Trigger-type liquid ejector

Abstract

To provide a trigger-type liquid sprayer that can stabilize spraying performance.SOLUTION: A trigger-type liquid sprayer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a first valve member 91 and a second valve member 92 that are displaced in a front-back direction in response to movement in a front-back direction of a piston 52. The first valve member 91 allows liquid to flow from a container body A into the cylinder 51 and restricts liquid from flowing out from the cylinder 51 into the container body A. The second valve member 92 allows liquid to flow out from the cylinder 51 to a spray port 11a and restricts liquid from flowing from the spray port 11a into the cylinder 51.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a trigger-type liquid ejector. [Background technology]

[0002] The trigger-type liquid ejector comprises a vertical supply tube section extending in the up and down direction, a cylinder connected to the vertical supply tube section, a piston that slides back and forth on the inner surface of the cylinder in response to the back and forth movement of the trigger section, and a nozzle member having an ejection hole (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] In Patent Document 1 below, a ball valve and a discharge valve are provided in the vertical supply tube section. The ball valve moves up and down inside the vertical supply tube section to allow liquid to flow from inside the container body into the cylinder and to regulate the flow of liquid from inside the cylinder into the container body. The discharge valve is provided above the ball valve in the vertical supply tube section. The discharge valve moves up and down inside the vertical supply tube section to allow liquid to flow from inside the cylinder to the ejection hole and to regulate the flow of liquid from the ejection hole into the cylinder.

[0004] According to the above-mentioned trigger type liquid ejector, when the trigger part is pulled backward, the inside of the cylinder is pressurized by the piston, and liquid flows out from the inside of the cylinder into the vertical supply tube part. At this time, the ball valve is pushed down to block communication between the inside of the container body and the inside of the cylinder, and the discharge valve is pushed up to connect the inside of the cylinder to the ejection hole. As a result, the liquid in the vertical supply tube part is ejected through the ejection hole. On the other hand, when the trigger is released and the trigger returns to its forward position, the pressure inside the cylinder is reduced, and the liquid inside the container is sucked up into the vertical supply tube. At this time, the ball valve is pulled up, connecting the inside of the container to the inside of the cylinder, and the discharge valve is pulled down, blocking communication between the inside of the cylinder and the nozzle. As a result, the liquid sucked up into the vertical supply tube flows into the cylinder. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-50423 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the above-mentioned conventional trigger type liquid ejector, since the movement direction of the ball valve or the discharge valve is different from the movement direction of the piston, it is difficult to effectively transmit the pressure change in the trigger type liquid ejector caused by the movement of the piston to the ball valve or the discharge valve. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in terms of stabilizing the ejection performance.

[0007] The present invention provides a trigger type liquid ejector capable of stabilizing ejection performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present disclosure employs the following aspects. A trigger type liquid ejector according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises: an ejector body attached to a container body that contains liquid; and a nozzle member attached to a front end of the ejector body and having an ejection hole formed therein for ejecting liquid forward. The ejector body comprises a vertical supply tube section extending in a vertical direction, and a trigger section provided in front of the vertical supply tube section so as to be movable rearward in a forward biased state, and a trigger mechanism for circulating liquid from within the vertical supply tube section towards the ejection hole side by the rearward movement of the trigger section. The trigger mechanism comprises a cylinder formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape that opens forward, and having a bottom wall section in which first and second communication holes communicating with the inside of the vertical supply tube section are formed, and a nozzle member configured to be slidable on an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder and moving in the front-rear direction relative to the cylinder as the trigger section moves in the front-rear direction. a first valve member having a first valve body that displaces in the forward / backward direction in response to movement of the piston in the forward / backward direction and switches between communication and cut-off between the inside of the cylinder and the inside of the vertical supply tube section through the first communication hole, and a first connecting piece that connects the cylinder and the first valve body; a second valve member that displaces in the forward / backward direction in response to movement of the piston in the forward / backward direction and switches between communication and cut-off between the inside of the cylinder and the inside of the vertical supply tube section through the second communication hole, and a second valve member that has a second connecting piece that connects the cylinder and the second valve body, wherein the first valve member allows liquid to flow from inside the container body into the cylinder and regulates the flow of liquid from inside the cylinder into the container body, and the second valve member allows liquid to flow from inside the cylinder to the ejection hole and regulates the flow of liquid from the ejection hole into the cylinder.

[0009] According to this aspect, the first valve body and the second valve body are provided on the bottom wall of the cylinder, and the movement direction of the first valve body and the second valve body coincides with the movement direction of the piston, so that the pressure fluctuation in the cylinder is easily and effectively transmitted to the first valve body and the second valve body. Therefore, the responsiveness of the valve body to the movement of the trigger part can be improved, and the ejection performance can be stabilized. Therefore, for example, when attempting to eject a highly viscous liquid, even if the valve body is seated on the inner surface of the communicating hole through air bubbles contained in the liquid, the valve body can be quickly separated from the inner surface of the communicating hole.

[0010] In the trigger type liquid ejector of the above aspect, it is preferable to further include a fixing member that is fixed to the cylinder and that integrally connects the first valve member and the second valve member via the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece. According to this aspect, it is possible to reduce the number of assembly steps and the number of parts, compared to a case in which the first valve member and the second valve member are fixed to the cylinder separately.

