JP2002211598A - Bubble discharge container and method for filling content thereinto - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a bubble discharge container which can reduce container costs and can be easily finished and carried. SOLUTION: The bubble discharge container 2 has a flexible body 2 to be filled with contents having expandable properties, a pour port 2a which is formed in the part 2 and the contents of which is delivered when the part 2 is pressed, and expandable bodies 4a-4c having elasticity which are stored in the part 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a foam discharge container for foaming contents and discharging the contents in a foam, and a method for filling the contents into the foam discharge container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a container (foam discharge container) for foaming and discharging a foaming liquid containing a surfactant, an aerosol container for foaming and ejecting a liquid by the jetting force of a gas is widely used. Also, using a dispenser, a so-called pump former, a method of foaming with a mesh loaded in the toba mouth of the pump, or by squeezing the bottle using a mesh loaded in the discharge part of the squeeze bottle A foaming method is also known.

[0003]

However, all of the conventional foam discharge containers have a problem that the cost of the container and the cost of finishing are high because the number of parts is large and the mechanism is not simple.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a foam discharge container having a novel structure for foaming and discharging the contents.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a foam discharge container which is low in container cost, easy to finish, and excellent in portability.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first invention relates to a foam discharge container for foaming and discharging a liquid content. The foam discharge container contains a surfactant and water, and has a foamable content, a flexible and tubular main body portion filled with the content, and a main body portion. Has a spout from which the contents are discharged when is pressed, and at least one elastic foam housed inside the main body.

Here, in the first invention, the spout is
It is preferable that the protrusion protrudes from the main body in a tubular shape and that no foam is present inside the tubular portion of the spout. This facilitates the introduction of the external air from the spout into the main body, so that the resilience of the foam can be ensured, so that the contents can be continuously foamed. Further, the foam is preferably present at least near the spout. Also,
It is desirable that the foam density of the foam is higher in a portion near the spout than in portions other than the vicinity. For example,
When three foams are housed inside the main body, it is desirable that the densities of the adjacent foams be different. Further, a cylindrical portion serving as a discharge passage, which protrudes toward the bottom of the main body from a portion where the spout and the main body are connected, may be provided. Further, the main body may be transparent or translucent, and the color of the foam may be different from the color of the contents filled in the main body.

[0008] The second invention relates to a method of filling contents into a foam discharge container. This filling method includes a step of inserting at least one elastic foam from an opening provided at the bottom of a flexible and tubular main body, containing a surfactant and water, And a step of filling the content having the above from the opening, and sealing the opening.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a top view of a tubular foam discharge container according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a side view with a cap removed. The foam discharge container 1 includes a main body 2, a cap 3, and foams 4a to 4c. Further, the foam discharge container 1 is filled with foaming contents such as a liquid cleaning agent and a shaving foam.

This content is a foamable liquid containing a surfactant and water, and contains foams 4a to 4c (particularly, foams 4a to 4c functioning as a tank portion as described later).
It is necessary that the viscosity is such that the liquid can be permeated and stored in c) and the liquid is hardly drooling or foaming. The viscosity of the content that satisfies this requirement and enables the formation of a dense foam is the viscosity measured at 25 ° C. with a B-type rotational viscometer and 6000 cps at 50 cps or more.
It is preferably within the range of ps or less. Surfactants are added not only to obtain foaming properties, but also to enhance detergency and to solubilize various components to make the contents transparent. In addition, in addition to the content of the surfactant and water, the contents include components such as a polyhydric alcohol, an oil agent, salts, a solvent, an antioxidant, a chelating agent, a neutralizing agent, and a pH adjuster. be able to. The contents include household items such as various cosmetics, bath detergents, toilet detergents, etc., in addition to those described above.

Examples of the surfactant include anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and amphoteric surfactants. The compounding amount of the surfactant is preferably in the range of 3% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, and within this range, a uniform foam and good cleaning properties can be obtained. Specific examples of the anionic surfactant include fatty acid soap, α-acyl sulfonate, alkyl sulfonate, alkyl allyl sulfonate, alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, alkyl sulfate, alkyl ether sulfate, and alkyl amide sulfate. Salts, alkyl phosphates, alkylamidophosphates, alkylloylalkyltaurates, N-acyl amino acid salts, sulfosuccinates,
And perfluoroalkyl phosphates.
Specific examples of the cationic surfactant include alkyltrimethylammonium chloride, stearyltrimethylammonium chloride, stearyltrimethylammonium bromide,
Examples include cetostearyltrimethylammonium chloride, distearyldimethylammonium chloride, stearyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, and behenyltrimethylammonium bromide. Specific examples of the nonionic surfactant include lauric alkanolamide, POE sorbitan fatty acid ester, POE glycerin fatty acid ester, POE fatty acid ester, and polyether modified silicone. Specific examples of the amphoteric surfactant include carboxybetaine type, amidobetaine type, sulfobetaine type, hydroxysulfobetaine type, amidosulfobetaine type, phosphobetaine type, amidocarboxylate type, imidazoline derivative type, amidoamine type and the like. No. In addition, you may use natural surfactants, such as a saponin and a sugar-based surfactant, other than the above.

