JP2006312474A - Pump type bubble delivery container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pump type bubble delivery container having a pump dispenser which is composed of a cylinder and a piston that partition the dispenser into a liquid chamber and an air chamber, which moves up and down a nozzle movable vertically in an interlocking move with the piston to suck up a content liquid held in the container into the liquid chamber while sucking the fresh air into the air chamber, mix the content liquid sucked into the liquid chamber with the air sucked into the air chamber to form bubbles, and deliver the bubbles out of a delivery opening of the nozzle, and which offers an enhanced antibacteria effect in the air chamber to improve sanitary property. <P>SOLUTION: At least the inner surface of the air chamber A is provided with an antibacterial agent. An irregular part 14 for increasing the surface area of the inner surface of the air chamber A is formed on a desired part (e.g., a connection 53 of the cylinder 5) of the inner surface of air chamber A other than a slide contacting part between the cylinder 5 and the piston 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention integrates a pump dispenser that moves the nozzle body up and down, mixes the content liquid stored in the container with air to form a foam, and then discharges it from the discharge port of the nozzle body. In particular, in such a pump-type foam discharge container, hygiene that can effectively prevent many germs from being mixed into the foam discharged from the nozzle body by the antibacterial agent. The present invention relates to a pump type foam discharge container having excellent properties.

A pump dispenser is integrally installed so that the nozzle body is moved up and down by pushing down and releasing the push-down action, so that the content liquid stored in the container is discharged from the outlet of the nozzle body by a predetermined amount. About pump-type discharge containers, pump-type foam discharge containers that discharge liquids such as detergents and hand soaps stored in the containers after mixing with air to form bubbles have been widely used. . On the other hand, in a pump-type discharge container that discharges the content liquid stored in the container as it is, in order to prevent the content liquid from being adversely affected by germs attached to the pump dispenser when the content liquid is refilled, the pump dispenser It has been conventionally known from Patent Document 1 below that an antibacterial agent is contained in a member (at least a suction pipe or a nozzle member) that constitutes the material.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-86554

  By the way, in a pump-type foam discharge container in which the content liquid stored in the container is mixed with air to make a foam and then discharged, the content liquid from the liquid chamber and the air from the air chamber are mixed to create bubbles. In the case of such a pump-type foam discharge container, air is sucked into the air chamber from the outside by moving the nozzle body up and down, Since this air is mixed with the content liquid to form a bubble, there is a high possibility that germs will enter the air chamber together with the newly sucked air.

  Furthermore, when using a pump-type foam discharge container in a place with a lot of moisture such as a bathroom or a washroom, moisture may enter with the air when the air is sucked into the air chamber from the outside. If germs enter the air chamber in the state of being accumulated in the chamber, the germs grow inside the air chamber, and it is sufficient to add antibacterial agents to the components constituting the pump dispenser. An effect cannot be acquired and there exists a possibility that many germs may be mixed in the foam discharged from the discharge port of a nozzle body.

  An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-described problems. Specifically, the pump-type foam discharge container that discharges the liquid after the contents liquid is mixed with air to form a foam is used. The object is to further improve the hygiene by further enhancing the antibacterial effect in the room.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a nozzle body capable of moving up and down in conjunction with a piston body by a pump dispenser in which a liquid chamber and an air chamber are defined by a cylinder body and a piston body. By moving up and down, the liquid contained in the container is sucked into the liquid chamber, the outside air is sucked into the air chamber, and the liquid sucked into the liquid chamber and the air sucked into the air chamber are bubbled. In the pump-type foam discharge container in which the foam is discharged from the discharge port of the nozzle body after being mixed in a shape, an antibacterial agent is applied at least to the inner surface of the air chamber, and the cylinder body is connected to the inner surface of the air chamber. An uneven portion for increasing the surface area of the inner surface of the air chamber is formed in a desired portion excluding the sliding contact portion with the piston body.

  According to the pump-type foam discharge container of the present invention as described above, an uneven portion is formed in the air chamber of the pump dispenser, and the surface area of the inner surface of the air chamber to which the antibacterial agent is applied is increased. The antibacterial effect of the antibacterial agent inside the air chamber can be sufficiently enhanced. Therefore, even when moisture that has entered with air from the outside accumulates in the air chamber, it is possible to reliably suppress the growth of germs by sufficient antibacterial action in the air chamber, and as a result, the discharge port of the nozzle body Therefore, it is possible to discharge a hygienic excellent foam without mixing many germs in the foam discharged from the container.

