Roll-on applicator and roll-on applicator container

Abstract

To provide a roll-on-type coating tool and a roll-on-type coating container that can be reused by removing internal dirt.SOLUTION: A roll-on-type coating tool 20 comprises: a coating ball 60; and a main member 22 which has a holding case 30 holding the coating ball 60 rotatably, and is formed by forming a discharge port 58 exposing an upper part U of the coating ball 60 to the outside on an upper end side of the holding case 30 and a communication port 36 to a neck part 6 of a container body 2 on a lower end side thereof, respectively, and hanging a mount cylinder 24 for mounting on the neck part 6 from a circumference of the communication port 36. The holding case 30 is divided into a lower holding wall 32 and an upper holding wall 50, an upper end part 46 of the lower holding wall 32 and a lower end part 52 of the upper holding wall 50 are made to abut on each other detachably in a liquid-tight state, and the coating ball 60 can be put in and out with the upper holding wall 50 separated from the lower holding wall 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a roll-on type applicator and a roll-on type application container. [Background technology]

[0002] A typical roll-on type applicator container has a structure in which an applicator ball is rotatably held in the upper half of a vertical holding cylinder that communicates with the mouth and neck of the container body, with the upper part of the ball remaining (see, for example, Figure 1 of Patent Document 1). An annular support wall for supporting the application ball protrudes inward from the inner peripheral surface of the retaining cylinder, and the upper end of the retaining cylinder is formed with an inner diameter slightly smaller than that of the application ball to prevent the application ball from falling out. When using this container, the application ball is rolled over a target surface in an inverted state, so that the liquid in the container is applied to the target surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-70483 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional roll-on containers are often used for products that are applied to the human skin, such as antiperspirants and cosmetics. Because these products contain powder as the liquid content, there is a risk that the powder will solidify during use. Furthermore, if the ball is not used for a long period of time, it hardens, causing discomfort to the user. Therefore, there has been a demand to remove the solidified portion and make it easily reusable. To this end, it is desirable to be able to remove the applicator ball and clean the inside of the applicator ball and the holding location. Patent Document 1 also proposes a method for removing the application ball from the holding tube. This method is for separating and disposing of the metallic application ball from the remaining part of the container, and does not assume that the removed application ball will be reassembled into the container. In other words, by using an overcap screwed onto the neck and a push rod built into the holding tube, the application ball is forced to pass through the tip of the small inner diameter by the force of the screw (Figures 3 and 4 of the same document). Therefore, it is difficult to return the removed application ball back into the holding tube through the tip of the small inner diameter.

[0005] A first object of the present invention is to provide a roll-on type applicator and a roll-on type application container which are reusable after removing any internal dirt. A second object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily insert and remove the application ball in order to remove the above-mentioned internal dirt. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first means includes an application ball 60 and The above The holding case 30 holds the application ball 60 rotatably, and the upper end of the holding case 30 is provided with The above A discharge port 58 is provided at the lower end thereof to expose the upper portion U of the application ball 60 to the outside, and a communication port 36 is provided at the lower end thereof to the mouth and neck portion 6 of the container body 2; The above A main member 22 having an attachment tube 24 suspended from the periphery of the communication port 36 for attachment to the mouth and neck portion 6; Equipped with The retaining case 30 is divided into a lower retaining wall 32 and an upper retaining wall 50. The above The upper end 46 of the lower retaining wall 32 The above The lower end 52 of the upper retaining wall 50 is in liquid-tight and detachable contact with the lower end 52 of the upper retaining wall 50. From the lower retaining wall 32 The above The application ball 60 can be inserted and removed when the upper holding wall 50 is removed. Ta Roll-on applicator In The lower holding wall 32 and the upper holding wall 50 are connected via a hinge 48, and the upper surface of the lower holding wall 32 can be opened and closed by rotating the upper holding wall 50 about the hinge 48.

