Discharge member

Abstract

To secure sealability between a sliding contact face of a discharge cylinder and an opening peripheral edge part of a communication hole of a body cylinder.SOLUTION: A discharge member comprises: a body cylinder 11 and a discharge cylinder 12. A base end part of the discharge cylinder is formed with a sliding contact face 14 that extends in a circumferential direction and that is brought into sliding contact with the body cylinder during rotational movement of the discharge cylinder. The body cylinder is formed with communication hole 15 open toward the sliding contact face. An introduction hole 16 communicating with a discharge hole 13 and communicable with the communication hole, is opened on the sliding contact face. The discharge cylinder is rotatably provided at between a discharge position where the introduction hole communicates with the communication hole and a blocking position where communication between the introduction hole and the communication hole is blocked in a state that the sliding contact face is of coming in liquid-tight contact with an opening peripheral edge part of the communication hole of the body cylinder. The sliding contact face comprises a blocking seal part 21 that comes into liquid-tight contact with the opening peripheral edge part of the communication hole of the body cylinder when the discharge cylinder is located at the blocking position, and a thinned part 23 is formed at a portion located between a rotational axis line O2 and the blocking seal part on an end face of the base end part of the discharge cylinder.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a discharge member. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as a discharge member comprising a main body tube that is attached to the mouth of a container body that contains contents, and a discharge tube that has a discharge hole formed at its tip and a base end that is supported on the main body tube so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis that extends in one direction, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, a configuration has been known in which the base end of the discharge tube is formed with a sliding surface that extends circumferentially around the rotation axis when viewed from the one direction and that comes into sliding contact with the main body tube when the discharge tube rotates about the rotation axis, the main body tube is formed with a communicating hole that opens toward the sliding surface, and an introduction hole that communicates with the discharge hole and can communicate with the communicating hole is opened in the sliding surface, and the discharge tube is arranged to be rotatable around the rotation axis between a discharge position in which the introduction hole and the communicating hole are connected and a blocking position in which communication between the introduction hole and the communicating hole is blocked, with the sliding surface abutting liquid-tightly against the opening peripheral edge of the communicating hole in the main body tube. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 62-125749 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there is a problem in that it is difficult to ensure a seal between the sliding contact surface of the discharge cylinder and the periphery of the opening of the communication hole in the main cylinder.

[0005] The present invention provides a discharge member that can ensure sealing between the sliding contact surface of the discharge cylinder and the opening periphery of the communication hole in the main cylinder. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A discharge member according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a main body tube, and a discharge tube having a discharge hole formed at a tip end thereof and a base end thereof supported rotatably about a rotation axis extending in one direction on the main body tube, wherein the base end of the discharge tube is formed with a sliding surface which extends in a circumferential direction around the rotation axis when viewed from the one direction and which comes into sliding contact with the main body tube when the discharge tube rotates about the rotation axis, the main body tube is formed with a communication hole which opens toward the sliding surface, and an introduction hole which communicates with the discharge hole and can communicate with the communication hole opens in the sliding surface, and the discharge tube is configured such that the sliding surface is in contact with the connecting hole of the main body tube. The discharge tube is rotatable around the rotation axis between a discharge position in which the introduction hole and the communication hole are connected while being in liquid-tight contact with the opening peripheral portion of the through hole, and a blocking position in which the communication between the introduction hole and the communication hole is blocked, and the sliding surface has a blocking seal portion that is in liquid-tight contact with the opening peripheral portion of the communication hole in the main tube when the discharge tube is in the blocking position, and a hollowed-out portion that is recessed in the one direction or that penetrates in the one direction is formed in the portion of the end face of the base end of the discharge tube facing the one direction that is located between the rotation axis and the blocking seal portion when viewed from the one direction.

[0007] Since a lightening portion is formed in the end face of the base end of the discharge tube in a portion located between the rotation axis and the isolation seal portion when viewed from the one direction, the portion of the base end of the discharge tube where the isolation seal portion is located and the portion adjacent to this portion in the circumferential direction can be prevented from thermally shrinking after injection molding. This makes it possible to mold the sliding surface with precision and ensures a seal between the sliding surface and the opening periphery of the communication hole in the main body tube.

[0008] A portion of the base end of the discharge tube that is located between the sliding surface and the hollowed-out portion when viewed from the one direction may be formed to be elastically deformable in a radial direction that intersects with the rotation axis when viewed from the one direction.

