Containers and volatilization devices

Abstract

To provide a container and volatilization device that prevent foam from overflowing when filling with a chemical solution. [Solution] The container 10 of the present invention has a bottom portion 12, a cylindrical body portion 14, and an opening 11, and contains a liquid medicine. The body portion 14 is provided above the outer circumference 13 of the bottom portion 12. The opening 11 is on the opposite side of the body portion 14 from the bottom portion 12 and faces the top of the bottom portion 12, and is for filling with the liquid medicine. The body portion 14 has a spiral groove portion 1 on at least a part of its inner surface, with a lower end that reaches the bottom portion 12.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , ,

[0005] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a container for containing a volatile chemical solution such as a deodorant or a fragrance, and a volatilizing device in which the container is filled with the chemical solution and a liquid absorption core is attached.

Background Art

[0002] As a volatilizing device for volatilizing a chemical solution such as a deodorant or a fragrance, for example, in addition to an elliptical cylinder-shaped container, a device using a so-called mortar-shaped container in which a cylindrical body expands upward from the outer peripheral portion of the bottom is known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the production of deodorants and fragrances, it is necessary to complete the filling of the chemical solution in as short a time as possible in order to improve production efficiency. However, when the chemical solution is filled forcefully, there is a problem that the chemical solution overflows from the mouth of the container. In particular, chemical solutions such as deodorants and fragrances whose main component is water contain a surfactant for dissolving a hydrophobic fragrance component in water, so they are foamy, and air is easily entrained when filling the container with the chemical solution, resulting in the generation of bubbles. Moreover, the generated bubbles are difficult to disappear in a short time. Therefore, when the chemical solution is filled forcefully, there is also a problem that the generated bubbles overflow from the mouth of the container. This tendency is more prominent in a mortar-shaped container.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a container and a volatilizing device in which the chemical solution and bubbles are less likely to overflow during filling of the chemical solution. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of the present invention comprises a bottom, a cylindrical body, and an opening, and contains a liquid medicine. The body is provided above the outer circumference of the bottom. The opening is located opposite the bottom of the body and opposite the bottom, and is for filling with the liquid medicine. The body has a spiral groove on at least a portion of its inner surface, with a lower end that reaches the bottom. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a container and a volatilization device that prevent the drug solution and foam from overflowing when the drug solution is filled. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a front view showing a volatilization apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a front view showing the container of the volatilization apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a rear view of the container shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a left side view of the container shown in Figure 2, viewed from the direction of arrow F4. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a right side view of the container shown in Figure 2, viewed from the direction of arrow F5. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a bottom view of the container shown in Figure 2, viewed from the direction of arrow F6. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the upper bottom surface of the container shown in Figure 3, cut along F7-F7. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a front view showing the container of the volatilization apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a rear view of the container shown in Figure 8. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the upper bottom surface of the container shown in Figure 9, cut along F10-F10. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First embodiment) As shown in Figure 1, the volatilization apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment has a transparent container 10 and a lid 20. The container 10 can be made of a translucent material such as glass or resin. In this embodiment, the container 10 was made by injection blow molding of polyethylene terephthalate. The lid 20 can be made of a colored opaque resin, for example.

[0010] The lid 20 has a plurality of volatilization holes 21. The lid 20 is formed in a cap shape that holds a volatilizer (not shown) inside. The lid 20 is attached to the container 10 such that the lower surface of the volatilizer contacts the upper end 31 of the liquid-absorbing wick 30 shown in Figure 2. When the lid 20 is attached to the container 10, the lower edge 22 of the lid 20 engages with the stepped portion 15 between the body portion 14 and the shoulder portion 16 of the container 10. In the following description, Figure 1 is a front view of the volatilization device 100, and the directions up, down, front, back, left, and right are defined from this perspective.