[0011] In the trigger-type liquid ejector of the above aspect, it is preferable that the piston has a push-in portion that faces the second valve body in the fore-and-aft direction, and that when the piston is in its rearmost position, the push-in portion is located rearward of the front end surface of the second valve body when the second valve body is in its closed position. According to this aspect, when the piston moves to the rear end position, the rear end surface of the pushing portion is located rearward of the front end surface of the second valve body in the closed position. Therefore, even if the second valve body is difficult to move to the open position by pulling the trigger portion during priming to fill the cylinder with liquid, the piston moves to the rear end position, and the second valve body can be pushed rearward via the pushing portion. This can encourage the second valve body to move to the open position. As a result, it becomes easier to create a negative pressure in the cylinder when the trigger portion returns to the front, and liquid can be effectively introduced into the cylinder. Therefore, the number of operations of the trigger portion required for priming can be reduced. In addition, when the piston reaches the rearmost position during liquid ejection or the like, if the second valve body has already moved to the open position, the second valve body can be prevented from returning to the closed position. As a result, when the piston is at the rearmost position, the second valve body is maintained in the open position, so that the liquid in the cylinder can be reliably caused to flow into the vertical supply tube portion, and ejection variations can be suppressed.

[0012] In the trigger-type liquid ejector of the above aspect, it is preferable that the vertical supply tube portion is provided with a partition portion that separates the interior of the vertical supply tube portion between a first flow path that connects the inside of the container body and the first communicating hole, and a second flow path that connects the ejection hole and the second communicating hole. According to this aspect, the liquid sucked up from the container body can be reliably supplied to the pump section while the liquid flows through the vertical supply tube section, and the liquid pumped from the pump section can be reliably supplied to the ejection hole, thereby making it possible to further stabilize the ejection performance. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the aspects of the present invention, the ejection performance can be stabilized. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the trigger type liquid ejector according to the embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a trigger-type liquid ejector. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the valve module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments and modifications described below, the same reference numerals are used to designate corresponding configurations, and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0016] 1, the trigger type liquid ejector 1 of this embodiment is capable of ejecting liquid contained in a container body A. The trigger type liquid ejector 1 includes an ejector body 10, a nozzle member 11 having an ejection hole 11a, and a cover 13. Unless otherwise specified, each component part of the trigger type liquid ejector 1 is a molded product made of synthetic resin.

[0017] The ejector body 10 includes a base portion 20, an attachment cap 21, a vertical supply tube portion 22, a pipe 23, a trigger mechanism 25 having a pump portion 24, an ejection tube portion 26, a relay member 27, and a valve module 28.

[0018] Hereinafter, the direction along the axis O1 of the vertical supply tube portion 22 (axial direction) is referred to as the up-down direction, and the bottom (not shown) side of the container body A along the up-down direction is referred to as the lower side, and the opposite side is referred to as the upper side. The direction intersecting the axis O1 when viewed from the up-down direction is referred to as the radial direction. Within the radial direction, the direction in which the vertical supply tube portion 22 and the nozzle member 11 are aligned is referred to as the front-rear direction. Within the front-rear direction, the nozzle member 11 side with respect to the vertical supply tube portion 22 is referred to as the front side, and the opposite side is referred to as the rear side. Additionally, within the radial direction, the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction when viewed from the up-down direction is referred to as the left-right direction.

[0019] The base portion 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a top wall 20a and a peripheral wall 20b. The peripheral wall 20b is formed with a flange portion 20c that protrudes outward in the radial direction. The attachment cap 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. The attachment cap 21 is detachably fastened to the mouth portion A1 in a state in which the flange portion 20c is sandwiched between the attachment cap 21 and the upper end opening edge of the mouth portion A1 of the container body A. Note that the method of fixing the attachment cap 21 to the mouth portion A1 may be a method other than a screw (for example, fitting, etc.).

[0020] The vertical supply tube portion 22 allows the liquid sucked up by the pump portion 24 to flow upward. The vertical supply tube portion 22 is formed in a topped tube shape that is long in the vertical direction. The vertical supply tube portion 22 passes through the rear end portion of the top wall 20a in the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, the lower end portion of the vertical supply tube portion 22 is integrally connected to the rear end portion of the peripheral wall 20b. However, the vertical supply tube portion 22 and the base portion 20 may be arranged coaxially.

[0021] A partition 22a is provided in the vertical supply tube 22 at a vertically intermediate portion. The partition 22a divides the vertical supply tube 22 in the vertical direction. The portion of the vertical supply tube 22 located below the partition 22a constitutes a first flow path 22c that communicates with the inside of the container body A. On the other hand, the portion of the vertical supply tube 22 located above the partition 22a constitutes a second flow path 22d that communicates with the ejection hole 11a through the ejection tube 26 or the like.

[0022] The pipe 23 is fitted from below into the vertical supply cylinder portion 22. When the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 is attached to the container body A, the pipe 23 extends downward within the container body A.

