JP2005152790A - Side knock type cap of aerosol container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a knock type cap of an aerosol container with which continuous jetting can be performed even if a button is not kept pressed with a hand and with which the jetting and stopping can be repeated as many times as desired with a simple operation. <P>SOLUTION: The side knock type cap (1) of the aerosol container (100) is equipped with a jet valve (120) for jetting the content with inclination of a stem (121). At the side part of the cap (1) to be fitted into the upper part of the aerosol container, a knock mechanism (200) including a press button for inclining the stem toward the side is provided. The stem is inclined to lock it to the jetting position with the first depression and release operation of the press button, and the locking is released with the second depression and release operation of the press button. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a side knock type cap of an aerosol container that enables continuous injection and stopping thereof as required.

  In general, when a button on the cap body is pressed, this type of cap opens the aerosol container's injection valve, sprays the medicine in the container from the stem into the air, and releases the button to release the injection valve. It is configured to close and stop the spraying of the medicine. However, in this configuration, the medicine cannot be continuously sprayed unless the button is kept pressed.

Therefore, the cap body is provided with a means to lock the button into the push-in position so that the medicine can be continuously sprayed without having to keep pressing the button by hand. Is elastically deformed and pushed into the lock position (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In order to hold the stem in the injection position, the button should be fixed with a screw at the push-in position, and when injecting continuously, the button should be stopped at the push-in position, and when injection is interrupted, the screw should be removed. (Patent Document 2).

JP 2001-55285 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-80079

However, since the technique described in Patent Document 1 is intended for continuous injection of the entire amount, once the button is pushed to the lock position, it cannot be easily returned to the original position. It is not suitable for usage that repeats the stop many times.
In the technique described in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to tighten the screw and hold the button in the pushing position in the case of continuous injection, and to remove the screw and return the button to the original position when the injection is interrupted. Therefore, the operability is poor when the usage is such that the injection and the stop are repeated many times.

  In consideration of the above circumstances, the present invention is capable of continuous injection without pressing the button by hand, and can be performed with simple operation even when injection and stop are repeated many times. It aims at providing the side knock type cap of a container.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is an aerosol container cap provided with an injection valve at the upper end for injecting contents by the inclination of the stem,
A knock mechanism including a pressing button for tilting the stem to the side is provided on a side portion of the cap fitted to the upper part of the aerosol container, and the stem is tilted by first pressing and releasing operation of the pressing button. It is made to lock in an injection position, and the said lock | rock is cancelled | released by the 2nd press and release operation of the said press button.

In the invention according to claim 2, the knock mechanism is
A mover that is pushed in from an initial position by pressing the button and that can be moved alternately between a first position and a second position in a direction that intersects the push-in direction in the pushed state, and the mover is initialized A return spring biasing toward the position and a first button press to move the mover to the first position, and a second button press to move the mover to the second position. When the drive means and the moving element are about to return to the initial position from the first position by the force of the return spring as the button is released, the moving element can hold the stem in the injection position. Engage with the sideways position to prevent the return to the initial position, and when the mover tries to return to the initial position from the second position by the force of the return spring, Is composed of an engaging means for allowing the return to the period position,
The moving element is arranged so as to incline the stem by pressing a push button.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the return spring is also used as a valve spring provided in the injection valve.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a knock mechanism that locks the stem at the injection position by the first pushing and releasing operation of the button that presses the stem and releases the lock by the second pushing and releasing operation of the button. Therefore, simply by pressing a button, injection and stop can be repeated many times, and operation is easy.

  According to the invention of claim 2, since the knock mechanism is mechanically constituted by the moving element, the return spring, the driving means, and the engaging means, the structure is simple and the product can be commercialized at low cost.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the valve spring in the injection valve is also used as the return spring, the number of parts can be reduced.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1A is an overall cross-sectional view showing a standby state in which the side knock type cap 1 of the embodiment of the present invention is fitted to the upper part of the aerosol container 100, and FIG. 1B is a main part thereof (engagement portion of the cam). It is a figure taken out and shown.
2 is a diagram showing a state where the button is pushed in, which is the next stage of the standby state in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a holding state at the position where the button is pushed, which is the next stage in FIG. 2, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state where a button for releasing, which is the next stage of the holding state in FIG.
2A to 4A are overall cross-sectional views, and FIG. 2B is a view showing a main portion (a meshing portion of the cam) taken out.
FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view showing only the meshing portion of the cam in each state of FIGS. 1 to 4, wherein (a) is a standby state, (b) is a button pushed in, and (c) is pushed in. (D) is a diagram showing a state in which a button for releasing is pressed.

