Pump-type dispensing device

Abstract

To propose a pump type discharger which allows a content liquid to be discharged in the same way as in prior art, and which furthermore is superior in recyclability.SOLUTION: A pump type discharger 100 comprises: a cap 10 attached to the mouth of a container accommodating a content liquid; a pump which is held by the mouth using the cap 10, and drives when a stem 7a moves forward and backward; and a head with a discharge port 11d for discharging the content liquid to the outside and is coupled to the stem 7a. The head comprises an inclined part 11g which is inclined in a direction of separating from a center axis of the stem 7a while approaching the cap 10. The cap 10 has an elastic piece 10e which is bent in a direction of approaching the center axis O by the inclined part 11g, when the head is moved toward the cap 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] As a pump-type dispenser, there is known one including a cap attached to the mouth of a container, a pump held at the mouth by the cap and driven by the forward and backward movement of a stem, and a head connected to the stem, and discharging the content liquid in the container from the discharge port of the head by moving the head toward the cap (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Inside such a pump-type dispenser, as shown in Patent Document 1, a coil spring is provided to return the head moved toward the cap to the initial position.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, in such a pump-type dispenser, although most members are made of synthetic resin, the coil spring is made of metal. Therefore, when it is discarded after use, it cannot be recycled as a resin product in this state. Also, generally in this type of pump-type dispenser, in order to avoid members coming off during normal use, the members are firmly fixed to each other, for example, by fitting. Therefore, it takes time to disassemble the pump-type dispenser and separate the coil spring from other members.

[0006] The present invention aims to solve these problems by proposing a pump-type dispenser that can dispense liquid contents in the same way as conventional devices and also has excellent recyclability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to a pump-type dispenser comprising: a cap attached to the mouth of a container that holds liquid contents; a pump driven by the movement of a stem held at the mouth by the cap; and a head connected to the stem, having a discharge port for discharging the liquid contents to the outside, wherein the liquid contents in the container are discharged from the discharge port by moving the head toward the cap. The head is provided with an inclined portion that tilts away from the central axis of the stem as it approaches the cap, The cap has an elastic piece that, when the head is moved toward the cap, bends toward the central axis due to the inclined portion. death, The cap comprises a plurality of elastic pieces and has gaps between adjacent elastic pieces. The head includes an elastic portion that is positioned in the gap and elastically deforms as the elastic piece bends toward the central axis, thereby narrowing the gap. It is a pump-type discharger.

[0009] The head is composed of a head body and a ring member, The head body comprises the discharge port and the peripheral wall, Preferably, the ring member is positioned inside the peripheral wall and held by the peripheral wall, and includes an annular wall having the elastic portion.

[0010] The elastic portion has one end and the other end as Ring wall Connected to the Ring wall It is preferable that the structure forms an annular ring between the two parts, with the intermediate part positioned in the gap.

[0011] Preferably, the cap has a cap-side peripheral wall that extends in a direction circumferential to the central axis and surrounds the elastic piece. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the pump-type dispenser of the present invention, when the head is moved toward the cap, the elastic piece flexes due to the inclined section, and the head can be returned to its initial position by the return of the flexed elastic piece. In other words, the pump-type dispenser of the present invention can be used in the same way as conventional ones without using a metal coil spring, and when it comes to disposal, it can be recycled as a resin product without being disassembled. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This figure shows one embodiment of a pump-type discharger according to the present invention, where (a) is a cross-sectional view in a side view and (b) is a cross-sectional view along AA. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows a pump-type discharger with the head pressed down, where (a) is a cross-sectional view from the side and (b) is a cross-sectional view along BB. [Figure 3] This figure shows the state of the elastic piece and elastic part before the head is pressed, where (a) is a perspective view showing the cap alone, and (b) is a perspective view showing the ring member alone. [Figure 4] This figure shows the state of the elastic piece and elastic part after the head has been pressed, where (a) is a perspective view showing the cap alone, and (b) is a perspective view showing the ring member alone. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the pump-type discharger according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification, the vertical direction refers to the direction along the central axis O shown in the figure (the central axis of the stem 7a described later), where the side where the pipe 4 is located is "down" and the side where the head body 11 is located is "up". The radial direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the central axis O in a plane perpendicular to the central axis O, and the circumferential direction refers to the direction of rotation around the central axis O in this plane.

