Foaming Spout

Abstract

To provide a pressing member that can be assembled accurately.SOLUTION: A discharge device 13 includes: a liquid piston 25 and an air piston 27 linked to a stem 12; a liquid cylinder 26 in which the liquid piston is stored in a freely vertically slidable manner; an air cylinder 28 in which the air piston is stored in a freely vertically slidable manner; a gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 that mixes a liquid from the liquid cylinder and air from the air cylinder; a foaming member 24 that is disposed between the gas-liquid mixing chamber and a nozzle hole 14 and foams a gas-liquid mixture from the gas-liquid mixing chamber; a liquid discharge valve 23 which is seated on a valve seat 22 provided in the stem so as to be able to separate upwardly and switches a communication state and a block state between the inside of the liquid cylinder and the gas-liquid mixing chamber; and a pressing member 10 having a pressing plate 51 disposed between the liquid discharge valve and the foaming member and with which the liquid discharge valve that has moved upwardly comes into contact. An upper fixing part 52 and a lower fixing part 53 are provided in the stem to sandwich and fix the pressing member in a vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a foam discharger.

Background Art

[0002] The foam discharger generally includes a discharger having a stem provided so as to be movable downward in an upwardly biased state, and a pressing head attached to the stem and having nozzle holes formed therein. The discharger includes a liquid piston and an air piston linked to the stem, a liquid cylinder in which the liquid piston is vertically slidably accommodated, and an air cylinder in which the air piston is vertically slidably accommodated. For example, in the foam discharger described in Patent Document 1 below, the discharger further includes a gas-liquid mixing chamber that mixes the liquid from the liquid cylinder and the air from the air cylinder, a foaming member disposed between the gas-liquid mixing chamber and the nozzle holes and that foams the gas-liquid mixture from the gas-liquid mixing chamber, a liquid discharge valve that is seated on a valve seat provided in the stem so as to be separable upward and that switches the communication and cutoff between the inside of the liquid cylinder and the gas-liquid mixing chamber, and a pressing member having a pressing plate disposed between the liquid discharge valve and the foaming member and against which the upwardly moved liquid discharge valve abuts.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a conventional foam discharger, it is difficult to accurately assemble the pressing member, and there is a risk that the pressing member will move freely when the purchaser uses it. In this case, the liquid in the liquid cylinder and the air in the air cylinder cannot be smoothly supplied to the gas-liquid mixing chamber.

[0005] This invention provides a foam dispenser that allows for the precise assembly of a retaining member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A foam dispenser according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a dispenser having a stem that is movable downward in an upwardly biased state, a push head mounted on the stem and having a nozzle hole formed therein, the dispenser comprising a liquid piston and an air piston linked to the stem, a liquid cylinder in which the liquid piston is housed so as to be able to slide up and down inside, an air cylinder in which the air piston is housed so as to be able to slide up and down inside, and a gas-liquid mixing chamber for mixing the liquid from the liquid cylinder and the air from the air cylinder, The device comprises: a foaming member disposed between the gas-liquid mixing chamber and the nozzle hole for foaming the gas-liquid mixture from the gas-liquid mixing chamber; a liquid discharge valve seated in a valve seat provided in the stem so as to be detachable upward, for switching communication between the liquid cylinder and the gas-liquid mixing chamber and shutting it off; and a retaining member disposed between the liquid discharge valve and the foaming member, having a retaining plate against which the upwardly moved liquid discharge valve abuts. The stem is provided with an upper fixing portion and a lower fixing portion for clamping and fixing the retaining member in the vertical direction. The stem comprises a lower stem and an upper stem, the lower part of the upper stem being fitted onto the upper part of the lower stem, a portion of an air passage capable of communicating the gas-liquid mixing chamber and the air cylinder is located between the inner circumferential surface of the lower part of the upper stem and the outer circumferential surface of the upper part of the lower stem, the air passage opens radially inward, straddling the upper end opening edge of the lower stem in the radial direction, the retaining member is attached to the upper end of the lower stem, the retaining plate has a protruding cylinder extending upward, the upper end of the protruding cylinder protrudes upward from the upper end opening of the lower stem and is located in the gas-liquid mixing chamber, the upper end opening edge of the protruding cylinder has a plurality of ribs that protrude upward and are in contact with or close to the upper fixing part in the vertical direction, spaced apart in the circumferential direction, and the gas-liquid mixing chamber and the air passage are in communication through the gaps between the ribs that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. .

