Valve and liquid supply container

Abstract

A valve 150 includes a mouth part 53, a root part 52, and a rib part 54. The mouth part 53 has a cut 53a. The root part 52 forms a flow passage continuing to the cut 53a, and is formed in a cylindrical shape such that the flow passage expands from one bottom part 52a where the mouth part 53 is formed toward the other bottom part 52b. The rib part 54 is provided on an outer surface of the root part 52 and protrudes in a direction crossing the cut 53a.

Description

Valves and fluid refill containers

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a valve and a liquid refill container.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional duckbill valve. This duckbill valve includes a first flow path forming portion having a first flow path, and a second flow path forming portion between a first wall portion and a second wall portion, the second flow path having a second flow path that widens as it approaches the first flow path forming portion. The second flow path forming portion has a slit formed at its tip, and when the slit is open, the second flow path communicates with a downstream flow path, and when the slit is closed, communication between the second flow path and the downstream flow path is blocked. The ratio of the inner diameter of the first flow path forming portion divided by the outer diameter of the first flow path forming portion is less than 0.65, and the intersection angle between the first wall portion and the second wall portion is in the range of 50 degrees to 65 degrees. When the pressure difference in the second flow path relative to the pressure in the downstream flow path is a negative pressure of -75 kPa, the first wall portion and the second wall portion do not contact each other.

[0003] JP 2019-105368 A

[0004] The inventors of the present application have studied valves for containers that supply liquid to water discharge devices and have come to the following new realization: The duckbill valve described in Patent Document 1 has the function of allowing flow from the primary side to the secondary side and preventing flow in the reverse direction. However, with valves such as duckbill valves, for example, if the pressure on the primary and secondary sides becomes approximately the same after liquid has continued to flow from the primary side to the secondary side, the valve does not close completely, causing liquid to leak from the secondary side to the primary side.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a valve and a liquid refill container that can suppress the leakage of liquid.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present disclosure is a valve, which includes a mouth portion having a slit, a cylindrical base portion that forms a flow path continuous with the slit and widens the flow path from one bottom portion where the mouth portion is formed to the other bottom portion, and a rib portion that is provided on the outer surface of the base portion and extends in a direction intersecting the slit.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is a liquid supply container that includes the above-mentioned valve, a container body that contains liquid to be supplied to the water discharge device, and a lid that covers an opening of the container body and has a valve hole through which the valve is inserted.

[0008] 1 is an external perspective view of a water discharge device to which a liquid supply container according to an embodiment is attached; FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a part of the interior of the water discharge device; FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a water channel system and an electrical circuit system of the water discharge device; FIG. 4 is an exploded oblique view of a liquid supply container; FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a liquid supply container; FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of a supply valve; FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the supply valve; FIG. 8 is an external perspective view of a stopper portion; FIG. 9 is a plan view of the stopper portion; FIG. 10 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of a supply valve portion; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the mouth of the supply valve with the stopper portion inserted; FIG. 12 is an external perspective view of a supply valve according to a modified example; FIG. 13 is an external perspective view of a supply valve according to another modified example; FIG. 14 is an external perspective view of a supply valve according to yet another modified example; FIG. 15 is an external perspective view of a supply valve according to yet another modified example.

[0009] Below, an embodiment for implementing the water discharge device of the present disclosure will be described. Identical components will be assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. In each drawing, components will be omitted, enlarged, or reduced as appropriate for ease of explanation. The drawings should be viewed according to the orientation of the reference numerals. The structures and shapes referred to in this specification include not only structures and shapes that strictly match the contents referred to, but also structures and shapes that deviate by errors such as dimensional errors and manufacturing errors. In each drawing, some components that are not important for explaining the embodiment will be omitted.

[0010] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second are used to describe various components. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the configuration of the present disclosure. The following embodiments are provided as examples to help understand the contents of the present disclosure, and do not limit the configuration of the present disclosure.

[0011] [Embodiment] See Figure 1. Water discharger 1 houses piping and various components inside a rectangular parallelepiped case 10. Water discharger 1 is supplied with water from water supply device 80 by a hose 81 extending from water supply device 80, which is connected to a water supply port 11. Water supply device 80 has, for example, a temperature adjustment function, a flow rate adjustment function, and a function for switching between water flow and water stop.