[0007] In this means, as shown in Figures 1(A) and 5(A), a holding case 30 that rotatably holds an application ball 60 is provided in communication with the inside of the container body 2, and this holding case 30 is divided into a lower holding wall 32 and an upper holding wall 50, and the upper end 46 of the lower holding wall 32 and the lower end 52 of the upper holding wall 50 are detachable from each other, resulting in a simple configuration. With this structure, even if the contents are stuck to the inner peripheral surface of the holding case 30, the two can be easily separated by simply pulling the upper holding wall 50 up against the lower holding wall 32. Then, once the application ball 60 is removed from the lower holding wall 32, the solidified matter can be washed off from the application ball 60, the lower holding wall 32, and the upper holding wall 50, making the cleaning operation easy. In this embodiment, the lower holding wall 32 and the upper holding wall 50 are connected via a hinge 48. The upper surface of the lower holding wall 32 can be opened and closed by rotating the upper holding wall 50 about the hinge 48. According to this structure, by simply hooking a finger on the lower retaining wall 32 on the side opposite the hinge 48 and pulling it up, the upper surface of the upper retaining wall 50 is opened as shown in FIG. 3(A), so that the application ball 60 can be removed and easily washed. In addition, the upper retaining wall 50 moves to a position adjacent to the lower retaining wall 32 by rotating about the hinge 48, so that, as shown in Figure 4 (B), it is sufficient to sequentially clean the first inner surface I1 of the lower retaining wall 32 and the second inner surface I2 of the upper retaining wall 50, and the two inner surfaces can be efficiently cleaned.

[0010] No. 2 The means are 1 and said hinge 48 has a means for The above It was placed in a recess r formed on the outer circumferential surface of the retaining case 30 .

[0011] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1(A) and FIG. 5(A), the hinge 48 is disposed in a recess r formed in the outer circumferential surface of the holding case 30. As shown in FIG. This structure makes it possible to eliminate or reduce the protrusion of the hinge 48 from the contour of the holding case 30, thereby avoiding inconveniences such as the hinge 48 coming into contact with the surface during application work, which impairs the feel of use.

[0012] No. 3 The first method is Or the second method and a leakage control valve V is provided within the communication port 36.

[0013] In this embodiment, a leakage control valve V is provided in the communication port 36 . This structure can prevent liquid from spilling out if the container is turned over with the application ball 60 removed for cleaning work. This reduces the inconvenience of the surroundings becoming dirty due to accidental spills, and also reduces the chance of the cleaning work being interrupted by cleaning up afterwards, allowing for efficient work.

[0014] No. 4 The means is a roll-on type application container, A container body 2 having a mouth and neck portion 6 standing upright; The first means attached to the neck portion 6 to the second means 3 and the roll-on type applicator 20 described in any one of the above means.

[0015] In this means, a roll-on type applicator as described in any one of the first to fourth means is attached to the mouth and neck portion 6 of the container body 2, and as described above, even if the contents of these roll-on type applicators solidify, they can be washed with a simple operation and reused. Therefore, even if the liquid solidifies inside the roll-on applicator, there is no need to purchase a new applicator container, which is economical. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, dirt inside the roll-on type applicator can be removed, and therefore the roll-on type applicator container can be reused without replacing the applicator. Furthermore, the application ball can be easily inserted and removed to remove the above-mentioned internal dirt. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows the structure of a roll-on type applicator container according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view of the applicator container seen from the side, and (B) is a plan view of the container seen through an overcap. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 shows the structure of the main part of the container in FIG. 1 (the main member of the roll-on type applicator), where (A) is a cross-sectional view of the main member as seen from the side, and (B) is a plan view of the main member. [Diagram 3] 3 shows the structure of the application container shown in FIG. 2 with the overcap removed and the upper retaining wall open, where FIG. 3(A) is a cross-sectional view of the container as seen from the side, and FIG. 3(B) is a plan view. [Figure 4] 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the container in FIG. 1, in which FIG. 2A illustrates the steps of the coating operation, and FIG. 2B illustrates the steps of cleaning the coating container. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 shows the structure of a roll-on type application container according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view of the application container seen from the side, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of (A) seen from the V(B)-V(B) direction. [Figure 6] 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the container in FIG. 5, in which (A) illustrates the coating process, and (B) illustrates the process of cleaning the coating container. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THEINVENTION

[0018] 1 to 4 show a roll-on type application container according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the roll-on type application container is formed of a container body 2, a roll-on type application tool 20, and a cover member 62. However, the cover member can be omitted. Each of these members can be formed of, for example, a synthetic resin material or a metal.