[0015] The pump-type dispenser 100 of the present embodiment is used by being attached to the mouth of a bottle-shaped container (not shown). The content liquid to be discharged by the pump-type dispenser 100 is, for example, shampoo, body soap, hand soap, facial cleanser, etc.

[0016] The pump-type dispenser 100 is composed of a cylinder 1, a valve member 2, a pipe 4, an internal member 5, a piston 6, a cylindrical member 7, a holder 8, a packing 9, a cap 10, a head body 11, and a ring member 12. Here, the cylinder 1, the valve member 2, the internal member 5, the piston 6, the cylindrical member 7, and the holder 8 are members that constitute the "pump" in this specification, etc., and the head body 11 and the ring member 12 are members that constitute the "head" in this specification, etc. Among the above members, the valve member 2, the piston 6, the packing 9, and the ring member 12 are formed of a soft synthetic resin having elasticity (for example, polyethylene (LDPE, HDPE, foamed PE)), and the other members are formed of a hard synthetic resin (for example, polypropylene (PP), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyacetal (POM) resin, etc.). And each member constituting the pump-type dispenser 100 is basically formed in a shape centered on the central axis O.

[0017] The cylinder 1 has a disk shape and includes a bottom wall portion 1a whose central portion protrudes upward, a cylindrical wall portion 1b that stands up from the outer edge portion of the bottom wall portion 1a, and a flange wall 1c that extends radially outward from the upper portion of the wall portion 1b. A through hole (suction port 1d) is provided at the protruding portion of the central portion of the bottom wall portion 1a. Further, on the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 1a, a cylindrical holding cylinder 1e that surrounds the suction port 1d and extends downward to hold the pipe 4 is provided. And a through hole (vent hole 1f) is provided in the wall portion 1b.

[0018] The valve member 2 includes a base portion 2a, a valve body portion 2b that covers the suction port 1d and sits on the upper surface of the bottom wall portion 1a, and an elastically deformable connecting piece 2c that connects the base portion 2a and the valve body portion 2b. The valve member 2 functions as a check valve. When the inside of the cylinder 1 is in a decompressed state, the valve body portion 2b that has been closing the suction port 1d can separate from the bottom wall portion 1a to open the suction port 1d.

[0019] In this embodiment, the base portion 2a has a lid-shaped cylindrical form and has an opening (not shown) through which the content liquid passing through the suction port 1d passes. The base portion 2a is fitted and held on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder wall portion 1b, whereby the valve member 2 is held inside the cylinder 1.

[0020] The pipe 4 has a hollow shape, and its upper end portion is inserted into the holding cylinder 1e and fitted and held thereto.

[0021] The inner member 5 is disposed inside the cylinder 1 and is a member that moves up and down with respect to the cylinder 1. The inner member 5 includes a cylindrical connecting cylinder 5a and a bottom portion 5b that closes the lower end portion of the connecting cylinder 5a and extends radially outward. Further, a hole (communication port 5c) penetrating the connecting cylinder 5a is provided, and an annular portion 5d is provided on the upper surface of the bottom portion 5b at a position radially outside the connecting portion with the connecting cylinder 5a.

[0022] The piston 6 is inserted through the connecting cylinder 5a and disposed above the bottom portion 5b. The piston 6 of this embodiment includes an annular base portion 6a. On the outer edge portion of the base portion 6a, outer sliding pieces 6b extending upward and downward from the base portion 6a are provided. The outer sliding pieces 6b are slidably and liquid-tightly abutted against the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder wall portion 1b. And on the inner edge portion of the base portion 6a, inner sliding pieces 6c extending upward and downward from the base portion 6a are provided. The lower portion of the inner sliding piece 6c is slidably and liquid-tightly abutted against the inner peripheral surface of the annular portion 5d, and the upper portion thereof is slidably and liquid-tightly abutted against the inner peripheral surface of a later-described enlarged diameter portion 7b in the cylindrical member 7.

[0023] The cylindrical member 7 is a member that is tubular overall. The cylindrical member 7 has a cylindrical stem 7a and an enlarged diameter portion 7b that is connected to the lower end of the stem 7a and has a larger diameter than the stem 7a. When the connecting cylinder 5a is inserted into the stem 7a, the two are fitted together, so the internal member 5 and the cylindrical member 7 move integrally with respect to the cylinder 1.