  The aerosol container 100 includes an injection valve 120 for injecting the contents (medicine and gas) enclosed in the container main body 101 to the outside by inclining the stem 121, and the cap 1 is provided with the aerosol container 100. The mountain cup 102 is fitted.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the buttoned cap 1 according to this embodiment includes a cylindrical cap body 10 having a lower end fitted to a mountain cup 102, and a button 20 that is slidably attached to a side portion of the cap body 10. And a rotor (corresponding to a moving element) 30 combined with the button 20. The rotor 30 is integrated with a push pin 38 for inclining the stem 121.

At the initial stage, a stem rod-shaped stem joint 40 for extending the length is fitted to the tip of the stem 121 facing upward, and a nozzle 41 is fitted inside the tip of the stem joint 40.
And a chemical | medical solution can be sprayed upwards from the nozzle 41 of the stem joint 40 now.
Further, the rotor 30 and the like for constituting the knock mechanism 200 are disposed on the side of the stem joint 40, and the tip of the push pin 38 is disposed so that the side portion of the stem joint 40 is inclined from the side.
The function of the return spring, which is an element constituting the knock mechanism 200, is shared by a valve spring 124 (described later) in the injection valve 120.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the knock mechanism 200 locks the stem 121 in the inclined injection position by the first pressing and releasing operation of the button 20 and releases the lock by the second pressing and releasing operation of the button 20. Therefore, it is mainly composed of a cylindrical first cam member 13 attached to the cap body 10, a cylindrical second cam member 20 </ b> A integrated with the button 20, and the rotor 30.

The stem joint 40 protrudes from the upper opening 11 of the cylindrical cap body 10.
A button mounting hole 12 is formed in a part of the peripheral wall of the cap body 10, and a cylindrical first cam member 13 is fitted and fixed in the button mounting hole 12, and the button 20 is placed inside the first cam member 13. The integrated cylindrical second cam member 20A is inserted so as to be slidable in the axial direction, and is prevented from coming off.

As shown in FIG. 5 in an enlarged manner, the first cam member 13 is formed by alternately forming longitudinal grooves 17 and engaging cams 15 along the axial direction at a constant pitch on the inner periphery of the peripheral wall. It is.
The engagement cam 15 is configured by a wall portion projecting inwardly from the inner surface of the peripheral wall, and the first cam portion 15a for locking is adjacent to the distal end edge on the stem 121 side via a step. Second cam portion 15b.
The step between the first cam portion 15a and the second cam portion 15b constitutes a lock portion 15d for locking a guide projection 35 on the rotor 30 side described later.
A shallow vertical slide groove (not shown) is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the engagement cam 15.

On the distal end surface of the second cam member 20A on the stem 121 side, mountain-shaped cam teeth 21 in which peaks and valleys are alternately arranged are continuously formed at a constant pitch in the circumferential direction.
Further, a first protrusion 22 and a second protrusion (not shown) are provided at the tip of the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall of the second cam member 20A.
The first protrusion 22 is slidably engaged in the longitudinal groove 17 of the first cam member 13, and the second protrusion (not shown) slides in the slide groove (not shown) on the inner peripheral surface of the engagement cam 15. Engage freely. Since this engagement is always maintained while the button 20 slides, the button 20 does not rotate but only slides in the axial direction. Due to the presence of these protrusions 22, the button 20 is prevented from coming off from the first cam member 13.

The base end of the rotor 30 is fitted to the second cam member 20A so as to be axially and circumferentially slidable.
The tip of the rotor 30 has a large diameter, and an angled cam tooth 36 that meshes with the cam tooth 21 on the second cam member 20A side is formed on the end surface on the button 20 side of the large diameter portion.
A guide projection 35 is formed on the outer periphery of the portion where the cam teeth 36 are formed in an annular shape. The guide protrusions 35 are provided to protrude in the circumferential direction at intervals in accordance with the pitches of the engagement cam 15 and the vertical groove 17 of the first cam member 13.
The end surfaces of the guide protrusions 35 are also provided with slopes corresponding to the slopes of the cam teeth 36. In the initial state, the rotor 30 can be slid only in the axial direction by fitting the guide protrusion 35 into the vertical groove 17 of the first cam member 13 as shown in FIGS. It has become.