[0019] The container body 2 has a mouth-neck portion 6 rising from the body portion 4. In the illustrated example, the mouth-neck portion 6 has a small-diameter upper half portion 6b rising from a large-diameter lower half portion 6a. A male thread portion 8 is formed on the outer surface of each of the lower half portion 6a and the upper half portion 6b.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1(A), the roll-on applicator 20 is formed of a main member 22 and an applicator ball 60.

[0021] First, the application ball 60 is a sphere for application, and is formed as a perfect sphere. The material of the application ball 60 is arbitrary, but it is known that the application ball 60 can be formed from synthetic resin, metal, ceramic, or the like.

[0022] The main member 22 has a holding case 30 that houses an application ball 60 and an attachment tube 24 that is suspended from the holding case 30, and the attachment tube 24 is attached to the mouth and neck portion 6 of the container body 2. The holding case 30 is a portion that holds the application ball 60 rotatably. A small diameter communication port 36 is formed at the lower end of the holding case 30, and a large diameter discharge port 58 is formed at the upper end thereof. The communication port 36 opens toward the mouth / neck portion 6 of the container body, and communicates with the inside of the container body 2 . The discharge port 58 exposes an upper portion U of the application ball 60 to the outside. By providing these communication port 36 and discharge port 58, the retaining case 30 of this embodiment is shaped generally in a partially spherical shape.

[0023] In the preferred illustrated example, the inner peripheral surface I of the holding case is shaped to conform to the outer surface O of the application ball 60 . If a large space were to be created between the outer surface O of the application ball 60, the amount of liquid in the space would increase, which would increase the amount of liquid or solidified material to be washed away during the cleaning operation, and this is not appropriate. However, such structures should not be construed as being excluded from the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] The inner surface I of the holding case 30 comes into contact with the outer surface O of the application ball 60 at the upper and lower end sides of the inner surface I. The upper end side of the inner surface I extends slightly to the upper half side of the outer surface O of the application ball 60, preventing the application ball 60 from slipping out upward. At the lower end side of the inner surface I, as shown in FIG. 2(A), a low seal ring 44 is attached at a position near the communication port 36. By designing the inner surface I to contact the outer surface O of the application ball 60 at two points, the upper and lower ends thereof, the frictional resistance between the inner surface I and the outer surface O is reduced, thereby enabling the application ball 60 to rotate smoothly. In addition, in the illustrated example, the outer surface of the holding case 30 has a shape with more irregularities (for example, the recessed portion r described below) than the inner surface I, but overall it is formed into a curved surface similar to the inner surface I.

[0025] The mounting tube 24 is suspended from the periphery of the communication port 36 and is fitted into an appropriate position of the mouth / neck portion 6 (the upper half portion 6b in the illustrated example). In the illustrated example, a female thread 26 that meshes with the male thread 8 is formed on the inner surface of the mounting cylinder 24 . The term "around the communication port" does not mean to be limited to the vicinity of the communication port 36, but may mean to be disposed so as to surround the communication port 36. In this embodiment, the mounting cylinder 24 is disposed immediately below the portion where the holding case 30 is divided into a first holding wall 32 and a second holding wall 50, which will be described later. A seal tube 34 is disposed vertically inside the mounting tube 24 and abuts against the upper end of the inner surface of the mouth / neck portion 6 in a liquid-tight manner. However, these structures can be modified as appropriate.