[0024] The holder 8 has a portion located radially outward from the stem 7a and a portion located radially outward from the enlarged diameter portion 7b, and includes a holder base 8a that is fitted and held on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical wall portion 1b. The upper end of the holder base 8a is provided with a flange 8b that extends radially outward. The holder 8 prevents the internal member 5, piston 6, and cylindrical member 7 from coming out of the cylinder 1.

[0025] The packing 9 is an annular plate shape and is inserted through the cylindrical wall portion 1b of the cylinder 1 and fitted and held in place therewith. When the pump-type dispenser 100 is attached to a container (not shown), the packing 9 is sandwiched between the mouth of the container and the flange wall 1c. This prevents problems such as the contents spilling out of the mouth when the container is tipped over.

[0026] The cap 10 is disc-shaped and has a top wall 10a with a through hole in the center. The outer edge of the top wall 10a is provided with a lower peripheral wall 10b extending downward and an upper peripheral wall 10c extending upward. The upper peripheral wall 10c corresponds to the "cap side peripheral wall" in this specification, etc. The lower peripheral wall 10b can fit and hold the flange wall 1c on its inner peripheral surface, thereby holding the cylinder 1 to the cap 10. The inner peripheral surface of the lower peripheral wall 10b is also provided with a female threaded portion 10d that screws into a male threaded portion provided at the mouth of the container, and the cap 10 can be attached to the container by screwing the male threaded portion and the female threaded portion 10d together.

[0027] The cap 10 also includes a plate-shaped elastic piece 10e that extends upward from the upper surface of the top wall 10a and is elastically deformable radially inward, located radially outward from the through hole in the top wall 10a. As shown in Figures 1(b) and 3(a), the elastic piece 10e in this embodiment is arc-shaped in plan view, and there are a total of four of them, with a gap S in the circumferential direction around the central axis O. The elastic piece 10e is located radially inward of the upper circumferential wall 10c.

[0028] The head body 11 is cylindrical and includes a tubular portion 11a that is inserted into and fitted into the stem 7a. The upper part of the tubular portion 11a is provided with a top portion 11b that is circular in plan view, has a flat top surface, and has a passage inside that leads to the tubular portion 11a. The top portion 11b is provided with a nozzle 11c that is cylindrical, extends radially outward, and leads to a passage provided inside the top portion 11b. The tip of the nozzle 11c is provided with a discharge port 11d from which the liquid contents are discharged by a pump-type dispenser 100.

[0029] The head body 11 also has a cylindrical peripheral wall 11e extending downward from the outer edge of the top portion 11b. A rib 11f is provided on the radially inner side of the peripheral wall 11e, connecting the cylindrical portion 11a and the peripheral wall 11e. In this embodiment, there are a total of four ribs 11f, spaced apart in the circumferential direction with a central axis O as the center. On the lower surface of the rib 11f, as shown in Figure 1(a), there is an inclined portion 11g that slopes away from the central axis O as it extends downward, and a positioning portion 11h that is located radially outside the inclined portion 11g and extends horizontally. Furthermore, on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 11e, below the positioning portion 11h, there is a positioning recess 11j that cuts out the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 11e radially outward, as shown in Figure 1(b). There are a total of two positioning recesses 11j, spaced apart in the circumferential direction with a central axis O as the center.

[0030] The ring member 12 has an annular wall 12a that is circular in shape when viewed from above. The outer circumferential surface of the annular wall 12a is provided with an annular projection 12b that extends along the circumferential direction and protrudes radially outward, as shown in Figure 3(b), and a positioning projection 12c that is shaped to fit into the positioning recess 11j. When the ring member 12 is inserted inside the circumferential wall 11e, the annular projection 12b fits into the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential wall 11e, so that the ring member 12 is held in a state where it will not fall out of the head body 11. In addition, the positioning projection 12c fits into the positioning recess 11j, so that the ring member 12 is positioned and held circumferentially relative to the head body 11.