[0012] The water discharger 1 has a hose 82 of a shower head 83 connected to the water outlet 12. The water discharger 1 discharges either water or bubbles from the water outlet 12, and either water or bubbles is discharged to the outside from the shower head 83 through the hose 82. The water discharger 1 may be connected to a device other than the shower head 83. The water discharger 1 may also directly discharge either water or bubbles to the outside. The water discharger 1 may be configured to include discharge components such as the shower head 83. The water discharger 1 may have all of the functions of the water supply device 80. The water discharger 1 may have some of the functions of the water supply device 80.

[0013] A liquid supply container 2 for supplying a liquid containing a foaming component is detachably connected to the water discharge device 1. An operation button 13 that can be operated by the user and a display 14 that can be seen by the user are arranged on the front of the case 10. The display 14 is composed of components such as an LED and a liquid crystal display. The size of the case 10 is, for example, approximately 15 cm in height, 20 cm in width, and 5 cm in depth. The size of the case 10 is not limited to this.

[0014] 2 and 3, the water discharge device 1 includes a switch 3, a liquid suction device 4, a foaming device 5, a compressor 6, a container mounting unit 7, a control circuit unit 8, and a power supply unit 9. A check valve 90 is connected downstream of the water supply port 11, and the check valve 90 and the switch 3 are connected by a flow path 110. The check valve 90 prevents water from flowing back from the flow path 110 toward the water supply port 11.

[0015] The switch 3 switches the flow of water to two flow paths 111 and 112 branching from the flow path 110. One of the flow paths 111 is connected to the junction 92. A check valve 91 provided in the flow path 111 prevents backflow from the junction 92 side to the switch 3 side. A flow rate regulator 93 and a check valve 94 are provided in the other flow path 112. The flow path 112 is connected to the liquid aspirator 4. The flow rate regulator 93 is composed of a constant flow valve, a pressure reducing valve, etc. The flow rate regulator 93 adjusts the downstream flow rate to, for example, about 1 liter per minute. The check valve 94 prevents backflow from the liquid aspirator 4 side to the switch 3 side.

[0016] The liquid aspirator 4 is, for example, an ejector. The liquid aspirator 4 aspirates the liquid supplied from the liquid supply container 2 into the water flowing in from the flow path 112, mixes it, and flows it to the downstream flow path 113. The liquid supply container 2 and the liquid aspirator 4 are connected by a flow path 114. A check valve 95 is arranged in the flow path 114 to prevent backflow from the liquid aspirator 4 side to the liquid supply container 2 side.

[0017] The flow path 113 is connected to the foamer 5. The flow path 113 supplies mixed water, which is a mixture of water and a liquid containing a foaming component, to the foamer 5. The foamer 5 generates foam by mixing compressed air from the compressor 6 with the mixed water supplied from the flow path 113, and flows the foam into the flow path 115. The compressor 6 sends compressed air to the foamer 5 through an air flow path 116. A check valve 96 is arranged in the flow path 116 to prevent backflow from the foamer 5 side to the compressor 6 side.

[0018] The junction 92 is a flow path that joins the flow path 111 and the flow path 115 and connects to the water outlet 12. As described above, the hose 82 of the shower head 83 is connected to the water outlet 12.

[0019] The control circuit unit 8 receives power from the power supply unit 9 and operates the switch 3, compressor 6, etc. The power supply unit 9 is, for example, a variety of batteries such as a lithium-ion battery. The power supply unit 9 may also be configured with a power supply circuit for using power supplied from a household power source. The control circuit unit 8 accepts operation input from the connected operation button 13 and operates the switch 3, compressor 6, etc. The control circuit unit 8 also displays information such as the operating status of the water discharger 1 and the remaining power level of the power supply unit 9 on the display 14.

[0020] The water discharger 1 discharges water supplied from the water supply device 80 through the flow path 111 from the water outlet 12 without generating bubbles. By switching with the switch 3, the water discharger 1 generates bubbles through the flow paths 112, 113, and 115 and discharges the bubbles from the water outlet 12. The water discharger 1 discharges fine bubbles by forming fine bubbles with the foaming device 5.

