Discharge device

Abstract

This discharge device is provided with two dischargers which each include a pump unit capable of discharging a fluid from a container by pushing down a stem, and has: push-down heads disposed above the two respective dischargers and capable of pushing down the stem; an operation button for applying a load to both of the push-down heads simultaneously so that the push-down heads can be pushed down; and a lever structure in which a predetermined position on the top face of the operation button is set as a point of effort, and a position forward of the point of effort and shifted downward from the top face is set as a fulcrum.

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] One aspect of the present invention is an ejection device comprising two ejectors, each having a pump unit capable of ejecting fluid from a container by depressing a stem, wherein a push-down head capable of depressing the stem is provided on each of the two ejectors, and an operation button is provided which can apply a load to both of the push-down heads simultaneously to depress the push-down heads, forming a lever structure in which a force point is a predetermined position on the top surface of the operation button, and a fulcrum is a position forward of the force point and shifted downward from the top surface. [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 cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3, showing a state during a first operation. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3, showing a state during a second operation. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3, showing a state during a third operation. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the discharge device during a third operation. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 6. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 6. [Figure 11] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 6. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the press-down head and the nozzle portion in an exploded state. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the press-down head and nozzle portion in an assembled state. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing two sets of press-down heads and nozzle portions assembled to a discharge device. [Figure 15] 15A and 15B are side views of the two sets of press-down heads and nozzle portions in FIG. 14, 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 from the discharge portion of the discharge device 100 to the outside. 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 contain powder primarily, 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 be contained in a container in the form of a foam. Alternatively, the fluid may be mixed with the gas and discharged in the form of a foam 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 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 including containers 10A and 10B and pump units 20A and 20B disposed on the containers 10A and 10B, respectively. The type of pump in the pump units 20A and 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 their chambers by sliding a stem or a piston, for example, and may be capable of discharging the fluid when the pressure in the chambers 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.

[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 discharge portions 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 from discharge portions 72A and 72B through flow paths 79A and 79B in the nozzle portions 70A and 70B, respectively, 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 dispensers 1A and 1B in more detail, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, pusher heads 60A and 60B are disposed above 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 stems 22A and 22B of pump units 20A and 20B, thereby connecting the pusher heads 60A and 60B to the stems 22A and 22B. 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. On the other hand, 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 each other. 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 channels 29A, 29B in the hollow stem 22A, then passes through the channels 69A, 69B in the push-down head 60A and the channels 79A, 79B 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 also fixed relative to each other. More specifically, dischargers 1A and 1B may be fixed by fitting or screwing to through-holes 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 through-holes 32A and 32B, or housings 10A and 10B themselves may be fixed to through-holes 32A and 32B.

[0025] Front openings 38A and 38B are formed in 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] 3, which is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Fig. 1, is 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., is in an inoperative state. In this state, the press head 60A and the press head 60B are both at their highest positions, and the top surface 61A of the press head 60A and the top surface 61B of the press head 60B are flush with the top surface 81 of the operation button 80 (described below), which also has a flat top surface 81.

[0028] FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 3 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). As shown in FIG. 4, 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, causing the first fluid in the container 10A to be discharged. As is clear from FIG. 4, 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 discharged 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 corresponds to FIG. 3 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). As shown in FIG. 5, 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 in the container 10B. As is clear from FIG. 5, in the second operation, contrary to 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 fluid from the dispensers 1A and 1B) will be described. During the third operation, the user can press the operation button 80, which is located in the center in the left-right direction, downward, thereby pressing down the press heads 60A and 60B. Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional view corresponding to Fig. 3, with the operation button 80 pressed during the third operation. Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the dispenser 100 with the operation button 80 pressed during the third operation. Fig. 8 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 6.

[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 (see also FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 2 and other figures, the operation button 80 has side walls 82A and 82B extending downward, more specifically, extending substantially parallel to a plane including the front-rear and up-down directions. These side walls 82A and 82B overlap the pressure-receiving surfaces 62A and 62B of the press heads 60A and 60B in the vertical direction. The pressure-receiving surfaces 62A and 62B extend substantially parallel to a plane including the front-rear and left-right directions. Meanwhile, downwardly protruding pressing ends (pressing portions) 82Aa and 82Ba are formed on the lower sides of the side walls 82A and 82B of the operation button 80. Therefore, when a downward load is applied to the operation button 80, the pressing ends 82Aa and 82Ba of the operation button 80 come into contact with the pressure-receiving surfaces 62A and 62B of the press heads 60A and 60B. At this contact position, the load applied to the operation button 80 can be transmitted to the depression heads 60A and 60B.