Next, the injection valve 120 of the aerosol container 100 to be covered with the cap 1 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the injection valve 120 includes a housing 122 attached to the center of the mountain cup 102, and a stem rubber 123 is sandwiched between the upper end of the housing 122 and the upper surface of the mountain cup 102.
A stem 121 is inserted in the center hole of the stem rubber 123 in an airtight manner, and an annular wall 121A projecting radially outward is integrally formed at the lower end portion of the stem 121.
The stem 121 is urged upward by a valve spring 124 built in the housing 122, whereby the annular wall 121 </ b> A is pressed against the lower surface of the stem rubber 123.
The interior of the housing 122 communicates with the interior of the container body 101.

Inside the stem 121, a lead-out path 121B extending in the vertical direction (axial direction) is provided, and an orifice hole 121C extending in the vertical direction is provided continuously to the lower end of the lead-out path 121B.
In addition, a communication hole 121D having one end communicating with the orifice hole 121C and the other end communicating with the pressure contact surface of the annular wall 121A and the stem rubber 123 is provided at a position above the annular wall 121A of the stem 121.

  With this structure, as shown in FIG. 2, when the stem 121 is laid down, the pressure contact between the annular wall 121A and the stem rubber 123 in the inclined direction is released, and the contents filled in the container body 101 are stored in the housing. It is led to the lead-out path 121B in the stem 121 through the communication hole 121D and the orifice hole 121C through the inside 122, and is jetted upward from the nozzle 41 of the stem joint 40.

Next, a series of operations will be described.
In the initial state (standby state) of FIG. 1, the button 20 is in the initial position, and the guide protrusion 35 of the rotor 30 is located between the engagement cam 15 and the engagement cam 15 as shown in FIG. It fits in the longitudinal groove 17.
When the button 20 is pushed in this state (first push), the rotor 30 is pushed while being pushed by the button 20 while being restricted by the vertical groove 17, and the push pin 38 pushes the stem joint 40 from the side. Spraying is started when 121 is laid sideways.

  FIG. 2 shows a state in which the injection valve 120 is opened by pressing the button 20. When the button 20 is pushed by a certain stroke, as shown in FIG. 5B, the guide protrusion 35 of the rotor 30 is removed from the vertical groove 17, and the cam teeth 21 on the button 20 side and the cam teeth 36 on the rotor 30 side. As a result of the engagement, the rotor 30 rotates by a certain angle (moves to a first position in a direction intersecting the pushing direction), and the guide projection 35 reaches a position where it overlaps with the engagement cam 15 of the first cam member 13. The figure shows that state.

When the button 20 is released from this state (release of pushing), as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5C, the guide projection 35 of the rotor 30 biased by the return force of the stem 121 is moved to the engagement cam. 15 slides along the first cam portion 15a and engages with the lock portion 15d.
Accordingly, the rotor 30 is held in the pushing position without returning to the initial position, and the stem 121 of the injection valve 120 is also held in the lying position via the push pin 38, and the injection state is maintained (continuous injection).

Next, when it is desired to stop the injection, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5D, the button 20 is pushed again (second push).
Then, first, the guide protrusion 35 is disengaged from the lock portion 15d of the engaging cam 15, and at that stage, the rotor 30 rotates by a predetermined angle due to the engagement of the cam teeth 21 on the button 20 side and the cam teeth 36 on the rotor 30 side. (Move to the second position in the direction crossing the pushing direction) and the guide projection 35 reaches a position where it overlaps the second cam portion 15b.
When the button 20 is released in this state, the guide projection 35 of the rotor 30 pushed back by the return force of the stem 121 slides along the second cam portion 15b, disengages from the engagement cam 15, and enters the longitudinal groove 17. to go into.
When the guide protrusion 35 enters the vertical groove 17, the engagement cam 15 can be pressed, whereby the rotor 30 returns to the initial position, and at the same time, the stem joint 40 is not pressed, so that the stem 121 is initialized. Returning to the position, the injection is stopped.

  Thus, the stem 121 can be locked in the injection position by the first pushing and releasing operation of the button 20 that presses the stem 121, and the lock can be released by the second pushing and releasing operation of the button 20. By simply pressing the button 20, the injection and the stop can be repeated many times, and the operation becomes easy.