[0007] Since the stem is provided with an upper and lower fixing section, the retaining member can be fixed by being sandwiched vertically between the upper and lower fixing sections. This allows the retaining member to be assembled accurately and prevents it from moving freely during use by the purchaser.

[0008] The pressing member may include a fixed cylinder provided below the pressing plate, and the lower fixing portion may include an annular press-fit groove into which the fixed cylinder is press-fitted.

[0009] Since the fixed cylinder of the retaining member is press-fitted into the press-fit groove of the lower fixing part, it is possible to assemble the fixed cylinder accurately compared to, for example, when the fixed cylinder is undercut-fitted into the lower fixing part.

[0010] The valve seat protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the stem and is formed in an annular shape extending in the circumferential direction, and also serves as the lower fixing portion. The liquid discharge valve is seated on the inner circumferential surface of the valve seat so as to be able to move away from it upward, and the press-fit groove may be formed on the upper end surface of the valve seat.

[0011] Since the valve seat also serves as the lower fixing part, it is possible to prevent the structure from becoming more complex due to the addition of a lower fixing part, and to prevent the liquid flow from the liquid cylinder to the gas-liquid mixing chamber from becoming less smooth. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, the retaining member can be assembled accurately. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the foam dispenser shown as the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a partially enlarged view of Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the retaining member. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of a portion of the foam dispenser shown as the second embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the retaining member. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The foam dispenser according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the foam dispenser 1 according to this embodiment comprises a mounting cap 11, a dispenser 13, and a push-button head 15. The foam dispenser 1 dispenses the liquid contained in the container body W in a foamy form from the nozzle hole 14 of the push-button head 15. Examples of the liquid include skin cleansing solutions (body wash).

[0015] The mounting cap 11 and the pressing head 15 are formed in a toped cylindrical shape and arranged coaxially with the common axis O. Hereinafter, the side of the top wall portion 43 of the pressing head 15 along the common axis O is referred to as the upper side, the open end side of the peripheral wall portion 18 of the mounting cap 11 along the common axis O is referred to as the lower side, and the direction along the common axis O is referred to as the vertical direction. The direction intersecting the common axis O as viewed from the vertical direction is referred to as the radial direction, and the direction orbiting around the common axis O as viewed from the vertical direction is referred to as the circumferential direction.

[0016] The mounting cap 11 is mounted on the mouth portion W1 of the container body W in which the liquid is stored. The mounting cap 11 includes an annular top wall portion 16 disposed on the mouth portion W1 of the container body W, a guide cylinder portion 17 extending upward from the inner peripheral edge portion of the top wall portion 16, and a peripheral wall portion 18 extending downward from the outer peripheral edge portion of the top wall portion 16 and mounted on the mouth portion W1. The peripheral wall portion 18 is mounted on the mouth portion W1 by, for example, screwing or undercut fitting.

[0017] The ejector 13 includes a stem 12, a liquid piston 25, an air piston 27, a liquid cylinder 26, an air cylinder 28, a gas-liquid mixing chamber 29, a foaming member 24, a liquid discharge valve 23, and a pressing member 10.

[0018] The stem 12 is provided so as to be movable downward in an upwardly biased state and is inserted into the mounting cap 11. The stem 12 includes a lower stem 19 and an upper stem 21.

[0019] The lower portion of the upper stem 21 is externally fitted to the upper portion of the lower stem 19. The upper stem 21 is inserted into the guide cylinder portion 17 of the mounting cap 11 so as to be vertically movable. A plurality of vertical grooves 21b extending in the vertical direction are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface of the lower portion of the upper stem 21. The upper end portion of the vertical groove 21b opens radially inward across the upper end opening edge of the lower stem 19, and the lower end portion of the vertical groove 21b opens downward.