[0023] The injection tube portion 26 causes the liquid in the vertical supply tube portion 22 to flow forward toward the nozzle member 11. The injection tube portion 26 extends forward from the upper end portion of the vertical supply tube portion 22. The injection tube portion 26 communicates with the interior of the vertical supply tube portion 22 (the second flow path 22d) at the rear end portion. Relay member 27 connects between injection tube portion 26 and nozzle member 11. Relay member 27 is attached to injection tube portion 26 from the front.

[0024] The trigger mechanism 25 includes a pump portion 24 and a trigger portion 45 . The pump section 24 stores and pumps the liquid in the container body A in response to a pulling operation (rearward pulling operation) of the trigger section 45. The pump section 24 includes a cylinder 51 and a piston 52.

[0025] The cylinder 51 is provided in front of the vertical supply tube portion 22. The cylinder 51 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape that opens toward the front and has a cylinder axis O2 along the front-rear direction as its central axis. In the following description, a direction that intersects with the cylinder axis O2 when viewed from the front-rear direction (intersecting direction) may be referred to as the pump radial direction.

[0026] The cylinder 51 includes a bottom wall portion 51a and a cylinder tube 51b. The bottom wall portion 51a is integrally connected to the front end portion of the vertical supply tube portion 22. The bottom wall portion 51a is formed in a disk shape centered on the cylinder axis O2. In this embodiment, the bottom wall portion 51a protrudes in the pump radial direction while vertically straddling the partition portion 22a of the vertical supply tube portion 22.

[0027] 2, a first communication hole 61 that communicates between the inside of the cylinder 51 and the inside of the vertical supply tube portion 22 (first flow path 22c) is formed in the lower part of the bottom wall portion 51a (part located below the partition portion 22a). The first communication hole 61 includes a first tapered portion 61a that gradually reduces in diameter toward the rear, and a first straight portion 61b that is formed with a uniform inner diameter from the first tapered portion 61a toward the rear. A second communication hole 62 that communicates between the inside of the cylinder 51 and the inside of the vertical supply tube portion 22 (second flow path 22d) is formed in an upper portion of the bottom wall portion 51a (a portion located above the partition portion 22a). The second communication hole 62 includes a second tapered portion 62a that gradually reduces in diameter toward the rear, and a second straight portion 62b that is formed with a uniform inner diameter from the second tapered portion 62a toward the rear. In this way, the first flow path 22c and the second flow path 22d communicate with each other via the cylinder 51.

[0028] The cylinder tube 51b is formed in a cylindrical shape with the cylinder axis O2 as the central axis. The cylinder tube 51b extends forward from the outer periphery of the bottom wall portion 51a. In this embodiment, the lower end of the cylinder tube 51b is integrally connected to the top wall 20a. An outside air introduction hole 51c that communicates the inside of the cylinder 51 with the inside of the base portion 20 is formed in the part of the lower end of the cylinder tube 51b that is connected to the top wall 20a. The outside air introduction hole 51f communicates the inside of the container body A with the outside of the trigger type liquid ejector 1 through the inside of the cylinder 51 when the piston 52 is at least in the rearmost position. The upper end of the cylinder tube 51b is integrally connected to the ejection tube portion 26 via the rib 51d. Thus, in the trigger type liquid ejector 1 of this embodiment, the cylinder 51, the base portion 20, the vertical supply tube portion 22, and the ejection tube portion 26 are integrally formed. However, each component may be a separate body.

[0029] 1 and 2, the piston 52 is provided so as to be movable in the front-rear direction within the cylinder 51. The piston 52 is configured such that a piston main body portion 52a, a piston shaft 52b, a connection portion 52c, a pushing portion 52d, and a restricting portion 52e are integrally formed.

[0030] The piston body 52a is formed in a cylindrical shape with a piston axis O3 along the front-rear direction as a central axis. In this embodiment, the cylinder axis O2 and the piston axis O3 are arranged coaxially. The piston body 52a includes a sliding cylinder 65 and a closing portion 66. The sliding cylinder 65 is fitted into the cylinder tube 51b. The sliding cylinder 65 is configured to be able to slide on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder tube 51b as the piston 52 moves back and forth relative to the cylinder 51. The closing portion 66 closes the rear end opening of the sliding cylinder 65 .

[0031] The piston shaft 52b protrudes forward from a portion of the closing portion 66 that is located on the piston axis O3. When the piston 52 is at the front end position, the piston shaft 52b protrudes forward further than the cylinder 51. The piston shaft 52b is formed, for example, in the shape of a solid cylinder having a smaller diameter than the sliding cylinder 65. The piston shaft 52b is configured to be flexible (elastically deformable) in the pump radial direction.

[0032] The connecting portion 52c is connected to the front end portion of the piston shaft 52b. The connecting portion 52c has a larger diameter than the piston shaft 52b. The connecting portion 52c is formed with a through hole 52g that passes through the connecting portion 52c in the left-right direction.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, the pushing portion 52d includes a first pushing protrusion 71, a second pushing protrusion 72, and a support piece 73. The first pushing protrusion 71 is a first pushing protrusion, and the second pushing protrusion 72 is a second pushing protrusion. The first pushing projection 71 projects rearward from a portion of the blocking portion 66 that overlaps with the first communication hole 61 in a front view. The second push-in projection 72 protrudes rearward from a portion of the blocking portion 66 that overlaps with the second communication hole 62 in a front view. In the illustrated example, the first push-in projection 71 and the second push-in projection 72 are formed at positions that are point-symmetrical about the piston axis O3. Therefore, even if the piston 52 is assembled in any direction of 180° around the piston axis O3 with the push-in projections 71 and 72 aligned in the up-down direction, at least one of the push-in projections 71 and 72 faces at least the second communication hole 62 (a second valve body 92a described later) in the front-rear direction. However, it is sufficient that the push-in projections are provided corresponding to at least the second valve body 92a.