[0031] Furthermore, when assembled as a pump-type discharger 100, the ring member 12 is equipped with an elastic portion 12d that fits into the gap S provided between adjacent elastic pieces 10e. The elastic portion 12d is elastically deformed so as to be compressed in the circumferential direction as the gap S narrows, and as a result of this elastic deformation, a restoring force in the circumferential direction acts on the elastic pieces 10e by the elastic portion 12d. As shown in the figure, the elastic portion 12d of this embodiment is U-shaped in plan view and is equipped with two linear portions 12e extending radially inward and an arc-shaped portion 12f connecting the linear portions 12e. One end 12g and the other end 12h of the elastic portion 12d are integrally connected to the inner circumferential surface of the annular wall 12a. In addition, in the intermediate portion of the elastic portion 12d located between the one end 12g and the other end 12h (the portion composed of the two linear portions 12e and the arc-shaped portion 12f), the two linear portions 12e are positioned between the gap S. In this embodiment, a total of four elastic portions 12d are provided, spaced apart in the circumferential direction with a central axis O. As shown in Figure 1(b), when the elastic portion 12d is inserted into the gap S, the rib 11f is in a position that overlaps with the elastic piece 10e in a plan view.

[0032] In the pump-type discharger 100, which is composed of such components, when the head body 11 is pressed from above, the stem 7a is pushed down together with the head body 11, as shown in Figure 2(a) (the stem 7a moves toward the cap 10 along the central axis O). As the stem 7a is pushed down, the bottom 5b also descends via the connecting cylinder 5a, as shown in Figure 2, so that the liquid-tight contact between the annular portion 5d and the lower part of the inner sliding piece 6c is released. When the head body 11 is pushed down further, the piston 6 also descends together with the cylindrical member 7 and the internal member 5, and the inside of the cylinder 1 is pressurized. As a result, the liquid inside the cylinder 1 passes through the communication port 5c, through the passages provided inside the connecting cylinder 5a, stem 7a, cylindrical portion 11a, top portion 11b, and inside the nozzle 11c, and is discharged to the outside world from the discharge port 11d. Furthermore, when the head body 11 is pressed and the piston 6 descends below the vent 1f, the container (not shown) communicates with the outside world through the vent 1f. As a result, even if the liquid content inside the container decreases, the inside of the container does not become negatively pressurized, preventing the container from deforming and collapsing.

[0033] Furthermore, when the head body 11 is pushed down, the inclined portion 11g of the rib 11f applies pressure to the upper end of the elastic piece 10e, causing the elastic piece 10e to bend radially inward. When the elastic piece 10e bends radially inward, the gap S between adjacent elastic pieces 10e narrows, as shown in Figure 4(a). As a result, the elastic portion 12d that is inserted into the gap S undergoes elastic deformation so that the two linear portions 12e move closer together, as shown in Figure 4(b). In other words, the elastic piece 10e is subjected to a restoring force due to bending radially inward, as well as a restoring force due to the elastic deformation of the elastic portion 12d.

[0034] Subsequently, when the pressure on the head body 11 is released, the bent elastic piece 10e returns to the state shown in Figure 1(a) due to its own restoring force and the restoring force of the elastically deformed elastic part 12d, causing the head body 11 to begin rising due to the rib 11f in contact with the elastic piece 10e. As a result, the lower part of the inner sliding piece 6c once again makes liquid-tight contact with the annular part 5d, and the piston 6 rises together with the internal member 5, causing the inside of the cylinder 1 to be depressurized. This causes the valve body 2b to separate from the bottom wall 1a, opening the suction port 1d, and allowing the liquid contents of the container to be drawn into the cylinder 1 through the pipe 4.

[0035] Thus, with the pump-type dispenser 100 of this embodiment, the head body 11 can be returned to its original position after discharging the liquid contents without using a metal coil spring, and it can be used in the same way as a conventional pump-type dispenser.

[0036] Furthermore, as described above, elastic pieces like the 10e may wear out if repeatedly bent radially inward. On the other hand, the pump-type dispenser 100 of this embodiment utilizes not only the restoring force caused by the radial bending of the elastic piece 10e when returning the head body 11, but also the restoring force caused by the elastic deformation of the elastic part 12d. Therefore, compared to a system that returns the head body 11 using only the elastic piece 10e without utilizing the elastic part 12d, it can suppress problems caused by wear. In particular, with the pump-type dispenser 100 of this embodiment, the restoring force of the elastic part 12d acts from a direction different from the direction in which the elastic piece 10e bends (radial direction) (circumferential direction), making wear of the elastic part 12d less likely.

