spout

Abstract

To provide a spout capable of stably and reliably controlling discharge and a discharge amount of a content liquid with an extremely simple operation.SOLUTION: A spout body 10 included in a spout 1 of the present invention has an outflow tube 11 and a plug body 12. The plug body 12 is supported in a state of keeping a gap with an inner peripheral surface 11b of the outflow tube 11 so that the content fluid can flow. A discharge cap 20 included in the spout 1 has a tubular body portion 21 with top having a top surface portion 22 and a slide tubular portion 23, a tubular nozzle portion 24, and an inner tubular portion 25 arranged inside the slide tubular portion 23 with a space S therebetween. With an operation of the discharge cap 20, a state of the plug body 12 which is brought into close contact with a base end opening 24a of the nozzle portion 24 to block a flow of the content liquid to the nozzle portion 24 can be changed to a state where the flow of the content liquid to the nozzle portion 24 is released, allowing the content liquid to be discharged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a spout that is attached to a liquid agent container and that discharges the liquid contained therein. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Spout-equipped pouch containers, which are equipped with a spout, have been known as containers for storing liquid contents such as liquid detergents. Spout-equipped pouch containers are widely used as refill containers from the viewpoints of reducing waste and saving resources.

[0003] Generally, in a spout-equipped pouch container, the pouch body is formed from a flexible material such as a resin film, and therefore, when the content liquid is transferred into another container, it is difficult to stabilize the posture and shape of the pouch body. For this reason, there has been a problem that the content liquid discharged from the nozzle portion (discharge port) of the spout often spills onto the surrounding area without entering the other container, etc. This problem is particularly likely to become apparent when the pouch body has a large capacity. Therefore, various spouts capable of controlling the amount of content liquid discharged have been proposed, for example, spouts described in Patent Documents 1 to 3.

[0004] The spout described in Patent Document 1 includes an inward extending portion that protrudes inside the pouch body, and the inward extending portion is formed with an adjustment surface that points more rearward the further it is from the attachment portion, a communication hole opens into the adjustment surface, and a finger support surface that continues from the adjustment surface and can support a finger is formed at the end of the adjustment surface. With this type of spout, it is possible to stop the content liquid being discharged from the nozzle portion or adjust the amount of discharge by pressing a finger against the adjustment surface from the outside of the pouch body to reduce the opening area of ​​the communication hole.

[0005] The spout described in Patent Document 2 has an elastically deforming portion in a part of the axial direction of the nozzle portion that is deformable toward the inside in the radial direction of the flow path. With this spout, like the spout described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to stop the content liquid being discharged from the nozzle portion and adjust the amount of discharge by pinching the side wall (exposed portion) of the nozzle portion with two fingers.

[0006] The present applicant also previously disclosed a pouring spout (Patent Document 3) in which a pair of pinching extraction adjustment portions are formed on the front and back sides of a pressing surface portion disposed opposite the inner surfaces of a pair of front film portions on the front and back sides of a bag body. A through-hole is provided between the pair of pressing surface portions, and an end opening large enough to be closed by a finger pad is formed in each pressing surface portion. The through-hole communicates with the pouring nozzle portion via an outflow opening formed on the inner peripheral surface of the portion between the pair of pressing surface portions. With this spout, it is possible to stop the content liquid being dispensed from the nozzle portion or adjust the amount of the dispensed liquid by pinching the finger pads with fingers from outside the bag body, similar to the spouts described in the above patent documents. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-173704 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-006434 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-081553 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, the spouts described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 are all configured to control the amount of liquid discharged by pinching the operating part with fingers and controlling the amount of pressure applied by the fingertips. When operating by pinching with fingers, the way the pouch body is held and the position of the operating part attached to the pouch body can affect operability. In particular, when operating with the non-dominant hand, the adjustment of the amount of liquid discharged can become unstable and the liquid can spill around, so further improvements in the operability of spouts when discharging the liquid are desired. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of manufacturing costs, a spout with a simple structure is desired.