[0034] The support piece 73 bridges between the first push-in protrusion 71 and the second push-in protrusion 72. The support piece 73 is formed in a plate shape extending in the up-down direction with the thickness direction being in the left-right direction. The rear end edge of the support piece 73 is connected to the blocking portion 66. The front end edge of the support piece 73 is located forward of the rear ends of the push-in protrusions 71, 72.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1, the restricting portion 52e protrudes from the piston shaft 52b to the outside in the pump radial direction. The restricting portion 52e is formed in a disk shape arranged coaxially with the piston axis O3. Specifically, the restricting portion 52e has a thickness that gradually decreases from the inside to the outside in the pump radial direction. The outer peripheral edge of the restricting portion 52e is formed in a protruding arc shape toward the outside in the pump radial direction. In the illustrated example, the outer peripheral edge of the restricting portion 52e is located outside the push-in protrusions 71, 72 in the pump radial direction and is located at the same level as the outer peripheral surface of the sliding tube 65 or inside in the pump radial direction. Therefore, the restricting portion 52e advances and retreats relative to the cylinder 51 in a state of being close to or in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube 51b in the pump radial direction as the piston 52 moves forward and backward. The restricting portion 52e restricts deformation of the piston shaft 52b in the pump radial direction relative to the cylinder 51 by contacting the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube 51b via the outer peripheral edge. The restricting portion 52e is not limited to a disk shape, but may be a rectangular or triangular shape, or may be a rod shape extending in the pump radial direction.

[0036] A plurality of (e.g., three) restricting portions 52e are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the restricting portion 52e located furthest to the rear among the plurality of restricting portions 52e is located inside the cylinder 51 when the piston 52 is at the front-most position. Note that a single restricting portion 52e or a plurality other than three restricting portions 52e may be provided. In this embodiment, a configuration in which each restricting portion 52e is provided independently has been described, but this configuration is not limited thereto. The restricting portion 52e may be formed integrally by extending spirally around the piston axis O3.

[0037] The trigger portion 45 includes a trigger main body portion 45a and a connecting tube 45b. The trigger body 45a is formed in a C-shape that opens toward the rear in a cross-sectional view along the front-rear direction. The trigger body 45a extends in front of the vertical supply tube portion 22, inclining toward the front as it goes downward. In this embodiment, the lower end of the trigger body 45a is located below the mounting cap 21 and behind the front end of the nozzle member 11. The upper end of the trigger body 45a is supported on both left and right sides of the relay member 27 so as to be rotatable about an axis along the left and right direction.

[0038] A spring holding portion 45e is provided in the vertical middle portion of trigger body 45a. Spring holding portion 45e protrudes from trigger body 45a on both left and right sides. An elastic member 81 is interposed between spring holding portion 45e and injection tube 26 or relay member 27. Trigger 45 is configured to be movable backward in a forward biased state by elastic member 81 while being rotatably supported by relay member 27.

[0039] The connecting tube 45b extends rearward from the vertical middle portion of the trigger body 45a. A connecting shaft 45f is provided at the rear end of the connecting tube 45b. The connecting shafts 45f protrude inward in the left-right direction from inner wall surfaces of the connecting tube 45b that face each other in the left-right direction. The connecting shafts 45f are engaged in the through-hole 52g. This connects the trigger portion 45 and the piston 52 via the connecting portion 52c.

[0040] The nozzle member 11 is attached to the relay member 27 from the front. The nozzle member 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom that opens to the rear. An ejection hole 11a extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the top wall portion (front wall portion) of the nozzle member 11. The ejection hole 11a communicates with the inside of the injection tube portion 26 through the inside of the nozzle member 11 and the relay member 27.

[0041] The cover 13 surrounds from above, behind and sides a portion of the ejector body 10 that is located above the mounting cap 21. The cover 13 is attached to the ejector body 10 by inserting the ejector body 10 toward the front.

[0042] 2, the valve module 28 is provided on the bottom wall portion 51a, and separately opens and closes the first communication hole 61 and the second communication hole 62. Specifically, the valve module 28 includes a fixed member 90, a first valve member 91, and a second valve member 92. The fixed member 90 is formed in a rectangular column shape extending in the front-rear direction on the cylinder axis O2. The fixed member 90 is fixed to the bottom wall portion 51a. Specifically, a fitting tube 51g protrudes forward from a portion of the bottom wall portion 51a located between the first communication hole 61 and the second communication hole 62. The fixed member 90 is fitted into the fitting tube 51g from the front. The fixed member 90 faces the support piece 73 in the front-rear direction. When the piston 52 is at the rearmost position, the rear end surface of the support piece 73 comes close to or abuts against the front end surface of the fixed member 90 (see the dashed line in FIG. 2).