[0034] 2 and 8, the operation button 80 has protrusions 82Ac and 82Bc at the lower-front ends of the side walls 82A and 82B that protrude inward in the left-right direction from the inner surfaces of the side walls 82A and 82B. When assembled to the discharge device 100, the protrusions 82Ac and 82Bc engage with protrusion receivers 34A and 34B (FIG. 9) formed on the inside of the front surface of the body 30, respectively. More specifically, in the assembled discharge device 100, the protrusions 82Ac and 82Bc are disposed within the protrusion receivers 34A and 34B and are rotatable relative to the stationary protrusion receivers 34A and 34B along a plane including the front-rear and up-down directions. As a result, the rear portion of the operation button 80 can be swung while being supported at a predetermined position in the front by the protrusion receivers 34A and 34B.

[0035] In this way, the rear part is configured to be swingable while being supported by the body part 30 at a predetermined position in the front, so that the operation button 80 can function as a lever with a fulcrum in the front. More specifically, the operation button 80 can form a lever structure in which a predetermined position in front of the operation button 80 is the fulcrum, a predetermined position behind the fulcrum of the operation button 80 is the point of force, and a predetermined position between the fulcrum and the point of force in the front-to-rear direction is the point of action.

[0036] The lever structure of this embodiment will be described in more detail below. Fig. 10 shows a partially enlarged cross section taken along line II-II in Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a cross section taken along the left side wall 82A of the operation button 80.

[0037] In the third operation, the user can place a finger on the rear end of the top surface 81 of the operation button 80, for example, and apply a downward force. In this case, the rear position on the top surface 81 of the operation button 80 becomes the force point E. As described above, the protrusion 82Ac of the operation button 80 is supported by the protrusion receiving portion 34A of the body 30 (FIG. 9). Therefore, when a downward force is applied to the force point E, the entire operation button 80 is not pressed down, but the rear portion of the operation button 80 is displaced so as to tilt downward. At that time, the side wall 82A rotates around the protrusion 82Ac along a plane including the front-rear and up-down directions (FIG. 10). In other words, the position of the protrusion 82Ac of the side wall 82A can become the fulcrum F of the lever.

[0038] Furthermore, as described above, a pressing end 82Aa that partially protrudes downward is formed at the lower end of the side wall 82A of the operation button 80. Therefore, when the operation button 80 is pressed down at the force point E, the position of the pressing end 82Aa becomes the action point L, and a load is applied to the pressure-receiving surface 62A of the pressing head 60A located below the pressing end 82Aa.

[0039] In this way, the operation button 80 has a lever structure, a so-called second-class lever, in which the fulcrum F is located in the front, the force point E is located in the rear, and the point of application L is located between the fulcrum F and the force point E when viewed in the front-to-rear direction. This lever structure makes it possible to convert the load applied to the force point E into a larger load at the force point L. Therefore, the user can reduce the load required at the force point E to press down the operation button 80.

[0040] In the case of a type II lever, generally, the load to be applied to the force point is reduced by moving the force point away from the application point. Therefore, from the perspective of simply reducing the load, it is conceivable to lengthen the operation button 80 in the front-to-rear direction and have it protrude from the rear of the push heads 60A and 60B (the rear of the discharge device 100) so that the force point E of the operation button 80 can be moved away from the application point L in the front-to-rear direction in the discharge device 100 of this embodiment. However, if the operation button 80 protrudes, depending on the design, it may detract from the aesthetic appeal and may also be cumbersome to handle during packaging for shipping, etc. In contrast, this embodiment provides a discharge device 100 that further reduces the load required to press down the operation button 80 while maintaining a high aesthetic appeal in which the rear ends of the operation button 80 and the push heads 60A and 60B are aligned.

[0041] In the lever structure of this embodiment, the point of force E is located on the top surface 81 of the operation button 80, while the fulcrum F is located at a position offset downward from the top surface 81 of the operation button 80 ( FIG. 10 ). Therefore, in a lever structure in which the fulcrum F is offset downward from the top surface 81 of the operation button 80, the length of the line connecting the fulcrum F and the point of force E can be made longer compared to a case in which both the fulcrum F and the point of force E are located on the top surface 81 of the operation button 80. Therefore, the required load applied at the point of force E (the load required to press down both press heads 60A, 60B) can be further reduced. Furthermore, in this lever structure, compared to a case in which both the fulcrum F and the point of force E are located on the top surface 81 of the operation button 80, the direction of the force applied at the point of force E is changed with respect to the direction of the line connecting the fulcrum F and the point of force E, so it can be said that the load applied to the point of force E is reduced.

[0042] In the lever structure, the distance Δh (FIG. 10) that the fulcrum F is shifted downward from the top surface 81 is preferably 5 to 8 mm. Δh may be the length from the top surface 81 to the bottom end of the protrusion 82Ac when the operation button 80 is not pressed (inactive state, FIGS. 1 and 3). The length of the top surface of the operation button 80 in the front-to-rear direction may be 15 to 60 mm.

[0043] Furthermore, Fig. 11 shows a partially enlarged cross section taken along line III-III in Fig. 6. The cross section of Fig. 11 is taken at a position inside the side wall 82A of the operation button 80 in the left-right direction and outside the center in the left-right direction.