[0011] The structure of the container 10 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 2 to 7. The container 10 is a so-called bottle shape, having a bottom 12, a body 14, a shoulder 16, and a neck 18 as a single unit. The body 14 is formed in a cylindrical shape that widens upward from the outer circumference 13 of the bottom 12. The neck 18 is located on the upper end side of the body 14 opposite to the bottom 12, and is positioned above the bottom 12, spaced apart from it. The neck 18 is substantially cylindrical and is positioned simultaneously with a hypothetical central axis (not shown) that extends vertically through the container 10. The shoulder 16 curves gently, widening from the lower end of the neck 18 towards the upper end of the body 14. The neck 18 has a male screw 19 on its outer surface. The male screw 19 is provided for screwing on an outer lid (not shown) that closes a circular opening 11 (Figure 3) located inside the upper end of the neck 18.

[0012] The bottom 12 has a dome-shaped bulge upward at its center. The bottom 12 has a substantially circular recess 41 at the center of the bulged portion to receive the lower end (not shown) of the liquid absorption core 30. The recess 41 has a shape in which the center of the bulged portion of the bottom 12 is partially recessed from the inner surface side. Since the recess 41 is provided at the center of the bulged portion, the bottom of the recess 41 is located slightly above the lower surface of the bottom 12.

[0013] Also, the bottom 12 has a radial groove portion 42 connecting the recess 41 to the outer peripheral portion 13. The groove portion 42 has a shape in which the bulged portion is partially recessed from the inner surface side. In the present embodiment, three radial groove portions 42 are formed at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the recess 41. Since the bottom 12 bulges in a dome shape, the inner surface of the outer peripheral portion 13 between the bottom 12 and the body portion 14 is an annular groove portion 43. That is, a chemical liquid flow path is formed on the inner surface of the bottom 12 that reaches the groove portion 43 of the outer peripheral portion 13 through the three groove portions 42 from the recess 41. With such an inner surface shape of the bottom 12, the amount of chemical liquid remaining in the container 10 that is not sucked up by the liquid absorption core 30 can be minimized.

[0014] The body portion 14 has a plurality of spiral groove portions 1 (FIG. 7) arranged in the circumferential direction over substantially the entire circumference on its inner surface. The plurality of spiral groove portions 1 have different lengths and shapes respectively. Since the container 10 is formed by injection blow molding, the wall thickness of the body portion 14 is substantially uniform even in the groove portions 1. That is, by molding using a molding die provided with concavo-convex patterns having the same shape as the plurality of spiral groove portions 1, a concavo-convex pattern following the plurality of groove portions 1 is formed on the outer surface of the body portion 14, thereby forming the plurality of groove portions 1 on the inner surface of the body portion 14. Therefore, in each figure, the reference numeral 1 attached to the outer surface of the body portion 14 indicates the groove portion 1 on the inner surface of the body portion 14. The plurality of spiral groove portions 1 provided on the inner surface of the body portion 14 are each connected at their lower ends to the groove portion 43 of the outer peripheral portion 13 of the bottom 12.

[0015] The spiral groove portion 1 has a shape that is spirally twisted in the clockwise direction from the groove portion 43 of the outer peripheral portion 13 of the bottom portion 12 toward the upper end of the body portion 14 when the container 10 is viewed from above. That is, all the groove portions 1 are twisted and curved in the same direction. For this reason, many (not all) of the groove portions 1 have a length longer than the vertical height of the body portion 14. Also, in the present embodiment, the groove portions 1 are formed such that a plurality of groove portions 1 converge toward their upper ends.

[0016] The chemical solution contains a surfactant for dissolving a hydrophobic fragrance component in water. The surfactant includes surfactants including anionic, cationic, nonionic, and zwitterionic surfactants. In particular, nonionic surfactants are preferred, and polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, alkylphenol ethylene oxide adducts, higher alcohol phosphoric esters, etc. can be cited as an example of the surfactant. When the chemical solution containing the surfactant is filled into the container 10 through the opening 11, air is entrapped and it is easy to foam. Also, the foam generated by the filling of the chemical solution continues in that state for a relatively long period. For this reason, when the chemical solution is filled, the foam generated inside the container 10 easily overflows from the opening 11 of the container 10.

