JP2006044710A - Content discharging mechanism, and pump-type product with the mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pump-type container with a bottom moving by an action of an atmospheric pressure, in which a useless space for storing/discharging contents is eliminated, the approximately whole contents of the container can be discharged to an external space and as little air as possible remains in an upper effective space in an initial state with the contents stored. <P>SOLUTION: An annular space 10g originally present above a container body 10 and formed between a movable bottom 15, and a ceiling of the container body 10 and a downstream part of a cylinder 13 in a final state when the movable bottom 15 comes to the upper limit is equipped with a substitute ceiling 14 to have the annular space closed. The substitute ceiling 14 includes a flat surface 14e aligning with the upper surface 15a of the movable bottom 15 and a hole 14d for receiving the cylinder 13. In the initial state shown in the figure, there is little air left in a substantial content storage space 10h, and when the movable bottom 15 rises to the upper limit, the upper surface 15a comes into contact with the flat surface 14e of the ceiling 14. Thus the approximately whole contents in the container can be discharged to the external space. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  According to the present invention, the contents of the space formed by the ceiling surface and the inner peripheral surface of the container main body, and the movable bottom portion that can be moved by the action of atmospheric pressure while being in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface, are well-known pump means. The present invention relates to a mechanism for releasing to the external space.

  In particular, at the uppermost position of the movable bottom (a position where the container contents can no longer be substantially sent out to the external space even if the discharge operation is performed), the opposing portions of the ceiling surface and the movable bottom are not in contact with each other. Further, the present invention is intended for a content discharge mechanism in which a useless upper space area is formed between the contents for storing and discharging.

  The main feature of the present invention is that the residual space in the initial state in which the contents are stored in the space area of the container body is reduced as much as possible by minimizing the actual space of the useless upper space area as much as possible. This means that substantially the entire container contents in a state can be discharged to the external space.

  In addition, the said movable bottom part which is a component of the interior space area for content storage moves toward the said ceiling surface according to the reduction | decrease in the content accompanying the operation mode setting operation of a pump type product.

  Conventionally, as a mechanism for discharging the contents of the internal space formed by the ceiling surface, the inner peripheral surface of the container main body and the movable bottom portion to the external space by a known pump action, for example, disclosed in Patent Document 1 below There is.

  The movable bottom portion of the content discharge mechanism is originally shaped so that when it is moved to its uppermost position, it approaches the ceiling surface of the container body and the above-mentioned useless space is not substantially generated.

  That is, here, a cylindrical portion on the suction valve side of a pump (a well-known pump having a suction valve and a discharge valve) enters the internal space region from the central opening of the ceiling surface, and the ceiling is surrounded by the ceiling. There is an annular space defined by the surface and the inner peripheral surface of the container body.

  On the other hand, the portion of the inner bottom surface of the movable bottom that faces the ceiling surface has a protruding shape that matches the annular space.

  Therefore, in a state where the pump-type product of Patent Document 1 is used up and the movable bottom portion is fully moved up, the projecting annular portion of the movable bottom portion is completely accommodated in the annular space on the ceiling surface side of the container body. Since the contents in the annular space are pushed out from there and finally discharged into the external space by the pump action, the contents to be released remain in the internal space of the container body. There is hardly anything.

  However, such a shape relationship is not necessarily guaranteed between the opposing portions of the container body ceiling and the movable bottom.

  For example, the above-described annular space is similarly formed on the ceiling surface side of the container body, but the projecting annular portion that matches the annular space is not formed on the movable bottom portion.

  In this case, even in the final state in which the movable bottom portion has moved up completely, the same space (that can contain the contents) as before is secured in the annular space on the ceiling surface side.

