Discharge device

Abstract

A discharge device comprising two discharge units, each having a pump unit capable of discharging a fluid from a storage body when a stem is pushed down, wherein push-down heads capable of pushing down the stems are respectively disposed above the two discharge units, an operation button capable of pushing down the push-down heads by simultaneously applying a load to both of the push-down heads is disposed, and a center elastic means for biasing the operation button downward when in a non-operating state is disposed.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there are known ejection or squirting devices capable of simultaneously ejecting two types of fluids contained in separate containers (receptacles).

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a spray container that can easily select between simultaneously spraying and mixing two liquids and selectively spraying one desired liquid. The spray container disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of left and right double container bodies in which single containers 1, 1 containing different liquids are arranged side by side, with push-down heads 3 with spray nozzles 11 attached to the top of a liquid-spout stem 2 that is biased upward to stand. The push-down heads 3, 3 can be simultaneously pressed down by pressing down the top surfaces of push-down plates 42 placed on the top surfaces of the inner left and right portions of the push-down heads 3, 3, and each push-down head can be pressed down individually by pressing down the portion of the top surface of the push-down plate 42 that is exposed to the outside. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-59981 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When simultaneously ejecting two liquids in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the user presses down the press down plate 42. This causes the press down plate 42 to simultaneously press down both press down heads 3, 3, which in turn press down the liquid-ejecting stems 2, 2, respectively. In this way, to simultaneously eject two liquids, it is necessary to press down the two liquid-ejecting stems 2, 2, and the force (load) required to do so can be more than twice the force required to press down one of the liquid-ejecting stems 2. Therefore, users often find pressing down the press down plate 42 a burden.

[0006] In view of the above, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to reduce the load required for simultaneous discharge in a discharge device capable of simultaneously discharging fluids contained in separate containers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, a discharge device is provided which has two dischargers each having a pump unit capable of discharging fluid from a container by depressing a stem, and on the two dischargers, a push-down head capable of depressing the stem is provided, and operation buttons are provided which can apply a load to both of the push-down heads simultaneously to depress the push-down heads, and a central elastic means is provided which urges the operation buttons downward when in an inoperative state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, in a discharge device capable of simultaneously discharging fluids contained in separate containers, the load required for simultaneous discharging can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing device according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the discharge device of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in FIG. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 and shows a state during a first operation. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 and shows a state during a second operation. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 and showing a state during a third operation. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the press-down head and the nozzle portion in an exploded state. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the press-down head and nozzle portion in an assembled state. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing two sets of press-down heads and nozzle portions assembled to a discharge device. [Figure 11] 11A and 11B are side views of the two sets of press-down heads and nozzle portions in FIG. 10, respectively, as viewed from the right and left sides. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the specification and drawings.

[0011] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of this embodiment. Fig. 1 shows, as an example, a discharge device 100 equipped with two dischargers 1A and 1B. Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of the discharge device 100 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II of Fig. 1.

[0012] 1 to 3, the dischargers 1A and 1B included in the discharge device 100 include containers 10A and 10B that respectively contain a fluid material, and pump units 20A and 20B that can discharge the fluid material from the containers 10A and 10B. The discharge device 100 is configured so that the fluid material is discharged from the side of the discharge device 100 (the side of the containers 10A and 10B or the side of the dischargers 1A and 1B). That is, the discharge portions 72A and 72B of the discharge device 100 are arranged on the side.

[0013] In this specification and drawings, the direction in which the dischargers 1A, 1B are lined up is referred to as the left-right direction, the direction perpendicular to the left-right direction and which is the axial direction of the dischargers 1A, 1B (the axial direction of the pump units 20A, 20B) is referred to as the up-down direction, and the direction perpendicular to the left-right direction and the up-down direction is referred to as the front-rear direction. More specifically, the direction from inside the discharge device 100 toward the side where the discharge sections 72A, 72B are located is referred to as the front direction, and the direction going in the opposite direction is referred to as the rear direction. The direction toward the left when the discharge device 100 is viewed from the front is referred to as the leftward direction, and the direction going in the opposite direction is referred to as the rightward direction. The direction toward the side that would be up when the discharge device 100 is used in a normal manner is referred to as the up direction, and the direction going in the opposite direction is referred to as the down direction.