[0021] The water discharger 1 switches between a first discharge state in which supplied water is discharged and a second discharge state in which a fluid containing an additive is discharged. The fluid containing the additive in the second discharge state may contain air. The water discharger 1 may add a liquid having a foaming component to the supplied water as the fluid containing the additive in the second discharge state, and then add air to generate foam, which is discharged from the water outlet 12. The water discharger 1 may add various additives to the supplied water for the purpose of cleansing the user's body, improving beauty and health, etc. When adding an additive other than a liquid having a foaming component to the supplied water, the foamer 5 may be replaced with an ejector, and the compressor 6 may be replaced with an air intake mechanism.

[0022] The liquid supply container 2 contains a liquid additive to be added to the water supplied to the water discharger 1. The liquid supply container 2 is detachable from the water discharger 1, and can be replaced with a new one when the liquid inside the container runs out. The water discharger 1 can be equipped with a plurality of liquid supply containers 2 filled with liquids of different scents, for example, so that the user can change the liquid supply container 2 to suit their mood before the liquid runs out. The water discharger 1 can be made smaller by attaching and detaching the liquid supply container 2 to supply the additive.

[0023] See Figure 4. The liquid supply container 2 has a valve 150 composed of a container body 2a, a lid 20, a supply valve 50, and an intake valve 55. The container body 2a is a cylindrical, hollow container that contains liquid. The container body 2a has a cylindrical opening 2b. The lid 20 is attached to the opening 2b. The lid 20 has an inner lid 21 and an outer lid 22, and is attached so as to cover the opening 2b.

[0024] Inner lid 21 is a flattened cylinder having a plurality of valve holes 33, 34 penetrating bottom portions 31, 32. Valve hole 33 is provided at the center, and valve hole 34 is provided at an eccentric position. A supply valve 50 is attached to valve hole 33. An intake valve 55 is attached to valve hole 34.

[0025] The inner lid 21 has side walls 35, 36. The side wall 35 is cylindrical, and a bottom 31 is formed at the end on the container body 2a side. The side wall 35 is fitted to the inside of the opening 2b of the container body 2a. The side wall 36 has a larger diameter than the side wall 35, and is fitted to the outside of the opening 2b of the container body 2a.

[0026] The outer lid 22 has a flat, cylindrical shape and is attached to cover the inner lid 21. A side wall 41 of the outer lid 22 is fitted onto the inner surface of the container attachment portion 7 provided on the water discharger 1 side. A bottom 42 of the outer lid 22 has valve holes 43, 44 that penetrate the bottom 42 at positions corresponding to the valve holes 33, 34 of the inner lid 21. The bottom 42 has claws 45 that are hooked onto the side wall 36 of the inner lid 21 at four equal positions in the circumferential direction. The outer lid 22 has attachment portions 46 formed by drilling the side wall 41.

[0027] See Figure 5. The side wall 35 of the inner lid 21 is fitted tightly against the inside of the opening 2b of the container body 2a. The side wall 36 of the inner lid 21 is fitted into an annular protrusion 2c provided on the outside of the opening 2b of the container body 2a, thereby preventing it from coming off. The claw 45 of the outer lid 22 is hooked onto the side wall 36 of the inner lid 21. The mounting portion 46 of the outer lid 22 has a protrusion 46a. A claw 71 formed on the inside of the side wall 70 of the container mounting portion 7 is hooked onto the protrusion 46a.

[0028] The container mounting part 7 has a stopper part 60 provided on the bottom part 72. A stopper 63 of the stopper part 60 extends towards the liquid refill container 2 side and is inserted into the supply valve 50. The supply valve 50 is opened by inserting the stopper 63. When the supply valve 50 is opened, the liquid contained in the liquid refill container 2 flows into the flow path 114 through the stopper 63.

[0029] The supply valve 50 and the intake valve 55 are held in a sandwiched manner between the inner lid 21 and the outer lid 22 .

[0030] See FIG. 6 . The supply valve 50 and intake valve 55 constituting the valve 150 are made of an elastic material such as rubber and have the same structure. The supply valve 50 and intake valve 55 are duckbill valves or the like. The following description will be given using the supply valve 50 as an example. The supply valve 50 has a sealing portion 51, a base portion 52, a mouth portion 53, and a rib portion 54, and is formed into a cylindrical shape as a whole. The sealing portion 51 is cylindrical and has a flange portion 51a extending outward at one end. The other end of the sealing portion 51 is continuous with the base portion 52. The sealing portion 51 is provided on the outer side of the mouth portion 53 when viewed from the container body 2a side.