[0020] On the inner peripheral surface of the upper end of the lower stem 19, an annular valve seat 22 that protrudes radially inward and extends in the circumferential direction is provided. The inner peripheral surface of the valve seat 22 extends upward as it goes radially outward. The liquid discharge valve 23 is seated on the valve seat 22 so as to be separable upward, and switches the communication and cutoff between the inside of the liquid cylinder 26 and the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29. The liquid discharge valve 23 is seated on the inner peripheral surface of the valve seat 22 so as to be separable upward. The liquid discharge valve 23 is formed in a spherical shape.

[0021] The pressing member 10 is disposed between the liquid discharge valve 23 and the foaming member 24, and has a pressing plate 51 against which the upwardly moved liquid discharge valve 23 abuts. The pressing member 10 is attached inside the upper end of the lower stem 19. The pressing plate 51 is formed in a disk shape and is disposed coaxially with the common axis O. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a protruding cylinder 51a that extends upward is formed at the outer peripheral edge of the pressing plate 51. The upper end of the protruding cylinder 51a protrudes upward from the upper end opening of the lower stem 19. The upper end of the protruding cylinder 51a and the upper surface of the pressing plate 51 are located in the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29.

[0022] The pressing member 10 includes a fixed cylinder 54 provided below the pressing plate 51. The fixed cylinder 54 and the protruding cylinder 51a are disposed coaxially with the common axis O. The inner diameter of the fixed cylinder 54 is larger than the outer diameter of the protruding cylinder 51a. The retaining member 10 is provided with a plurality of connecting parts 55 (three in the illustrated example) that connect the retaining plate 51 and the fixed cylinder 54 to each other. The plurality of connecting parts 55 are formed in a columnar shape that extends in the vertical direction and are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction. The connecting parts 55 extend upward from the upper end opening edge of the fixed cylinder 54, are connected to the outer circumferential surface of the protruding cylinder 51a, and reach the upper end opening edge of the protruding cylinder 51a. The connecting parts 55 are connected along the entire length in the vertical direction on the outer circumferential surface of the protruding cylinder 51a. The connecting parts 55 protrude radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the protruding cylinder 51a. The upper end of the connecting part 55 is provided along the entire length in the radial direction on the upper end opening edge of the protruding cylinder 51a. The upper end of the lower stem 19 and the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 are in communication through the gaps between the circumferentially adjacent connecting parts 55.

[0023] In this embodiment, the stem 12 is provided with an upper fixing portion 52 and a lower fixing portion 53 that sandwich and fix the retaining member 10 in the vertical direction. The upper fixing portion 52 is in contact with or close to the upper end of the connecting portion 55. The upper fixing portion 52 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the intermediate portion located between the lower and upper parts of the upper stem 21. The upper fixing portion 52 protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the upper stem 21 and extends continuously along its entire circumferential length. The lower fixing portion 53 is provided with an annular press-fit groove 53a into which the cylinder to be fixed 54 is press-fitted. The valve seat 22 also serves as the lower fixing portion 53, and the press-fit groove 53a is formed on the upper end surface of the valve seat 22.

[0024] The fluid piston 25 and the air piston 27 are linked to the up-and-down movement of the stem 12. The fluid piston 25 is housed in the fluid cylinder 26 so as to be able to slide up and down, and the air piston 27 is housed in the air cylinder 28 so as to be able to slide up and down.

[0025] The air cylinder 28 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, and the liquid cylinder 26 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The air cylinder 28 and the liquid cylinder 26 are arranged coaxially with a common axis O. The upper end opening of the air cylinder 28 is sealed to the lower surface of the top wall portion 16 of the mounting cap 11. The liquid cylinder 26 extends downward from the bottom of the air cylinder 28. The liquid cylinder 26 and the air cylinder 28 are formed integrally. The liquid cylinder 26 is formed with a smaller diameter than the air cylinder 28.

[0026] The air piston 27 comprises an outer sliding cylinder 31 fitted into the air cylinder 28 so as to be airtight and slidable up and down, an inner sliding cylinder 32 positioned inside the outer sliding cylinder 31 with a stem 12 inserted inside so as to be slidable up and down, a connecting plate 33 connecting the inner circumferential surface of the outer sliding cylinder 31 and the outer circumferential surface of the inner sliding cylinder 32, an air hole 34 penetrating the connecting plate 33 in the vertical direction, and an air valve 35 for opening and closing the air hole 34.