[0017] The volatilization device 100 can be manufactured by the following procedure. First, a nozzle of a filling machine (not shown) is inserted into the opening 11 of the container 10, and the chemical solution is filled into the container 10. After filling the chemical solution, as shown in FIG. 2, an inner lid 32 having an insertion hole 34 in the center is attached to the opening 11, and a liquid absorption core 30 is inserted through the insertion hole 34. The lower end (not shown) of the liquid absorption core 30 is inserted into the recess 41 in the center of the bottom portion 12. After that, in order to seal the container 10, an outer lid (not shown) is screwed onto the neck portion 18. Then, the lid body 20 is attached to the container 10 in a state sealed by the outer lid.

[0018] When using the volatilization device 100, the user removes the lid 20, detaches the outer lid from the neck portion 18, and then reattaches the lid 20 to the container 10. This causes the upper end 31 of the liquid-absorbing wick 30, which protrudes upward through the insertion hole 34 of the inner lid 32, to come into contact with the lower surface of the volatilizer held by the lid 20, allowing the liquid absorbed by the liquid-absorbing wick 30 to move to the volatilizer. The liquid absorbed by the volatilizer then volatilizes to the outside of the volatilization device 100 through the multiple volatilization holes 21 of the lid 20.

[0019] As in this embodiment, when filling the container 10 with liquid medicine, the liquid medicine ejected from the tip of the nozzle hits the inner surface of the bottom 12 and rises vigorously along the inner surface of the body 14 of the container 10. As a result, the liquid medicine tends to overflow through the opening 11 at the upper end of the neck 18. In particular, when filling a mortar-shaped container 10 like this embodiment with liquid medicine, the liquid medicine is more likely to overflow through the opening 11 compared to a container whose body is formed by columnar surfaces.

[0020] Furthermore, in the case of a chemical solution containing a surfactant, bubbles are likely to be generated when the solution collides with the bottom 12 or the liquid surface inside the container 10 during filling, entraining air. These bubbles then remain for a relatively long time (e.g., several tens of seconds) without disappearing and maintain their shape. Since filling the chemical solution is completed in a shorter time (e.g., within 10 seconds), there is a high possibility that the generated bubbles will overflow through the opening 11 at the upper end of the neck portion 18.

[0021] To prevent such problems, the container 10 of this embodiment has multiple spiral grooves 1 on the inner surface of the body 14. The lower end of each groove 1 is connected to an annular groove 43 on the outer circumference 13 of the bottom 12. Therefore, when the liquid medicine hits the inner surface of the bottom 12 during filling, it rises up inside the container 10 along the multiple spiral grooves 1. By causing the liquid medicine to rise along the multiple spiral grooves 1 in this way, it is possible to make it more difficult for the filled liquid medicine and bubbles generated inside the container 10 to be pushed up to the opening 11 at the upper end of the neck 18, compared to a container without spiral grooves 1.

[0022] In other words, the liquid medicine that is filled into the container 10 via the nozzle strikes the inner surface of the bottom 12 and flows in the order of the recess 41, the groove 42, and the groove 43 of the outer circumference 13, rising from the lower end to the upper end of the multiple spiral grooves 1. Because the multiple spiral grooves 1 are curved, their flow paths are longer than the height of the body 14, and the flow velocity of the liquid medicine slows down sufficiently at the upper end of the grooves 1 due to gravity. In addition, by causing the liquid medicine to rise through the multiple spiral grooves 1 which are swirling in the same direction, a vortex can be generated inside the container 10, and a vortex of the liquid medicine can be formed along the liquid surface. By converging the multiple grooves 1 at their upper ends, a vortex can be reliably formed on the liquid surface.