[0014] The fluid discharged by the discharge device according to this embodiment is not limited as long as it exhibits fluidity at least during discharge and can be extruded to the outside of the discharge device 100 through the discharge ports of the discharge units 72A and 72B of the discharge device 100. The fluid may be a liquid, such as a pure liquid or a liquid mixture. Furthermore, the fluid may be, for example, a solution, a dispersion such as an emulsion or a suspension, or a state known as a gel, slurry, paste, cream, or the like. The fluid may contain powder, may primarily contain powder, or may consist essentially of or consist of powder. The fluid may be a mixture of the fluid and a gas such as nitrogen, a rare gas, or air, and stored in a container in a foam state. Alternatively, the fluid may be a mixture of the fluid and a gas such as nitrogen, a rare gas, or air, and discharged in a foam state by operating the dischargers 1A and 1B. The fluid may have a viscosity similar to or lower than that of water, or may be a paste or cream-like substance with a viscosity higher than that of water. The viscosity of the fluid discharged by the discharge device 100 according to this embodiment is preferably 3000 to 150000 mPa·s at 30°C, and more preferably 5000 to 30000 mPa·s.

[0015] The fluid may be skin care products or basic cosmetics such as lotion, emulsion, face cream, serum, facial cleanser, cleanser, etc., makeup cosmetics such as foundation, makeup base, concealer, liquid eye shadow, liquid blush, liquid lip product, etc., personal care products (hygienic products) such as sunscreen, hand soap, body soap, hair shampoo, hair dye, styling agent, hand cream, body cream, body lotion, etc., fragrance products, etc. Furthermore, the fluid is not particularly limited as long as it has fluidity, and may be food (for example, seasonings), paint, etc. in addition to the above-mentioned cosmetics, etc.

[0016] In the discharge device 100 of this embodiment, a fluid can be discharged from either the discharger 1A or 1B alone, or from the dischargers 1A and 1B simultaneously. Therefore, each time the user uses the discharge device 100, depending on the user's desire or circumstances, the user can use only the first fluid contained in the container 10A, or the second fluid contained in the container 10B, or the first and second fluids can be discharged simultaneously and mixed by the user. For example, if the first fluid contained in the container 10A is a moisturizing emulsion (highly moisturizing) and the second fluid contained in the container 10B is a refreshing emulsion (highly refreshing), the user can use either the moisturizing emulsion or the refreshing emulsion by discharging the discharge device 100, or use a mixture of emulsions that provides a feel intermediate between the moisturizing emulsion and the refreshing emulsion by discharging both the moisturizing emulsion and the refreshing emulsion. In this way, the ejection device 100 of this embodiment can be suitably used as an ejection device for cosmetics or personal care products, in particular for skin care products such as emulsions, base makeup cosmetics such as foundations, and point makeup products such as eye shadows.

[0017] The dispensers 1A and 1B may be pump-type dispensers each including a container 10A and 10B and a pump unit 20A or 20B disposed on the container 10A or 10B. The type of pump in the pump unit 20A or 20B is not particularly limited and may be a known type used in dispensers or dispensers that dispense fluids. The pump units 20A and 20B may be capable of changing the pressure in a chamber in the pump unit by sliding a stem or a piston, for example, and may be capable of discharging a fluid when the pressure in the chamber is increased.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pump units 20A and 20B each include a stem 22A or 22B that is vertically slidable relative to the housings 10A and 10B. To operate the dispensers 1A and 1B, the stems 22A and 22B are pushed downward toward the housings 10A and 10B. As shown in FIG. 3, the pump units 20A and 20B may be configured such that the fluid is transported through the hollow stems 22A and 22B. Alternatively, the pump units 20A and 20B may be configured such that the stems 22A and 22B slide in other known ways to operate the dispensers 1A and 1B. The stems 22A and 22B are connected to pump unit elastic means 25A and 25B, such as compression springs. The pump unit elastic means 25A, 25B allows the stems 22A, 22B, once pushed down, to easily return to their original positions (described in detail later).

[0019] The fluids pumped out from the containers 10A and 10B by the pump units 20A and 20B can pass through predetermined flow paths in the dispensers 1A and 1B, respectively, and be discharged from predetermined outlets to the outside of the discharge device 100. In this embodiment, the fluids pushed out by the pump units 20A and 20B are ultimately discharged through flow paths 79A and 79B in the nozzle portions 70A and 70B, respectively, from discharge portions 72A and 72B to the outside of the discharge device 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the discharge portions 72A and 72B are in the form of tubular nozzles, preferably cylindrical nozzles, that protrude forward from the front surface of the discharge device 100.

