Discharge head and discharge pump

Abstract

We propose a spray head that allows for the ejection of contents in the same manner as conventional methods and also offers excellent recyclability. [Solution] The ejection head 51 comprises a head that is movably attached to the joint 12 in a direction along the axis O, a shut-off pin 15 that is movably positioned in the internal passage T3, and a lever 18 that swings to a forward position to advance the shut-off pin 15 when the head moves upward relative to the joint 12, and swings to a rearward position to retract the shut-off pin 15 when the head moves downward relative to the joint 12. Either the head or the lever 18 has a first pressing portion 16d, and the other of the head or the lever 18 has a first elastic piece 18g that contacts the first pressing portion 16d and elastically deforms, causing the head to move upward relative to the joint 12 and the lever 18 to swing to a forward position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an ejection head and an ejection pump including the ejection head.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an ejection head that is connected to an upwardly biased stem and ejects the contents to the outside by a pressing operation has been used. Since the ejection port of a commonly used ejection head remains open, for example, when not used for a long period of time, the contents remaining in the ejection head may solidify.

[0003] As a solution to such a problem, ejection heads as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are known. This ejection head includes a shut-off pin inside a head having an ejection port. The shut-off pin is biased forward by a coil spring and normally advances inside the head to close the ejection port. A lever is connected to the rear end of the shut-off pin. When the head is pressed, the shut-off pin retreats via the lever to open the ejection port, and since the stem is also pushed down by the pressed head, the contents stored in the container are introduced into the head from the stem and ejected from the ejection port. When the pressing on the head is released, the shut-off pin can advance by the coil spring to close the ejection port.

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, the spray heads shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2, although the majority of their constituent parts are made of synthetic resin, have a problem in that the coil spring is made of metal, and therefore cannot be recycled as a resin product in their current state when discarded after use. Furthermore, in order to prevent the parts from coming off during normal use, these types of spray heads have their parts firmly fixed together, for example by fitting. Consequently, disassembling the spray head and separating the coil spring from the other parts is also time-consuming.

[0006] This invention aims to solve these problems by proposing a discharge head that can dispense contents in the same way as conventional methods and also has excellent recyclability. Furthermore, this invention also proposes a discharge pump with excellent recyclability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The ejection head of the present invention comprises a joint having a connecting portion connected to an upwardly biased stem and a passage through which contents from the stem pass; a nozzle opening at the front and an internal passage connecting the nozzle and the passage, and a head that is movably mounted to the joint in a direction along the axis of the stem; a shut-off pin movably positioned in the internal passage, the front end of which closes the nozzle when it moves forward and the front end of which opens the nozzle when it moves backward; an upper end provided inside the head and connected to the rear end of the shut-off pin; and a lower end that contacts the joint. A jet head comprising a part and a swinging part that is swingably supported on the head, wherein when the head moves upward relative to the joint, the swinging part swings to a forward position to advance the shut-off pin, and when the head moves downward relative to the joint, the swinging part swings to a rearward position to retract the shut-off pin, wherein either the head or the lever has a first pressing part, and the other of the head or the lever has a first elastic piece that contacts the first pressing part and elastically deforms, causing the head to move upward relative to the joint and the lever to swing to the forward position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] With the ejection head of the present invention, before the head is pressed, the shut-off pin advances to close the nozzle. When the head is pressed, the lever swings to the rear position, the shut-off pin retracts, and the nozzle is opened. The stem is also pushed down by the pressed head, allowing the contents from the stem to be ejected from the nozzle. When the pressure on the head is released, the first elastic piece returns to its original position, and the lever swings to the front position, causing the shut-off pin to advance and close the nozzle again. In other words, with the ejection head of the present invention, contents can be ejected in the same way as with conventional ejection heads. Furthermore, since the first elastic piece described above is used instead of a metal coil spring, there is no need to separate metal parts after use, and it can be reused as a resin product, making it highly recyclable. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a side view cross-sectional view showing the state in which the head of one embodiment of the ejection head and ejection pump according to the present invention is at its upper limit. [Figure 2A] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA shown in Figure 1. [Figure 2B] This is a cross-sectional view along BB shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the upper internal member. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the lever shown. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a rearward perspective view of the lever shown. [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the ejection head and ejection pump in the state where the head is pressed and the lever swings to the rearward position. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the state shown in Figure 6, where the head is pressed further down to its lowest position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a jet pump 50 and a jet head 51, which are embodiments of the jet pump and jet head according to the present invention, will be described. In this specification, the vertical direction refers to the direction along the illustrated axis O (the central axis of the connecting cylinder 5a and the cylindrical body portion 7a, which will be described later), with the side where the pipe 4 is located being "down" and the side where the head body 13 is located being "up". The radial direction is the direction perpendicular to axis O in a plane perpendicular to axis O, and the circumferential direction is the direction of rotation around axis O in this plane. "Front" refers to the side where the nozzle 14b, which will be described later, is provided (left side in Figure 1), and "rear" refers to the opposite side (right side in Figure 1). "Left" and "right" refer to the left and right directions when viewed from front to rear. In this specification, ordinal numbers are assigned for convenience to distinguish components, etc., and do not indicate order or priority.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, the ejection pump 50 of this embodiment is used by being attached to the container 52. Before describing the ejection pump 50 and the ejection head 51 in detail, we will first describe the container 52 of this embodiment.

