Water-repellent container

Abstract

Provided is a water-repellent container that solves a problem with respect to the storage stability of a single-component water-repellent agent. This water-repellent container comprises: a cartridge 4 that is filled with a water repellent and that includes a discharge part 42 having a discharge port 42h from which the water repellent filling the cartridge is discharged; a container body 1 into which the cartridge 4 can be removably loaded; and a porous body 5 that includes a contact surface 52 which makes contact with a target surface on which the water-repellent agent is applied, and that is attached to the container body 1 such that, in a state where the cartridge 4 is loaded, a surface 53 on a side opposite the contact surface 52 faces a portion 43, of the discharge part, that includes the discharge port 42h.

Description

Water repellent container

[0001] The present invention relates to a water repellent container for storing a water repellent used on vehicle window panes and the like.

[0002] Conventionally, in vehicles such as automobiles, water repellents have been applied to glass surfaces such as windshields and mirrors in order to ensure visibility when driving in the rain. Specifically, silicone-based water repellents containing amino-modified polysiloxane as a main component (see, for example, Patent Document 1) and fluorine-based water repellents containing fluorosilane compounds as a main component (see, for example, Patent Document 2) have been proposed. Among these, fluorine-based water repellents have been widely available on the market in recent years because they are excellent in water repellency and durability, and can also impart oil repellency, thereby helping to prevent oil film formation.

[0003] However, fluorine-based water repellents have problems such as poor storage stability, in that their performance deteriorates significantly when moisture gets into the product, and their performance deteriorates over time due to the action of the catalyst component contained in the product. To address this issue, a technology has been disclosed that solves the problems of product storage stability and performance deterioration due to moisture by storing the main component, a fluorosilane compound such as a fluoroalkylsilane, and its catalyst component in separate containers and mixing them just before application to the glass surface (see Patent Document 3). However, this requires mixing the two-component water repellent just before application and then spreading it on the glass surface, making the application process more complicated.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-129248 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-115151 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-160361

[0005] As a result, the storage stability issue has been ignored, and the mainstream has become one-component fluorine-based water repellents, in which all the water repellent ingredients needed for application are packed into one container. However, even silicone-based water repellents have inherent storage stability issues, although to varying degrees.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a water repellent container that solves the storage stability problem of one-component water repellents.

[0007] The above object is achieved by the present invention, which is described below. That is, the present invention provides a water repellent container comprising: a cartridge filled with a water repellent and equipped with a discharge part having a discharge port through which the filled water repellent is discharged, a container body into which the cartridge can be detachably loaded, and a porous body having a contact surface with a target surface to which the water repellent is to be applied, the porous body being attached to the container body such that, when the cartridge is loaded, the surface opposite the contact surface faces the portion of the discharge part having the discharge port.

[0008] In the present invention, the discharge portion comprises: a discharge pipe having an opening at one end which serves as the discharge port and an opening at the other end which is located inside the cartridge; and an intake pipe having an opening at one end which serves as an intake port facing the outside of the cartridge and an opening at the other end which is located inside the cartridge, and the position of the opening at the other end of the intake pipe may be farther from the discharge port than the position of the opening at the other end of the discharge pipe.

[0009] In addition, in the present invention, the container body may have a partition plate interposed between the porous body and the discharge part and abutting against a portion of the discharge part having the discharge outlet, and the partition plate may have a communication hole communicating with the discharge outlet.

[0010] According to the present invention, a water repellent agent with storage stability concerns is filled into a cartridge, which is then detachably loaded into the container body and used, making it disposable, and a new cartridge is used the next time it is used, thereby eliminating the storage stability problem of one-component water repellents.

[0011] 1 is a perspective view from above the front of a water repellent container according to a first embodiment, which is an exemplary aspect of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view from above of a water repellent container according to the first embodiment, which is an exemplary aspect of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective see-through view of a water repellent container according to the first embodiment, which is an exemplary aspect of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an exploded view from above the front of a water repellent container according to the first embodiment, which is an exemplary aspect of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a front view of only the container body extracted from the water repellent container according to the first embodiment; FIG. 6 is a left side view of only the container body extracted from the water repellent container according to the first embodiment; FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a porous body-accommodating section and its surroundings, with the container body and cartridge extracted from the water repellent container according to the first embodiment; FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view of the inside stopper extracted from the cartridge of the water repellent container according to the first embodiment; FIG. 9 is an enlarged side see-through view of the inside stopper extracted from the cartridge of the water repellent container according to the first embodiment; FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view from above of a bottom cover of the water repellent container according to the first embodiment; FIG. 11 is a perspective see-through view of the bottom cover of the water repellent container according to the first embodiment; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the bottom cover of the water repellent container according to the first embodiment; Fig. 1 is an exploded view seen from above the front of a water repellent agent container according to a second embodiment, which is an exemplary aspect of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view seen from above the front of a water repellent agent container according to the second embodiment, with only the container body extracted. Fig. 3 is a perspective view seen from above the front of a container body in a modified example. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a container body in a modified example. Fig. 5 is a perspective view seen from below the front of a container body in a modified example. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a water repellent agent container according to a modified example.

