Pump dispenser

Abstract

To provide a pump dispenser capable of preventing air entrainment.SOLUTION: A pump dispenser includes: a body part which has a pump capable of sucking and pressure-feeding a liquid; and a nozzle which has a discharge port capable of discharging the liquid pressure-fed by the pump. The body part includes a mounting part which can be mounted on a container capable of being placed on a placement surface. The pump includes: a pressing surface which can be pressed; a pump chamber which can be expanded or contracted by a pressing operation of the pressing surface; and an outflow port which allows the liquid inside the pump chamber to flow out toward the nozzle by the pressing operation. The pressing surface is provided toward a horizontal direction in the state where the mounting part is mounted on the container. A height of the outflow port in a vertical direction in the state where the mounting part is mounted on the container is positioned at the same position as a centroid position of the pressing surface or above the centroid position of the pressing surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0004] ,

[0006] , , , , , ,

[0005] , , ,

[0003] , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a pump dispenser.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a dispenser that discharges liquid from a discharge port is known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a dispenser that includes a pump chamber formed by a recess that opens upward and a lid that covers the recess, and a liquid outflow passage from the pump chamber to the discharge port extends in the radial direction of the recess, and by pressing the lid from above, a liquid substance is discharged from the discharge port.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the dispenser of Patent Document 1, if the liquid is discharged before the liquid has completely accumulated in the pump chamber, so-called air biting occurs, in which the air and the liquid in the pump chamber are discharged in a mixed state, and there is a risk that a sufficient flow rate cannot be discharged. Therefore, there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of preventing air biting.

[0005] The present invention relates to a pump dispenser capable of preventing air biting.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention relates to a pump dispenser comprising a main body having a pump capable of sucking and pumping liquid, and a nozzle having a discharge port capable of discharging the liquid pumped by the pump, wherein the main body has a mounting part that can be attached to a container that can be placed on a mounting surface, the pump has a pressing surface that can be pressed, a pump chamber that can be expanded or contracted by pressing the pressing surface, and an outlet that causes the liquid inside the pump chamber to flow out toward the nozzle by pressing, the pressing surface is provided in a horizontal direction when the mounting part is attached to the container, and the vertical height of the outlet when the mounting part is attached to the container is at the same position as the centroid of the pressing surface or above the centroid of the pressing surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The pump dispenser according to the present invention is capable of preventing air from getting trapped. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side view showing the pump dispenser according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the pump dispenser according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view schematically showing the main body portion according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view schematically showing the pump room according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a schematic perspective view showing the main body of a modified example. [Figure 6] This is a schematic side view showing a pump dispenser relating to another modification. This is a perspective view showing the lid. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the invention as described in each claim, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention. Furthermore, the drawings are schematic diagrams with appropriate emphasis, omissions, and adjustments of proportions to illustrate the present invention, and may differ from the actual shapes, positions, and proportions.

[0010] [Overall configuration of the dispenser] The pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment generally comprises a main body 10 having a pump 30 capable of sucking and pumping liquid, a nozzle 50 having a discharge port 50a from which the liquid pumped by the pump 30 can be discharged, and an operating lever 60 that can be pulled relative to the main body 10 to press the pressing surface 32a of the pump 30, which will be described later.

[0011] The pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment can be used to dispense relatively low-viscosity liquids such as deodorants, detergents, hair mists, and lotions. Preferably, the liquid dispensed by the pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment has a viscosity of 10 mPa·s or less (measured with a B-type viscometer) at 30°C, for example. However, the pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment is not limited to dispensing such relatively low-viscosity liquids, and can also be used to dispense high-viscosity liquids exceeding the above viscosity, for example, by changing the discharge port 50a, it can be used to dispense liquids such as shampoos and conditioners with a viscosity of 10,000 mPa·s or more. Furthermore, the pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment may dispense the liquid as is, or it may be equipped with a mechanism to atomize the liquid and dispense it in a mist.

[0012] Container 3 is, for example, bottle-shaped and configured to be placed on a mounting surface. That is, container 3 is an upright type container used with its bottom surface placed on the mounting surface (upright state). An example of a container 3 that can be suitably used with the pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment is shown in Figure 1. The container 3 shown in Figure 1 comprises a bottomed cylindrical container body and a mouth portion 4 provided at the upper end of the container body. In this specification, "bottomed cylindrical" means a cylindrical shape having a bottom at one end and an opening at the other end. In this specification, "cylindrical" is not limited to a circular cross-section (cylindrical shape), but also includes a rectangular cross-section (rectangular cylindrical shape). Container 3 can be a film container or a delaminated bottle, but is not limited to these, and various containers such as paper containers and glass bottles can be used.