[0012] The container 52 is shaped like a bottle overall, and has a cylindrical opening 52a at its top. A male threaded portion 52b is provided on the outer surface of the opening 52a. Inside the container 52, a storage space for containing the contents is partitioned.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the ejection pump 50 consists of a cylinder body 1, a valve member 2, a pipe 4, an internal member 5, a piston 6, a cylindrical member 7, an upper cylinder member 8, a pressing member 9, a packing 10, and a cap 11. The ejection head 51 includes a joint 12, a head body 13, a nozzle member 14, a shut-off pin 15, an upper internal member 16, a lower internal member 17, and a lever 18. Here, the cylinder body 1 and the upper cylinder member 8 are components that constitute the "cylinder" as defined herein, and the head body 13, nozzle member 14, upper internal member 16, and lower internal member 17 are components that constitute the "head" as defined herein. Furthermore, among the above-mentioned components, the valve member 2, piston 6, and packing 10 are made of elastic, soft synthetic resin (e.g., polyethylene (LDPE, HDPE, foamed PE)), while the other components are made of hard synthetic resin (e.g., polypropylene (PP), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyacetal (POM), polyketone (POK) resin, etc.). The components constituting the ejection pump 50 and ejection head 51 are, with some exceptions, basically shaped around axis O.

[0014] The cylinder body 1 has a disc shape with a bottom wall portion 1a whose central portion protrudes upward, an overall cylindrical shape with a larger diameter at the upper part than at the lower part, a lower side cylindrical wall portion 1b connected to the outer edge portion of the bottom wall portion 1a, an intermediate wall 1c extending radially outward from the upper part of the lower side cylindrical wall portion 1b, a cylindrical upper side cylindrical wall 1d standing upright upward from the outer edge portion of the intermediate wall 1c, and a flange wall 1e extending radially outward from the upper part of the upper side cylindrical wall 1d. A through hole (suction port 1f) is provided at the protruding portion of the central portion in the bottom wall portion 1a. Further, on the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 1a, a cylindrical holding cylinder 1g is provided which surrounds the suction port 1f and extends downward to hold the pipe 4. And a through hole (vent hole 1h) is provided in the lower side cylindrical wall portion 1b.

[0015] The valve member 2 includes a base portion 2a, a valve body portion 2b that covers the suction port 1f inside the base portion 2a and seats on the upper surface of the bottom wall portion 1a, and an elastically deformable connecting piece 2c that integrally connects the base portion 2a and the valve body portion 2b. The valve member 2 functions as a check valve, and when the inside of the cylinder body 1 is in a decompressed state, the valve body portion 2b that had closed the suction port 1f can be separated from the bottom wall portion 1a to open the suction port 1f.

[0016] The base portion 2a has a lid-shaped cylindrical shape in the present embodiment and has an opening (not shown) through which the content passing through the suction port 1f passes. The base portion 2a is fitted and held on the inner peripheral surface at the lower part of the lower side cylindrical wall portion 1b, whereby the valve member 2 is held inside the cylinder body 1.

[0017] The pipe 4 has a hollow shape, and its upper end portion is inserted into the holding cylinder 1g and fitted and held thereto. [[ID=!4]]

[0018] The internal member 5 is disposed inside the cylinder main body 1 and is a member that moves up and down with respect to the cylinder main body 1. The internal member 5 includes a connecting cylinder 5a having a cylindrical shape, and a bottom portion 5b that closes the lower end portion of the connecting cylinder 5a and extends radially outward. Further, a hole (communication port 5c) penetrating the connecting cylinder 5a is provided, and an annular portion 5d is provided on the upper surface of the bottom portion 5b at a position radially outside the connecting portion with the connecting cylinder 5a.

[0019] The piston 6 is inserted into the connecting cylinder 5a and disposed inside the cylinder main body 1. The piston 6 of the present embodiment includes an annular base portion 6a. Outer sliding pieces 6b extending upward and downward from the base portion 6a are provided at the outer edge portion of the base portion 6a. The outer sliding pieces 6b are slidably and liquid-tightly abutted against the inner peripheral surface of the lower cylindrical wall portion 1b. Inner sliding pieces 6c extending upward and downward from the base portion 6a are provided at the inner edge portion of the base portion 6a. The lower portion of the inner sliding piece 6c is liquid-tightly abutted against the annular portion 5d, and the upper portion of the inner sliding piece 6c is slidably and liquid-tightly abutted against the inner peripheral surface of a diameter-expanded portion 7b, which will be described later, of the cylindrical member 7.