[0027] The lower stem 19 is inserted into the inner sliding cylinder 32, and the upper end of the inner sliding cylinder 32 is fitted into the lower end of the upper stem 21 so as to be able to slide up and down. A communication gap S, which is a vertical gap, is provided between the upper end edge of the inner sliding cylinder 32 and the inner surface of the upper stem 21. The lower end of the vertical groove 21b of the upper stem 21 opens into the communication gap S. On the outer circumferential surface of the inner sliding cylinder 32, in the portion located below the upper stem 21, a plurality of convex rib portions 32a are provided at circumferential intervals, facing the lower end edge of the upper stem 21 in the vertical direction.

[0028] On the outer circumferential surface of the lower stem 19, in the portion inserted into the inner sliding cylinder 32, a plurality of stem grooves 19a extending in the vertical direction are formed at circumferential intervals. The stem grooves 19a communicate with the communication gap S.

[0029] The gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 mixes the liquid from the liquid cylinder 26 with the air from the air cylinder 28. The gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 is located within the upper stem 21, directly above the lower stem 19. The gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 is located between the retaining plate 51 and the foam member 24. The gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 has openings between the upper ends of adjacent connecting portions 55 in the circumferential direction. The gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 can communicate with the air cylinder 28 through an air passage 36 formed by a vertical groove 21b, a communication gap S, and a stem groove 19a.

[0030] The lower stem 19 is provided with an annular projection 37 that protrudes radially outward from the portion located inside the air cylinder 28. The projection 37 is located below the stem groove 19a. The upper surface of the projection 37 abuts against the lower end of the inner sliding cylinder 32 of the air piston 27. This blocks communication between the lower end of the stem groove 19a and the inside of the air cylinder 28. In other words, the opening of the air passage 36 inside the air cylinder 28 is closed, blocking communication between the inside of the air cylinder 28 and the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29.

[0031] The fluid piston 25 is formed in a multi-stage cylindrical shape that gradually decreases in diameter from the bottom to the top. The fluid piston 25 comprises an upper cylindrical portion 25a fitted in a liquid-tight state within the stem 12, and a lower cylindrical portion 25b that protrudes downward from the lower end opening of the stem 12 and is fitted into the fluid cylinder 26 so as to be vertically slidable.

[0032] The upper cylindrical portion 25a is formed at the upper end of the fluid piston 25. Between the upper cylindrical portion 25a and the inner surface of the lower end of the fluid cylinder 26, a coil spring 38 is disposed to support the fluid piston 25 so that it can move downward while biased upward. A rod-shaped valve member 39 extending vertically is inserted into the coil spring 38. An upper valve body 39a is formed at the upper end of the valve member 39, which can seat and detach from the upper end of the upper cylindrical portion 25a of the fluid piston 25. A lower valve body 39b is formed at the lower end of the valve member 39, which can seat and detach from the lower end of the fluid cylinder 26.

[0033] The foaming member 24 is positioned between the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 and the nozzle hole 14, and foams the gas-liquid mixture from the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29. The foaming member 24 is located inside the stem 12 and fitted into the upper part of the upper stem 21. The foaming member 24 is composed of multiple (two in the illustrated example) foaming elements 24a, each having a mesh body positioned on the open end edge of a cylindrical body, which are butted together in the vertical direction. Of the two foaming elements 24a, the upper foaming element 24a has a mesh body positioned only on the upper end of the cylindrical body's open edges, while the lower foaming element 24a has a mesh body positioned only on the lower end of the cylindrical body's open edges. Note that at least one foaming element 24a and one mesh body are required. Furthermore, by making the mesh body of the upper foaming element 24a (e.g., fine mesh) and the mesh body of the lower foaming element 24a (e.g., coarse mesh) different in mesh size, for example, a finer foam body may be generated.

