Dispensing container

Abstract

To provide a delivery container that can reduce a residual quantity of contents which are left unused.SOLUTION: A delivery container 10 includes: a case 1 having an outer cylinder part 1a; a rotary operation body 2 which has a shank 2c with an external thread 2e provided and which is rotatably held for the case 1; a support body 3 provided with a cylindrical part 3g surrounding the shank 2c and having an internal thread 3h and a tray part 3a holding contents C; and a slide operation body 4 which is situated in an upper part from the tray part 3a in an initial state, which is provided with a pressurizing part 4b for holding the contents C together with the tray part 3a, and which is slidable downward for the support body 3. With the rotary operation body 2 rotated for the case 1, the contents C and the slide operation body 4 rise with elevation of the support body 3. With the pressurizing part 4b exposed along with use of the contents C, depression of the pressurizing part 4b becomes possible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dispensing container. [Background technology]

[0002] A known container for storing stick-shaped contents such as lipstick, lip balm, or stick-type glue is a dispensing container that can raise an inner tray by rotating a lower operating body, and dispense the stick-shaped contents held by the inner tray from an upper opening (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] In this type of dispensing container, the inner tray is usually shaped like a bottomed cylinder, with a bottom wall that supports the bottom of the contents and a peripheral wall that surrounds the bottom wall and holds the lower outer peripheral surface of the contents, so that it can securely hold the rod-shaped contents. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 63-062016 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-208154 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In this type of dispensing container, the height of the contents gradually decreases with continued use. However, once it reaches the top of the peripheral wall, it becomes difficult to use any more of the contents, and a relatively large amount of the contents remains inside the peripheral wall. Furthermore, since the contents remaining in the inner tray cannot be used in normal use, they are excluded from the volume of contents displayed on the product. This results in the need for a larger volume of contents than the displayed volume, which leads to increased costs.

[0006] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing container that can reduce the amount of content that remains unused. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention includes a case having an outer cylindrical portion for accommodating contents therein; a rotary driver having a shaft portion with a male thread portion provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof and rotatably held relative to the case; A support body having a cylindrical portion surrounding the shaft portion and having a female thread portion on an inner peripheral surface thereof, and a receiving portion for supporting the contents; a slide operation body having a pressing portion that is located above the receiving portion in an initial state and supports the contents together with the receiving portion, and that is slidable downward relative to the support body; When the rotating operating body is rotated relative to the case, the support body rises, and the contents and the sliding operating body rise, and when the contents are used, the pressing portion becomes exposed and can be pressed down.This is a dispensing container.

[0008] The pressing portion is preferably provided at a position in contact with or close to the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical portion.

[0009] It is preferable that the slide operation body has an upper portion positioned below the pressing portion and a protruding portion that is embedded in the receptacle portion and the contents supported by the pressing portion.

[0010] Furthermore, it is preferable to provide a cap that is detachably attached to the case while covering the contents and that can be used to press down the pressing portion when removed from the case. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] As described above, the dispensing container of the present invention supports the contents between the tray portion of the support and the pressing portion of the slide operating body. When the rotating operating body is rotated relative to the case, the supported contents are dispensed from the case, allowing the contents to be applied. As the contents are used, the height of the contents decreases and the pressing portion becomes exposed. In this state, the pressing portion gets in the way, making it difficult to apply the contents located around the pressing portion. However, because the slide operating body including the pressing portion can slide downward relative to the support including the tray portion, by pressing down on the exposed pressing portion, the pressing portion can be moved relative to the contents supported in the tray. In other words, the pressing portion, which was in the way, moves, making it easy to apply the contents located around the pressing portion, thereby reducing the amount of unused contents remaining. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional side view showing one embodiment of a dispensing container according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 2A is a plan view of the support shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the support as viewed from the side. [Figure 3] 2A is a plan view of the slide operation body shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the slide operation body as seen from the side. [Figure 4] 10 is a cross-sectional side view showing a state in which the height of the contents is lowered with use and the pressing portion is exposed. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a cross-sectional side view showing a state in which the exposed pressing portion is pressed down with a finger. FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a cross-sectional side view showing a state in which the exposed pressing portion is pressed down by the cap. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the state of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view showing the state in which the contents have been used up. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, a dispensing container 10, which is one embodiment of a dispensing container according to the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the like, the up-down direction refers to the direction along the illustrated central axis O (the central axis of the case 1, which will be described later), with the side on which the rotary driver 2 shown in Figure 1 is located being the "bottom" and the side on which the cap 5 is located being the "top." Furthermore, the radial direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the central axis O within a plane perpendicular to the central axis O, and the circumferential direction refers to the direction revolving around the central axis O within this plane.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, dispensing container 10 of this embodiment comprises case 1, rotary driver 2, support 3, slide driver 4, and cap 5, and is configured so that content C is dispensed from case 1 by rotating rotary driver 2. Each of the components constituting dispensing container 10 can be made of a variety of materials, but in this embodiment they are made of synthetic resin. The detailed configuration of each component will be described later, but the center of each component coincides with central axis O.