[0013] In this specification, "discharge direction" refers to the direction in which the liquid is discharged toward the object to be discharged, and is the direction perpendicular to the opening surface of the discharge port 50a of the nozzle 50, which will be described later.

[0014] In this specification, the direction of liquid discharge from the nozzle 50, described later, is referred to as "forward," and the opposite direction as "rearward." Furthermore, when the mounting part 20, described later, is attached to the container 3 and the container 3 is placed on the mounting surface in an upright position, the upper vertical direction is referred to as "upward," and the opposite direction as "downward."

[0015] [Main body] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main body 10 includes a mounting part 20 that can be attached to a container 3 that can be placed on a mounting surface, and a pump 30 that is capable of sucking and pumping liquid.

[0016] As shown in Figure 2, the mounting section 20 includes a mounting cap 22 that can be attached to the mouth 4 of the container 3, an inner cylinder 24a and an outer cylinder 24b provided inside the mounting cap 22, and a dip tube 26 that supplies liquid from the container 3 to the pump chamber P.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting cap 22 is configured to be mounted on the mouth portion 4 formed at the upper end of the container 3. Specifically, the mounting cap 22 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the mouth portion 4, and a screw that can be screwed with the screw formed on the outer surface of the mouth portion 4 is formed on its inner surface. Thereby, after the mounting cap 22 is placed over the mouth portion 4 of the container 3, it is rotated in one direction to be connected to the container 3, and is configured to prevent the pump 30 from coming out. Also, when rotated in the opposite direction, the connection with the container 3 is released, and it is configured to be separable from the container 3.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the inner cylinder 24a is formed in a cylindrical shape having a diameter that can be inserted into the mouth portion 4 of the container 3. At its lower end, it is configured to hold a dip tube 26, which will be described later, and at its upper end, it has a suction valve 28. The suction valve 28 is a check valve configured to allow the flow of liquid in the direction from the container 3 toward a pump chamber P, which will be described later, and to restrict the flow of liquid in the opposite direction. In the present embodiment, the suction valve 28 is a check valve formed in a disc shape, but it is not limited to this, and various known check valves can be adopted.

[0019] The outer cylinder 24b is formed in a cylindrical shape that can be inserted into the mouth portion 4 of the container 3 and has a diameter larger than that of the inner cylinder 24a, and is arranged outside the inner cylinder 24a so as to be concentric with the inner cylinder 24a. The lower end of the inner cylinder 24a and the lower end of the outer cylinder 24b are continuously connected, and the lower end of a casing 36, which will be described later, is press-fitted between the inner cylinder 24a and the outer cylinder 24b, so that the casing 36 and the mounting portion 20 are configured to be inseparably coupled. That is, the inner cylinder 24a is formed to be smaller than the inner diameter of the casing 36, and the outer cylinder 24b is formed to be larger than the inner diameter of the casing 36. Note that the mounting portion 20 may be integrally formed with the casing 36 by welding with a laser or the like, for example. The upper end of the outer cylinder 24b extends radially outward and is configured to function as a retaining means for the mounting cap 22.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pump 30 includes a casing 36 having a recess 34 recessed rearward (opposite to the discharge direction), and a lid 32 attached to the casing 36 so as to cover the recess 34. The internal space formed by the casing 36 and the lid 32 is configured to function as a pump chamber P that can be expanded or contracted by the pressing operation of a pressing surface 32a described later.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3, the lid 32 is formed in a dome shape and is configured to be elastically deformable. The lid 32 is attached to the casing 36 so as to cover the opening 34a of the recess 34. In the state where the lid 32 is attached to the casing 36, the pump chamber P is formed by the lid 32 and the recess 34. As the material of the lid 32, for example, an elastomer, silicon, NBR, etc. are used.

[0022] The lid 32 has a pressing surface 32a that can be pressed. The pressing surface 32a is provided in the horizontal direction in the state where the mounting portion 20 is mounted on the container 3. Specifically, the pressing surface 32a is convex in the horizontal direction so as to face the pressing portion 64 of the operation lever 60. In the present embodiment, the pressing surface 32a is provided so as to be convex in the discharge direction of the discharge port 50a of the nozzle 50.