[0020] The cylindrical member 7 is a member having an overall cylindrical shape. The cylindrical member 7 includes a cylindrical main body portion 7a having a cylindrical shape, and a diameter-expanded portion 7b that is connected to the lower end portion of the cylindrical main body portion 7a and has a larger diameter than the cylindrical main body portion 7a. Since the connecting cylinder 5a is inserted into the cylindrical main body portion 7a and the two are fitted together, the internal member 5 and the cylindrical member 7 move integrally with respect to the cylinder main body 1. Inside the connecting cylinder 5a and the cylindrical main body portion 7a, a passage (inner passage T1) through which the content from the cylinder main body 1 passes is provided as will be described later. Note that the connecting cylinder 5a and the cylindrical main body portion 7a correspond to the "stem" in this specification and the like.

[0021] The upper cylinder member 8 has a portion located radially outward of the cylindrical main body portion 7a and a portion located radially outward of the enlarged diameter portion 7b, and comprises a cylindrical wall portion 8a that is fitted and held on the inner circumferential surface of the lower cylindrical wall portion 1b, and a base wall portion 8b that extends radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical wall portion 8a. The base wall portion 8b is supported from below by the intermediate wall 1c when the cylindrical wall portion 8a is fitted and held on the lower cylindrical wall portion 1b.

[0022] Furthermore, the upper cylinder member 8 is equipped with elastic pieces (second elastic pieces 8c). In this embodiment, the second elastic pieces 8c extend upward from the base wall portion 8b and a total of six are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the axis O. The second elastic pieces 8c are elastically deformable radially outward. In Figure 1, the dashed lines representing the second elastic pieces 8c show the state before the upper cylinder member 8 is assembled as the ejection pump 50 (the state in which the second elastic pieces 8c are not elastically deformed).

[0023] The second elastic piece 8c of this embodiment includes a plate-shaped second elastic piece body portion 8d. In the state of not elastically deformed, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 1, the lower part of the second elastic piece body portion 8d extends upward from the base wall portion 8b, the middle part in the vertical direction extends inclined linearly towards the axis O, and the upper part extends away from the axis O.

[0024] Furthermore, the second elastic piece 8c is equipped with a second reinforcing rib 8e that is narrower (shorter in circumferential length) than the main body portion 8d of the second elastic piece. The second reinforcing rib 8e is provided in pairs at a circumferential distance from the main body portion 8d of the second elastic piece, and extends with a greater thickness (longer in radial length) at the lower part and with a thinner thickness at the middle and upper parts in the vertical direction.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the pressing member 9 has an annular pressing portion (second pressing portion 9a) that extends downward from an open upper end and forms a bottomed cylindrical shape. In the longitudinal cross-sectional shape, the second pressing portion 9a extends in a linear inclination that approaches the axis O as it extends downward (in other words, moves away from the axis O as it extends upward), and then extends radially inward. The pressing member 9 also has a cylindrical retaining cylinder 9b into which the cylindrical main body portion 7a is inserted and held by the cylindrical main body portion 7a. The inner edge of the second pressing portion 9a is integrally connected to the outer circumferential surface of the retaining cylinder 9b.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, when assembled as the ejection pump 50, the second pressing portion 9a contacts the second elastic piece 8c and elastically deforms it away from the axis O. In other words, an upward elastic force acts on the pressing member 9 from the second elastic piece 8c.

[0027] The packing 10 is an annular plate shape and is inserted through the upper cylindrical wall 1d of the cylinder body 1 and fitted and held in place thereon. When the ejection pump 50 is attached to the container 52, the packing 10 is sandwiched between the opening 52a and the flange wall 1e. This prevents problems such as the contents spilling out of the opening 52a when the container 52 is tipped over.

[0028] The cap 11 is disc-shaped and has a top wall 11a with a through hole in the center. The outer edge of the top wall 11a is provided with a cylindrical outer peripheral wall 11b that extends downward. The upper part of the inner circumferential surface of the outer peripheral wall 11b bulges radially inward, allowing the flange wall 1e to be fitted and held, thereby holding the cylinder body 1 in the cap 11. The inner circumferential surface of the cap 11 is also provided with a female threaded portion 11c that screws into a male threaded portion 52b provided in the mouth 52a, and the cap 11 can be attached to the container by screwing the male threaded portion 52b and the female threaded portion 11c together. The inner edge of the top wall 11a is provided with an upper circumferential wall 11d that extends upward and a lower circumferential wall 11e that extends downward.

