the air chamber R2. The operating member 8 is elastically deformable downwards and is made of, for example, a soft resin, elastomer, or silicone rubber.

[0053] The operating member 8 comprises a fixed cylinder 70 that surrounds the connecting cylinder 52 of the discharge unit body 40 from the radial outside, a seal cylinder 71 fitted inside the connecting cylinder 52, an annular connecting portion 72 that radially connects the upper end of the fixed cylinder 70 and the upper end of the seal cylinder 71 and contacts the upper end opening edge of the connecting cylinder 52, and an elastic cover 73 that closes the upper end opening of the connecting cylinder 52 from above and whose outer peripheral edge is connected to the connecting portion 72.

[0054] The fixed cylinder 70 is attached to the connecting cylinder 52, for example, by an undercut fitting. The sealing cylinder 71 is tightly fitted around the entire circumference inside the connecting cylinder 52. As a result, communication between the inside of the air chamber R2 and the outside through the space between the sealing cylinder 71 and the connecting cylinder 52 is restricted. The elastic cover 73 is formed to bulge upward in a longitudinal cross-sectional view and is elastically deformable to invert downward. Therefore, for example, by pressing the top of the elastic cover 73 downward, it is possible to invert and deform (elastically deform) the entire elastic cover 73 with the outer edge as the pivot point (see Figure 4).

[0055] The operating member 8 configured in this way is capable of pressurizing the air chamber R2 by the elastic deformation of the elastic cover 73, and supplying air from the air chamber R2 to the nozzle cylinder 6 through the air passage 57.

[0056] (Nozzle cap) The powder dispensing container 1 is further equipped with a nozzle cap 80. The nozzle cap 80 is removably attached to the tip nozzle cylinder 42 so as to cover at least the entire tip nozzle cylinder 42. In the illustrated example, the nozzle cap 80 comprises a cap body 81 that covers the entire tip nozzle cylinder 42, an upper cover 82 that covers the elastic lid 73 of the operating member 8 from above, and a side cover 83 that covers the discharge body 40 and the lower rotating cylinder 30 of the measuring member 4 from the radial outside. A slit groove 84 is formed in a part of the cap body 81 and a part of the side cover 83 to avoid interference with the operating piece 37 of the measuring member 4.

[0057] Therefore, by attaching the nozzle cap 80, the discharge hole 5 can be blocked using the cap body 81, and unintended pressing of the elastic lid 73 can be restricted using the upper cover 82. Furthermore, since the circumferential movement of the operating piece 37 can be restricted using the slit groove 84, the measuring member 4 can be positioned at the measuring position P1, and unintended rotation of the measuring member 4 can be restricted.

[0058] (Function of powder dispensing container) Next, we will explain the case in which powder M is discharged using the powder discharge container 1 configured as described above. To dispense the powder M, the nozzle cap 80 shown in Figure 1 is removed. At the point when the nozzle cap 80 is removed, the measuring member 4 is in the measuring position P1, so the inside of the container body 2 and the inside of the measuring chamber R1 are in communication through the first communication hole 27. As a result, as shown in Figure 2, by inverting the powder dispensing container 1 so that the mouth 10 of the container body 2 faces downward, the powder M inside the container body 2 can be allowed to flow into the measuring chamber R1 as shown by arrow F1.

[0059] Next, the measuring member 4 is rotated 180 degrees around the container axis O from the state shown in Figure 2 to switch from the measuring position P1 to the discharge position P2 shown in Figure 3. At this time, the measuring member 4 can be rotated while, for example, gripping the operating piece 37 with a fingertip, making the rotation operation easy to perform. In particular, in the process of switching the measuring member 4 from the measuring position P1 to the discharge position P2, the communication between the inside of the container body 2 and the inside of the measuring chamber R1 can be blocked when the measuring member 4 moves from the measuring position P1, so that the measuring member 4 can be switched to the discharge position P2 while keeping only the amount of powder M that has been measured (flowed in) in the measuring chamber R1. As a result, by switching the measuring member 4 to the discharge position P2, the amount of powder M that has been measured can be flowed into the nozzle cylinder 6 through the second communication hole 54, as shown by arrow F2, as shown in Figure 3.