[0012] Hereinafter, a water repellent container according to an embodiment, which is an exemplary aspect of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. [First Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a perspective view from above the front showing a water repellent container 10 according to a first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view from the front, and Fig. 3 is a perspective see-through view drawn from above the front so that the interior can be seen through. Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the water repellent container 10 according to this embodiment, as seen from above the front. Note that, although not shown in Fig. 1, a cartridge 4 is loaded inside.

[0013] In the drawings, the arrow x direction and its opposite direction represent the right-left direction, the arrow y direction and its opposite direction represent the rear-front direction, and the arrow z direction and its opposite direction represent the up-down direction (the same applies to the drawings hereinafter in which the coordinate axes x, y, and z are written). Note that these up-down, left-right, front-back directions are given for the convenience of explanation and have no relation to the orientation of the water repellent container 10 during use or storage.

[0014] 1 to 4, the water repellent container 10 according to this embodiment includes a container body 1, a cap 2, a bottom cover 3, a cartridge 4, and a porous body 5. In this embodiment, the container body 1, the cap 2, and the bottom cover 3 are made of resin, the cartridge 4 is made of glass, and the porous body 5 is made of felt. As will be described later, suitable materials are selected for each of these, but the present invention is not limited to the materials used in this embodiment.

[0015] Fig. 5 is a front view of only the container body 1 extracted from the water repellent container 10 according to this embodiment, and Fig. 6 is a left side view. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the container body 1 has a cartridge storage section 11, a porous body storage section 12, and a connecting section 13 that connects the cartridge storage section 11 and the porous body storage section 12.

[0016] The cartridge storage section 11 has an upper cylindrical section 11a with an elliptical cross section, which splits into two at approximately the center in the vertical direction to form a pair of clip sections 11b. The cylindrical section 11a has a pair of second protrusions 18 that protrude in both the front and rear directions near an arch-shaped section 11d that branches into the pair of clip sections 11b at the bottom.

[0017] The pair of clip portions 11b have their curved, concave inner surfaces facing each other, and the cartridge 4 is accommodated and loaded in this facing space. The pair of clip portions 11b sandwich the cartridge 4 by utilizing the elasticity of the resin. A pair of first protrusions 16 protruding in opposing directions are provided on the facing inner surfaces of the pair of clip portions 11b.

[0018] The diameter of the cylindrical portion 11a narrows at a step portion 11c, and it is connected to the connecting portion 13. The connecting portion 13 has a flat, approximately triangular truncated pyramid shape that widens upward, and is connected to the porous body storage portion 12. There are no corners between the three side surfaces of the connecting portion 13, and the side surfaces are connected to each other by a gently curved surface. The porous body storage portion 12 consists of a convex wall 12a in the shape of an approximately equilateral triangle that surrounds the porous body storage position 17, and a bottom portion 12b whose top surface contacts the porous body 5.

[0019] Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the container body 1 showing the porous body storage section 12 and its surroundings. In Figure 7, the porous body 5 is not attached, but the cartridge 4 is attached. As shown in Figure 7, the convex wall 12a has no corners at the vertices of the approximately equilateral triangle, and adjacent sides are connected by a gently curved surface. The inner surfaces of each of these three convex walls 12a are provided with protrusions 15, each consisting of a series of multiple sharp protrusions (six in this embodiment).

[0020] The porous body storage section 12 has a flange 14 extending outward from the outer periphery of the three convex walls 12a, and the flange 14 is flush with the bottom 12b. Because the flange 14 is thinner than the bottom 12b, the two convex walls are not flush with each other (see FIG. 5). A hole 19 is formed in the center of the bottom 12b.

[0021] In the water repellent container 10 according to this embodiment, a porous body 5 is accommodated in the porous body accommodation portion 12. The porous body 5 has a substantially equilateral triangular shape that is substantially the same as the inner peripheral surface of the convex wall 12a, and has a thickness that is greater than the height of the convex wall 12a. Therefore, when the porous body 5 is accommodated in the porous body accommodation portion 12, the upper surface of the porous body 5 protrudes upward beyond the convex wall 12a, and serves as a contact surface 52 with the target surface to which the water repellent is to be applied (such as the glass surface of an automobile window). Furthermore, as will be described later, a lower surface 53, which is the surface opposite the contact surface 52, serves as the surface that faces (abuts on or is in close proximity to) the discharge port 42h of the cartridge 4.

