Liquid containers and chemical volatilizers

Abstract

To provide a liquid container capable of stably self-supporting and reducing liquid residue, and a medicine volatilizer using the liquid container.SOLUTION: A liquid container 1 includes a peripheral wall portion 10 and a bottom portion 9, wherein a space surrounded by the peripheral wall portion 10 on the bottom portion 9 forms a liquid storage space 21, and the bottom portion 9 includes a horizontal central portion 90, the central portion 90 protrudes downward than an outer peripheral edge 92 of the bottom portion 9, and the bottom portion 9 is provided with a plurality of concave leg portions 15 extending from the central portion 90 toward the outer peripheral edge 92.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid container capable of containing a liquid, such as a fragrance liquid or a deodorant liquid (also referred to as a "chemical liquid" in the present disclosure), and a chemical diffuser that inserts a liquid absorption core material into the liquid container containing the chemical liquid and volatilizes the chemical liquid by sucking it up with the liquid absorption core material into the space outside the liquid container (referred to as the "external space" in the present disclosure).

Background Art

[0002] In order to eliminate discomfort caused by odors in spaces such as indoors and in vehicles and create a comfortable space, chemical diffusers that naturally volatilize chemicals such as fragrances and deodorants are widely used. Various chemicals are used in this chemical diffuser, such as gel, solid, and liquid. As a chemical diffuser using a liquid chemical (chemical liquid), for example, the chemical diffuser described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed.

[0003] For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the chemical diffuser 100 includes a liquid container 101 that contains a chemical liquid, a single liquid absorption core material 102 having a thick rod shape inserted into the liquid container 101, and a middle plug 103 attached to the mouth of the liquid container 101. The liquid absorption core material 102 is held via the middle plug 103 at the mouth of the liquid container 101 such that a part of the upper end side protrudes above the liquid container 101, and sucks up the chemical liquid in the liquid container 101 by capillary action and volatilizes it into the external space. The liquid absorption core material 102 stands upright in a straight up-and-down direction inside the liquid container 101, and its lower end surface is in contact with the upper surface of the bottom 104 of the liquid container 101. The bottom 104 of the liquid container 101 has a central portion 105 where the lower end of the liquid absorption core material 102 abuts, which bulges more than the outer peripheral edge 106. That is, generally, the outer peripheral edge 106 protrudes downward more than the central portion 105. Thereby, when the liquid container 101 is installed on, for example, a table or a floor, the liquid container 101 can be stably self-standing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-166046 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] As the amount of liquid in the liquid container 101 decreases due to the absorption of the liquid by the absorbent core material 102, the liquid accumulates on the concave outer edge 106 at the bottom 104. The liquid accumulated on the outer edge 106 of the bottom 104 of the liquid container 101 cannot be naturally absorbed by the absorbent core material 102 located in the central part 105 of the bottom 104. For example, even if one tries to forcibly move the liquid accumulated on the outer edge 106 of the bottom 104 to the central part 105 by moving or tilting the liquid container 101, the liquid does not move smoothly. Therefore, the absorbent core material 102 cannot absorb all of the liquid in the liquid container 101, and some liquid remains in the liquid container 101. In this case, it is difficult for the user to determine whether the liquid in the liquid container 101 has been used up completely, so it is desirable to reduce the amount of residual liquid in the liquid container 101 (also referred to as "liquid residue" in this disclosure) as much as possible.

[0006] This disclosure aims to address the above-mentioned problems by providing a liquid container that can stand stably on a surface such as a table or floor, and can reduce liquid residue, as well as a chemical volatilizer using this liquid container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The liquid container of the present disclosure comprises a peripheral wall portion and a bottom portion, wherein the space enclosed by the peripheral wall portion on the bottom portion constitutes a liquid storage space. The liquid container of the present disclosure is characterized in that the bottom portion includes a horizontal central portion, the central portion protruding downward from the outer edge of the bottom portion, and the bottom portion is provided with a plurality of concave legs extending from the central portion toward the outer edge.

[0008] Preferably, the liquid container of the present disclosure can be configured such that the leg portion includes an inclined portion that slopes downward from the central portion toward the outer peripheral edge, and the outer end of the inclined portion is located below the central portion.

[0009] Furthermore, the liquid container of this disclosure may preferably be configured such that the bottom portion is inclined downward from the outer edge toward the central portion.

[0010] Furthermore, the liquid container of this disclosure may preferably be configured such that a curved portion that is convex outward is provided between the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion, and the leg portion is located closer to the central portion than the curved portion.

[0011] Furthermore, in the liquid container of this disclosure, the bottom portion may preferably be configured such that it has a polygonal shape when viewed from the bottom, and that the legs corresponding to each corner of the polygonal bottom portion extend from the central portion.

[0012] Furthermore, in the liquid container of this disclosure, the legs may preferably be configured to have an elongated shape in which the lengthwise dimension from the central portion toward the outer peripheral edge is longer than the widthwise dimension perpendicular to the lengthwise direction.