[0009] The portion of the base end of the discharge tube that is located between the sliding surface and the hollowed-out portion when viewed from the one direction is formed so that it can elastically deform in the radial direction.Therefore, when the discharge tube is positioned in the blocking position, it is possible to elastically press the blocking seal portion against the opening periphery of the communicating hole in the main tube, thereby reliably ensuring sealing between the blocking seal portion and the opening periphery of the communicating hole in the main tube.

[0010] A recess is formed in the main body tube to accommodate at least the base end of the discharge tube, and the recess is defined by a pair of side surfaces facing each other in the one direction and a bottom surface that connects the pair of side surfaces in the one direction and has the communicating hole opening into it, and a cylindrical shaft portion that protrudes in the one direction is formed at the base end of the discharge tube, and a bearing hole into which the shaft portion is rotatably fitted is formed in the side surface, and the bearing hole may be an elongated hole that is long in the direction in which the communicating hole opens when viewed from the one direction.

[0011] Since the bearing hole is an elongated hole that is long in the direction in which the communicating hole opens when viewed from the one direction, when the discharge tube is assembled to the main tube, the discharge tube is positioned in the blocking position when the assembly is complete, and the shaft portion is slid against the side of the recess while the discharge tube is pushed toward the bottom of the recess, and the blocking seal portion is elastically pressed against the opening peripheral edge of the communicating hole in the main tube.The shaft portion that has reached the bearing hole will also move within the bearing hole toward the bottom of the recess when viewed from the one direction, and the entire shaft portion can be easily and reliably inserted into the bearing hole.

[0012] The discharge tube extends in the vertical direction when positioned at the blocking position, and extends in the front-to-rear direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the one direction when positioned at the discharge position, the communicating hole extends in the front-to-rear direction, the sliding surface has a discharge seal portion that abuts liquid-tightly against the opening peripheral portion of the communicating hole in the main tube when the discharge tube is positioned at the discharge position, and the circumferential end of the hollowed-out portion may be located between the part of the discharge seal portion that is located at the lower end when the discharge tube is positioned at the discharge position and the rotation axis, when viewed from the one direction.

[0013] When the discharge tube is positioned at the blocking position, it extends in the vertical direction, and when positioned at the discharge position, it extends in the front-to-rear direction, the communicating hole extends in the front-to-rear direction, and the circumferential end of the hollowed-out portion is located, when viewed from the one direction, between the part of the discharge seal portion that is located at the lower end when the discharge tube is positioned at the discharge position and the rotation axis. Therefore, the portion of the discharge seal portion that is located at the lower end when the discharge tube is in the discharge position is radially adjacent to the circumferential end of the hollowed-out portion, making it possible to mold this portion of the discharge seal portion with high precision while making it less susceptible to thermal shrinkage after injection molding, and reliably preventing the contents from leaking downward from between the lower end of the discharge seal portion and the opening periphery of the communicating hole in the main tube when the discharge tube is in the discharge position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to ensure a seal between the sliding contact surface of the discharge cylinder and the opening periphery of the communication hole in the main cylinder. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a discharge member shown as an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the discharge cylinder is located at a discharge position in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, a discharge member according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1, the discharge member 1 according to this embodiment includes a main body tube 11 and a discharge tube 12. The main body tube 11 and the discharge tube 12 are formed by injection molding. The cylindrical main body 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a top wall 11a and a peripheral wall 11b. The side of the cylindrical main body 11 facing the top wall 11a along the central axis O1 is referred to as the upper side, and the opposite side is referred to as the lower side. The direction along the central axis O1 is referred to as the up-down direction.

[0017] In the illustrated example, the cylindrical main body 11 is attached to a dispenser 50 which is attached to the mouth W1 of the container body W containing the contents. Alternatively, the discharge member 1 may be a cap in which the cylindrical main body 11 is directly attached to the mouth W1 of the container body W and the contents in the container body W are directly dispensed from a discharge hole 13 (described later) without going through the dispenser 50. The dispenser 50 comprises a stem 51 that is biased upward and can move downward, a piston 52 that is connected to the up and down movement of the stem 51, a cylinder 53 into which the piston 52 is fitted so that it can slide up and down, and an attachment cap 54 that fixes the cylinder 53 to the mouth W1 of the container body W. A fitting tube 11c is formed on the top wall 11a of the main body tube 11, protruding downward and fitting onto the upper end of the stem 51. An attachment cap 54 is inserted into the lower end of the peripheral wall 11b of the main body tube 11.