[0020] To explain the dispensing of fluid from the dispensers 1A and 1B in more detail, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, pusher heads 60A and 60B are disposed above the dispensers 1A and 1B, respectively. The pusher heads 60A and 60B have downward protrusions 64A and 64B on their undersides. The downward protrusions 64A and 64B fit into receiving portions formed on the upper portions of the stems 22A and 22B of the pump units 20A and 20B, thereby connecting the pusher heads 60A and 60B to the stems 22A and 22B. The top surfaces 61A and 61B of the pusher heads 60A and 60B are exposed upward, allowing the user to place their fingers on the top surfaces 61A and 61B and press the pusher heads 60A and 60B downward. By pressing down on the pusher heads 60A and 60B, the stems 22A and 22B can be pressed down. It is preferable that the top surfaces 61A, 61B of the presser heads 60A, 60B are flat from the viewpoints of ease of pressing and aesthetics. Meanwhile, the presser heads 60A, 60B are coupled to the nozzle portions 70A, 70B, respectively, by fitting at the center side when viewed in the left-right direction.

[0021] The stems 22A, 22B, the push-down heads 60A, 60B, and the nozzle portions 70A, 70B are fluidically connected to one another. Therefore, the fluid contained in the containers 10A, 10B can be discharged by passing through the stems 22A, 22B, the push-down heads 60A, 60B, and the nozzle portions 70A, 70B, in this order. For example, a first fluid contained in the container 10A moves upward through the flow path 29A in the hollow stem 22A, then passes through the flow path 69A in the push-down head 60A and the flow path 79A in the nozzle portion 70A, and is guided toward the center in the left-right direction, and is then discharged from the discharge portion 72A (FIGS. 1 and 2) located on the front surface. A second fluid contained in the container 10B can be similarly discharged.

[0022] In this embodiment, nozzle portion 70A and nozzle portion 70B are separate and do not communicate with each other. In other words, two types of fluids can be discharged separately from discharge portions 72A and 72B to the outside. That is, in this discharge device 100, the two types of fluids are not mixed before being discharged to the outside. Therefore, even if two types of fluids whose viscosity or other flow-related properties may change due to mixing are contained in containers 10A and 10B, respectively, the possibility of the two types of fluids clogging within discharge device 100 can be reduced.

[0023] In this embodiment, dispensers 1A and 1B have the same configuration. That is, pump units 20A and 20B have the same configuration. However, dispensers 1A and 1B may have different configurations as long as they are capable of discharging a fluid by sliding a stem (or piston). Note that pump units 20A and 20B may be configured to discharge the fluid directly, or may be configured to mix the fluid with a gas and discharge the fluid in the form of foam.

[0024] Dischargers 1A and 1B are each fixed to body 30, and thus their positions are fixed relative to each other. More specifically, dischargers 1A and 1B may be fixed by fitting or screwing to openings 32A and 32B formed in body 30, respectively. In this case, pump units 20A and 20B fixed to housings 10A and 10B may be fixed to openings 32A and 32B, or housings 10A and 10B themselves may be fixed to openings 32A and 32B.

[0025] Furthermore, front openings 38A and 38B are formed on the front surface of the body 30. The discharge portions 72A and 72B of the nozzle portions 70A and 70B protrude forward through the front openings 38A and 38B of the body 30 (FIG. 1).

[0026] Next, the operating method of the discharge device 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. As described above, the discharge device 100 according to this embodiment can perform three types of operations: a first operation in which only the first fluid contained in the container 10A is discharged from the discharger 1A, a second operation in which only the second fluid contained in the container 10B is discharged from the discharger 1B, and a third operation in which the first and second fluids are simultaneously discharged from the dischargers 1A and 1B.

[0027] Fig. 3(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Fig. 1. Fig. 3(b) is a partial perspective view of the discharge device 100 in the state shown in Fig. 3(a). The states shown in Figs. 3(a) and 3(b) are a state in which the user is not applying force to the discharge device 100 and the discharge device 100 is not operating, i.e., a non-operating state. In this state, the press-down head 60A and the press-down head 60B are both at their highest positions, and the top surface 61A of the press-down head 60A and the top surface 61B of the press-down head 60B are flush with the top surface 81 of the operation button 80 (described below).

[0028] FIG. 4(a) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3(a) and shows a state in which only the push-down head 60A is depressed for the first operation (an operation for discharging only the first fluid from the dispenser 1A). FIG. 4(b) is a partial perspective view of the dispenser 100 in the state shown in FIG. 4(a). As shown in FIGS. 4(a) and (b), in the first operation, the push-down head 60A, the nozzle portion 70A, and the stem 22A are moved downward. The first operation activates the pump unit 20A, discharging the first fluid from the container 10A. As is clear from FIGS. 4(a) and (b), in the first operation, the push-down head 60B, the nozzle portion 70B, and the stem 22B are not moved. In other words, the first operation has no effect on the dispenser 1B, and the second fluid is not dispensed from the dispenser 1B.