[0060] Next, as shown in Figure 4, the elastic lid 73 of the operating member 8 is pressed down with a fingertip or the like to deform it elastically, as indicated by arrow F3. This pressurizes the air chamber R2, and pressurized air can be supplied from the air chamber R2 to the nozzle cylinder 6 through the air passage 57, as indicated by arrow F4. As a result, the pressurized air can be used to blow away the measured amount of powder M, which can then be discharged to the outside from the nozzle cylinder 6 through the discharge hole 5.

[0061] In particular, the amount of powder M measured in the weighing chamber R1 can be discharged to the outside without being obstructed by any other components, thus enabling the stable discharge of a fixed amount of powder M. Therefore, when the powder dispensing container 1 is used, for example, as a nasal spray container, it becomes possible to appropriately spray a fixed amount of powder M (nasal spray) into the nasal cavity each time. Furthermore, the powder M can be dispensed with a simple operation that only requires switching the measuring element 4 (switching from the measuring position P1 to the dispensing position P2) and pressing the operating element 8, making it easy to use and highly convenient.

[0062] As described above, the powder dispensing container 1 of this embodiment allows for the stable dispensing of a fixed amount of powder M with simple operation. Therefore, the powder dispensing container 1 can be suitably used, for example, as a nasal spray container.

[0063] In particular, the elastic lid 73 of the operating member 8 is elastically deformable so as to invert, so as shown in Figure 4, when the top of the elastic lid 73 is pressed in, the inside of the air chamber R2 can be pressurized efficiently and instantaneously. As a result, pressurized air can be forcefully supplied from the inside of the air chamber R2 towards the inside of the nozzle cylinder 6, and the powder M can be discharged in a manner that sprays it outwards. Furthermore, after releasing the push-in operation of the elastic lid 73, the elastic lid 73 returns to its original state due to its own elastic restoring force, making operation easier.

[0064] Furthermore, since a filter member 60 is provided in the air passage 57, the mesh member 62 can be used to prevent powder M from unintentionally entering the air chamber R2 from inside the nozzle cylinder 6, between the time powder M is introduced into the nozzle cylinder 6 as shown in Figure 3 and the time powder M is discharged as shown in Figure 4. Therefore, the inside of the air chamber R2 can be kept clean, and a more stable and precise amount of powder M can be discharged. Furthermore, since the filter member 60 is positioned to face the second communication hole 54 in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 3, when the measuring member 4 is switched to the discharge position P2, the measured powder M can be flowed into the nozzle cylinder 6 so as to overlap the mesh member 62 of the filter member 60. Therefore, the powder M can be efficiently blown towards the discharge hole 5 using the air supplied from the air chamber R2.

[0065] Furthermore, since the measuring member 4 can be switched between the measuring position P1 and the dispensing position P2 by rotating it around the container axis O, unlike, for example, a sliding operation, there is no need to secure space for the measuring member 4 to move in the radial direction intersecting the container axis O. Therefore, the powder dispensing container 1 can be made compact.

[0066] Furthermore, during product distribution and storage, as shown in Figure 1, positioning the weighing component 4 at the weighing position P1 can prevent the powder M inside the container body 2 from unintentionally entering the nozzle cylinder 6. In addition, it can prevent dust and other particles from entering the weighing chamber R1 from the outside through the nozzle cylinder 6.

[0067] 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.

[0068] For example, in the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, a configuration in which the air passage 57 and the filter member 60 are arranged to face each other vertically with respect to the second communication hole 54 was described as an example, but the invention is not limited to this case. For example, the air passage 57 and the filter member 60 may be configured to be located further away from the discharge hole 5 than the second communication hole 54. Even in this case, the powder M that flows into the nozzle cylinder 6 through the second communication hole 54 can be blown away by pressurized air and discharged to the outside through the discharge hole 5.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the example given was that the measuring member 4 is rotated around the container axis O to switch between the measuring position P1 and the dispensing position P2. However, the method is not limited to this case, and the method may also be switched between the measuring position P1 and the dispensing position P2 by the relative movement of the measuring member 4 with respect to the inner stopper member 3. For example, the measuring member 4 may be slid radially or circumferentially relative to the inner stopper member 3 to switch between the measuring position P1 and the dispensing position P2. In this case as well, the same effects can be achieved.