[0022] As shown in Figure 4, the porous body 5 is fitted from above into the porous body-accommodating section 12 of the container body 1 and accommodated in the porous body-accommodating section 12. At this time, the protrusions 15 protruding from the inner surface of the convex wall 12a surround and protrude from the porous body 5 from three directions, firmly holding the porous body 5. Therefore, the porous body 5 will not easily fall off from the porous body-accommodating section 12. However, because it is not completely fixed, the porous body 5 can be detached and replaced with a new one when its functionality deteriorates due to deterioration or dirt, or as appropriate depending on the number of times or period of use.

[0023] A very thin through-hole 51 (approximately 1 mm to 10 mm in diameter) is provided in the center of the porous body 5. In the water repellent agent container 10 according to this embodiment, the porous body 5 is made of felt as described above, but any material suitable for applying a water repellent agent, such as sponge, woven fabric, or nonwoven fabric, can be appropriately selected.

[0024] In order to prevent contamination or damage to the porous body 5 when not in use, or to prevent the water repellent agent impregnated in the porous body 5 from coming into contact with other objects and soiling them, the porous body storage section 12 in which the porous body 5 is stored can be entirely covered with a cap 2, as shown in Fig. 4. The cap 2 is made up of a top plate 21 in the shape of a substantially equilateral triangle and side plates 22 standing upright downward from the edge of the top plate 21.

[0025] The shape of the inner surface of the side plate 22 is a substantially equilateral triangle that is either the same as or slightly smaller than the outer circumferential surface of the convex wall 12a, and as shown in Fig. 4, the cap 2 is fitted onto the outside of the convex wall 12a from above to cover and seal the entire porous body accommodating section 12. At this time, if the shape of the inner surface of the side plate 22 is slightly smaller than the outer circumferential surface of the convex wall 12a, a tight fit is achieved, which ensures stable fixation of the cap 2 to the convex wall 12a.

[0026] The cap 2 does not advance further downward when the lower end of the side plate 22 abuts against the flange portion 14. This maintains a gap between the top plate 21 of the cap 2 and the contact surface 52 of the porous body 5, preventing the porous body 5 from being compressed and deformed. The extension width of the flange portion 14 from the outer peripheral surface of the convex wall 12a and the thickness of the side plate 22 of the cap 2 are approximately equal as shown in Figures 1 to 3, so that the side plate 22 and the flange portion 14 are flush with each other when the cap 2 is attached.

[0027] 2, the cartridge 4 comprises a cartridge body 41 and an inner plug (discharge portion) 42, and when the cartridge 4 is distributed, stored, or sold individually or in a group of multiple cartridges 4, a spout 43 is further sealed with a lid (not shown). A male screw thread 44 is provided on the outer periphery of the spout 43, onto which a lid (not shown) is screwed.

[0028] The cartridge body 41 is a glass bottle, preferably colored glass to suppress the effects of ultraviolet rays. If the cartridge body 41 is made of glass, it has a higher airtightness than a plastic container, and if the spout 43 is sealed with a lid (not shown), deterioration of the water repellent agent can be suppressed.

[0029] An inner stopper 42 is fitted into the spout 43 of the cartridge 4. The inner stopper 42 is made of a resilient plastic such as polyvinyl chloride, and is a component provided to restrict the amount of water repellent agent dispensed into the cartridge body 41 so that the agent dispenses little by little rather than in large quantities all at once.

[0030] Figure 8 shows an enlarged plan view (viewed from above) of the inside of the inside plug 42, and Figure 9 shows an enlarged side perspective view of the inside of the inside plug 42 when viewed from the side. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the inside plug 42 has a cylindrical inside plug main body 42b, an inside plug flange 42a that extends outward in a disk-like shape from the upper end of the inside plug main body 42b, a bottom plate 42k that closes the opening at the lower end of the inside plug main body 42b, a discharge pipe (discharge piping) 42c that stands upright from the center of the bottom plate 42k, and an air pipe (intake piping) 42d that stands upright downward from the bottom plate 42k.

[0031] The inside plug body 42b has an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the spout 43 of the cartridge 4, and is fixed by being press-fitted into the spout 43, to which the inside plug 42 is attached. The discharge pipe 42c has an opening at one end as an upper discharge port 42h that discharges the water repellent agent to the outside, and an opening at the other end as an inlet 42j at a lower end that is located inside the cartridge body 41 and takes in the filled water repellent agent. The discharge pipe 42c communicates between the discharge port 42h and the inlet 42j, and a flow path 42e is formed between the inlet 42j and the discharge port 42h. The flow path 42e gradually narrows near the inlet 42j toward the inlet 42j, and the opening area of ​​the inlet 42j is smaller than that of the discharge port 42h.