[0026] The holding case 30 is divided into a first holding wall 32 which is a lower holding wall and a second holding wall 50 which is an upper holding wall when the container body is in the upright position shown in FIG. 1(A). Specifically, as shown by an imaginary line in Figure 2 (A), imagine a virtual horizontal plane H that crosses the holding case 30, and use this horizontal plane H as a guide to determine the portion approximately below the horizontal plane H as the first holding wall 32, and the portion approximately above the horizontal plane H as the second holding wall 50. The word "approximately" is used with the intention that a structure in which there is an overlapping portion (first seal rib 46 and second seal rib 52 described below) when viewed from the side at the abutment point between the first retaining wall 32 and the second retaining wall 50 is not excluded from the scope of protection of the present invention. The height of the horizontal plane H, which is the dividing line of the holding case 30, is preferably set to the height at which the inner diameter D of the holding case on the horizontal plane H is greatest, as shown in FIG. 2(A), in other words, the height passing through the center of the application ball 60 held within the holding case 30. The reasons are as follows: First, if the parting line is located lower than the center of the application ball 60, the lower end of the second retaining wall 50 may rub against the application ball 60 when the second retaining wall 50 is separated from the first retaining wall 32. On the other hand, if the parting line is located higher than the center of the application ball 60, the upper end of the first retaining wall 32 may rub against the application ball 60 when the application ball 60 is removed from the first retaining wall 32. Therefore, in order to easily remove application ball 60 without feeling any resistance, it is desirable that horizontal plane H, which is the dividing line, be located at the position shown in FIG. 1(A).

[0027] The upper end 46 of the first retaining wall 32 and the lower end 52 of the second retaining wall 50 are in liquid-tight and detachable contact with each other. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1(A), the upper end of the first retaining wall 32 is formed into a first seal rib 46 having a small outer diameter, and the lower end of the second retaining wall 50 is formed into a second seal rib 52 having a large inner diameter. 1(A), the first seal ribs 46 and the second seal ribs 52 are arranged so as to overlap each other when viewed from the outside. The first seal ribs 46 and the second seal ribs 52 mesh with each other and contact each other in a liquid-tight manner, thereby forming a seal means S that also serves as a fitting means. The vertical length of the overlapping range of the first seal rib 46 and the second seal rib 52 should be designed so that it is small enough not to interfere with the rotation of the second retaining wall 50 when it is rotated to the open position around the hinge 48 described below, yet large enough to provide sufficient sealing. In the illustrated example, the thickness of the first sealing rib 46 and the second sealing rib 52 is set so as not to exceed the thickness of the first retaining wall 32 and the second retaining wall 50 near the dividing line, as shown in FIG. 1(A). The first seal rib 46 and the second seal rib 52 may have any structure as long as they are of a concave-convex shape that can be interlocked with each other in a liquid-tight manner in the vertical cross section shown in Fig. 1 (A). For example, the first seal rib 46 may be formed with a large inner diameter, and the second seal rib 52 may be formed with a small outer diameter.

[0028] In this embodiment, the upper part of the first retaining wall 32 and the lower part of the second retaining wall 50 are connected via a hinge 48, and by rotating the second retaining wall 50 via this hinge 48, the second retaining wall 50 can be removed from above the first retaining wall 32 and the application ball 60. From this state, application ball 60 can be removed and washed, so that inner surface I1 of first retaining wall 32 (referred to as first inner surface) and inner surface I2 of second retaining wall 50 (referred to as second inner surface) can be washed. The structure in which the first retaining wall 32 and the second retaining wall 50 are connected by a hinge 48 has the following advantages compared to a structure in which the second retaining wall 50 is completely separated (e.g., unscrewed) from the first retaining wall 32. First, to remove the second retaining wall 50, it is sufficient to place a finger on the second retaining wall 50 on the side opposite the hinge 48 and push it up, which is an easier operation than the method of unscrewing the second retaining wall portion from the first retaining wall portion. Secondly, according to this embodiment, the second retaining wall 50 simply moves to a position adjacent to the first retaining wall 32 via the hinge 48, so that the first retaining wall 32 and the second retaining wall 50 can both be washed sequentially while being held in the hand (see FIG. 4(B)). This eliminates the need to place the second retaining wall in a temporary location while washing the former, as is required when unscrewing the second retaining wall from the first retaining wall 32, resulting in efficient work. Thirdly, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3(A), the second retaining wall 50 moves to an inverted position around the hinge 48, and the second inner surface I2 appears on the upper side, making it easy to visually check dirty positions, etc., and the second retaining wall can be removed and inverted with a single operation, making the work simple. Fourth, when cleaning using running water from a water faucet, the second retaining wall 50 is inverted about the hinge 48, so that the first inner surface I1 and the second inner surface I2 appear in adjacent positions as shown in FIG. 4(B). Therefore, after cleaning the former with running water, the retaining case 30 can be moved sideways to clean the latter, allowing the cleaning operation to be carried out efficiently.

