Ejector

Abstract

To provide a discharge device that allows for easy air intake. [Solution] The discharger 1 comprises a stem 12 disposed in the mouth 3 of the container body 2 so as to be movable downward in an upward biased state, a discharge head fitted to the upper end of the stem 12, a piston 41 linked to the up and down movement of the stem 12, a cylinder 42 in which the piston 41 is housed so as to be able to slide up and down and which has an air hole 62B formed therein, a mounting cap 11 for attaching the cylinder 42 to the mouth 3, a retaining member 15 that covers the stem 12 from the radial outside and holds the mounting cap 11 between itself and the cylinder 42, and an air valve 56 that is sandwiched between the piston 41 and the retaining member 15 to block the air passage R provided between the outer circumferential surface of the stem 12 and the inner circumferential surface of the retaining member 15 and the air hole 62B so as to be able to communicate, and a vertical groove 62A opening upward is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 42, and the air hole 62B is provided on the wall surface facing radially in the vertical groove 62A.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dispenser.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a dispenser described in Patent Document 1 below has been known. This dispenser includes a stem that is disposed movably downward in an upwardly biased state at the mouth of a container body in which a content liquid is stored, a discharge head that is fitted to the upper end of the stem and has a discharge hole for the content liquid formed therein, a piston that is linked to the vertical movement of the stem, a cylinder in which the piston is accommodated slidably up and down and has an air hole through which air can be introduced into the container body, a mounting cap for mounting the cylinder to the mouth, a pressing member that covers the stem from the radially outer side and is fixed to the cylinder and presses the mounting cap between the cylinder and itself, an air passage provided between the outer peripheral surface of the stem and the inner peripheral surface of the pressing member by being sandwiched between the piston and the pressing member, and an air valve that communicably blocks the air passage and the air hole. In this dispenser, in order to suppress the decompression deformation of the container body during the process of discharging the content liquid, air is introduced into the container body through the air passage and the air hole. On the other hand, in the stage before discharging the content liquid, the communication between the air passage and the air hole is blocked by the air valve, and leakage of the content liquid is suppressed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the conventional dispenser, there is a problem that it is difficult to take in air when discharging the content liquid, the pressure inside the container body is reduced, the container body is reduced in volume and deformed, or the discharge amount of the content liquid is reduced.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and aims to provide a discharger that facilitates air intake. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention proposes the following means. <1> A discharger according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a stem disposed at the mouth of a container body containing liquid contents so as to be movable downward in an upward biased state; a discharge head fitted to the upper end of the stem and having a discharge hole for the liquid contents formed therein; a piston linked to the up and down movement of the stem; a cylinder in which the piston is housed so as to be slidable up and down and which has an air hole formed therein that allows air to be introduced into the container body; a mounting cap for attaching the cylinder to the mouth; a retaining member that covers the stem from the radially outside and is fixed to the cylinder and presses the mounting cap between itself and the cylinder; and an air valve sandwiched between the piston and the retaining member, which blocks communication between an air passage provided between the outer circumferential surface of the stem and the inner circumferential surface of the retaining member and the air hole, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder is provided with a vertical groove that opens upward, and the air hole is provided on the wall surface facing radially in the vertical groove. <2> the above <1> In the discharger relating to this, a configuration in which the depth of the vertical groove is 0.1 mm or more may be adopted. <3> the above <1> or <2> In the discharger relating to the present invention, the cylinder may be configured to include a main cylindrical portion disposed within the mouth, and a support plate portion that protrudes radially outward from the upper end of the main cylindrical portion and is disposed at the upper opening edge of the mouth, wherein the support plate portion is fixed between the mouth and the top wall portion of the mounting cap, and the vertical groove is provided in the main cylindrical portion and extends downward from the upper end of the main cylindrical portion. <4> the above <3> In the discharger relating to this, the inner diameter of the upper part of the main body cylinder is larger than the inner diameter of the lower part of the main body cylinder, the piston slides along the lower part of the main body cylinder, and the vertical groove is provided in the upper part of the main body cylinder. <5> the above <3> or <4> In the discharger relating to the present invention, the cylinder may further include a vertical cylindrical portion extending upward from the support plate portion, the retaining member may be fixed to the vertical cylindrical portion, and the air valve may be positioned within the vertical cylindrical portion between the support plate portion and the retaining member.

[0007] Air vents are provided on the walls of the vertical grooves. Therefore, air from the air passage is supplied to the air vents through the vertical grooves. Consequently, compared to a design without vertical grooves, it becomes possible to widen the gaps between components (for example, the gap between the piston and the cylinder), making it easier to take in air. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, air can be easily taken in. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a discharger shown as one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the discharger, showing the state in which the pressing member is pressed down to the lowered end position. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is an enlarged view showing the main parts of the discharger. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged view of section V shown in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the inside of the cylinder included in the discharger shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the discharger according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. The dispenser 1 comprises a pump 10 having a stem 12 that is mounted on the mouth 3 of a container body 2 containing the liquid contents and is movable downward in an upward biased state, and a discharge head 13 fitted to the upper end of the stem 12; a mounting cap 11 for attaching the pump 10 to the mouth 3 of the container body 2; a support member 15 (pressing member) erected on the rear of the mounting cap 11; and a pressing member 16 that is mounted on the support member 15 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis L and is linked to the discharge head 13.

