Dispensing container

Abstract

We propose a dispensing container that allows for easy removal of the lid, even when the lid is held in place with relatively strong force. [Solution] In the dispensing container 100, the outer cross-sectional shape of the case cylinder 1 is circular, and the outer cross-sectional shape of the mounting portion 11c and the lid 12 is square. At least one of the four side wall portions 12c of the lid 12 has a retained portion 12d that engages with a retaining portion 11f provided on the opposing mounting portion 11c, and a pressing piece 12f whose front end 12g is integrally connected to the side wall portion 12c and whose rear end 12h is movable toward the mounting portion 11c. The rear end 12h is positioned offset from the central axis O while facing the side wall portion 12c, and faces the corner portion 11e located at the boundary between the mounting portion 11c and the case cylinder 1.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] There is known a feeding container in which a pushing member is accommodated inside a case cylinder, and when an operating portion is rotated with respect to the case cylinder, the pushing member advances with respect to the case cylinder, whereby the contents accommodated inside the case cylinder are fed out by the pushing member (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] The feeding container shown in Patent Document 1 includes a case cylinder, a pushing member provided inside the case cylinder, an operating portion (operating member) rotatably held with respect to the case cylinder, a screw shaft member provided between the pushing member and the operating portion, and a lid body that covers the case cylinder and is detachably held thereto. When the operating portion is rotated with respect to the case cylinder with the lid body removed, the screw shaft member or the like operates and the pushing member advances, and the contents can be fed out from the case cylinder. The feeding container shown in Patent Document 2 has a similar configuration, and the lid body (outer cap) is detachably held with respect to the inner member provided in the operating portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Incidentally, since this type of retractable container is sometimes carried around, the lid is held in place with relatively strong force to prevent it from coming off when carried in a bag or similar container. However, strong holding force makes it difficult to remove the lid. In particular, when trying to remove the lid with only one hand, it may be difficult to apply enough force, and it may be difficult to remove the lid without using both hands. Therefore, there is room for improvement in terms of usability.

[0006] In view of these points, the present invention aims to propose a dispensing container in which the lid can be easily removed even when the lid is held with relatively strong force. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention comprises a case cylinder having a front opening, an extrusion member provided inside the case cylinder and forming a storage space between itself and the case cylinder, an operating part having a mounting part located on the rear side of the case cylinder and held rotatably in place of the case cylinder around its central axis, and a lid that is inserted inside the mounting part together with the case cylinder and detachably held in place of the mounting part, wherein when the operating part is rotated relative to the case cylinder with the lid removed, the extrusion member moves forward and the contents stored in the storage space are dispensed from the front opening. The container has a circular cross-sectional shape in the case cylinder, and a rectangular cross-sectional shape in the mounting portion and the lid, wherein at least one of the four side wall portions of the lid has a retained portion that engages with a retaining portion provided on the opposing mounting portion, and a pressing piece whose front end is integrally connected to the side wall portion and whose rear end is movable toward the mounting portion, the rear end being positioned offset from the central axis while facing the side wall portion, and facing a corner portion located at the boundary between the mounting portion and the case cylinder. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In the dispensing container of the present invention, the outer shape of the cross-section of the case cylinder is circular, and the outer shape of the cross-section of the mounting portion is square. Therefore, at the corner located at the boundary between the mounting portion and the case cylinder, there is a space at a position offset from the central axis when facing the side wall. The rear end of the pressing piece faces this corner where this space is provided. Consequently, when the pressing piece provided on the side wall of the lid is pressed toward the inside of the lid, the rear end is sufficiently pushed inward into the lid by this space, causing the rear end to try to rise toward the corner, and as a result, a force acting on the lid to move it forward. Therefore, even by operating the pressing piece with one hand, the engagement between the holding portion and the held portion can be released and the lid can be easily removed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the dispensing container according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a semi-cross-sectional view of the dispensing container shown in the side view. [Figure 3A] Figure 3C is a semi-cross-sectional view of the hollow screw member shown in Figure 2, along line AA. [Figure 3B] Figure 3C is a semi-cross-sectional view of the hollow screw member shown in Figure 2, along BB. [Figure 3C] Figure 2 is a bottom view of the hollow screw member shown. [Figure 4A] Figure 4C shows a semi-cross-sectional view of the extruded member shown in Figure 2, along the CC line. [Figure 4B] Figure 4C shows a semi-cross-sectional view of the extruded member shown in Figure 2, along the line DD. [Figure 4C] Figure 2 is a bottom view of the extruded member. [Figure 5A] Figure 2 is a plan view of the movable cylindrical member. [Figure 5B] Figure 5A shows a semi-cross-sectional view of the movable cylindrical member shown in Figure 2, along the line EE. [Figure 5C] Figure 5A shows a semi-cross-sectional view of the movable cylindrical member shown in Figure 2, along the FF shown in Figure 5A. [Figure 5D] It is a bottom view of the movable cylinder member shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6A] It is a half cross-sectional view in side view in a state where the hollow screw member and the extrusion member shown in FIG. 2 are combined. [Figure 6B] It is a bottom view of FIG. 6A. [Figure 7] It is a view showing a state where an annular body is pressed with a jig after further combining a movable cylinder member with what is shown in FIG. 6A. [Figure 8A] It is a cross-sectional view in side view in a state where an annular body is attached to the outer side in the radial direction of the inner hollow portion after the state shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 8B] It is a cross-sectional view taken along G-G shown in FIG. 8B. [Figure 9] It is a front view of the feeding container shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 10A] It is a cross-sectional view taken along H-H shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 10B] It is a cross-sectional view taken along J-J shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 10C] Regarding the pressing piece shown in FIG. 10A, it is a view showing a state where it is pressed. [Figure 11A] It is a view showing a modified example of the feeding container shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 11B] It is a bottom view of the lid body shown in FIG. 11A.