[0029] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1(A), a recessed portion r is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the holding case 30, and a hinge 48 is disposed within this recessed portion. In the illustrated example, an annular upward step 29 is formed between the upper end of the mounting tube 24 and the upper part of the first retaining wall 32, and an annular rib 54 is provided around the outer surface of the lower part of the second retaining wall 50. The recess between the downward step 56 formed on the lower surface side of this annular rib 54 and the upward step 29 is the recess r. However, this structure can be modified as appropriate. This structure can reduce or eliminate the protrusion of the hinge 48 from the contour of the holding case 30. This makes it possible to avoid inconveniences such as the hinge 48 coming into contact with the object during application work.

[0030] The cover member 62 has a peripheral cover wall 66 extending vertically from the peripheral end of a top plate 64, and this peripheral cover wall 66 is fitted into the lower half 6a of the mouth / neck portion 6. In the illustrated example, a female thread 68 that meshes with the male thread 8 is formed on the inner surface of the lower part of the peripheral cover wall 66. Further, a contact cylinder portion 65 that contacts the application ball 60 is provided vertically from the center of the top plate 64 .

[0031] In the above configuration, from the state shown in FIG. 1(A), cover member 62 can be removed, the device turned upside down, and application ball 60 can be rolled on target surface T as shown in FIG. 4(A), thereby applying liquid to the target surface. Next, when the liquid inside the roll-on applicator 20 has solidified due to long periods of disuse, etc., the end of the second retaining wall 50 opposite the hinge 48 is pinched and pulled up, and the second retaining wall 50 rotates about the hinge 48 to reveal the first retaining wall 32 and the applicator ball 60, as shown in Figure 3(A). Then, the applicator ball 60 can be removed and washed, and the insides of the first retaining wall 32 and the second retaining wall 50 can be washed. Once cleaning is complete, the applicator ball 60 can be stored within the first retaining wall 32 and the second retaining wall 50 can be rotated about the hinge 48 to engage with the first retaining wall 32, allowing the applicator container to be used again.

[0032] The above configuration and operation provide the following effects. The holding case 30, which holds the application ball 60 rotatably, is divided into a first holding wall 32 and a second holding wall 50, and is configured so that the application ball 60 can be inserted and removed with the second holding wall 50 detached from the first holding wall 32. Therefore, after removing the application ball 60, the application ball 60, the first holding wall 32 and the second holding wall 50 can be easily cleaned. Furthermore, since the first retaining wall 32 and the second retaining wall 50 are connected via the hinge 48, the application ball can be more easily removed and the two retaining walls can be cleaned efficiently. Furthermore, since the hinge 48 is disposed within the recessed portion r on the outer peripheral surface of the holding case 30, it is possible to improve the inconvenience of touching the hinge 48 during application work, which impairs the feeling of use.

