Foam dispenser and foam container

Abstract

To provide a foam discharge dispenser capable of suppressing generation of clogging in a foam member even when being left for a long time.SOLUTION: According to a foam discharge dispenser 100 comprising a foam member 40 for foaming a mixed liquid agent obtained by mixing a liquid agent and a gaseous body, the foam member is a mesh whose contact angle to water is 115 to 179°.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a foam dispenser having a foaming member that foams a liquid mixture obtained by mixing a liquid agent and a gas, and a foam container having the foam dispenser. [Background technology]

[0002] In foam-dispensing containers, it is generally known that the foaming means is formed from a mesh so that liquid supplied from inside the liquid cylinder and air supplied from inside the air cylinder are mixed, and the mixed fluid is foamed by passing through the foaming means (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Also known are Patent Document 2, in which the foam member is made of a single porous foam such as urethane foam, and Patent Document 3, in which the foam member is made of nonwoven fabric. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-157822 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4729569 [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2015-227183 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, whether the mesh, urethane foam, nonwoven fabric, etc. shown in Patent Documents 1 to 3 is used as the foam material, if the foam-dispensing container is left in a hot and humid environment for a long period of time, the liquid agent will solidify on the foam material, causing the foam material to become clogged, making it impossible to press the pump and preventing the contents from coming out.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a foam dispenser that can prevent clogging of the foaming member even when left unused for a long period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, in one aspect of the present invention, A foam dispenser having a foaming member that foams a mixed liquid agent obtained by mixing a liquid agent and a gas, and a spray member into which the foaming member is fitted, The injection member is a truncated cone-shaped cylindrical expansion ring whose diameter gradually increases from the upstream side to the downstream side; a cylindrical large-diameter ring connected to the downstream end of the expansion ring and having a diameter larger than that of the downstream end, The foam member is A flow tube; The flow direction of the mixed liquid agent is perpendicular to the axial direction of the flow tube. and a plurality of meshes at different positions, Each mesh of the plurality of meshes has a contact angle with water of 115° to 179°, The flow tube is fitted inside the large diameter ring of the injection member, The mesh openings on the upstream side, close to the expansion ring, are 70 μm or more. 96 In μm, The mesh opening on the downstream side is 30 μm or more. 48 μm To provide a foam dispenser. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect, in a foam dispenser, clogging of the foam member can be suppressed even when the foam dispenser is left unused for a long period of time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall cross-sectional view of a foam dispensing container according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2]Illustrative diagram of the contact angle of a liquid droplet on a solid surface. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the state of a water droplet when measuring the contact angle of a mesh of a comparative example. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing the state of a water droplet when measuring the contact angle of the water-repellent resin mesh and metal mesh of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing foam dispensed from foam dispenser containers of the comparative example and the present invention. [Figure 6] Experimental results on the pressure sensation when the foam dispensing containers of the comparative example and the present invention were left unattended. [Figure 7] 1 is a table showing the dimensions and contact angles of mesh suitable for application to a foam dispensing container according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted as appropriate.

[0011] <Configuration of foam dispenser container> First, the overall configuration of the foam-discharging container of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is an overall view of a foam-discharging container 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the foam-dispensing container 1 is configured to include a container body 900 that stores the liquid agent L at normal pressure, and a foam-dispensing dispenser 100, which is a cap portion that is removably attached to the container body 900.

[0013] The container body (bottle portion) 900 stores the liquid agent L. The container body 900 has a body portion 91, a shoulder portion 92, a mouth portion 93, and a bottom portion 94. The bottom portion 94 closes the lower end of the body portion 91, and the body portion 91 and the bottom portion 94 form a container for the liquid. The shoulder portion 92 is connected to the upper end of the body portion 91. The mouth portion 93 is connected to the inner end of the shoulder portion 92 and has a cylindrical shape with a diameter smaller than that of the body portion 91, and the upper surface of the mouth portion 93 is open.

[0014] The body shape of the container body 900 shown in Figure 1 is an example in which the body 91 is cylindrical, but the shape of the body 91 may be any shape, such as a square tube, a cone, a gourd, or an egg, as long as the mouth 93 is approximately cylindrical.

[0015] The foam dispenser 100 is used by being attached to a container body 900 that stores a liquid agent L. By attaching the foam dispenser 100, which has a pump function, to the container body 900, the foam dispenser 1 functions as a push-type pump container.