[0031] The root portion 52 is hollow and tubular, extending like a spatula, with a mouth portion 53 formed at one bottom portion 52a. The other bottom portion 52b of the root portion 52 is connected to the other end of the sealing portion 51. The root portion 52 widens from the one bottom portion 52a to the other bottom portion 52b. A linear slit 53a is provided in the mouth portion 53. The mouth portion 53 is closed when peripheral portions 53b, 53c on both sides of the slit 53a come into close contact with each other. The mouth portion 53 is closed in a free state where no load is applied.

[0032] Mouth 53 is opened by elastic deformation of peripheral edges 53b, 53c in a direction receding from slit 53a. When mouth 53 is opened, peripheral edges 53b, 53c deform in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of slit 53a and the central axis direction of supply valve 50. The central axis direction of supply valve 50 is the same as the insertion direction of plug 63 on the container attachment portion 7 side into supply valve 50. Mouth 53 is opened by elastic deformation of peripheral edges 53b, 53c in a direction intersecting the insertion direction of plug 63 inserted into supply valve 50.

[0033] 7, the root portion 52 has a first wall portion 52d and a second wall portion 52e extending from one bottom portion 52a to the other bottom portion 52b. The first wall portion 52d and the second wall portion 52e are inclined with respect to the axial direction of the root portion 52 so that the distance between them increases from the one bottom portion 52a to the other bottom portion 52b. A flow path S1 formed inside the root portion 52 increases in width from the one bottom portion 52a to the other bottom portion 52b. The flow path S1 is continuous with the cut 53a.

[0034] The rib portion 54 is provided on the outer surface 52c of the root portion 52 and is formed to protrude in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the slit 53a and the root portion 52. One end portion 54a of the rib portion 54 is connected to one bottom portion 52a of the root portion 52, extends from the one end portion 54a in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the slit 53a and the root portion 52, and then bends to extend in the axial direction of the root portion 52. The other end portion 54b of the rib portion 54 is connected to a position closer to the other bottom portion 52b of the root portion 52.

[0035] The rib portion 54 extends from one bottom portion 52a to the other bottom portion 52b of the root portion 52. The rib portion 54 is provided on both the first wall portion 52d and the second wall portion 52e. The outer edge portion 54c of the rib portion 54 contacts the inner surface of the valve hole 33 into which the root portion 52 is inserted.

[0036] 8 and 9 . The plug 60 has a plug main body 61, a barrel 62, and a plug 63. The plug main body 61 is cylindrical and has a flow path formed therein for the liquid to flow through. The barrel 62 is cylindrical and extends from the plug main body 61 toward the liquid refill container 2. The interior of the barrel 62 is connected to the interior of the plug main body 61. The plug 63 is rod-shaped and extends from an end 62a of the barrel 62 toward the liquid refill container 2, and is supported by the barrel 62. In a cross section intersecting the central axis direction, the plug 63 has a perforated outer surface, leaving plate-shaped members on two perpendicular diameters.

[0037] A plurality of through holes 62b are formed between the end 62a of the body 62 and the plug 63. The through holes 62b communicate with the interior of the body 62 and the interior of the plug main body 61. The liquid supplied from the liquid supply container 2 flows into the flow path 114 through the plurality of through holes 62b, the interior of the body 62, and the interior of the plug main body 61.

[0038] Next, the operation when attaching the liquid refill container 2 to the water discharger 1 will be described. Before attaching the liquid refill container 2 to the water discharger 1, the liquid refill container 2 can be carried in any position. For example, a user may hold the liquid refill container 2 with the lid portion 20 facing up, or may hold it upside down. When the plug 63 is not inserted, the supply valve 50 of the liquid refill container 2 is in a free state and closed. The intake valve 55 is also in a free state and closed.

[0039] When the lid 20 of the liquid supply container 2 is on the bottom side, the liquid in the container body 2a acts as weight and applies a load to the supply valve 50 and the intake valve 55. The load applied by the liquid acts in a direction that causes the peripheral edges 53b, 53c of the mouths 53 of the supply valve 50 and the intake valve 55 to come into close contact with each other, thereby maintaining the closed state. The ribs 54 of the supply valve 50 and the intake valve 55 help the peripheral edges 53b, 53c of the mouths 53 to come into close contact with each other.