[0011] The discharge head 13 comprises a mounting cylinder portion 31 fitted to the upper end of the stem 12, and a nozzle cylinder portion 32 protruding from the mounting cylinder portion 31, with a discharge hole 13A for the liquid content formed at its tip. The pump 10 includes a piston guide 43 extending downward from the stem 12, a cylindrical piston 41 externally mounted on the piston guide 43 so as to be able to move up and down, a cylinder 42 in which the piston 41 is housed so as to be able to slide up and down, and a coil spring 95 that integrally biases the discharge head 13, the stem 12, and the piston guide 43 upward.

[0012] The discharger 1 is configured such that the liquid inside the cylinder 42 is discharged through the stem 12 and out of the discharge hole 13A by moving the discharge head 13, stem 12, and piston guide 43 downward relative to the cylinder 42 together with the piston 41. The stem 12, mounting cap 11, piston guide 43, piston 41, cylinder 42, and coil spring 95 are arranged such that their respective central axes lie on a common axis.

[0013] Hereafter, this common axis will be referred to as the central axis O1, and the direction along the central axis O1 will be referred to as the vertical direction. Furthermore, in a plan view from the vertical direction, the direction intersecting the central axis O1 will be referred to as the radial direction, and the direction revolving around the central axis O1 will be referred to as the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the central axis of the nozzle cylinder portion 32 is called the nozzle axis O2, and the direction along the nozzle axis O2 is called the nozzle axis direction. Viewed from the nozzle axis direction, the direction intersecting the nozzle axis O2 is called the nozzle radial direction, and the direction revolving around the nozzle axis O2 is called the nozzle circumferential direction. Further, when viewed from the vertical direction, the direction in which the nozzle axis O2 extends is referred to as the front-rear direction. Along the front-rear direction, the base side of the nozzle cylinder portion 32 is referred to as the rear, and the tip side of the nozzle cylinder portion 32 is referred to as the front. The direction orthogonal to both the vertical direction and the front-rear direction is referred to as the left-right direction.

[0014] The mounting cap 11 mounts the cylinder 42 to the mouth portion 3. The mounting cap 11 has an annular top wall portion 11a formed with an opening at the center, and a cylindrical mouth portion mounting portion 11b extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the top wall portion 11a. On the inner peripheral surface of the mouth portion mounting portion 11b, an internal thread that engages with an external thread formed on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2 is formed.

[0015] The inner diameter and outer diameter of the lower part of the stem 12 are larger than the inner diameter and outer diameter of the upper part of the stem 12. A tapered stepped cylinder portion 12A is formed between the upper part and the lower part of the stem 12. An elastic member 25 is disposed between the stem 12 and the piston 41. As the stem 12 and the piston guide 43 move downward with respect to the piston 41, the elastic member 25 is elastically deformed while being sandwiched in the vertical direction by the piston 41 and the stem 12. Thereby, the piston 41 is pressed via the elastic member 25 by the stem 12 that has moved downward with respect to the cylinder 42.

[0016] The elastic member 25 is formed in a plate shape with the front and back surfaces facing the radial direction and extending in the vertical direction. The elastic member 25 is disposed at the lower end opening edge of the stem 12, and a plurality (six in this embodiment) are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The elastic member 25 is integrally formed with the stem 12. The plurality of elastic members 25 are formed in the same shape and the same size as each other. The radial size (thickness) of the elastic member 25 is thinner than the thickness of the stem 12. Note that the stem 12 and the elastic member 25 are formed of a material having a certain degree of rigidity, such as polypropylene, so that the elastic member 25 deforms when a certain force is applied.

[0017] The mounting cylinder portion 31 of the ejection head 13 is formed in a toped cylindrical shape and is fitted into the stem 12. At the upper end portion of the mounting cylinder portion 31, a shaft portion 10A protruding in the left - right direction is formed. The shaft portion 10A has a circular shape when viewed from the left - right direction. At the upper end portion of the mounting cylinder portion 31, a locked portion 120 protruding rearward is formed. A stopper 130 that restricts the downward movement of the stem 12 can be locked to the locked portion 120.

