Operating lever unit, fluid ejector, and fluid ejection container

Abstract

To provide an operation lever unit, a fluid sprayer and a fluid spraying container which can utilize an existing pressure pump and are excellent in assembly workability and operability thereof after assembly.SOLUTION: A fluid spraying container 1 comprises a container body 2 and a fluid sprayer 3. The fluid sprayer 3 comprises a pressure pump 4 and an operation lever unit 5. The unit 5 comprises a main body 6 that can be mounted on a fitting cap 4a and a lever 7 that is pivotally supported on the body 6 oscillatably and can push down a pressing head 4e. The body 6 comprises a peripheral wall part 6a and a grip part 6b. On an inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall part 6a, a plurality of uneven region parts 61 which can engage with an uneven part 41 of the cap 4a are provided with an interval around an axis line, and a plurality of locking parts 62 which can lock to a lower end of the cap 4a with the body 6 mounted on the cap 4a are provided with an interval around the axis line while alternating with the uneven region part 61.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an operating lever unit, a fluid ejector, and a fluid ejection container. [Background technology]

[0002] A known example of a fluid ejector is a liquid ejector in which an attachment cap (attachment member) is attached to the mouth of a container body and a pressure pump is attached to the container body (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This liquid ejector ejects the contents contained in the container body by depressing the pressure head (discharge head) of the pressure pump. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-70512 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the liquid ejector requires that the pressure head be directly pressed down with the palm of the hand, etc., and therefore there is room for improvement in operability when ejecting the contents.

[0005] On the other hand, when providing a fluid ejector with improved operability, it is preferable to use an existing pressure pump as the pressure pump, taking into consideration cost and product stability, and furthermore, it is preferable that the structure be easy to assemble, taking into consideration workability.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an operating lever unit, a fluid ejector, and a fluid ejection container that can utilize an existing pressure pump and that are easy to assemble and operate after assembly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) The operating lever unit of the present invention comprises a main body that can be attached to an attachment cap of a pressure pump that can be attached to the mouth of a container main body, and a lever that is pivotally supported on the main body and can press down the pressure head of the pressure pump. The main body comprises a peripheral wall portion that surrounds the attachment cap around its axis, and a handle portion that is connected to the peripheral wall portion. The inner surface of the peripheral wall portion has a plurality of uneven areas that can engage with the flat-striped uneven portion provided on the outer surface of the attachment cap, and are spaced apart around the axis, and a plurality of locking portions that can be engaged with the lower end of the attachment cap when the main body is attached to the attachment cap are provided alternately with the uneven areas, spaced apart around the axis.

[0008] (2) In the operating lever unit described in (1) above, the main body and the lever may be provided with a stopper protrusion that restricts lifting of the lever by contacting each other in the axial direction.

[0009] (3) In the operating lever unit described in (2) or (2) above, the main body and the lever may be provided with stopper surfaces that restrict the lifting of the lever by contacting each other in the front-to-rear direction.

[0010] (4) In the operating lever unit described in any one of (1) to (3) above, the lever preferably has a boss that protrudes from the outer surface of the side wall of the lever and penetrates a boss hole formed in the side wall of the main body from the inner surface of the side wall of the main body, and an arc-shaped wall portion is arranged in the upper region of the boss hole, extending downward from the side wall of the main body and having an arc-shaped surface that extends circumferentially around the boss hole, and the boss preferably has a root portion that can be slidably contacted with the arc-shaped surface of the arc-shaped wall portion, and a tip portion that is larger than the root portion so as to cover the outer surface of the arc-shaped wall portion and can be slidably contacted with the outer surface of the arc-shaped wall portion.

[0011] (5) In the operating lever unit described in (4) above, it is preferable that the radius of curvature of the base portion is smaller than the radius of curvature of the arcuate surface of the arcuate wall.

[0012] (6) In the operating lever unit described in either (4) or (5) above, it is preferable that a cutout portion is formed in the lower half of the tip portion.

[0013] (7) In the operating lever unit described in any one of (4) to (6) above, it is preferable that a reinforcing portion extending downward is integrally formed with the base portion.

[0014] (8) The fluid ejector of the present invention comprises a pressure pump having an attachment cap that can be attached to the mouth of a container body and a pressure head that causes the pump to operate, and an operating lever unit described in any one of (1) to (7) above.