[0034] The pressing head 15 is mounted on the stem 12 and has a nozzle hole 14 formed therein. The pressing head 15 comprises a head body 41 and an outer cylindrical portion 42. The head body 41 and the outer cylindrical portion 42 are formed separately and assembled together. However, the head body 41 and the outer cylindrical portion 42 may be formed as a single unit.

[0035] The head body 41 includes a top wall portion 43 provided above the stem 12, and a mounting cylinder portion 44 extending downward from the top wall portion 43 and attached to the stem 12. The outer cylindrical portion 42 is located below the top wall portion 43 and surrounds the mounting cylindrical portion 44 from the radial outside. The top wall portion 43 is provided with a plurality of support plate portions 45 that protrude downward and extend radially, and are spaced apart in the circumferential direction. The radially inner ends of the support plate portions 45 are connected to the mounting cylinder portion 44. The radially outer ends of the support plate portions 45 support the outer cylinder portion 42 from the radially inner side. The mounting cylinder portion 44 has a nozzle cylinder portion 47 that extends radially outward and protrudes radially outward from the outer cylinder portion 42. The inside of the nozzle cylinder portion 47 communicates with the inside of the stem 12 through the upper end of the mounting cylinder portion 44. The tip opening of the nozzle cylinder portion 47 is the nozzle hole 14.

[0036] In the foam dispenser 1 described above, when the push head 15 is pushed down, the guide cylinder portion 17 enters the gap between the mounting cylinder portion 44 and the outer cylinder portion 42, while the stem 12 and the liquid piston 25 move downward relative to the air piston 27, compressing and deforming the coil spring 38 in the vertical direction. At this time, the communication gap S shrinks in the vertical direction, and the lower end edge of the upper stem 21 approaches the upper end edge of the convex rib portion 32a in the vertical direction. As a result, a gap is formed between the lower end of the inner sliding cylinder 32 and the upper surface portion of the protruding part 37 on the stem 12, and the inside of the air cylinder 28 and the inside of the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 are connected through the air passage 36.

[0037] Furthermore, as the liquid piston 25 moves downward, the upper end opening of the upper cylindrical portion 25a of the liquid piston 25 moves downward away from the upper valve body 39a of the valve member 39, creating communication between the inside of the liquid cylinder 26 and the inside of the stem 12. The lower valve body 39b of the valve member 39 is also moved downward, and the lower valve body 39b seats against the lower end opening inside the liquid cylinder 26, closing it.

[0038] In this state, if the push head 15 is pushed down further, the air piston 27 is also moved downward with the air valve 35 closing the air hole 34, and the air in the lower chamber located below the air piston 27 within the air cylinder 28 is compressed. As a result, this air in the lower chamber flows into the air passage 36 through the gap between the lower end of the inner sliding cylinder 32 of the air piston 27 and the protruding portion 37 of the stem 12, and is transferred to the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29.

[0039] Furthermore, at this time, the lower valve body 39b of the valve member 39 closes the lower end opening of the liquid cylinder 26, and as the liquid piston 25 moves downward, the liquid inside the liquid cylinder 26 rises and reaches the inside of the stem 12. Then, the liquid pressure inside the liquid cylinder 26 acts on the liquid discharge valve 23, causing the liquid discharge valve 23 to move upward away from the valve seat 22, thereby causing the liquid inside the liquid cylinder 26 to flow into the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29.

[0040] Here, the air in the air cylinder 28 and the liquid in the liquid cylinder 26 pass between adjacent connecting portions 55 in the circumferential direction of the retaining member 10 just before reaching the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29. As described above, the liquid and air are mixed in the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29, the liquid is foamed by passing it through the foaming member 24, and then the foam is discharged from the nozzle hole 14 by passing it through the upper end of the mounting cylinder portion 44 and the nozzle cylinder portion 47.

[0041] Subsequently, when the push-down head 15 is released, the elastic restoring force of the coil spring 38 pushes the liquid piston 25 upward. As a result, the upper end opening of the upper cylindrical portion 25a of the liquid piston 25 comes into contact with the upper valve body 39a, blocking communication between the liquid cylinder 26 and the stem 12, while the lower valve body 39b moves upward away from the lower end opening inside the liquid cylinder 26, creating communication between the container body W and the liquid cylinder 26, and allowing the liquid inside the container body W to flow into the liquid cylinder 26. At this time, the inside of the container body W becomes negative pressure, and air from the upper chamber located above the air piston 27 in the air cylinder 28 is introduced into the container body W through an introduction hole provided in the part of the air cylinder 28 located above the outer sliding cylinder 31.