[0018] The nozzle cylinder portion 32 of the ejection head 13 protrudes forward from the mounting cylinder portion 31, and an ejection hole 13A that opens forward is formed at the front end. The ejection hole 13A is arranged coaxially with the nozzle axis O2. Inside the nozzle cylinder portion 32, a mandrel body 35 extending in the front - rear direction and a toped cylindrical chip 36 attached to the front end portion of the mandrel body 35 are arranged. On the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel body 35, a plurality of flow path groove portions 35A are formed that extend in the front - rear direction and allow the flow of the content liquid between the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel body 35 and the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle cylinder portion 32. The chip 36 is arranged coaxially with the mandrel body 35 and has a cylindrical chip cylinder portion 37 with the mandrel body 35 fitted inside and an end wall portion 38 provided at the front end portion of the chip cylinder portion 37.

[0019] The chip cylinder portion 37 is fitted inside the nozzle cylinder portion 32. The end wall portion 38 abuts against the front end surface of the mandrel body 35. On the rear surface of the end wall portion 38 that abuts against the front end surface of the mandrel body 35, a spin flow path 38A communicating with the flow path groove portion 35A of the mandrel body 35 is formed. At the central portion of the end wall portion 38, the ejection hole 13A communicating with the spin flow path 38A opens forward. The opening area of the ejection hole 13A is smaller than the flow path area (cross - sectional area orthogonal to the nozzle axis direction) of the flow path groove portion 35A on the upstream side of the spin flow path 38A, and the content liquid can be pressurized and ejected in a mist form.

[0020] The piston 41 is linked to the up-and-down movement of the stem 12. The piston 41 comprises an outer cylinder piston 51 fitted into the cylinder 42 so as to be vertically slidable, an inner cylinder piston 52 positioned radially inside the outer cylinder piston 51 and surrounding the piston guide 43 from the radially outside, and an annular connecting portion 53 connecting the outer cylinder piston 51 and the inner cylinder piston 52. These outer cylinder piston 51, inner cylinder piston 52, and annular connecting portion 53 are each arranged coaxially with the central axis O1. In the illustrated example, the outer cylinder piston 51, inner cylinder piston 52, and annular connecting portion 53 are formed as a single unit. The lower end portion (hereinafter referred to as the "blocking portion") 52b of the inner cylinder piston 52 is externally mounted on the piston guide 43 so as to be able to slide up and down, and blocks communication between the inside of the stem 12 and the inside of the cylinder 42. The blocking portion 52b is located above the lower end portion 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51.

[0021] The cylinder 42 is formed in a multi-stage cylindrical shape. The cylinder 42 includes an upper cylindrical portion 62 (main cylindrical portion) extending in the vertical direction, a lower cylindrical portion 63 extending downward from the lower end of the upper cylindrical portion 62 and having a smaller inner and outer diameter than the upper cylindrical portion 62, a small-diameter portion 64 extending downward from the lower end of the lower cylindrical portion 63 and having a smaller inner and outer diameter than the lower cylindrical portion 63, an annular stepped portion 65 connecting the lower end of the upper cylindrical portion 62 and the upper end of the lower cylindrical portion 63, and a connecting cylindrical portion 69 extending downward from the small-diameter portion 64.

[0022] The upper surface (step) of the stepped portion 65 is part of the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 42 and faces the outer cylinder piston 51 in the vertical direction. When the piston 41 is in the lowered end position, the lower end portion 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 abuts against the upper surface of the stepped portion 65. The upper surface of the stepped portion 65 extends downward as it goes radially outward. The inner circumferential surface of the upper end of the lower cylinder portion 63 is tapered in diameter as it goes downward.

[0023] The upper cylinder portion 62 is located inside the mouth portion 3. As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the inner diameter of the upper part 62U of the upper cylinder portion 62 is larger than the inner diameter of the lower part 62D of the upper cylinder portion 62. The piston 41 described above slides along the lower part 62D of the upper cylinder portion 62. In other words, the piston 41 does not slide along the upper part 62U of the upper cylinder portion 62. In this embodiment, of the piston 41, only the lower end portion 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 slides along the inner circumferential surface of the upper cylinder portion 62, but the lower end portion 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 slides along the inner circumferential surface of the lower part 62D of the upper cylinder portion 62, and does not slide along the inner circumferential surface of the upper part 62U. That is, even when the piston 41 is at top dead center, the lower end portion 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 is located below the upper part 62U of the upper cylinder portion 62. An annular gap S opening upward is provided between the upper part 62U of the upper cylinder portion 62 and the outer cylinder piston 51. An air hole 62B is formed in the upper part 62U of the upper cylinder portion 62, which connects the inside and outside of the upper cylinder portion 62. The air hole 62B penetrates the upper cylinder portion 62 (the upper part 62U in the illustrated example) radially. The air hole 62B is a lateral hole. Air can be introduced into the container body 2 through the air hole 62B.