[0033] Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In these descriptions, explanations of structures that are the same as those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0034] 5 and 6 show an application container according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the structure of the communication port 36 in the configuration of the first embodiment is modified. That is, the extension cylinder portion 35 is extended from the portion of the first holding wall 32 where the communication port 36 is opened, so that the communication port 36 is extended to the lower end of the extension cylinder portion 35 . A leakage control valve V is provided inside the communication port 36. The leakage control valve V has a function of preventing the solution inside the container body 2 from leaking out from the communication port 36 to the outside when the container body 2 is accidentally tilted over with the application ball 60 removed from the first holding wall 32 for the cleaning operation. This reduces the inconvenience of the surrounding area being soiled by the leaked liquid and the cleaning work having to be interrupted to clean up the soiling. When constructing the above-mentioned leakage control valve V, as shown in Figure 5 (B), the support portion 38 protruding from one end of the circumferential surface of the communication port 36 is connected to the base end portion 40a of the valve plate 40, and the tip portion 40b of the valve plate 40 is hooked onto the engaging protrusion 42 protruding from the opposite side of the circumferential surface. When the applicator 20 is molded using a mold, the valve plate 40 is molded in the form shown by imaginary lines in FIG. 5(A), and after molding, the valve plate 40 is pushed up and hooked onto the engaging projection 42.

[0035] In the above-described configuration, when a coating operation is performed, the liquid supplied through the leakage control valve V is applied to the target surface by the rolling of the coating ball 60, as shown in FIG. 6(A). When the liquid has solidified inside the applicator, application ball 60 is removed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. In this case, since the leakage control valve V is provided in the communication port 36 as described above, even if the container body is inverted at the stage where the application ball 60 is removed during the cleaning work, liquid leakage is unlikely to occur, and the cleaning work can be carried out efficiently. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 2: container body 4: body portion 6: neck portion 6a: lower half portion 6b: upper half portion 8: male thread portion 20... Roll-on type applicator 22... Main member 24... Mounting tube 26... Female thread portion 29…Upward step 30...Retaining case 32...Lower retaining wall (first retaining wall) 34...Seal cylinder 35...Extension cylinder part 36...Communication port 38...Support part 40...Valve plate 40a...Base end part 40b...Tip part 42: Engagement protrusion 44: Seal ring 46...Upper end portion (first sealing edge) 48...Hinge 50...Upper retaining wall (second retaining wall) 52: Lower end portion (second sealing groove); 54: Annular rib; 56: Downward step portion; 58: Discharge port 60…Applied ball 62: Cover member 64: Top plate 65: Contact portion (contact tube portion) 66: Cover peripheral wall 68…Female thread D...Inner diameter H...Horizontal surface I...Inner surface I1...First inner surface I2...Second inner surface O: Outer surface r: Recessed portion S: Sealing means T: Target surface U: Upper portion V…Leakage control valve

Claims

1. A coating ball (60); a main member (22) having a holding case (30) for rotatably holding the application ball (60), a discharge port (58) for exposing the upper part U of the application ball (60) to the outside at the upper end of the holding case (30), a communication port (36) for connecting to the mouth and neck part (6) of the container body (2) at the lower end, and an attachment tube (24) for attaching to the mouth and neck part (6) suspended from around the communication port (36); Equipped with The retaining case (30) is divided into a lower retaining wall (32) and an upper retaining wall (50), The upper end portion (46) of the lower retaining wall (32) and the lower end portion (52) of the upper retaining wall (50) are in liquid-tight and detachable contact with each other, In the roll-on type applicator, the application ball (60) can be inserted and removed in a state where the upper retaining wall (50) is detached from the lower retaining wall (32), A roll-on type applicator characterized in that the lower retaining wall (32) and the upper retaining wall (50) are connected via a hinge (48), and the upper surface of the lower retaining wall (32) can be opened and closed by rotating the upper retaining wall (50) around the hinge (48).

2. 2. The roll-on type applicator according to claim 1, wherein the hinge (48) is disposed within a recess (r) formed in the outer circumferential surface of the retaining case (30).

3. 3. The roll-on type applicator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a leakage control valve (V) is provided in said communication port (36).

4. A container body (2) having a mouth and neck portion (6) standing upright; A roll-on type applicator container comprising: a roll-on type applicator (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 attached to the mouth and neck portion (6).

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