[0043] The first valve member 91 switches between communication and blocking between the inside of the cylinder 51 and the first flow path 22c through the first communication hole 61. The first valve member 91 includes a first valve body 91a and a first connecting piece 91b. The first valve body 91a is formed in a hemispherical shape protruding toward the rear. The first valve body 91a opens and closes the first communication hole 61 by approaching and separating from the first tapered portion 61a from the front. The first valve body 91a faces the first push-in projection 71 in the front-rear direction. When the piston 52 is at the rearmost position, the first push-in projection 71 enters the inside of the first valve body 91a (see the chain line in FIG. 2). Therefore, even if the first push-in projection 71 is provided at a position facing the first valve body 91a, interference between the first push-in projection 71 and the first valve body 91a can be avoided.

[0044] 2 and 3, the first connecting piece 91b integrally connects the front ends of the fixed member 90 and the first valve body 91a. The first connecting piece 91b is formed in a semicircular shape protruding downward when viewed from the front. Specifically, the first connecting piece 91b includes a pair of straight line portions 91g and a pair of arcuate portions 91h. Each straight portion 91g extends straight from the fixed member 90 outward in the left-right direction. Each arcuate portion 91h extends from the tip of the straight portion 91g in an arc shape centered on the cylinder axis O2. The tip of each arcuate portion 91h is connected to the first valve body 91a from the outside in the left-right direction.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 2, the first connecting piece 91b is configured to be elastically deformable at least in the front-rear direction in a state where the first valve body 91a is biased backward. That is, the first valve body 91a is elastically displaced in the front-rear direction inside the cylinder 51 in accordance with the elastic deformation of the first connecting piece 91b in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the first valve member 91 opens the first communication hole 61 (open position) when the first valve body 91a moves forward away from the first tapered portion 61a. This allows the liquid to flow from the first flow path 22c into the cylinder 51 through the first communication hole 61. On the other hand, the first valve member 91 maintains the first communication hole 61 in a closed state (closed position) in a state where the first valve body 91a is pressed against the first tapered portion 61a. This restricts the liquid from flowing from the first flow path 22c into the cylinder 51 through the first communication hole 61.

[0046] The second valve member 92 switches between communication and blocking between the interior of the cylinder 51 and the second flow path 22d via the second communication hole 62. The second valve member 92 includes a second valve body 92a and a second connecting piece 92b. The second valve body 92a is formed in a columnar shape extending in the front-rear direction. The second valve body 92a is provided so as to be movable in the front-rear direction relative to the bottom wall portion 51a while passing through the second communication hole 62. Specifically, the second valve body 92a includes a large diameter portion 95 and a small diameter portion 96 formed to have a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion 95.

[0047] The large diameter portion 95 is fitted into the second straight portion 62b. The front end of the large diameter portion 95 is located in the second communication hole 62. The rear end of the large diameter portion 95 protrudes into the vertical supply cylinder portion 22 (second flow path 22d). A recess 95a that opens toward the rear is formed in the large diameter portion 95. The recess 95a is formed in a tapered shape that gradually reduces in diameter toward the front. The small diameter portion 96 is continuous with the front side of the large diameter portion 95. The small diameter portion 96 protrudes into the cylinder 51 through the second communication hole 62.

[0048] The second connecting pieces 92b integrally connect the front ends of the fixed member 90 and the second valve body 92a. As shown in Fig. 3, the second connecting pieces 92b extend upward from both left-right end portions of the fixed member 90. The tip end of each second connecting piece 92b is connected to the second valve body 92a from the outside in the left-right direction.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, the second connecting piece 92b is configured to be elastically deformable at least in the front-rear direction in a state where the second valve body 92a is biased rearward. That is, the second valve body 92a is elastically displaced in the front-rear direction in the second communication hole 62 in accordance with the elastic deformation of the second connecting piece 92b in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the second valve member 92 opens the second communication hole 62 (open position) by the large diameter portion 95 of the second valve body 92a being separated rearward from the second straight portion 62b. That is, in the open position, the small diameter portion 96 of the second valve body 92a is disposed in the second straight portion 62b. This allows the liquid to flow out of the cylinder 51 to the second flow path 22d through the gap with the small diameter portion 96 in the second communication hole 62. On the other hand, the second valve member 92 maintains the second communication hole 62 closed (closed position) with the large diameter portion 95 of the second valve body 92a fitted into the second straight portion 62b. This restricts the inflow of liquid from the second flow path 22d through the second communication hole 62 into the cylinder 51.

[0050] The small diameter portion 96 faces the second push-in projection 72 in the front-rear direction. When the second valve body 92a is in the closed position, the front end surface of the small diameter portion 96 is located forward of the rear end surface of the second push-in projection 72 when the piston 52 is in the rearmost position (see the chain line in FIG. 2). In this embodiment, when the piston 52 is in the rearmost position, the rear end surface of the second push-in projection 72 is located at a position equivalent to the front end surface of the small diameter portion 96 when the second valve body 92a is in the open position. This ensures that the second valve body 92a is reliably pushed from the closed position to the open position during the process in which the piston 52 moves from the frontmost position to the rearmost position, and restricts the movement of the second valve body 92a from the open position to the closed position when the piston 52 is in the rearmost position.