[0023] Further, the lid 32 is biased in the direction opposite to the pressing direction by the pressing operation (the expanding direction of the pump chamber P) by a coil spring 46 provided inside thereof. Thereby, when the lid 32 is pressed by the pressing portion 64 of the operation lever 60, the inside of the pump chamber P becomes a positive pressure and the liquid inside the pump chamber P is pumped toward the nozzle 50. When the pressing force by the pressing portion 64 of the operation lever 60 is eliminated, the lid 32 is restored by the biasing force of the coil spring 46 and the inside of the pump chamber P becomes a negative pressure, and the liquid in the container 3 is sucked into the pump chamber P. This pump chamber P preferably has a capacity capable of storing a predetermined amount of liquid in the non-operating state.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the casing 36 is a hollow cylindrical member, with a nozzle 50 connected to one end and a mounting portion 20 provided at the other end. The casing 36 has an outlet 38 that causes the liquid inside the pump chamber P to flow out toward the nozzle 50 when pressed. The casing 36 further has a flow path connecting the outlet 38 and the discharge port 50a of the nozzle 50, and an intake passage 40 that allows liquid to flow from the container 3 into the pump chamber P.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the outlet 38 is an opening that forms the boundary between the pump chamber P and the pump chamber-side flow path 42, which will be described later. It is configured so that the liquid inside the pump chamber P can be discharged toward the nozzle 50 by pressing. Specifically, the liquid between the lid 32 and the recess 34 is discharged toward the pump chamber-side flow path 42.

[0026] The outlet 38 is formed in the middle or upper part of the pump chamber P. Specifically, when the mounting part 20 is attached to the container 3, the vertical height of the outlet 38 is located at the same position as the centroid X of the pressing surface 32a or above the centroid X of the pressing surface 32a, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The vertical height of the outlet 38 is preferably above the centroid X of the pressing surface 32a, more preferably at the same position as the upper end of the pressing surface 32a, and even more preferably above the upper end of the pressing surface 32a. Here, "vertical height of the outlet 38" refers to the vertical height position of the outlet 38 when the mounting part 20 is attached to the container 3 and the container 3 is placed on the mounting surface, and refers to the position indicated by the reference numeral 38 in Figure 4. Furthermore, "central center" refers to the center of gravity when viewing the pressing surface 32a from a direction opposite to the pressing surface 32a (i.e., the planar figure of the pressing surface 32a). In this embodiment, since the planar figure of the pressing surface 32a is a perfect circle, the center of the pressing surface 32a is the centroid.

[0027] As shown in Figure 4, in the longitudinal cross-section of the cover 32 passing through the centroidal position X, the ratio of the length l along the vertical direction from the centroidal position X to the outlet 38 to the length l along the vertical direction from the centroidal position X to the upper end of the pressing surface 32a is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 80% or more, and even more preferably 100% or more, from the viewpoint of completely expelling air from the pump chamber P.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the flow path is formed by a nozzle flow path 52 and a pump chamber side flow path 42, which will be described later. The pump chamber side flow path 42 refers to the flow path from the outlet 38 to the lower end 54 of the nozzle 50, and is in communication with the nozzle flow path 52 of the nozzle 50. A discharge valve 44 is provided between the pump chamber side flow path 42, that is, between the outlet 38 and the lower end 54 of the nozzle. The discharge valve 44 is a check valve configured to allow the flow of liquid in the direction from the pump chamber P toward the nozzle 50 and to restrict the flow of liquid in the opposite direction. Note that the discharge valve 44 is not limited to this, and various known check valves can be used.

[0029] The flow path extends upward in at least a portion of it. In this embodiment, the pump chamber side flow path 42 extends upward in its entirety from the outlet 38 toward the lower end 54 of the nozzle, and the nozzle flow path 52 has a bent shape that extends horizontally toward the discharge direction after a portion of it has extended upward.

[0030] The suction passage 40 is configured to allow liquid from the container 3 to flow into the pump chamber P. Specifically, the suction passage 40 is in communication with the dip tube 26 and allows liquid from the dip tube 26 to flow into the pump chamber P. In this embodiment, the pump chamber side passage 42 and the suction passage 40 are arranged in series such that their respective centers lie on the same straight line. Specifically, the pump chamber side passage 42 and the suction passage 40 are arranged opposite each other across the pump chamber P.

[0031] [nozzle] As shown in Figure 3, the nozzle 50 extends upward from the casing 36, bends forward from its upper end, and extends approximately horizontally. The nozzle 50 is configured to discharge liquid pumped by the pump 30. Specifically, the nozzle 50 includes a nozzle channel 52 formed to penetrate the inside of the nozzle 50, and a discharge port 50a connected to one end of the nozzle channel 52, with the end opposite the discharge port 50a connected to the casing 36. Note that the nozzle 50 is not limited to the shape and structure shown in the figure, and various arbitrary nozzles can be used.