[0015] (9) A fluid ejection container according to the present invention comprises a container body having a mouth portion and the fluid ejector described in (8) above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an operating lever unit, a fluid ejector, and a fluid ejection container that can utilize an existing pressure pump and that are easy to assemble and operate after assembly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing a fluid ejection container according to a first embodiment of the present invention, partially in cross section, from the left side. This view shows the pressure head of the fluid ejector according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which is used in the liquid ejection container, in a state before it is pressed down by the lever of the operating lever unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which is used in the fluid ejection container. [Figure 2]This is a side view showing the liquid ejection container of Figure 1 from the left side, and this figure shows the pressing head of the fluid ejector used in the fluid ejection container being pressed down by the lever of the operating lever unit used in the fluid ejector. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing an area X in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the fluid ejector of FIG. 1 from above. [Figure 5] 2 is a side view schematically showing the main body of the operating lever unit of FIG. 1 from the left side. FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a plan view schematically showing the main body of the operating lever unit of FIG. 5 from above. FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the main body of the operating lever unit of FIG. 6, taken along the plane AA that passes through the axis and extends in the front-rear direction, as seen from the left side. [Figure 8] 6 is a perspective view schematically showing the main body of the operating lever unit of FIG. 5, viewed from the upper left rear side. FIG. [Figure 9] 2 is a side view schematically showing the lever of the operating lever unit of FIG. 1 from the left side. FIG. [Figure 10] This is a side view showing a fluid ejection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention, partially in cross section, from the left side. This view shows the pressure head of the fluid ejector according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which is used in the liquid ejection container, in a state before it is pressed down by the lever of the operating lever unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which is used in the fluid ejection container. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the operating lever unit of FIG. 10 taken along plane BB of FIG. 10, showing the operating lever unit from the front side with the lever pushed in perpendicular to the main body. [Figure 12] 11 is an enlarged view showing the lever swing portion of the operating lever unit of FIG. 10 as viewed from the left side, and in this drawing, the swing portion is shown in an initial state before the lever is pushed into the main body. [Figure 13] FIG. 12 is an enlarged view showing an area Y in FIG. [Figure 14] 11 is an enlarged view showing the lever swing portion of the operating lever unit of FIG. 10 as viewed from the left side, and in this drawing, the swing portion is shown in a state in which the lever is pressed into the main body. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the boss of the operating lever unit of FIG. 10 from the front side, with the connecting portion between the boss and the lever in cross section, and shows the boss in its initial state before the lever is pressed into the main body. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the operating lever unit of FIG. 10 taken along plane BB of FIG. 10, showing the operating lever unit from the front side, with the lever pushed diagonally left relative to the main body. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is an enlarged view showing an area Z in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An operating lever unit, a fluid ejector, and a fluid ejection container according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0019] In this disclosure, the symbol O denotes the central axis of the mouth of the container body. Here, "axial direction" refers to the direction extending along the central axis O. Also, in this disclosure, "around the axis" refers to the circumferential direction around the central axis O. Furthermore, in this disclosure, the fluid ejector (the main body of the pressure pump and operating lever unit) and the container body are arranged coaxially with the central axis O.

[0020] In this disclosure, the direction perpendicular to the central axis O is also referred to as the "axis-perpendicular direction." In particular, the "inner side in the axis-perpendicular direction" refers to the side toward the central axis O in the axis-perpendicular direction, and the "outer side in the axis-perpendicular direction" refers to the side away from the central axis O in the axis-perpendicular direction.

[0021] Furthermore, in this disclosure, "lower side" refers to the bottom side of the container body or the attachment side of the fluid ejector (the mounting cap side of the pressure pump and the main body side of the operating lever unit) in the axial direction. Also, in this disclosure, "upper side" refers to the mouth side of the container body or the side opposite to the attachment side of the fluid ejector (the pressure head side of the pressure pump and the lever side of the operating lever unit) in the axial direction.

[0022] In addition, in this disclosure, the "front side" refers to the side of the outer side in the direction perpendicular to the axis from which the contents are ejected (the side toward which the ejection nozzle of the press head faces), and the "rear side" refers to the side of the outer side in the direction perpendicular to the axis opposite to the side from which the contents are ejected (the side opposite to the ejection nozzle of the press head and the side where the handle is located). In addition, in this disclosure, the "right side" refers to the right side of the outer side in the direction perpendicular to the axis when viewed from the rear side toward the front side, and the "left side" refers to the left side of the outer side in the direction perpendicular to the axis when viewed from the rear side toward the front side.

[0023] 1, reference numeral 1A denotes a fluid ejection container according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fluid ejection container 1A includes a container body 2 having a mouth portion 2a, and a fluid ejector 3A according to the first embodiment of the present invention. That is, in the present disclosure, fluid ejection container 1A is composed of the container body 2 and the fluid ejector 3A.

[0024] In the present disclosure, the container body 2 is a so-called bottle container. The container body 2 has a shoulder 2b connected to a mouth 2a, and the lower end of a body 2c connected to the shoulder 2b is closed by a bottom (not shown). A storage space (not shown) capable of accommodating contents is formed inside the container body 2. The storage space can be filled with liquid or semi-liquid contents. An opening (not shown) communicating with the storage space is formed at the upper end (not shown) of the mouth 2a. The container body 2 can be formed, for example, by blow molding using a synthetic resin. However, the manufacturing method of the container body 2 is not limited to blow molding, and various methods can be used.

[0025] The fluid ejector 3A includes a pressure pump 4 having an attachment cap 4a that can be attached to the mouth portion 2a of the container body 2 and a pressure head 4e that causes the pump to operate, and an operating lever unit 5A according to the first embodiment of the present invention. That is, in the present disclosure, the fluid ejector 3A is composed of the pressure pump 4 and the operating lever unit 5A.

[0026] The outer peripheral surface of the attachment cap 4a is provided with a fluted uneven portion 41. Here, the fluted portion 41 is formed, for example, by at least one of convex portions protruding outward in the direction perpendicular to the axis and concave portions recessed inward in the direction perpendicular to the axis. The fluted portion 41 is provided over the entire circumferential direction around the axis. An example of the fluted portion 41 is a fluted knurling. Here, the fluted pattern refers to a pattern (shape) formed by fluted portions extending in the axial direction.