[0032] An annular space 42g is formed between the inside plug main body 42b and the discharge pipe 42c. When the inside plug 42 is attached to the cartridge body 41, the air pipe 42d protrudes into the cartridge body 41, and a tip opening (opening at the other end) 42m at the tip of the air pipe 42d communicates with a base opening 42n that is connected to the annular space 42g. The base opening 42n, which corresponds to the "one end opening" referred to in the present invention, functions as an air intake port facing the outside of the cartridge 4. An air passage 42f is formed between the tip opening 42m and the base opening 42n of the air pipe 42d. The air passage 42f gradually narrows from the base opening 42n toward the tip opening 42m, and the opening area of ​​the tip opening 42m is smaller than that of the base opening 42n.

[0033] When the cartridge 4 is turned upside down to use the water repellent, the water repellent filled in the cartridge body 41 attempts to flow into the flow path 42e from the inlet 42j, which is located below the tip opening 42m and is subjected to a large amount of water pressure. However, if the inner plug 42 only has a communication path through the discharge pipe 42c (inlet 42j - flow path 42e - discharge outlet 42h; hereinafter referred to as the "water repellent communication path 42jeh"), the water repellent contained in the cartridge body 41 will not be discharged because atmospheric pressure acts on the water repellent communication path 42jeh.

[0034] However, the inside plug 42 has an air communication passage (from the base end opening 42n to the air passage 42f to the tip end opening 42m; hereafter referred to as the "air communication passage 42nfm") via the air pipe 42d, which is provided alongside the water repellent communication passage 42jeh. As a result, atmospheric pressure acts on the air communication passage 42nfm, sending air into the cartridge body 41, which in turn pushes the water repellent agent out through the intake port 42j, into the flow path 42e, and then out through the discharge port 42h. As described above, the water repellent agent filled in the cartridge body 41 is discharged smoothly and little by little from the discharge port 42h.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, after removing the lid (not shown), the cartridge 4 is inserted between the pair of clip portions 11b from below the container body 1. The width of the cartridge 4 in the left-right direction (x coordinate direction) is slightly smaller than the maximum width of the opposing surfaces of the pair of clip portions 11b, allowing for smooth insertion, but is larger than the distance between the apexes of the pair of second protrusions 18. Therefore, when the cartridge 4 passes between the pair of second protrusions 18, the pair of clip portions 11b bend and expand due to their elasticity.

[0036] Then, at the position where the upper end of the spout 43 of the cartridge 4 emerges from the hole 19 toward the porous body accommodating position 17, the bottle shoulder 46 of the cartridge 4 comes into contact with the inner corner of the stepped portion 11c of the container body 1 and stops. At exactly this position, the bottle bottom 45 of the cartridge 4 finishes passing over the pair of second protrusions 18, the bending of the pair of clip portions 11b returns to its original state, and the distance between the vertices of the pair of second protrusions 18 also returns to its original state. Then, as shown in Figure 2, both the left and right ends of the bottle bottom 45 of the cartridge 4 are locked by the pair of second protrusions 18.

[0037] 2, upward movement of the cartridge 4 is restricted by the contact between the bottle shoulder 46 and the step 11c, and downward movement of the cartridge 4 is restricted by the engagement between the bottle bottom 45 and the pair of second protrusions 18. This restriction on vertical movement allows the cartridge 4 to be held and loaded in the container body 1. Note that the restriction on vertical movement of the cartridge 4 does not have to be completely restricted, and there may be some play that allows some vertical movement.

[0038] 2 and 7, the inner plug 42 at the upper end of the cartridge 4 is exposed through the hole 19. A portion 43p of the inner plug 42 having the discharge port 42h is located approximately flush with the upper surface of the bottom portion 12b. Therefore, the lower surface 53 of the porous body 5 contained in the porous body containing portion 12 is in abutting contact with the portion 43p having the discharge port 42h. Note that the lower surface 53 of the porous body 5 and the discharge port 42h do not necessarily have to abut; they may be spaced apart or close to each other.

[0039] 2, the discharge pipe 42c in the inner plug 42 of the cartridge 4 is connected to a through-hole 51 provided in the porous body 5. Therefore, the flow path 42e in the inner plug 42 and the through-hole 51 are in communication with each other.

[0040] To remove the cartridge 4 from the container body 1, simply grasp the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge body 41, visible between the pair of clip portions 11b, below the arched portion 11d with your fingers from the front and back, and pull it downward from the container body 1. When a force acts to move the cartridge 4 downward from the container body 1, the pair of second protrusions 18 that engage the left and right ends of the bottle bottom 45 are pushed left and right, opening the pair of clip portions 11b. Once the bottle bottom 45 clears the pair of second protrusions 18, the cartridge 4 can be pulled downward from the container body 1, and the cartridge 4 can be removed from the container body 1. As described above, the water repellent container 10 according to this embodiment is designed so that the cartridge 4 can be removably loaded into the container body 1.

[0041] Fig. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view from the front of the lower cover 3 of the water repellent container 10 according to this embodiment, and Fig. 11 is a perspective view drawn so as to allow the interior to be seen through. The lower cover 3 comprises a cup-shaped cover main body 31 with an oval upper opening, and two plate-like ribs 32 rising from the bottom inside the cover main body 31.