Therefore, in the original content storage state of the pump type product, for example, the content storage state (initial state) at the time of factory shipment,
(a) When the contents of the storage space including the annular space are substantially full, the contents of the annular space remain in the container even in the final state where the movable bottom portion has fully moved up (external Remain unreleased into space)
(b) On the other hand, if the contents are in the vicinity of the pump suction side opening in the storage space, that is, if there is no contents in the annular space above it, air remains there. Will be.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-059405

Thus, in the case of the content discharge mechanism in which the projecting annular portion that matches the annular space on the ceiling surface side of the container body is not formed on the movable bottom portion, the content storage mode in the initial state (a), Depending on (b)
(a) 'Even when the pump-type product is used up and the movable bottom moves to the uppermost position, the contents remain in the annular space inside the container body, and the contents originally stored in the container body are wasted. Difficult to use without
(b) 'In the initial state of starting to use the pump-type product, the so-called pumping operation for removing the residual air in the annular space must be performed many times, and the content of the state in which the air is mixed thereafter To release things,
There was a problem.

  Therefore, in the present invention, in the content discharge mechanism of the type in which the annular space on the ceiling surface side of the container main body and the shape of the inner bottom surface of the movable bottom portion do not match, the substitute ceiling portion in the form of concealing this in the annular space is provided. Attach and move the bottom of the container so that it does not touch the surrogate ceiling to create a permissible space for contents and air, and actively use the contents stored in the container. The object of the invention is to reduce the number of pumping operations as much as possible and to prevent the contents mixed with air from being released as much as possible.

The present invention solves the above problems as follows.
(1) A container main body (for example, a container main body 10 to be described later) for storing contents in a content discharge mechanism, and a movable bottom portion (for example, to be described later) that can move by the action of atmospheric pressure while sliding on the inner peripheral surface of the container main body. A movable bottom portion 15), a pump for discharging the contents of the inner space area (for example, a storage space 10h described later) formed by the ceiling surface, the inner peripheral surface and the movable bottom portion of the container body to the external space, It is attached to an annular space (for example, an annular space portion 10g described later) around the lower end of the pump that enters the interior space from the opening of the ceiling surface, and is attached to the contents. When the movable bottom portion moves to the uppermost position in accordance with the discharge operation, an annular substitute ceiling portion (for example, a substitute ceiling portion 14 described later) that is in contact with the inner bottom surface portion is provided.
(2) In the above (1), a radial groove portion (for example, a groove portion 14f described later) extending from the outer end portion to the inner end portion is formed on the bottom surface portion of the substitute ceiling portion on the movable bottom portion side.

  The present invention is directed to a content discharge mechanism having such a configuration and a pump-type product using the same.

  In this way, in the present invention, the substitute ceiling portion for closing is attached to the annular space of the content discharge mechanism of the type in which the annular space on the ceiling surface side of the container body and the shape of the inner bottom surface of the movable bottom portion do not match, The movable bottom is in contact with the substitute ceiling when the movable bottom is fully moved.

  Therefore, the contents are not stored in the annular space from the beginning, and the contents near the substitute ceiling are pushed toward the suction valve of the pump by the movable bottom, and finally, the pump action acts to the external space. Released. That is, it is possible to actively use the contents stored in the container.

  Along with this, the amount of air entering the initial content storage space (with the content stored in a pump-type product) is reduced as much as possible, reducing the effort of pumping operations, and mixing of air into the discharged content Prevention can be achieved.

  Also, a radial groove from the outer end to the inner end is formed on the ceiling surface of the annular substitute ceiling portion (= the contact surface with the movable bottom portion).

  Therefore, the air remaining on the inner peripheral surface side of the container body also moves toward the suction valve of the pump, and the residual air in the entire space for storing contents inside the container can be efficiently discharged to the external space.

  Furthermore, after the pump-type product has been used up once, remove the pump and cover, etc., and put new contents into the internal space of the container body from the opening of the substitute ceiling ( Since the movable bottom part is not in contact with the substitute ceiling part in this groove part, the movable bottom part is relatively easily separated from the substitute ceiling part, so that the replenishment of the contents can be performed easily and reliably. Can be done.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows the initial state of the pump-type container containing the contents, FIG. 2 shows the final state where the movable bottom of the pump-type container of FIG. 1 has moved up most, and FIG. 3 shows the substitute ceiling.