[0029] The joint 12 is provided with a cylindrical connecting portion 12a. The connecting portion 12a is inserted into the inside of the cylindrical main body portion 7a and connected to it. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 12a is configured such that its outer surface is fitted and held to the inner surface of the cylindrical main body portion 7a, and the joint 12 moves together with the cylindrical member 7. Here, the passage provided inside the connecting portion 12a is referred to as the connecting passage T2. The connecting passage T2 leads to the inner passage T1. The upper end of the connecting portion 12a is provided with an upper wall portion 12b that extends radially outward, and the outer edge of the upper wall portion 12b is provided with a cylindrical circumferential wall portion 12c. The upper surface of the upper wall portion 12b is provided with an upper cylindrical portion 12d that extends upward and whose upper end curves radially outward.

[0030] The head body 13 is a component that moves in a direction along the axis O relative to the joint 12. The head body 13 in this embodiment has a head top wall 13a, which is the part that is pressed with a finger when ejecting the contents, and a stepped cylindrical head outer peripheral wall 13b that extends downward from the outer edge of the head top wall 13a, extends radially outward, and then extends further downward. An inward projection 13c that protrudes radially inward is provided at the lower part of the inner circumferential surface of the head outer peripheral wall 13b. The inward projection 13c engages with the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 12c in the state shown in Figure 1, so that the head body 13 is prevented from coming off the joint 12.

[0031] Inside the head body 13, there is a cylindrical connecting cylinder portion 13d that extends along the axis O and surrounds the upper cylinder portion 12d, and a cylindrical lateral cylinder portion 13e that extends forward from the connecting cylinder portion 13d and penetrates the outer peripheral wall 13b of the head. The inner circumferential surface of the connecting cylinder portion 13d is in slidable contact with the upper cylinder portion 12d.

[0032] The nozzle member 14 is cylindrical and includes a nozzle body portion 14a that is inserted inside the horizontal cylindrical portion 13e. Here, the front opening of the nozzle body portion 14a is referred to as the nozzle outlet 14b. The nozzle member 14 also has a plurality of connection ports 14c that penetrate the nozzle body portion 14a. The connection ports 14c lead to a passage provided between the horizontal cylindrical portion 13e and the nozzle body portion 14a. Here, the passage provided inside the connecting cylindrical portion 13d, the passage provided between the horizontal cylindrical portion 13e and the nozzle body portion 14a, the connection ports 14c, and the passage provided inside the nozzle body portion 14a are collectively referred to as the internal passage T3. The internal passage T3 connects the connecting passage T2 and the nozzle outlet 14b.

[0033] The shut-off pin 15 is generally rod-shaped and is positioned to move in the front-rear direction inside the nozzle body 14a. The front end 15a of the shut-off pin 15 closes the nozzle 14b when the shut-off pin 15 moves forward, and opens the nozzle 14b when the shut-off pin 15 moves backward. An annular sealing portion 15b is provided in the middle of the length of the shut-off pin 15, behind the connection port 14c, which slides into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the nozzle body 14a. The rear end 15c of the shut-off pin 15 is shaped to have a smaller outer diameter than its surroundings.

[0034] An upper internal member 16 is provided inside the head body 13. As shown in Figure 3, the upper internal member 16 has an upper body portion 16a that is disc-shaped with the axis O as its center. A rectangular through hole (upper through hole 16b) is provided in the center of the upper body portion 16a, and a notch (upper notch 16c) is provided on the rear side of the upper body portion 16a. In addition, a pair of pressing portions (first pressing portion 16d) extending downward are provided on the left and right sides (positions straddling the axis O) of the lower surface of the upper body portion 16a. As shown in Figures 2A and 3, the first pressing portion 16d in this embodiment extends in an arc shape, curving in a direction that approaches the axis O as it goes downward from the upper body portion 16a (in other words, moving away from the axis O as it goes upward). As shown in Figure 1, the upper internal member 16 is held inside the head body 13 by the outer circumferential surface of the upper main body 16a fitting with the inner circumferential surface of the head outer wall 13b, with the connecting cylinder 13d inserted into the upper through hole 16b below the horizontal cylindrical portion 13e.

[0035] Furthermore, a lower internal member 17 is provided inside the head body 13. The lower internal member 17 has a lower body portion 17a that is annular in shape with the axis O as the center, and a through hole (lower through hole 17b) is provided in the center of the lower body portion 17a. As shown in Figure 2B, a pair of swing support portions 17c are provided on the left and right sides (positions straddling the axis O) of the lower surface of the lower body portion 17a. The swing support portion 17c in this embodiment is shaped to include a plate-like portion that extends downward and a portion that penetrates this plate-like portion in the left-right direction.

[0036] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the lever 18 includes a lever body portion 18a located behind the axis O. The left and right sides of the lever body portion 18a are provided with swinging portions 18b, as shown in Figures 1, 2B, and 5. In this embodiment, the swinging portion 18b protrudes outward in the left and right directions and is cylindrical in shape. In this embodiment, the swinging portion 18b is inserted into a portion of the swinging support portion 17c that penetrates in the left and right directions, thereby allowing the lever 18 to swing on the lower internal member 17.