[0051] Next, a case where the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 configured as described above is used will be described. It is assumed that by operating the trigger part 45 multiple times, each part of the trigger type liquid jetter 1 is filled with liquid, and the liquid can be sucked up into the vertical supply tube part 22 (priming). The action during priming will be described later.

[0052] After priming is completed, when the trigger portion 45 is pulled backward, the piston 52 moves backward relative to the cylinder 51 against the biasing force of the elastic member 81. Then, the sliding tube 65 slides on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 51b, so that the inside of the cylinder 51 is pressurized.

[0053] As the pressure in the cylinder 51 increases, the first valve member 91 and the second valve member 92 are pushed backward. The first valve body 91a of the first valve member 91 is pressed against the first tapered portion 61a to maintain the closed position. This blocks communication between the inside of the first flow path 22c and the inside of the cylinder 51 through the first communication hole 61. Meanwhile, the second valve body 92a of the second valve member 92 is pushed forward through the small diameter portion 96, so that the second valve body 92a moves forward. This causes the large diameter portion 95 to separate rearward from the second straight portion 62b. As a result, the second valve body 92a is in the open position, and the second communication hole 62 is opened. In addition, the second valve body 92a may open the second communication hole 62 by elastically deforming the peripheral wall portion of the large diameter portion 95 (the portion located around the recess 95a) in the pump radial direction, forming a gap between the large diameter portion 95 and the second straight portion 62b.

[0054] When the second valve body 92a is in the open position, the liquid in the cylinder 51 flows into the second flow path 22d through the gap between the second communication hole 62 and the second valve body 92a. The liquid that flows into the second flow path 22d flows upward through the vertical supply tube portion 22 and then flows into the injection tube portion 26. The liquid flowing through the injection tube portion 26 reaches the nozzle member 11 through the relay member 27 and is ejected through the ejection hole 11a. In addition, during the process in which the piston 52 moves in the front-rear direction in the cylinder 51, the restricting portion 52e moves in the cylinder 51 while being close to or in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder tube 51b. In addition, when the pressure in the cylinder 51 becomes equal to or lower than the biasing force of the second connecting piece 92b due to the outflow of the liquid from the cylinder 51 to the second flow path 22d, the second valve body 92a is elastically displaced toward the closed position by the restoring force of the second connecting piece 92b. As a result, the second valve body 92a returns to the closed position before the pulling operation of the trigger portion 45 is released.

[0055] When the pulling operation of the trigger portion 45 is released, the trigger portion 45 moves forward due to the restoring force of the elastic member 81. Accordingly, the piston 52 moves forward in a restoring manner relative to the cylinder 51. As a result, the inside of the piston 52 is depressurized, and the first valve member 91 and the second valve member 92 are pulled forward. Regarding the second valve member 92, the large diameter portion 95 of the second valve body 92a fits into the second straight portion 62b, so that the forward movement of the second valve body 92a relative to the cylinder 51 is restricted. As a result, the second valve body 92a is maintained in the closed position, and the communication between the inside of the cylinder 51 and the second flow path 22d through the second communication hole 62 is blocked. Meanwhile, regarding the first valve member 91, the first valve body 91a moves forward, so that the first valve body 91a moves away from the first tapered portion 61a. As a result, the first valve body 91a is in the open position, and the first communication hole 61 is opened.

[0056] When the first valve body 91a is in the open position, the liquid in the container body A flows into the first flow path 22c through the pipe 23 as the pressure in the cylinder 51 is reduced. The liquid that flows into the first flow path 22c flows into the cylinder 51 through the first communication hole 61. This makes it possible to prepare for the next ejection operation. When the pressure in the first flow path 22c becomes equal to or lower than the biasing force of the first connecting piece 91b due to the outflow of liquid from the first flow path 22c into the cylinder 51, the first valve body 91a is elastically displaced toward the closed position by the restoring force of the first connecting piece 91b. As a result, the first valve body 91a returns to the closed position before the pulling operation of the rigger part 45 is released. In this embodiment, the first valve body 91a or the second valve body 92a moves back and forth with the back and forth movement of the piston 52, opening and closing the space between the cylinder 51 and the first flow path 22c or the space between the cylinder 51 and the second flow path 22d.

[0057] Incidentally, in the trigger-type liquid ejector 1, at the start of use, a priming operation is performed by pulling the trigger part 45 multiple times to fill the cylinder 51 with liquid. Specifically, when the trigger part 45 is pulled backward, the sliding cylinder 65 slides on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 51b, similar to the above-mentioned ejection operation, and the inside of the cylinder 51 is pressurized. As the pressure inside the cylinder 51 increases, the first valve member 91 and the second valve member 92 are pushed backward. As for the first valve member 91, the first valve body 91a is pressed against the first tapered part 61a, so that the closed position is maintained. As a result, communication between the inside of the first flow path 22c and the inside of the cylinder 51 through the first communication hole 61 is blocked. On the other hand, as for the second valve member 92, the second valve body 92a is pushed backward through the small diameter part 96, so that the second valve body 92a moves backward. This causes the large diameter portion 95 to move rearwardly away from the second straight portion 62b, resulting in the second valve body 92a being in the open position and the second communication hole 62 being opened.