[0013] The drug volatilizer of this disclosure comprises a liquid container containing a volatile liquid drug (drug solution), into which an absorbent core is inserted, and the absorbent core draws up the drug solution through capillary action, thereby volatilizing the drug components of the drug solution into the outside space. The drug volatilizer of this disclosure is characterized by comprising a liquid container having the above-described configuration, and an absorbent core inserted into the liquid container such that its lower end abuts the central part of the bottom of the liquid container and a portion of its upper end protrudes upward from the liquid container, and the absorbent core draws up the liquid drug contained in the liquid container. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the liquid container and the chemical liquid diffuser of the present disclosure, for example, it can be stably self-standing on a table, a floor, etc., and the remaining liquid can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] It is an exploded perspective view of the chemical diffuser. [Figure 2] It is a longitudinal sectional view of the chemical diffuser. [Figure 3] It is a longitudinal sectional view of the chemical diffuser. [Figure 4] It is a longitudinal sectional view of the chemical diffuser with a cap attached to the liquid container. [Figure 5] It is a longitudinal sectional view of the chemical diffuser with a cover attached to the liquid container. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view of the liquid container. [Figure 7] It is a bottom view of the liquid container. [Figure 8] It is a front view of the liquid container. [Figure 9] It is a longitudinal sectional view of the liquid container (sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 7). <00​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The chemical diffuser of the present disclosure inserts a liquid absorption wick into a liquid container that contains a volatile liquid chemical (chemical solution), and uses the capillary action of the liquid absorption wick to suck up the chemical solution and volatilize the chemical components of the chemical solution into the external space. The chemical diffuser of the present disclosure uses, for example, a fragrance liquid or a deodorant liquid as the chemical solution in order to eliminate discomfort caused by odors in spaces such as indoors or inside a vehicle and create a comfortable space, and naturally volatilizes fragrance components, deodorant components, etc. for the purpose of obtaining medicinal effects such as fragrance and deodorization. Note that the above-described usage purposes of the chemical diffuser of the present disclosure are merely examples.

[0017] In addition, the liquid container of the present disclosure can be exemplified by a container for containing the chemical solution in the above-described chemical diffuser. This usage example is merely an example, and it can also be used as a container for containing liquids other than the chemical solution.

[0018] The liquid (including the chemical solution) contained in the liquid container may be colorless or colored and transparent, or may be translucent or opaque.

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the liquid container and the chemical diffuser of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present disclosure, the height direction of the self-standing liquid container and the chemical diffuser is the vertical direction. Also, the direction inside the liquid container and the chemical diffuser is the inner side, and the direction outside is the outer side.

[0020] Chemical volatilizer As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the chemical diffuser 1 includes a liquid container 2 that contains a chemical solution, a liquid absorption wick 3 inserted into the liquid container 2, and a middle stopper 4 attached to the liquid container 2. Further, the chemical diffuser 1 is not particularly limited, but as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, further includes a cap 5 and a cover 6 that are detachable from the liquid container 2.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the lower end surface of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is in contact with the inner bottom surface (inner surface of the bottom 9) of the body 7 of the liquid container 2, and a portion of the upper end protrudes above the liquid container 2. The liquid-absorbing core material 3 absorbs the liquid by capillary action at the portion in contact with the liquid, thereby volatilizing the drug components into the outside space.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the inner stopper 4 is attached to the opening 8 of the liquid container 2 to hold the liquid-absorbing core material 3 inserted into the liquid container 2. The inner stopper 4 prevents the liquid-absorbing core material 3 from standing upright in the vertical direction within the liquid container 2 and from easily coming out of the liquid container 2.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, the cap 5 is attached to the opening 8 of the liquid container 2 so as to cover the portion of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 that protrudes upward from the liquid container 2. Since the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is largely sealed by the cap 5 and isolated from the outside space, when the cap 5 is attached to the liquid container 2, the medicinal components of the liquid do not continuously volatilize from the liquid-absorbing core material 3 and are not released into the outside space. For this reason, the cap 5 is used when the drug volatilizer 1 is not in use and is removed from the liquid container 2 when in use. When the cap 5 is removed from the liquid container 2, the medicinal components of the liquid absorbed by the liquid-absorbing core material 3 volatilize and are released into the outside space, and the drug volatilizer 1 exerts its medicinal effect.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5, the cover 6 is mainly used when the chemical volatilizer 1 is in use. From a design perspective, the cover 6 is attached to the body 7 of the liquid container 2 to make the portion of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 that protrudes from the liquid container 2 difficult to see from the outside. Multiple volatilization holes 53 are formed in the cover 6, and when the cover 6 is attached to the liquid container 2, the chemical components of the liquid volatilized from the liquid-absorbing core material 3 are released into the outside space by passing through each of the volatilization holes 63 of the cover 6.

[0025] The following describes the chemical solution, followed by a detailed explanation of each component of the chemical volatilizer 1.

[0026] Liquid medication (liquid drug) The liquid medicine is volatile (has sustained release properties), and exerts its medicinal effect by gradually releasing the medicinal components into the air upon contact with air. The liquid medicine contains medicinal components. Examples of medicinal components include fragrance components, deodorizing components, insecticide components, insect repellent components, repellent components, and antibacterial components. The liquid medicine may contain one of these medicinal components alone or a combination of several. The medicinal components may be oily or water-based, as long as they are volatile.

[0027] The viscosity of the chemical solution is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1 mPa·s to 30 mPa·s, more preferably 0.1 mPa·s to 20 mPa·s, and even more preferably 0.1 mPa·s to 10 mPa·s at 25°C. The viscosity of the chemical solution can be measured at 25°C using a vibrating viscometer (VM-3OO-L, manufactured by Sekonic Corporation).

[0028] Liquid container As shown in Figures 1 and 6 to 11, the liquid container 2 has an opening 20 at its upper end and a liquid storage space 21 inside that connects to the opening 20. The liquid-absorbing core material 3 is inserted into the storage space 21 inside the liquid container 2 through the opening 20 at the upper end. The liquid container 2 is partially or entirely transparent or translucent, so that the remaining amount of liquid can be checked from the outside. The material of the liquid container 2 is not particularly limited, but examples include synthetic resin and glass.