[0037] The lever 18 also includes a lower lever portion 18c. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the lower lever portion 18c in this embodiment is provided on the left and right sides of the lever body portion 18a and is shaped as a bifurcated form. As shown in Figure 1, in a side view, the lower lever portion 18c is shaped to extend from the lever body portion 18a while sloping downwards as it moves forward. Here, the part located at the tip of the lever body portion 18a is referred to as the lower end portion 18d of the lever 18. The lever 18 also includes an upper lever portion 18e that extends upwards from the oscillating portion 18b, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the upper end portion 18f of the lever 18, located at the tip of the upper lever portion 18e, is shaped like a U.

[0038] Furthermore, the lever 18 is equipped with an elastic piece (first elastic piece 18g). In this embodiment, the first elastic piece 18g extends upward from each of the bifurcated lower lever portion 18c as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and a pair is provided at positions that straddle the axis O. The second elastic piece 8c is elastically deformable radially outward. Note that in Figure 2A, the second elastic piece 8c, shown by a dashed line, represents the state before the lever 18 is assembled as the ejection head 51 (the state in which the first elastic piece 18g is not elastically deformed).

[0039] The first elastic piece 18g of this embodiment includes a plate-shaped first elastic piece body portion 18h. In the state of not elastically deformed, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 2A, the lower part of the first elastic piece body portion 18h extends upward from the lower lever portion 18c, the middle part in the vertical direction extends inclined linearly towards the axis O, and the upper part extends away from the axis O.

[0040] Furthermore, the first elastic piece 18g is equipped with a first reinforcing rib 18j that is narrower (shorter in circumferential length) than the main body portion 18h of the first elastic piece. The first reinforcing rib 18j is provided in pairs at a circumferential distance from the main body portion 18h of the first elastic piece, and extends with a greater thickness (longer in radial length) at the lower part and a thinner thickness at the middle and upper parts in the vertical direction.

[0041] As described above, when the lever 18 is assembled as a ejection head 51 by inserting the swinging part 18b into the swinging receiving part 17c, as shown in Figure 1, the upper lever part 18e is inserted through the lower through hole 17b and positioned inside the upper notch 16c, and the upper end 18f is connected to the rear end 15c of the shut-off pin 15. The first elastic piece 18g is in contact with the first pressing part 16d and elastically deforms away from the axis O, thereby biasing the lever 18 so that the upper lever part 18e swings forward. In this state, the lower end 18d of the lower lever part 18c is in contact with the upper wall 12b of the joint 12. Here, the position of the lever 18 that has swung forward as shown in Figure 1 is referred to as the "forward position".

[0042] In the state shown in Figure 1, the ejection pump 50 and ejection head 51, which are composed of such components, have the connection portion 12a of the joint 12 connected to the cylindrical body portion 7a of the cylindrical member 7, and the pressing member 9 is connected to the cylindrical body portion 7a, with an elastic force acting on the pressing member 9 from the second elastic piece 8c. In other words, the joint 12 is biased upward by the second elastic piece 8c. Also, the elastic force of the first elastic piece 18g acts on the head body 13 via the first pressing portion 16d, so the head body 13 is biased upward relative to the joint 12. Note that the elastic force of the first elastic piece 18g that biases the head body 13 upward is set to be smaller than the elastic force of the second elastic piece 8c that biases the joint 12 upward.

[0043] To eject contents from the ejection head 51 configured in this way, the head body 13 is pressed downwards from the state shown in Figure 1. As described above, the elastic force of the first elastic piece 18g biasing the head body 13 upwards is smaller than the elastic force of the second elastic piece 8c biasing the joint 12 upwards. Therefore, the head body 13 first moves downwards relative to the joint 12 as shown in Figure 6. That is, the lower internal member 17 and lever 18 provided inside the head body 13 move closer to the joint 12. Here, the lower end 18d of the lever 18 is in contact with the upper wall portion 12b of the joint 12, so the lever 18 swings from the forward position shown in Figure 1 toward the rear, moving to the "rear position" shown in Figure 6. Here, the upper end 18f of the lever 18 is connected to the rear end 15c of the shut-off pin 15, so when the lever 18 swings toward the rear position, the shut-off pin 15 retracts and the ejection port 14b is opened. Furthermore, as the head body 13 moves downward relative to the joint 12, the first elastic piece 18g that contacts the first pressing portion 16d undergoes elastic deformation radially outward. In this embodiment, the first elastic piece 18g extends in a direction that approaches the axis O as it moves upward. Therefore, compared to the case where an elastic piece extending parallel to the axis O is used, the amount of elastic deformation of the first elastic piece 18g can be increased, thereby increasing the elastic force generated from the first elastic piece 18g. However, excessive elastic deformation can lead to problems such as the first elastic piece 18g becoming prone to wear, so the degree of inclination of the first elastic piece 18g is selected considering any problems related to the first elastic piece 18g.