[0009] The present invention relates to providing a spout that has a relatively simple structure and is capable of stably and reliably controlling the amount of liquid discharged with an extremely simple operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention relates to a spout that is attached to a liquid agent container and that discharges the liquid contained therein. The spout includes a spout body and a discharge cap attached to the spout body. The spout body preferably has a cylindrical outlet tube and a stopper body, and the stopper body is supported with a gap maintained between the inner surface of the outlet tube and the stopper body to allow the content liquid to flow. It is preferable that the discharge cap has a topped cylindrical main body portion having a top surface portion and a sliding cylindrical portion connected to the peripheral portion of the top surface portion, a cylindrical nozzle portion protruding from the central portion of the top surface portion on the side opposite to the sliding cylindrical portion, and an inner cylindrical portion arranged inside the sliding cylindrical portion with a gap between it and the sliding cylindrical portion. The sliding cylindrical portion preferably has an inner peripheral surface shape that allows it to slide circumferentially and in the forward and backward directions along the outer peripheral surface of the outflow tube. It is preferable that the sliding cylindrical portion is arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the outflow tube, and the inner cylindrical portion is arranged along the inner peripheral surface of the outflow tube. It is preferable that the inner tubular portion is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the outflow tube so as to be slidable in the forward and backward directions relative to the outflow tube. It is preferable that by operating the discharge cap and sliding the sliding tube portion circumferentially and back and forth relative to the outflow tube, the state in which the stopper body is in close contact with the base end opening of the nozzle portion, blocking the flow of content liquid to the nozzle portion, is changed to a state in which the flow of content liquid to the nozzle portion is opened and the content liquid can be discharged. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The spout of the present invention makes it possible to stably and reliably control the discharge and discharge amount of the liquid content with an extremely simple operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state in which a spout according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is attached to a liquid agent container. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the spout of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the spout of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the spout body that constitutes the spout of FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a discharge cap that constitutes the spout of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating the operation of the spout of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of a spout according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the spout of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view for explaining the operation of the spout of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the axial direction of a spout according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the spout shown in FIG. [Figure 12]12(a) and (b) are cross-sectional views along the axial direction of a spout according to yet another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] A spout according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a spout 1 according to this embodiment attached to a liquid agent container 2. The liquid agent container 2 of this embodiment is formed of a flexible sheet and contains a liquid content (not shown) such as a liquid hair care agent such as shampoo, rinse, or conditioner, or a liquid detergent, fabric softener, bleach, or liquid seasoning.

[0014] The liquid container 2 of this embodiment is a pouch container for refilling. The liquid container 2 has a pair of side walls 2b, 2b and a bottom surface (not shown) connecting the pair of side walls, and is self-supporting with the bottom surface serving as a contact surface. The pair of side walls 2b, 2b and the bottom surface are formed from flexible sheets. The liquid container 2 has a seal portion 2a formed by joining three sides of the periphery of two sheets that make up the side walls 2b, 2b, and a bottom surface formed by joining the two sheets with another sheet interposed between them. The space defined by the pair of side walls 2b, 2b and the bottom surface serves as a storage space for the liquid content. In this embodiment, the side walls 2b, 2b have an upper shoulder 2d in which one of the four corners of the rectangle is cut out diagonally, and in the height direction Z of the liquid container 2 which is freestanding with the bottom surface as the contact surface, the upper shoulder 2d is located on the opposite side of the bottom surface.

[0015] A single-layer or multi-layer film made of a known synthetic resin can be used as the flexible sheet forming the liquid container 2. In this case, the film may have a single-layer structure made of a single type of synthetic resin, or may have a multi-layer laminate structure. Examples of synthetic resins include polyolefin, polyester, and polyamide.

[0016] The solution container 2 of this embodiment has a spout 1 between a pair of side walls 2b, 2b at an upper shoulder portion 2d. The spout 1 is sandwiched between the pair of side walls 2b, 2b and fixed to the side walls by joining such as heat sealing. The liquid container 2 is capable of discharging (flowing out) the liquid content contained in the container 2 to the outside via the spout 1. There is no particular limitation on the attachment position of the spout 1 in the solution container 2. In this embodiment, the spout 1 is attached to the upper shoulder portion 2d, but it may also be attached to another portion, for example, at the center position of the upper end portions of the side walls 2b, 2b.

[0017] The spout 1 according to this embodiment is a molded product made of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene, or a bioplastic such as polylactic acid, and is preferably formed by injection molding. As will be described later, the spout 1 is formed as a two-part component consisting of a spout body 10 and a discharge cap 20.

[0018] The axial direction of the spout 1 in this embodiment coincides with the outflow direction of the content liquid when the content liquid is discharged from the liquid container 2 to the outside through the spout 1. Hereinafter, the outflow direction of the content liquid in the spout 1 will also be simply referred to as the "outflow direction V." Unless otherwise specified in the following explanation, the spout 1 will be described with its axial direction coincident with the vertical direction, and with the base end side of the outflow direction V facing downward. In this state, the tip side (outer side) of the outflow direction V is the "upper side" or "upward," and the base end side (inner side) of the outflow direction V is the "lower side" or "downward."