[0029] The liquid container 2 includes a hollow, bottomed body 7 and a cylindrical mouth 8 with openings at both the top and bottom. The body 7 and the mouth 8 are integrally formed. The body 7 includes an integrally formed bottom 9, a peripheral wall 10, and a shoulder 11. The lower end edge of the peripheral wall 10 is connected to the outer peripheral edge 92 of the bottom 9. The outer peripheral edge of the shoulder 11 is connected to the upper end edge of the peripheral wall 10. The mouth 8 extends upward from the center of the shoulder 11. The internal space of the body 7, that is, the space surrounded by the peripheral wall 10 on the bottom 9, is the storage space 21. The upper end opening of the mouth 8 is the opening 20.

[0030] The area between the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10 is rounded, eliminating any sharp corners. In this embodiment, a curved portion 12 that curves outward is provided between the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10. The outer peripheral edge 92 of the bottom portion 9 is connected to the lower edge of the peripheral wall portion 10 via the curved portion 12. The curved portion 12 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is curved in an arc shape when viewed in a vertical section. In this disclosure, the vertical section shape refers to the shape of the cross-section along the vertical direction.

[0031] As shown in Figures 6 to 11, the bottom portion 9 is generally square in shape when viewed from below. The central portion 90 of the bottom portion 9 is horizontal. The lower end of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 inserted into the liquid container 2 contacts the central portion 90. The central portion 90 is a part of the bottom portion 9 that includes the center of the bottom portion 9. The central portion 90 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is circular in shape when viewed from above, similar to the liquid-absorbing core material 3. The inner surface of the central portion 90 that contacts the lower end surface of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 does not necessarily have to be flat; it may have convex or concave surfaces.

[0032] The central portion 90 protrudes downward from the outer peripheral edge 92 of the bottom portion 9, with the central portion 90 being the most downwardly protruding part of the bottom portion 9. In this disclosure, the outer peripheral edge 92 of the bottom portion 9 refers to the boundary (position of the corner) between the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10 when the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10 are connected via a sharp corner. On the other hand, as in this embodiment, when a rounded, curved portion 12 is provided between the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10, the outer peripheral edge 92 of the bottom portion 9 refers to the boundary between the bottom portion 9 and the curved portion 12, specifically the position where the tangent to the curved portion 12 points horizontally.

[0033] The portion of the base 9 other than the central portion 90, excluding the leg portion 15 which will be described later, forms a guide portion 91 that slopes downward from the outer edge 92 toward the central portion 90. In other words, the base 9 includes a horizontal central portion 90 and a sloped guide portion 91 surrounding the central portion 90. The guide portion 91 plays a role in allowing the liquid medicine to flow naturally toward the central portion 90 due to its slope.

[0034] The bottom portion 9 is a guide portion 91 with a slope around the central portion 90. As a result, when the amount of liquid in the liquid container 2 decreases and the liquid level approaches the inner surface of the bottom portion 9, the liquid can be guided to the central portion 90 by the slope of the guide portion 91. Therefore, even when the amount of liquid in the liquid container 2 decreases, the liquid can be smoothly supplied to the liquid-absorbing core material 3 on the central portion 90 and drawn up. Thus, as much of the liquid in the liquid container 2 as possible can be drawn up, and the liquid contained in the liquid container 2 can be used up completely.

[0035] Preferably, the outer diameter D (shown in Figure 3) of the central portion 90 is the same as or larger than the outer diameter L (shown in Figure 3) of at least the lower end of the liquid-absorbing core material 3. This ensures that the lower end of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 that contacts the central portion 90 is contained within the area of ​​the central portion 90. In other words, the lower end of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 does not protrude outside the central portion 90, and the entire lower end surface of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 contacts the inner surface of the central portion 90. Note that the outer diameter D of the central portion 90 does not necessarily have to be the same as or larger than the outer diameter L of the lower end of the liquid-absorbing core material 3.

[0036] As described above, when the amount of liquid in the liquid container 2 decreases and the liquid level falls near the inner surface of the bottom 9, the liquid is guided to the central part 9. By positioning the lower end of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 within the range of the central part 90, the liquid guided to the central part 90 can be effectively absorbed by the lower end of the liquid-absorbing core material 3.

[0037] The base 9 is provided with a plurality of concave legs 15 on the outside of the central portion 90. The plurality of legs 15 extend from the central portion 90 of the base 9 toward the outer edge 92, and the inner ends (ends on the central portion 90 side) 17 of the legs 15 are connected to the central portion 90. The legs 15 are formed by recessing a portion of the base 9 downwards, creating grooves on the inner surface of the base 9 where the legs 15 are located, and protrusions on the outer surface of the base 9 where the legs 15 are located.

[0038] Each leg portion 15 includes an inclined portion 16 that slopes downward from the central portion 90 of the base 9 towards the outer edge 92. As shown in Figure 11(A), both the inner and outer surfaces of the inclined portion 16 gradually slope downward from the central portion 90 towards the outer edge 92. The outer edge 18 of the base 9 on the outer edge 92 side is positioned lower than the inner edge 17 on the central portion 90 side. The outer edge 18 of the inclined portion 16 is positioned lower than the central portion 90, so when the liquid container 2 is placed on a stand or floor, the outer edge 18 of the inclined portion 16, which protrudes lower than the central portion 90, touches the ground, rather than the central portion 90 which protrudes the lowest part of the base 9. In this way, the liquid container 2 is supported by multiple legs 15 that protrude downward from the base 9 and are placed on a stand or floor.