[0015] The case 1 has a cylindrical outer tube portion 1a centered on a central axis O. An engagement portion 1b is provided on the lower inner peripheral surface of the outer tube portion 1a, which extends horizontally radially inward and then extends at an angle upward. A downwardly projecting convex portion 1c is provided at the connection between the horizontally extending portion and the upwardly sloping portion of the engagement portion 1b. Furthermore, a vertical rib 1d extending along the central axis O is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube portion 1a.

[0016] The rotary driver 2 has an operating part 2a with a disk-shaped central part and an outer edge extending downward. A disk-shaped step 2b is provided at the top of the operating part 2a. A cylindrical shaft part 2c extending along the central axis O is provided on the upper surface of the step 2b. An engagement protrusion 2d protruding radially outward is provided at the bottom of the shaft part 2c. A male thread part 2e is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft part 2c above the engagement protrusion 2d.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the support 3 has a tray portion 3a. The tray portion 3a in this embodiment is plate-shaped as shown in FIG. 2(b), and its shape in plan view is generally circular as shown in FIG. 2(a), with a portion thereof cut out as if by an arc. Here, the arc-like portion of the tray portion 3a is referred to as the inward arc portion 3b. A central hole 3c that is circular in plan view is provided in the center of the tray portion 3a. The tray portion 3a also has a passage hole 3d that is arc-shaped in plan view, radially outward of the central hole 3c and on the opposite side from the inward arc portion 3b.

[0018] The support body 3 also has a peripheral wall 3e extending downward along the outer edge of the saucer portion 3a, excluding the inward arc portion 3b. A vertical groove 3f is provided on the opposite side of the peripheral wall 3e from the inward arc portion 3b, cutting out the saucer portion 3a in the vertical direction together with the peripheral wall 3e.

[0019] A cylindrical tubular portion 3g surrounding the central hole 3c is provided inside the peripheral wall 3e of the support body 3. A female thread portion 3h is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion 3g. A claw portion 3j is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 3g on the side where the inward arc portion 3b is located.

[0020] 3(a), the slide operation body 4 includes a ring portion 4a that is ring-shaped in a plan view. The ring portion 4a is provided with a pressing portion 4b. The pressing portion 4b of this embodiment includes a top wall 4c that is spindle-shaped like two arcs facing each other in a plan view, an inner peripheral wall 4d that extends downward from the outer edge of the top wall 4c on the side closer to the central axis O, and an outer peripheral wall 4e that extends downward from the outer edge of the top wall 4c on the side farther from the central axis O.

[0021] The slide operation body 4 also has a protrusion 4f extending upward from the ring portion 4a on the opposite side to the pressing portion 4b. The protrusion 4f in this embodiment has an arc shape in a plan view as shown in Fig. 3(a). The upper end of the protrusion 4f is located below the top wall 4c of the pressing portion 4b.

[0022] The cap 5 has a disk-shaped top wall 5a as shown in Figures 1 and 7. A cylindrical cap peripheral wall 5b extending downward is provided on the outer edge of the top wall 5a.