[0032] [Operating lever] As shown in Figure 2, the operating lever 60 is configured to be able to press against the pressing surface 32a of the pump 30. Specifically, it has a lever body 62 whose base end is pivotably supported by the casing 36 so as to extend from the upper end of the casing 36 toward the container 3, and a pressing portion 64 formed to protrude from the lever body 62 toward the pressing surface 32a of the pump 30.

[0033] The lever body 62 is pivotably attached at its base end to the upper end of the casing 36 of the main body 10, and is positioned to hang downward (towards the container 3) so as to face the casing 36 and the mounting cap 22. In this embodiment, the lever body 62 is positioned to hang downward on the side from which the nozzle 50 extends (discharge direction side).

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the pressing portion 64 is formed in a substantially hemispherical shape with a size capable of pressing the pressing surface 32a of the pump 30, and is positioned opposite the pressing surface 32a of the pump 30. Specifically, the pressing portion 64 is configured to compress the pump chamber P by pressing the pressing surface 32a through a pressing operation. For example, synthetic resin can be used as the material of the pressing portion 64. For example, PP (polypropylene) and PE (polyethylene) can be suitably used as synthetic resin, but are not limited to these. Furthermore, the pressing portion 64 is not limited to being provided integrally with the lever body 62, and may be a separate component that can be retrofitted to the lever body 62.

[0035] [Operation of the pump dispenser according to this embodiment] The pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment, having the above configuration, allows the liquid in the pump chamber P to be discharged to the outside through the discharge port 50a via the pump chamber side passage 42 and the nozzle passage 52. This is achieved by pulling the operating lever 60 closer to the main body 10 (pressing operation), where the pressing surface 32a of the lid 32 is pressed by the pressing portion 64 of the operating lever 60, thereby pressurizing the liquid in the pump chamber P. This pressurized force presses the suction valve 28 against the valve seat, maintaining a closed state, while displacing the discharge valve 44 away from the valve seat to an open state.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the pump dispenser 1, when the operating lever 60 is released after the liquid has been discharged, the biasing force of the coil spring 46 pushes the lid 32 and the operating lever 60 forward, creating negative pressure inside the pump chamber P. This negative pressure displaces the suction valve 28 away from its valve seat to an open state, while simultaneously pressing the discharge valve 44 against its valve seat to a closed state, thereby allowing the liquid in the container 3 to flow into the pump chamber P via the dip tube 26. By repeatedly pulling and releasing the operating lever 60 in this manner, the liquid in the container 3 can be continuously discharged from the nozzle 50.

[0037] [Advantages of the pump dispenser according to this embodiment] As described above, the pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment comprises a main body 10 having a pump 30 capable of sucking and pumping liquid, and a nozzle 50 having a discharge port 50a capable of discharging the liquid pumped by the pump 30. The main body 10 includes a mounting part 20 that can be attached to a container 3 that can be placed on a mounting surface. The pump 30 has a pressing surface 32a that can be pressed, a pump chamber P that can be expanded or contracted by pressing the pressing surface 32a, and an outlet 38 that causes the liquid inside the pump chamber P to flow out toward the nozzle 50 by pressing. The pressing surface 32a is positioned horizontally when the mounting part 20 is attached to the container 3, and the vertical height of the outlet 38 when the mounting part 20 is attached to the container 3 is at the same position as the centroid X of the pressing surface 32a or above the centroid X of the pressing surface 32a.

[0038] With a pump dispenser 1 having such a configuration, the outlet 38 of the pump 30 is located at the same position as or above the centroid X of the pressing surface 32a, thus preventing air from accumulating in the pump chamber P and preventing air from getting trapped. Furthermore, even if air does accumulate, when the pressing surface 32a is pressed by the pressing operation, the air accumulated in the pump chamber P can be pushed out from the outlet 38 before the liquid, thus preventing the liquid from mixing with the air.

[0039] Furthermore, in the pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment, the vertical height of the outlet 38 when the mounting part 20 is attached to the container 3 is located above the centroid X of the pressing surface 32a. With this configuration, it is possible to more reliably prevent air from accumulating in the pump chamber P, and thus further prevent air entrapment.

[0040] Furthermore, in the pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment, the main body 10 is provided with a flow path connecting the outlet 38 and the discharge port 50a of the nozzle 50, and at least a portion of the flow path extends upward. With this configuration, air in the pump chamber P can escape upward more easily, thus further preventing air entrapment.

[0041] Furthermore, the pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment has the advantage that it can be used in the same way as existing trigger-type pump dispensers, since the pressing surface 32a is provided facing the discharge direction of the discharge port 50a.