[0019] 1 and 2, the spout 1 of this embodiment includes a spout body 10 and a discharge cap 20. The discharge cap 20 is located above the spout body 10. The spout body 10 has a cylindrical outlet tube 11 and a stopper body 12, and the spout 1 is attached to the liquid container 2 by attaching the base end 11d of the outlet tube 11 to the liquid container 2 (the upper shoulder portion 2d described above). The spout body 10 of this embodiment is fixed liquid-tightly to the liquid container 2 by applying fixing means such as heat sealing to the pair of side walls 2b, 2b and the base end 11d of the outlet tube 11 between these side walls.

[0020] In this embodiment, the base end 11d of the outflow tube 11 and the liquid container 2 are fixed in a liquid-tight manner, but instead, a connecting member for fixing the spout 1 may be provided, and the connecting member and the liquid container 2 may be fixed in a liquid-tight manner. The connecting member is a member having a flow path therein, to which the spout 1 can be attached. The connecting member is a member disposed so as to extend from the spout 1 toward the inside of the storage space for the liquid content. When the spout 1 is fixed to the connecting member and attached to the liquid container 2, the spout 1 and the connecting member may be integrally formed (e.g., by injection molding), or the spout 1 and the connecting member may be separate members.

[0021] In the spout body 10, the outflow tube 11 is a member for causing the liquid content stored in the liquid agent container 2 to flow out into the discharge cap 20. The tip 11c, i.e., the upper part, of the outflow tube 11 has a circular horizontal cross section. On the other hand, the base end 11d of the spout body 10 has a polygonal horizontal cross section. In this embodiment, the horizontal cross section of the base end 11d is octagonal. This configuration makes it easy to grip the base end 11d of the spout body 10 with fingers, and also makes it easier to rotate the discharge cap 20 circumferentially relative to the outflow tube 11 at the tip 11c. Details of this operation will be described later.

[0022] A male thread ridge 11e is formed on the outer peripheral surface 11a of the outflow tube 11 except for the base end portion 11d. The male thread ridge 11e can be threadably engaged with a female thread ridge 23c formed on the inner peripheral surface of the discharge cap 20. By threading the male thread ridge 11e and the female thread ridge 23c together, the discharge cap 20 is attached along the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion 11c of the spout body 10.

[0023] A liquid-tight portion 11f that bulges radially inward is formed at the tip edge of the outflow tube 11. The liquid-tight portion 11f is in close contact with an outer peripheral surface 25a of an inner tubular portion 25 of the discharge cap 20, which will be described later, and prevents the liquid content in the outflow tube 11 from leaking to the outside. In addition, the liquid-tight portion 11f comes into contact with a stopper portion 25b formed on the inner tubular portion 25, and restricts the discharge cap 20 from sliding upward (sliding in the forward direction) (see FIG. 6(b)).

[0024] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the plug 12 has a circular plate shape and an outer diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the tip edge (liquid-tight portion 11f) of the outflow tube 11. The plug 12 is supported via rod-shaped support parts 13, maintaining a gap between the plug 12 and the inner circumferential surface 11b of the outflow tube 11 that allows the content liquid to flow. One end of each support part 13 is connected to the lower surface of the plug 12, while the other end is connected to the inner circumferential surface 11b of the outflow tube 11. The support parts 13 extend radially outward from one end side to the other end side, and support the plug 12 from below. The other end of the support part 13, which is connected to the inner peripheral surface 11b of the outflow tube 11, is positioned away from the tip edge of the outflow tube 11 in the axial direction of the outflow tube 11. This configuration makes it easier to ensure the space formed between the stopper body 12 and the base end opening 24a of the nozzle part 24, so that by sliding the discharge cap 20 to adjust the size (volume) of this space, it becomes easier to adjust the discharge amount of the content liquid.

[0025] The support parts 13 in this embodiment are fixed at approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction to the inner circumferential surface 11b of the outflow tube 11. Specifically, when the outflow tube 11 is viewed in plan from the tip side in the outflow direction V, the other ends of the support parts 13 are fixed at intervals on the inner circumferential surface 11b of the outflow tube 11 so that the angle α1 between adjacent support parts 13 is approximately 120° (see FIG. 4). In this embodiment, the plug 12 is positioned by the support portion 13 above the liquid-tight portion 11f (tip edge) of the tip portion 11c.