Embodiment for Carrying out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a feeding container according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the like, the vertical direction is the direction along the illustrated central axis O, the side where the tip of the case cylinder 1 described later is located is "up", and the side where the operation unit main body 10 is located is "down". In this specification and the like, the movement from the operation unit main body 10 toward the tip of the case cylinder 1 may be referred to as forward movement, and the side where the tip of the case cylinder 1 is located may be referred to as "front", and the side where the operation unit main body 10 is located may be referred to as "rear". And the radial direction is the direction orthogonal to the central axis O in a plane perpendicular to the central axis O, and the circumferential direction is the direction that circulates around the central axis O in this plane.

[0011] Figures 1 and 2 show a dispensing container 100, which is one embodiment of the dispensing container according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the dispensing container 100 comprises a case cylinder 1, a unit 2, an operating section 8, and a lid 12. The unit 2 is composed of a screw shaft member 3, a hollow screw member 4, an extrusion member 5, a movable cylinder member 6, and an annular body 7, and the operating section 8 is composed of a connecting member 9, an operating section body 10, and an internal component 11.

[0012] The contents contained in the dispensing container 100 are, for example, cosmetics, which are relatively soft and have high viscosity, and are contained in a space (container space S1) partitioned by the case cylinder body 1a and the seal portion 5c, which will be described later. In general dispensing containers, there is a function to dispense and to dispense the contents, but when dispensing relatively soft and viscous contents, if the seal portion 5c is retracted to dispense the contents, such contents tend to stick to the inner surface of the case cylinder body 1a, so there is a risk that only the seal portion 5c will retract without the contents moving. For this reason, the dispensing container 100 of this embodiment is configured so that the function to dispense the contents does not operate. In addition, each component constituting the dispensing container 100 is made of synthetic resin, and in this embodiment, polypropylene, which has excellent moisture barrier properties, is used. Therefore, even if the contents contain a lot of moisture, the amount of moisture contained in the contents can be effectively maintained.

[0013] The case cylinder 1 comprises a case cylinder body 1a that is cylindrical (in other words, the outer shape of the cross-section is circular) with a central axis O. An engaging projection 1b is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the case cylinder body 1a in the middle of the vertical direction, projecting radially inward. The engaging projection 1b engages with the second longitudinal groove 6c shown in Figure 5C and is located at a 90° offset from the central axis O in the side view shown in Figure 2. For this reason, the engaging projection 1b is shown with a dashed line in Figure 2. Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface of the case cylinder body 1a is provided with a stopper projection 1c located below the engaging projection 1b and projecting radially inward, and a gear section 1d located below the stopper projection 1c and composed of multiple projections spaced apart in the circumferential direction. In addition, an engaging retaining section 1e with a semicircular cross-sectional shape is provided at the lower end of the case cylinder body 1a. The upper (front) opening of the case cylinder body 1a is referred to as the front opening 1f.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the screw shaft member 3 is cylindrical with a central axis O as its center, and includes a screw shaft 3b with a male thread portion (first male thread portion 3a) on its outer circumferential surface. Below the screw shaft 3b, a cylindrical lower shaft 3c is provided. Multiple protrusions are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the lower shaft 3c, located below the first male thread portion 3a and spaced apart in the circumferential direction. These protrusions function as a rotation stopper between the screw shaft member 3 and the operating part 8. Hereinafter, these protrusions will be referred to as the unit-side rotation stopper portion 3d. Below the unit-side rotation stopper portion 3d on the outer circumferential surface of the lower shaft 3c, a unit-side detachment stopper portion 3e is provided, which protrudes radially outward and holds the screw shaft member 3 in place against the operating part 8.

[0015] As shown in Figures 2 and 3A to 3C, the hollow screw member 4 is cylindrical with respect to a central axis O and has a hollow inner hollow portion 4a located radially outward from the screw shaft 3b. A disc-shaped top wall portion 4b is provided at the upper end of the inner hollow portion 4a. A female screw portion (first female screw portion 4c) that screws into the first male screw portion 3a is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the inner hollow portion 4a. In this embodiment, the first female screw portion 4c is provided only near the lower end of the inner hollow portion 4a. A male screw portion (second male screw portion 4d) is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the inner hollow portion 4a.

