Trigger-type liquid sprayer

Abstract

To smoothly perform a restoration movement of a piston section, to secure stable operability of the piston section, and to widely secure an application range of liquid.SOLUTION: In a trigger type liquid sprayer 1, a trigger mechanism 15 includes: a trigger section 30; a cylinder section 31; and a piston section 32 which is movably arranged by interlocking with a movement of the trigger section in the cylinder section. The piston section has a piston shaft section 80 and a seal cylinder section 90 formed integrally with the piston shaft section. The seal cylinder section has a sliding cylinder section 91 which surrounds the piston shaft section from an outside in a radial direction and is brought into sliding contact with an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder section and an elastic section 92 for connecting a front end of the sliding cylinder section to an outer peripheral surface of the piston shaft section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a trigger-type liquid ejector. [Background technology]

[0002] Trigger-type liquid ejectors are known that suck up liquid from a container by operating a trigger and eject the liquid through an ejection hole. Known examples of this type of trigger-type liquid ejector include a trigger-type liquid ejector body that is attached to a container body containing liquid, and a nozzle member that has an ejection hole formed therein for ejecting the liquid, as shown in Patent Document 1 below.

[0003] The ejector body includes a vertical supply tube section that sucks up the liquid in the container body, an injection tube section that directs the liquid in the vertical supply tube section to the injection hole, and a trigger mechanism that has a trigger section that is arranged so that it can move rearward while being biased forward, and that ejects the liquid toward the injection hole through the vertical supply tube section and the injection tube section by moving the trigger section rearward.

[0004] The trigger mechanism includes a cylinder and a piston housed inside the cylinder so that it can move in conjunction with the movement of the trigger part. As a result, the piston is pushed into the cylinder as the trigger part moves rearward, pressurizing the inside of the cylinder, and as the trigger part moves forward due to forward bias, it returns to its original position, thereby reducing the pressure inside the cylinder. This allows the liquid in the cylinder to be sent to the ejection hole side through the vertical supply tube section and the injection tube section by pressurizing the cylinder, and also makes it possible to suck the liquid from inside the container into the cylinder by depressurizing the cylinder. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-82042 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In this type of trigger-type liquid ejector, in order to properly operate the piston in response to the operation of the trigger portion and properly deliver and suck liquid into the cylinder, a lubricant such as silicone is often applied between the cylinder and the piston to reduce the sliding resistance between the cylinder and the piston. However, as the amount of lubricant decreases or even disappears with use, the sliding resistance between the cylinder and the piston increases, and the operability of the piston may deteriorate. In particular, depending on the type of liquid used, the lubricant may decrease more quickly, making it difficult to ensure a wide range of liquid applications.

[0007] Even if the sliding resistance between the cylinder and the piston increases, the deterioration of operability is relatively unlikely to occur when the piston is pushed into the cylinder, because an external force can be applied to the piston by pulling the trigger with a fingertip, etc. On the other hand, when the piston returns to its original position, the operation is performed by the forward bias of the trigger, such as by a coil spring, so the deterioration of operability is likely to occur significantly.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a trigger-type liquid ejector that allows the piston section to move smoothly back to its original position, ensures stable operability of the piston section, and has a wide range of liquid application. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] (1) A trigger-type liquid ejector according to the present invention comprises a ejector body attached to a container body containing a liquid, and a nozzle part attached to the ejector body and having an ejection hole for ejecting the liquid, the ejector body comprising a vertical supply tube part that sucks up the liquid in the container body, and a trigger mechanism having a trigger part arranged so as to be movable rearward in a forward biased state, and causing the liquid to flow from inside the vertical supply tube part toward the ejection hole side by the rearward movement of the trigger part, the trigger mechanism comprising the trigger part and a bottomed cylindrical shape that opens forward and a nozzle part attached to the vertical supply tube part that sucks up the liquid in the container body and a trigger part arranged so as to be movable rearward in a forward biased state, the trigger mechanism having a trigger part and a bottomed cylindrical shape that opens forward and causes the liquid to flow from inside the vertical supply tube part toward the ejection hole side by the rearward movement of the trigger part and a piston portion disposed inside the cylinder portion so as to be movable in conjunction with movement of the trigger portion and urged forward by a forward urging force applied to the trigger portion, wherein the piston portion includes a piston shaft portion and a cylindrical seal portion formed integrally with the piston shaft portion and having a top that is open to the rear, the cylindrical seal portion surrounding the piston shaft portion from the outside in the radial direction and including a sliding cylindrical portion in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder portion, and an elastic portion connecting a front end portion of the sliding cylindrical portion and the outer peripheral surface of the piston shaft portion. The elastic portion is formed thinner than the sliding cylindrical portion, and is formed in a dome shape that gradually extends rearward as it moves radially outward from the connecting portion with the piston shaft portion. Furthermore, when the elastic portion is pulled forward by the piston shaft portion, it elastically deforms so as to narrow radially inward from the connecting portion as a base point, thereby reducing the sliding resistance between the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder portion and the sliding cylindrical portion. When the elastic portion is pushed rearward by the piston shaft portion, it elastically deforms radially outward from the connecting portion as a base point, thereby pressing the sliding cylindrical portion against the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder portion. It is characterized by:

[0010] With the trigger-type liquid ejector according to the present invention, by operating the trigger and moving it backward against the forward bias, the liquid can be circulated from the vertical supply tube toward the ejection hole, thereby ejecting the liquid from the ejection hole toward the outside. Specifically, by operating the trigger to move it backward, the piston moves backward in conjunction with the trigger, pushing it into the cylinder. This increases pressure inside the cylinder. Therefore, the liquid in the cylinder can be sent into the vertical supply tube and circulated toward the nozzle.

[0011] When the trigger is released after the liquid is ejected, the forward bias of the trigger causes it to return to its original position forward, and the piston moves forward within the cylinder in conjunction with the trigger. This reduces the pressure within the cylinder to a pressure lower than the pressure within the container. Therefore, the liquid within the container can be sucked up into the vertical supply tube and into the cylinder, preparing for the next ejection.

[0012] In particular, the cylindrical seal portion of the piston has an elastic portion forward of the sliding cylindrical portion that slides against the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder. Therefore, when the piston is returned to its original position forward in conjunction with the trigger, the elastic portion is pulled forward by the piston shaft, and the elastic portion can be elastically deformed, for example, by narrowing toward the rear, from the connection point with the piston shaft. This allows the piston to return to its original position while maintaining contact with the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, slightly displacing the sliding cylindrical portion radially inward. Therefore, the sliding resistance between the inner surface of the cylinder portion and the sliding cylindrical portion can be reduced, the return movement of the piston portion can be performed smoothly, and stable operability of the piston portion can be ensured.

[0013] Furthermore, when operating the trigger portion backward, depending on the operating conditions, an external force may be applied obliquely to the trigger portion from a fingertip or the like rather than directly backward. In this case, the trigger portion is pulled obliquely, causing the piston shaft portion to be pulled obliquely forward. However, even in this case, because the elastic portion connects the piston shaft portion and the sliding cylindrical portion, deformation, twisting, etc. of the piston shaft can be absorbed by elastic deformation of the elastic portion. Therefore, problems such as localized pressure contact between the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion and the sliding cylindrical portion are unlikely to occur. Therefore, even if the trigger portion is pulled obliquely, the piston portion can be restored while maintaining appropriate contact between the sliding cylindrical portion and the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion.

[0014] Furthermore, there is less need to rely on lubricants such as silicone as in the past, and even if the amount of lubricant used decreases, stable operation of the piston part can be ensured. Therefore, a wide range of liquids can be selected without considering the lubricant. Therefore, a wide range of liquids can be applied, making it a highly versatile trigger-type liquid sprayer.

[0016] moreover, The elastic portion is thinner than the sliding cylindrical portion and is formed in a dome shape (elastic cylindrical shape) that bulges forward, so when pulled forward by the piston shaft, the entire elastic portion is easily elastically deformed so as to narrow radially inward, thereby enabling the piston portion to return to its original position more smoothly. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, a trigger-type liquid ejector can be provided that can smoothly perform the restoring movement of the piston section, ensure stable operability of the piston section, and ensure a wide range of liquid applications. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a trigger-type liquid ejector according to the present invention, with a container body in an upright position. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the piston portion shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a trigger-type liquid ejector according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a ejection container having a trigger-type liquid ejector attached to a container body will be described as an example.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 of this embodiment comprises an ejector body 2 that is attached to the mouth of a container body A that contains liquid, a nozzle portion 3 in which an ejection hole 4 for ejecting the liquid is formed, a relay member 5 that connects the ejector body 2 and the nozzle portion 3, and a cover body 6 that covers the ejector body 2. Unless otherwise specified, each component part of the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 is a molded product made of synthetic resin.