[0016] In detail, the foam dispenser 100 comprises a delivery mechanism 10 having a pump function, a gas-liquid mixing section 20, an injection member 30 which is a foam flow path, a foaming member 40 having meshes 41 and 42, a head section 50 including an outlet 51, and a screw cap section 60.

[0017] In the foam dispenser 100, the delivery mechanism 10 delivers the liquid agent L from the container body 900 toward the outlet 51, and the liquid agent L is mixed with the gas in the gas-liquid mixing section 20 to form a coarsely foamed mixed liquid agent M. Then, the delivery force of the delivery mechanism 10 causes the mixed liquid agent M mixed with the gas in the gas-liquid mixing section 20 to pass through the spray member 30 and flow toward the outlet 51 of the head section 50. At this time, the foaming member 40 foams the mixed liquid M finely and uniformly inside the spray member 30. Furthermore, the delivery force of the delivery mechanism 10 causes the foamed liquid agent F to flow inside the head section 50, and the foamed liquid agent F is discharged from the outlet 51.

[0018] The delivery mechanism 10 has a function of pumping the liquid agent and the gas, and when the head part 50 is pressed down, the liquid agent L is sucked from the container body 900 toward the discharge port 51 (flow path) and delivered. During this delivery period, the foam delivery dispenser 100 foams the liquid agent and delivers the foamed liquid agent.

[0019] In this specification, the non-foam liquid liquid stored in the container body 900 will be referred to as L, the liquid after gas-liquid mixing as M, and the foam liquid after the foam flow path as F (foam), and each will be described separately.

[0020] The head unit 50, which is provided above the foam dispenser 100, has a discharge nozzle 52 having a discharge port 51 formed therein, an operation receiving unit 53, a flow tube 54, and an outer tube 55. The operation receiving unit 53 is on the upper surface of the head unit 50 and receives a pressing operation when the user comes into contact with it to discharge foam. The flow tube 54 and the outer tube 55 are cylindrical (circular tubular) members that hang down from the operation receiving unit 53 and extend in the vertical direction. In this configuration example, the flow tube 54, which is the inner tube, extends downward further than the outer tube 55.

[0021] Additionally, the injection member 30, which is a cylindrical foam flow path, is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the flow pipe 54. The injection member 30 has a cylindrical shape with its axial direction extending vertically and its upper and lower parts having different shapes. The injection member 30 is composed of an expansion ring 32 whose diameter gradually increases from the upstream side (lower side) to the outer flow side (upper side), and a large-diameter ring 31 connected to the downstream end of the expansion ring 32 and having a larger diameter than the downstream end. The outer periphery of the large-diameter ring 31 of the injection member 30 is fitted into the inner peripheral surface of the flow pipe 54 of the head portion 50.

[0022] A foam member 40 having an upstream mesh 41, a downstream mesh 42, and a flow cylinder 43 is fitted inside the injection member 30. The meshes 41, 42 are stretched so as to be perpendicular to the axial direction of the flow cylinder 43. The meshes 41, 42 are adhered to the flow cylinder 43, and for example, the flow cylinder 43 may be divided into two parts, an upper part and an lower part, and attached to the injection member 30 so as to be adhered to the meshes 41, 42, respectively.

[0023] Furthermore, the screw cap part 60 is attached to the mouth part 93 of the container body 90 in the foam dispenser 100. More specifically, the screw cap part 60 includes an attachment part 61, a cap shoulder part 62, and an upright tubular part 63. The attachment part 61 is cylindrical, and is detachably attached to the mouth part 93 of the container body 900 by screwing or the like.

[0024] Furthermore, when assembling the foam dispenser 100, the head portion 50 is engaged with the screw cap portion 60 so that the flow tube 54 and outer tube 55 of the head portion 50 sandwich the upright tube portion 63 of the screw cap portion 60 from the inside and outside.

[0025] Furthermore, when attaching the foam dispensing dispenser 100 to the container body 900, the mounting portion 61 of the screw cap portion 60 is attached to the mouth portion 93 of the container body 900, so that the entire foam dispensing dispenser 100 is attached to the mouth portion 93, and the opening of the container body 900 is closed by the foam dispensing dispenser 100.

[0026] The foam dispenser 100 has a liquid pump function and a gas pump function by means of a delivery mechanism 10 that operates in conjunction with the pressing operation of the head portion 50.

[0027] Next, we will explain the detailed configuration of the delivery mechanism 10. In the foam dispenser 100, the delivery mechanism 10 includes a cylinder portion 110, a piston guide 120, a liquid piston 130, a poppet 140, a gas piston 150, and a ball valve 160.