[0070] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described using a filter member 60 equipped with a mesh member 62 as an example, other known filter members 60 may be used as long as they allow the passage of air and restrict the passage of powder M.

[0071] The present invention includes the following embodiments. <1> A container body in which the powder is contained, A stopper member is attached to the mouth of the container body and closes the inside of the container body, A measuring member having a measuring chamber and being assembled so as to be movable relative to the stopper member, A discharge member is integrally assembled with the stopper member while positioned above the measuring member, and has a nozzle cylinder with a discharge hole formed at its tip for discharging powder to the outside, The operating member is positioned above the discharge member, defines an air chamber between itself and the discharge member, and is elastically deformable downwards. The measuring member is switchable between a measuring position and a dispensing position by moving relative to the stopper member. The stopper member is formed with a first communication hole that connects the inside of the container body and the measuring chamber only when the measuring member is in the measuring position. The discharge member includes, A second communication hole is provided that connects the inside of the nozzle cylinder and the inside of the metering chamber only when the metering member is in the discharge position, An air passage is formed that connects the air chamber and the nozzle cylinder. The powder discharge container is characterized in that the operating member pressurizes the air chamber by elastic deformation and supplies air from the air chamber to the nozzle cylinder through the air passage. <2> <1> In the powder dispensing container described above, A powder dispensing container in which the measuring member is combined with the stopper member so as to be rotatable about the container axis of the container body, and the measuring position and the dispensing position are switched by rotation around the container axis. <3> <1> or <2> In the powder dispensing container described above, A powder discharge container is provided in the air passage with a filter member that allows the movement of air between the air chamber and the nozzle cylinder, while restricting the movement of powder. <4> <3> In the powder dispensing container described above, The filter member is a powder dispensing container positioned to face the second communication hole in the vertical direction. <5> <1> from <4> In a powder dispensing container described in any one of the following, The operating member is formed to bulge upward in a vertical cross-sectional view of the container body and is elastically deformable to invert downward, in a powder dispensing container. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] M…Powder O…Container axis R1…Measuring room R2...Air chamber P1…Measuring position P2…Discharge position 1...Powder discharge container 2…Container body 3…Inner plug component 5...Discharge hole 6…Nozzle tube 7…Discharge member 8... Operating component 10... Mouth of the container 27...1st communication hole 54…Second communication hole 57…Air passage 60…Filter component

Claims

1. A container body in which the powder is contained, A stopper member is attached to the mouth of the container body and closes the inside of the container body, A measuring member having a measuring chamber and being assembled so as to be movable relative to the stopper member, A discharge member is integrally assembled with the stopper member while positioned above the measuring member, and has a nozzle cylinder with a discharge hole formed at its tip for discharging powder to the outside, The operating member is positioned above the discharge member, defines an air chamber between itself and the discharge member, and is elastically deformable downwards. The measuring member is switchable between a measuring position and a dispensing position by moving relative to the stopper member. The stopper member is formed with a first communication hole that connects the inside of the container body and the measuring chamber only when the measuring member is in the measuring position. The discharge member includes: A second communication hole is provided that connects the inside of the nozzle cylinder and the inside of the metering chamber only when the metering member is in the discharge position, An air passage is formed that connects the air chamber and the nozzle cylinder. The powder discharge container is characterized in that the operating member pressurizes the air chamber by elastic deformation and supplies air from the air chamber to the nozzle cylinder through the air passage.

2. In the powder dispensing container according to claim 1, A powder dispensing container in which the measuring member is combined with the stopper member so as to be rotatable about the container axis of the container body, and the measuring position and the dispensing position are switched by rotation around the container axis.

3. In the powder dispensing container according to claim 1 or 2, A powder discharge container is provided in the air passage with a filter member that allows the movement of air between the air chamber and the nozzle cylinder, while restricting the movement of powder.

4. In the powder dispensing container according to claim 3, The filter member is a powder dispensing container positioned to face the second communication hole in the vertical direction.

5. In the powder dispensing container according to claim 1, The operating member is formed to bulge upward in a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the container body and is elastically deformable to invert downward, in a powder dispensing container.

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