[0021] The liquid to be stored in the container A of this embodiment is preferably, for example, a detergent (containing a surfactant and forming foam) used in bathrooms, toilets, etc. However, the liquid is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a chemical to be applied to the body, a deodorizing liquid to be sprayed into the air, or a liquid containing an aromatic component.

[0022] (Ejector body) The ejector body 2 mainly comprises a vertical supply tube portion 10, an attachment cap 13, an injection tube portion 14, a trigger mechanism 15, a ball valve 16, a storage valve 17, and a normal / inverted adapter 18.

[0023] The ejector body 2 of this embodiment is equipped with an inverted forward position adapter 18, so that it is possible to eject liquid in either an upright position where the container body A is upright (a position where the mouth of the container body A faces upward) as shown in Figure 1, or an inverted position where the container body A is in an inverted position (a position where the mouth of the container body A faces downward).

[0024] 1, in this embodiment, the central axis of the vertical supply tube portion 10 is defined as a first axis O1, and the container body A side along the first axis O1 is defined as the lower side, and the opposite side is defined as the upper side. Furthermore, the direction along the first axis O1 is defined as the up-down direction. Furthermore, in a plan view seen from the up-down direction, a direction intersecting the first axis O1 is defined as the front-rear direction, and a direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the front-rear direction is defined as the left-right direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the central axis of the injection tube portion 14 is defined as a second axis O2. In this embodiment, the second axis O2 extends in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, in the front-to-rear direction, the direction from the vertical supply tube portion 10 toward the injection tube portion 14 is defined as the front, and the opposite direction is defined as the rear.

[0025] (Vertical supply tube) The vertical supply tube portion 10 extends in the vertical direction and has the function of sucking up the liquid inside the container body A. The vertical supply tube portion 10 is attached to the container body A by an attachment cap 13. The vertical supply tube portion 10 includes an outer tube 11 having a top and an inner tube 12 fitted inside the outer tube 11. The first axis O1 of the vertical supply tube portion 10 is disposed at a position closer to the rear side than the container axis that passes through the center of the mouth of the container body A in the vertical direction.

[0026] The vertical supply tube portion 10 has an internal flow path R through which the liquid flows toward the ejection hole 4 of the nozzle portion 3 through the injection tube portion 14 as a result of the rearward movement of the trigger portion 30, which will be described later. The internal flow path R is an internal space located inside the inner tube 12.

[0027] (Injection cylinder part) An injection tube 14 is connected to the upper end of the vertical supply tube 10, and extends forward along the second axis O2. The injection tube portion 14 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an injection opening portion 14a that opens to the front of the ejector body 2, and is connected to a portion of the internal flow path R of the vertical supply tube portion 10 that is located above a ball valve 16, which will be described later. A cylinder tube portion 20 is provided below the injection tube portion 14 and above the mounting cap 13. The cylinder tube portion 20 protrudes forward from the vertical supply tube portion 10 and is open forward.

[0028] (Trigger mechanism) The trigger mechanism 15 includes a trigger portion 30, a cylinder portion 31, and a piston portion 32. The trigger mechanism 15 is capable of circulating the liquid from the internal flow path R of the vertical supply tube portion 10 through the injection tube portion 14 toward the ejection hole 4 side by swinging the trigger portion 30 backward.

[0029] The trigger portion 30 is disposed in front of the vertical supply tube portion 10 so as to be movable rearward in a forward biased state. The trigger portion 30 is formed to extend in the vertical direction and is disposed below the injection tube portion 14. The upper end portion of the trigger portion 30 is journaled to the injection tube portion 14 so as to be swingable in the front-rear direction, and the lower end portion is disposed in front of the cylinder portion 31.

[0030] The cylinder portion 31 is fitted into the cylinder tube portion 20. The cylinder portion 31 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape that is open at the front and closed at the rear, and is connected to a portion of the internal flow path R in the vertical supply tube portion 10 that is located above the ball valve 16. The rear wall 35 of the cylinder section 31 is formed with a piston guide 36 that protrudes forward from the center of the rear wall 35, and a communication hole 37 that penetrates the rear wall 35 in the front-rear direction and communicates with the internal flow path R of the vertical supply tube section 10. The communication hole 37 is formed in a part of the rear wall 35 that is located above the piston guide 36.