[0058] Here, in this embodiment, when the piston 52 moves to the rear end position, the rear end surface of the second pushing protrusion 72 is located rearward of the front end surface of the second valve body 92a in the closed position. Therefore, even if the liquid in the cylinder 51 is not sufficiently filled and the second valve body 92a is difficult to move to the open position by pulling the trigger part 45, the piston 52 moves to the rear end position, so that the second valve body 92a can be pushed backward via the second pushing protrusion 72. This can encourage the second valve body 92a to move to the open position. As a result, the number of operations of the trigger part 45 required for priming can be reduced.

[0059] When the second valve body 92a is in the open position, air in the cylinder 51 flows into the second flow path 22d through the gap between the second communication hole 62 and the second valve body 92a. When the pulling operation of the trigger portion 45 is released, the trigger portion 45 moves forward due to the restoring force of the elastic member 81. Accordingly, the piston 52 moves forward relative to the cylinder 51, thereby reducing the pressure inside the piston 52. Then, the first valve member 91 and the second valve member 92 are pulled forward. With regard to the second valve member 92, the second valve body 92a is restricted from moving forward relative to the cylinder 51 by the large diameter portion 95 fitting into the second straight portion 62b. As a result, the second valve body 92a is maintained in the closed position, and communication between the inside of the cylinder 51 and the second flow path 22d through the second communication hole 62 is blocked. Meanwhile, in the first valve member 91, the first valve body 91a moves forward, and thus the first valve body 91a moves away from the first tapered portion 61a. As a result, the first valve body 91a is in the open position, and the first communication hole 61 is opened.

[0060] When the first valve body 91a is in the open position, the pressure inside the cylinder 51 is reduced, and the liquid inside the container body A flows into the first flow path 22c through the pipe 23. The liquid that has flowed into the first flow path 22c flows into the cylinder 51 through the first communication hole 61. By performing the above-mentioned operation multiple times, the cylinder 51 is filled with liquid.

[0061] Thus, the trigger-type liquid sprayer 1 of this embodiment has a first valve body 91a and a second valve body 92a that displace in the forward and backward directions in response to the forward and backward movement of the piston 52, and the first valve member 91 allows liquid to flow from inside the container body A into the cylinder 51 and regulates the flow of liquid from inside the cylinder 51 into the container body A, and the second valve member 92 allows liquid to flow from inside the cylinder 51 to the spray hole 11a and regulates the flow of liquid from the spray hole 11a into the cylinder 51. According to this configuration, the first valve body 91a and the second valve body 92a are provided on the bottom wall portion 51a of the cylinder 51, and the movement direction of the first valve body 91a and the second valve body 92a coincides with the movement direction of the piston 52, so that the pressure fluctuation in the cylinder 51 is easily and effectively transmitted to the first valve body 91a and the second valve body 92a. Therefore, the responsiveness of the valve bodies 91a and 92a to the movement of the trigger portion 45 can be improved, and the ejection performance can be stabilized. Therefore, for example, when a highly viscous liquid is to be ejected, even if the valve bodies 91a and 92a are seated on the inner surface of the communicating hole 61 and 62 through air bubbles contained in the liquid, the valve bodies 91a and 92a can be quickly separated from the inner surface of the communicating hole 61 and 62.

[0062] In this embodiment, the valve module 28 is configured to include a fixing member 90 that integrally connects a first valve member 91 and a second valve member 92 via a first connecting piece 91b and a second connecting piece 92b. According to this configuration, compared to a case in which the first valve member 91 and the second valve member 92 are fixed to the cylinder 51 separately, it is possible to reduce the number of assembly steps and the number of parts.

[0063] In this embodiment, the piston 52 is provided with a second push-in protrusion 72 that faces the second valve body 92a in the fore-and-aft direction, and the second push-in protrusion 72 is configured to be located rearward of the front end surface of the second valve body 92a when the second valve body 92a is in the closed position when the piston 52 is in the rearmost position. According to this configuration, when the piston 52 moves to the rear end position, the rear end surface of the second pushing protrusion 72 is located rearward of the front end surface of the second valve body 92a in the closed position. Therefore, even if the second valve body 92a is difficult to move to the open position by pulling the trigger part 45 during priming to fill the cylinder 51 with liquid, the piston 52 moves to the rear end position, and the second valve body 92a can be pushed rearward via the second pushing protrusion 72. This can encourage the second valve body 92a to move to the open position. As a result, it becomes easier to create a negative pressure in the cylinder 51 when the trigger part 45 returns to the front, and liquid can be effectively introduced into the cylinder 51. Therefore, the number of operations of the trigger part 45 required for priming can be reduced. Furthermore, when the piston 52 moves to the rearmost position during liquid ejection or the like, if the second valve body 92a has already moved to the open position, the second valve body 92a can be restricted from returning to the closed position. As a result, when the piston 52 is at the rearmost position, the second valve body 92a is maintained in the open position, so that the liquid in the cylinder 51 can be reliably caused to flow into the vertical supply tube portion 22 (second flow path 22d), and ejection variations can be suppressed.