[0024] In this embodiment, a vertical groove 62A opening upward is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 42. The vertical groove 62A is provided on the upper part 62U of the upper cylindrical portion 62. The vertical groove 62A extends downward from the upper end of the upper cylindrical portion 62. The depth d (radial size) of the vertical groove 62A is preferably 0.1 mm or more. The width (circumferential size) of the vertical groove 62A is preferably 1 / 3 or less of the inner diameter of the cylinder 42. The air hole 62B is provided on the wall surface facing radially in the vertical groove 62A.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, an annular support plate portion 61 is formed at the upper end of the upper cylindrical portion 62, projecting radially outward. The lower surface of the top wall portion 11a of the mounting cap 11 abuts against the outer circumference of the upper surface of the support plate portion 61. A first packing 66 is disposed between the support plate portion 61 and the upper opening edge of the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2. The mouth mounting portion 11b of the mounting cap 11 is screwed onto the mouth portion 3, thereby fixing the support plate portion 61 and the first packing 66 between the top wall portion 11a of the mounting cap 11 and the mouth portion 3. These support plate portion 61, upper cylindrical portion 62, lower cylindrical portion 63, and small diameter portion 64 are arranged coaxially with the central axis O1.

[0026] An upright cylindrical portion 60 is formed on the upper surface of the support plate portion 61, extending upward and inserted through the opening of the mounting cap 11. The outer and inner diameters of the upright cylindrical portion 60 are larger than those of the upper cylindrical portion 62. The upper end opening edge of the upright cylindrical portion 60 is located at the same vertical position as the stepped cylindrical portion 12A of the stem 12. An annular second packing 56 (air valve) is provided on the upper surface of the inner circumference of the support plate portion 61, which is located radially inward from the vertical cylindrical portion 60.

[0027] The small-diameter section 64 has a straight cylindrical section 67 that extends straight downward from the lower end of the lower cylindrical section 63, and a tapered cylindrical section 68 whose inner and outer diameters decrease as it extends downward from the lower end of the straight cylindrical section 67. Inside the tapered cylindrical section 68, a valve body 44 is disposed so as to be detachable from the tapered surface of the tapered cylindrical section 68. The valve body 44 is a so-called ball valve made of synthetic resin and formed into a spherical shape. It is preferable that the valve body 44 be made of synthetic resin to reduce the effort required for sorting during disposal. The valve body 44 may also be made of metal or the like. Furthermore, a check valve using various valve bodies instead of a ball valve is also acceptable.

[0028] A restricting projection 68A is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the tapered cylindrical portion 68, extending upward from the radially outer side to the inner side. The inner diameter of the upper end of the restricting projection 68A is smaller than the outer diameter of the valve body 44. This restricts the valve body 44 from moving upward away from the restricting projection 68A. A gap is formed in the restricting projection 68A that interrupts its circumferential extension.

[0029] The piston guide 43 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, comprising a circumferential cylindrical portion 43D extending downward from the stem 12 and a bottom wall portion. The bottom wall portion has an annular flange portion 43A that protrudes radially outward. A contact portion 43E is formed at the lower end of the circumferential cylindrical portion 43D of the piston guide 43, with its outer diameter decreasing as it moves upward from the upper surface of the flange portion 43A. The lower end of the closing portion 52b of the piston 41 is in contact with this contact portion 43E.

[0030] A communication hole 43B is formed in the circumferential cylindrical portion 43D of the piston guide 43, which connects the inside of the piston guide 43 to the inside of the cylinder 42. The communication hole 43B is arranged, for example, on both sides of the central axis O1 in the radial direction. The communication hole 43B is located above the contact portion 43E, which the closing portion 52b of the piston 41 abuts against. This blocks communication between the communication hole 43B and the inside of the upper cylindrical portion 62 of the cylinder 42. In other words, the contact portion 43E abuts against the closing portion 52b from below the piston 41, blocking communication between the inside of the cylinder 42 and the inside of the stem 12 through the communication hole 43B and the circumferential cylindrical portion 43D of the piston guide 43. When the piston guide 43 moves downward relative to the piston 41, the contact portion 43E moves downward away from the closing portion 52b, thereby creating communication between the inside of the stem 12 and the inside of the cylinder 42.

[0031] A through-hole 43C is formed in the circumferential cylindrical portion 43D of the piston guide 43, connecting the inside of the piston guide 43 to the inside of the stem 12. The through-hole 43C, like the communication hole 43B, is arranged, for example, on both sides of the central axis O1 in the radial direction. The through-hole 43C is positioned above the communication hole 43B and opens toward the inner circumferential surface of the stepped cylindrical portion 12A of the stem 12. The formation of the communication hole 43B and the through-hole 43C in the piston guide 43 prevents air from accumulating between the piston guide 43 and the piston 41, and between the piston guide 43 and the stem 12. The portion of the piston guide 43 located above the through hole 43C is fitted into the stem 12. As a result, the piston guide 43 moves up and down together with the stem 12.