The content of the surfactant in the content is as follows:
In the case of cleansing facial cleansing, body shampoo, hair shampoo, shaving foam and the like, it is preferable that the content of the nonionic surfactant and the anionic surfactant is in the range of 1% by mass to 50% by mass. Also,
In the case of cosmetics such as body lotions, sunscreens, face lotions, makeup bases, hand leg lotions, shaving lotions, etc., surfactants such as nonionic surfactants are used in an amount of 0.1% by mass to 5% by mass. It is preferable to mix within the range. Furthermore, in the case of hair cosmetics such as hair rinses, rinse tonics, hair tonics, and hair liquids, surfactants such as nonionic surfactants are mainly blended within a range of 0.1% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less. Is preferred.

The main body 2 has a flexible tube shape,
Polyethylene single layer, or polyethylene and nylon,
This is a laminate of a polyethylene / polyvinyl alcohol copolymer and one of them, and is formed by an extrusion molding method. The main body 2 is transparent or translucent so that the internal state can be visually confirmed from the outside. In addition, a cylindrical spout 2a having a diameter small enough to prevent a foam 4a at the tip to be described later from entering the head of the main body 2 is formed integrally with the head. The outer peripheral surface of the spout 2a
Since the cap 3 has a shape that can be screwed, the cap 3 is detachable from the main body 2.

Inside the main body 2 (excluding the spout 2a), three foams 4a to 4c are accommodated to foam the filled contents. These foams 4a
4c is a porous member having a moderate elasticity and having a large number of fine pores continuously on the surface and inside. For example, foamed materials such as urethane, NBR, NR, silicone, natural sponge, etc. Can be used. In addition, the foaming density of the foams 4a to 4c (that is, the number of holes per unit area) is not the same for the reason described later, and in this embodiment, the foaming density of the foam 4a located near the spout 2a is: It is higher than that of the other foams 4b (or 4c). Further, the foams 4a to 4c each have a color different from the color of the content, for example, an appropriate color such as blue yellow red. When the transparent contents are filled, a plurality of foams 4a to 4c colored in various colors can be seen through from the outside of the transparent or translucent main body 2, so that a design effect is obtained. Can be

Of the foams 4a to 4c, the foam 4a on the tip side is required to have restorability. This is because if the foam 4a on the distal end side does not have a sufficient restoring force, the foam 4a is pushed out and clogged by the spout 2a serving as a discharge port of the contents during continuous use. Further, the foam 4a does not exist inside the cylindrical shape of the spout 2a protruding in a cylindrical shape. If a foam is present in the internal space of the spout 2a, it becomes difficult for external air to enter the inside of the main body 2 from the spout 2a, so that the foam 4a cannot be restored and foaming is incomplete. It will be. Therefore, it is possible to continuously foam the contents by not allowing the foam 4a to exist inside the cylindrical shape of the spout 2a. From the viewpoint of facilitating the introduction of the outside air, for example, when a polyurethane sponge is used as the foam 4a on the front end side, an ester-based ester-based foam is used rather than an ether-based urethane sponge in which a polyol to be subjected to a diisocyanate reaction is ether-bonded. It is preferable to use a urethane sponge. In addition, foams 4a-4c
It is preferable to use an ester-based urethane sponge also from the viewpoint of the uniformity of pores (cells) and the variability of the size. Further, it is preferable that the foam 4b also has a strong restoring force and a fast restoring speed. The shapes of the foams 4a to 4c do not necessarily have to be substantially spherical, and may be cylindrical, elliptical, square, or a combination of these various shapes.

When discharging the contents from the foam discharge container 1 having such a configuration, the user often massages the main body 2 with the cap 3 attached before discharging. By this squeeze, the air and the contents contained in the many micropores in the foams 4a to 4c are mixed to foam the contents. When the main body 2 is pressed by hand with the cap 3 removed and the discharge port 2a exposed, the foamy content is discharged from the tip of the spout 2a. Thereafter, when the main body 2 is released, the main body 2 returns to its original shape due to the elasticity of the main body 2. At that time, since the air is sucked in from the spout 2a, the air is again contained in the minute holes in the foams 4a to 4c.