[0029] As described above, the pump units 20A and 20B each include a pump unit elastic means 25A and 25B, respectively, to return the stems 22A and 22B to their original positions after being depressed. The pump unit elastic means 25A and 25B may be, for example, a compression spring, preferably a compression coil spring. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the pump unit elastic means 25A is compressed as the stem 22A moves downward. This compression generates a stress (restoring stress) in the pump unit elastic means 25A that causes the elastic means to return to its pre-compression state. Therefore, when the user releases the force applied to the press-down head 60A, the pump unit elastic means 25A naturally stretches and returns to its original length. As a result, the stem 22A, which is disposed above the pump unit elastic means 25A, as well as the press-down head 60A and nozzle portion 70A connected to the stem 22A, are automatically pushed up and returned to their original positions (the states shown in FIG. 3).

[0030] FIG. 5(a) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3(a) and shows a state in which only the push-down head 60B is depressed for the second operation (an operation for discharging only the second fluid from the dispenser 1B). FIG. 5(b) is a partial perspective view of the dispenser 100 in the state shown in FIG. 5(a). As shown in FIGS. 5(a) and (b), in the second operation, the push-down head 60B, the nozzle portion 70B, and the stem 22B are moved downward. This second operation activates the pump unit 20B, discharging the second fluid from the container 10B. As is clear from FIGS. 5(a) and (b), in the second operation, unlike the first operation, the push-down head 60A, the nozzle portion 70A, and the stem 22A are not moved. In other words, the second operation has no effect on the dispenser 1A, and the first fluid is not dispensed from the dispenser 1A.

[0031] The operation and function of pump unit elastic means 25B in the second operation are the same as those of pump unit elastic means 25A in the first operation. When a user presses press-down head 60B downward as shown in Fig. 5, stem 22B located below it is pressed down, compressing pump unit elastic means 25B. When the pressure applied to pump unit elastic means 25B is released, pump unit elastic means 25B expands and returns to its original state, so that stem 22B located above pump unit elastic means 25B, as well as press-down head 60B and nozzle portion 70B connected to stem 22B, are automatically pushed up and can return to their original states (the states shown in Fig. 3).

[0032] Next, the third operation (an operation for simultaneously discharging fluids from the dispensers 1A and 1B) will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6(a) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to Fig. 3(a), and Fig. 6(b) is a partial perspective view of the discharge device 100 in the state shown in Fig. 6(a). As shown in Figs. 6(a) and (b), in the third operation, the user presses downward the operation button 80 located in the center in the left-right direction.

[0033] The operation button 80 is disposed so as to overlap a portion of the press head 60A and a portion of the press head 60B in the vertical direction. More specifically, the operation button 80 has pressing portions 82A and 82B extending downward, which are vertically overlapped with the pressure-receiving surfaces 62A and 62B (see also FIG. 2 ) of the press heads 60A and 60B. In this embodiment, the pressing portions 82A and 82B are wall-shaped extending along the front-rear direction as shown in FIG. 2 , and can contact the pressure-receiving surfaces 62A and 62B along the front-rear direction to press the pressure-receiving surfaces 62A and 62B downward. In the third operation, the operation button 80 moves downward along the vertical direction without tilting. That is, the top surface 81 of the operation button 80, which extended horizontally in the inactive state, continues to extend horizontally after the third operation.

[0034] 3, in this embodiment, the position where the lower end of the pressing portion 82A of the operation button 80 contacts the pressure-receiving surface 62A of the presser head 60A and the position where the pressing portion 82B of the operation button 80 contacts the pressure-receiving surface 62B of the presser head 60B are substantially the same when viewed in the vertical direction. Therefore, when the operation button 80 is pressed downward, the presser heads 60A and 60B receive force from the operation button 80 at their pressure-receiving surfaces 62A and 62B, and are simultaneously pressed down in the same stroke. Then, when the presser head 60A is pressed down, the stem 22A is pressed down, and when the presser head 60B is pressed down, the stem 22B is pressed down. Therefore, the pump units 20A and 20B are simultaneously operated, and the fluids can be discharged from the containers 10A and 10B, respectively.

[0035] In the illustrated embodiment, the length from the top surface 81 of the operation button 80 to the bottom end of the pressing portion 82A is the same as the length from the top surface 81 of the operation button 80 to the bottom end of the pressing portion 82B, and therefore the stroke of the press heads 60A, 60B pressed down by pressing the operation button 80 is the same. However, the length from the top surface 81 of the operation button 80 to the bottom end of the pressing portion 82A and the length from the top surface 81 of the operation button 80 to the bottom end of the pressing portion 82B may be configured to be different.