[0026] In this embodiment, the plug 12 is supported by three rod-shaped support parts 13. The number of support parts 13 is not limited to three, and may be four or more, or may be two or less. By supporting the plug 12 with multiple support parts 13 in this way, the fixation of the plug 12 to the outflow tube 11 is more stable, and the flow resistance of the content liquid flowing through the outflow tube 11 is reduced, making it possible to more smoothly discharge the content liquid.

[0027] The discharge cap 20 is a member for discharging (flowing out) to the outside the content liquid that has flowed into the discharge cap 20 through the outflow tube 11. As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the discharge cap 20 has a main body portion 21, a nozzle portion 24, and an inner tube portion 25. The main body 21 of the discharge cap 20 has a cylindrical shape with a top, and includes a substantially circular plate-shaped top surface 22 and a cylindrical slide tube 23 connected to a peripheral edge 22 a of the top surface 22 . In the discharge cap 20, a cylindrical nozzle portion 24 is formed in the central portion of the top surface portion 22, protruding from the central portion to the opposite side to the sliding cylinder portion 23. That is, the nozzle portion 24 protrudes toward the tip side in the outflow direction V, and the sliding cylinder portion 23 protrudes toward the base end side in the outflow direction V.

[0028] An internal thread ridge 23c that can be threadably engaged with the external thread ridge 11e of the spout body 10 is formed on the inner peripheral surface 23a of the slide tube portion 23 on the base end side in the outflow direction V. The discharge cap 20 is attached to the spout body 10 by inserting the spout body 10 into the discharge cap 20 and rotating the discharge cap 20 relative to the outflow tube 11 to threadably engage the external thread ridge 11e of the spout body 10 with the internal thread ridge 23c of the discharge cap 20.

[0029] The nozzle portion 24 has a cylindrical shape and includes a base end opening 24a located on the base end side in the outflow direction V, and a tip discharge portion 24b located on the tip end side in the outflow direction V and discharging the content liquid to the outside. The nozzle portion 24 has an inner circumferential surface 24c that is continuous with the inner surface 22b of the top surface portion 22. The nozzle portion 24 has an inner diameter that is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the plug 12, allowing the plug 12 to be fitted liquid-tightly into the base-end opening 24a (see FIG. 6(a)). In this fitted state, the outer peripheral surface of the plug 12 and the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle portion 24 are in close contact with each other, closing the base-end opening 24a of the nozzle portion 24. This puts the internal space of the spout body 10 (outlet tube 11) and the internal space of the nozzle portion 24 in a non-communicative state, blocking the outflow (discharge) of the content liquid from the tip discharge portion 24b.

[0030] The inner tube portion 25 has a cylindrical shape and an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the base-end opening 24a of the nozzle portion 24. The inner tube portion 25 protrudes downward from the inner surface 22b of the top surface portion 22 and is disposed inside the sliding tube portion 23 with a fixed distance S between it and the inner peripheral surface 23b of the sliding tube portion 23 (see FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b)). The tip portion 11c of the outflow tube 11 is inserted and disposed between the sliding tube portion 23 and the inner tube portion 25 in a state where the discharge cap 20 is attached to the spout body 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "attached state").

[0031] A stopper portion 25b that bulges outward in the radial direction is formed on the lower edge of the inner cylindrical portion 25. When the discharge cap 20 is rotated and slid relative to the outflow tube 11, this stopper portion 25b comes into contact with the liquid-tight portion 11f of the outflow tube 11, thereby restricting the upward sliding movement of the discharge cap 20 (see FIG. 6(b)).

[0032] The slide tube portion 23 has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the tip portion 11 c of the outflow tube 11 , and is a cylindrical portion that protrudes downward from the periphery of the top surface portion 22 . The sliding tube portion 23 has an inner peripheral shape that allows it to slide circumferentially and in the forward and backward directions along the outer peripheral surface of the outflow tube 11. In an attached state in which the discharge cap 20 is attached to the spout body 10, the sliding tube portion 23 is arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the tip end 11c of the outflow tube 11, and the inner tube portion 25 is arranged along the inner peripheral surface of the tip end 11c of the outflow tube 11. In this attached state, the inner tubular portion 25 is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the outflow tube 11 and is slidable in the forward and backward directions relative to the tip end 11c of the outflow tube 11. More specifically, the stopper portion 25b of the inner tubular portion 25 is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the tip end 11c of the outflow tube 11, and when the discharge cap 20 slides, the stopper portion 25b slides along the inner circumferential surface.