[0016] Furthermore, the hollow screw member 4 is provided with a first slit 4e that cuts out the inner hollow portion 4a from below to above. The first slit 4e corresponds to the "slit" as described herein. In this embodiment, the first slit 4e cuts out the inner hollow portion 4a from the lower end of the inner hollow portion 4a to the middle of the inner hollow portion 4a in the vertical direction. A pair of first slits 4e are provided on either side of the central axis O, and the hollow screw member 4 is elastically deformable so that the lower part of the inner hollow portion 4a expands radially outward. At the lower end of the inner hollow portion 4a, there is a retaining engagement portion 4f that protrudes radially outward and is claw-shaped. Above the retaining engagement portion 4f, there is a convex portion (contact convex portion 4g) that protrudes radially outward on the outer circumferential surface of the inner hollow portion 4a. The contact convex portion 4g contacts the inner circumferential surface of the annular body 7 when the annular body 7 is attached to the hollow screw member 4, as will be described later.

[0017] As shown in Figures 2 and 4A to 4C, the extruded member 5 is cylindrical with respect to a central axis O and includes a hollow outer hollow portion 5a located radially outside the inner hollow portion 4a. A top wall portion 5b is provided at the upper end of the outer hollow portion 5a. A seal portion 5c is provided on the outer edge of the top wall portion 5b, which extends upward while expanding in diameter, and whose tip is slidably in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the case cylinder body 1a. A female thread portion (second female thread portion 5d) that screws into the second male thread portion 4d is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the outer hollow portion 5a. In this embodiment, the second female thread portion 5d is provided only near the lower end of the outer hollow portion 5a.

[0018] The outer hollow portion 5a is provided with a second slit 5e that cuts out the outer hollow portion 5a from below to above. In this embodiment, the second slit 5e cuts out the outer hollow portion 5a from the lower end to the middle of the outer hollow portion 5a in the vertical direction. A pair of second slits 5e are provided on either side of the central axis O, and the extruded member 5 is elastically deformable so that the lower part of the outer hollow portion 5a expands radially outward.

[0019] Furthermore, the extruded member 5 of this embodiment is provided with a guide projection 5g that protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface at the lower end of the outer hollow portion 5a.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 and 5A to 5D, the movable cylinder member 6 is cylindrical with respect to a central axis O and includes a movable cylinder body 6a located radially outward from the outer hollow portion 5a. The inner circumferential surface of the movable cylinder body 6a is provided with a vertical groove (first vertical groove 6b) extending in the vertical direction. The guide projection 5g engages with the first vertical groove 6b. The outer circumferential surface of the movable cylinder body 6a is provided with a vertical groove (second vertical groove 6c) extending in the vertical direction. As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the second vertical groove 6c is located at a position offset by 90° from the first vertical groove 6b with respect to the central axis O, and in the half cross-sectional view shown in Figure 2, the second vertical groove 6c is indicated by a dashed line. The engaging projection 1b provided on the case cylinder 1 engages with the second vertical groove 6c. As shown in Figure 5C, in this embodiment, a through opening 6d is provided at the lower part of the movable cylinder member 6, which cuts out the movable cylinder body 6a in a semicircular shape.

[0021] In this embodiment, the annular body 7 is circular and, as shown in Figure 2, is located radially outward from the inner hollow portion 4a. As shown in Figure 5B, the inner circumferential surface of the annular body 7 is provided with a retaining engagement portion 7a that protrudes radially inward and engages with the retaining engagement portion 4f.

[0022] The annular body 7 is also provided with projections 7b that protrude radially inward. As will be described later, the projections 7b are inserted into the inside of the first slit 4e, and in this embodiment, a pair of projections 7b are provided on either side of the central axis O (see Figure 5D).

[0023] Figures 5A to 5D show the initial state of the movable cylinder member 6 and the annular body 7 in this embodiment. The annular body 7 is integrally connected to the inner circumferential surface of the movable cylinder body 6a via a thin-walled weakened portion 6e provided on the movable cylinder member 6. As shown in Figure 5D, the annular body 7 is integrally connected to the movable cylinder member 6 at a position where the projection 7b is offset by 90° in the circumferential direction from the first longitudinal groove portion 6b.

[0024] The connecting member 9 has an inner circumferential wall portion 9a that is roughly cylindrical. Above the inner circumferential wall portion 9a, there is an operating part side anti-rotation portion 9b, which is made up of a plurality of protrusions provided at intervals in the circumferential direction and engages with the unit side anti-rotation portion 3d to prevent the screw shaft member 3 from rotating relative to the connecting member 9. On the inner circumferential surface of the inner circumferential wall portion 9a, there is an operating part side anti-detachment portion 9c that protrudes radially inward and prevents the screw shaft member 3 from coming loose relative to the connecting member 9.