[0040] 10 and 11 . With the liquid refill container 2 attached to the water discharger 1, the plug 63 is inserted into the supply valve 50. The mouth 53 of the supply valve 50 is opened by the insertion of the plug 63. The peripheral edges 53b, 53c of the mouth 53 elastically deform in a direction intersecting the insertion direction of the plug 63, and the slit 53a opens. The rib 54 elastically deforms under compressive force so as to be pressed between the peripheral edges 53b, 53c of the mouth 53 and the inner surface of the valve hole 33. As shown in FIG. 11 , a gap D is formed between the mouth 53 and the plug 63.

[0041] The liquid in the container body 2a flows out from the gap D and is supplied to the water discharge device 1 through the through-hole 62b of the stopper portion 60. The liquid supply container 2 is opened and closed by inserting and removing the stopper 63 into the supply valve 50, which is advantageous in simplifying the structure of the valve portion and reducing costs.

[0042] The sealing portion 51 of the supply valve 50 is fitted with the body portion 62 that supports the stopper 63, and prevents leakage by contacting and adhering to the body portion 62. As described above, the supply valve 50 is formed from an elastic material such as rubber, and can be tightly fitted to the body portion 62. The sealing portion 51 is prevented from shifting position by maintaining the position of the supply valve 50, and the function of preventing leakage can be maintained.

[0043] Supply valve 50 is held such that flange 51a is sandwiched between inner lid 21 and outer lid 22. Supply valve 50 can be held by inner lid 21 and outer lid 22 with a simple configuration.

[0044] The intake valve 55 can be configured in the same way as the supply valve 50. As described above, when the lid 20 of the liquid supply container 2 is on the bottom side, the intake valve 55 is closed. When the liquid in the container body 2a is supplied to the water discharge device 1 and the pressure inside the container body 2a drops, air is sucked in through the intake valve 55. The intake valve 55 opens at the moment the air is sucked in. At the moment the intake valve 55 opens, the sucked in air holds the liquid inside the container body 2a, thereby preventing liquid leakage.

[0045] Similar to the supply valve 50, the intake valve 55 is held by sandwiching the flange 51a between the inner lid 21 and the outer lid 22. The intake valve 55 can be held by the inner lid 21 and the outer lid 22 with a simple configuration.

[0046] When the liquid refill container 2 is removed from the water discharger 1, the plug 63 is pulled out from the supply valve 50. The rib portion 54 of the supply valve 50 elastically deforms to return to its original state due to a restoring force, and applies a force to the peripheral edges 53b, 53c of the opening 53 in a direction to close the slit 53a. By providing the rib portion 54, the supply valve 50 has an increased restoring force to close the slit 53a, making it possible to suppress the outflow of liquid.

[0047] The supply valve 50 is configured so that the rib portion 54 extends from one bottom portion 52a of the base portion 52 to the other bottom portion 52b, thereby ensuring contact with the inner surface of the valve hole 33 and allowing the rib portion 54 to exert its restoring force.

[0048] By connecting one end 54a of the rib portion 54 to one bottom 52a of the base portion 52, the supply valve 50 can apply a force to close the slit 53a at a location close to peripheral edges 53b, 53c of the slit 53a of the mouth portion 53. By connecting the other end 54b of the rib portion 54 to a position closer to the other bottom 52b of the base portion 52, the supply valve 50 can apply a restoring force to close the slit 53a of the mouth portion 53 from a position on the side of the other bottom 52b of the base portion 52.

[0049] When the rib portion 54 comes into contact with the inner surface of the valve hole 33, the supply valve 50 elastically deforms so as to be pressed between the peripheral portions 53b and 53c of the mouth portion 53 and the inner surface of the valve hole 33, and a restoring force can be applied to the mouth portion 53.

[0050] When the plug 63 is not inserted, the supply valve 50 may have the rib portion 54 in contact with the inner surface of the valve hole 33. When the plug 63 is not inserted, the supply valve 50 may have a gap between the rib portion 54 and the inner surface of the valve hole 33. The supply valve 50 may be configured so that when the plug 63 is inserted, the gap between the rib portion 54 and the inner surface of the valve hole 33 is filled, and the rib portion 54 is elastically deformed so as to be pressed into between the peripheral portions 53 b and 53 c and the inner surface of the valve hole 33.