[0028] The cylinder part 110 is fixed to the screw cap part 60, and liquid is injected into one part, while gas is temporarily stored in the other part. More specifically, the cylinder part 110 is integrally formed with an air cylinder part 111, an annular connecting part 113, and a liquid cylinder part 114.

[0029] The air cylinder 111 has its upper end fixed to the underside of the cap shoulder 62 of the screw cap 60, and extends in the vertical direction. The interior space of the container body 900 is sealed except for the air valve 170, so that the foam dispenser 100 remains closed relative to the container body 900. A horizontal hole 112 is formed in the side wall of the air cylinder 111.

[0030] The liquid cylinder 114 is a cylindrical suction nozzle that sucks the liquid agent L from the container body 900, and extends in the vertical direction. The liquid cylinder 114 is composed of a small diameter portion at the tip, a large diameter portion on the upper side, and a diameter-reducing portion 115 that connects the small diameter portion and the large diameter portion. The inflow and stop of the liquid are controlled by the contact and separation between the inner tapered surface of the diameter-reducing portion 115 and the valve 141 of the poppet 140.

[0031] The annular connecting portion 113 is the inner bottom portion of the cylinder portion 110, and is a portion that connects the lower end of the air cylinder portion 111 and the upper end of the liquid cylinder portion 114. The liquid cylinder portion 114 hangs down from the inner peripheral edge of the annular connecting portion 113.

[0032] The piston guide 120 is a cylindrical member that extends vertically at the center, and has a cylindrical upright portion 121 and an annular upright portion 122 integrally formed at its upper end. The lower end of the piston guide 120 is located on the inner periphery near the upper end of the liquid cylinder portion 114. Furthermore, the outer periphery of the piston guide 120 is provided with a guide protrusion 123 whose upper surface comes into contact with the lower end of the inner periphery wall 152 of the gas piston 150 when the piston guide 120 is left standing.

[0033] A cylindrical upright portion 121 at the upper end of the piston guide 120 is fitted into the periphery of the lower end of the flow pipe 54 of the head portion 50, and its vertical position is fixed relative to the flow pipe 54.

[0034] The liquid piston 130 is inserted into the inner periphery of the piston guide 120 and is fixed to the lower end of the piston guide 120 so as to protrude downward from the piston guide 120. Therefore, the head portion 50, piston guide 120, and liquid piston 130 move up and down integrally with respect to the liquid cylinder portion 114. The lower end of the liquid piston 130 and the liquid cylinder portion 114 are in close contact with each other, ensuring airtightness at all times.

[0035] The poppet 140 is a rod-shaped member that extends vertically, and is inserted from the inside of the piston guide 120 to the inside of the liquid cylinder portion 114, while passing through the liquid piston 130. The poppet 140 is movable up and down relative to the liquid piston 130 and the piston guide 120, and is also movable up and down relative to the liquid cylinder portion 114. One end (lower end) of the poppet 140 is a valve 141 that is larger in diameter than the central shaft portion, and the other end (upper end) is provided with an expanded diameter portion whose diameter expands toward the outer periphery of the cylinder, or a protrusion that protrudes toward the outer periphery.

[0036] A spring 180, which is a coil spring that adjusts the force in the vertical direction, is provided to surround the lower half of the shaft portion of the poppet 140 other than the valve 141.

[0037] Here, gas piston 150 is disposed between the outer periphery of piston guide 120 and the inner wall around the upper end of air cylinder portion 111. The outer periphery of gas piston 150 is a widened slide outer end wall 151 that is in tight contact with air cylinder portion 111, and an inner periphery wall 152 on the inner periphery side is widened and fitted onto piston guide 120 in a loosely inserted state that allows relative vertical movement. In a stationary state, slide outer end wall 151 closes lateral hole 112 of air cylinder portion 111. An upper hole 153 is formed near inner periphery wall 152 of gas piston 150.

[0038] In addition, an air valve 170 is provided on the outside of inner peripheral wall 152 of gas piston 150. When left stationary, gas is stored in the space surrounded by the lower surface of air valve 170, the lower surface of gas piston 150, air cylinder portion 111, and annular connecting portion 113.

[0039] A ball valve 160 is provided on the inner periphery of the cylindrical upright portion 121 at the upper end of the piston guide 120, above the annular upright portion 122. The ball valve 160 opens and closes the upper end of the annular upright portion 122. In the foam discharge dispenser 100, the outer peripheral surface of the expansion ring 32 on the lower side of the spray member 30 attached to the head portion 50 is fitted inside the cylindrical upright portion 121 at the upper end of the piston guide 120.