[0031] In this embodiment, the central axis of the cylinder portion 31 is a third axis O3 extending in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, when viewed from the direction of the third axis O3, a direction intersecting the third axis O3 is referred to as a radial direction, and a direction going around the third axis O3 is referred to as a circumferential direction.

[0032] The piston guide 36 is disposed coaxially with the third axis O3. In the illustrated example, the piston guide 36 is formed in a topped cylindrical shape that is closed at the front, but this is not limited to this case and may be formed in, for example, a solid cylindrical shape.

[0033] The piston portion 32 is disposed inside the cylinder portion 31 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction in conjunction with the swing (movement) of the trigger portion 30. As a result, the inside of the cylinder portion 31 is pressurized and depressurized in accordance with the swing of the piston portion 32 in the front-rear direction. The piston portion 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a top that is open at the rear and closed at the front.

[0034] Piston portion 32, together with trigger portion 30, is urged forward by the elastic restoring force (urging force) of elastic plate 38. When trigger portion 30 is in the forward-most swing position, piston portion 32 is located in the corresponding forward-most position. Elastic plate 38 is disposed between injection tube portion 14 and trigger portion 30, and urges trigger portion 30 forward.

[0035] The piston portion 32 will be described in detail later.

[0036] (ball valves, storage valves) A ball valve 16 and a storage valve 17 are provided in the inner cylinder 12 of the vertical supply cylinder portion 10. The ball valve 16 is a check valve that blocks communication between the inside of the container body A and the inside of the cylinder section 31 through the internal flow path R when the inside of the cylinder section 31 is pressurized, and allows communication between the inside of the container body A and the inside of the cylinder section 31 through the inner tube 12 by displacing upward when the inside of the cylinder section 31 is depressurized.

[0037] A storage valve 17 is disposed above the ball valve 16. The storage valve 17 is a check valve that allows the supply of liquid from the internal flow path R into the injection tube portion 14, and prevents the liquid from flowing back from the injection tube portion 14 into the cylinder portion 31. As a result, the storage valve 17 has the function of preventing the liquid (and outside air) from entering the cylinder portion 31 from the injection tube portion 14 side when the pressure inside the cylinder portion 31 is reduced.

[0038] The storage valve 17 is not limited to a valve having the above-mentioned check valve function, and may be, for example, a pressure storage valve that opens when the pressure in the portion of the internal flow path R located above the ball valve 16 reaches a predetermined pressure, thereby allowing pressurized liquid to be supplied from the internal flow path R to the injection tube portion 14.

[0039] (Inverted stand adapter) The inverted normal adapter 18 is an adapter that enables the liquid in the container body A to be ejected whether the container body A is in the upright position or the inverted position, and is arranged inside the attachment cap 13. The inverted normal adapter 18 is arranged below the vertical supply tube portion 10, and is connected to the inner tube 12 of the vertical supply tube portion 10. As a result, the inverted normal adapter 18 is arranged inside the attachment cap 13, integrally assembled below the vertical supply tube portion 10. The inverted normal adapter 18 has an adapter body 40 connected to the lower part of the inner cylinder 12 and a ball valve 41 housed in the adapter body 40.

[0040] The adapter body 40 has a first space S1 that connects the inside of the container body A to the inside of the internal flow path R of the inner cylinder 12 through the upright inlet 42, and a second space S2 that connects the inside of the container body A to the first space S1 through the inverted inlet 43. The adapter body 40 has fitted thereto the upper part of a pipe 44 that extends in the vertical direction and sucks up liquid from the container body A. The pipe 44 connects to the inside of the first space S1 through the upright inlet 42. The ball valve 41 blocks communication between the first space S1 and the second space S2 when the container body A is in the upright position, and allows communication between the first space S1 and the second space S2 when the container body A is in the inverted position.

[0041] (Relay component) The relay member 5 is disposed in front of the ejector main body 2 configured as described above, and connects the injection tube portion 14 and the nozzle portion 3 together. The relay member 5 is attached to the injection tube portion 14 from the front. The relay member 5 is located forward of the injection opening 14a of the injection tube portion 14 and includes an opposing wall portion 50 arranged opposite to the injection opening 14a, a first relay tube portion 51 extending rearward from the opposing wall portion 50 and fitted onto the injection tube portion 14, a second relay tube portion 52 extending forward from the opposing wall portion 50, and a guide shaft 53 located inside the second relay tube portion 52 and extending forward from the opposing wall portion 50.