[0032] At the lower end of the piston guide 43, a guide projection 43F is formed, which protrudes downward and is fitted with a coil spring 95. The guide projection 43F is composed of multiple plate bodies, each with its front and back surfaces facing circumferentially, arranged around the central axis O1. In an upward biased state, the guide projection 43F is positioned from the lower part 62D of the upper cylinder portion 62 to the upper part of the lower cylinder portion 63 in the cylinder 42. The upper end of the coil spring 95 abuts against the lower surface of the flange portion 43A, and the lower end abuts against the upper opening edge of the straight cylinder portion 67 in the cylinder 42. As a result, the piston guide 43 receives an upward biasing force directly from the coil spring 95.

[0033] In this embodiment, the vertical distance between the lower end 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 and the upper surface of the stepped portion 65 is shorter than the vertical compression deformation of the coil spring 95 until it is pushed downward by the flange portion 43A of the piston guide 43 and reaches a tightly sealed state where it can no longer be compressed or deformed further, as shown in Figure 3. When the coil spring 95 reaches this tightly sealed state, further downward movement of the discharge head 13, stem 12, and piston guide 43 is restricted. At this time, the contact portion 43E is separated downward from the closing portion 52b, and the inside of the stem 12 and the inside of the cylinder 42 are in communication. When the coil spring 95 is in a tightly packed state, all the wires that make up the coil spring 95 that are adjacent to each other in the vertical direction come into contact with each other all the way around.

[0034] Therefore, when the discharge head 13 is further pressed downward from the state in which the lower end portion 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 is in contact with the upper surface of the stepped portion 65 of the cylinder 42, the discharge head 13, stem 12, and piston guide 43 move downward relative to the piston 41, compressing and deforming the coil spring 95 downward between the flange portion 43A of the piston guide 43 and the upper end opening edge of the straight cylinder portion 67 of the cylinder 42.

[0035] As a result, the contact portion 43E is separated downward from the closing portion 52b, creating communication between the inside of the stem 12 and the inside of the cylinder 42, and the coil spring 95 is in close contact with the stem. In other words, the timing of communication between the inside of the stem 12 and the inside of the cylinder 42 may be simultaneous with the moment the coil spring 95 becomes fully compressed, or it may be after the lower end 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 contacts the upper surface of the stepped portion 65 of the cylinder 42, but before the coil spring 95 becomes fully compressed.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the support member 15 covers the stem 12 from the radial outside. The support member 15 is fixed to the cylinder 42 (vertical cylindrical portion 60). The support member 15 holds the mounting cap 11 in place between itself and the cylinder 42. The support member 15 has a top-mounted cylindrical surrounding cylindrical portion 15a that is externally mounted on the vertical cylindrical portion 60 of the cylinder 42, a guide cylinder 15c that extends upward from the top wall of the surrounding cylindrical portion 15a, a pair of side wall portions 77 that protrude rearward from the surrounding cylindrical portion 15a and are spaced apart in the left-right direction, and a rear wall portion 78 that connects the rear end edges of the side wall portions 77 in the left-right direction.

[0037] The top wall of the surrounding cylindrical portion 15a is formed in an annular shape, and a guide cylinder 15c is positioned on the inner peripheral edge of this top wall. The stem 12 is inserted into the guide cylinder 15c so as to be movable downward. On the lower surface of the top wall of the surrounding cylindrical portion 15a, an inner hanging cylindrical portion 15d is formed, through which the stem 12 is inserted, and an outer hanging cylindrical portion 15e is positioned between the inner hanging cylindrical portion 15d and the peripheral wall of the surrounding cylindrical portion 15a. The guide cylinder 15c, the inner hanging cylindrical portion 15d, and the outer hanging cylindrical portion 15e are arranged coaxially with the central axis O1.

[0038] The lower end of the peripheral wall of the surrounding cylindrical portion 15a faces the top wall portion 11a of the mounting cap 11 in the vertical direction with a gap in between. The outer hanging cylindrical portion 15e is fitted into the upright cylindrical portion 60. The lower end opening edge of the outer hanging cylindrical portion 15e is pressed against the upper surface of the inner circumference of the support plate portion 61 of the cylinder 42 via the second packing 56. The inner hanging cylindrical portion 15d is externally mounted on the lower part of the stem 12. The lower end opening edge of the inner hanging cylindrical portion 15d is pressed against the upper end opening edge of the outer cylinder piston 51 of the piston 41 via the second packing 56.

[0039] Incidentally, an air passage R is provided between the outer circumferential surface of the stem 12 and the inner circumferential surface of the support member 15. The air passage R connects the air hole 62B to the outside of the discharger 1 (the outside of the container body 2). The air passage R is provided between the stem 12 and the surrounding cylindrical portion 15a and the inner hanging cylindrical portion 15d. Here, as described above, the second packing 56 is sandwiched between the piston 41 (outer cylinder piston 51) and the support member 15 (inner hanging cylinder portion 15d), thereby blocking communication between the air passage R and the air hole 62B. In this embodiment, the second packing 56 is positioned within the upright cylinder portion 60 between the support plate portion 61 and the support member 15.