[0033] In this embodiment, the discharge cap 20 can be slid forward and backward by rotating it counterclockwise in the axial direction. This operation of rotating the discharge cap 20 causes the discharge cap 20 to move up and down (forward and backward movement). In other words, the length of the spout 1 can change in the outflow direction V. The upward sliding movement of the discharge cap 20 is restricted by contact between the liquid-tight portion 11f and the stopper portion 25b, as described above. To ensure this restriction, it is preferable that the cross-sectional shape of each of the liquid-tight portion 11f and the stopper portion 25b along the axial direction of the spout 1 be hook-shaped. Further, downward sliding movement of the discharge cap 20 is restricted by contact between the top surface 22 of the discharge cap 20 and the leading edge of the outflow tube 11 .

[0034] Hereinafter, the height position of the upper edge of the discharge cap 20 when it cannot move any further downward, i.e., when the overall length of the spout 1 is at its shortest, will be referred to as the "blocking position P1" (see Figure 6(a)). Also, the height position of the upper edge of the discharge cap 20 when it cannot move any further upward, i.e., when the overall length of the spout 1 is at its longest, will be referred to as the "maximum opening position P2" (see Figure 6(b)). In this embodiment, when the height position of the upper edge of the discharge cap 20 is shifted from the blocking position P1 to the maximum open position P2, the discharge cap 20 is rotated counterclockwise. On the other hand, when the height position of the upper edge of the discharge cap 20 is shifted from the maximum open position P2 to the blocking position P1, the discharge cap 20 is rotated clockwise.

[0035] When the upper edge of the discharge cap 20 is in the blocking position P1, the stopper 12 is in tight contact with the base end opening 24a of the nozzle portion 24, blocking the flow of the liquid contents to the nozzle portion 24 (see FIG. 6(a)). When the blockage of the base end opening 24a by the stopper 12, i.e., the blockage of the flow of the liquid contents by the stopper 12, is released, the flow of the liquid contents from the outflow tube 11 to the nozzle portion 24 is opened. This allows the liquid contents to be discharged through the spout 1.

[0036] When discharging the liquid content contained in the liquid container 2 from the tip discharge portion 24b of the spout 1, the liquid container 2 is tilted so that the tip discharge portion 24b faces vertically downward. In this state, the discharge cap 20 is operated to slide the sliding tube portion 23 circumferentially and back and forth relative to the outflow tube 11. Specifically, the discharge cap 20 is rotated counterclockwise relative to the spout body 10 (outflow tube 11) to slide the discharge cap 20 upward, gradually moving the upper edge of the cap 20 upward from the blocking position P1 (see Figure 6(a)). As a result, the base end opening 24a gradually moves upward away from the stopper body 12, and the blockage of the base end opening 24a by the stopper body 12 is released. Then, the internal space of the spout body 10 (outflow tube 11) and the internal space of the discharge cap 20 switch from a non-communicative state to a communicative state. In this way, the flow of the liquid content to the nozzle portion 24 is opened, the liquid content is changed into a state in which it can be ejected, and the liquid content contained in the liquid agent container 2 is ejected from the tip ejection portion 24b. When sliding the discharge cap 20 downward and moving the upper edge of the cap 20 to the blocking position P1, the above-described operations are performed in the reverse order (the operation of rotating the discharge cap 20 clockwise).

[0037] In the operation of sliding the discharge cap 20 upward as described above, if the discharge cap 20 is further rotated counterclockwise and slid so that the upper edge of the cap 20 reaches the maximum open position P2, the proximal opening 24a moves farther away from the plug 12, increasing the volume of the space between the proximal opening 24a and the plug 12. This increase or decrease in the volume of the space allows the amount of liquid discharged from the distal discharge portion 24b to be adjusted. Specifically, as the volume of the space between the proximal opening 24a and the plug 12 increases, the amount of liquid flowing into the space increases, increasing the amount of liquid discharged. On the other hand, as the volume of the space between the proximal opening 24a and the plug 12 decreases, the amount of liquid flowing into the space decreases, decreasing the amount of liquid discharged. In other words, by sliding the discharge cap 20 so that the upper edge of the cap 20 approaches the maximum open position P2, the amount of liquid discharged can be increased, and by sliding the discharge cap 20 so that the upper edge of the cap 20 moves downward away from the maximum open position P2, the amount of liquid discharged can be decreased.

