Discharge container

Abstract

This invention provides a dispensing container that is suitable for dispensing a fixed amount of high-viscosity contents and offers excellent quantitative dispensing capabilities. [Solution] The discharge container 1 comprises a container body 2 and a discharger 3. The discharger 3 has a flexible cylindrical membrane 4 that is cylindrical and expands and contracts between an extended state and a contracted state, a check valve 5, a push head 6, an opening / closing part 7, and a holding part 8. The holding part 8 has a guide part 8e. When the opening / closing part 7 is closed and the cylindrical membrane 4 is in the contracted state, the body 2b receives a pressing operation, causing the contents inside the container body 2 to flow into the inner space S1, and the push head 6 is guided by the guide part 8e, causing the cylindrical membrane 4 to expand. From this state, the opening / closing part 7 is opened, and the push head 6 receives a pressing operation, causing the contents to be discharged while the cylindrical membrane 4 contracts from the extended state to the contracted state.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] A discharge container for discharging a high-viscosity content such as a paste is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When discharging a high-viscosity content in a fixed amount, the length of the discharged content is often used as a guide, but the quantification is poor.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a discharge container suitable for discharging a content such as a high-viscosity content in a fixed amount and having excellent quantification.

Means for Solving the Problems

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

[0007] [1] A container body having a mouth portion and a flexible body portion connected to the lower end of the mouth portion, and a discharger attached to the mouth portion and forming a discharge flow path extending from the mouth portion to a discharge port inside, The discharger is a flexible cylindrical membrane body that forms a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction in an extended state and expands and contracts in the vertical direction between the extended state and the contracted state, A check valve that allows contents to flow from the container body into the lower end of an inner space partitioned radially inside the cylindrical membrane body as part of the discharge channel, while preventing the contents from returning to the container body from the lower end of the inner space, A pressing head is integrally connected to the upper end of the tubular membrane body and has an upper surface that receives a pressing operation and the discharge port, An opening / closing unit that opens the discharge port when an opening operation is received and closes the discharge port when a closing operation is received, It has a holding portion that is held at the opening and holds the lower end of the cylindrical membrane and the check valve, The holding portion has a guide portion that guides the outer circumferential surface of the pressing head so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, When the opening / closing part closes the discharge port and the cylindrical membrane is in the contracted state, the body is subjected to a pressing operation, causing the contents inside the container body to flow into the inner space via the check valve, the pressing head is guided upward by the guide part, and the cylindrical membrane becomes the extended state. A discharge container in which, from this state, the opening / closing part receives the opening operation and the pressing head receives the pressing operation, the pressing head is guided downward by the guide part, and the cylindrical membrane body contracts from the extended state to the contracted state, causing the contents to be discharged from the discharge port.

[0008] [2] The pressing head has a discharge cylinder with a discharge port at its front end, The guide portion is composed of a circumferential wall having a front slit and a rear slit. The front slit extends downward from the upper end of the guide at the front of the guide so as to become a passage for the discharge cylinder when the push head is lowered. The discharge container according to [1], wherein the rear slit extends downward from the upper end of the guide at the rear of the guide so as to serve as a passage for a finger to press down the upper surface of the pressing head.

[0009] [3] The discharge container according to [1] or [2], wherein the tubular membrane is made of a film material.

[0010] [4] An upper ring is formed by folding back and wrapping around the upper end of the tubular film material, It has a lower ring around which the lower end of the film material is folded back, The pressing head has an upper fitting recess into which the upper ring and the upper end of the film material wrapped around the upper ring are fitted, The discharge container according to [3], wherein the holding portion has a lower fitting recess into which the lower ring and the lower end of the film material wrapped around the lower ring are fitted.

[0011] [5] The discharge container according to [1] or [2], wherein the tubular membrane is formed continuously from the same material as the pressing head.