In these figures,
10 is an existing container body, 10a is a locking part for restricting the upward movement range of the movable bottom part 15 to be described later, 10b is a small-diameter cylindrical part of the container body, and 10c is a neck part that is screwed to the cover body 11 to be described later. , 10d is a bowl-shaped portion formed between the neck portion and the small-diameter cylindrical portion 10b, 10e is an annular small-diameter portion that serves as a guide when a cylinder 13 described later is attached, 10f is an upper opening portion of the container body, 10g Is a part of the internal space of the container body and is an annular space formed around a cylindrical portion on the side of a suction valve (not shown) of a cylinder 13 to be described later. A content storage space 10j formed between the movable bottom 15 and a lower space 10k is a part of the internal space of the container body and is formed below the movable bottom 15 described later. A lower opening of the container body,
11 is a cover body screwed to the container body 10;
12 is an operating member which moves up and down with respect to the cover body 11 and a cylinder 13 which will be described later.
13 is a cylinder (pump mechanism) fitted with the cover body 11 and having a known suction valve and discharge valve (not shown) and having a pump function, 13a is a content intake port of the cylinder,
Reference numeral 14 denotes an annular substitute ceiling portion having a ceiling surface that substantially closes the annular space portion 10g and matches an inner bottom surface of the movable bottom portion 15 described later, 14a denotes an outer cylindrical portion of the substitute ceiling portion, and 14b denotes the outer cylindrical shape. 14c is an inner cylindrical portion of the substitute ceiling portion, 14d is a hole portion for accommodating the cylinder 13, and 14e is a hole portion for accommodating the cylinder 13. A flat surface portion that receives an upper surface portion 15a of the movable bottom portion 15 to be described later, 14f is a groove portion formed in such a manner that the side of the hole portion 14d becomes deep in the radial direction from the outer end portion to the inner end portion of the annular substitute ceiling portion,
15 is a movable bottom that moves up based on the action of atmospheric pressure, 15a is an annular upper surface that contacts the flat surface 14e of the substitute ceiling 14 when the movable bottom is fully moved up, and 15b is the movable bottom. A concave portion that creates a gap with the intake port 13a of the cylinder 13 when fully moved, 15c is an annular upper edge that slides on the inner peripheral surface of the container body 10, and 15d is an inner peripheral surface of the container body 10. An annular lower edge portion 15e that slides is a step portion that comes into contact with an inner cylindrical portion 16c of the bottom lid 16 described later in the initial state of FIG.
16 is a bottom lid, 16a is an air intake pore formed in the bottom lid, 16b is an outer cylindrical portion of the bottom lid, 16c is an inner cylindrical portion of the bottom lid,
Respectively.

here,
-The existing container body 10 is made of plastic such as polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, polyacetal,
-The substitute ceiling part 14 is also made of plastics such as polypropylene and polyethylene.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the basic features of the pump-type container of the present invention are originally present in the container body 10 as an initial space, and even in the final state in which the movable bottom 15 is fully moved up by repeated contents discharge operation, The substitute ceiling portion 14 is attached to the space portion 10g where the space is secured, thereby closing the space portion so that the contents are not stored therein from the beginning, and the upper surface of the movable bottom portion 15 in the final state. The portion 15 a is in contact with the annular ceiling surface of the substitute ceiling portion 14, and the content remaining near the ceiling surface until then is driven toward the intake port 13 a (suction valve) of the cylinder 13.

  The existing pump type container is not changed except that the substitute ceiling portion 14 is provided.

The substitute ceiling 14 is
The upper surface portion of the outer cylindrical portion 14a is in close contact with the lower surface portion of the flange-shaped portion 10d, and the annular protruding portion 14b is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 10b.
The upper surface portion of the inner cylindrical portion 14c is in close contact with the lower surface portion of the annular small diameter portion 10e,
-The flat surface portion 14e is substantially the same surface as the locking portion 10a,
The space 10g of the container body 10 is closed.