[0042] The second relay cylinder portion 52 and the guide shaft 53 are disposed about a fourth axis O4 that is eccentric downward with respect to the axis of the injection cylinder portion 14. A communication hole 54 that communicates with the injection opening 14a of the injection cylinder portion 14 is formed in a portion of the opposing wall portion 50 that is located above the guide shaft 53 and inside the second relay cylinder portion 52. As a result, the interior of the second relay cylinder portion 52 communicates with the interior of the injection cylinder portion 14 via the communication hole 54 and the injection opening 14a. A first switching groove 55 extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the guide shaft 53. A plurality of first switching grooves 55 are formed around the axis at intervals.

[0043] (Nozzle part) The nozzle part 3 is attached to the ejector main body 2 via the relay member 5. Specifically, the nozzle part 3 is combined with the relay member 5 by being attached to the second relay cylindrical part 52. The nozzle part 3 is disposed in front of the ejector main body 2 and protrudes further forward than the relay member 5.

[0044] The nozzle portion 3 is disposed forward of the opposing wall portion 50 of the relay member 5 and includes a nozzle wall portion 60 in which the ejection holes 4 are formed, and an outer fitting cylinder portion 61 that extends rearward from the nozzle wall portion 60 and is fitted from the front onto the second relay cylinder portion 52. The interior of the second relay cylinder portion 52 can communicate with the interior of the injection cylinder portion 14 through a communication hole 54. The outer fitting cylindrical portion 61 is attached rotatably about the fourth axis O4 in a state in which it is prevented from slipping out of the second relay cylindrical portion 52 in the forward direction. As a result, the nozzle portion 3 is combined with the relay member 5 so as to be rotatable about the fourth axis O4.

[0045] An inner cylinder 62, which is rotatably fitted onto the guide shaft 53, protrudes rearward from a portion of the nozzle wall 60 located inside the outer fitting cylinder 61. A second switching groove 63 extending along the front-to-rear direction is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the inner cylinder 62. Furthermore, a spin chamber 64, which is concave and can communicate with the first switching groove 55, is formed on the rear surface of the nozzle wall 60 located inside the inner cylinder 62.

[0046] The first switching groove 55 formed in the guide shaft 53 and the second switching groove 63 formed in the inner cylindrical portion 62 are connected to each other at a predetermined rotational position of the nozzle portion 3 about the axis, and are not connected to each other at other rotational positions. When the first switching groove 55 and the second switching groove 63 are connected to each other, the ejection holes 4 are connected to the inside of the second relay cylindrical portion 52 through the spin chamber 64, the first switching groove 55, and the second switching groove 63. Therefore, the nozzle portion 3 can be switched, as it rotates about the fourth axis O4, between an ejection permissive state in which ejection of liquid from the ejection holes 4 is permitted, and an ejection restricted state in which ejection is restricted.

[0047] Furthermore, a lid portion 70 that closes the ejection hole 4 from the front in an openable and closable manner is connected to the nozzle portion 3 via a hinge portion 71. The lid portion 70 can be rotated around the hinge portion 71 to switch the ejection mode of the ejected liquid (for example, between a foam ejection with a wide ejection angle and a foam ejection with a narrow ejection angle). Note that the lid portion 70 is not essential and may not be provided.

[0048] (Cover body) The cover body 6 is formed to cover the vertical supply tube portion 10, the injection tube portion 14, the cylinder portion 31, etc. from above, behind, and in the left and right directions, and is assembled to the outer tube 11 of the vertical supply tube portion 10, etc.

[0049] (Piston part of trigger mechanism) The piston portion 32 constituting the trigger mechanism 15 will now be described in detail. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the piston portion 32 includes a piston shaft portion 80 arranged coaxially with the third axis O3 of the cylinder portion 31, and a sealing tube portion 90 formed integrally with the piston shaft portion 80 and having a cylindrical shape with a top that opens rearward.