[0012] [6] A head member is a single molded product having the aforementioned pressing head, the cylindrical membrane, and the engaging body arranged in this order with the pressing head facing downwards, It has an annular retaining member when viewed from above, The engaging body has a projection that protrudes radially outward from the tubular membrane and has an annular shape when viewed from above. The retaining portion has a recessed, annular shape in top view that is recessed downwards, The discharge container according to [5], wherein the retaining member has a locking wall that is fitted into the recess and locked in such a way that upward movement is restricted, and an annular top wall that extends radially inward from the locking wall and restricts the engaging body fitted into the recess from coming out upward. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a dispensing container that is suitable for dispensing a fixed amount of contents such as high viscosity, and that has excellent quantitative accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1]It is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the state of the discharge container of the first embodiment of the present invention before the pressing operation. [Figure 2] It is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the state of the discharge container shown in FIG. 1 after the pressing operation. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the state of the discharge container of the second embodiment of the present invention before the pressing operation. [Figure 5] It is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the state of the discharge container shown in FIG. 4 after the pressing operation. [Figure 6] It is an explanatory view for explaining a method of forming a cylindrical film body of the discharger shown in FIG. 4.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated and described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the discharge container 1 includes a container body 2 having a cylindrical mouth portion 2a centered on a central axis O and a flexible body portion 2b connected to the lower end of the mouth portion 2a, and a discharger 3 attached to the mouth portion 2a and forming a discharge flow path extending from the mouth portion 2a to the discharge port 6d inside. The container body 2 is a tube container in which the lower end of the cylindrical body portion 2b extending in the vertical direction is flattened, and stores a high-viscosity content such as a paste. Note that the content is not limited to high-viscosity substances. The type of the content is not particularly limited, and examples include foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and the like.

[0017] In the present embodiment, the direction along the central axis O of the mouth portion 2a is referred to as the vertical direction, the direction from the body portion 2b toward the mouth portion 2a along the vertical direction is referred to as the upward direction, the opposite direction is referred to as the downward direction, the direction orthogonal to the central axis O is referred to as the radial direction, the direction around the central axis O is referred to as the circumferential direction, among the radial directions, the direction from the central axis O toward the discharge port 6d is referred to as the front direction, and the opposite direction is referred to as the rear direction.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the discharger 3 has a cylindrical shape that extends vertically in an extended state (state in Figure 1) and a flexible cylindrical membrane 4 that expands and contracts vertically between the extended state and the contracted state (state in Figure 2), a check valve 5 that allows contents to flow from inside the container body 2 into the lower end of an inner space S1 which is partitioned radially inside the cylindrical membrane 4 as part of the discharge flow path, while suppressing contents from returning to the container body 2 from the lower end of the inner space S1, a push head 6 which is integrally connected to the upper end of the cylindrical membrane 4 and has an upper surface that receives a push operation and a discharge port 6d, an opening / closing part 7 that opens the discharge port 6d when opened (see Figure 2) and closes the discharge port 6d when closed (see Figure 1), and a holding part 8 which is held in the mouth 2a and holds the lower end of the cylindrical membrane 4 and the check valve 5.

[0019] In this embodiment, the tubular membrane 4 is made of a film material 9. The dispenser 3 has an upper ring 10 around which the upper end of the tubular film material 9 is folded back and wrapped, and a lower ring 11 around which the lower end of the film material 9 is folded back and wrapped. The push head 6 has an upper fitting recess 6g into which the upper ring 10 and the upper end of the film material 9 wrapped around the upper ring 10 are fitted, and the holding part 8 has a lower fitting recess 8g into which the lower ring 11 and the lower end of the film material 9 wrapped around the lower ring 11 are fitted. The portion of the film material 9 located between the upper ring 10 fitted into the upper fitting recess 6g and the lower ring 11 fitted into the lower fitting recess 8g constitutes the tubular membrane 4.