[0042] Furthermore, as the liquid piston 25 rises in this manner, the stem 12 and the push head 15 rise together, and the protruding portion 37 of the stem 12 comes into contact with the lower end of the inner sliding cylinder 32 of the air piston 27, thereby blocking communication between the lower chamber and the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 through the air passage 36. In this state, as the stem 12 and the air piston 27 rise together and the internal pressure of the lower chamber decreases, the air valve 35 opens and the air hole 34 is opened, and outside air is drawn into the lower chamber through the inside of the top wall portion 16 of the mounting cap 11 and the air hole 34.

[0043] As described above, in the foam dispenser 1 according to this embodiment, since an upper fixing part 52 and a lower fixing part 53 are provided inside the stem 12, the retaining member 10 can be fixed by being sandwiched vertically between the upper fixing part 52 and the lower fixing part 53, the retaining member 10 can be assembled accurately, and it is possible to prevent the retaining member 10 from moving freely during use by the purchaser.

[0044] Since the fixed cylinder 54 of the retaining member 10 is press-fitted into the press-fit groove 53a of the lower fixing part 53, it is possible to assemble the fixed cylinder 54 accurately compared to, for example, a case where the fixed cylinder 54 is undercut-fitted into the lower fixing part 53.

[0045] Since the valve seat 22 also serves as the lower fixing part 53, the addition of the lower fixing part 53 prevents the structure from becoming complicated and also prevents the liquid flow from the liquid cylinder 26 to the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 from becoming less smooth.

[0046] The connecting portion 55 is formed in a columnar shape that extends vertically, extending upward from the upper end opening edge of the fixed cylinder 54, connected to the outer circumferential surface of the protruding cylinder 51a, and reaching the upper end opening edge of the protruding cylinder 51a. This ensures the rigidity of the connecting portion 55 and prevents deformation of the connecting portion 55 when the retaining member 10 is assembled. The air in the air cylinder 28 and the liquid in the liquid cylinder 26 pass between adjacent connecting parts 55 in the circumferential direction just before reaching the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29, allowing the air in the air cylinder 28 and the liquid in the liquid cylinder 26 to flow smoothly into the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29.

[0047] Next, a foam dispenser 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. In this second embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are the same as those in the first embodiment, and their descriptions are omitted. Only the differences will be described.

[0048] In the pressing member 20 of the foam discharger 2 of this embodiment, the upper end of the connecting portion 62 is integrally connected to the outer peripheral surface of the lower end of the protruding cylinder 51a and the lower surface of the outer peripheral edge of the pressing plate 51, and the lower end of the connecting portion 62 is integrally connected to the upper end opening edge of the fixed cylinder 54 and the inner peripheral surface of the upper end of the fixed cylinder 54. The upper end of the connecting portion 62 is located below the upper end of the connecting portion 55 of the first embodiment. The connecting portion 62 is located below the upper end of the vertical groove 21b. The upper end of the vertical groove 21b opens toward the smooth outer peripheral surface of the protruding cylinder 51a over its entire circumference. The connecting portion 62 protrudes radially inward from the connecting portion 55 of the first embodiment. The connecting portion 62 is formed in a plate shape with its front and back surfaces facing the circumferential direction.

[0049] Multiple ribs 61 projecting upward are provided at circumferential intervals on the upper opening edge of the protruding cylinder 51a. The circumferential positions of the ribs 61 and the connecting portion 62 are different from each other. The upper fixing portion 52 is in contact with or close to the upper end edge of the rib 61. The rib 61 is formed in a plate shape with its front and back surfaces facing radially. The circumferential positions of the rib 61 and the connecting portion 62 may be aligned.