[0018] A discharge hole 13 is formed at the tip of the discharge tube 12, and the base end of the discharge tube 12 is supported by the main body tube 11 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis O2 extending in one direction. The direction revolving around the rotation axis O2 as viewed from the one direction is called the circumferential direction, and the direction intersecting the rotation axis O2 as viewed from the one direction is called the radial direction. The one direction is called the left-right direction, and the direction perpendicular to the one direction and the up-down direction is called the front-rear direction.

[0019] A sliding surface 14 is formed at the base end of the discharge tube 12. The sliding surface 14 extends in the circumferential direction and comes into sliding contact with the main body tube 11 when the discharge tube 12 rotates about the rotation axis O2. The base end of the discharge tube 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction. The main body tube 11 has a communication hole 15 that opens toward the sliding surface 14, and the sliding surface 14 has an introduction hole 16 that communicates with the discharge hole 13 and can also communicate with the communication hole 15.

[0020] The main body tube 11 is formed with a recess 17 in which at least the base end of the discharge tube 12 is accommodated. The recess 17 is defined by a pair of side surfaces 17a facing each other in the left-right direction, a bottom surface 17b that connects the rear ends of the pair of side surfaces 17a in the left-right direction and faces forward, and a ceiling surface 17c that connects the upper ends of the pair of side surfaces 17a in the left-right direction and faces downward. The recess 17 may not have the ceiling surface 17c and may be open upward.

[0021] A communication hole 15 opens in the bottom surface 17b. The communication hole 15 extends in the front-rear direction. The communication hole 15 passes through the fitting tube 11c of the main body tube 11 and communicates with the inside of the stem 51. A seal protrusion 11d that protrudes forward and extends circumferentially is formed on the peripheral edge of the opening of the communication hole 15 in the bottom surface 17b. The sliding surface 14 of the discharge tube 12 abuts liquid-tightly over substantially the entire length of the seal protrusion 11d in the circumferential direction. The seal protrusion 11d is provided over an angular range of approximately 90° around the rotation axis O2 when viewed from the left-right direction.

[0022] A cylindrical shaft portion 18 that protrudes in the left-right direction is formed at the base end of the discharge tube 12, and a bearing hole 19 into which the shaft portion 18 is rotatably fitted is formed in the side surface 17a. The bearing hole 19 is an elongated hole that is long in the front-rear direction when viewed from the left-right direction. A groove 20 that extends in the front-rear direction and opens forward is formed in the side surface 17a. The depth (size in the left-right direction) of the groove 20 is shallower than the depth of the bearing hole 19. The groove 20 extends forward from the front end of the bearing hole 19. The groove 20 and the bearing hole 19 have the same width in the up-down direction, and the groove 20 and the bearing hole 19 are located at the same position in the up-down direction. The groove 20 and the bearing hole 19 are formed in the upper end of the side surface 17a. The bearing hole 19 is a through hole.

[0023] Discharge cylinder 12 is provided so as to be rotatable about rotation axis O2 between a discharge position where introduction hole 16 and communication hole 15 communicate with each other as shown in Fig. 2, and a blocking position where communication between introduction hole 16 and communication hole 15 is blocked as shown in Fig. 1, with sliding contact surface 14 in liquid-tight contact with seal protrusion 11d of main body cylinder 11. Sliding contact surface 14 seals communication hole 15 over the entire circumference.

[0024] In the illustrated example, the discharge tube 12 extends vertically when positioned at the blocking position, and extends longitudinally when positioned at the discharge position. When positioned at the blocking position, the entire length of the discharge tube 12 is housed in the recess 17. When positioned at the discharge position, at least the tip of the discharge tube 12 is positioned forward of the recess 17. Discharge tube 12 is formed with a tab 12b that protrudes forward from recess 17 when in the shutoff position. Tab 12b is engaged with the upper end of the front opening of recess 17 in main tube 11 when discharge tube 12 is in the discharge position.