[0020] The retaining portion 8 includes a mounting cylinder 8a attached to the outer circumferential surface of the opening portion 2a via a threaded portion, a top wall 8b that is annular in shape extending radially inward from the upper end of the mounting cylinder 8a and in contact with the upper end surface of the opening portion 2a, a cylindrical retaining wall 8c extending upward from the top wall 8b, a cylindrical fitting wall 8d that is provided radially outward from the retaining wall 8c and extends vertically, a guide portion 8e composed of a circumferential wall provided radially outward from the fitting wall 8d, and a connecting wall 8f that connects the lower end of the retaining wall 8c to the lower end of the fitting wall 8d and the lower end of the retaining portion 8. The lower fitting recess 8g is formed by the outer circumferential surface of the retaining wall 8c, the inner circumferential surface of the fitting wall 8d and the upper surface of the connecting wall 8f between them. Furthermore, the holding portion 8 includes a reinforcing cylinder 8h extending downward from the connecting wall 8f, a flange wall 8i extending radially outward from the lower end of the guide portion 8e, and a cover cylinder 8j extending downward from the flange wall 8i. Note that the mounting cylinder 8a is not limited to being attached to the opening portion 2a via a threaded portion, but may also be attached to the opening portion 2a by, for example, a plug.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1-3, the push head 6 has an outer peripheral wall 6a guided vertically by a guide portion 8e, a top wall 6b connected to the upper end of the outer peripheral wall 6a with its upper surface receiving a push operation, and a discharge cylinder 6c protruding forward from the outer peripheral wall 6a and having a discharge port 6d at its front end. The push head 6 also has an inner fitting wall 6e extending vertically radially inward from the outer peripheral wall 6a, and an inner connecting wall 6f connecting the upper end of the inner fitting wall 6e to the outer peripheral wall 6a. The upper fitting recess 6g is formed by the outer peripheral surface of the inner fitting wall 6e, the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall 6a facing it, and the lower surface of the inner connecting wall 6f. The top wall 6b is curved to form a recess that is open upward and backward and gradually deepens toward the rear, and the upper surface of this recess receives a push operation by a finger.

[0022] The opening / closing section 7 includes a lid 7a that is movable between an open position where the discharge port 6d is open and a closed position where the discharge port 6d is closed, and an operating section 7b that is integrally provided with the lid 7a and receives the opening and closing operations. In this embodiment, the lid 7a is connected to the front end of the discharge cylinder 6c so as to be rotatable between the open position and the closed position via a hinge section 7c. Alternatively, the opening / closing section 7 may be configured to be detachably attached to the discharge cylinder 6c without the hinge section 7c.

[0023] The guide portion 8e is composed of a peripheral wall having a front slit 8e1 and a rear slit 8e2. The front slit 8e1 extends downward from the upper end of the guide portion 8e at the front of the guide portion 8e so as to be a passage for the discharge cylinder 6c when the push head 6 descends, and the rear slit 8e2 extends downward from the upper end of the guide portion 8e at the rear of the guide portion 8e so as to be a passage for a finger that presses down on the upper surface of the push head 6.

[0024] The inner peripheral edge of the top wall 8b forms an opening 8k that communicates with the internal space S2 of the container body 2 in which the contents are contained. The upper surface of the inner peripheral edge of the top wall 8b constitutes a seating portion 8l for the check valve 5. The check valve 5 has a valve body 5a that moves between an open position away from the seating portion 8l and a seated position seated on the seating portion 8l. In the open position, the valve body 5a allows the contents from inside the container body 2 to flow into the inner space S1 through the opening 8k, while in the seated position, it prevents the contents from returning from the inner space S1 to the container body 2 through the opening 8k. The check valve 5 also has a biasing portion 5b that provides a biasing force to move the valve body 5a from the open position to the seated position. The biasing portion 5b includes a vertically extending cylindrical valve body support portion 5b1 held by the inner peripheral edge of the retaining wall 8c, and a plurality of circumferentially arranged elastic pieces 5b2 that connect the outer peripheral edge of the vertically perpendicular plate-shaped valve body 5a to the valve body support portion 5b1. The number of elastic pieces 5b2 can be set as appropriate, and may be as few as one.

[0025] The container body 2, the holding part 8, the film material 9, the pressing head 6, the upper ring 10, and the lower ring 11 are made of, for example, resin. The check valve 5 is made of, for example, soft resin or rubber.