[0040] Here, the gas-liquid mixing section 20 is, for example, the inner space around the ball valve 160 and surrounded by the cylindrical upright section 121.

[0041] The liquid agent M mixed with the gas in the gas-liquid mixing section 20 passes through the injection member 30 and meshes 41 and 42 attached to the head section 50, whereby it is further foamed into finer bubbles.

[0042] Specifically, in the foaming member 40 having two meshes 41, 42 provided inside, the upstream mesh (first mesh) 41 foams the mixed liquid M, and the downstream mesh (second mesh) 42 refines the foam to generate the discharged foam F. Therefore, it is preferable that the opening of the downstream mesh 42 is finer than the opening of the upstream mesh 41.

[0043] In this way, when the liquid agent L passes through the piston guide 120 and flows inside the flow pipe 54 of the head portion 50, the liquid agent F, which has been foamed by the meshes 41, 42 contained in the injection member 30, flows upward within the inner circumference of the upper part of the flow pipe 54 of the head portion 50, and then flows along the discharge nozzle 52 extending laterally to be discharged from the discharge port 51.

[0044] (Liquid and gas flow) Here, the flow of liquid and gas will be outlined.

[0045] (Stationary State) In a stationary state where the head portion 50 is not depressed and is on standby, the sucked-up liquid is sealed and held by the ball valve 160 at the upper end of the annular upright portion 122 of the piston guide 120. Furthermore, the air valve 170 and the gas piston 150 are in contact with each other, maintaining an airtight state. Meanwhile, the lower end surface of the valve 141 at the lower end of the poppet 140 opens the inner tapered surface of the reduced diameter portion 115 of the liquid cylinder portion 114.

[0046] (Pushing down) While the head portion 50 is being pushed down, the piston guide 120 is pushed down in conjunction with the downward movement of the head portion 50, and the inner rib provided on the upper inner circumference of the piston guide 120 pushes down the protrusion around the upper end of the poppet 140, causing the valve 141 at the lower end of the poppet 140 to seal the inner tapered surface of the reduced diameter portion 115 at the lower end of the liquid cylinder portion 114.

[0047] Furthermore, by pushing down the head portion 50, the upper hole 153 remains closed by the air valve 170, and the upper surface of the guide protrusion 123 moves away from the lower end of the inner wall 152 of the gas piston 150, causing the gas stored in the air cylinder portion 111 to be pushed out between the outer periphery of the piston guide 120 and the inner periphery of the inner wall 152.

[0048] The pushed-out air mixes with the liquid in the gas-liquid mixing section 20 near the ball valve 160 to form a mixed liquid M, which is foamed. Immediately after that, the mixture of liquid and air passes through the small diameter of the injection member 30, which is the foam flow path, and is jet-ejected, hitting the meshes 41 and 42 to regulate the foam, and is discharged as foam F.

[0049] (Push-back) After being pushed down, the head part 50 automatically returns upward due to the restoring force of the spring 180 surrounding the poppet 140. At this time, the ball seal formed by the upper ball valve 160 closes, and the poppet seal formed by the poppet 140 at the bottom opens, allowing the liquid to be sucked up.

[0050] During this push back, as the pressure in the air cylinder portion 111 decreases, the air valve 170 moves away from the gas piston 150 and opens, allowing air to be supplied into the air cylinder portion 111 through the upper hole 153.

[0051] Also, when pushing down and pushing back, while the head portion 50 is moving from a stationary state by more than a predetermined height (for example, several mm), the slide outer end wall 151 opens the lateral hole 112 of the air cylinder portion 111, and air is supplied to the container body 900 from the lateral hole 112.

[0052] While the above describes an example in which the liquid and gas are sucked up, mixed, and extruded by the manual pump delivery mechanism 10, the foam-dispensing container of the present invention is not limited to this example and may be an electric dispenser that uses an electric pump to pump the liquid L and gas, mix them, and foam them up before discharging them. Alternatively, the foam-dispensing container may be a squeeze bottle that is configured to dispense foam when the container body is squeezed.

[0053] Here, in Figure 1, in explaining the configuration of the container body 900 and the foam-dispensing dispenser 100, the downward direction is described as the upstream side and the upward direction is described as the downstream side, but these directions do not limit the orientation of the container body 900 and the foam-dispensing dispenser 100 during manufacture and use, and the foam-dispensing container 1 may be used by positioning it facing downward or sideways.