[0025] The sliding contact surface 14 is provided with a shutoff seal portion 21 that comes into liquid-tight contact with the seal protrusion 11d of the main body tube 11 when the discharge tube 12 is in the shutoff position, and a discharge seal portion 22 that comes into liquid-tight contact with the seal protrusion 11d when the discharge tube 12 is in the discharge position. The introduction hole 16 opens in the discharge seal portion 22 of the sliding contact surface 14. The shutoff seal portion 21 and the discharge seal portion 22 are continuous in the circumferential direction. Note that the shutoff seal portion 21 and the discharge seal portion 22 may be provided with an interval in the circumferential direction.

[0026] A lightening portion 23 that is recessed in the left-right direction or that penetrates in the left-right direction is formed in a portion of the end face of the base end of the discharge tube 12 that is located between the rotation axis O2 and the shutoff seal portion 21 when viewed from the left-right direction. The lightening portion 23 is adjacent to the shutoff seal portion 21 in the radial direction. The lightening portion 23 is adjacent to the shutoff seal portion 21 in the radial direction over the entire circumferential length of the shutoff seal portion 21. In the illustrated example, the lightening portion 23 penetrates the base end of the discharge tube 12 in the left-right direction.

[0027] Of the base end of the discharge tube 12, a portion located between the sliding contact surface 14 and the hollowed-out portion 23 when viewed from the left-right direction (hereinafter referred to as the elastically deforming portion 12a) is formed so as to be elastically deformable in the radial direction. In the illustrated example, the elastically deforming portion 12a is formed in the shape of a curved plate extending in the circumferential direction. The outer peripheral surface of the elastically deforming portion 12a includes the blocking seal portion 21 over the entire circumferential length. The radial thickness of the elastically deforming portion 12a is constant over the entire circumferential length.

[0028] When viewed from the left and right, the circumferential end of the lightening portion 23 is located between the rotation axis O2 and a portion of the discharge seal portion 22 that is located at the lower end when the discharge tube 12 is located at the discharge position. As a result, the portion of the discharge seal portion 22 that is located at the lower end when the discharge tube 12 is located at the discharge position is adjacent to the circumferential end of the lightening portion 23 in the radial direction. The portion of the discharge seal portion 22 that is located at the lower end when the discharge tube 12 is located at the discharge position is one of both circumferential ends of the discharge seal portion 22. One of both circumferential ends of the discharge seal portion 22 is included in the outer peripheral surface of the elastic deformation portion 12a.

[0029] As described above, according to the discharge member 1 of this embodiment, the lightening portion 23 is formed in the end face of the base end of the discharge tube 12 in a portion located between the rotation axis O2 and the isolation seal portion 21 when viewed from the left and right, so that the portion of the base end of the discharge tube 12 where the isolation seal portion 21 is located and the portion adjacent to this portion in the circumferential direction can be prevented from thermally shrinking after injection molding. This makes it possible to mold the sliding surface 14 with high precision, and ensures sealing between the sliding surface 14 and the seal protrusion 11d of the main body tube 11.

[0030] The portion of the base end of the discharge tube 12 that is located between the sliding surface 14 and the hollowed-out portion 23 when viewed from the left and right is formed so as to be elastically deformable in the radial direction, so that when the discharge tube 12 is positioned in the blocking position, the blocking seal portion 21 can be elastically pressed against the sealing protrusion 11d of the main body tube 11, thereby reliably ensuring sealing between the blocking seal portion 21 and the sealing protrusion 11d of the main body tube 11.

[0031] Since the bearing hole 19 is an elongated hole that is long in the direction in which the communicating hole 15 opens when viewed from the left-right direction, when the discharge tube 12 is assembled to the main body tube 11, the discharge tube 12 is positioned so that it will be in the blocking position when the assembly is complete, and the shaft portion 18 is brought into sliding contact with the side surface 17a of the recess 17 while the discharge tube 12 is pushed toward the bottom surface 17b of the recess 17, and the blocking seal portion 21 is elastically pressed against the seal protrusion 11d of the main body tube 11, the shaft portion 18 that has reached the bearing hole 19 also moves within the bearing hole 19 toward the bottom surface 17b of the recess 17 when viewed from the left-right direction, and the entire shaft portion 18 can be easily and reliably inserted into the bearing hole 19.