[0038] As described above, the spout 1 of this embodiment can control the discharge and non-discharge of the liquid content through the spout 1 and adjust the discharge amount of the liquid content by performing an extremely simple operation, such as rotating the discharge cap 20 in the axial direction. Because this operation does not require fingertip pressure control, it can be easily and stably performed with one hand, regardless of whether the user is dominant or non-dominant. For example, by holding the liquid container 2 with one hand and the spout 1 with the other, the discharge and discharge amount of the liquid content can be easily controlled. Furthermore, despite the simple operation, the discharge and discharge amount of the liquid content can be reliably controlled, thereby preventing the liquid content from unintentionally spilling onto the surrounding area. This allows the liquid content to be reliably poured from the liquid container 2 into another container, etc. In this way, the spout 1 of this embodiment can extremely easily control the discharge and discharge amount of the content liquid, and can stably and reliably control the discharge and discharge amount of the content liquid.

[0039] In the above-described embodiment, the male thread ridge 11e of the outlet tube 11 is threadedly engaged with the female thread ridge 23c of the discharge cap 20, and the discharge cap 20 is rotated relative to the outlet tube 11, thereby allowing the discharge cap 20 to move forward and backward; however, this is not limited to such an embodiment. Another embodiment of the spout 1 according to the present invention will be described below. In the following, the components of this embodiment that differ from the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6 will be mainly described, and similar components will be assigned the same reference numerals and will not be described again. For components that are not particularly described, the description of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6 will be applied as appropriate.

[0040] 7 and 8, an engaging protrusion 111e is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the outflow tube 11. The engaging protrusion 111e is a cylindrical portion protruding from the outer peripheral surface 11a of the outflow tube 111 (spout main body 110). Furthermore, in the spout 101, a cutout guide groove 123c is formed in the sliding tube portion 123. The cutout guide groove 123c has a groove width W that allows the engagement protrusion 111e to fit within. In this embodiment, the cutout guide groove 123c is an L-shaped opening formed in the lower end of the sliding tube portion 123, and one end of the cutout guide groove 123c extends to the edge (lower end) of the sliding tube portion 123. In this embodiment, the cutout guide groove 123c has an axial cutout portion 123c1 that extends from the edge of the sliding tube portion 23 in the axial direction of the sliding tube portion 23, and a circumferential cutout portion 123c2 that continues from the upper end of the axial cutout portion 123c1 and extends in the circumferential direction of the sliding tube portion 23. The circumferential cutout portion 123c2 intersects with the axial cutout portion 123c1. More specifically, it is perpendicular to the axial cutout portion 123c1.

[0041] As with the spout 1 according to the above embodiment (see FIG. 2, etc.), the discharge cap 120 can be attached to the spout body 110 in this embodiment. First, the spout body 110 is inserted into the discharge cap 120 (see FIG. 9(c)). The engaging protrusion 111e is aligned with the axial cutout 123c1 in the circumferential direction of the sliding tube portion 121, and the discharge cap 120 is pushed downward toward the spout body 110 (see FIG. 9(b)). The discharge cap 120 is then pushed downward so that the engaging protrusion 111e is positioned at the upper end of the axial cutout 123c1, i.e., at one end of the circumferential cutout 123c2. The discharge cap 120 is then rotated relative to the outlet tube 11 so that the engaging protrusion 111e moves to the other end of the circumferential cutout 123c2 (see FIG. 9(a)). In this manner, the discharge cap 120 is attached to the spout body 110.

[0042] In the spout 101 of this embodiment, the discharge cap 120 is rotated or moved back and forth (up and down) relative to the outflow tube 11 so as to move the engaging protrusion 111e along the cut guide groove 123c. By this operation, the discharge of the content liquid and the discharge amount can be controlled. For example, when the engaging protrusion 111e is positioned at the circumferential cutout 123c2, the upper edge of the discharge cap 120 is at the blocking position P1, and the flow of the content liquid is blocked by the plug 12. The "state where the engaging protrusion 111e is positioned at the other end of the circumferential cutout 123c2" includes a state where the engaging protrusion 111e is positioned at the other end of the circumferential cutout 123c2 (see FIG. 9(a)), and a state where the engaging protrusion 111e is positioned at the one end of the circumferential cutout 123c2, i.e., the upper end of the axial cutout 123c1 (see FIG. 9(b)). When the engaging protrusion 111e is positioned below the upper end of the axial cutout 123c1, the upper edge of the discharge cap 120 is above the blocking position P1, and the stopper body 12 is no longer blocking the flow of the content liquid. That is, the non-discharge state (locked state) is established by the engaging protrusion 111e and the circumferential cut portion 123c2, and the discharge state (unlocked state) is established by the engaging protrusion 111e and the axial cut portion 123c1. To switch from the non-discharge state to the discharge state, the sliding tube portion 123 is rotated relative to the outflow tube 11 until the engaging protrusion 111e is positioned at the upper end of the axial cut portion 123c1. Then, the sliding tube portion 123 is slid upward relative to the outflow tube 11 to establish the discharge state.