[0040] The side wall portion 77 gradually extends upward from the front to the rear. A cylindrical shaft 77A is provided projecting outward in the left-right direction from the upper end of the side wall portion 77. The shaft 77A is positioned behind the stem 12. A virtual axis passing through the center of the shaft 77A and extending in the left-right direction becomes the rotation axis L of the pressing member 16. As a result, the rotation axis L is positioned behind the stem 12 and extends in the left-right direction. On the inner surface of the rear wall portion 78, a reinforcing wall 78a is formed, which protrudes upward and connects the inner surfaces of the pair of side wall portions 77 in the left-right direction.

[0041] The pressing member 16 is attached to the support member 15 via a shaft 77A. This connects the pressing member 16 to the support member 15 so that it can swing around a rotation axis L. The pressing member 16 comprises a top plate portion 90 that straddles the mounting cylinder portion 31 of the discharge head 13 in the front-rear direction and through which the nozzle cylinder portion 32 passes in the front-rear direction, a front plate portion 91 that extends downward from the front end edge of the top plate portion 90, and a pair of side plate portions 92 that protrude downward from the left and right side end edges of the top plate portion 90 and face each other in the left-right direction. The discharge head 13 is positioned in the internal space enclosed by the top plate 90 and the pair of side plates 92. Therefore, the pair of side plates 92 are positioned to sandwich the discharge head 13 in the left-right direction.

[0042] The top plate portion 90 has a smoothly curved shape that bulges upward, and its rear end abuts from above against the upper end of the rear wall portion 78 of the support member 15. As a result, the pressing member 16 is restricted from swinging any further upward around the rotation axis L. A first through-hole 93 is formed in the front portion of the top plate portion 90, penetrating the top plate portion 90. This first through-hole 93 is formed in the central part of the top plate portion 90 in the left-right direction and opens forward. As a result, the front portion of the top plate portion 90 is divided into two branches in the left-right direction. The front plate portion 91 extends downward from the front edge of the bifurcated top plate portion 90 toward the front.

[0043] The nozzle cylinder portion 32 of the discharge head 13 is inserted into the first through-hole 93. As a result, the nozzle cylinder portion 32 protrudes forward from the top plate portion 90 through the first through-hole 93, restricting the relative rotation of the pressing member 16 and the discharge head 13 around the central axis O1. The lower part of the front plate portion 91 is a finger rest portion for gripping the fingertips.

[0044] The pair of side plates 92 of the pressing member 16 sandwich the upper parts of the pair of side walls 77 of the support member 15 in the left-right direction. This restricts the relative rotation of the support member 15 and the pressing member 16 around the central axis O1. An axial hole 92A is formed on the inner surface of the rear side of the pair of side plates 92 through which the shaft 77A is inserted. As a result, the pressing member 16 is supported by the support member 15 so that it can swing around the shaft 77A, i.e., around the rotation axis L.

[0045] The pressing member 16 has an engagement groove 31A that engages with the shaft portion 10A of the discharge head 13. The engagement groove 31A is formed in a semicircular shape that opens downward at the lower end of the plate portion that protrudes inward in the left-right direction from the pair of side plate portions 92 of the pressing member 16. The shaft portion 10A is inserted into this engagement groove 31A. In the above configuration, when the pressing member 16 is swung downward around the rotation axis L, the inner circumferential surface of the engagement groove 31A pushes the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10A downward, causing the stem 12 and piston guide 43 to descend against the upward biasing force of the coil spring 95.

[0046] The stopper 130 is provided so as to be able to swing around a shaft 131 parallel to the rotation axis L of the pressing member 16, and restricts the downward movement of the discharge head 13. The stopper 130 is arranged to be movable between a restricting position that restricts the downward movement of the discharge head 13 and an unrestricted position that swings rearward around the shaft 131 relative to the restricting position and allows the downward movement of the discharge head 13. The shaft 131 is formed in the shape of a rod extending in the left-right direction, and both ends of the shaft 131 in the left-right direction are fitted into support recesses 82 formed in a pair of side wall portions 77 so as to be able to rotate around a central axis. The support recesses 82 are located behind the stem 12 and in front of the rotation axis L.

[0047] When using the discharger 1 configured as described above, first, as shown in Figure 2, the stopper 130 is swung around the shaft 131 from the restricted position to the released position to allow the discharge head 13 to move downward. Next, the pressing member 16 is rotated downward around the rotation axis L. At this time, for example, the fingertips are placed on the finger rest portion of the front plate portion 91 of the pressing member 16, and the pressing member 16 is rotated downward against the biasing force of the coil spring 95. When the pressing member 16 is rotated downward, the discharge head 13 moves downward, the inside of the tapered cylindrical portion 68 of the cylinder 42 is closed by the valve body 44, and the closed portion 52b of the piston 41 is in contact with the contact portion 43E of the piston guide 43, and the stem 12 and piston guide 43 are pushed down relative to the cylinder 42 together with the piston 41.