[0051] The supply valve 50 functions such that when the stopper 63 is inserted, the liquid in the space S2 within the container body 2a flows into the flow path S1, and when the stopper 63 is pulled out, the liquid is prevented from leaking into the flow path S1.

[0052] Supply valve 50 may be used in a circuit configuration in which flow path S1 is the primary side and space S2 is the secondary side, and liquid flows from the primary side to the secondary side. Supply valve 50 functions such that, as the pressure of the liquid on the primary side (flow path S1 side) increases, slit 53a of opening portion 53 opens, allowing liquid to flow to the secondary side (space S2 side). As the pressure of the liquid on the primary side decreases and approaches the pressure on the secondary side, supply valve 50 closes slit 53a of opening portion 53, stopping the flow of liquid to the secondary side and suppressing the outflow of liquid from the secondary side to the primary side.

[0053] 12 . A valve 150 configured with a supply valve 50 and an intake valve 55 according to a modified example has a rib portion 54 that extends from one bottom 52a of the root portion 52 in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the notch 53a and the root portion 52. The rib portion 54 has a rod-shaped base 151 that extends from one bottom 52a of the root portion 52 in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the notch 53a and the root portion 52, and an arc-shaped outer edge portion 152 provided at the tip of the base 151. The outer edge portion 152 of the rib portion 54 contacts the inner surface of the valve hole 33.

[0054] In the modified valve 150, the rib portion 54 comes into contact with the inner surface of the valve hole 33, causing the rib portion 54 to be pushed between the peripheral portions 53b and 53c of the mouth portion 53 and the inner surface of the valve hole 33, resulting in elastic deformation, and a restoring force can be applied to the mouth portion 53.

[0055] 13 , a bulb 150 according to another modification has a plate-shaped rib 54 that extends from one bottom 52 a to the other bottom 52 b of the root portion 52. The rib 54 protrudes in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the cut 53 a and the root portion 52. An outer edge 54 c of the rib 54 contacts the inner surface of the valve hole 33.

[0056] When the rib portion 54 of the valve 150 comes into contact with the inner surface of the valve hole 33, the rib portion 54 is pushed between the peripheral portions 53b and 53c of the mouth portion 53 and the inner surface of the valve hole 33, causing elastic deformation, and a restoring force can be applied to the mouth portion 53.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 14 , a bulb 150 according to yet another modification has a rib portion 54 that extends from one bottom 52a to the other bottom 52b of the root portion 52 in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the slit 53a and the root portion 52. The rib portion 54 has a base 151 that extends in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the slit 53a and the root portion 52 and is bent midway, and an arc-shaped outer edge portion 152 provided at the tip of the base 151. The outer edge portion 152 of the rib portion 54 is formed from one bottom 52a to the other bottom 52b of the root portion 52. The rib portion 54 contacts the inner surface of the valve hole 33. The outer edge portion 152 of the rib portion 54 contacts the inner surface of the valve hole 33.

[0058] When the rib portion 54 of the valve 150 comes into contact with the inner surface of the valve hole 33, the rib portion 54 is pushed between the peripheral portions 53b and 53c of the mouth portion 53 and the inner surface of the valve hole 33, causing elastic deformation, and a restoring force can be applied to the mouth portion 53.

[0059] 15 . A bulb 150 according to yet another modification has a rib portion 54 that extends from one bottom 52a of the root portion 52 in a direction intersecting the slit 53a and the axial direction of the root portion 52. The rib portion 54 has two rod-shaped base portions 151 that extend from one bottom 52a of the root portion 52 in a direction intersecting the slit 53a and the axial direction of the root portion 52. The two base portions 151 are spaced apart in the direction in which the slit 53a extends. The tips of the base portions 151 of the rib portion 54 contact the inner surface of the valve hole 33.

[0060] When the rib portion 54 of the valve 150 comes into contact with the inner surface of the valve hole 33, the rib portion 54 is pushed between the peripheral portions 53b and 53c of the mouth portion 53 and the inner surface of the valve hole 33, causing elastic deformation, and a restoring force can be applied to the mouth portion 53.