[0043] The discharge cap 120 of this embodiment can be slid upward relative to the outflow tube 11 until the liquid-tight portion 11f and the stopper portion 25b come into contact. This moves the discharge cap 120 in a direction away from the spout body 110. At this time, the engaging protrusion 111e may be disengaged from the axial cutout 123c1 (see FIG. 9(c)). When the discharge cap 120 is moved upward relative to the outflow tube 11 until the liquid-tight portion 11f and the stopper portion 25b come into contact, the upper edge of the discharge cap 120 reaches the maximum open position P2. As in the above-described embodiment, the spout 101 of this embodiment can also adjust the amount of content liquid discharged from the tip discharge portion 24b by moving the discharge cap 120 up and down.

[0044] The spout 101 of this embodiment can be switched from a non-discharging state to a discharging state by rotating the discharge cap 120, and after the switching, the discharge amount can be controlled by moving the discharge cap 120 up and down. By performing the two-stage operation of rotating and moving the cap up and down in this way, the discharge of the content liquid can be more reliably controlled and unintentional discharge of the content liquid from the base end opening 24a can be prevented.

[0045] 7 to 9, the circumferential cut portion 123c2 is formed to extend circumferentially from the upper end of the axial cut portion 123c1, but it can also be formed to extend obliquely upward from the upper end of the axial cut portion 123c1 (see "circumferential cut portion 123c2'" in FIG. 7). With this configuration, by rotating the discharge cap 120 counterclockwise (clockwise) with the engaging protrusion 111e positioned within the circumferential cut portion 123c2', the volume of the space between the plug 12 and the base-end opening 24a can be increased or decreased, making it easier to adjust the amount of content discharged. 7 to 9, guide grooves extending in two directions, i.e., axial cutout 123c1 and circumferential cutout 123c2, are formed, but it is also possible to form a guide groove extending in only one direction. For example, the guide groove may extend obliquely upward from the lower end of sliding tube portion 123.

[0046] Although the plug 12 in the above-described embodiment has a circular plate shape, it is not limited to such a shape. For example, the spout 1 shown in FIGS. ´ In the figure, the plug 112 has a bullet shape tapering toward the tip, with the tip-side portion 112a being conical and the base-side portion 112c being cylindrical. As shown in FIG. 11, the plug 112 is supported from below by two support portions 113. The two support portions 113 extend in opposite directions from the lower end portion 112b of the plug 112. That is, the angle α2 between the support portions 113 shown in FIG. 11 is 180°. In this embodiment, the support portions 113 also have one end located at the lower end portion 112b of the plug 112 and the other end fixed to the inner circumferential surface 11b of the outflow tube 11. The outer diameter of the base-side cylindrical portion 112c of the plug 112 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the base-end opening 24a of the nozzle portion 24 (discharge cap 20).

[0047] 10, when the upper edge of the discharge cap 20 is located at the blocking position P1, the cylindrical portion 112c of the stopper 112 liquid-tightly closes the base end opening 24a of the nozzle portion 24 (discharge cap 20). When the discharge cap 20 is slid upward from this state, the blockage by the stopper 112 is released, the content liquid is discharged, and the volume of the space between the stopper 112 and the base end opening 24a gradually increases, allowing the discharge amount to be increased.

[0048] In this embodiment, the stopper 112 has a tapered, conical tip portion 112a. This configuration allows the volume of the space between the stopper 112 and the proximal opening 24a to be precisely adjusted in response to the amount of rotation of the discharge cap 20, making it easier to adjust the amount of content liquid discharged from the distal discharge portion 24b. Furthermore, the tapered tip end portion 112a allows the plug 112 to be inserted more smoothly into the base end opening 24a of the nozzle portion 24 (discharge cap 20).