[0027] The pressure pump 4 generates a pumping action by raising and lowering the pressure head 4e. An existing pressure pump can be used as the pressure pump 4. The attachment cap 4a is, for example, a cylindrical member attached to a flange (not shown) at the upper end of the cylinder 4b. The ring body 4g is provided above the attachment cap 4a with a gap therebetween and is fitted with the upper end of the cylinder 4b housed inside the container body 2. The pressure pump 4 is configured such that a piston guide (not shown) elastically supported by a coil spring (not shown) and a piston (not shown) axially slidable along the piston guide are disposed in the space (not shown) formed between the ring body 4g and the cylinder 4b, and the pressure head 4e is linked (connected) to the piston by the piston guide via the stem 4d. The pressure pump 4 can eject the contents of the container body 2 through a nozzle 4f provided on the pressure head 4e and from a nozzle A4 formed at the tip of the nozzle 4f to the outside world by repeatedly pressing down the pressure head 4e and releasing the pressure head 4e. The contents can be ejected in the form of a liquid or foam. When ejecting the contents in the form of a foam, it is preferable to incorporate a mesh ring (not shown). Alternatively, instead of the nozzle 4f, for example, a spin element (not shown) can be incorporated into the pressure head 4e to eject the contents in the form of a mist.

[0028] The operating lever unit 5A comprises a main body 6 that can be attached to the mounting cap 4a of the pressure pump 4 that can be attached to the mouth portion 2a of the container main body 2, and a lever 7 that is pivotally supported on the main body 6 and can press down the pressure head 4e of the pressure pump 4.

[0029] The main body 6 includes a peripheral wall 6a that surrounds the attachment cap 4a around the axis, and a handle 6b that is continuous with the peripheral wall 6a. In the present disclosure, the peripheral wall 6a is a cylindrical peripheral wall that surrounds the attachment cap 4a.

[0030] FIG. 5 shows the left side of the main body 6. In the present disclosure, the handle 6b includes a base 6b1 connected to the peripheral wall 6a and a handle body 6b2 connected to the base 6b1, as shown in FIG. 5. Specifically, the base 6b1 of the handle 6b is connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall 6a of the main body 6. The handle body 6b2 is the portion that is gripped by the user. In the present disclosure, the handle body 6b2 protrudes obliquely downward from the base 6a1. Specifically, the handle body 6b2 of the handle 6b has a gently curved shape that curves obliquely downward from the curved base 6b1 in a side view, as shown in FIG. 5. For example, the handle 6b can be hooked by four fingers excluding the thumb.

[0031] Furthermore, in the present disclosure, the main body 6 includes a side wall portion 6c above the peripheral wall portion 6a. As shown in Fig. 6, in the present disclosure, the main body 6 includes two side wall portions 6c spaced apart in the left-right direction. Also, as shown in Fig. 6, in the present disclosure, each of the two side wall portions 6c protrudes forward from the peripheral wall portion 6a. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 6, in the present disclosure, each of the two side wall portions 6c extends rearward along the handle portion 6b.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the inner surface f6 of the peripheral wall portion 6a is provided with a plurality of uneven areas 61 spaced apart around the axis that can engage with the flat-mesh patterned uneven portion 41 provided on the outer surface of the attachment cap 4a, and also with a plurality of locking portions 62 that can be locked to the lower end e4 of the attachment cap 4a when the main body 6 is attached to the attachment cap 4a, and are provided alternately with the uneven areas 61 at intervals around the axis.

[0033] In the present disclosure, the concave-convex region 61 is formed, for example, by at least one of a convex portion protruding inward in the direction perpendicular to the axis and a concave portion recessed outward in the direction perpendicular to the axis. Referring to Fig. 6, in the present disclosure, the concave-convex region 61 is formed by a plurality of convex portions protruding inward in the direction perpendicular to the axis.

[0034] 3, when the main body 6 is attached to the attachment cap 4a, the uneven area 61 of the peripheral wall 6a engages (fits) with the uneven area 41 of the attachment cap 4a. That is, when the main body 6 is attached to the attachment cap 4a, the uneven area 61 of the peripheral wall 6a comes into contact with the uneven area 41 of the attachment cap 4a in the circumferential direction about the axis. This prevents the peripheral wall 6a of the main body 6 from rotating in the circumferential direction about the axis relative to the attachment cap 4a, and prevents it from rotating in the circumferential direction about the axis relative to the attachment cap 4a. That is, in the present disclosure, the operating lever unit 5 is prevented from rotating in the circumferential direction about the axis relative to the pressure pump 4 due to the engagement between the uneven area 61 and the uneven area 41.

[0035] 6, in the present disclosure, the locking portions 62 are formed by ribs (protrusions) protruding inward in the direction perpendicular to the axis. As shown in FIG. 6, in the present disclosure, three recessed and raised areas 61 are provided on the inner circumferential surface f6 of the peripheral wall portion 6a at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis (at intervals of 60° around the axis O). In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, in the present disclosure, three locking portions 62 are provided on the inner circumferential surface f6 of the peripheral wall portion 6a at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis (at intervals of 60° around the axis O). Furthermore, in the present disclosure, adjacent recessed and raised areas 61 and locking portions 62 are also arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis. In other words, in the present disclosure, the circumferential width of the recessed and raised areas 61 around the axis and the circumferential width of the locking portions 62 around the axis are set to be equal. However, the circumferential width around the axis of the concave-convex region 61 and the circumferential width around the axis of the locking portion 62 can be set to different widths. Furthermore, the circumferential width around the axis of each of the plurality of concave-convex regions 61 can also be set to different widths. Similarly, the circumferential width around the axis of each of the plurality of locking portions 62 can also be set to different widths.