[0042] The two ribs 32 are connected to the cover body 31 from the front surface of the cover body 31 through the bottom to the rear surface. These two ribs 32 are provided mainly to maintain the strength of the entire lower cover 3. In addition, a pair of locking holes 33 are drilled on the front and rear surfaces of the cover body 31 near the top opening.

[0043] 4, the lower cover 3 is placed from below the container body 1 with the cartridge 4 attached, with its upper opening facing the cartridge storage section 11, so as to surround the outside of the pair of clip portions 11b. The shape of the inner periphery of the lower cover 3 is slightly larger than the shape of the outer periphery of the pair of clip portions 11b and the cylindrical portion 11a, so that the cartridge storage section 11 can be smoothly inserted into the lower cover 3.

[0044] When the edges of the upper opening of the lower cover 3 reach the pair of first protrusions 16 provided on the cartridge storage section 11, the shape of the upper opening of the lower cover 3 deforms and moves over the pair of first protrusions 16, and the lower cover 3 continues to move upward. Then, when the positions of the locking holes 33 provided on the lower cover 3 reach the positions of the first protrusions 16, the pair of first protrusions 16 fit into and are locked into the pair of locking holes 33. In this way, the lower cover 3 is attached to the container body 1.

[0045] In this embodiment, when the cartridge 4 is attached to the container body 1, the upper end of the rib 32 is spaced apart from the bottle bottom 45 of the cartridge 4. However, if the rib 32 is extended further upward and abuts against the bottle bottom 45, the lower cover 3 can restrict downward movement of the cartridge 4. Therefore, in this case, the cartridge 4 can be firmly held in the container body 1 together with the pair of second protrusions 18. Alternatively, the cartridge 4 can be held in the container body 1 without providing the pair of second protrusions 18. In the latter case, the cartridge 4 can be easily removed from the container body 1 by simply removing the lower cover 3, as described below.

[0046] When removing the lower cover 3 from the container body 1, the user can pinch both ends (left and right ends) of the major axis of the circumferential surface of the cover body 31 with the fingers, deform the upper opening of the cover body 31, and then pull it down toward the container body 1. Alternatively, by slightly suppressing the protrusion of the first convex portion 16, the lower cover 3 can be removed from the container body 1 by simply pulling it down toward the container body 1 without deforming the cover body 31.

[0047] 1, a user holding the assembled water repellent container 10 removes the cap 2 to expose the porous body 5. Before and after this, the user turns the water repellent container 10 upside down so that the exposed surface of the porous body 5 (the upper surface in FIGS. 1 to 4) faces downward, and the water repellent in the cartridge 4 is discharged from the discharge port 42h and allowed to soak into the porous body 5.

[0048] The discharge pipe 42c in the inner plug 42 of the cartridge 4 is connected to the through-hole 51 provided in the porous body 5, so that the water repellent agent discharged from the discharge port 42h easily reaches the contact surface 52 of the porous body 5. Even if the porous body 5 does not have the through-hole 51, the water repellent agent will reach the contact surface 52 if it is allowed to soak into the entire porous body 5, but it will take time for the water repellent agent to become ready for use, so it is preferable to provide the through-hole 51 as in this embodiment.

[0049] The user holds the container body 1 in the palm of their hand, brings the contact surface 52 of the porous body 5 into contact with the surface to which the water repellent is to be applied (such as the glass surface of an automobile window), and then rubs the surface evenly to spread and apply the water repellent. Since the contact surface 52 of the porous body 5 is shaped like a roughly equilateral triangle, the water repellent can be spread without stress over, for example, the four roughly right-angled corners of the glass surface of an automobile window.

[0050] That is, the corners of the surface to which the water repellent is to be applied, including the four corners of an automobile window, are approximately right angles or obtuse angles, and the contact surface 52 of the porous body 5, which has a smaller angle and is approximately equilateral triangular, can easily reach the corners and spread the water repellent without stress. Also, because the contact surface 52 of the porous body 5 is approximately equilateral triangular, all corners can be used in the same way, so even if the water repellent container 10 rotates during use, for example, the work can be continued as is without having to change hands.

[0051] After applying the water repellent agent, the water repellent container 10 can be covered with the cap 2 and the remaining water repellent agent can be stored for the next use. However, once opened and exposed to air, the water repellent agent deteriorates quickly, and if not used up immediately, the water repellent effect will be significantly reduced. Therefore, it is preferable that the cartridge 4 is filled with only the amount needed for one use, or an amount with a margin therefor. In other words, it is recommended that the cartridge 4 be used up once and then replaced with a new cartridge 4 for the next use. Therefore, the water repellent container 10 of this embodiment can solve the storage stability problem of one-component water repellents.