In the side knock type cap 1 of this embodiment, the rotor 30 that is rotatable in a plane orthogonal to the pushing direction corresponds to the mover.
Further, the rotor 30 is rotated to the first position (the position shown in FIG. 5B) by pressing the button 20 for the first time, and the rotor 30 is moved to the second position (the figure by pressing the button 20 for the second time). The cam teeth 21 on the button 20 side and the cam teeth 36 on the rotor 30 side, which are rotated to the position 5 (d), correspond to the driving means 201.
Further, the guide protrusion 35 on the rotor 30 side, the engagement cam 15 and the longitudinal groove 17 on the cap body 10 side correspond to the engagement means 202.
Therefore, the structure of the knock mechanism 200 including the first cam member 13 on the cap body 10 side, the second cam member 20A on the button 20 side, the rotor 30, and the valve spring 124 (corresponding to a return spring) is provided. The advantage is that it becomes simple and can be commercialized at a low cost.

  In addition, since the return spring for returning the rotor 30 and the button 20 to the initial position is also used as the valve spring 124 in the injection valve 120, the number of parts can be reduced.

  In the above embodiment, the knock mechanism 200 employs a rotor that uses a rotor as a moving element. However, other types of knock mechanisms may be employed, and in any case, the button 20 that causes the stem 121 to lie down. It is only necessary to provide a knock mechanism that locks the stem 121 in the injection position by the first pushing and releasing operation of the button 20 and releases the lock by the second pushing and releasing operation of the button 20.

  According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, the stem is locked at the injection position by the first pushing and releasing operation of the button that presses the stem, and the lock is released by the second pushing and releasing operation of the button. Since it has a knock mechanism, it is easy to operate by simply pressing a button, and the injection and stop can be repeated many times, and the knock mechanism can be operated by a mover, a return spring, a drive means, and an engagement means. Since the structure is simple, the structure is simple and the product can be commercialized at a low cost, so the industrial applicability is extremely large.

(A) Whole sectional view which shows the standby state state which fitted the side knock type cap 1 of embodiment of this invention to the upper part of the aerosol container 100, (b) takes out the principal part (cam | engagement part of a cam) FIG. It is a figure which shows the pushing state of the button which is the next step of FIG. 1, (a) is a whole sectional view, (b) is a figure which takes out and shows the principal part (engagement part of a cam). It is a figure which shows the holding | maintenance state in the button pushing position which is the next step of FIG. 2, (a) is a whole sectional drawing, (b) is a figure which takes out and shows the principal part (engagement part of a cam). It is a figure which shows the button pushing state for the cancellation | release which is the next step of FIG. 3, (a) is a whole sectional view, (b) is a figure which takes out and shows the principal part (cam | engagement part of a cam). FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view showing only the meshing portion of the cam in each state of FIGS. 1 to 4, where (a) is a standby state, (b) is a button pushed state, (c) is a holding state at the pushed position, ( d) is a diagram showing a state of pressing a button for release.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Side knock type cap 10 Cap main body 15 Engagement cam (engagement means)
17 Longitudinal groove (engagement means)
20 buttons 21 cam teeth (drive means)
30 Rotor (moving element)
35 Guide protrusion (engagement means)
36 Cam teeth (drive means)
100 Aerosol container 120 Injection valve 121 Stem 124 Valve spring (return spring)
200 knock mechanism 201 drive means 202 engagement means

Claims (3)

A cap of an aerosol container provided with an injection valve at the upper end for injecting contents by the inclination of the stem,
A knock mechanism including a push button for inclining the stem to the side is provided on the side portion of the cap fitted to the upper portion of the aerosol container,
The side knock of the aerosol container, wherein the stem is tilted by the first pressing and releasing operation of the pressing button to be locked at the injection position, and the locking is released by the second pressing and releasing operation of the pressing button. Expression cap. The knock mechanism is
A mover that is pushed in from the initial position by pressing the button, and in the pushed state, is movable alternately between a first position and a second position in a direction intersecting the pushing direction,
A return spring that biases the moving element toward an initial position;
Driving means for moving the moving element to the first position by pressing a button for the first time, and moving the moving element to the second position by pressing a button for the second time;
When the moving element tries to return to the initial position from the first position by the force of the return spring as the button is released, the moving element is engaged with a sideways position where the stem can be held at the injection position. In combination, the return to the initial position is prevented, and when the mover tries to return to the initial position from the second position by the force of the return spring, the return of the mover to the initial position is allowed. Engagement means;
Consists of
The side knock type cap of an aerosol container according to claim 1, wherein the movable element is arranged so as to incline the stem by pressing a push button. The side knock type cap of an aerosol container according to claim 2, wherein the return spring is also used as a valve spring provided in the injection valve.