As a result of examining the foam state of the content to be discharged by changing the foam density of each of the foams 4a to 4c, it is found that a good foam state can be obtained when the foam density is set as follows. found.

What is true in all cases is that the density of adjacent foams is different and that the spout 2
The point is that the foam 4a near a is set at a higher density than the other foams 4b (or 4c). this is,
When each of the foams 4a to 4c is operatively viewed, the foam 4c farthest from the spout 2a functions as a tank for storing contents, and the foam 4b at the center pushes out air.
It is considered that the foam 4a in the vicinity of the spout 2a mainly has an action as a bubble generating portion. Therefore, the fineness of the discharged bubbles strongly depends on the foaming density of the foam 4a in which the action as the bubble generating portion is dominant, and the higher the density is, the more finely creamy bubbles can be generated. it can. However, foams 4a to 4c
As the foaming density of the foam is higher, the air intake resistance increases, which may cause a decrease in the usability of the foam discharge container 1. for that reason,
It is preferable that the foam density of each of the foams 4a to 4c be determined in consideration of both the required fineness of foam and the feeling of use.

Next, a method for filling the above-described foam discharge container 1 with contents will be described with reference to FIG. First,
In a state where the cap 3 is attached, the bottom of the main body 2 is arranged so as to face a nozzle (not shown) for filling the contents. Next, the foams 4a to 4c are sequentially inserted into the main body 2 through the opening 5 provided at the bottom. Then, after filling the contents from the opening 5 by a specified amount, the opening 5 is sealed by heat sealing or the like.

According to the present embodiment, the main body 2 is well squeezed, and the foamable contents are mixed with the air contained in the many micropores in the foams 4a to 4c to foam.
Then, by removing the cap 3 and pressing the main body 2, a good foam-like content can be discharged.
The foam discharge container 1 has a smaller number of parts and a simpler mechanism than the conventional foam discharge container such as an aerosol container or a pump former, so that the container cost is low. In addition, simply by heat sealing the bottom of the main body 2, foams 4a to
4c and the contents can be filled, so that finishing is also easy. Therefore, in the foam discharge container according to the present embodiment, total manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, the foam discharge container is lightweight and small, and is excellent in portability.

The fineness of the foam to be discharged is adjusted by changing the foaming density of the foams 4a to 4c and selectively using a low-density foam having a tank function and a high-density foam to form a foam. be able to.

Further, by making the main body 2 transparent or translucent and making the colors of the foams 4a to 4c different from the colors of the contents, the presence of the foams 4a to 4c can be visually recognized. As a result, novelty can be given to the purchaser, so that the product appealing power can be improved.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which three foams 4a to 4c are accommodated in the main body 2 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, as long as at least one foam is accommodated.
However, from the viewpoint of the state of the foam to be discharged, it is preferable to provide the foam at least in the vicinity of the spout 2a, where the action as the bubble generator is dominant. In addition, one foam is easily displaced (easily escaped) when the main body 2 is pressed, but such displacement can be prevented by providing a plurality of foams.

The technique using a plurality of foams having different foam densities is the cheapest and simplest technique, but the same effect can be obtained even if one foam having different foam densities is used for each part. .

Although the cylindrical cap 3 is used in this embodiment, a round cap 3 'having a spherical top may be used as shown in FIG. If the cap shape is set in this manner, the foam discharge container 1 cannot be made to stand on its own with the cap 3 ′ facing downward, so that the contents are stored in a state where the contents are accumulated inside the shoulder of the tubular main body 2. Can be prevented. As a result, at the time of use, it is possible to effectively prevent the contents that are not sufficiently foamed from being discharged in a liquid state.

(Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment described above, the contents which are not foamed easily accumulate inside the shoulder portion of the main body 2 on the tube, and are not injected through the foam 4a at the tip. There is a possibility that the liquid is discharged from the outlet 2a in a liquid state. The present embodiment relates to a structure of a foam discharge container 1 in which a countermeasure against defective foaming is taken. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a main part of the foam discharge container according to the present embodiment. The same members as those described in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted (the same applies to FIG. 6 described later).

The main body 2 is provided with a cylindrical portion 2 having a substantially cylindrical shape in order to regulate the discharge passage of the filled contents.
b is integrally formed. The cylindrical portion 2b is
a protrudes toward the bottom side of the main body 2 from a portion where the main body 2 is connected to the main body 2 and forms a part of the discharge passage. The inside diameter is small (typically substantially the same as the spout 2a) so that the foam 4a at the tip does not enter the inside. The tip of the tubular portion 2b is in contact with the foam 4a. As a result, the foam 4a at the tip does not exist on the side of the tubular portion 2b (that is, inside the shoulder of the main body 2), and the main body 2
It is pushed into the bottom side of the.