[0050] The piston shaft portion 80 includes a shaft portion main body 81 formed in a cylindrical shape, and a cylindrical slide tube 82 that extends rearward from the shaft portion main body 81 and opens rearward. An insertion hole 83 is formed in the piston shaft portion 80, into which a connecting shaft (not shown) formed in the trigger portion 30 is inserted. In the example shown, the insertion hole 83 is formed so as to be recessed from both left and right sides toward the center. As a result, the piston portion 32 is connected to the trigger portion 30 and operates in response to the swing of the trigger portion 30. The piston portion 32 is urged forward together with the trigger portion 30 by the urging force of the elastic plate 38, and moves rearward and is pushed into the cylinder portion 31 as the trigger portion 30 swings rearward.

[0051] The piston guide 36 is inserted from the rear into the slide cylinder 82. The inside diameter of the slide cylinder 82 is formed slightly larger than the outside diameter of the piston guide 36. As a result, the inner peripheral surface of the slide cylinder 82 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston guide 36 face each other with a slight radial gap between them. Therefore, the entire piston shaft portion 80 is guided by the piston guide 36 and can move stably in the front-rear direction in accordance with the swinging of the trigger portion 30.

[0052] The sealing tube portion 90 surrounds the sliding tube 82 of the piston shaft portion 80 from the radial outside and includes a sliding tube portion 91 that slides against the inner surface of the cylinder portion 31, and an elastic tube portion (elastic portion according to the present invention) 92 that connects the front end portion of the sliding tube portion 91 and the outer surface of the sliding tube 82 in a ring shape around the entire circumference of the piston shaft portion 80.

[0053] In the illustrated example, the sliding cylinder portion 91 is disposed so that the position of the rear end opening edge is the same in the front-rear direction as the position of the rear end opening edge of the slide cylinder 82. At both front-rear end portions of the sliding cylinder portion 91, tapered lip portions 91a are formed, the diameter of which gradually increases from the center in the front-rear direction toward the front and rear. These lip portions 91a are in close sliding contact with the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 31. This ensures a certain level of sealing between the lip portions 91a and the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 31.

[0054] The elastic cylinder portion 92 of this embodiment is formed to be thinner than the sliding cylinder portion 91, and is formed in a dome shape that gradually extends rearward as it moves radially outward from the connecting portion P with the slide cylinder 82. As a result, the elastic cylinder portion 92 is formed in a dome shape that bulges forward.

[0055] The elastic cylinder portion 92 is elastically deformable (particularly in the radial direction), and biases the sliding cylinder portion 91 so as to press it against the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 31, for example, using as a base point the connecting portion P between the piston shaft portion 80 and the outer peripheral surface of the sliding cylinder 82. This ensures a certain level of sealing between the lip portion 91a of the sliding cylinder portion 91 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 31, as described above.

[0056] (The action of the trigger-type liquid jet) Next, we will explain how to use the trigger-type liquid sprayer 1 configured as described above. Note that by operating the trigger unit 30 shown in Figure 1 multiple times, liquid is filled into each part of the trigger-type liquid sprayer 1, and the liquid is ready to be sucked up into the vertical supply tube unit 10.

[0057] (Spray operation in upright position) The spray operation in the upright position will be described below. In the upright position, as shown in Figure 1, the ball valve 41 of the upright / inverted adapter 18 blocks communication between the first space S1 and the second space S2.

[0058] With the container body A in the upright position, by operating the trigger portion 30 so as to be pulled rearward against the biasing force of the elastic plate 38, the piston portion 32 can be moved rearward from the forwardmost position in conjunction with the trigger portion 30. This allows the inside of the cylinder portion 31 to be pressurized. As a result, the liquid in the cylinder portion 31 can be supplied to the inside of the inner tube 12 of the vertical supply tube portion 10, i.e., into the internal flow path R, and the ball valve 16 can be pressed downward and the storage valve 17 can be pressed upward.

[0059] Therefore, the liquid in the internal flow path R can be circulated through the injection tube portion 14 toward the ejection hole 4 of the nozzle portion 3. Specifically, the liquid in the internal flow path R can be ejected from the injection tube portion 14 toward the inside of the second relay tube portion 52 through the injection opening 14a, and can also be guided to the ejection hole 4 through the second switching groove 63, the first switching groove 55, and the spin chamber 64, and can be ejected from the ejection hole 4 toward the outside. As a result, the liquid can be ejected forward from the ejection hole 4.