[0054] However, if a typical foam dispenser container is left in a hot and humid environment for a long period of time, the contents can solidify, causing the mesh to become clogged, resulting in the contents not coming out even when the head is pushed.

[0055] <Selection of foaming method> Therefore, various materials have been proposed for the foaming means of foam-dispensing containers equipped with foaming means, but the inventor focused on the contact angle of the surface of the mesh that makes up the foaming member as a way to prevent solidification of the foaming member without making major design changes.

[0056] Here, the contact angle (θ) quantifies the degree of wetting and is defined as "the angle between the liquid surface and the solid surface (the angle inside the liquid) where the free surface of a stationary liquid comes into contact with a solid wall."

[0057] When a drop of liquid is dropped onto a solid surface, the liquid becomes round due to its own surface tension, and the angle θ between the tangent of the drop and the solid surface, as shown in Figure 2, is the "contact angle."

[0058] As shown in Figure 2(a), the closer the liquid is to a sphere (round) when it comes into contact with a solid surface, the larger the contact angle and the less likely it is to wet. As shown in Figure 2(b), the flatter the liquid is when it comes into contact with a solid surface, the smaller the contact angle and the more likely it is to wet.

[0059] As a comparative example, the contact angle was measured in a configuration using a general nylon mesh, which is known to become clogged when left for a long period of time.

[0060] The state of the water droplets when the contact angle of the mesh of the comparative example was measured is shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, (a) shows the mesh on the upstream side, and (b) shows the mesh on the downstream side.

[0061] The structure of the mesh used in the comparative example and the measurement results of the contact angle are shown in Table 1. In the contact angle measurement test, a 2 μl droplet of water was dropped, and an image was taken using a DropMaster 501 manufactured by Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd. one second after the droplet landed, and the contact angle was calculated using the company's analysis software "FAMAS (interFAce Measurement & Analysis System)." The value is the average of five photographs and calculation results.

[0062] [Table 1]

[0063] As a comparative example, as an example of meshes having the dimensions shown in Table 1 above, upstream mesh 41 and downstream mesh 42 were made of nylon meshes that are commonly used in commercial products.

[0064] And to increase the contact angle of the mesh (1) Use a water-repellent resin mesh. (2) Use of metal mesh; We considered the following.

[0065] The meshes used were the same or similar in size to prevent deterioration of the fineness of the bubbles. The contact angles were measured for the two meshes examined: (1) a water-repellent resin mesh and (2) a metal mesh.

[0066] Figure 4 shows the state of a water droplet when the contact angle of the mesh of the present invention was measured. In Figure 4, (a) shows the state of a water droplet on the water-repellent upstream mesh, (b) shows the water-repellent downstream mesh, (c) shows the state of a water droplet on the metal upstream mesh, and (d) shows the state of a water droplet on the metal downstream mesh.

[0067] The configurations of the meshes used in the comparative example and the present invention, and the results of contact angle measurement, are shown in Table 2. In this contact angle measurement test, a 2 μl drop of water was dropped, and an image was taken using a DropMaster 501 manufactured by Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd., one second after the drop landed, and the contact angle was calculated using the company's analysis software FAMAS. The average value is the result of five photographs and calculations.

[0068] [Table 2]

[0069] In addition, a polyester mesh that has been treated with a water-repellent finish was used as an example of a water-repellent resin mesh for the measurement, and the dimensions of the upstream mesh 41 and downstream mesh 42 are as shown in the table. In addition, SUS (stainless steel) was used as an example of a metal mesh for the measurement, and the dimensions of the upstream mesh 41 and downstream mesh 42 are as shown in the table.

[0070] Referring to Table 2, it can be seen that the water-repellent resin mesh and metal mesh examined this time have a larger contact angle than the existing mesh according to the comparative example.

[0071] In the above example, the "water-repellent mesh" was achieved by applying a water-repellent finish to common materials (for example, resins such as nylon or polyester) using wet methods such as spray coating or dipping, or by applying an organic material (silicone) or an inorganic material (fluorine) using a dry method such as a vacuum deposition device, or by using shrinkable plastic with a finely wrinkled surface on a fluorine-treated resin.

[0072] However, if a material with high water repellency is used as a resin alone, water repellency processing is not necessary. An example of a material with high water repellency as a resin alone is a fluororesin such as Teflon (registered trademark). Examples of highly water repellent fluororesins include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), and tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer resin (ETFE).