[0025] The connecting member 9 also includes a connecting wall portion 9d that extends radially outward from the inner peripheral wall portion 9a. The lower surface of the connecting wall portion 9d is provided with a first connecting member engaging portion 9e located radially outward from the inner peripheral wall portion 9a and having a portion that protrudes radially inward from the inner peripheral surface, and a second connecting member engaging portion 9f that extends downward from the outer edge of the connecting wall portion 9d and then extends radially outward, and has a shape on its outer peripheral surface that has a recess into which the engaging holding portion 1e engages.

[0026] An elastic piece 9h is provided on the upper surface of the connecting wall 9d, which extends upward from the upper surface and then extends circumferentially. The elastic piece 9h is elastically deformable so that its tip is radially inward. A stopper portion 9j is provided on the tip of the elastic piece 9h, which protrudes radially outward. The stopper portion 9j engages with the gear portion 1d, which is composed of multiple projections spaced apart in the circumferential direction, by fitting between these projections. The gear portion 1d and the stopper portion 9j engage like a ratchet, and in this embodiment, when the stopper portion 9j attempts to rotate in one direction relative to the gear portion 1d, it acts to move radially inward relative to the gear portion 1d, causing the elastic piece 9h to elastically deform radially inward and disengage from the gear portion 1d and the stopper portion 9j, thus allowing rotation in this direction. On the other hand, when the stopper portion 9j rotates in the other direction relative to the gear portion 1d, the two remain engaged, thus preventing rotation in this direction. In this embodiment, the dispensing container 100 is configured such that when the stopper portion 9j rotates in one direction relative to the gear portion 1d, the push member 5 moves forward relative to the case cylinder 1.

[0027] The operating unit body 10 has a bottom wall portion 10a that is rectangular (particularly square) in shape when viewed from below, and a rectangular cylindrical outer peripheral wall portion 10b that extends upward from the outer edge of the bottom wall portion 10a. The upper surface of the bottom wall portion 10a has a main body engaging portion 10c that extends upward from the radially inward side of the connecting member first engaging portion 9e, has a portion that protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface, and engages with the connecting member first engaging portion 9e.

[0028] The inner part 11 is rectangular (particularly square) in shape and includes a lower cylindrical part 11a that is inserted into and held by the outer peripheral wall part 10b. The upper end of the lower cylindrical part 11a is provided with a flange part 11b that protrudes radially outward and is rectangular (particularly square) in shape in plan view, and a mounting part 11c that is rectangular (particularly square) in shape and extends upward. As shown in Figure 10B, the upper end of the mounting part 11c is provided with an inner part top wall part 11d that extends horizontally and has a circular opening in the center. The case cylinder body 1a described above protrudes upward from the circular opening provided in the inner part top wall part 11d, as shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 10B, the length of one side of the rectangular cylindrical mounting portion 11c is greater than the diameter of the case cylinder body 1a, and the mounting portion 11c is located radially outward from the case cylinder body 1a. Therefore, as shown in Figure 10A, a corner portion 11e is formed at the boundary (vertical boundary) between the upper end of the mounting portion 11c and the case cylinder body 1a. The four planes constituting the mounting portion 11c are provided with retaining portions 11f, which have a shape in which the outer circumferential surface bulges radially outward and engage with the lid 12 to hold it. The retaining portions 11f are provided at a position that coincides with the central axis O when facing the plane, and in particular in this embodiment, the widthwise center of the retaining portion 11f coincides with the central axis O when facing the plane.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 9, the lid 12 has a top wall portion 12a that is rectangular (particularly square) in plan view and a rectangular cylindrical (particularly square cylindrical) outer periphery wall portion 12b. The outer periphery wall portion 12b is composed of four flat side wall portions 12c. Each of the four side wall portions 12c has a retained portion 12d. The retained portion 12d engages with the retaining portion 11f and is provided at a position corresponding to the retaining portion 11f (a position that coincides with the central axis O when facing the side wall portion 12c, particularly a position where the widthwise center of the retained portion 12d coincides with the central axis O when facing the side wall portion 12c). In this embodiment, it has a shape in which the inner circumferential surface is recessed radially outward and engages with the retaining portion 11f. Furthermore, of the four side wall portions 12c, two opposing side wall portions 12c are provided with a groove portion 12e and a pressing piece 12f formed inside the groove portion 12e, as shown in Figure 9. The pressing piece 12f in this embodiment is shaped as if its lower part is split into two when facing the side wall portion 12c, and has one front end portion 12g located on the upper (front) side and integrally connected to the side wall portion 12c, and two rear end portions 12h located on the lower (rear) side and movable toward the inside of the lid 12. As shown in Figure 9, both of the two rear end portions 12h are provided at a position offset from the central axis O when facing the side wall portion 12c (a position that does not overlap with the central axis O when facing the side wall portion 12c). Furthermore, as shown in the figure, these two rear end portions 12h are positioned on both sides of the central axis O in a state directly facing the side wall portion 12c (i.e., in Figure 9, one rear end portion 12h is on the left side of the central axis O, and the other rear end portion 12h is on the right side of the central axis O). These two rear end portions 12h are opposite to the corner portion 11e of the central component 11, as shown in Figures 9 and 10A.