[0039] The leg portion 15 may be connected to the bottom portion 9 by the end face portion rising vertically at the outer end 18 of the inclined portion 16, or, as in this embodiment, the end face portion 19 may gradually rise while inclined from the outer end 18 of the inclined portion 16 and be connected to the bottom portion 9.

[0040] Since the legs 15 are recessed grooves on the inner surface of the bottom 9, the liquid chemical in the liquid container 2 accumulates in the legs 15. When the amount of liquid chemical in the liquid container 2 decreases and the liquid level is near the inner surface of the bottom 9, if the liquid chemical remains accumulated in the legs 15, it will not be possible to use up all of the liquid chemical contained in the liquid container 2. Therefore, the legs 15 include an inclined portion 16 so that the liquid chemical in the legs 15 can move to the central portion 90 of the bottom 9. In other words, since the inclined portion 16 gradually rises toward the central portion 90 of the bottom 9, as shown in Figure 11(B), by slightly moving or tilting the liquid container 2, the liquid chemical in the legs 15 can be easily moved toward the central portion 90 and sucked up by the absorbent core material 3 on the central portion 90. Thus, the amount of liquid chemical remaining in the liquid container 2 can be reduced, and the liquid chemical contained in the liquid container 2 can be used up to the very end.

[0041] The vertical cross-sectional shape of the leg portion 15 is tapered, becoming narrower towards the bottom. This reduces the amount of liquid chemical that accumulates inside the leg portion 15. While the liquid chemical inside the leg portion 15 can be easily moved to the central portion 90, the less liquid chemical that accumulates inside the leg portion 15, the more efficiently the liquid chemical in the liquid container 2 can be supplied to and drawn up by the absorbent core material 3. Furthermore, the tapered shape of the leg portion 15 allows the liquid container 2 to stand stably on a table or floor. Note that the vertical cross-sectional shape of the leg portion 15 does not necessarily have to be the tapered shape described above.

[0042] As shown in Figure 7, the leg portion 15 has an elongated shape in which the length dimension from the central portion 90 of the base portion 9 toward the outer edge 92 is longer than the width dimension perpendicular to the length direction. In this embodiment, multiple elongated leg portions 15 are connected to the central portion 90 over the entire width of the inner end 17 and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the central portion 90, extending radially from the central portion 90.

[0043] The length of the elongated legs 15 is set so that they extend to the vicinity of the outer periphery 92 of the bottom 9. When the amount of liquid in the liquid container 2 decreases and the liquid level is near the inner surface of the bottom 9, the liquid tends to remain at the boundary between the bottom 9 and the peripheral wall 10 (the rounded portion 12 in this embodiment, and the corner of the bottom 9 and the peripheral wall 10 in embodiments without the rounded portion 12). Therefore, by extending the legs 15 to the vicinity of the outer periphery 92 of the bottom 9, the liquid remaining at the boundary between the bottom 9 and the peripheral wall 10 can be moved to the central portion 90 not only via the guide portion 91 but also via the multiple legs 15, and can be absorbed by the liquid-absorbing core material 3.

[0044] Furthermore, the lengthwise dimension of the elongated legs 15 is set so that the legs 15 are located inside the outer peripheral edge 92 of the base 9. In other words, the legs 15 are located on the central side 90 of the curved portion 12 at the boundary between the base 9 and the peripheral wall 10. Although the liquid chemical in the liquid container 2 also accumulates inside the legs 15, because the legs 15 are located on the central side 90 of the base 9 beyond the curved portion 12, the legs 15 become difficult to see from the outside. Therefore, even if liquid chemical has accumulated inside the legs 15, it is difficult for the user to see the chemical.

[0045] Regarding the width dimension of the elongated leg portion 15, a larger width dimension allows the liquid container 2 to stand stably on a table or floor, while a smaller width dimension reduces the amount of liquid chemical that accumulates in the leg portion 15. Although the liquid chemical in the leg portion 15 can be easily moved to the central portion 90, the less liquid chemical that accumulates in the leg portion 15, the more efficiently the liquid chemical in the liquid container 2 can be supplied to and drawn up by the liquid-absorbing core material 3. For this reason, the width dimension of the leg portion 15 is preferably 2 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably 3 mm to 5 mm. However, the width dimension of the leg portion 15 is not necessarily limited to the range described above.

[0046] The number of elongated legs 15 is preferably three or more, and in this embodiment, four legs 15 are provided on the base 9. This allows the liquid container 2 to stand stably on a stand or floor. The number of legs 15 does not necessarily have to be three or more; it can be two depending on the shape and size (length and width) of the legs.

[0047] Furthermore, the number of elongated legs 15 is preferably equal to or greater than the number of corners of the base 9 when the base 9 has a polygonal shape when viewed from below. It is also preferable that a leg 15 corresponding to each corner extends from the central part 90 toward each corner of the polygonal base 9. In other words, when the base 9 has an n-sided shape when viewed from below, the number of legs 15 is at least n, and it is preferable that the n legs 15 extend from the central part 90 of the base 9 toward the vicinity of the n corners of the outer edge 92. For example, as in this embodiment, when the base 9 has a square shape when viewed from below, the number of legs 15 is at least four, and the four legs 15 extend from the central part 90 of the base 9 toward the vicinity of the four corners of the outer edge 92 (in this embodiment, the corners are chamfered and rounded).

[0048] When the amount of liquid in the liquid container 2 decreases and the liquid level falls near the inner surface of the bottom 9, the liquid tends to remain more in the corners of the polygonal bottom 9, even within the boundary between the bottom 9 and the peripheral wall 10. Therefore, by extending the legs 15 to the vicinity of the corners of the outer edge 92 of the bottom 9, the liquid remaining at the corners of the outer edge 92 of the bottom 9 can be moved to the central part 90 not only via the guide part 91 but also via the multiple legs 15, and can be absorbed by the liquid-absorbing core material 3.