[0036] In the third operation, when the user presses down the operation button 80 to press down both press heads 60A, 60B, the pump unit elastic means 25A, 25B, which are located below the stems 22A, 22B, which are located below the press heads 60A, 60B, are simultaneously compressed. When the user releases the force applied to the press heads 60A, 60B, the pump unit elastic means 25A, 25B expand and return to their original lengths, pushing up the stems 22A, 22B and the press heads 60A, 60B, and further pushing up the operation button 80, returning it to its original state (inactivated state, FIG. 3).

[0037] However, unlike the first and second operations, the third operation requires pressing down both the push-down heads 60A and 60B. Therefore, with conventional configurations, the third operation requires a force greater than that required for the first or second operation. For example, if the configuration of the unit consisting of the dispenser 1A and the push-down head 60A is the same as the configuration of the unit consisting of the dispenser 1B and the push-down head 60B, the force required for the third operation is at least twice that required for the first or second operation. Furthermore, depending on the configuration of the operation button 80, the relationship (lateral distance) between the position of the pressing portion 82A of the operation button 80 and the position of the stem 22A, and the relationship (lateral distance) between the position of the pressing portion 82B of the operation button 80 and the position of the stem 22B, the force required may be more than twice that required for the first or second operation. Therefore, the third operation tends to be more difficult to perform than the first and second operations, especially when the stress generated in the pump unit elastic means 25A and 25B by pressing down the push-down heads 60A and 60B is large.

[0038] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the action of pressing down the operation button 80 in the third operation can be made easier. That is, as shown in Figures 2 to 6, a load-reducing portion 40 is provided below the operation button 80. To better understand the configuration and function of the load-reducing portion 40, Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1.

[0039] 3 and 7, the load reduction unit 40 includes a central elastic means 45. The central elastic means 45 is preferably a compression spring, and more preferably a compression coil spring. For example, in the non-operated state shown in FIG. 3, the compression spring (central elastic means) 45 is in a compressed state, and can reduce the force (load) required to press down the operation button 80 in the third operation.

[0040] In this embodiment, the load-reducing portion 40 includes a central elastic means 45, which is a compression coil spring, and further includes a core rod 41 disposed at the center of the central elastic means 45. The load-reducing portion 40 is slidably disposed within the central hole 35 of the body 30. The core rod 41 is connected to a downward protruding portion 85 (see also FIG. 7 ), which protrudes downward from the center of the operation button 80 in the front-rear and left-right directions. A recess 85d is formed on the underside of the downward protruding portion 85, and the upper end 41t of the core rod 41 is fitted into this recess 85d and firmly connected thereto. Therefore, the core rod 41 moves in conjunction with the movement of the operation button 80. In other words, when the operation button 80 is pressed down, the core rod 41 also moves downward within the central hole 35 of the body 30.

[0041] The core rod 41 has an expanded diameter portion 41b at its lower end, which has a larger diameter and is sized so that the central elastic means 45 does not fall out downward. As a result, the expanded diameter portion 41b has the function of stopping the downward movement of the central elastic means 45. Note that it is preferable that the diameter of the expanded diameter portion 41b is large enough to allow the expanded diameter portion 41b to come into contact with and slide on the inner wall of the central hole 35 of the body portion 30, because this allows the core rod 41 to slide stably in the up-down direction without wobbling in the left-right and front-rear directions.

[0042] The diameter of the upper part of the central hole 35 is smaller, forming a step 35s. This allows the core rod 41 to slide within the central hole 35, but prevents the central elastic means 45 from moving upward beyond the step 35s. In other words, the step 35s has the function of stopping the upward movement of the central elastic means 45.

[0043] As described above, the central elastic means 45 is housed between the lower surface of the step 35s of the central hole 35 of the barrel 30 and the upper surface of the expanded diameter portion 41b of the core rod 41. In this embodiment, in the inactive state, the distance between the lower surface of the step 35s of the central hole 35 of the barrel 30 and the upper surface of the expanded diameter portion 41b of the core rod 41 is shorter than the length of the central elastic means (compression coil spring) 45. Therefore, at least in the inactive state (the inactive state of the discharge device 100 or the inactive state of the operation button 80), the central elastic means 45 is in a compressed state. The compressed state of the central elastic means 45 generates stress (restoring stress) that causes the central elastic means 45 to return to its original state or to expand. Therefore, the central elastic means 45 applies an upward force to the lower surface of the step 35s of the central hole 35 of the barrel 30, while applying a downward force to the upper surface of the expanded diameter portion 41b of the core rod 41. Here, as described above, the core rod 41 is fixed to the operation button 80, and the core rod 41 and the operation button 80 are integrated, so that the force applied to the expanded diameter portion 41b of the core rod 41 is also transmitted to the operation button 80. Therefore, in the inoperative state shown in Figure 3, the operation button 80 is biased downward by the central elastic means 45.