[0061] Valve 150, which is composed of supply valve 50 and intake valve 55, is not limited to being cylindrical, but may be a polygonal tubular shape. Similarly, container body 2a and inner lid 21 and outer lid 22 of lid portion 20 are not limited to being cylindrical, but may be a polygonal tubular shape.

[0062] In addition to being held by sandwiching the supply valve 50 and the intake valve 55 between the inner lid 21 and the outer lid 22 as described above, the supply valve 50 and the intake valve 55 may be held by either the inner lid 21 or the outer lid 22 alone.

[0063] The shape of the stopper 63 provided in the container mounting portion 7 of the water discharger 1 is not limited to the above example. The stopper 63 may have any shape that creates a gap D between the stopper 63 and the opening 53 of the supply valve 50 when the stopper 63 is inserted into the supply valve 50.

[0064] Any combination of the above components is also valid as an aspect of the technical idea that abstracts the embodiment and the modified examples. For example, any description of another embodiment may be combined with the embodiment, or any description of an embodiment and another modified example may be combined with the modified example.

[0065] The above describes the embodiments and modifications. When understanding the abstract technical concepts of the embodiments and modifications, the technical concepts should not be interpreted as being limited to the contents of the embodiments and modifications. The above-described embodiments and modifications are merely illustrative examples, and many design modifications, such as changes, additions, and deletions of components, are possible. In the embodiments, the content in which such design modifications are possible is emphasized by adding the notation "embodiment." However, design modifications are also permitted even in content without such notation. Hatching on cross sections in the drawings does not limit the material of the hatched object.

[0066] When the technical ideas embodied in the above-described embodiments and modified examples are generalized, it can be said that the technical ideas described in the following items are included.

[0067] The first item is a valve having a mouth portion with a slit, a cylindrical base portion that forms a flow path continuous with the slit and in which the flow path widens as it moves from one bottom portion where the mouth portion is formed to the other bottom portion, and a rib portion that is provided on the outer surface of the base portion and extends in a direction that intersects with the slit.

[0068] A second item is the valve according to the first item, wherein the rib portion is provided so as to extend from the one bottom portion toward the other bottom portion.

[0069] A third item is a valve according to any one of the first and second items, wherein the rib portion has one end connected to the one bottom portion, extends from the one end in a direction intersecting the cut, bends and extends in the axial direction of the root portion, and is formed so that the other end is connected to the root portion.

[0070] The fourth item is a valve described in any one of the first to third items, in which the root portion is inserted into an external valve hole and the rib portion contacts the inner surface of the valve hole.

[0071] The fifth item is a liquid supply container comprising a valve described in any one of the first to third items, a container body that contains liquid to be supplied to the water discharge device, and a lid that covers the opening of the container body and has a valve hole through which the valve is inserted.

[0072] A sixth item is the liquid refill container according to the fifth item, wherein the rib contacts the inner surface of the valve hole.

[0073] The present disclosure relates to a valve and a liquid refill container, and can be used for the valve and the liquid refill container.

[0074] 1 Water discharge device, 2 Liquid supply container, 2a Container body, 2b Opening, 20 Lid portion, 33, 34 Valve hole, 50 Supply valve, 52 Base portion, 53 Mouth portion, 53a Cut, 54 Rib portion, 55 Intake valve, 150 Valve.

Claims

1. A valve comprising: a mouth portion having a slit; a tubular base portion which forms a flow path continuous with the slit, the flow path widening as it extends from one bottom portion where the mouth portion is formed to the other bottom portion; and a rib portion provided on the outer surface of the base portion which protrudes in a direction intersecting the slit.

2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein said rib portion is provided so as to extend from said one bottom portion to said other bottom portion.

3. A valve as described in claim 1, wherein the rib portion has one end connected to the bottom portion, extends from the one end in a direction intersecting the cut, bends and extends in the axial direction of the root portion, and is formed so that the other end is connected to the root portion.

4. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the root portion is inserted into an external valve hole, and the rib portion contacts the inner surface of the valve hole.

5. A liquid supply container comprising: a valve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3; a container body for containing liquid to be supplied to a water discharge device; and a lid portion covering an opening of the container body and having a valve hole through which the valve is inserted.

6. The liquid supply container according to claim 5, wherein said rib portion contacts the inner surface of said valve hole.