[0048] Then, when the discharge head 13 is further pressed downward from the state in which the lower end 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 is in contact with the upper surface of the stepped portion 65 of the cylinder 42, the discharge head 13, stem 12, and piston guide 43 move downward, compressing and deforming the coil spring 95 downward between the flange portion 43A of the piston guide 43 and the upper end opening edge of the straight cylinder portion 67 of the cylinder 42.

[0049] In this process, the stem 12 and piston guide 43 move downward relative to the piston 41, causing the elastic member 25 to elastically deform between the stem 12 and the annular connecting portion 53, and moving the contact portion 43E downward from the closing portion 52b, thereby creating communication between the inside of the stem 12 and the inside of the cylinder 42 through the communication hole 43B and the circumferential cylindrical portion 43D of the piston guide 43. As a result, the liquid contents of the cylinder 42 rise through the stem 12 and are introduced into the nozzle cylindrical portion 32, and are discharged in a mist form from the discharge hole 13A through the spin channel 38A.

[0050] In this configuration, as shown in Figure 2, a vertical gap is provided between the upper opening edge of the guide cylinder 15c of the support member 15 and the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle cylinder portion 32. Therefore, using the same support member 15 of the same shape and size, multiple types of cylinders 42 with different lengths of the upper cylinder portion 62 and different internal volumes can be mounted, and damage to the piston 41 can be suppressed. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the coil spring 95 is in a tightly packed state.

[0051] Subsequently, when the pressure on the pressing member 16 is released, the piston guide 43 and piston 41 rise due to the elastic recovery of the coil spring 95. This creates negative pressure inside the cylinder 42, causing the valve body 44 to open. As a result, the inside of the cylinder 42 and the inside of the container body 2 are connected, and the liquid contents of the container body 2 are drawn into the cylinder 42. Consequently, negative pressure is now created inside the container body 2. At this time, this negative pressure acts on the second packing 56 through the air hole 62B and the vertical groove 62A. Then, for example, the inner periphery of the second packing 56 moves downward, and air from outside the discharger 1 is drawn into the container body 2 through the air passage R, the vertical groove 62A, and the air hole 62B.

[0052] As described above, in the discharger 1 according to this embodiment, the air hole 62B is provided on the wall surface of the vertical groove 62A. Therefore, air from the air passage R is supplied to the air hole 62B through the vertical groove 62A. Consequently, compared to the absence of the vertical groove 62A, it becomes possible to widen the gap between components (for example, the gap between the piston 41 and the cylinder 42), making it easier to take in air.

[0053] Furthermore, the vertical distance between the lower end 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 and the upper surface of the stepped portion 65 is shorter than the amount of vertical compression deformation of the coil spring 95 until it reaches a tightly packed state where it can no longer be compressed or deformed further. When the coil spring 95 reaches this tightly packed state, further downward movement of the discharge head 13, stem 12, and piston guide 43 is restricted. Consequently, the discharge head 13, stem 12, piston guide 43, and piston 41 are pushed together into the cylinder 42, and the coil spring 95 can be further compressed downward from the state in which the lower end 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 is in contact with the upper surface of the stepped portion 65 to reach a tightly packed state.

[0054] As a result, when the discharge head 13 is fitted to the upper end of the stem 12, the stem 12, piston guide 43, and piston 41 are pushed together against the cylinder 42, and even when the lower end 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 comes into contact with the upper surface of the stepped portion 65, the coil spring 95 is further compressed and deformed downwards to create a tight seal, thereby allowing the pushing force at this time to be mainly absorbed by the coil spring 95, and the load on the piston 41 can be reduced.

[0055] When the piston guide 43 moves downward relative to the piston 41, the contact portion 43E separates downward from the closing portion 52b, thereby creating communication between the inside of the stem 12 and the inside of the cylinder 42, and the coil spring 95 becomes tightly packed. Therefore, until the lower end portion 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 contacts the upper surface of the stepped portion 65, the contact portion 43E is kept in contact with the closing portion 52b, blocking communication between the inside of the stem 12 and the inside of the cylinder 42. After the lower end portion 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 contacts the upper surface of the stepped portion 65, the piston guide 43 is moved downward relative to the piston 41 while compressing and deforming the coil spring 95, thereby creating communication between the inside of the stem 12 and the inside of the cylinder 42, and enabling the liquid contents of the cylinder 42 to be discharged from the discharge hole 13A.