[0064] In this embodiment, a partition section 22a is provided to separate the interior of the vertical supply tube section 22 between a first flow path 22c that connects the interior of the container body A and the first communication hole 61, and a second flow path 22d that connects the ejection hole 11a and the second communication hole 62. According to this configuration, in the process of the liquid flowing through the vertical supply tube portion 22, the liquid sucked up from inside the container body A can be reliably supplied to the pump portion 24, and the liquid pumped from the pump portion 24 can be reliably supplied toward the ejection hole 11a. This makes it possible to further stabilize the ejection performance.

[0065] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configuration are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The present invention is not limited by the above description, but is limited only by the scope of the attached claims. In the above-described embodiment, the elastic member 81 is provided between the spring holding portion 45e and the injection tube portion 26 or the relay member 27 as a member for biasing the trigger portion 45 forward. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, a coil spring or the like may be provided between the cylinder 51 and the piston 52, and the trigger portion 45 may be biased forward via the piston 52. In the above-described embodiment, the cylinder axis O2 and the piston axis O3 are aligned with each other, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The cylinder axis O2 and the piston axis O3 may be arranged parallel to each other. In the above embodiment, the trigger portion 45 is configured to be rotatable, but the pattern is not limited to this checkered pattern. The trigger portion 45 may be configured to be slidable as long as it is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the piston shaft 52b is elastically deformable and the restricting portion 52e is provided on the piston shaft 52b. However, these conditions are not essential. In the above-described embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the first valve member 91 and the second valve member 92 are integrally connected via the fixing member 90, but the first valve member 91 and the second valve member 92 may also be fixed separately to the cylinder 51. In the above-described embodiment, the vertical supply tube portion 22 is vertically divided by the partition portion 22a, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The partition portion 22a is not limited to the vertical direction as long as it divides the vertical supply tube portion 22 between the first communication hole 61 and the second communication hole 62. Also, the present invention may be configured without the partition portion 22a. In the above embodiment, the piston 52 is provided with the pushing portion 52d, but the piston 52 may not have the pushing portion 52d. In the above embodiment, the pushing portion 52d is configured to include the pushing protrusions 71, 72 and the support piece 73, but is not limited to this configuration. The pushing portion 52d may be configured to include only the pushing protrusion. In addition, the rear end edges of the pushing protrusions 71, 72 and the support piece 73 may coincide with each other.

[0067] In addition, within the scope of the invention, the components in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with well-known components, and the above-described modified examples may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1: Trigger-type liquid ejector 10: Squirt body 11: Nozzle material 11a:Blowout hole 22: Vertical supply tube 22a: Partition 22c: First flow path 22d: Second flow path 25: Trigger mechanism 45: Trigger section 51: Cylinder 51a: Bottom wall part 52: Piston 52d: Push-in section 61: 1st communication hole 62:Second communication hole 90: Fixing member 91: First valve member 91a: First valve body 91b: 1st connecting piece 92: second valve member 92a: Second valve body 92b: 2nd connecting piece A: Container body

Claims

1. An ejector body that is attached to a container body that contains a liquid; a nozzle member attached to a front end of the ejector body and having an ejection hole for ejecting liquid forward; The ejector body includes: A vertical supply tube portion extending in the vertical direction; a trigger mechanism including a trigger portion provided in front of the vertical supply tube portion and movable rearward in a forward biased state, the trigger portion moving rearward to cause liquid to flow from inside the vertical supply tube portion toward the nozzle hole side, The trigger mechanism includes: a cylinder having a bottomed cylindrical shape that opens forward and has a bottom wall portion in which a first communication hole and a second communication hole that communicate with the vertical supply cylindrical portion are formed; A piston configured to be slidable on an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder and move in a front-rear direction relative to the cylinder in accordance with the movement of the trigger portion in the front-rear direction. a first valve member including a first valve body that is displaced in a front-rear direction in response to movement of the piston in the front-rear direction and switches between communication and blocking between the inside of the cylinder and the inside of the vertical supply tube portion through the first communication hole, and a first connecting piece that connects the cylinder and the first valve body; a second valve body that is displaced in a front-rear direction in response to movement of the piston in the front-rear direction and switches between communication and blocking between the inside of the cylinder and the inside of the vertical supply tube portion through the second communication hole, and a second valve member that has a second connecting piece that connects the cylinder and the second valve body, the first valve member permits the inflow of liquid from within the container body into the cylinder and restricts the outflow of liquid from within the cylinder into the container body; the second valve member permits the outflow of liquid from within the cylinder to the ejection hole and restricts the inflow of liquid from the ejection hole into the cylinder, The piston includes a push-in portion facing the second valve body in the front-rear direction, A trigger-type liquid ejector, wherein when the piston is in a rearmost position, the pushing portion is located rearward of a front end surface of the second valve body when the second valve body is in a closed position.

2. 2. The trigger type liquid ejector according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing member that is fixed to the cylinder and that integrally connects the first valve member and the second valve member via the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece.

3. 3. A trigger-type liquid ejector as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the vertical supply tube portion is provided with a partition portion that separates the interior of the vertical supply tube portion between a first flow path that connects the interior of the container body and the first communicating hole, and a second flow path that connects the ejection hole and the second communicating hole.

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