[0073] <Foam quality produced by the foaming means of the present invention> Photographs of foam dispensed from a foam dispenser are shown in Figure 5. Figure 5(a) shows the foam dispensed from a foam dispenser using a comparative nylon mesh, Figure 5(b) shows the foam dispensed from a foam dispenser using a water-repellent resin mesh, and Figure 5(c) shows the foam dispensed from a foam dispenser using a metal mesh.

[0074] Comparing Figures 5(a), 5(b), and 5(c), it can be seen that there is almost no difference in the quality of the foam, and that all are sufficiently foamed.

[0075] <Liquid composition> In this embodiment, the liquid L has a higher viscosity than water. The viscosity of the liquid L before being mixed with air to form bubbles is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 1 mPa·s or more and 200 mPa·s or less at 20°C as measured with a Brookfield viscometer, and is more preferably 2 mPa·s or more and 100 mPa·s or less.

[0076] In this embodiment, examples of the liquid agent 101 include various types of foam-like agents, such as hand soap, facial cleanser, cleansing agent, body soap, dishwashing detergent, hair styling product, shaving cream, skin cosmetics such as foundation and serum, hair dye, and disinfectant.

[0077] Here, in the liquid dispensing container of the present invention, when the liquid used is a skin cleanser such as hand soap, facial cleanser, cleansing agent, or body soap, The composition of the skin cleanser is: (A) Water (B) a surfactant, and (C) Foam quality improver It is known to contain

[0078] Here, the surfactant (B) is one or more selected from nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, and amphoteric surfactants.

[0079] The nonionic surfactant can be appropriately selected from compounds generally used as nonionic surfactants, and examples thereof include polyoxyalkylene-added nonionic surfactants, mono- or diethanolamide-based nonionic surfactants, sugar-based nonionic surfactants, and glycerin-based nonionic surfactants.

[0080] The anionic surfactant can be appropriately selected from compounds generally used as anionic surfactants, and examples thereof include carboxylate types such as fatty acid soaps, N-acyl glutamates, and alkyl ether acetates; sulfonic acid types such as α-olefin sulfonates, alkanesulfonates, and alkylbenzenesulfonic acids; sulfate ester types such as higher alcohol sulfates; and phosphate ester types.

[0081] The cationic surfactant can be appropriately selected from compounds generally used as cationic surfactants, and examples thereof include aliphatic amine salts, alkyl quaternary ammonium salts, aromatic quaternary ammonium salts, pyridinium salts, and imidazolinium salts.

[0082] The amphoteric surfactant can be appropriately selected from compounds generally used as amphoteric surfactants, and examples thereof include carbobetaine-type amphoteric surfactants such as alkylbetaine and alkylamidobetaine, sulfobetaine-type amphoteric surfactants such as alkylsulfobetaine and alkylhydroxysulfobetaine, phosphobetaine-type amphoteric surfactants, imidazoline-type amphoteric surfactants, and amide amino acid salts.

[0083] Examples of alkyl betaines include lauryl dimethylaminoacetic acid betaine. Examples of alkyl amide betaines include coconut oil fatty acid amide propyl betaine. Examples of alkyl sulfobetaines include coconut oil fatty acid dimethyl sulfopropyl betaine. Examples of alkyl hydroxy sulfobetaines include lauryl dimethylamino hydroxy sulfobetaine. Examples of phosphobetaine-type amphoteric surfactants include lauryl hydroxyphosphobetaine. Examples of imidazoline-type amphoteric surfactants include coconut oil alkyl-N-hydroxyethyl imidazolinium betaine.

[0084] The foam quality improver (C) can be appropriately selected from compounds generally used to improve foam quality with excellent durability or elasticity, such as dimethyldiallylammonium chloride-acrylamide copolymer, polyoxyethylene methyl glucoside, polyethylene glycol, etc.

[0085] Commercially available dimethyldiallylammonium chloride-acrylamide copolymers can be used, and specific examples thereof include Merquat 550PR (dimethyldiallylammonium chloride:acrylamide = 30:70 (molar ratio), weight average molecular weight 1.6 million, manufactured by Lubrizol), Merquat 3330PR (acrylic acid:dimethyldiallylammonium chloride:acrylamide = 34:31:35 (molar ratio), weight average molecular weight 1.5 million, manufactured by Lubrizol), Merquat 740 (dimethyldiallylammonium chloride:acrylamide = 24:76 ( Examples include Merquat 2003PR (acrylic acid:dimethyldiallylammonium chloride:acrylamide=10:40:50 (molar ratio), weight average molecular weight of 120,000, manufactured by Lubrizol), Marquat 2003PR (acrylic acid:dimethyldiallylammonium chloride:acrylamide=10:40:50 (molar ratio), weight average molecular weight of 1,200,000, manufactured by Lubrizol), Marquat 280 (acrylic acid:dimethyldiallylammonium chloride=35:65 (molar ratio), weight average molecular weight of 450,000, manufactured by Lubrizol), and Marquat 295 (acrylic acid:dimethyldiallylammonium chloride=5:95 (molar ratio), weight average molecular weight of 190,000, manufactured by Lubrizol).