[0036] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 7 , in the present disclosure, the locking portion 62 is positioned lower than the concave-convex region 61. Referring to FIG. 3 , when the main body 6 is attached to the attachment cap 4a, the locking portion 62 of the peripheral wall 6a is hooked onto the lower end e4 of the attachment cap 4a and thereby locked to the lower end e4 of the attachment cap 4a. That is, when the main body 6 is attached to the attachment cap 4a, the locking portion 62 of the peripheral wall 6a contacts the lower end e4 of the attachment cap 4a. This prevents the operating lever unit 5 from coming off the attachment cap 4a of the pressure pump 4. In this case, the attachment cap 4a has a flange 42 that protrudes radially outward beyond the concave-convex region 41. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7 , the vertical distance (clearance) C1 between the concave-convex region 61 and the locking portion 62 is set equal to or greater than the vertical dimension D of the flange 42.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows the fluid ejector 3 from above. In the present disclosure, the lever 7 includes a top wall portion 7a that covers the pressing head 4e. In the present disclosure, the top wall portion 7a is formed in a flat plate shape. Furthermore, in the present disclosure, a front portion 7a1 of the top wall portion 7a extends toward the front so as to expose the tip of the nozzle 4f. In contrast, a rear portion 7a2 of the top wall portion 7a extends rearward beyond the pressing head 4e. In the present disclosure, the rear portion 7a2 of the top wall portion 7a is formed to facilitate swinging of the lever 7.

[0038] In the present disclosure, the lever 7 includes side walls 7b on both the left and right sides of the lever 7. In the present disclosure, the lever 7 includes a pin 7p on each of the two side walls 7b. The two pins 7p are rotatably supported by pin supports 6n provided on the main body 6. In the present disclosure, the pin supports 6n are through-holes that penetrate the side walls 6c. This allows the lever 7 to swing up and down around the pin 7p as a base point. Alternatively, the pin supports 6n may be, for example, a recess formed on the inner surface f6c1 of the side walls 6c of the main body 6. In the present disclosure, the pin 7p is located on the front side of the lever 7. This allows the lever 7 to swing around the pin 7p as a base point, so that the rear portion (7a2) of the lever 7 moves downward when a rear portion 7a2 of the top wall 7a of the lever 7 is pressed down.

[0039] Furthermore, in the present disclosure, the lever 7 includes a pressing rib 7c that can contact the pressing head 4e. As shown in FIG. 4, the lever 7 includes two pressing ribs 7c. To evenly press the pressing head 4e, it is preferable that a plurality of pressing ribs 7c are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction, as in the present disclosure. However, at least one pressing rib 7c is sufficient. In the present disclosure, the pressing rib 7c is a protruding pressing rib, as shown in FIG. 4. As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 9, in the present disclosure, the pressing rib 7c protrudes downward from the top wall portion 7a. This allows the pressing rib 7c to easily press down the pressing head 4e by pressing down the lever 7. Note that, as shown in FIG. 2, when the lever 7 is pressed down to its lowest position, the end of the pressing rib 7c is positioned at the center of the pressing head 4e, making it easy to press down.

[0040] On the other hand, in the present disclosure, the main body 6 and the lever 7 are provided with a stopper that restricts the lever 7 from being pulled up.

[0041] 4, in the present disclosure, the main body 6 and the lever 7 are provided with stopper protrusions (6s1, 7s1) that contact each other in the axial direction to restrict the lifting of the lever 7. In this case, it is possible to prevent the lever 7 from separating from the main body 6 when the lever 7 is lifted.

[0042] In the present disclosure, the main body 6 has a stopper protrusion 6s1 that protrudes inward on the inner surface f6c of the side wall portion 6c. In contrast, the lever 7 has a stopper protrusion 7s1 that protrudes outward on the outer surface f7 of the side wall portion 7b. In the present disclosure, the stopper protrusion 7s1 is formed in a recess 7n that is formed by recessing a portion of the outer surface f7 of the side wall portion 7b inward, as shown in FIG. 4. In the present disclosure, the stopper protrusion 6s1 is located above the stopper protrusion 7s1.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, in the present disclosure, when the lever 7 is not being operated, the pressing rib 7c of the lever 7 is in contact with the upper end of the pressing head 4e. Meanwhile, the stopper protrusion 7s1 of the lever 7 is close to the lower end of the stopper protrusion 6s1 of the main body 6. Specifically, in the initial state of FIG. 1, the stopper protrusion 7s1 of the lever 7 is not in contact with the stopper protrusion 6s1 of the main body 6. However, when the rear portion (7a2) of the lever 7 is pushed up using the pin 6p as a base point, the stopper protrusion 7s1 of the lever 7 comes into contact with the lower end of the stopper protrusion 6s1 of the main body 6. As a result, the lifting of the lever 7 is limited by the contact of the stopper protrusions (6s1, 7s1). However, as described above, in the present disclosure, the stopper protrusion 7s1 of the lever 7 is located below the stopper protrusion 6s1 of the main body 6. Therefore, when the lever 7 is pressed down, the stopper protrusion 7s1 of the lever 7 moves in a direction away from the stopper protrusion 6s1 of the main body 6, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 2. Therefore, pressing down of the lever 7 is not restricted by the stopper protrusions (6s1, 7s1).