[0049] As shown in Figures 1, 6, and 8 to 10, the peripheral wall portion 10 in this embodiment has a cylindrical shape that is generally square (a square with rounded corners) in plan view, and rises vertically from the bottom portion 9 via the curved portion 12. The peripheral wall portion 10 does not necessarily have to be square in plan view, and can be shaped according to the shape of the bottom surface of the bottom portion 9. Also, the peripheral wall portion 10 does not necessarily have to rise vertically from the bottom portion 9, and may rise while inclined outward or inward. Furthermore, although the peripheral wall portion 10 extends flat in the vertical direction in this embodiment, it may be curved with a convex shape inward or outward.

[0050] As shown in Figures 1, 6, and 8 to 10, the shoulder portion 11 in this embodiment is generally square in plan view, slightly smaller than the peripheral wall portion 10, and has a stepped portion 13 between it and the peripheral wall portion 10. Multiple (four in this embodiment) recesses 14 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the vertical surface portion of the shoulder portion 11 where the stepped portion 13 is connected. The recesses 14 can be used to hook and fasten multiple (four in this embodiment) engaging protrusions 62 (shown in Figure 5) of the cover 6, which will be described later. By engaging the multiple engaging protrusions 62 of the cover 6 with the multiple recesses 14 of the shoulder portion 11, the cover 6 can be connected to the liquid container 2 in a way that prevents it from easily coming off when attached to the liquid container 2. The flat portion of the shoulder portion 11 extends inward from the upper edge of the vertical surface portion so as to face the bottom portion 9, and the mouth portion 8 extends upward in the center of the flat portion. The flat portion of the shoulder portion 11 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it slopes downward from the mouth portion 8 toward the vertical surface portion. The shoulder portion 11 does not necessarily have to be square in plan view and can be shaped according to the plan view shape of the peripheral wall portion 10. Also, the shoulder portion 11 does not necessarily have to have a step portion 13 between it and the peripheral wall portion 10. In addition, each recess 14 is for connecting the cover 6 and the liquid container 2, but the connecting means is not limited to the recess 14. Furthermore, if the cover 6 is not attached to the liquid container 2, the connecting means, including the recess 14, does not need to be provided on the shoulder portion 11.

[0051] As shown in Figures 1, 6, and 8 to 10, the mouth portion 8 in this embodiment is cylindrical, and the cross-sectional shapes of the inner and outer wall surfaces are circular. In this disclosure, the cross-sectional shape refers to the shape of the cross section along the horizontal direction. The mouth portion 8 is located directly above the central portion 90 of the bottom portion 9 of the body portion 7, and the center of the mouth portion 8 and the center of the bottom portion 9 are on the same straight line. The mouth portion 8 does not necessarily have to be circular in plan view and can have various shapes.

[0052] A male thread 80 is provided on the outer surface of the opening 8. The male thread 80 is screwed into the female thread 52 (shown in Figure 4) of the cap 5, which will be described later. This allows the cap 5 to be connected to the opening 8 of the liquid container 2 so that it does not easily come off when attached to the opening 8. The means for connecting the opening 8 of the liquid container 2 and the cap 5 are not particularly limited, and various other known means can be used.

[0053] Inner stopper As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the inner stopper 4 is detachably attached to the opening 8 of the liquid container 2, and the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is inserted into the liquid container 2 from the inside of the inner stopper 4. The material of the inner stopper 4 is not particularly limited, but more specifically, it can be made of synthetic resin such as polyethylene terephthalate. The inner stopper 4 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment it is generally cylindrical in shape to correspond to the opening 8 of the liquid container 2, and the cross-sectional shape of the inner and outer wall surfaces is circular.

[0054] The stopper 4 includes a fitting portion 40 on the upper side in the height direction that is fitted into the mouth 8 of the liquid container 2, a clamping portion 41 on the lower side in the height direction that has an inner diameter and outer diameter slightly smaller than the fitting portion 40, and a tapered portion 42 that connects the fitting portion 40 and the clamping portion 41.

[0055] The fitting portion 40 has an outer diameter that is the same as or approximately the same as the inner diameter of the mouth 8 of the liquid container 2, and the fitting portion 40 is held in place within the mouth 8 by the outer wall surface of the fitting portion 40 contacting the inner wall surface of the mouth 8. The inner diameter of the fitting portion 40 is larger than the outer diameter L of the liquid-absorbing core material 3, and the inner wall surface does not come into contact with the outer surface of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 that is inserted into the inner stopper 4, thus forming a gap between the fitting portion 40 and the liquid-absorbing core material 3. A flange portion 43 protrudes horizontally outward from the upper end of the fitting portion 40. When attaching the inner stopper 4 to the mouth 8 of the liquid container 2, the inner stopper 4 is fitted into the mouth 8 until the flange portion 43 contacts the upper end of the mouth 8.

[0056] The clamping portion 41 has an inner diameter d (shown in Figure 3) smaller than the outer diameter L of the liquid-absorbing core material 3. In other words, the cross-sectional shape of the inner wall surface is smaller than the cross-sectional shape of the liquid-absorbing core material 3. Therefore, the inner wall surface of the clamping portion 41 presses against the outer circumferential surface of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 as it is inserted into the stopper 4. When the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is pushed in and inserted into the clamping portion 41, the liquid-absorbing core material 3 deforms so that its diameter decreases (its outer circumferential surface becomes constricted). In a portion of the length of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 (the portion that is clamped by the clamping portion 41), the outer circumferential surface comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the clamping portion 41 and is clamped by the clamping portion 41. As a result, the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is held in place by the stopper 4 and inserted into the liquid container 2 without easily coming out of the opening 8 of the liquid container 2.