[0023] The following procedure can be given as an example of assembling such a component. First, the ring portion 4a of the slide operation body 4 is inserted from below into the cylindrical portion 3g of the support body 3 so that the inward arc portion 3b and the pressing portion 4b are aligned. The slide operation body 4 is inserted into the support body 3 until the pressing portion 4b overcomes the claw portion 3j, thereby combining the two. In this combined state, the slide operation body 4 can be slid relative to the support body 3 in a direction along the central axis O. Furthermore, the protrusion 4f is positioned so that it can pass through the passage hole 3d in the circumferential direction.

[0024] Next, the shaft portion 2c of the rotary driver 2 is inserted into the engaging portion 1b of the case 1 from below. The rotary driver 2 is inserted into the case 1 until the engaging protrusion 2d overcomes the engaging portion 1b, thereby combining the two. After that, the combined support body 3 and slide driver 4 are inserted into the combined case 1 and rotary driver 2 from above so that the positions of the vertical rib 1d and the vertical groove 3f are aligned, and the rotary driver 2 is further rotated to screw the male thread portion 2e into the female thread portion 3h.

[0025] Thereafter, with the protruding portion 4f protruding from the passage hole 3d as shown in FIG. 1, the contents C are filled inside the outer cylindrical portion 1a, and the cap 5 is attached to the case 1.

[0026] When the dispensing container 10 is assembled in this manner, the rotary driver 2 is rotatably held in the case 1. Since the engaging portion 1b engages with the engaging protrusion 2d, the rotary driver 2 does not come out of the case 1 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the protrusion 1c contacts the stepped portion 2b, reducing the contact area between the rotary driver 2 and the case 1. This reduces resistance during rotation, allowing the rotary driver 2 to rotate smoothly. Since the pressing portion 4b is located radially outward of the sliding driver 4, it is in contact with or close to the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube 1a of the case 1 when the dispensing container 10 is assembled. In other words, there is essentially no content C between the outer peripheral wall 4e of the pressing portion 4b and the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube 1a. The content C is supported from below by the upper surface of the receiving tray 3a and the upper surface of the top wall 4c of the pressing portion 4b, and is supported laterally by the side surface of the inner peripheral wall 4d. Furthermore, the protruding portion 4f is embedded in the contents C, and the contents C is also supported by the protruding portion 4f.

[0027] Next, a method of using the dispensing container 10 will be described. To apply the contents C, the cap 5 is removed from the case 1, the outer tube 1a and the operating part 2a are grasped with the fingers, and the rotary driver 2 is rotated relative to the case 1. As described above, the male thread 2e of the rotary driver 2 is threadedly engaged with the female thread 3h of the support 3. Furthermore, the vertical groove 3f of the support 3 is engaged with the vertical rib 1d of the case 1, preventing the support 3 from rotating relative to the case 1. Therefore, when the rotary driver 2 is rotated, the support 3 rises relative to the case 1. The contents C are supported by the receiving tray 3a of the support 3 and also by the pressing part 4b and the protruding part 4f of the sliding driver 4. In other words, when the rotary driver 2 is rotated, the support 3 rises, and the contents C and the sliding driver 4 also rise, allowing the contents C to be dispensed from the case 1, and the dispensed contents C can be applied.

[0028] However, the height of the contents C decreases as the contents C are used. Therefore, as the contents C are used, the top wall 4c of the pressing portion 4b becomes exposed as shown in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the protruding portion 4f is located lower than the pressing portion 4b. Even when the pressing portion 4b is exposed, the protruding portion 4f remains embedded in the contents C, preventing problems such as the contents C falling off the tray portion 3a. However, in the state shown in FIG. 4, the exposed pressing portion 4b gets in the way, making it difficult to apply the contents C located around the pressing portion 4b.

[0029] When the pressing portion 4b is exposed in this way, the pressing portion 4b is pressed down with, for example, a finger, as shown in Fig. 5. As described above, the slide operation body 4 can be slid along the central axis O relative to the support body 3, and therefore, as shown in the figure, the pressing portion 4b can be moved downward relative to the contents C supported by the receiving tray portion 3a. This allows the contents C located around the pressing portion 4b in the state shown in Fig. 4 to be easily applied, thereby reducing the amount of contents C that remain unused.