[0060] When the trigger portion 30 is released after the liquid is ejected, the trigger portion 30 can be urged forward by the elastic restoring force of the elastic plate 38, thereby restoring the trigger portion 30. Therefore, in conjunction with the trigger portion 30, the piston portion 32 can be restored forward within the cylinder portion 31. Therefore, the pressure inside the cylinder portion 31 can be reduced to a pressure lower than the pressure inside the container body A, and the ball valve 16 can be raised. At this time, as described above, communication between the first space S1 and the second space S2 is blocked by the ball valve 41. Therefore, by raising the ball valve 16, a negative pressure can be created inside the first space S1. Therefore, the liquid in the container body A can be sucked up into the internal flow path R through the pipe 44, the upright inlet 42, and the first space S1, and can be sucked into the cylinder portion 31. This makes it possible to prepare for the next ejection.

[0061] (Ejection operation in an inverted position) Next, the ejection operation in the inverted position will be described. In the inverted position, the ball valve 41 of the normal / inverted adapter 18 moves upward as shown in FIG. 1, allowing communication between the first space S1 and the second space S2. Similarly, when spraying liquid when the container body A is in an inverted position, the trigger portion 30 can be pulled backward against the biasing force of the elastic plate 38, thereby achieving continuous spraying of liquid through the same action as in the upright position described above.

[0062] When the trigger part 30 moves forward to restore itself while the container body A is in the inverted position, the first space S1 and the second space S2 are allowed to communicate with each other, so the negative pressure in the cylinder part 31 and the first space S1 can suck the liquid in the container body A into the second space S2 through the inverted introduction port 43. Therefore, the liquid can be sucked from the second space S2 through the first space S1 into the internal flow path R and can be sucked into the cylinder part 31. This makes it possible to prepare for the next ejection.

[0063] As described above, according to the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 of this embodiment, liquid can be ejected by pulling the trigger portion 30 backward, regardless of whether the container body A is in an upright or inverted position.

[0064] 1 and 2, in the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 of this embodiment, the sealing tubular portion 90 of the piston portion 32 is provided with an elastic tubular portion 92 that is elastically deformable in the radial direction, located forward of the sliding tubular portion 91 that is in sliding contact with the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 31. Therefore, when the piston portion 32 is restored forward in conjunction with the trigger portion 30, the elastic tubular portion 92 is pulled forward by the piston shaft portion 80, and as shown by arrow F in FIG. 2, the elastic tubular portion 92 can be elastically deformed so as to narrow radially inward from a connecting portion P with the piston shaft portion 80 as a base point.

[0065] This allows the piston portion 32 to return to its original position while slightly displacing the sliding cylindrical portion 91 radially inward, while maintaining contact of the lip portion 91a with the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 31. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the sliding resistance between the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 31 and the sliding cylindrical portion 91, allowing the piston portion 32 to return to its original position smoothly, and ensuring stable operability of the piston portion 32.

[0066] Furthermore, when operating the trigger portion 30 to move it rearward, depending on the operating conditions, an external force may be applied from a fingertip or the like to the trigger portion 30 at an angle rather than directly toward the rear. In this case, the trigger portion 30 is pulled at an angle, which causes the piston shaft portion 80 to be pulled diagonally forward, as indicated by arrow N in FIG. 2 .

[0067] However, even in this case, since the elastic cylindrical portion 92 connects the piston shaft portion 80 and the sliding cylindrical portion 91, deformation, twisting, etc. of the piston shaft portion 80 can be absorbed by the elastic deformation of the elastic cylindrical portion 92. Therefore, inconveniences such as localized pressure contact between the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 31 and the sliding cylindrical portion 91 are unlikely to occur. Therefore, even if the trigger portion 30 is pulled obliquely, the piston portion 32 can be moved to its original position while maintaining appropriate contact of the sliding cylindrical portion 91 with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 31.

[0068] Furthermore, there is less need to rely on lubricants such as silicone as in the past, and even if the amount of lubricant used decreases, stable operability of the piston portion 32 can be ensured. Therefore, a wide range of liquids can be selected without considering the lubricant. Therefore, a wide range of liquids can be applied, making it possible to provide a trigger-type liquid ejector 1 with high versatility.

[0069] From the above, according to the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 of this embodiment, the piston portion 32 can be smoothly restored regardless of whether the container body A is in an upright or inverted position, thereby ensuring stable operability of the piston portion 32 and a wide range of liquid applications.