[0057] The tapered portion 42 gradually decreases in both its inner and outer diameters as it moves downwards. When inserting the liquid-absorbing core material 3 into the inner stopper 4, the tapered portion 42 causes the liquid-absorbing core material 3 to deform and gradually shrink in diameter as it reaches the clamping portion 41. Therefore, the liquid-absorbing core material 3 can be smoothly inserted into the clamping portion 41.

[0058] Furthermore, the inner stopper 4 is not necessarily limited to the structure described above; various structures can be used as long as they can hold the liquid-absorbing core material 3 inserted into the liquid container 2 in an upright position without easily coming out of the opening 8.

[0059] Furthermore, if the mouth 8 of the liquid container 2 is formed to include a clamping portion with the same structure as the clamping portion 41 of the inner stopper 4, for example, so that the liquid-absorbing core material 3 inserted into the liquid container 2 is held in an upright position at the mouth 8 without easily coming out of the mouth 8, then the inner stopper 4 does not need to be attached to the mouth 8 of the liquid container 2.

[0060] Liquid-absorbing core material As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is a rod-shaped member that extends in a straight line before being inserted into the liquid container 2, and in this embodiment, its cross-sectional shape is a cylindrical shape with a circular form. Furthermore, although the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is not particularly limited, in this embodiment, its thickness remains almost constant along its entire length, and its cross-sectional shape is a circular shape with approximately the same outer diameter L along its entire length. The liquid-absorbing core material 3 is used by being inserted into the liquid container 2 through the opening 8. The length of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is set so that its lower end reaches the inner surface of the bottom 9 of the liquid container 2, and a portion of its upper end protrudes above the opening 8 of the liquid container 2. By the lower end of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 contacting the bottom 9 of the liquid container 2, the liquid can be drawn up by the liquid-absorbing core material 3 even when the amount of liquid remaining in the liquid container 2 is low.

[0061] The material of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is not particularly limited, as long as it can draw up the liquid inside the liquid container 2 by capillary action and volatilize the drawn-up liquid into the outside space. For example, various materials such as nylon, polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate), polypropylene, polyethylene, polyoxymethylene, isoparaffin, cellulose, rattan, and pulp can be used as materials for the liquid-absorbing core material 3, and these materials may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, although not particularly limited, other suitable materials may be used as materials for the liquid-absorbing core material 3 for purposes such as suppressing deformation of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 at high temperatures and maintaining the shape of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 stably.

[0062] The liquid-absorbing core material 3 is not particularly limited, but in order to absorb the liquid effectively, it is preferable to use, for example, a rod made by welding or bonding fibrous materials together, a rod made by weaving fibrous materials together, a rod made from a nonwoven fabric using fibrous materials, or a rod made from a sponge.

[0063] The liquid-absorbing core material 3 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to apply a treatment such as improving the strength of the outer surface. This prevents damage to the liquid-absorbing core material 3, such as fraying, even if the user holds the liquid-absorbing core material 3 by hand and rubs its outer surface repeatedly when inserting it into the liquid container 2.

[0064] When the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is inserted into the liquid container 2, if the outer diameter L (shown in Figure 3) of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is larger than the inner diameter d of the clamping portion 41 of the stopper 4 fitted to the opening 8, a portion of the core material 3 in the longitudinal direction will be clamped by the clamping portion 41, and the portion clamped by the clamping portion 41 will deform to a reduced diameter. In this way, the liquid-absorbing core material 3 inserted into the liquid container 2 is tightened by the clamping portion 41 of the stopper 4, which narrows the capillaries of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 and promotes the absorption function of the liquid by capillary action. As a result, the amount of liquid absorbed by the liquid-absorbing core material 3 increases. For example, even if the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is designed to be less likely to absorb liquid from its outer surface by performing a treatment to improve the strength of the outer surface of the liquid-absorbing core material 3, the liquid-absorbing core material 3 can still absorb a sufficient amount of liquid from its lower end surface and effectively volatilize the drug components into the outside space.

[0065] The outer diameter L of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of effectively promoting the liquid absorption function by capillary action described above, it is preferably 1.05 times or more the inner diameter of the clamping portion 41, and more preferably 1.1 times or more. Also, depending on how easily the liquid-absorbing core material 3 can be deformed, from the viewpoint of allowing the liquid-absorbing core material 3 to pass through the clamping portion 41 without force, the outer diameter L of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 is preferably 1.5 times or less the inner diameter of the clamping portion 41 of the stopper 4, and more preferably 1.2 times or less.

[0066] The length of the portion of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 that is clamped by the clamping portion 41 of the inner stopper 4, that is, the height of the clamping portion 41, is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of effectively promoting the liquid absorption function by capillary action described above, it is preferably 1 / 5 to 4 / 5 of the total length of the liquid-absorbing core material 3, and more preferably 2 / 5 to 3 / 5.

[0067] Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 does not necessarily have to be circular; it may be a polygonal shape such as a triangle or a square, or any other shape such as an ellipse.