[0037] Furthermore, the pump-type discharger 100 of this embodiment is aesthetically pleasing because the elastic piece 10e is not visible from the radially outer side by surrounding it with the upper peripheral wall 10c. In particular, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1(a), when the head body 11 is returned to its upward position, the upper end of the upper peripheral wall 10c is positioned to overlap the lower end of the peripheral wall 11e in the vertical direction, and the internal structure including the elastic piece 10e is not always visible, resulting in an even better appearance.

[0038] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and unless otherwise specifically limited in the above description, various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the spirit of the present invention as described in the claims. For example, the configurations of the embodiments described above can be added or deleted as appropriate, and the configuration of one embodiment can be provided in other embodiments. Furthermore, the effects in the embodiments described above are merely illustrative of the effects that may arise from the present invention, and do not mean that the effects of the present invention are limited to the effects described above.

[0039] For example, the pump described above is just one example, and the present invention also includes the use of other types of pumps. Furthermore, the number of elastic pieces 10e and elastic parts 12d can be set arbitrarily and is not limited to multiples; it may be just one.

[0040] In this embodiment, the head is composed of a head body 11 and a ring member 12. However, the elastic portion 12d provided on the ring member 12 may be provided on the head body 11, so that the head consists only of the head body 11.

[0041] Furthermore, the elastic portion 12d is not limited to being U-shaped in plan view as shown in the figure; for example, the arc-shaped portion 12f may be straightened to form a U-shape in plan view, or the two straight portions 12e may be curved to form an overall arc shape. Alternatively, the arc-shaped portion 12f may be omitted, and the elastic portion 12d may be composed only of the two straight portions 12e. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1: Cylinder 1a: Bottom wall part 1b: Cylinder wall 1c: Flange wall 1d: Inlet 1e: Holding cylinder 1F: Ventilation opening 2: Valve member 2a: base 2b: Valve body 2c: Connecting piece 4: Pipe 5: Internal components 5a: Connecting tube 5b: Bottom 5c: Communication port 5d: Annular section 6: Piston 6a: Base 6b: Outer sliding piece 6c: Inner sliding piece 7: Cylindrical member 7a: Stem 7b: Expanded diameter part 8: Holder 8a: Holder base 8b: Flange 9: Packing 10: Cap 10a: Ceiling wall 10b: Lower peripheral wall 10c: Upper peripheral wall 10d: Female thread section 10e: Elastic piece 11: Head body 11a: Cylindrical part 11b: Top 11c: Nozzle 11d: Discharge port 11e: Peripheral wall 11f: Rib 11g: Inclined part 11h: Positioning section 11j: Positioning recess 12: Ring component 12a: Ring wall 12b: Annular protrusion 12c: Positioning protrusion 12d: Elastic part 12e: Straight section 12f: Arc-shaped portion 12g: One end 12h: Other end 100: Pump-type dispensing device O: Central axis S: Gap

Claims

1. A pump-type dispenser comprising a cap fitted to the mouth of a container holding a liquid, a pump driven by the movement of a stem held at the mouth by the cap, and a head connected to the stem having a discharge port for discharging the liquid to the outside, wherein the liquid inside the container is discharged from the discharge port by moving the head toward the cap, The head is provided with an inclined portion that tilts away from the central axis of the stem as it approaches the cap, The cap has an elastic piece that, when the head is moved toward the cap, bends toward the central axis due to the inclined portion, The cap comprises a plurality of elastic pieces and has gaps between adjacent elastic pieces. The head is a pump-type discharger that is positioned in the gap and has an elastic part that elastically deforms as the elastic piece bends toward the central axis, thereby narrowing the gap.

2. The head is composed of a head body and a ring member, The head body comprises the discharge port and the peripheral wall, The pump-type discharger according to claim 1, wherein the ring member is disposed inside the peripheral wall and held by the peripheral wall, and comprises an annular wall having the elastic portion.

3. The pump-type discharger according to claim 2, wherein the elastic portion has one end and the other end connected to the annular wall, forming an annular shape with the annular wall, and the intermediate portion is positioned in the gap.

4. The pump-type discharger according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cap has a cap-side peripheral wall that extends in a direction circumferential to the central axis and surrounds the elastic piece.

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