[0023] As described above, according to this embodiment, the rate at which the liquid chemical rises during filling can be slowed, and a vortex can be generated at the liquid surface, thereby preventing the filled liquid chemical from overflowing through the opening 11 at the upper end of the neck portion 18.

[0024] Furthermore, the rate at which the liquid chemical rises during filling is slowed, and vortices are generated on the liquid surface, rectifying the turbulent flow. As a result, when filling the liquid chemical, even if it collides with the liquid surface inside the container 10, it is less likely to entrain air, thus reducing the amount of foam generated. This also prevents the problem of foam from the liquid chemical generated inside the container 10 overflowing through the opening 11 at the upper end of the neck portion 18.

[0025] (Second embodiment) As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the container 200 of the volatilization apparatus according to the second embodiment has a plurality of spiral grooves 201 on a part of the inner surface of the body 14. The container 200 of this embodiment has grooves 201 on the front and rear parts of the body 14, but not on the side. The other configurations are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment described above, so the same reference numerals are used for components that function similarly, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0026] As shown in Figure 9, the multiple grooves 201 provided on the back side of the body 14 extend spirally from the grooves 43 on the outer circumference 13 of the bottom 12 toward the upper end of the body 14, similar to the first embodiment described above. In contrast, the multiple grooves 201 provided on the front side of the body 14 are not necessarily formed spirally, as shown in Figure 8. However, since the lower end of each groove 201 is connected to the grooves 43 on the outer circumference 13 of the bottom 12, similar to the first embodiment described above, when the liquid medicine is filled, the liquid medicine rises toward the upper end of the body 14 along the multiple grooves 201.

[0027] At this time, the flow of the liquid medicine rising along the multiple spiral grooves 201 partially provided on the back side of the body portion 14 creates a vortex of the liquid medicine inside the container 200. In other words, as in this embodiment, by providing multiple spiral grooves 201 on at least a part of the inner surface of the body portion 14, a vortex can be created inside the container 200, and, as in the first embodiment described above, the problem of the liquid medicine or foam overflowing from the opening 11 can be suppressed. This effect can be achieved by providing at least one spiral groove 201 on the inner surface of the body portion 14 of the container 200.

[0028] Although the present invention has been described above based on several embodiments, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 1, 201…groove section, 10, 200…container, 12…bottom section, 13…outer circumference section, 14…body section, 18…neck section, 30…liquid-absorbing wick, 41…recess, 42…groove section, 43…annular groove section, 100…volatilization device.

Claims

1. A container for holding a liquid medicine, The bottom and, A cylindrical body portion is provided above the outer circumference of the bottom portion, The body has an opening for filling with the liquid medicine, located on the opposite side of the bottom and facing above the bottom, The body portion has a spiral groove portion on at least a part of its inner surface, having a lower end that reaches the bottom portion. container.

2. The body portion has a shape that expands upward from the outer circumference of the bottom portion. The container according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned chemical solution contains a surfactant. The container according to claim 1.

4. The spiral groove portion is longer than the vertical height of the body portion. The container according to claim 1.

5. The bottom portion has a recess in the center of its inner surface for receiving the lower end of the liquid-absorbing wick inserted through the opening, an annular groove on its outer circumference, and radial grooves extending from the recess to the annular groove. The container according to claim 1.

6. Multiple spiral grooves are arranged in the circumferential direction of the body. The multiple spiral grooves are arranged to converge toward their upper ends. The container according to claim 1.

7. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The chemical solution filled in the container, The liquid-absorbing core immersed in the liquid solution through the aforementioned opening, A volatilization device having a volatilization device.

8. The bottom portion has a recess in the center of its inner surface for receiving the lower end of the liquid-absorbing wick, an annular groove on its outer circumference, and radial grooves extending from the recess to the annular groove. The volatilization apparatus according to claim 7.

9. Multiple spiral grooves are arranged in the circumferential direction of the body. The multiple spiral grooves are arranged to converge toward their upper ends. The volatilization apparatus according to claim 7.

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