[0030] The dispensing container 100, composed of such components, can be assembled as follows. Note that the following explanation is just one example, and the order can be changed as appropriate as long as assembly is possible.

[0031] First, when assembling Unit 2, the screw shaft member 3 and the hollow screw member 4 are combined. At this time, the screw shaft member 3 may be rotated relative to the hollow screw member 4, thereby screwing the first male thread portion 3a and the first female thread portion 4c together. However, since the hollow screw member 4 of this embodiment has a first slit 4e, the inner hollow portion 4a is elastically deformable so that its lower part expands radially outward. That is, when the screw shaft 3b is inserted into the inner hollow portion 4a, the lower part of the inner hollow portion 4a expands radially outward and inward, allowing the first male thread portion 3a and the first female thread portion 4c to be screwed together. Furthermore, the extrusion member 5 is combined with the hollow screw member 4. At this time, the hollow screw member 4 may be rotated relative to the extrusion member 5, thereby screwing the second male screw portion 4d and the second female screw portion 5d together. However, in this embodiment, the extrusion member 5 is elastically deformable so that the lower part of the outer hollow portion 5a expands radially outward due to the second slit 5e. Therefore, when the hollow screw member 4 is inserted into the outer hollow portion 5a, the lower part of the outer hollow portion 5a expands radially outward and inward, allowing the second male screw portion 4d and the second female screw portion 5d to be screwed together.

[0032] When the hollow screw member 4 and the extruded member 5 are combined, the extruded member 5 is positioned so that the first slit 4e and the second slit 5e are aligned in the circumferential direction, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B (in other words, the first slit 4e and the second slit 5e are offset by 90° in the circumferential direction with respect to the guide projection 5g). Note that the screw shaft member 3 is omitted in Figures 6A and 6B.

[0033] Then, in order to combine the movable cylinder member 6 with the extrusion member 5, the guide projection 5g is inserted from above into the first vertical groove 6b as shown in Figure 2. The annular body 7, which is integrally connected to the movable cylinder member 6, has a projection 7b as described above, and this projection 7b is provided at a position offset by 90° in the circumferential direction from the first vertical groove 6b (see Figure 5D). Furthermore, when combining the movable cylinder member 6 with the extrusion member 5, the hollow screw member 4 is positioned so that the first slit 4e and the second slit 5e are aligned in the circumferential direction with respect to the extrusion member 5 (see Figure 6B). That is, when the guide projection 5g shown in Figure 6B is inserted into the first vertical groove 6b shown in Figure 5D, the projection 7b is inserted into the first slit 4e, so that the unit 2 can be assembled as shown in Figure 7 without placing a large load on the weakened portion 6e.

[0034] Next, the annular body 7, which is integrally connected to the inner circumferential surface of the movable cylinder body 6a by the weakened portion 6e, is separated from the movable cylinder member 6 by breaking the weakened portion 6e. In this embodiment, a cylindrical jig J shown in Figure 7 is prepared, and the lower end of the screw shaft member 3 is inserted into the opening of the jig J, while the unit 2 is pressed against the jig J. As shown in the figure, the jig J is located below the annular body 7, and when the unit 2 is pressed against the jig J, the annular body 7 is pressed against the inside of the movable cylinder member 6, so a force acts on the weakened portion 6e from below, causing the weakened portion 6e to break, thereby separating the annular body 7 from the movable cylinder member 6. The annular body 7, which has separated and moved upward relative to the hollow screw member 4, is held by the hollow screw member 4 because the retaining engagement portion 7a engages with the retaining engagement portion 4f. In this state, the annular body 7 is located radially outward from the lower end of the inner hollow portion 4a. When the annular body 7 is in this position, it can be easily seen through the through-opening 6d shown in Figure 5C, making it easy to confirm that the annular body 7 is held by the hollow screw member 4. In this embodiment, when the retaining engagement portion 7a is engaged with the retaining engagement portion 4f, the contact projection 4g provided on the outer circumferential surface of the inner hollow portion 4a contacts the inner circumferential surface of the annular body 7. This prevents the annular body 7 from moving up and down relative to the hollow screw member 4.

[0035] In this embodiment, the screw shaft member 3, hollow screw member 4, extrusion member 5, movable cylinder member 6, and annular body 7 can be assembled in advance as unit 2. Therefore, even if there is a defect in the shape of these members that affects the rotational movement or forward and backward movement of each member, this can be known before assembling the dispensing container 100.