  And the cylinder 13 is accommodated in the hole 14d of the substitute ceiling part 14 in the aspect from which the inlet 13a protrudes from the flat surface part 14e.

  Therefore, the contents do not flow into the space portion 10g, and the content storage space 10h is roughly defined by the flat surface portion 14e of the substitute ceiling portion, the inner peripheral surface of the container body 10, the upper surface portion 15a and the recess portion 15b of the movable bottom portion 15. It is an enclosed space.

  In addition, the flat surface portion 14e of the substitute ceiling portion 14 is formed with a groove portion 14f for actively sending out the content that has decreased with the discharge to the external space to the content intake port 13a of the cylinder 13. (See FIG. 3).

Hereinafter, the operation of the pump type container will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the initial (unused) state, the step portion 15 e of the movable bottom portion 15 abuts on the upper surface of the inner annular portion 16 c of the bottom cover 16 and is held there.

  At this time, the content is stored in the content storage space 10h, and the content is not stored in the cylinder 13 yet.

  Prior to use, when the so-called pumping operation of the operation member 12 is performed, the internal pressure of the cylinder 13 is lowered by the action of the pump mechanism, and the contents of the storage space 10h are taken into the cylinder through the intake port 13a.

  Then, the movable bottom portion 15 moves up by an amount corresponding to this content take-in, and the outside air flows from the pores 16a. By these operations, the movable bottom portion 15 stops in an equilibrium state based on the atmospheric pressure received from the lower side and the pressure received from the upper side (content storage space 10h).

  When the operating member 12 is pressed again in this state, the contents stored in the cylinder 13 are released to the external space by the pump mechanism. When the pressing operation of the operation member 12 is stopped, the contents of the storage space 10h are taken into the cylinder 13 by the pump action described above.

  Thus, by repeating the pressing operation of the operation member 12, the contents of the storage space 10h are taken into the cylinder 13 and the taken contents are discharged into the external space. And the movable bottom part 15 moves up in the form according to this taking-in amount.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the upper edge 15 c comes into contact with the stepped portion 10 a of the container body 10, the movable bottom 15 is in a final state in which it cannot move any further. At this time, the upper surface portion 15 a of the movable bottom portion 15 contacts the flat surface portion 14 e of the substitute ceiling portion 14, and a gap is formed between the recessed portion 15 b and the intake port 13 a of the cylinder 13.

  As described above, since the substitute ceiling portion 14 is formed with the groove portion 14f having a deepened side of the hole portion 14d on the ceiling surface side, the inside of the container near the substitute ceiling portion 14 in the initial state of FIG. Residual air in the peripheral surface portion is likely to move toward the hole 14d.

The procedure for assembling the pump-type container with the substitute ceiling portion 14 and filling the contents is as follows, for example.
(1) The substitute ceiling portion 14 is inserted from the lower opening 10k of the container body 10 with the flat surface portion 14e facing down, and the upper surface portion of the inner cylindrical portion 14c contacts the lower surface portion of the annular small diameter portion 10e, The cylindrical protrusion 14b is pushed in until the upper surface portion of the cylindrical portion 14b comes into contact with the lower surface portion of the flange portion 10d, and the annular protrusion 14b is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the small diameter cylindrical portion 10b.
(2) In the lower opening 10k of the container body 10 to which the substitute ceiling 14 is attached, the movable bottom 15 is placed with the upper surface 15a facing upward,
(3) A bottom lid 16 is fitted into the lower opening 10k of the container body 10 containing the movable bottom 15,
(4) The contents are injected from the upper opening 10f of the container body 10 to which the bottom lid 16 is attached and filled until the liquid level reaches the flat surface part 14e of the substitute ceiling part 14,
(5) The cover body 11 on which the cylinder 13 and the operation member 12 are already attached is screwed to the neck portion 10c of the container body 10 filled with the contents.