[0044] In addition, in the present disclosure, the main body 6 and the lever 7 may be provided with stopper surfaces ((6s2, 7s2), (6s3, 7s3)) that restrict the lifting of the lever 7 by contacting each other in the front-to-rear direction. In these cases, too, it is possible to prevent the lever 7 from separating from the main body 6 when the lever 7 is lifted.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 4, in the present disclosure, the main body 6 has a first rearward surface facing rearward, as indicated by reference symbol 6s2. In the present disclosure, the first rearward surface can be a main body-side first stopper surface 6s2. In the present disclosure, the main body-side first stopper surface 6s2 is a rearward-facing surface formed on the front wall portion 6d that is continuous with the side wall portion 6c of the main body 6. Also, in the present disclosure, the lever 7 has a first forward-facing surface facing forward, as indicated by reference symbol 7s2, at the upper end (tip of the top wall portion 7a) of the front wall portion 7d that is continuous with the side wall portion 7b of the lever 7. In the present disclosure, the first forward-facing surface can be a lever-side first stopper surface 7s2. In the present disclosure, by adjusting the longitudinal distance (clearance) C2 between the main body-side first stopper surface 6s2 and the lever-side first stopper surface 7s2, the main body-side first stopper surface 6s2 and the lever-side first stopper surface 7s2 can come into contact with each other when the lever 7 is pulled up by a certain amount or more. This allows the two stopper surfaces (6s2, 7s2) to limit the pulling of the lever 7. However, in the present disclosure, the lever-side first stopper surface 7ss is located above the pin 7p, as shown in FIG. 9. Therefore, when the lever 7 is pushed down, the lever-side first stopper surface 7s2 moves away from the main body-side first stopper surface 7s2, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2. Therefore, in this case, the pushing down of the lever 7 is not limited by the stopper surfaces (6s2, 7s2). The clearance C2 is secured in the initial state shown in FIG. 1. That is, in the initial state of FIG. 1, the clearance C2 is greater than zero (C2>0).

[0046] Also, referring to FIG. 4 , in the present disclosure, the main body 6 has a second rearward-facing surface facing rearward, as indicated by the reference symbol 6s3. In the present disclosure, the second rearward-facing surface may be a main body-side second stopper surface 6s3. In the present disclosure, the main body-side second stopper surface 6s3 is a rearward-facing surface formed on a protrusion that protrudes from the inner surface f6c of the side wall portion 6c of the main body 6. In the present disclosure, the lever 7 has a second forward-facing surface facing forward, as indicated by the reference symbol 7s3, on the outer surface f7 of the side wall portion 7b. In the present disclosure, the second forward-facing surface may be a lever-side second stopper surface 7s3. In the present disclosure, the lever-side second stopper surface 7s3 is a frontward-facing surface formed by the outer surface f7 of the side wall portion 7b of the lever 7. In this case, too, by adjusting the longitudinal distance (clearance) C3 between the main body-side second stopper surface 6s3 and the lever-side second stopper surface 7s3, the main body-side second stopper surface 6s3 and the lever-side second stopper surface 7s3 can come into contact with each other when the lever 7 is pulled up by a certain amount or more. This allows the pull-up of the lever 7 to be limited by the stopper surfaces (6s3, 7s3). However, in this disclosure, the lever-side second stopper surface 7s3 is also located above the pin 7p, as shown in FIG. 9. Therefore, when the lever 7 is pushed down, the lever-side second stopper surface 7s3 also moves away from the main body-side second stopper surface 7s3, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2. Therefore, in this case too, the push-down of the lever 7 is not limited by the stopper surfaces (6s3, 7s3). Note that the clearance C3 is secured in the initial state shown in FIG. 1. That is, in the initial state of FIG. 1, the clearance C3 is greater than zero (C3>0).

[0047] 8 shows the stopper protrusion 6s1, the first stopper surface 6s2 on the main body 6, and the second stopper surface 6s3 on the main body 6. In the present disclosure, the main body 6 is provided with a guide portion 6h that restricts the left-right movement of the lever 7. In the present disclosure, the guide portion 6h is a flat plate-like portion that is connected to the side wall portion 6c. In the present disclosure, the main body 6 is provided with two guide portions 6h. Each of the two guide portions 6h is connected to a corresponding side wall portion 6c.

[0048] The fluid ejection container 1 ejects the contents in accordance with the following procedure.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows the fluid ejection container 1A in a state prior to operation. First, a user picks up the fluid ejection container 1A using the handle 6b in the state shown in FIG. 1. Next, for example, the user holds the handle 6b and places the thumb of the hand gripping the handle 6b on the rear portion 7a2 of the top wall 7a of the lever 7, pushing it downward. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the lever 7 is pushed rearward, with the pin 7p as the base point. This causes the lever 7 to press down the pressure head 4e of the pressure pump 4 via the pressure rib 7c. Next, when the user releases the lever 7, the pressure head 4e returns (rises) to its initial position, and the lever 7 can also return to its initial position as shown in FIG. 1. By repeating these actions, the contents of the container body 2 can be easily ejected to the outside world through the ejection port A4.

[0050] Furthermore, in the present disclosure, the operating lever unit 5A can be easily manufactured by a simple assembly process (assembly process) of simply fitting the pin 7p of the lever 7 into the pin support portion 6n of the main body 6. Furthermore, in the present disclosure, the fluid ejector 3 can also be easily manufactured by a simple assembly process (assembly process) of simply hooking the locking portion 62 provided on the main body 6 of the operating lever unit 5A onto the lower end e4 of the mounting cap 4a of the pressure pump 4. Furthermore, in the present disclosure, the fluid ejection container 1A and the fluid ejector 3A can also be easily manufactured by a simple assembly process (assembly process) of simply attaching the mounting cap 4a to the opening portion 2a of the container main body 2, as in the conventional case.

[0051] Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an operating lever unit, a fluid ejector, and a fluid ejection container that can utilize an existing pressure pump and that are easy to assemble and operate after assembly.

[0052] Additionally, with the operating lever unit 5A, the main body 6 and lever 7 can be replaced after the pressure pump 4 has been used up, allowing for repeated use. In particular, considering ease of assembly, it is preferable that the main body 6 and lever 7, i.e., the operating lever unit 5A, are made of resin, as they are flexible. For the same reason, it is also preferable that at least the mounting cap 4a of the pressure pump 4 is made of resin. Furthermore, considering ease of separation upon disposal, it is preferable that the operating lever unit, fluid ejector, and fluid ejection container are all made of resin. However, this does not limit the materials for the operating lever unit, fluid ejector, and fluid ejection container. Furthermore, using the same material for the main body 6 and lever 7 facilitates ease of separation upon disposal.