[0052] The glass surface area of ​​automobile windows varies greatly, from small cars to large cars, or from small trucks to large trucks. Therefore, the amount of water repellent used per use also varies depending on the vehicle type. Therefore, it is possible to prepare cartridges 4 with different filling amounts for each vehicle type. For example, cartridges 4 with different filling amounts, such as a full cartridge 4 for large cars and a half-full cartridge 4 for small cars, can be prepared and sold on the premise that they will be used up.

[0053] It is also possible to prepare multiple cartridges with different vertical lengths and different contents. In this case, by providing the second protrusions 18 at vertical positions corresponding to the length of each cartridge, a water repellent container dedicated to each cartridge can be created. Alternatively, by providing second protrusions 18 with a smaller protrusion height at all vertical positions corresponding to the length of each cartridge, a water repellent container compatible with cartridges of all lengths can be created. In the latter case, the height of the ribs 32 can be adjusted so that the ribs 32 can be used instead of the second protrusions 18 to hold the longest cartridge.

[0054] When multiple second convex portions 18 with a smaller protruding height are provided, the protruding height can be gradually increased from the top (the ejection port 42h side of the cartridge 4) to the bottom (the bottle bottom 45 side of the cartridge 4), thereby effectively exerting the holding force of the cartridge 4 by the second convex portions 18.

[0055] In this embodiment, the cap 2 and the bottom cover 3 are optional components and are not essential. Even without the bottom cover 3, the cartridge 4 is detachably loaded into the container body 1, and the user can apply the water repellent by simply gripping the container body 1.

[0056] [Second embodiment] Figure 12 is a perspective view of a water repellent agent container 60 according to a second embodiment, as seen from above the front. Also, Figure 13 is an exploded view of the water repellent agent container 60 according to this embodiment, as seen from above the front. In Figures 12 and 13 and Figure 14 described below, the same reference numerals are used to designate components that are similar to those in the water repellent agent container 10 according to the first embodiment, and a description of the similar components will be omitted, with differences being mainly described below.

[0057] The water repellent agent container 60 according to this embodiment differs from the water repellent agent container 10 according to the first embodiment in that it does not have the cap 2 or the bottom cover 3 and has a simpler structure for the container body 61. Figure 14 is a perspective view of only the container body 61 extracted from the water repellent agent container 60 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 14, the container body 61 in this embodiment has a cartridge attachment portion 63 and a porous body storage portion 62.

[0058] The porous body storage section 62 is a member having substantially the same configuration and equivalent function as the porous body storage section 12 in the container body 1 of the water repellent container 10 according to the first embodiment. Accordingly, the porous body storage section 62 is composed of a substantially equilateral triangular convex wall 62a surrounding the porous body storage position 67, a bottom surface 62b whose upper surface is in contact with the porous body 5, and a flange portion 64 whose lower surface is flush with the bottom surface 62b and extends outward from the outer periphery of the three convex walls 62a. A hole 69 is formed in the center of the bottom surface 62b.

[0059] In the water repellent agent container 60 according to this embodiment, the porous body 5 is accommodated in the porous body accommodation portion 62. However, no sharp protrusions like the protrusions 15 in the first embodiment are provided on the inner surfaces of the convex walls 62a of the porous body accommodation portion 62. Because the inner peripheries of the three convex walls 62a are designed to be sufficiently larger than the outer periphery of the porous body 5, the porous body 5 is tightly fitted, and is firmly held in the porous body accommodation position 67 even without any sharp protrusions. Furthermore, the porous body 5 may be fixed to the bottom portion 62b or the inner surfaces of the convex walls 62a with an adhesive. Of course, as in the first embodiment, sharp protrusions like the protrusions 15 may be provided.

[0060] Unlike the cartridge storage section 11 in the container body 1 of the water repellent container 10 according to the first embodiment, the cartridge attachment section 63 is a cylindrical member that stands downward from the lower surface of the bottom section 62b. A female screw thread 65 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cartridge attachment section 63. The male screw thread 44 provided on the spout 43 threadably engages with this female screw thread 65, allowing the cartridge 4 to be detachably loaded into the container body 61. When attaching (loading) the cartridge 4 to the container body 61, the cartridge 4 is turned clockwise relative to the container body 61, and when removing it, the cartridge 4 is turned counterclockwise.

[0061] When the cartridge 4 is loaded into the container body 61, the upper end of the spout 43 of the cartridge 4 emerges from the hole 69 toward the porous body accommodating position 67. Then, by accommodating the porous body 5 in the porous body accommodating section 62, the water repellent container 60 shown in Figure 12 is assembled. For ease of explanation, it has been described that the cartridge 4 is loaded into the container body 61 and then the porous body 5 is accommodated in the porous body accommodating section 62, but in consideration of the use of a cartridge 4 that accommodates only a single-use amount of water repellent and is replaced each time, it is common to load the cartridge 4 into the container body 61 in which the porous body 5 is accommodated in the porous body accommodating section 62.