  The pump-type products to which the present invention is applied include facial cleansing foams, nasal cleaners, cleaning agents, cleaning agents, antiperspirants, cooling agents, muscle anti-inflammatory agents, hair styling agents, hair treatment agents, hair dyes, hair restorers. , Cosmetics, shaving foam, food, droplets (such as vitamins), pharmaceuticals, quasi drugs, paints, horticultural agents, repellents (insecticides), cleaners, deodorants, laundry paste, urethane foam, There are various uses such as fire extinguishers, adhesives, and lubricants.

  The form of the contents stored in the container main body is a liquid, a milk, a cream, a gel, a foam, a mousse or the like.

  The contents include, for example, oil components, alcohols, surfactants, polymer compounds, and active ingredients according to each application.

  As the oil component, silicone oil, palm oil, eucalyptus oil, camellia oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, paraffin oil, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and the like are used.

  As alcohols, monovalent lower alcohols such as ethanol, monovalent higher alcohols such as lauryl alcohol, polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene glycol, and the like are used.

  Surfactants include anionic surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate, nonionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene oleyl ether, amphoteric surfactants such as lauryldimethylaminoacetic acid betaine, and cations such as alkyltrimethylammonium chloride. A surfactant is used.

  As the polymer compound, methyl cellulose, gelatin, starch, casein and the like are used.

  Active ingredients according to each application include anti-inflammatory analgesics such as methyl salicylate and indomethacin, antibacterial agents such as sodium benzoate and cresol, insect repellents such as Hillesroid and diethyltoluamide, antiperspirants such as zinc oxide, Coolants such as camphor and menthol, anti-asthma drugs such as ephedrine and adrenaline, sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame, adhesives and paints such as epoxy resin and urethane, dyes such as paraphenylenediamine and aminophenol, dihydrogen phosphate Use a fire extinguishing agent such as ammonium or sodium bicarbonate.

  Further, other than the above-mentioned contents, suspending agents, ultraviolet absorbers, emulsifiers, humectants, antioxidants, sequestering agents, etc. can be used.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the initial state of the pump type container which accommodated the content of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the final state which the movable bottom part of the pump type container of FIG. 1 moved most. It is explanatory drawing which shows the substitute ceiling part of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Container main body 10a: Locking part 10b: Small diameter cylindrical part 10c: Neck part 10d: Gutter-like part 10e: Annular small diameter part 10f: Upper side opening part 10g: Space part 10h: Storage space for contents 10j: Lower side space part 10k: Lower opening portion 11: Cover body 12: Operation member 13: Cylinder 13a: Contents intake 13b: Pump mechanism 14: Substitute ceiling portion 14a: Outer cylindrical portion 14b: Annular protruding portion 14c: Inner cylindrical shape Part 14d: Hole part 14e: Flat surface part 14f: Groove part 15: Movable bottom part 15a: Upper surface part 15b: Recessed part 15c: Upper annular part 15d: Lower annular part 15e: Step part 16: Bottom lid 16a: Fine hole 16b: Outer cylinder 16c: Inner cylindrical part

Claims (3)

A container body for storing contents;
A movable bottom that is movable by the action of atmospheric pressure while sliding on the inner peripheral surface of the container body;
A pump for discharging the contents of the internal space formed by the ceiling surface, the inner peripheral surface and the movable bottom of the container body to the external space;
It is attached to the annular space around the lower end side of the pump that enters the interior space from the opening of the ceiling surface, and the movable bottom portion is attached in accordance with the discharge operation of the contents. An annular substitute ceiling that contacts and faces the inner bottom surface when moved to the uppermost position;
A content release mechanism characterized by comprising: In the bottom surface portion of the substitute ceiling portion on the movable bottom side side, a radial groove portion from the outer end portion to the inner end portion was formed,
The content discharge mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The content discharge mechanism according to claim 1 or 2 is provided, and the content is accommodated in the container body.
This is a pump-type product.

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