[0068] cap As shown in Figure 4, the cap 5 is attached to the opening 8 of the liquid container 2 to seal a portion of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 that is exposed above the liquid container 2 when the chemical vaporizer 1 is not in use. The cap 5 is not particularly limited, but is made of synthetic resin and includes a cylindrical cover portion 50 with a closed upper end and an open lower end, and a cylindrical mounting portion 51 which has a larger outer diameter than the cover portion 50 and is connected to the center of the cover portion 50 so as to extend upward.

[0069] The cover portion 50 has an inner diameter and height that can accommodate the portion of the liquid-absorbing core material 3 that is exposed above the liquid container 2. The mounting portion 51 has an inner diameter that can accommodate the opening 8 of the liquid container 2. The inner circumferential surface of the mounting portion 51 is provided with a female thread 52 that screws into a male thread 80 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the opening 8 of the liquid container 2.

[0070] cover As shown in Figure 5, the cover 6 is attached to the body 7 of the liquid container 2 to improve the aesthetic appearance of the chemical disperser 1 when it is in use. The cover 6 is not particularly limited, but is made of synthetic resin and includes a top surface 60 that is generally square in plan view and a circumferential surface 61 that hangs down from the outer edge of the top surface 60.

[0071] The circumferential portion 61 allows the shoulder portion 11 of the liquid container 2 to be fitted inside, and the shoulder portion 11 fits into the circumferential portion 61. Multiple engaging protrusions 62 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction at the lower end of the inner surface of the circumferential portion 61, protruding inward. The multiple engaging protrusions 62 engage with the recesses 13 of the stepped portion 12 of the liquid container 2. Multiple volatilization holes 63 are formed in the top portion 60 and the circumferential portion 61 of the cover 6 to release the drug components of the liquid absorbed and volatilized by the liquid-absorbing core material 3 into the outside space.

[0072] Instructions for using a pesticide volatilizer Next, the method of using the above-mentioned chemical volatilizer 1 will be explained. First, before use, as shown in Figure 4, a cap 5 is attached to the mouth 8 of the liquid container 2, and the liquid-absorbing wick material 3 is sealed. Therefore, when starting use, the cap 5 is removed from the mouth 8 of the liquid container 2 with the bottom 9 of the liquid container 2 facing downwards and the cap 5 facing upwards. This exposes the liquid-absorbing wick material 3, and the chemical liquid inside the liquid container 2 is absorbed by the liquid-absorbing wick material 3, and the chemical components of the chemical liquid are continuously volatilized into the outside space. As a result, the space in which the chemical volatilizer 1 is installed can be made into a comfortable space. While the chemical volatilizer 1 is in use, as shown in Figure 5, a cover 6 can be attached to the liquid container 2 as needed.

[0073] Action and effects of chemical volatilizers and liquid containers The chemical vaporizer 1 and liquid container 2 of this embodiment described above are provided with a plurality of concave legs 15 on their bottom 9. When the liquid container 2 is placed on a table or floor, for example, the plurality of legs 15 make contact with the ground. Therefore, the plurality of legs 15 allow the chemical vaporizer 1 and liquid container 2 to stand stably on a table or floor.

[0074] In addition, in this embodiment, the chemical volatilizer 1 and liquid container 2 have a horizontal central portion 90 of the bottom 9 that protrudes below the outer edge 92 of the bottom 90. Therefore, when the amount of chemical solution remaining in the liquid container 2 decreases and the liquid level falls near the inner surface of the bottom 9, the chemical solution flows down towards the central portion 90. Thus, even if the amount of chemical solution remaining in the liquid container 2 decreases, the chemical solution can be collected and drawn up towards the absorbent core material 3 on the central portion 90.

[0075] In addition, in this embodiment, the chemical volatilizer 1 and liquid container 2 accumulate the chemical liquid in the liquid container 2 within the legs 15, but the inclined portion 16 of the legs 15 gradually rises towards the central portion 90 of the bottom 9. Therefore, by slightly moving or tilting the liquid container 2, the chemical liquid in the legs 15 can be easily moved to the central portion 90, and the chemical liquid in the legs 15 can be collected and sucked up towards the absorbent core material 3 on the central portion 90.

[0076] As described above, the chemical volatilizer 1 and liquid container 2 of this embodiment can be stably supported on a stand or floor, and the liquid absorbent core material 3 can draw up as much of the chemical liquid in the liquid container 2 as possible. Therefore, the chemical liquid contained in the liquid container 2 can be used up to the very last drop, reducing liquid residue.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the bottom portion 9 of the chemical volatilizer 1 and liquid container 2 is sloped downward from the outer edge 92 towards the central portion 90. Therefore, when the amount of chemical solution remaining in the liquid container 2 decreases and the liquid level comes near the inner surface of the bottom portion 9, the chemical solution flows smoothly down towards the central portion 90. Thus, with the chemical volatilizer 1 and liquid container 2 of this embodiment, the chemical solution can be efficiently collected and drawn up towards the absorbent core material 3 on the central portion 90.

[0078] Furthermore, the chemical vaporizer 1 and liquid container 2 of this embodiment are provided with a curved portion 12 that curves outward between the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 11, and the multiple legs 15 are located closer to the central portion 90 of the bottom portion 9 than the curved portion 12. Therefore, the legs 15 are in a position that is difficult to see from the outside. Thus, with the chemical vaporizer 1 and liquid container 2 of this embodiment, the liquid chemical accumulated in the legs 15 during use can be made difficult for the user to see.