[0044] When the head body 13 is pressed further downward, the joint 12 moves downward along with the head body 13, as shown in Figure 7. As a result, the cylindrical body portion 7a and the pressing member 9 also move downward along with the joint 12, causing the second elastic piece 8c, which contacts the second pressing portion 9a of the pressing member 9, to elastically deform radially outward. In this embodiment, the second pressing portion 9a extends in a direction away from the axis O as it moves upward. Therefore, compared to using a pressing portion that extends parallel to the axis O, the amount of elastic deformation of the second elastic piece 8c can be increased, thereby increasing the elastic force generated from the second elastic piece 8c. However, excessive elastic deformation can lead to problems such as the second elastic piece 8c becoming prone to wear, so the inclination of the second pressing portion 9a is selected considering any problems related to the second elastic piece 8c.

[0045] Furthermore, since the cylindrical body portion 7a and the connecting cylinder 5a are fitted together, as the cylindrical body portion 7a is pushed down, the bottom portion 5b also descends via the connecting cylinder 5a, thereby releasing the liquid-tight contact between the annular portion 5d and the lower part of the inner sliding piece 6c. When the head body 13 is pushed down further, the piston 6 descends along with the cylindrical member 7 and the internal member 5, pressurizing the inside of the lower cylindrical wall portion 1b. As a result, the contents inside the lower cylindrical wall portion 1b pass through the communication port 5c and are ejected from the nozzle 14b through the inner passage T1, the communication passage T2, and the internal passage T3. When the piston 6 descends below the vent port 1h, the storage space of the container 52 communicates with the outside world via the vent port 1h. This prevents negative pressure from being created inside the container 52 even if the contents stored in the storage space decrease, thus preventing the container 52 from deforming and collapsing.

[0046] Subsequently, when the pressure on the head body 13 is released, the elastically deformed second elastic piece 8c returns to its original shape, causing the cylindrical body portion 7a to begin rising. Then, as the annular portion 5d and the lower part of the inner sliding piece 6c come into liquid-tight contact again, the piston 6 rises together with the internal member 5, causing the inside of the lower cylindrical wall portion 1b to be depressurized. As a result, the valve body portion 2b separates from the bottom wall portion 1a, opening the suction port 1f, and allowing the contents of the containment space to be sucked into the lower cylindrical wall portion 1b through the pipe 4.

[0047] Furthermore, when the pressure on the head body 13 is released, the first elastic piece 18g, which had been elastically deformed, returns to its original shape, causing the head body 13 to rise relative to the joint 12. That is, the lower internal member 17 and the lever 18, which are located inside the head body 13, separate from the joint 12, causing the lever 18, which had moved to the rear position, to swing to the forward position shown in Figure 1. The rear end 15c of the shut-off pin 15 is connected to the upper end 18f of the lever 18, and when the lever 18 swings to the forward position, the shut-off pin 15 moves forward, thereby closing the nozzle 14b at the front end 15a, which effectively prevents the nozzle 14b from solidifying due to outside air.

[0048] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, this embodiment can be modified as appropriate.

[0049] For example, in the embodiment described above, the first pressing portion 16d was provided on the upper internal member 16 and the first elastic piece 18g was provided on the lever 18. However, the two may be swapped so that the first pressing portion 16d is provided on the lever 18 and the first elastic piece 18g is provided on the upper internal member 16. Also, in the embodiment described above, the first elastic piece 18g bends away from the axis O, but it may also bend in a direction toward the axis O.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the second pressing portion 9a was provided on the pressing member 9 and the second elastic piece 8c was provided on the upper cylinder member 8. However, they may be swapped so that the second pressing portion 9a is provided on the upper cylinder member 8 and the second elastic piece 8c is provided on the pressing member 9. The second pressing portion 9a may also be provided on a part included in the ejection head 51 (for example, the connection portion 12a of the joint 12). The second elastic piece 8c may also be provided on the cap 11 by extending the lower end of the lower peripheral wall 11e shown in Figure 1 radially inward and forming it at this portion. In the above embodiment, the second elastic piece 8c bends away from the axis O, but it may also bend in a direction toward the axis O.

[0051] Furthermore, the discharge head 51 can be attached not only to the illustrated discharge pump 50, but also to other types of pump-type dischargers (for example, a discharger using a coil spring instead of the second elastic piece 8c), and can be used in aerosol containers by appropriately changing its shape. The configuration of each part can also be changed as appropriate; what is composed of multiple members in the above embodiment may be composed of a single member, and what is composed of a single member may be composed of multiple members. For example, the "stem" in this specification, etc., is composed of a connecting cylinder 5a and a cylindrical body part 7a in the above embodiment, but may be composed of a single member by combining these.

[0052] (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.