[0030] When the pressing portion 4b is pressed down, the protrusion 4f provided on the slide operating body 4 also moves relative to the contents C, so that the contents C located around the protrusion 4f can also be easily applied.

[0031] The pressing portion 4b can also be pressed down using a cap 5, as shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 7, the pressing portion 4b of this embodiment is spindle-shaped in a plan view, and the side closer to the central axis O is arc-shaped like the cap peripheral wall 5b. That is, when pressing down the pressing portion 4b with the cap 5, even if the cap peripheral wall 5b is pressed against the part of the pressing portion 4b closer to the central axis O as shown in the figure, the cap 5 fits inside the pressing portion 4b, and therefore the pressing portion 4b can be stably pressed down without the cap 5 coming into contact with the contents C.

[0032] In this way, after the dispensed content C has been used and the pressing portion 4b has been exposed, the content C can be used by pressing down the pressing portion 4b with a finger or the cap 5, and after the pressing portion 4b is exposed again, the content C can be dispensed and the pressing portion 4b can be pressed down. By repeating this operation, it is possible to use up almost all of the content C, as shown in Fig. 8. Even if the sliding operation body 4 moves downward relative to the support body 3 by pressing down the pressing portion 4b, the inner peripheral wall 4d engages with the claw portion 3j as shown in the figure, so that the sliding operation body 4 will not fall off the support body 3.

[0033] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment, and unless otherwise limited in the above description, various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims. Furthermore, the effects of the above embodiment are merely examples of the effects that can be obtained from the present invention, and do not mean that the effects of the present invention are limited to the above effects.

[0034] For example, as described above, the pressing portion 4b of this embodiment is located in contact with or close to the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube portion 1a of the case 1, and since there is essentially no content C between the outer peripheral wall 4e of the pressing portion 4b and the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube portion 1a, this is advantageous in that the content C is less likely to come into contact with the fingers or the cap 5 when the pressing portion 4b is pressed down. However, the pressing portion 4b may be located away from the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube portion 1a (i.e., the content C may be present between the pressing portion 4b and the outer tube portion 1a). In this case, for example, contact between the cap 5 and the content C can be avoided by providing a protrusion or the like on the cap 5 that can be used when pressing down the pressing portion 4b. Furthermore, although the present embodiment has one protrusion 4f, there is no limit to the number, and multiple protrusions may be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1: Case 1a: Outer cylinder 1b: Engagement part 1c: Convex part 1d: Vertical rib 2: Rotation control body 2a: Operating part 2b: Segment part 2c: Shaft part 2d: Engagement projection part 2e: Male screw part 3: Support 3a: Dish part 3b: Inward arc part 3c: Central hole 3d: Through hole 3e: Peripheral wall 3f: Longitudinal groove 3g: Cylindrical part 3h: Female screw part 3j: Claw part 4: Slide operating body 4a: Ring part 4b: Pressing part 4c: Top wall 4d: Inner peripheral wall 4e: Outer peripheral wall 4f: Projection part 5: Cap 5a: Top wall 5b: Cap peripheral wall 10: Pay-out container C: Contents O: Central axis

Claims

1. a case having an outer cylindrical portion for accommodating contents therein; a rotary driver having a shaft portion with a male thread portion provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof and rotatably held relative to the case; A support body having a cylindrical portion surrounding the shaft portion and having a female thread portion on an inner peripheral surface thereof, and a receiving portion for supporting the contents; a slide operation body having a pressing portion that is located above the receiving portion in an initial state and supports the contents together with the receiving portion, and that is slidable downward relative to the support body; When the rotary operating body is rotated relative to the case, the support body rises, and the contents and the sliding operating body rise, and when the pressing portion is exposed as the contents are used, the pressing portion can be pressed down.

2. The dispensing container according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing portion is provided at a position that contacts or is close to an inner circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical portion.

3. 2. The dispensing container according to claim 1, wherein the slide operation body has an upper portion positioned below the pressing portion and a protruding portion that is embedded in the receiving tray portion and the content supported by the pressing portion.

4. The dispensing container according to claim 1, further comprising a cap that is detachably attached to the case while covering the contents and that can be used to press down the pressing portion when removed from the case.

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