[0053] Next, FIG. 10 shows a fluid ejection container 1B according to a second embodiment of the present invention, shown in partial cross section and viewed from the left side.

[0054] Fluid ejection container 1B includes a container body 2 and a fluid ejector 3B according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fluid ejector 3B includes a pressure pump 4 and an operating lever unit 5B according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fluid ejection container 1B and fluid ejector 3B differ from fluid ejection container 1A and fluid ejector 3A in that the operating lever units are different. For this reason, in this disclosure, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are substantially the same as those described above.

[0055] Fig. 10 shows the pressing head 4e in an initial state before it is pressed down by the lever 7 of the operating lever unit 5B. In Fig. 10, the symbol Op denotes the pivot axis of the lever 7. In the lever 7 of the present disclosure, a recess for hooking the thumb is formed in the rear portion 7a2 of the top wall portion 7a.

[0056] Fig. 11 shows the operating lever unit 5B in a cross section including the swing axis Op of the lever 7. Fig. 11 is a view taken along plane BB in Fig. 10. Plane BB is perpendicular to plane AA in Fig. 6 and extends in the left-right direction through the swing axis of the lever. As shown in Fig. 11, in the present disclosure, the lever 7 is provided with a boss 10 that protrudes from an outer surface f7b2 of a side wall 7b of the lever 7 and penetrates a boss hole 20 formed in a side wall 6c of the main body 6 from the inner surface f6c1 of the side wall 6c of the main body 6.

[0057] FIG. 12 shows a schematic left side view of the lever swinging portion of the operating lever unit 5B. As shown in FIG. 12, an arc-shaped wall portion 21 is disposed in an upper region of a boss hole 20 formed in the side wall portion 6c of the main body 6. Here, the upper region of the boss hole 20 refers to at least the upper half of the boss hole 20. In the present disclosure, the arc-shaped wall portion 21 has an arc-shaped surface f21 extending in the circumferential direction of the boss hole 20. In the present disclosure, the arc-shaped surface f21 is the lower end surface of the arc-shaped wall portion 21. The arc-shaped wall portion 21 extends downward from the side wall portion 6c of the main body 6. That is, in the present disclosure, the upper contour shape of the boss hole 20 is formed by the arc-shaped surface f21 of the arc-shaped wall portion 21 in a side view, as shown in FIG. 12. Note that, in the present disclosure, the arc-shaped surface f21 is formed with a radius of curvature r21, as shown in FIG. 12.

[0058] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view showing region Y in FIG. 11. In the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 13, the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is disposed inward in the left-right direction from the side wall portion 6c of the main body 6 (inside the main body 6 in FIG. 13). As a result, a recess C6 is formed in the main body 6, which is formed by the outer surface f6c2 of the side wall portion 6c and the outer surface f212 of the arc-shaped wall portion 21. Also, in the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 13, the main body 6 is formed with an inclined surface f6c3 that is inclined in the left-right direction in a front view. As shown in FIG. 13, the inclined surface f6c3 is continuous with the inner surface f6c1 of the side wall portion 6c and the arc-shaped surface f21 of the arc-shaped wall portion 21. As shown in FIG. 13, the inclined surface f6c3 is an inclined surface that slopes inward of the main body 6 as it extends from the inner surface f6c1 of the side wall portion 6c toward the arc-shaped surface f21 of the arc-shaped wall portion 21 below the inner surface f6c1.

[0059] The boss 10 has a root portion 11 that can be brought into slidable contact with the arcuate surface f21 of the arcuate wall portion 21, and a tip portion 12 that is larger than the root portion 11 so as to cover the outer surface f212 of the arcuate wall portion 21 and can be brought into slidable contact with the outer surface f212 of the arcuate wall portion 21. As shown in Fig. 13, the boss 10 surrounds the arcuate wall portion 21 such that the root portion 11 and the tip portion 12 embrace the arcuate wall portion 21 from below. This prevents the lever 7 from slipping out of the arcuate wall portion 21.

[0060] Figure 14 shows the swinging portion when the lever 7 is pressed into the main body 6. As shown in Figure 14, even when the lever 7 is pressed in, the tip portion 12 of the boss 10 is positioned outside the arc-shaped wall portion 21 formed on the main body 6, so as to enclose the arc-shaped wall portion 21 from below. Therefore, even when the lever 7 is pressed into the main body 6, the boss 10 of the lever 7 does not come out of the boss hole 20 formed on the main body 6.

[0061] Furthermore, FIG. 15 shows the boss 10 from the front side, with the connecting portion between the boss 10 and the lever 7 in cross section.

[0062] As shown in Fig. 15, the outer surface of the upper half of the base portion 11 of the boss 10 is formed by an arcuate surface f11 with a radius of curvature r11. As shown in Fig. 12, in the present disclosure, the radius of curvature r11 of the arcuate surface f11 of the base portion 11 is smaller than the radius of curvature r21 of the arcuate surface f21 of the arcuate wall 21. In this case, when the base portion 11 of the boss 10 acts to push up the arcuate surface f21 of the arcuate wall portion 21 by pushing the lever 7 downward, the arcuate surface f11 of the base portion 11 can be moved along the arcuate surface f21 of the arcuate wall portion 21. This prevents the boss 10 from concentrating on one location on the arcuate surface f21 of the arcuate wall portion 21 and pushing up the arcuate wall portion 21. In this disclosure, the upper half of the base portion 11 of the boss 10 refers to the upper half of the base portion 11 above the swing axis Op of the lever 7 in the initial state before the lever 7 is pushed in.