[0036] Subsequently, unit 2 is inserted into the case cylinder body 1a from the front end, and the connecting member 9 is inserted into the case cylinder body 1a from the rear end. Then, the lower shaft 3c of the screw shaft member 3 is inserted into the inner peripheral wall portion 9a of the connecting member 9. As a result, the unit-side anti-rotation portion 3d and the operating portion-side anti-rotation portion 9b engage, and the unit-side anti-dislodgement portion 3e and the operating portion-side anti-dislodgement portion 9c engage, thereby preventing the screw shaft member 3 from rotating and holding it in place relative to the connecting member 9. At this time, the second engaging portion 9f of the connecting member 9 engages with the engaging holding portion 1e of the case cylinder 1, so that the connecting member 9 can be rotatably held relative to the case cylinder 1. When the connecting member 9 is attached to the case cylinder 1, the toothed portion 9j of the elastic piece 9h of the connecting member 9 engages with the gear portion 1d of the case cylinder 1.

[0037] Subsequently, the lower cylindrical portion 11a of the inner component 11 is inserted into the inside of the operating unit body 10 to fit and hold the two together. Then, the case cylinder 1 with the connecting member 9 attached is inserted into the circular opening provided in the center of the top wall portion 11d of the inner component shown in Figure 10B, and the first engaging portion 9e of the connecting member and the engaging portion 10c of the main body are engaged. This allows the connecting member 9 and the operating unit body 10 to be held in place and prevented from coming apart. A rotation-preventing portion (not shown) is provided between the connecting member 9 and the operating unit body 10, preventing them from rotating relative to each other.

[0038] Subsequently, the lid 12 is inserted into the case cylinder body 1a, the lid 12 is moved toward the inner component 11, and the retained portion 12d is engaged with the retaining portion 11f of the inner component 11. In this way, the lid 12 is held by the inner component 11.

[0039] When removing the lid 12 from the inner part 11, one can, for example, hold the outer peripheral wall portion 10b of the operating unit body 10 with one hand and the outer peripheral wall portion 12b of the lid 12 with the other hand and pull the lid 12 relative to the operating unit body 10. However, the lid 12 can be removed more easily by pressing the pressing piece 12f. When the pressing piece 12f is pressed toward the inside of the lid 12, the pressing piece 12f tilts toward the inside of the lid 12, starting from the front end portion 12g, so the two rear ends 12h move toward the inside of the lid 12. Here, the two rear ends 12h face the corner portion 11e as shown in Figures 9 and 10A. These rear ends 12h are also positioned offset from the central axis O while facing the side wall portion 12c. In other words, as shown in Figure 10B, the cross-sectional shape of the case cylinder body 1a is circular, and the cross-sectional shape of the mounting portion 11c is square, so there is a space S at a position offset from the central axis O. Therefore, when the pressing piece 12f is pressed, the rear end 12h contacts the corner 11e, and because of the space S, the rear end 12h is pushed sufficiently inward into the lid 12, and the rear end 12h tries to rise up against the corner 11e. As a result, a force acts on the lid 12 that moves it upward (forward), releasing the engagement between the holding portion 11f and the held portion 12d, and the lid 12 can be removed from the mounting portion 11c. In particular, in this embodiment, the rear end 12h is located on both sides of the central axis O in a state directly facing the side wall portion 12c, and the force from the rear end 12h acts on the lid 12 from both sides of the central axis O. Furthermore, the holding portion 11f and the held portion 12d are positioned to overlap with the central axis O. That is, the holding portion 11f and the held portion 12d are located where there is no space S, and the two rear ends 12h are located on both sides of the holding portion 11f and the held portion 12d. As a result, the tilt of the pressing piece 12f is suppressed during pressing, allowing for stable pressing operations, and thus the engagement between the holding portion 11f and the held portion 12d can be easily released. In addition, since the lid 12 is pushed forward with its tilt relative to the central axis O suppressed, unnecessary force is not required when pressing the pressing piece 12f.

[0040] Furthermore, the lid 12 of this embodiment is provided with pressing pieces 12f on two opposing side walls 12c, and can be easily pressed by pinching them with two fingers even with one hand, thus allowing the lid 12 to be easily removed.

[0041] The lid 12 described above may be modified as appropriate, for example, as shown in Figures 11A and 11B. In the illustrated modified lid 12A, the side wall portion 12c is provided with a guard projection 12j that protrudes outward from the edge of the groove portion 12e. In this embodiment, the amount of the guard projection 12j protruding from the lid 12A is about the same as that of the pressing piece 12f. By providing such a guard projection 12j, it is possible to prevent the pressing piece 12f from being pressed unintentionally, thus preventing the lid 12A from coming off unintentionally when carrying it in a bag or the like.