[0053] (Technology 1) A joint (12) having a connecting portion (12a) connected to an upwardly biased stem (5a, 7a) and a passage (T2) through which the contents from the stem (5a, 7a) pass, A head (13, 14, 16, 17) is attached to the joint (12) so as to be movable in a direction along the axis (O) of the stem (5a, 7a), comprising a nozzle (14b) that opens at the front and an internal passage (T3) that allows the nozzle (14b) to pass through the connecting passage (T2), A shut-off pin (15) is movably positioned in the internal passage (T3), and when it moves forward, its front end (15a) closes the nozzle (14b), while when it moves backward, its front end (15a) opens the nozzle (14b). A jet head (51) is provided inside the heads (13, 14, 16, 17) and has an upper end (18f) connected to the rear end (15c) of the shut-off pin (15), a lower end (18d) in contact with the joint (12), and a pivoting part (18b) that is pivotably supported by the heads (13, 14, 16, 17), wherein when the heads (13, 14, 16, 17) move upward relative to the joint (12), the lever (18) pivots to a forward position to advance the shut-off pin (15), and when the heads (13, 14, 16, 17) move downward relative to the joint (12), the lever (18) pivots to a rear position to retract the shut-off pin (15), Either the head (13, 14, 16, 17) or the lever (18) has a first pressing portion (16d), A spray head (51) has a first elastic piece (18g) which is elastically deformed when either the head (13, 14, 16, 17) or the lever (18) comes into contact with the first pressing portion (16d), causing the head (13, 14, 16, 17) to move upward relative to the joint (12) and the lever (18) to swing to the forward position.

[0054] This technology causes the first elastic piece, which elastically deforms upon contact with the first pressing part, to move the head upward relative to the joint and swing the lever forward, thereby causing the shut-off pin to advance and close the nozzle. When the head is pressed, it moves downward relative to the joint, causing the lever to swing backward and the shut-off pin to retract, thus opening the nozzle. The pressed head also pushes down the stem, causing the contents from the stem to be ejected from the nozzle. When the pressure on the head is released, the first elastic piece returns to its original position, causing the head to move upward and the lever to swing forward, so that the shut-off pin advances and the nozzle can be closed again. In other words, the ejection head of the present invention can eject contents in the same way as conventional ejection heads. Furthermore, because the first elastic piece described above is used instead of a metal coil spring, there is no need to separate metal parts after use, and it can be reused as a resin product, making it highly recyclable.

[0055] (Technology 2) The lever (18) has an upper lever portion (18e) that is located radially outward with respect to the axis (O) and extends upward, with the upper end portion (18f) at its tip, and a pair of first elastic pieces (18g) provided at positions that straddle the axis (O), and the head (13, 14, 16, 17) has a pair of first pressing portions (16d) provided at positions that straddle the axis (O). Or, The ejection head (51) according to Technical 1, wherein the lever (18) has an upper lever portion (18e) that is located radially outward with respect to the axis (O) and extends upward, with the upper end portion (18f) at its tip, and a pair of first pressing portions provided at positions that straddle the axis (O), and the head (13, 14, 16, 17) has a pair of first elastic pieces provided at positions that straddle the axis (O).

[0056] This technology makes the structure of the upper lever, the first pressing part, and the first elastic piece more suitable for mass production, thus facilitating the realization of the present invention.

[0057] (Technology 3) The first elastic piece (18g) is elastically deformed in a direction away from the axis (O), The ejection head (51) according to Technical 1, wherein the first pressing portion (16d) extends in a direction away from the axis (O) as it moves toward either the head (13, 14, 16, 17) or the lever (18).

[0058] This technology makes it possible to increase the amount of elastic deformation of the first elastic piece and thereby enhance the elastic force generated from the first elastic piece.

[0059] (Technology 4) The ejection head (51) described in Technology 1, A cap (11) is attached to the mouth (52a) of a container (52) that holds the contents, A jet pump (50) comprises a cylinder (1, 8) held in the opening (52a) by the cap (11) and connected to the container (52), and a stem (5a, 7a), wherein when the stem (5a, 7a) is moved downward, the contents inside the cylinder (1, 8) are supplied from the stem (5a, 7a) to the communication passage (T2), When the ejection head (51) and the stems (5a, 7a) are used as movable parts, and the cap (11) and the cylinders (1, 8) are used as fixed parts, Either the movable part or the fixed part has a second pressing part (9a), A jet pump (50) wherein the movable part and the fixed part, or the other of the movable part, have a second elastic piece (8c) that contacts the second pressing part (9a) and elastically deforms, causing the movable part to move upward relative to the fixed part.

[0060] This technology eliminates the need for the metal coil spring that previously biased the stem upward in conventional injection pumps. As a result, there is no need to separate metal parts after use, and the pump can be reused as a resin product, making it highly recyclable.

[0061] (Technology 5) The second elastic piece (8c) is elastically deformed in a direction away from the axis (O), The ejection pump (50) according to Technical 4, wherein the second pressing portion (9a) extends in a direction away from the axis (O) as it moves from the other of the movable portion and the fixed portion toward the one of the movable portion and the fixed portion.