[0062] While holding the cartridge 4 in the palm of the hand, the user brings the contact surface 52 of the porous body 5 into contact with the surface to which the water repellent is to be applied (such as the glass surface of an automobile window) to supply the water repellent, and then rubs the surface evenly to spread and apply the water repellent. As with the first embodiment, the water repellent container 10 of this embodiment can spread the water repellent without stress, for example, to the four roughly right-angled corners of the glass surface of an automobile window. The water repellent container 10 of this embodiment allows the cartridge 4 to be held in the palm of the hand even without the lower cover 3 of the first embodiment, so the water repellent can be applied without any problems.

[0063] As described in the first embodiment, it is desirable to remove the cartridge 4 from the container body 61 of the water repellent container 10 after applying the water repellent agent and load a new cartridge 4 the next time it is used. Also, in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, multiple cartridges with different filling volumes can be prepared depending on the vehicle and the area of ​​the glass surface, and sold as a one-time use. Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple cartridges with different sizes and storage capacities can be prepared and sold as a one-time use. In this embodiment, since there is no bottom cover and the cartridge 4 is exposed, cartridges of different sizes can be loaded into the container body 61 even if the cartridge bodies are different sizes, as long as the male thread of the spout threads engages with the female thread 65 on the inner surface of the cartridge mounting portion 63.

[0064] The first and second embodiments described above are merely representative examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, the shapes and materials of the components are merely examples, and various selections can be made.

[0065] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, an example is given in which the portion of the cartridge 4 having the discharge port 42h (the upper end of the inner plug 42) is in direct contact with the porous body 5, but it is also possible to interpose a structure (hereinafter referred to as a "water repellent amount adjustment structure") between the two that further reduces the amount of water repellent discharged and adjusts the amount supplied to the porous body 5.

[0066] [Modifications] A modification in which a water repellent amount adjustment structure is interposed will now be described. Fig. 15 is a perspective view from above the front of a container body 71 in this modification, Fig. 16 is a plan view of the container body 71 in this modification, and Fig. 17 is a perspective view from below the front of the container body 71 in this modification. Fig. 18 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the essential parts of the container body 71 and its periphery in a water repellent container in which a porous body 5 is attached to the container body 71 shown in this modification and a cartridge 4 is loaded. In Fig. 18, the container body 71 is shown in cross section A-A in Fig. 16.

[0067] The container body 71 shown in this modification is used in place of the container body 61 in the second embodiment. This modification can also be applied to the first embodiment by changing the structure of the porous body storage section 12 in the container body 1 to the structure of the porous body storage section 72 in this modification, which will be described later. Note that the same reference numerals as the respective members in the second embodiment are used to denote components having the same configuration as the water repellent container 10 in the second embodiment, and explanations thereof will be omitted, and differences will mainly be described below.

[0068] The porous body storage section 72 of the container body 71 in this modified example does not have the hole 69 provided in the bottom surface 62b in the second embodiment. Therefore, the bottom surface 72b also exists in the area where the spout 43 of the cartridge 4 comes into contact from below (the circular area indicated by reference numeral 79 in the figure). Hereinafter, this circular area 79 will be referred to as the "partition plate 79." The lower surface 53, which is the surface of the porous body 5 opposite the contact surface 52, and the spout 43, which is the area having the discharge port 42h of the cartridge 4, face each other via the partition plate 79.

[0069] 17 and 18, a very short cylindrical first protrusion 75 and a second protrusion 76 that is slightly longer and has a smaller diameter and is concentric with the first protrusion 75 are erected on the underside of the partition plate 79. As in the second embodiment, when the male thread 44 of the spout 43 is screwed into the female thread 65 of the cartridge mounting portion 63 to attach (load) the cartridge 4 into the container body 71, as shown in FIG. 18, the upper end of the inside plug body 42b fits onto the outside of the first protrusion 75, and the tip of the discharge pipe 42c fits inside the second protrusion 76.

[0070] As shown in Figure 18, the partition plate 79 is interposed between the porous body 5 and the inside plug (discharge portion) 42, and abuts against the portion of the inside plug 42 having the discharge port 42h (pouring spout 43). As shown in Figure 18, the partition plate 79 is provided with a communication hole 77 that communicates with the discharge port 42h. Therefore, the communication hole 77 communicates with the water repellent agent communication passage 42jeh.

[0071] In this modification, the opening area of ​​communication hole 77 is smaller than the opening area of ​​discharge port 42h and is approximately the same as or smaller than the opening area of ​​inlet port 42j. In light of the purpose of restricting the amount of water repellent dispensed, it is preferable that the opening area of ​​discharge pipe (discharge piping) 42c be approximately the same as or smaller than the opening area of ​​the narrowest point (inlet port 42j in this modification), as in this modification.