[0086] Alkoxylated methyl glucosides include, for example, methyl gluceth-10, methyl gluceth-20, PPG-10 methyl glucose ether, and PPG-20 methyl glucose ether (available from Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc. under the trade names Glucam® E10, Glucam® E20, Glucam® P10, and Glucam® P20, respectively); hydrophobically modified alkoxylated methyl glucosides include, for example, PEG 120 methyl glucose dioleate, PEG-120 methyl glucose trioleate, and PEG-20 methyl glucose sesquistearate (available from Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc. under the trade names Glucamate® DOE-120, Glucamate™ LT, and Glucamate™ SSE-20, respectively); and mixtures thereof.

[0087] Examples of polyethylene glycol include PEG-20000 (weight average molecular weight 20,000, manufactured by NOF Corporation).

[0088] These foam quality improvers increase the viscosity of the individual bubbles when the liquid agent film expands on the mesh, so if the head part 50 is pushed and the mixed liquid agent, which is a mixture of liquid agent and gas, passes through the meshes 41 and 42 and remains on the meshes 41 and 42, it will cause the liquid agent to solidify. However, since they are used to improve the foam quality when foaming, it is necessary to mix in a small amount.

[0089] The skin cleanser may also contain moisturizers and other ingredients. The moisturizer can be selected from those typically incorporated into cosmetics and the like, and is not particularly limited. Examples include polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and sorbitol. The other components are not particularly limited as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention, and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. Examples of the other components include viscosity adjusters, solvents, pH adjusters, vitamins, amino acids, anti-inflammatory agents, ultraviolet absorbers, cooling agents, antioxidants, colorants, fragrances, antiperspirants, disinfectants, deodorants, preservatives, clathrate compounds, and water-insoluble powders (inorganic powders, organic powders, etc.).

[0090] <Observation of changes over time> Here, the skin cleansing agents shown in Table 3 were used as liquid preparation L, and the following experiment was carried out to observe the changes over time.

[0091] [Table 3]

[0092] To test for changes over time, the same skin cleansing liquid was added as a liquid agent, and 10 foam-discharging containers (N=10) each using the nylon mesh of the comparative example shown in Table 1, the water-repellent resin mesh shown in Table 2, and a metal mesh (mesh made of metal) were prepared.These containers were left in a 50°C environment, and then removed from the container at room temperature every week.The head part 50 was pressed five times, and the pressure sensation was measured.

[0093] Figure 6 shows the experimental results of pressure sensation when the comparative example and the foam dispenser of the present invention were left unattended. In the table of Figure 6, ◯ indicates an acceptable result, and × indicates an "abnormal" result. In this experiment, "abnormal" indicates that the pressure on the head part 50 became heavy (hard). When the pressure on the head part 50 becomes heavy, the dispensed foam becomes watery or a large amount of coarse foam is mixed in.

[0094] Figure 6 shows that the foam-dispensing container using the water-repellent mesh and metal mesh of the present invention is less likely to experience changes in pressure sensation when left unused for a long period of time than the foam-dispensing container using the mesh of the comparative example.

[0095] FIG. 7 shows the dimensions and contact angles of meshes suitable for application to the foam dispensing container of the present invention.

[0096] In the above experiment, the meshes used in the present invention had contact angles of 129.27° for the upstream mesh and 131.45° for the downstream mesh of the water-repellent mesh, and 119.43° for the upstream mesh and 119.795° for the downstream mesh of the metal mesh, but as shown in Figure 7, the mesh used in the foam-discharging container of the present invention preferably has a contact angle with water of 115° to 179°. Even more preferably, the contact angle is 118° to 175°, which is 5° or more larger than the contact angle of ordinary mesh and is more likely to be realized.

[0097] In the above experiment, an example of an upstream mesh with openings of 96 μm (water-repellent) and 77 μm (metal) was used, but in the present invention, the openings of the upstream mesh may be 70 μm to 300 μm.