[0044] As described above, in the third operation, the user presses down the operation button 80 (FIG. 6), but in this embodiment, the operation button 80 is biased downward by the central elastic means 45, so it is possible to reduce the force (load) required for the user to press down the operation button 80. This makes it possible to reduce the difference in force required for the third operation and the forces required for the first and second operations, allowing the user to perform any operation without feeling uncomfortable.

[0045] In the third operation, a user usually feels a burden (load) when he or she starts to press the operation button 80. In this embodiment, the central elastic means 45 generates the maximum stress when the discharge device 100 is in the inoperative state (FIG. 3), so that the force required to start to press the operation button 80 can be effectively reduced.

[0046] In the third operation, when the user presses the operation button 80 downward to the maximum extent, the central elastic means 45 may be in a state where it retains its original length and no restoring stress is generated, or may be in a compressed state where restoring stress is generated. However, a configuration in which restoring stress is generated in the central elastic means 45 when pressed to the maximum extent is preferable because the effect of reducing the load required by the user to press the operation button 80 can be maintained throughout the pressing operation.

[0047] In this embodiment, it is preferable that the upward force applied to the operation button 80 by the pump unit elastic means 25A, 25B provided in the pump units 20A, 20B of the dispensers 1A, 1B (the sum of the forces applied by the pump unit elastic means 25A and the pump unit elastic means 25B) be greater than the downward force applied to the operation button 80 by the central elastic means 45. To achieve this, for example, the sum of the spring constants of the pump unit elastic means 25A and the pump unit elastic means 25B can be made greater than the spring constant of the central elastic means 45. This allows the top surface 81 of the operation button 80 to be maintained at its highest position in an inactive or stationary state where the user is not operating the operation button 80. Furthermore, it is preferable that the restoring force of the pump unit elastic means 25B be adjusted so that the operation button 80 can return to its inactive position even when, for example, one of the press heads 60A is pressed down. Similarly, it is preferable that the restoring force of the pump unit elastic means 25A is adjusted so that the operating button 80 can return to the inoperative position even when the depression head 60B is depressed.

[0048] Furthermore, the force applied upward to the operation button 80 by either one of the pump unit elastic means 25A, 25B can be made greater than the force applied downward to the operation button 80 by the central elastic means 45. To achieve this, for example, the spring constants of the pump unit elastic means 25A and the pump unit elastic means 25B can each be made greater than the spring constant of the central elastic means 45. As a result, even if the operation button 80 is pressed down while either the press head 60A, 60B is pressed down, the operation button 80 can return to its original position when the pressure is released.

[0049] Furthermore, when the central elastic means 45, the pump unit elastic means 25A, and the pump unit elastic means 25B are all compression springs, springs with approximately the same spring constant may be used for the central elastic means 45, the pump unit elastic means 25A, and the pump unit elastic means 25B. This makes it possible to make the required force, which is the force required to compress only the pump unit elastic means 25A, the force required to compress only the pump unit elastic means 25A, and the force required to simultaneously compress the pump unit elastic means 25A and the pump unit elastic means 25B minus the force relieved by the central elastic means 45, approximately equal.

[0050] The discharge device 100 according to this embodiment can also be operated by an operation method other than the first, second, and third operations described above. For example, the press heads 60A and 60B can be pressed simultaneously without pressing the operation button 80. In this case, the user can adjust the amount of fluid discharged from the dischargers 1A and 1B by varying the depression stroke of the press heads 60A and 60B.

[0051] The presser heads 60A, 60B and nozzle portions 70A, 70B in this embodiment will be described below. As described above, the presser heads 60A, 60B and the nozzle portions 70A, 70B are separate members, but can be fluidly connected by being connected.

[0052] Fig. 8 shows an enlarged perspective view of the press-down head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A in a separated state. Fig. 9 shows a side view of the press-down head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A in a connected state. For ease of explanation, the orientations (front-back, left-right, and up-down directions) of the press-down head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A in Figs. 8 and 9 are the orientations when these components are incorporated into the discharge device 100.

[0053] 8, the press-down head 60A has a downstream opening 63A of a flow path 69A (FIG. 3, etc.) on the right side (the side facing the inside of the discharge device 100). Meanwhile, the nozzle unit 70A has an upstream opening 73A of a flow path 79A (FIG. 3, etc.) on the left side (the side facing the outside of the discharge device 100) of the nozzle unit base 71A. The press-down head 60A and the nozzle unit 70A are fittable together, and this fit aligns the center of the downstream opening 63A of the press-down head 60A with the center of the upstream opening 73A of the nozzle unit 70A, thereby connecting the flow path 69A of the press-down head 60A with the flow path 79A of the nozzle unit 70A.