[0079] Furthermore, according to the chemical vaporizer 1 and liquid container 2 of this embodiment, the bottom portion 9 has a square shape when viewed from below, and corresponding legs 15 extend from the central portion 90 of the bottom portion 9 toward each corner of the square-shaped bottom portion 9. When the amount of chemical solution remaining in the liquid container 2 decreases and the liquid level comes to near the inner surface of the bottom portion 9, the chemical solution tends to remain at the boundary between the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10, particularly at the corners of the outer edge 92 of the bottom portion 9. Therefore, by extending the legs 15 to the vicinity of the corners of the outer edge 92 of the bottom portion 9, the chemical solution remaining at the corners of the outer edge 92 of the bottom portion 9 can be moved to the central portion 90 via the multiple legs 15. Thus, according to the chemical vaporizer 1 and liquid container 2 of this embodiment, the amount of chemical solution remaining in the liquid container 2 can be reduced, and the chemical solution contained in the liquid container 2 can be used up to the very end.

[0080] Furthermore, according to the pesticide disperser 1 and liquid container 2 of this embodiment, the multiple legs 15 have an elongated shape in which the length dimension from the central part 90 of the bottom 9 towards the outer edge 92 is longer than the width dimension perpendicular to the length dimension. As a result, the liquid container 2 can be made to stand stably on a stand or floor, and the amount of liquid pesticide that accumulates in the multiple legs 15 can be reduced. Thus, according to the pesticide disperser 1 and liquid container 2 of this embodiment, the liquid pesticide in the liquid container 2 can be efficiently supplied to the liquid-absorbing core material 3 and sucked up.

[0081] Modified form of chemical volatilizer and liquid container While embodiments of the drug volatilizer and liquid container described herein have been explained above, the drug volatilizer and liquid container described herein are not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0082] In the embodiment described above, a rounded portion 12 is provided between the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10, eliminating the corners and giving it a rounded shape. However, as one modification, the boundary between the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10 may be made into a sharp corner without providing a rounded portion 12 between the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10.

[0083] In the embodiment described above, the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10 have a square shape when viewed from below. However, as one modification, the bottom shape of the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10 when viewed from below may be rectangular, or it may be a polygon other than a quadrilateral, or it may be circular or elliptical. The bottom shape of the bottom portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10 is not particularly limited.

[0084] In the embodiment described above, the portion of the bottom 9 other than the central portion 90 forms a guide portion 91 that slopes downward from the outer edge 92 toward the central portion 90. However, the entire portion of the bottom 9 other than the central portion 90 does not need to be a sloped guide portion 91. As one variation, the bottom 9 is generally sloped from the outer edge 92 toward the central portion 90, but for example, there may be a horizontal portion of a predetermined width on the outer edge 92 of the bottom 9, or it may slope toward the central portion 90 from there, or there may be a horizontal portion of a predetermined width between the outer edge 92 and the central portion 90 of the bottom 9. Furthermore, there does not necessarily need to be a sloped portion between the outer edge 92 and the central portion 90 of the bottom 9.

[0085] In the embodiment described above, the leg portion 15 extends from the central portion 90 of the base portion 9 to the vicinity of the outer edge 92. However, it is not necessarily required that it extends to the vicinity of the outer edge 92. As one modification, the leg portion 15 may only extend to an intermediate position between the central portion 90 of the base portion 9 and the outer edge 92.

[0086] In the embodiment described above, the leg portion 15 extends only from the central portion 90 of the base portion 9 to the inside of the outer peripheral edge 92, that is, only to the central portion 90 side of the rounded portion 12 at the boundary between the base portion 9 and the peripheral wall portion 10. However, as one modification, the leg portion 15 may extend to the outside of the outer peripheral edge 92, that is, to protrude into the rounded portion 12.

[0087] In the embodiment described above, the leg portion 15 has an elongated shape in which the length dimension is longer than the width dimension in a cross-sectional view. However, as one modification, the leg portion 15 may have a horizontally elongated shape in which the length dimension is shorter than the width dimension in a cross-sectional view. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0088] 1. Chemical volatilizer 2 Liquid containers 3. Liquid-absorbing core material 9. Bottom of the liquid container 10 Peripheral wall of liquid container 12. The curved part of the liquid container 15 Legs of liquid container 16. Inclined part of the leg 18 Outer end of the inclined section 21 Liquid containment space of liquid container 90 Center of the bottom 91 Bottom guide section 92 Outer edge of the bottom

Claims

1. A liquid container comprising a peripheral wall and a bottom, wherein the space on the bottom surrounded by the peripheral wall forms a liquid storage space, The bottom portion includes a horizontal central portion, the central portion protruding downward from the outer edge of the bottom portion. The bottom portion is provided with a plurality of concave legs extending from the central portion toward the outer edge, The aforementioned leg portion is concave when viewed from the inside of the liquid container. Liquid container and A liquid-absorbing core material is inserted into the liquid container such that its lower end abuts against the central part of the bottom of the liquid container, A chemical volatilizer equipped with the following features.

2. The pesticide volatilizer according to claim 1, wherein the leg portion includes an inclined portion that slopes downward from the central portion toward the outer peripheral edge, and the outer end of the inclined portion is located below the central portion.

3. The pesticide volatilizer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom portion is sloped downward from the outer edge toward the central portion.

4. Between the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion, there is a curved portion that is convex outward. The pesticide volatilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the leg portion is located closer to the central portion than the curved portion.

5. The aforementioned bottom has a polygonal shape when viewed from below. A chemical volatilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the legs corresponding to each corner extend from the central part toward each corner of the polygonal base.

6. The pesticide diffuser according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the leg portion has an elongated shape in which the length dimension from the central portion toward the outer peripheral edge is longer than the width dimension perpendicular to the length direction.

7. The chemical volatilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the liquid-absorbing core material is inserted into the liquid container such that a portion of its upper end protrudes upward from the liquid container.

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