[0098] Furthermore, although an example of the downstream mesh used herein has openings of 48 μm (water-repellent) and 45 μm (metal), in the present invention the openings of the downstream mesh may be 30 μm to 80 μm.

[0099] The wire diameter and opening area are as shown in the table in Figure 7. Although the foam member has been described as having two meshes, with different types of mesh applied to the upstream and downstream sides in the flow direction of the mixed liquid, the type of mesh may be the same on the upstream and downstream sides.

[0100] Furthermore, the number of meshes used as the foam member may be 1, or may be 3 or more. When the number of meshes is 1, it is preferable that the mesh openings are 30 μm to 300 μm.

[0101] By using a mesh with such dimensions and contact angle, clogging of the foaming material can be suppressed even when the foam-dispensing container is left unused for a long period of time.

[0102] In Figure 7, an example of a water-repellent resin mesh is shown in which mesh has been treated with a water-repellent treatment such as silicone or fluorine to increase the water repellency to 115° or more. However, if the material is a fluorine resin that has water repellency in itself, it can be included in the mesh of the present invention even if the surface is not treated.

[0103] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 1 Foam dispensing container 10 Delivery mechanism 20 Gas-liquid mixing section 30 Injection member 40 Foam material 41 Upstream mesh (first mesh) 42 Downstream mesh (second mesh) 50 Head 51 Discharge port 52 Discharge nozzle 53 Operation receiver 54 Flow tube 55 outer cylinder 60 Screw cap 100 Foam dispenser 110 Cylinder section 111 Air cylinder part 112 Opening 114 Liquid cylinder part 115 Reduced diameter part 120 Piston guide 130 Liquid Piston 140 Poppet 150 Gas Piston 160 Ball Valve 170 Air valve 900 Container body F Foamed liquid L Liquid solution M mixed liquid

Claims

1. A foam dispenser having a foaming member that foams a mixed liquid agent obtained by mixing a liquid agent and a gas, and a spray member into which the foaming member is fitted, The injection member is a truncated cone-shaped cylindrical expansion ring whose diameter gradually increases from the upstream side to the downstream side; a cylindrical large-diameter ring connected to the downstream end of the expansion ring and having a diameter larger than that of the downstream end, The foam member is A flow tube; a plurality of meshes stretched perpendicular to the axial direction of the flow tube and positioned at different positions in the flow direction of the mixed liquid; Each mesh of the plurality of meshes has a contact angle with water of 115° to 179°, The flow tube is fitted inside the large diameter ring of the injection member, The mesh size of the upstream mesh, which is close to the expansion ring, is 70 μm to 96 μm. The opening of the downstream mesh is 30 μm to 48 μm. Foam dispenser.

2. Each mesh of the plurality of meshes has a contact angle with water of 118° to 175°, Water-repellent mesh 10. The foam dispensing dispenser of claim 1.

3. The surface of the water-repellent mesh is silicone-treated or fluorine-treated.

3. The foam dispensing dispenser of claim 2.

4. The material of the water-repellent mesh is resin. The foam dispenser according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The resin of the mesh to be water-repellent is nylon or polyester.

5. The foam dispenser of claim 4.

6. Each of the plurality of meshes is a fluororesin mesh.

10. The foam dispensing dispenser of claim 1.

7. The fluororesin mesh is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), or tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer resin (ETFE).

7. The foam dispenser of claim 6.

8. Each mesh of the plurality of meshes is a metal mesh.

10. The foam dispensing dispenser of claim 1.

9. The metal mesh is stainless steel 9. The foam dispensing dispenser of claim 8.

10. The foam dispenser is a gas-liquid mixing section in which the liquid agent and the gas are mixed; a flow pipe through which the mixed liquid agent mixed with the gas in the gas-liquid mixing section flows downstream from the gas-liquid mixing section; a discharge nozzle connected to an outlet of the flow pipe for discharging the foamed liquid; a delivery mechanism that delivers the liquid agent from a container body that stores the liquid agent toward an inlet of the discharge nozzle, The injection member is provided within the flow pipe.

10. A foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 10; a container body that stores the liquid agent; Foam dispensing container.

12. The liquid contains a surfactant. The foam dispensing container according to claim 11.

13. The surfactant contains a foam quality improver. The foam dispensing container according to claim 12.

14. The foam quality improver is a dimethyldiallylammonium chloride-acrylamide copolymer, polyoxyethylene methyl glucoside, or polyethylene glycol. The foam dispensing container according to claim 13.

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