[0063] On the other hand, the tip portion 12 of the boss 10 is larger than the root portion 11 so as to cover the outer surface f212 of the arc-shaped wall portion 21. In the present disclosure, the tip portion 12 is a circular flange portion having a radius r12 larger than the radius of curvature r11 of the arc-shaped surface f11 of the root portion 11.

[0064] Additionally, in the present disclosure, the tip portion 12 of the boss 10 has a cutout C12 formed in the lower half of the tip portion 12. In this case, the boss 10 is less likely to come off the arc-shaped wall portion 21, and the size of the boss hole 20 can be kept smaller than when the tip portion 12 of the boss 10 is circular, making it easier to insert the tip portion 12 into the boss hole 20 and assemble the boss 10 to the boss hole 20. In the present disclosure, the cutout C12 is formed in two locations, a front portion and a rear portion, of the lower half of the tip portion 12. Note that, in the present disclosure, the lower half of the tip portion 12 refers to the lower half of the tip portion 12 above the swing axis Op of the lever 7 in the initial state before the lever 7 is pushed in.

[0065] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 15, in the present disclosure, a reinforcing portion 11R extending downward is integrally formed at the base portion 11 of the boss 10. In the present disclosure, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 15, the base portion 11 includes a cylindrical portion serving as a core portion, as well as a reinforcing portion 11R continuing to the cylindrical portion. In this case, the rigidity of the boss 10 can be increased. This makes it difficult for the boss 10 to deform. Note that, here, "extending downward" refers to extending vertically in the initial state before the lever 7 is pushed in.

[0066] Additionally, in the present disclosure, the reinforcing portion 11R has a flat surface f11R that is continuous with the arcuate surface f11 having a curvature radius r11. As shown in FIG. 15, the flat surface f11R is formed so as to extend vertically from the front side of the arcuate surface f11 in the initial state before the lever 7 is pushed in. In this case, when the lever 7 is pushed in, the reinforcing portion 11R does not interfere with the side wall portion 6c of the main body 6, thereby maintaining smooth movement of the lever 7. Furthermore, the flat surface f11R formed on the reinforcing portion 11R is optimal in terms of ease of molding (moldability) when the reinforcing portion 11R is molded integrally with the boss 10. Note that in the present disclosure, the reinforcing portion 11R has an arc shape that extends rearward along the cylindrical portion indicated by the dashed line.

[0067] Incidentally, if the boss provided on the lever 7 has a simple cylindrical shape like the pin 7p and the boss hole formed in the main body 6 is simply a through-hole, when the lever 7 is pushed in at an angle, the boss provided on the lever 7 will deform the main body 6, and the boss will likely come out of the boss hole formed in the main body 6. If the boss comes out of the boss hole, the lever 7 will come out of the main body 6.

[0068] In particular, when the main body 6 of the operating lever unit is made of resin, the main body 6 is easily deformed due to the flexibility of the resin.

[0069] Therefore, in order to increase the rigidity and reinforce the flexibility, it is conceivable to select a material with high elasticity (rigidity) as the material used for the main body 6, or to increase the rigidity by increasing the thickness of the main body 6. However, these measures will increase the cost of materials and the amount of materials used.

[0070] In contrast, Fig. 16 shows the operating lever unit 5B in the present disclosure in a state in which the lever 7 is pushed diagonally to the left relative to the main body 6, and Fig. 17 is an enlarged view showing area Z in Fig. 16. Here, pushing the lever 7 diagonally means, for example, pushing the lever 7 downward so as to slide the lever 7 to either the left or right, as shown by the outline arrow in Fig. 4.

[0071] 11 in which the lever 7 is pushed in vertically, as shown in Fig. 16, when the lever 7 is pushed in at an angle, deformation occurs in the side wall 6c of the main body 6. However, as shown in Fig. 17, in the case of this embodiment, the tip portion 12 of the boss 10 is caught on the outer surface f212 of the arc-shaped wall portion 21, thereby preventing the boss 10 from coming out of the boss hole 20. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to make the lever 7 less likely to come out even when the lever 7 is pushed in at an angle, without increasing material costs or materials used.

[0072] 12, in the present disclosure, the radius of curvature r11 of the arcuate surface f11 of the base portion 11 is smaller than the radius of curvature r21 of the arcuate surface f21 of the arcuate wall 21. In this case, the boss 10 does not concentrate on one point on the arcuate surface f21 of the arcuate wall portion 21 and push up the arcuate wall portion 21, thereby suppressing deformation of the main body 6, which is one cause of the boss 10 coming off. Therefore, in this case, the lever 7 can be made less likely to come off.

[0073] Additionally, in the present disclosure, tip portion 12 of boss 10 has a cutout C12 formed in the lower half of tip portion 12. In this case, boss 10 is less likely to come off arc-shaped wall portion 21, and the size of boss hole 20 can be kept small, making it easier to insert tip portion 12 into boss hole 20 and assemble boss 10 to boss hole 20.

[0074] In addition, in the present disclosure, the main body 6 is formed with an inclined surface f6c3 that is inclined in the left-right direction in front view, as shown in FIG. 13. In this case, the number of edges formed on the side wall portion 6c of the main body 6 is reduced, making it easier to assemble the boss 10 into the boss hole 20. Furthermore, in the present disclosure, the boss 10 is also formed with an inclined surface f113 that is inclined in the left-right direction in front view, as shown in FIG. 13. The inclined surface f113 is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the tip surface f112 of the boss 10 toward the inside of the main body 6, as shown in FIG. In this case, the number of edges formed on the boss 10 is reduced, making it easier to assemble the boss 10 into the boss hole 20.