[0054] The press-down head 60A and the nozzle 70A (nozzle base 71A) are fitted together so as to be rotatable relative to each other. Therefore, the cylindrical discharge portion 72A, which extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the extension direction of the nozzle base 71A, can also rotate around the nozzle base 71A or around the center of the upstream opening 73A. In other words, the orientation of the discharge portion 72A can be determined arbitrarily.

[0055] Meanwhile, the press-down head 60A is provided at its front with a front plate 65Af extending along a plane including the up-down and left-right directions, and at its rear with a rear plate 65Ab extending along a plane including the up-down and left-right directions. A notch 66Af is formed in the front plate 65Af at the center in the left-right direction of the front plate 65Af, and a notch 66Ab is also formed in the rear plate 65Ab at the center in the left-right direction of the rear plate 65Ab. The formation of the front plate 65Af and the rear plate 65Ab prevents the internal structure of the discharge device 100 from being seen through the front opening 38A when the discharge device 100 is viewed from the front, thereby enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the discharge device 100.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 9, when connecting the press-down head 60A and the nozzle unit 70A, the cylindrical discharge portion 72A of the nozzle unit 70A can be passed through a notch 66Af formed in the front plate 65Af. That is, the size and shape of the notch 66Af are set so that the discharge portion 72A can extend therethrough. By having the discharge portion 72A of the nozzle unit 70A extend through the notch 66Af formed in the front plate 65Af, the discharge portion 72A can be supported in the vertical direction. Even if an unintentional force is applied to the discharge portion 72A in the vertical direction, the discharge portion 72A can be prevented from being damaged.

[0057] In the example shown in Fig. 9, the discharge portion 72A does not extend parallel (horizontally) to the front-rear direction, but extends at an angle to the front-rear direction. This is due to the relative positional relationship between the downstream opening 63A to which the nozzle portion 70A is connected and the notch 66Af formed in the front plate 65Af in the presser head 60A. As shown in Fig. 9, a line Y that passes through the center in the up-down direction of the notch 66Af in the front plate 65Af and runs along the front-rear direction does not pass through the center O of the downstream opening 63A of the presser head 60A. That is, in the presser head 60A, the notch 66Af is formed offset in the up-down direction from the downstream opening 63A.

[0058] In this way, the angle of the discharge portion 72A of the nozzle portion 70A relative to the front-to-rear direction can be appropriately set depending on the configuration of the press-down head 60A. In the example of FIG. 9, the discharge portion 72A is configured so that the tip of the discharge portion 72A faces slightly upward. Configuring the tip of the discharge portion 72A so that the tip faces upward can prevent the fluid remaining in the discharge portion 72A after the discharge operation from being discharged to the outside of the discharge portion 72A (also known as dripping after the discharge operation). Note that the degree to which the discharge portion 72A faces upward, i.e., the angle α of the center line CL of the discharge portion 72A relative to the front-to-rear direction (or the line Y passing through the center O of the notch 66Af and aligned along the front-to-rear direction), is preferably 9° or greater from the perspective of improving the drip prevention effect. Furthermore, setting the angle α to 15° or less makes it easier to pick up the discharged fluid and prevents the tip from being too upright, which can impair the aesthetic appearance.

[0059] 8 and 9, the configuration of the presser head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A has been described, but the above description also applies to the presser head 60B and the nozzle portion 70B if the configuration is reversed. The combination of the presser head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A, and the combination of the presser head 60B and the nozzle portion 70B are arranged side by side in the discharge device 100.

[0060] Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of the press-down heads 60A, 60B and the nozzle portions 70A, 70B arranged within the discharge device 100 when the discharge device 100 is in an inoperative state. Fig. 11 also shows a view of the combination of the press-down head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A from the right side (Fig. 11(a)), and a view of the combination of the press-down head 60B and the nozzle portion 70B from the left side (Fig. 11(b)). As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the combination of the press-down head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A, and the combination of the press-down head 60B and the nozzle portion 70B are symmetrical.

[0061] 10 and 11(a), the front plate 65Af and the rear plate 65Ab of the presser head 60A are configured similarly. More specifically, the front plate 65Af and the rear plate 65Ab of the presser head 60A are configured symmetrically with respect to line X along the left-right direction. That is, the front plate 65Af and the rear plate 65Ab have the same shape and are located at the same positions in the up-down and left-right directions. The notches 66Af and the notches 66Ab have the same shape and size and are located at the same positions in the up-down and left-right directions.