[0042] Furthermore, the pump dispenser 1 according to this embodiment is further equipped with an operating lever 60 that can press the pressing surface 32a of the pump 30, allowing it to be used with one hand while attached to the container 3, thus improving convenience.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pump dispenser 1 is further equipped with a dip tube 26 in the main body 10 that supplies liquid from the container 3 to the pump chamber P, making it possible to more reliably draw the liquid in the container 3 used in an upright position into the pump chamber P against gravity.

[0044] [Differentiation] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments.

[0045] For example, the main body 10' may be configured to include a protrusion 12', as shown in Figure 5. Specifically, the main body 10' is provided with a protrusion 12' that protrudes on the side opposite to the side where the operating lever 60 is located. The protrusion 12' is formed in a triangular shape, for example, but is not limited to this, and can be any shape. According to this modified pump dispenser 1', when the user grasps the pump dispenser 1', the protrusion 12' rests in the area between the base of the thumb and the base of the index finger on the back of the user's hand, allowing the pump dispenser 1' to be held stably and the direction of liquid discharge to be stabilized. In particular, when dispensing liquid outwards (away from the user), the pump dispenser 1' becomes easier to hold, thus improving convenience.

[0046] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment explained that the pressing surface 32a is provided facing the discharge direction of the discharge port 50a, it is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 6, the pressing surface 32a'' may be provided facing the opposite direction to the discharge direction of the discharge port 50a. Specifically, the lid 32'' is provided at the rear of the main body 10'', and the operating lever 60'' is provided with the lever body 62'' hanging down on the opposite side of the direction in which the nozzle 50 extends (opposite the discharge direction), and the pressing surface 32a'' of the lid 32'' and the pressing portion 64'' of the operating lever 60'' are arranged to face each other. According to this modified pump dispenser 1'', there is an advantage that it can be held in the same way as an existing trigger-type pump dispenser and dispensed onto the user's own hair or face.

[0047] Furthermore, although the embodiments and modifications described above have been explained in which the pump dispensers 1,1',1'' are equipped with operating levers 60,60'', the invention is not limited to this, and the dispensers may not be equipped with operating levers 60,60'', and the user may directly press the pressing surfaces 32a,32a'' with their fingers.

[0048] It is clear from the claims that the above-mentioned modifications are included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 1,1´,1´´: Pump dispenser 3: Container 4: Mouth 10,10´,10´´: Main body 12´:Protrusion 20: Mounting part 22: Mounting cap 24a: Inner cylinder 24b: Outer cylinder 26: Dip tube 28: Suction valve 30: Pump 32,32': Lid 32a, 32a': Pressing surface 34: Recess 34a: Opening 36: Casing 38: Outlet 40: Suction passage 42: Pump room side flow path 44: Discharge valve 46: Coil spring 50: Nozzle 50a:Discharge port 52: Nozzle flow path 54: Lower end of nozzle 60,60'': Operating lever 62,62'': Lever body 64,64'': Pressing part

Claims

1. A pump dispenser comprising a main body having a pump capable of sucking and pumping liquid, and a nozzle having a discharge port capable of discharging the liquid pumped by the pump, The main body is equipped with a mounting portion that can be attached to a container that can be placed on a mounting surface, The aforementioned pump, A casing having a recess that is recessed in the direction opposite to the discharge direction of the discharge port, A lid is formed in a dome shape that bulges in the direction opposite to the direction of extension of the recess, and is capable of covering the recess. The lid has a pressing surface that is configured to be pressable, A pump chamber, comprising the recess and the cover, which can be expanded or contracted by pressing the pressing surface, The aforementioned pressing operation causes the liquid inside the pump chamber to flow out towards the nozzle, and It has, The pressing surface is provided facing horizontally when the mounting portion is attached to the container. When the mounting part is attached to the container, the vertical height of the outlet is located above the centroid of the pressing surface. The outlet is formed facing vertically upward when the mounting portion is attached to the container. Pump dispenser.

2. A flow path connecting the outlet and the discharge port of the nozzle, The aforementioned flow path extends upward in at least a portion thereof. The pump dispenser according to claim 1.

3. The pressing surface is provided facing the discharge direction of the discharge port. A pump dispenser according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The pressing surface is positioned facing in the direction opposite to the discharge direction of the discharge port. A pump dispenser according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The pump is further provided with an operating lever capable of pressing the pressing surface of the pump. A pump dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The main body further includes a dip tube for supplying liquid from the container to the pump chamber. A pump dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The pump further comprises a biasing member located inside the pump chamber that biases the pressing surface toward the opposite direction to the pressing operation. A pump dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images