[0044] During the third operation, the operation button 80 is pressed downward, causing the rear portion of the operation button 80 to be pressed downward. In this embodiment, however, this depression stroke may be regulated. For example, the operation button 80 may be formed with a central protrusion 85 that protrudes downward from the center in the left-right direction. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 11 , the central protrusion 85 abuts against an abutment portion 37 (see also FIG. 9 ) that protrudes upward inside the body 30, thereby restricting the downward movement of the operation button 80. Furthermore, the operation button 80 can be supported in a depressed state. The magnitude of the maximum depression stroke of the operation button 80 can be regulated depending on the height and shape of the abutment portion 37, the shape of the operation button 80 (particularly the position of the application point L), etc.

[0045] A rear wall 86 extending downward is formed at the rear of the operation button 80, and a claw (locking portion) 86a protruding rearward is formed at the lower end of the rear wall 86. The claw 86a may be formed to extend in the left-right direction. In addition, in the inoperative state (FIGS. 1 and 3), the claw 86a is adapted to engage with a claw receiving portion 36 formed at the upper end of the rear wall of the body 30. The claw receiving portion 36 is a portion that protrudes forward and prevents the claw 86a from moving upward. This engagement between the claw 86a and the claw receiving portion 36 prevents the operation button 80 from coming loose.

[0046] Although the above description with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 has mainly focused on the function of the side wall 82A, the side wall 82B also functions in the same manner.

[0047] 10 and 11, the point of force E is located at the rear end of the top surface 81 of the operation button 80, but the position of the point of force E, i.e., the position where the user presses down on the operation button 80 in the third operation, may be located forward of the rear end of the operation button 80. However, from the viewpoint of reducing the load applied by the user to the operation button 80, it is preferable that the position of the point of force E be located behind the positions of the pressing ends 82Aa and 82Ba of the side walls 82A and 82B in the front-to-rear direction.

[0048] 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.

[0049] Fig. 12 shows an enlarged perspective view of the press-down head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A in a separated state. Fig. 13 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. 12 and 13 are the orientations when these components are incorporated into the discharge device 100.

[0050] 12, 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 13, 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.

[0054] In the example shown in Fig. 13, 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. 13, 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.

[0055] 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. 13, 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.

[0056] 12 and 13, the configuration of the press-down head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A has been described, but the above description also applies to the press-down head 60B and the nozzle portion 70B if the configuration is reversed. 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 arranged side by side in the discharge device 100.

[0057] Fig. 14 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. Furthermore, Fig. 15 shows a view (Fig. 15(a)) of the combination of the press-down head 60A and the nozzle portion 70A as seen from the right side, and a view (Fig. 15(b)) of the combination of the press-down head 60B and the nozzle portion 70B as seen from the left side. As shown in Figs. 14 and 15, 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.

[0058] 14 and 15(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.

[0059] The same can be said for the presser head 60B. As shown in Figures 14 and 15(b), the front plate 65Bf 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 65Bf 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 the notches 66Bb have the same shape and size and are located at the same positions in the up-down and left-right directions.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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 15(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 15(b).

[0062] Therefore, in FIG. 15(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. 15(b). Also, in FIG. 15(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. 15(a).

[0063] 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.

[0064] This application claims priority from basic application No. 2020-135967, filed with the Japan Patent Office on August 11, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1A, 1B Dispenser 10A, 10B housing 20A, 20B pump unit 22A, 22B stem 25A, 25B Pump unit elastic means 30 Torso 32A, 32B through hole 34A, 34B Projection receiving part 37 Contact part 38A, 38B front opening 45 Central elastic means 60A, 60B pressing head 62A, 62B pressure receiving surface 64A, 64B downward protrusion 63A, 63B downstream opening 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 side wall 82Aa, 82Ba pressing end 82Ac, 82Bc protrusion 85 Central protrusion 86 Back wall 86a Claw 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 pushing down a stem, the discharge device having an up-down direction which is an axial direction of the dischargers and a left-right direction which is perpendicular to the up-down direction and in which the dischargers are arranged side by side, a push-down head capable of depressing the stem is provided on each of the two dispensers, and an operation button is provided that can simultaneously apply a load to both of the push-down heads to depress the push-down heads; a lever structure is formed in which a predetermined position on the top surface of the operation button is used as a force point and a position forward of the force point and shifted downward from the top surface of the operation button is used as a fulcrum; 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 the left-right direction, the operation button has the top surface and side walls extending downward from both sides of the top surface in the left-right direction, and lower ends of the side walls are configured to abut against the pressure-receiving surface of the press head in the up-down direction, In a non-operating state, the top surface of the press head and the top surface of the operation button are flush with each other.

2. 2. The ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the operation button includes two pressing portions that protrude downward and are capable of pressing down the press heads, respectively, and the pressing portions serve as points of action of the lever structure that are located between the force point and the fulcrum.

3. The ejection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the top surface of the operation button is flat.

4. The ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein in a non-operating state, a rear end of the operation button and a rear end of the top surface of the press-down head are aligned in the front-to-rear direction.

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