[0026] When the opening / closing section 7 closes the discharge port 6d and the cylindrical membrane 4 is in a contracted state, the body 2b of the discharge container 1 receives a pressing operation, causing the contents inside the container body 2 to move the valve body 5a from the seated position to the open position and flow into the inner space S1 through the opening 8k. In accordance with the amount of contents flowing into the inner space S1, the push head 6 is guided upward by the guide section 8e, causing the cylindrical membrane 4 to rise while extending vertically from the contracted state. When the pressing operation is released, the flow of contents into the inner space S1 stops, the rise of the push head 6 stops, and the valve body 5a moves from the open position to the seated position. From this state, when the opening / closing section 7 receives an opening operation and the push head 6 receives a pressing operation, the push head 6 is guided downward by the guide section 8e, causing the cylindrical membrane 4 to contract to the contracted state, and descends while discharging the contents inside the inner space S1 from the discharge port 6d. Therefore, since the amount of contents that can be dispensed corresponds to the amount that the pressing head 6 rises when pressure is applied to the body 2b, it can exhibit excellent quantitative accuracy in dispensing a fixed amount of contents.

[0027] In the first embodiment, the tubular membrane 4 is made of a film material 9, but it is not limited to this. For example, as shown in the second embodiment in Figures 4 to 6, the tubular membrane 4 may be formed continuously from the same material as the press head 6.

[0028] In the second embodiment, the discharger 3 has a head member 12 which is an integrally molded product having a pressing head 6, a cylindrical membrane 4, and an engaging body 12a arranged in that order facing downward, and an annular retaining member 13 when viewed from above. The engaging body 12a has a projection 12b that protrudes radially outward from the cylindrical membrane 4 and is annular when viewed from above. The holding part 8 has an annular fitting recess 8m when viewed from above that is recessed downward, and the retaining member 13 has a locking wall 13a that is fitted into the fitting recess 8m and locked so as to restrict upward movement, and an annular top wall 13b that extends radially inward from the locking wall 13a and restricts the engaging body 12a fitted into the fitting recess 8m from coming out upward.

[0029] The retaining portion 8 includes a mounting cylinder 8a, a top wall 8b, a retaining wall 8c, a guide portion 8e composed of a peripheral wall provided radially outward from the mounting cylinder 8a, and a connecting wall portion 8n connecting the vertically intermediate portion of the mounting cylinder 8a to the lower end of the guide portion 8e. The fitting recess 8m is formed by the inner peripheral surface of the lower end of the retaining portion 8, the outer peripheral surface of the mounting cylinder 8a facing it, and the upper surface of the connecting wall portion 8n. The retaining portion 8 also includes a reinforcing cylinder portion 8o extending downward from the connecting wall portion 8n, a flange wall portion 8p extending radially outward from the lower part of the guide portion 8e, and a cover cylinder portion 8q extending downward from the lower end of the guide portion 8e.

[0030] The engaging body 12a has a cylindrical body 12a1 extending downward from the lower end of the cylindrical membrane body 4, an annular upper projection 12a2 extending radially outward from the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a1, and an annular lower projection 12a3 provided below the upper projection 12a2 and extending radially outward from the lower end of the cylindrical body 12a1. The lower end of the locking wall 13a of the retaining member 13 has an inclined surface on its outer circumference that widens upward, and the outer circumference of the locking wall 13a has an annular recess 13a1 above the inclined surface. The inner circumference of the guide portion 8e has a plurality of fitting projections 8e3 arranged in the circumferential direction that protrude into the fitting recess 8m and fit into the annular recess 13a1 of the locking wall 13a, and the upper end of the fitting projections 8e3 has an inclined surface on its inner circumference that narrows downward. The annular top wall 13b abuts against the upper surface of the upper protrusion 12a2, thereby restricting the upward withdrawal of the engaging body 12a from the fitting recess 8m.

[0031] The tubular membrane 4 can be formed by injection molding or the like, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 6, with the thick tubular membrane 4 integrally attached to the lower end of the press head 6, and the engaging body 12a integrally attached to the lower end of the tubular membrane 4, and then stretching the thick tubular membrane 4 vertically to a thin state before cooling after molding. However, the method of forming the tubular membrane 4 is not limited to this. According to the second embodiment, cost reduction is possible by reducing the number of parts, etc.