When the foam discharge container is used, the contents A accumulated inside the shoulder portion of the main body 2 return to the foam 4a side as shown by the solid arrow in FIG. Then, it is discharged from the spout 2a through the cylindrical portion 2b. That is, the cylindrical portion 2b functions as a guide member for preventing the contents A inside the shoulder portion of the main body 2 from being discharged without passing through the foam 4a. As a result, even if the contents remain in a liquid state inside the shoulder portion of the main body 2, the contents are satisfactorily foamed when discharged.

Further, a mesh structure may be provided in the middle of the discharge passage formed by the spout 2a and the cylindrical portion 2b (for example, at the tip of the spout 2a). In this case, the content A inside the shoulder portion of the main body 2 temporarily returns to the foam 4a side, where it is mixed with air and then discharged from the tip of the spout 2a through the discharge passage. At that time, the content is foamed again in the mesh 7 at the tip of the spout 2a, so that the density of the discharged foam can be improved. As a result of repeated experiments and studies by the inventors, the setting of the mesh 7 was set within a range of 70 mesh or more and 400 or less, more preferably 15 mesh or less.
It has been found that good foam can be discharged when the mesh size is in the range of 0 mesh or more and 350 mesh.

The cylindrical portion 2b may be formed integrally with the main body 2, but it is of an inner plug type formed separately from the main body 2,
This may be attached to the spout 2a. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a main part of a foam discharge container to which a cylindrical portion is separately attached. The inner plug type cylindrical portion 6 is provided at the tip end of the spout 2a or the cylindrical portion 6.
The meshes 7, 7 'as described above may be provided at the end of the foam body. In particular, it is more convenient to attach the cylindrical portion 2b integrally to the main body 2 in terms of manufacturing the main body 2 and it is advantageous in terms of cost. The meshes 7 and 7 'are made of a mesh such as nylon, polyolefin, or polyester.
It is attached to the tip of the cylindrical portion 6 or the tip of the spout 2a by thermal bonding or the like.

[0031]

According to the present invention, air and contents are mixed in the foam housed in the tubular foam discharge container by the user's squeeze. Therefore, the contents can be foamed and discharged. In addition, such a tube-shaped foam discharge container can reduce the cost of the container as compared with a conventional container, and is easy to finish and has excellent portability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view of a foam discharge container.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a foam discharge container.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of filling contents into a foam discharge container.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a foam discharge container having a round cap.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a main part of a foam discharge container according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a main part of a foam discharge container in which a cylindrical portion is attached separately.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Foam discharge container, 2 Main body part, 2a spout, 2b cylindrical part, 3,3 cap, 4a-4c foam, 5 opening part, 6 cylindrical part, 7,7 'mesh

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] January 18, 2002 (2002.1.1
8)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (Reference) B65D 35/10 B65D 35/10 A // A45D 34/00 510 A45D 34/00 510Z (72) Inventor Katsuhiko Yoshida Kanagawa 5-28, Kotobukicho, Odawara-shi Kanebo Co., Ltd. Cosmetics Research Institute F term (reference) 3E065 AA02 BA15 BA16 BA25 BB03 DA04 DB01 DD05 DE07 FA02 FA12 FA20 GA10

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A foam discharge container for foaming and discharging a liquid content, comprising: a content having a foaming property containing a surfactant and water; and a flexible and tubular shape filled with the content. And a spout formed in the main body, the spout from which the contents are discharged when the main body is pressed, and at least one resilient housed inside the main body and having elasticity. A foam discharge container comprising a foam. 2. The foam according to claim 1, wherein the spout protrudes from the main body in a cylindrical shape, and the foam does not exist inside the cylindrical shape of the spout. Discharge container. 3. The foam discharge container according to claim 1, wherein the foam is present at least near the spout. 4. The foam according to claim 1, wherein a foaming density of the foam is higher in a portion near the spout than in portions other than the vicinity. Discharge container. 5. The foam discharge container according to claim 4, wherein three foams are accommodated inside the main body, and adjacent foams have different densities. 6. A cylindrical portion which protrudes from a portion where the spout and the main body are connected to a bottom side of the main body and serves as a discharge passage. 6. The foam discharge container according to any one of items 1 to 5. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the main body is transparent or translucent, and a color of the foam is different from a color of a content filled in the main body. A foam discharge container described in any of the above. 8. A method for filling a foam discharge container with contents, wherein at least one elastic foam is inserted from an opening provided at the bottom of a flexible and tubular main body; A content containing an activator and water and having a foaming property,
A method for filling contents into a foam discharge container, comprising: a step of filling from the opening; and a step of sealing the opening.