[0032] When the discharge tube 12 is positioned in the blocking position, it extends in the vertical direction, and when positioned in the discharge position, it extends in the front-to-rear direction, the communicating hole 15 extends in the front-to-rear direction, and the circumferential end of the hollowed-out portion 23 is located, when viewed from the left-to-right direction, between the part of the discharge seal portion 22 that is located at the lower end when the discharge tube 12 is positioned in the discharge position and the rotation axis O2. Therefore, the portion of the discharge seal portion 22 that is located at the lower end when the discharge tube 12 is in the discharge position is radially adjacent to the circumferential end of the hollowed-out portion 23, making it possible to mold this portion of the discharge seal portion 22 with high precision while preventing thermal shrinkage after injection molding, and reliably preventing the content liquid from leaking downward from between the lower end of the discharge seal portion 22 and the seal protrusion 11d of the main body tube 11 when the discharge tube 12 is in the discharge position.

[0033] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0034] For example, the portion of the base end of the discharge tube 12 that is located between the sliding surface 14 and the hollowed portion 23 when viewed from the left and right direction does not need to be formed so as to be elastically deformable in the radial direction. The recess 17 does not have to be formed in the main body tube 11. The discharge tube 12 in the blocking position does not have to be accommodated in the recess 17 over its entire length. The bearing hole 19 may be formed to have the same shape and size as the shaft portion 18 when viewed in the left-right direction. The discharge tube 12 may extend in a direction different from the up-down direction when positioned at the blocking position, and may extend in a direction different from the front-rear direction when positioned at the discharge position. The communication holes 15 may extend in a direction different from the front-rear direction. The lightening portion 23 may be spaced apart in the circumferential direction from between the rotation axis O2 and the discharge seal portion 22 when viewed in the left-right direction.

[0035] In addition, within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described embodiments and the above-described variations may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1 Discharge member 11 Main body tube 12 Discharge tube 13 Discharge hole 14 Sliding surface 15 Communication hole 16. Inlet hole 17 Recess 17a side 17b Bottom 18 Shaft 19 Bearing hole 21. Shut-off seal 22 Discharge seal 23 Cutout 50 Dispenser O2 rotation axis W container body W1 Mouth

Claims

1. A main body tube; a discharge tube having a discharge hole formed at its tip end and a base end supported on the main body tube so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis extending in one direction; a sliding surface is formed at a base end of the discharge tube, the sliding surface extending in a circumferential direction around the rotation axis when viewed from the one direction, and slidingly contacting the main body tube when the discharge tube rotates around the rotation axis; a communication hole that opens toward the sliding contact surface is formed in the main body tube; an introduction hole that is in communication with the discharge hole and can be in communication with the communication hole is opened in the sliding contact surface; The discharge tube is When the sliding contact surface is in liquid-tight contact with the peripheral edge of the opening of the communication hole in the main body tube, a discharge position where the introduction hole and the communication hole communicate with each other; a blocking position at which the communication between the introduction hole and the communication hole is blocked, the sliding contact surface includes a shutoff seal portion that comes into liquid-tight contact with the opening periphery of the communication hole in the main body tube when the discharge tube is positioned at the shutoff position, A discharge member in which a hollowed-out portion that is recessed in or penetrates in the one direction is formed in the end face of the base end of the discharge tube facing the one direction, in a portion that is located between the rotation axis and the blocking seal portion when viewed from the one direction.

2. 2. The discharge member according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the base end of the discharge tube, which is located between the sliding surface and the hollowed-out portion when viewed from the one direction, is formed to be elastically deformable in a radial direction intersecting the rotation axis when viewed from the one direction.

3. The main body tube is formed with a recess for receiving at least the base end of the discharge tube, the recess is defined by a pair of side surfaces facing each other in the one direction and a bottom surface connecting the pair of side surfaces in the one direction and having the communication hole opened therein; A cylindrical shaft portion protruding in one direction is formed at a base end of the discharge tube, a bearing hole into which the shaft portion is rotatably fitted is formed on the side surface; The discharge member according to claim 2 , wherein the bearing hole is an elongated hole that is long in a direction in which the communication hole opens when viewed from the one direction.

4. the discharge tube extends in a vertical direction when positioned at the blocking position, and extends in a front-rear direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the one direction when positioned at the discharge position; The communication hole extends in the front-rear direction, the sliding contact surface includes a discharge seal portion that comes into liquid-tight contact with the opening periphery of the communication hole in the main body tube when the discharge tube is located at the discharge position, 4. A discharge member according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential end of the hollowed-out portion is located between the rotation axis and a portion of the discharge seal portion that is located at the lower end when the discharge tube is located at the discharge position, when viewed from the one direction.

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