[0032] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and the embodiments described above can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0033] 1 Discharge container 2. Container body 2a Mouth 2b Torso 3 Dispenser 4. Tubular membrane 5. Check valve 5a Valve body 5b Biasing part 5b1 Valve support 5b2 Elastic piece 6 Press head 6a Outer wall 6b Top wall 6c discharge tube 6d outlet 6e Inner interlocking wall 6th floor interior connecting wall 6g Upper recess 7. Opening / Closing Section 7a Lid body 7b Operation section 7c Hinge section 8 Holding part 8a Mounting tube 8b Ceiling wall 8c retaining wall 8d Interlocking wall 8e Information Department 8e1 Front slit 8e2 Rear slit 8e3 mating protrusion 8th floor connecting wall 8g Lower recess 8h reinforcement tube 8i Flange Wall 8j cover tube 8k aperture 8L seating area 8m recessed 8n Connecting wall section 8o Reinforcement tube section 8p flange wall section 8q Cover tube 9 Film material 10 Upper ring 11 Lower ring 12 Head component 12a Engagement body 12a1 cylinder 12a2 Upper protrusion 12a3 Lower protrusion 12b Projection 13 Retaining member 13a Locking wall 13a1 Annular recess 13b Ring apex wall O center axis S1 inner space S2 interior space

Claims

1. A container body having a mouth and a flexible body connected to the lower end of the mouth, It has a discharger that is attached to the opening and forms a discharge channel inside that extends from the opening to the discharge port, The aforementioned discharger is, A flexible tubular membrane that is cylindrical in shape and extends vertically when extended, and expands and contracts vertically between the extended and contracted states, A check valve that allows contents to flow from the container body into the lower end of an inner space partitioned radially inside the cylindrical membrane body as part of the discharge channel, while preventing the contents from returning to the container body from the lower end of the inner space, A pressing head is integrally connected to the upper end of the tubular membrane body and has an upper surface that receives a pressing operation and the discharge port, An opening / closing unit that opens the discharge port when an opening operation is received and closes the discharge port when a closing operation is received, It has a holding portion that is held at the opening and holds the lower end of the cylindrical membrane and the check valve, The holding portion has a guide portion that guides the outer circumferential surface of the pressing head so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, When the opening / closing part closes the discharge port and the cylindrical membrane is in the contracted state, the body is subjected to a pressing operation, causing the contents inside the container body to flow into the inner space via the check valve, the pressing head is guided upward by the guide part, and the cylindrical membrane becomes the extended state. A discharge container in which, from this state, the opening / closing part receives the opening operation and the pressing head receives the pressing operation, the pressing head is guided downward by the guide part, and the cylindrical membrane body contracts from the extended state to the contracted state, causing the contents to be discharged from the discharge port.

2. The pressing head has a discharge cylinder with a discharge port at its front end, The guide portion is composed of a circumferential wall having a front slit and a rear slit. The front slit extends downward from the upper end of the guide at the front of the guide so as to become a passage for the discharge cylinder when the push head is lowered. The discharge container according to claim 1, wherein the rear slit extends downward from the upper end of the guide at the rear of the guide so as to serve as a passage for a finger to press down the upper surface of the pressing head.

3. The discharge container according to claim 1, wherein the tubular membrane is made of a film material.

4. An upper ring is formed by folding back and wrapping around the upper end of the tubular film material, It has a lower ring around which the lower end of the film material is folded back, The pressing head has an upper fitting recess into which the upper ring and the upper end of the film material wrapped around the upper ring are fitted, The discharge container according to claim 3, wherein the holding portion has a lower fitting recess into which the lower ring and the lower end of the film material wrapped around the lower ring are fitted.

5. The discharge container according to claim 1, wherein the tubular membrane is formed continuously from the same material as the pressing head.

6. A head member is a single molded product having the aforementioned pressing head, the cylindrical membrane, and the engaging body arranged in this order with the pressing head facing downwards, It has an annular retaining member when viewed from above, The engaging body has a projection that protrudes radially outward from the tubular membrane and has an annular shape when viewed from above. The retaining portion has a recessed, annular shape in top view that is recessed downwards, The discharge container according to claim 5, wherein the retaining member has a locking wall that is fitted into the recess and locked in such a way that upward movement is restricted, and an annular top wall that extends radially inward from the locking wall and restricts the upward dislodgement of the engaging body fitted into the recess.

Images