[0075] 15, in the present disclosure, a reinforcing portion 11R extending downward is integrally formed at the base portion 11 of the boss 10. In this case, by increasing the rigidity of the boss 10, it is possible to make the boss 10 less susceptible to deformation.

[0076] Although the operating lever unit, fluid ejector, and fluid ejection container according to several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims. For example, the stopper protrusion (6s1, 7s1) and the stopper surfaces ((6s2, 7s2), (6s3, 7s3)) according to the present disclosure can employ only one of the stopper protrusion and the stopper surface. Furthermore, the two stopper surfaces ((6s2, 7s2), (6s3, 7s3)) according to the present disclosure can also employ only one of the two stopper surfaces.

[0077] The operating lever unit may also include a main body that can be attached to a mounting cap of a pressure pump that can be attached to the opening of a container main body, and a lever that is pivotally supported on the main body and can press down the pressure head of the pressure pump, the lever having a boss that protrudes from the outer surface of a side wall of the lever and penetrates a boss hole formed in the side wall of the main body from the inner surface of the side wall of the main body, and an arc-shaped wall portion that extends downward from the side wall of the main body and in the circumferential direction of the boss hole is disposed in an upper region of the boss hole, and the boss has a base portion that can be in slidable contact with the arc-shaped surface of the arc-shaped wall portion, and a tip portion that is larger than the base portion so as to cover the outer surface of the arc-shaped wall portion and can be in slidable contact with the outer surface of the arc-shaped wall portion, and the operating lever unit is hooked onto the arc-shaped wall portion by the base portion and the tip portion. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1A: fluid ejection container (first embodiment), 1B: fluid ejection container (second embodiment), 2: container body 2, 2a: mouth portion of container body, 2b: shoulder portion of container body, 2c: trunk portion of container body, 3A: fluid ejector (first embodiment), 3B: fluid ejector (second embodiment), 4: pressure pump (fluid ejector), 4a: attachment cap, 4b: cylinder, 4d: stem, 4e: pressure head, 4f: nozzle, 4g: ring body, A4: ejection port, 41: uneven portion, 42: flange portion, 5A: operation lever unit (first embodiment), 5B: operation lever unit (second embodiment), 6: main body, 6a: peripheral wall portion of main body, 6b: handle portion, 6c: side wall portion of main body, 6h: guide portion, 10: boss, 11: base portion of boss 12: tip portion of boss, 20: boss hole, 21: arc-shaped wall portion, f21: arc surface of arc-shaped wall portion, 61: uneven area portion, 62: engagement portion, 7: lever, 7a: top wall portion of lever, 7b: side wall portion of lever, 7c: pressure rib, 6s1: stopper protrusion of main body, 7s1: stopper protrusion of lever, 6s2: first stopper surface on main body side, 7s2: first stopper surface on lever side, 6s3: second stopper surface on main body side, 7s3: second stopper surface on lever side, O: central axis (axis) of mouth portion of container

Claims

1. The pump includes a main body that can be attached to a mounting cap of a pressure pump that can be attached to the opening of the container main body, and a lever that is pivotally supported on the main body and can press down the pressure head of the pressure pump, The main body includes a peripheral wall portion that surrounds the attachment cap around an axis line, and a handle portion that is continuous with the peripheral wall portion, An operating lever unit in which a plurality of uneven areas are provided on the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion at intervals around the axis, which can engage with the flat-mesh pattern uneven areas provided on the outer surface of the mounting cap, and a plurality of locking portions are provided alternately with the uneven areas at intervals around the axis, which can lock onto the lower end of the mounting cap when the main body is attached to the mounting cap.

2. 2. The operating lever unit according to claim 1, wherein the main body and the lever are provided with stopper projections that restrict lifting of the lever by contacting each other in the axial direction.

3. 2. The operating lever unit according to claim 1, wherein the main body and the lever are provided with stopper surfaces that restrict lifting of the lever by contact with each other in the front-rear direction.

4. the lever has a boss that protrudes from an outer surface of a side wall portion of the lever and penetrates a boss hole formed in the side wall portion of the main body from an inner surface side of the side wall portion of the main body, an arc-shaped wall portion is disposed in an upper region of the boss hole, the arc-shaped wall portion extending downward from the side wall portion of the main body and having an arc-shaped surface extending in a circumferential direction of the boss hole, 2. The operating lever unit according to claim 1, wherein the boss has a root portion that can be slidably contacted with the arcuate surface of the arcuate wall portion, and a tip portion that is larger than the root portion so as to cover the outer surface of the arcuate wall portion and can be slidably contacted with the outer surface of the arcuate wall portion.

5. 5. The operating lever unit according to claim 4, wherein the radius of curvature of the base portion is smaller than the radius of curvature of the arcuate surface of the arcuate wall.

6. 5. The operating lever unit according to claim 4, wherein a cutout is formed in a lower half of the tip portion.

7. 5. The operating lever unit according to claim 4, wherein a reinforcing portion extending downward is integrally formed with said base portion.

8. A fluid ejector comprising: a pressure pump having an attachment cap that can be attached to the mouth of a container body and a pressure head that causes the pump to operate; and an operating lever unit described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A fluid ejection container comprising: a container body having a mouth; and the fluid ejector according to claim 8.

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