[0050] As described above, according to the foam discharger 2 of this embodiment, the upper end of the vertical groove 21b opens toward the smooth outer surface of the protruding cylinder 51a over its entire circumference, so that the air in the air cylinder 28 can smoothly reach the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29 through the upper end of the vertical groove 21b. The upper fixing portion 52 abuts against or is close to the upper edges of the multiple ribs 61 provided on the protruding cylinder 51a, and the air in the air cylinder 28 and the liquid in the liquid cylinder 26 pass between adjacent ribs 61 in the circumferential direction just before reaching the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29, thereby allowing the air in the air cylinder 28 and the liquid in the liquid cylinder 26 to flow smoothly into the gas-liquid mixing chamber 29. Since the connecting portion 62 is formed in a plate shape with its front and back surfaces facing the circumferential direction, the rigidity of the connecting portion 62 is ensured, and deformation of the connecting portion 62 can be suppressed when the retaining member 20 is assembled.

[0051] It should be noted that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0052] For example, the cylinder to be fixed 54 may be fixed by undercut fitting into the lower fixing part 53. The lower fixing portion 53 may be provided at a position located above the valve seat 22.

[0053] Furthermore, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, the components in the above embodiments may be replaced with well-known components as appropriate, and the above embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0054] 1, 2 Foam dispenser 10, 20 Retaining members 12 Stem 13 Dispenser 14 nozzle holes 15 Press head 22 valve seats 23 Liquid discharge valve 24 Foamed material 25 Liquid pistons 26 Liquid Cylinders 27 Air piston 28. Air cylinder 29 Gas-liquid mixing chamber 51 Pressing plate 52 Upper fixed part 53 Lower fixing part 53a Press-fit groove 54 Fixed tube 55, 62 Connection part

Claims

1. A discharger having a stem that is movable downward while biased upward, The system includes a pressing head mounted on the aforementioned stem and having a nozzle hole formed therein, The aforementioned discharger is, A fluid piston and an air piston linked to the aforementioned stem, A liquid cylinder in which the aforementioned liquid piston is housed so as to be able to slide up and down, An air cylinder in which the aforementioned air piston is housed so as to be able to slide up and down, A gas-liquid mixing chamber for mixing the liquid from the liquid cylinder and the air from the air cylinder, A foaming member is disposed between the gas-liquid mixing chamber and the nozzle hole, and foams the gas-liquid mixture from the gas-liquid mixing chamber. A liquid discharge valve is seated in the stem so as to be able to move away from it in an upward direction, and switches between communication between the liquid cylinder and the gas-liquid mixing chamber and shuts it off. The system comprises a pressing member disposed between the liquid discharge valve and the foam member, and having a pressing plate against which the liquid discharge valve, when moved upward, makes contact, Within the stem, there are upper and lower fixing parts that clamp and secure the retaining member in the vertical direction. The aforementioned stem comprises a lower stem and an upper stem. The lower part of the upper stem is fitted onto the upper part of the lower stem. A portion of the air passage, which allows communication between the gas-liquid mixing chamber and the inside of the air cylinder, is located between the inner circumferential surface of the lower part of the upper stem and the outer circumferential surface of the upper part of the lower stem. The air passage extends radially across the upper end opening edge of the lower stem and opens radially inward. The retaining member is attached to the upper end of the lower stem, The aforementioned retaining plate has a protruding cylinder that extends upward, The upper end of the protruding cylinder protrudes upward from the upper end opening of the lower stem and is located in the gas-liquid mixing chamber. The upper end opening edge of the protruding cylinder is provided with a plurality of ribs that protrude upward and contact or are close to the upper fixing portion in the vertical direction, spaced apart in the circumferential direction. A foam dispenser in which the gas-liquid mixing chamber and the air passage are in communication through the gaps between adjacent ribs in the circumferential direction.

2. The aforementioned retaining member includes a fixed cylinder provided below the retaining plate, The foam dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the lower fixing portion is provided with an annular press-fit groove into which the cylinder to be fixed is press-fitted.

3. The valve seat protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the stem, is formed in an annular shape extending in the circumferential direction, and also serves as the lower fixing portion. The liquid discharge valve is seated on the inner circumferential surface of the valve seat so as to be able to move away from it in an upward direction, The foam dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the press-fit groove is formed on the upper end surface of the valve seat.

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