[0056] This makes it possible to maintain the same internal pressure in the cylinder 42 each time the liquid is discharged from the discharge hole 13A, stabilizing the discharge characteristics such as the amount and force of the liquid discharged from the discharge hole 13A. It also prevents the coil spring 95 from becoming tightly sealed before the inside of the stem 12 and the inside of the cylinder 42 are in communication, allowing for a smooth priming operation in which the liquid inside the container body 2 is supplied to the cylinder 42 while the air inside the cylinder 42 is discharged through the stem 12 when the cylinder 42 is not in use.

[0057] Since an elastic member 25 is disposed between the stem 12 and the piston 41, when the lower end 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 is in contact with the upper surface of the stepped portion 65, and the stem 12 and piston guide 43 are moved further downward relative to the piston 41, compressing and deforming the coil spring 95 downward, the elastic member 25 is elastically deformed between the stem 12 and the piston 41, thereby mitigating the downward force applied from the stem 12 to the piston 41. This ensures that the load on the piston 41 is reliably suppressed when the discharge head 13 is fitted to the upper end of the stem 12.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from its spirit.

[0059] For example, instead of providing an elastic member 25 between the stem 12 and the piston 41, a vertical gap may be provided between the lower end opening edge of the stem 12 and the piston 41, so that when the lower end portion 51A of the outer cylinder piston 51 comes into contact with the upper surface of the stepped portion 65, and then the coil spring 95 is further compressed and deformed downwards, the lower end opening edge of the stem 12 comes into contact with or comes close to the piston 41.

[0060] The position of the coil spring 95 is not limited to the above embodiment and may be changed as appropriate. For example, the coil spring 95 may be mounted on the stem 12 and the upper end of the coil spring 95 may be brought into contact with the discharge head 13. Furthermore, the member that supports the upper end of the coil spring 95 and pushes it downward is not limited to the piston guide 43, but may be the discharge head 13 or the stem 12. A dual-purpose adapter 200, configured to supply the liquid contents into the cylinder 42 when negative pressure is created inside the cylinder 42, may be connected to the cylinder 42, both when the discharger 1 is upright and when it is inverted.

[0061] It is possible to use other elastic materials instead of the coil spring 95. For example, a resin spring or a leaf spring may be used instead of the coil spring 95. The pressing member 16 is not required. The discharger 1 may be designed so that the discharge head 13 is pressed directly by hand. The dispenser 1 does not have to dispense the liquid contents in a mist. The dispenser 1 may dispense the liquid contents as a liquid or as a foam.

[0062] Furthermore, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, the components in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described modifications may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 Dispenser 2. Container body 3 Mouth 11. Mounting cap 11a Top wall 12 Stem 13 Discharge head 13A discharge hole 15 Retaining member 41 Pistons 42 cylinders 56 Air valve 60 Standing cylinder part 61 Support plate part 62A Longitudinal groove 62B Air vent 62D Lower 62U Top R airway

Claims

1. A stem is disposed at the mouth of the container body that holds the liquid, and is movable downward while being biased upward. A discharge head fitted to the upper end of the stem, having a discharge hole for the liquid contents, A piston that is linked to the up-and-down movement of the aforementioned stem, A cylinder is provided in which the piston is housed so as to be able to slide up and down, and an air hole is formed in the container body that allows air to be introduced into the container body, A mounting cap for attaching the cylinder to the opening, A retaining member covers the stem from the radially outer side and is fixed to the cylinder, and holds the mounting cap between itself and the cylinder, The device includes an air valve that is sandwiched between the piston and the retaining member, thereby blocking the air passage provided between the outer circumferential surface of the stem and the inner circumferential surface of the retaining member, and the air hole, thereby enabling communication between them. The inner circumferential surface of the cylinder is provided with vertical grooves that open upwards. The air vent is provided on the wall surface facing radially in the longitudinal groove, and the discharger.

2. The discharger according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the longitudinal groove is 0.1 mm or more.

3. The cylinder is The main body cylindrical portion is disposed inside the opening, The system comprises a support plate portion that protrudes radially outward from the upper end of the main body cylindrical portion and is positioned at the upper opening edge of the mouth portion, The support plate portion is fixed between the opening portion and the top wall portion of the mounting cap. The discharger according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vertical groove is provided in the main body cylindrical portion and extends downward from the upper end of the main body cylindrical portion.

4. The inner diameter of the upper part of the main body cylinder is larger than the inner diameter of the lower part of the main body cylinder. The piston slides along the lower part of the main body cylinder, The discharger according to claim 3, wherein the vertical groove is provided on the upper part of the main body cylindrical portion.

5. The cylinder further comprises a vertical cylindrical portion extending upward from the support plate portion, The aforementioned retaining member is fixed to the vertical cylindrical portion, The discharger according to claim 3, wherein the air valve is positioned within the vertical cylindrical portion between the support plate portion and the retaining member.

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