[0072] Furthermore, the partition plate 79 is provided with three vent holes 78 so as to communicate with the annular space 42g of the inside plug 42 and the air pipe (intake piping) 42d. Therefore, the air communication passage 42nfm, the annular space 42g, and the vent holes 78 communicate with each other, and further, an air flow path is formed between the inside of the cartridge 4 and the outside of the water repellent agent container via the porous body 5. Note that although three vent holes 78 are provided in this modified example, the number of air passages may be two or less or four or more.

[0073] According to the water repellent amount adjustment structure of this modified example, the amount of water repellent discharged can be adjusted not only by controlling the discharge pipe (discharge piping) 42c in the inner plug 42 of the cartridge 4, but also by controlling the opening area of ​​the discharge port 42h provided in the partition plate 79, so the range of adjustment for the discharge amount is wider, especially in the direction of narrowing.

[0074] In the structure of the inner plug 42 of the cartridge 4, which limits the amount of water repellent agent discharged by sending a minute amount of air into the cartridge 4 from the air pipe 42d while discharging the water repellent agent from the discharge port 42h through the fine discharge pipe 42c, if the cross-sectional openings of the discharge pipe 42c or the air pipe 42d are made too small, the water repellent agent will be difficult to discharge or will not come out at all. Therefore, even if you try to adjust the amount of water repellent agent discharged using only the inner plug 42 of the cartridge 4, it may be difficult to reduce the amount to the desired very small amount.

[0075] In this regard, according to the water repellent amount adjustment structure of this modified example, the amount of water repellent ejected is adjusted using the communication hole 77 of the partition plate 79, which is a separate member from the inner plug 42 and is not greatly affected by the air pressure inside the cartridge 4, so problems such as the water repellent agent becoming difficult to eject from the cartridge 4 or not ejecting at all are less likely to occur.

[0076] Furthermore, instead of a pipe-shaped water repellent communicating passage 42jeh like the inside plug 42, the structure is such that a communicating hole 77 is simply provided in the partition plate 79, so that the opening area of ​​the hole is easy to control and clogging with water repellent is less likely to occur.

[0077] In addition, those skilled in the art can implement various modifications in accordance with conventionally known knowledge without departing from the gist of the present invention. As long as such modifications still have the configuration of the water repellent container of the present invention, they are of course included in the scope of the present invention.

[0078] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 61: Container body, 2: Cap, 3: Lower cover, 4: Cartridge, 5: Porous body, 10, 60, 70: Water repellent container, 11: Cartridge storage section, 11a: Cylindrical section, 11b: Clip section, 11c: Step section, 11d: Arched section, 12, 62: Porous body storage section, 12a, 62a: Convex wall, 12b, 62b, 72b: Bottom surface section, 13: Connecting section, 14, 64: Flange section, 16: First convex section, 17: Porous body storage position, 18: Second convex section, 19, 69: Hole section, 21: Top plate, 22: Side plate, 31: Cover body, 32: Rib, 33: Locking hole, 41: Cartridge body, 42: Inner plug (discharge section), 42a: inner plug flange portion, 42b: inner plug main body portion, 42c: discharge pipe (discharge piping), 42d: air pipe (intake piping), 42e: flow path, 42f: air path, 42g: annular space, 42h: discharge port, 42j: intake port, 42k: bottom plate, 42m: tip opening, 42n: base end opening (intake port), 42jeh: water repellent agent communication path, 42nfm: air communication path, 43: spout (portion having discharge port), 44: male screw thread, 45: bottle bottom, 46: bottle shoulder portion, 51: through hole, 52: contact surface, 53: bottom surface, 63: cartridge attachment portion, 71: container main body, 77: communication hole, 78: vent, 79: partition plate

Claims

1. A water repellent container comprising: a cartridge which is filled with a water repellent and which is equipped with a discharge part having a discharge port through which the filled water repellent is discharged; a container body into which the cartridge can be removably loaded; and a porous body which has a contact surface with a target surface to which the water repellent is to be applied, and which is attached to the container body such that, when the cartridge is loaded, the surface opposite the contact surface faces the portion of the discharge part which has the discharge port.

2. A water repellent container as described in claim 1, wherein the discharge portion comprises: a discharge pipe having an opening at one end which serves as the discharge port and an opening at the other end which is located inside the cartridge; and an intake pipe having an opening at one end which is an intake port facing the outside of the cartridge and an opening at the other end which is located inside the cartridge, and wherein the position of the opening at the other end of the intake pipe is farther from the discharge port than the position of the opening at the other end of the discharge pipe.

3. A water repellent container as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the container body has a partition plate interposed between the porous body and the discharge portion and abutting against a portion of the discharge portion having the discharge outlet, and the partition plate is provided with a communication hole communicating with the discharge outlet.

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