[0042] After removing the lid 12, to use the contents contained in the dispensing container 100, the operating unit body 10 is rotated circumferentially to one side relative to the case cylinder 1. This causes the connecting member 9 to rotate in the same direction. The stopper portion 9j provided on the connecting member 9 is engaged with the gear portion 1d of the case cylinder 1, but when the connecting member 9 rotates in this direction, the engagement between the two is released and rotation is permitted. When the connecting member 9 rotates, the screw shaft member 3, which is held in place by the connecting member 9, also rotates in the same direction, and as a result the hollow screw member 4, the push-out member 5, and the movable cylinder member 6 move forward, allowing the contents to be dispensed from the opening at the front of the case cylinder 1.

[0043] Incidentally, the inner hollow portion 4a is elastically deformable so that its lower part expands radially outward by the first slit 4e, and the screw shaft member 3 and the hollow screw member 4 can be combined by inserting the screw shaft 3b into the inner hollow portion 4a, thus offering excellent assembly. However, if a load is applied to, for example, the first male screw portion 3a and the first female screw portion 4c, the inner hollow portion 4a will elastically deform radially outward, and there is a risk that the screwed-together first male screw portion 3a and first female screw portion 4c will come apart. In this embodiment, the dispensing container 100 is equipped with an annular body 7 located radially outward from the lower end of the inner hollow portion 4a. That is, when the annular body 7 is attached to the hollow screw member 4 combined with the screw shaft member 3, the annular body 7 prevents the elastic deformation of the inner hollow portion 4a radially outward, thus preventing the first male screw portion 3a and the first female screw portion 4c from coming apart. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8B, the projection 7b provided on the annular body 7 is inserted into the first slit 4e, preventing elastic deformation of the inner hollow portion 4a radially inward. As a result, the first male thread portion 3a and the first female thread portion 4c do not press strongly against each other, and no great force is required during operation. Also, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, when the retaining engagement portion 7a is engaged with the retaining engagement portion 4f, the contact projection 4g provided on the outer circumferential surface of the inner hollow portion 4a contacts the inner circumferential surface of the annular body 7, preventing the annular body 7 from moving up and down relative to the hollow screw member 4. Therefore, problems such as the annular body 7 moving up and down during use and generating abnormal noise can be prevented. Although a force acts radially inward on the inner hollow portion 4a when the contact projection 4g contacts the inner circumferential surface of the annular body 7, the projection 7b is inserted into the first slit 4e, so the first male thread portion 3a and the first female thread portion 4c do not press strongly against each other.

[0044] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, this embodiment may be modified as follows.

[0045] For example, in the embodiment described above, the contact projection 4g was provided on the outer circumferential surface of the inner hollow portion 4a and in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the annular body 7, but it may also be provided on the inner circumferential surface of the annular body 7 and in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the inner hollow portion 4a. Furthermore, the configuration for moving the extrusion member 5 is not limited to the one described above and can be changed as appropriate. In addition, in this embodiment, the function of retracting the contents is not operated, but it may be provided with both a function to dispense the contents and a function to retract the contents.

[0046] Furthermore, the shape of the pressing piece 12f is not limited to the bifurcated shape shown in the figure; it may be shaped so that there are three or more rear end portions 12h, or so that there is one.

[0047] (Note) This specification discloses the following technologies in one aspect. The reference numerals listed below correspond to those used in the accompanying drawings, but are provided as examples only and are not intended to limit the inventions of this application.

[0048] (Technology 1) A case cylinder (1) having a front opening (1f), An extrusion member (5) is provided inside the case cylinder (1) and forms a housing space (S1) between itself and the case cylinder (1), The operating part (8) has a mounting part (11c) located on the rear side of the case cylinder (1) and is held so as to be rotatable with respect to the case cylinder (1) around the central axis (O) of the case cylinder (1), A dispensing container (100) comprising: a case cylinder (1) and a lid (12) which is inserted inward together with the mounting part (11c) and is detachably held by the mounting part (11c), wherein when the operating part (8) is rotated relative to the case cylinder (1) with the lid (12) removed, the pushing member (5) moves forward and the contents contained in the storage space (S1) are dispensed from the front opening (1f), The outer cross-sectional shape of the case cylinder (1) is circular, and the outer cross-sectional shape of the mounting portion (11c) and the lid (12) is square. At least one of the four side wall portions (12c) of the lid (12) has a retained portion (12d) that engages with a retaining portion (11f) provided on the opposing mounting portion (11c), and a pressing piece (12f) whose front end (12g) is integrally connected to the side wall portion (12c) and whose rear end (12h) is movable toward the mounting portion (11c), The rear end portion (12h) is positioned offset from the central axis (O) while facing the side wall portion (12c), and is opposite to the corner portion (11e) located at the boundary between the mounting portion (11c) and the case cylinder (1) of the dispensing container (100).