[0070] Furthermore, the elastic cylindrical portion 92 of the piston portion 32 is formed thinner than the sliding cylindrical portion 91 and is formed in a dome shape that bulges forward. Therefore, when pulled forward by the piston shaft portion 80, the elastic cylindrical portion 92 is more likely to elastically deform so as to narrow radially inward more smoothly. This allows the piston portion 32 to return to its original position more smoothly.

[0071] On the other hand, when the trigger portion 30 is operated to be pulled rearward, the piston portion 32 is pushed into the cylinder portion 31 in conjunction with the trigger portion 30, and the inside of the cylinder portion 31 can be pressurized, and at this time the elastic cylindrical portion 92 is pushed rearward by the piston shaft portion 80. Therefore, in this case, contrary to the restoration movement of the piston portion 32, the elastic cylindrical portion 92 can be elastically deformed radially outward from the connecting portion P with the piston shaft portion 80 as the base point. Therefore, the sliding cylindrical portion 91 can be pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 31, and the lip portion 91a can be easily brought into strong contact (abutment) with the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion 31. This improves the sealing performance between the inner peripheral surface of cylinder portion 31 and sliding cylindrical portion 91, and effectively pressurizes the inside of cylinder portion 31. Therefore, when the inside of cylinder portion 31 is pressurized, the sealing performance between cylinder portion 31 and piston portion 32 can be actively improved, so that liquid can be efficiently sprayed in conjunction with the operation of trigger portion 30, making the trigger-type liquid sprayer 1 easy to use.

[0072] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The embodiments and their modifications include, for example, those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are equivalent.

[0073] For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the inverted normal adapter 18 is provided has been described as an example, but the inverted normal adapter 18 is not essential and may not be provided.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the elastic tubular portion 92 formed in a dome shape (cylindrical shape) that bulges forward has been described as an example of an elastic portion in the piston portion 32, but the present invention is not limited to this case, and any elastic portion may be formed as long as the front end of the sliding tubular portion 91 and the outer circumferential surface of the piston shaft portion 80 are connected in an annular shape around the entire circumference of the piston shaft portion 80. For example, the elastic portion may be formed in an annular shape that extends radially outward from the piston shaft portion 80. Even in this case, the same operational effects can be achieved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] A...Container body O3: Third axis (center axis of the cylinder) 1...Trigger-type liquid sprayer 2...Ejector body 3...Nozzle section 4…Blowout hole 10...Vertical supply tube 15...Trigger mechanism 30...Trigger section 31...Cylinder section 32...Piston section 80...Piston shaft 90...Cylindrical seal 91...Sliding cylinder 92...Elastic cylindrical portion (elastic portion)

Claims

[Claim 1] an ejector body attached to a container containing a liquid; a nozzle portion attached to the ejector body and having an ejection hole for ejecting the liquid; The ejector body includes: a vertical supply tube portion that sucks up the liquid in the container body; a trigger mechanism having a trigger portion arranged so as to be movable rearward in a forward biased state, and causing the liquid to flow from inside the vertical supply cylindrical portion toward the ejection hole side by the rearward movement of the trigger portion, The trigger mechanism comprises: The trigger portion; a cylinder portion formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom that is open forward and communicates with the inside of the vertical supply cylindrical portion; a piston portion disposed inside the cylinder portion so as to be movable in conjunction with movement of the trigger portion, and biased forward by a forward biasing force on the trigger portion, the piston portion includes a piston shaft portion and a cylindrical seal portion that is formed integrally with the piston shaft portion and has a closed-top cylindrical shape and is open rearward; The cylindrical seal portion is a sliding cylindrical portion that surrounds the piston shaft portion from the radial outside and is in sliding contact with an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder portion; an elastic portion connecting a front end portion of the sliding cylindrical portion and an outer circumferential surface of the piston shaft portion, the elastic portion is formed to be thinner than the sliding cylindrical portion, and is formed in a dome shape that gradually extends rearward as it extends radially outward from a connection portion with the piston shaft portion, Furthermore, when the elastic portion is pulled forward by the piston shaft portion, it elastically deforms so as to narrow radially inward from the connecting portion as a base point, thereby reducing the sliding resistance between the inner surface of the cylinder portion and the sliding tubular portion, and when the elastic portion is pushed backward by the piston shaft portion, it elastically deforms radially outward from the connecting portion as a base point, thereby pressing the sliding tubular portion against the inner surface of the cylinder portion.

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