[0062] This technology makes it possible to increase the amount of elastic deformation of the second elastic piece and thereby enhance the elastic force generated from the second elastic piece.

[0063] 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]

[0064] 1: Cylinder body (cylinder) 1a: Bottom wall part 1b: Lower cylinder wall part 1c: Intermediate wall 1d: Upper cylindrical wall 1e: Flange wall 1f: Inlet 1g: Holding tube 1h: Ventilation opening 2: Valve member 2a: base 2b: Valve body 2c: Connecting piece 4: Pipe 5: Internal components 5a: Connecting tube (stem) 5b: Bottom 5c: Communication port 5d: Annular section 6: Piston 6a: Base 6b: Outer sliding piece 6c: Inner sliding piece 7: Cylindrical member 7a: Cylindrical main body (stem) 7b: Expanded diameter part 8: Upper cylinder component (cylinder) 8a: Cylindrical wall portion 8b: Base wall part 8c: Second elastic piece 8d: Second elastic piece main body 8e: Second reinforcing rib 9: Pressing member 9a: Second pressing part 9b: Holding cylinder 10: Packing 11: Cap 11a: Ceiling wall 11b: Outer wall 11c: Female thread section 11d: Upper peripheral wall 11e: Lower peripheral wall 12: Joint 12a: Connection part 12b: Upper wall part 12c: Peripheral wall part 12d: Upper cylinder part 13: Head body (head) 13a: Head top wall 13b: Head outer wall 13c: Inwardly protruding part 13d: Connecting tube section 13e: Sideways cylindrical section 14: Nozzle component (head) 14a: Nozzle body 14b: spout 14c: Connection port 15: Shut-off pin 15a: Front end 15b: Seal part 15c: Rear end 16: Upper internal component (head) 16a: Upper main body 16b: Upper through hole 16c: Upper notch 16d: First pressing part 17: Lower internal component (head) 17a: Lower body part 17b: Lower through hole 17c: Swivel support 18: Lever 18a: Lever body 18b: Oscillating part 18c: Lower lever section 18d: Bottom end 18e: Upper lever section 18f: Upper end 18g: First elastic piece 18h: First elastic piece main body 18j: First reinforcing rib 50: Jet pump 51: Spray head 52: Container 52a: Mouth 52b: Male threaded section O: Axis line T1: Inner passage T2: Communication path T3: Internal corridor

Claims

1. A joint having a connecting portion connected to an upwardly biased stem, and a passage through which the contents from the stem pass, A head is provided with a nozzle opening at the front and an internal passage connecting the nozzle to the connecting passage, and is movably mounted to the joint in a direction along the axis of the stem, A shut-off pin is movably positioned in the internal passage, and when it moves forward, its front end closes the nozzle, while when it moves backward, its front end opens the nozzle. A jet head comprising a lever provided inside the head, having an upper end connected to the rear end of the shut-off pin, a lower end in contact with the joint, and a pivoting part pivotably supported by the head, wherein when the head moves upward relative to the joint, the lever pivots to a forward position to advance the shut-off pin, and when the head moves downward relative to the joint, the lever pivots to a rearward position to retract the shut-off pin, Either the head or the lever has a first pressing portion, A spray head having a first elastic piece which contacts the first pressing portion and elastically deforms, causing the head to move upward relative to the joint and the lever to swing to the forward position.

2. The lever has an upper lever portion that is located radially outward with respect to the axis and extends upward, with the upper end portion at its tip, and a pair of first elastic pieces provided at positions that straddle the axis, and the head has a pair of first pressing portions provided at positions that straddle the axis. Or, The ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the lever has an upper lever portion located radially outward with respect to the axis and extending upward, with the upper end portion at its tip, and a pair of first pressing portions provided at positions on either side of the axis, and the head has a pair of first elastic pieces provided at positions on either side of the axis.

3. The first elastic piece is elastically deformed in a direction away from the axis, The ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the first pressing portion extends in a direction away from the axis as it moves from the other of the head and the lever toward the one of the head and the lever.

4. The ejection head according to claim 1, A cap that is attached to the mouth of a container that holds its contents, A jet pump comprising: a cylinder held at the opening by the cap and connected to the container; and a stem, wherein when the stem is moved downward, the contents of the cylinder are supplied from the stem to the communication passage; When the ejection head and the stem are used as movable parts, and the cap and the cylinder are used as fixed parts, Either the movable part or the fixed part has a second pressing part, A jet pump wherein either the movable part or the fixed part has a second elastic piece that contacts the second pressing part and elastically deforms, causing the movable part to move upward relative to the fixed part.

5. The second elastic piece is elastically deformed in a direction away from the axis, The ejection pump according to claim 4, wherein the second pressing portion extends in a direction away from the axis as it moves from the other of the movable portion and the fixed portion toward the one of the movable portion and the fixed portion.

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