[0049] Spout 1 shown in FIG. 12(a) ´´ As shown in the figure, the stopper 212 may have a cylindrical shape. Such a stopper 212 has a large contact area with the base end opening 24a, and therefore can effectively prevent the content liquid from being unintentionally discharged (leaked) from the tip discharge portion 24b. Also, the spout 101 shown in FIG. ´ As shown in the figure, the stopper 312 may have an inverted truncated cone shape. Such a stopper 312 can reduce the flow resistance of the content liquid flowing through the outflow tube 111, thereby making it possible to more smoothly discharge the content liquid from the tip discharge portion 24b.

[0050] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified as appropriate. The above-described embodiments may also be combined. For example, the spout of the present invention may be composed of a stopper body 212 having a cylindrical shape as shown in Figure 12(a), a spout body having an engaging protrusion 111e as shown in Figure 7, and a discharge cap having a cut guide groove 123c as shown in Figure 7. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the spout 1 is attached to the liquid container 2 made of a flexible sheet, but instead, it may be a rigid container such as a plastic container (for example, a PET bottle). [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1,1´,1´´,101,101´ Spout 2. Liquid container (pouch container) 2d upper shoulder 10,110 Spout body 11,111 Outflow tube 11a Outer surface 11b Inner surface 11c Tip 11d Proximal end 11e Male thread ridge 111e Engagement protrusion 11f Liquid-tight part 12,112,212,312 Plug body 13,113 Support part 20,120 Discharge cap 21 Main body 22 Top section 22a Periphery 22b Inside 23,123 Slide cylinder 23a Inner surface 23c Female thread ridge 123c, 123c´ Cutting guide groove 123c1 Axial cut 123c2, 123c2´ Circumferential cut 123c2a,123c2a´ other end 24 Nozzle section 24a Proximal opening 24b Tip discharge part 25 Inner cylinder part 25b Stopper part P1 Shut-off position P2 Maximum open position α1,α2 angle

Claims

1. A spout attached to a liquid container to discharge the liquid content, The device includes a spout body and a discharge cap attached to the spout body, The spout body has a cylindrical outflow tube and a plug body, and the plug body is supported by a plurality of rod-shaped support parts that protrude in the axial direction of the outflow tube and are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the outflow tube, while maintaining a gap between the plug body and the inner surface of the outflow tube to allow the content liquid to flow, The discharge cap has a topped cylindrical main body portion having a top surface portion and a sliding cylindrical portion connected to the peripheral edge of the top surface portion, a cylindrical nozzle portion protruding from the center of the top surface portion to the opposite side to the sliding cylindrical portion, and an inner cylindrical portion disposed inside the sliding cylindrical portion with a gap between it and the sliding cylindrical portion, the sliding cylindrical portion has an inner peripheral surface shape that is slidable in a circumferential direction and in a forward and backward direction along an outer peripheral surface of the outflow tube, The sliding cylindrical portion is disposed along the outer peripheral surface of the outflow tube, and the inner cylindrical portion is disposed along the inner peripheral surface of the outflow tube, the inner tubular portion is in close contact with an inner circumferential surface of the outflow tube so as to be slidable in a forward and backward direction relative to the outflow tube, A spout in which, by operating the discharge cap and sliding the sliding tube portion circumferentially and back and forth relative to the outflow tube, the stopper body is tightly attached to the base end opening of the nozzle portion, blocking the flow of content liquid to the nozzle portion, thereby opening the flow of content liquid to the nozzle portion and enabling the content liquid to be discharged.

2. A spout as described in claim 1, wherein one end of the support portion is positioned at a position spaced apart from the tip edge of the outlet tube in the axial direction of the outlet tube.

3. A male thread ridge is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the outflow tube, The spout according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a female thread ridge is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the sliding cylindrical portion.

4. An engaging protrusion protruding radially outward from the outflow tube is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the outflow tube, The spout according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slide tube portion is formed with a cut guide groove into which the engaging protrusion fits.

5. The spout of claim 4, wherein the cutout guide groove includes an axial cutout portion extending from the end edge of the sliding tube portion in the axial direction of the sliding tube portion, and a circumferential cutout portion intersecting the axial direction and extending in the circumferential direction of the sliding tube portion.

6. The spout according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the horizontal cross section of the base end of the spout body is polygonal and the horizontal cross section of the tip end is circular.

7. The spout according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the liquid container is a pouch container.

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