[0049] In this dispensing container, the outer cross-section of the case cylinder is circular, and the outer cross-section of the mounting part is square. Therefore, at the corners located at the boundary between the mounting part and the case cylinder, there is a space at a position offset from the central axis when facing the side wall. The rear end of the pressing piece faces this corner where this space is provided. Consequently, when the pressing piece provided on the side wall of the lid is pressed toward the inside of the lid, the rear end is pushed sufficiently inward into the lid by this space, causing the rear end to try to rise toward the corner, and as a result, a force acting on the lid to move it forward. Therefore, even by operating the pressing piece with one hand, the engagement between the holding part and the held part can be released and the lid can be easily removed.

[0050] (Technology 2) The dispensing container (100) according to Technical 1, wherein the pressing piece (12f) has a plurality of rear end portions (12h), and at least two of the rear end portions (12h) are located on both sides with respect to the central axis (O) in a state that directly faces the side wall portion (12c).

[0051] This technology allows forces from the rear end of the lid to act on it from both sides of the central axis, so that the lid is pushed forward while minimizing its tilt relative to the central axis. Therefore, the lid can be removed more easily without requiring unnecessary force when pressing the pressing piece.

[0052] (Technology 3) The pressing piece (12f) protrudes outward from the side wall portion (12c), The dispensing container (100) according to Technical 1, wherein the side wall portion (12c) has a guard projection (12j) that protrudes outward from the side wall portion (12c) near the rear end portion (12h).

[0053] This technology prevents the pressing piece from being pressed unintentionally, thus preventing the lid from coming off unintentionally.

[0054] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and unless otherwise specifically limited in the above description, various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the spirit of the present invention as described in the claims. For example, the configuration of the above-described embodiment can be added or deleted as appropriate, and the configuration of one embodiment can be provided in other embodiments. Furthermore, the effects in the above-described embodiment are merely illustrative of the effects that may result from the present invention. In other words, the effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and additional effects may also be produced in addition to the above-described effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1: Case tube 1a: Case cylinder body 1b: Engagement convex part 1c: Stopper protrusion 1d: Gear section 1e: Engagement holding part 1f: Front opening 2: Unit 3: Screw shaft member 3a: First male threaded portion 3b: Screw shaft 3c: Lower axis 3d: Unit side anti-rotation part 3e: Unit-side retaining part 4: Hollow screw member 4a: Inner hollow part 4b: Ceiling wall part 4c: First female thread section 4d: Second male thread section 4e: First slit (slit) 4f: Retaining engagement part 4g: Contact protrusion 5: Extruded member 5a: Outer hollow part 5b:Top wall part 5c: Seal part 5d: Second female thread section 5e: Second slit 5g: Guide protrusion 6: Movable cylindrical member 6a: Movable tube body 6b: First longitudinal groove 6c: Second longitudinal groove 6d: Through opening 6e: Weakened part 7: Ring-shaped 7a: Retaining engagement portion 7b:Protrusion 8:Operation unit 9: Connecting member 9a: Inner peripheral wall part 9b: Rotation prevention part on the operating section side 9c: Retaining part on the operating section side 9d: Connecting wall section 9e: First engaging portion of connecting member 9f: Second engaging part of connecting member 9h: Elastic piece 9j: Wheel stop 10: Main unit of the control panel 10a: Bottom wall part 10b: Outer wall 10c: Main body engagement part 11: Filling 11a: Lower cylindrical part 11b: Flange section 11c: Mounting part 11d: Inner fitting top wall part 11e: Corner 11f: Holding part 12, 12A: Lid body 12a: Lid top wall 12b: Lid outer wall 12c: Side wall part 12d:Holded part 12e: Groove 12f: Pressing piece 12g: Front end 12h: Rear end 12j: Guard protrusion 100: Dispenser J: Jig O: Central axis S: Space S1: Containment space

Claims

1. A case cylinder having a front opening, An extrusion member provided inside the case cylinder, which forms a housing space between itself and the case cylinder, An operating part having a mounting portion located on the rear side of the case cylinder, and being held rotatably around the central axis of the case cylinder relative to the case cylinder, A dispensing container comprising: a case cylinder and a lid which is inserted inward with the mounting portion and is detachably held in the mounting portion, wherein when the operating portion is rotated relative to the case cylinder with the lid removed, the push member moves forward and the contents contained in the storage space are dispensed from the front opening, The outer cross-sectional shape of the case cylinder is circular, and the outer cross-sectional shape of the mounting portion and the lid is square. At least one of the four side wall portions of the lid has a retained portion that engages with a retaining portion provided on the opposing mounting portion, and a pressing piece whose front end is integrally connected to the side wall portion and whose rear end is movable toward the mounting portion. The aforementioned rear end is located offset from the central axis while facing the side wall portion, and is opposite to the corner portion located at the boundary with the case cylinder in the mounting portion.

2. The dispensing container according to claim 1, wherein the pressing piece has a plurality of rear ends, and at least two of the rear ends are located on both sides with respect to the central axis in a state that directly faces the side wall.

3. The pressing piece protrudes outward from the side wall portion, The dispensing container according to claim 1, wherein the side wall portion has a guard projection that protrudes outward from the side wall portion near the rear end portion.

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