[0062] The same can be said for the presser head 60B. As shown in Figures 10 and 11(b), the front plate 65Af and the rear plate 65Bb of the presser head 60B are configured to be symmetrical with respect to line X in the left-right direction. That is, the front plate 65Af and the rear plate 65Bb have the same shape and are located at the same positions in the up-down and left-right directions. The notches 66Bf and 66Bb have the same shape and size and are located at the same positions in the up-down and left-right directions.

[0063] The front-to-back symmetrical presser heads 60A and 60B can be interchanged to perform the same function, and therefore, if a presser head is formed from a single mold, that presser head can be used as both presser head 60A and presser head 60B.

[0064] Furthermore, nozzle portion 70A is configured to perform the same function whether discharge portion 72A is attached so as to protrude forward or so as to protrude rearward. That is, when viewed in the attached state shown in Figure 11(a), nozzle portion 70A is formed symmetrically from front to back. Similarly, nozzle portion 70B is formed symmetrically from front to back when viewed in the attached state shown in Figure 11(b).

[0065] 11(a), the nozzle portion 70A can be reattached so that the discharge portion 72A protrudes rearward through the notch 66Ab in the rear plate 65Ab. This results in the same state as the combination of the press-down head 60B and the nozzle portion 70B shown in FIG. 11(b). Also, in FIG. 11(b), the nozzle portion 70B can be reattached so that the discharge portion 72B protrudes rearward through the notch 66Bb in the rear plate 65Bb. This results in the same state as the combination of the press-down head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A shown in FIG. 11(a).

[0066] In this way, the presser heads 60A and 60B may have the same shape, and the nozzle portions 70A and 70B may have the same shape. Therefore, for example, when a member is molded by a molding method using a mold, one type of mold may be used to manufacture the presser heads 60A and 60B, and one type of mold may also be used to manufacture the nozzle portions 70A and 70B. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the presser heads 60A and 60B and the nozzle portions 70A and 70B can be manufactured more easily, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0067] This application claims priority from basic application No. 2020-135966, filed with the Japan Patent Office on August 11, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1A, 1B Dispenser 10A, 10B housing 20A, 20B pump unit 22A, 22B stem 25A, 25B Pump unit elastic means 30 Torso 32A, 32B opening 35 Central hole in the body 38A, 38B front opening 40 Load relief section 41 Core rod 41t Upper end of core rod 41b Expanded diameter portion of core rod 45 Central elastic means 60A, 60B pressing head 62A, 62B Pressure receiving surface of pressing head 63A, 63B downstream opening 64A, 64B Downward protrusion of the pressing head 65Af, 65Bf front panel 66Af, 66Bf Front panel notch 65Ab, 65Bb rear plate 66Ab, 66Bb Rear plate notch 69A, 69B flow path 70A, 70B nozzle part 71A, 71B Nozzle base 72A, 72B Discharge part 73A, 73B upstream opening 79A, 79B flow path 80 Operation buttons 82A, 82B Operation button pressing part 85 Downward protrusion of operation button 85d Recessed operation button 100 Discharge device

Claims

1. A discharge device including two dischargers each having a pump unit capable of discharging a fluid in a container by depressing a stem, The two dispensers are housed in a body; a depressing head capable of depressing the stem is provided on each of the two dispensers; an operation button is provided that can simultaneously apply a load to both of the press heads to press down the press heads; a central elastic means, which is a compression coil spring, for biasing the operation button downward; the body portion has a central hole located between the two dispensers and extending in a vertical direction, which is the axial direction of the dispensers, and the diameter of the central hole at an upper portion is smaller to form a step portion; a core rod extending in the vertical direction and having an expanded diameter portion on a lower side thereof is connected to a lower side of the operation button, the core rod being disposed within the compression coil spring and slidably housed in the central hole; The compression coil spring is accommodated between the lower surface of the step portion and the upper surface of the enlarged diameter portion of the core rod in a compressed state when the discharge device is in a non-operating state.

2. Each of the pump units includes a pump unit elastic means capable of urging the depressed stem upward, 2. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the force applied upward to said operating button by said elastic means of both pump units is greater than the force applied downward to said operating button by said central elastic means.

3. Each of the press heads has a top surface that can be pressed down by a user, and a pressure-receiving surface that is located below the top surface and extends toward the center in a left-right direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, the operation button has the top surface and wall-like pressing portions extending downward from both sides of the top surface in the left-right direction, and lower ends of the pressing portions are configured to abut against the pressure-receiving surfaces of the press heads in the up-down direction; The discharge device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in a non-operated state, the top surface of the depression head and the top surface of the operation button are flush with each other.

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