  About the pump type foam discharge container which mixes the content liquid with air to make it foam and then discharges it, by further enhancing the antibacterial effect in the air chamber of the pump dispenser, the purpose of further improving hygiene is the best As specifically shown in the following embodiment as a form, a nozzle body capable of moving up and down in conjunction with the piston body is provided by a pump dispenser in which a liquid chamber and an air chamber are defined by a cylinder body and a piston body. By moving up and down, the content liquid stored in the container is sucked into the liquid chamber, and outside air is sucked into the air chamber, and the content liquid sucked into the liquid chamber and the air sucked into the air chamber are foamed. In the pump-type foam discharge container in which the foam is discharged from the discharge port of the nozzle body after mixing, an antibacterial agent is applied to at least the inner surface of the air chamber, and the cylinder body is formed on the inner surface of the air chamber. The desired portion excluding the sliding portion between the piston body, realized in that to form the uneven portion to increase the surface area of the inner surface of the air chamber.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The pump-type foam discharge container of the present embodiment contains a liquid containing a surfactant such as a shampoo, hand soap, facial cleanser, hairdressing agent, shaving agent, etc. A liquid dispenser is accommodated inside the container body as a liquid, and a pump dispenser for discharging the content liquid to the container body is integrally provided.

  In the pump-type foam discharge container of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 (only the pump dispenser part excluding the container body is shown), it is detachably attached to the mouth (not shown) of the container body. A nozzle body 3, a piston body 4, a cylinder body 5, and a liquid introduction pipe 6 are integrally attached to a two-component cap 2, and the pump mechanism comprising the piston body 4 and the cylinder body 5 has an external An air chamber A for sucking in air and a liquid chamber B for sucking up the liquid stored in the container are respectively defined.

  The cylinder body 5 of the pump dispenser 1 is a double cylinder with a single member in which a large-diameter air cylinder 51 and a small-diameter liquid cylinder 52 are integrally formed via a connecting portion 53. The air piston 41 and the liquid piston 42 are integrally assembled. The air piston 41 has a large-diameter cylindrical seal portion 41a that is a sliding contact portion with the air cylinder 51. And the stem part 41c for connecting the nozzle body 3, and the connection part 41b which connects the cylindrical seal part 41a and the stem part 41c are integrally formed as one member. An air hole F for supplying air into the container body (not shown) is provided in the upper part of the air cylinder 51.

  In addition, a cylindrical upper stopper member 7 having a seal portion that is a sliding contact portion with the liquid cylinder 52 is integrally coupled to the liquid piston 42 so as to be fitted into the lower end of the liquid piston 42. On the other hand, the liquid cylinder 52 is formed with a plug portion at the upper portion of the cylindrical portion and a flange portion at the lower portion of the cylindrical portion so as to face the upper stopper member 7, and a flow path is formed in the cylindrical portion. The lower stopper member 8 having the opening is erected so that the flange portion is fitted near the bottom of the liquid cylinder 52.

  By assembling the piston body 4 and the cylinder body 5, the internal space of the cylinder body 5 surrounded by the air piston 41 and the liquid piston 42 becomes the air chamber A, and the inside of the liquid piston 42 and the liquid The inner space surrounded by the inner side of the cylinder 52 for the liquid becomes the liquid chamber B, the inner side of the stem portion 41c of the air piston 41 above the liquid chamber B becomes the mixing chamber C, and the upper outer surface of the liquid piston 42 And a groove-like space formed between the inner surface of the stem portion 41c of the air piston 41 (a plurality of vertical irregularities formed on the inner surface of the stem portion 41c of the air piston 41 at intervals in the circumferential direction). The portion between the portions) serves as an air supply passage D that allows the air chamber A and the mixing chamber C to communicate with each other.

  The air piston 41 is provided with an air introduction hole E for introducing external air into the air chamber A at an appropriate position of the connecting portion 41b that connects the seal portion 41a and the stem portion 41c. A first check valve 11 is disposed at the upper end of the chamber B, a second check valve 12 is disposed at the lower end of the liquid chamber B, and the third check valve 11 is disposed between the air introduction hole E and the air supply passage D. A check valve 13 is provided, and a liquid guide pipe 6 for sucking up the content liquid contained in the container body is connected to the lower end of the liquid cylinder 52.

  With respect to the cylinder body 5 fixed to the cap 2 in a state where the piston body 4 and the cylinder body 5 are assembled, the piston body 4 includes the stem portion 41c of the piston 41 for air and the center portion of the top plate of the cap 2. In a state of being guided by being inserted through the cylindrical through-hole 21 erected in the vertical direction, it can move in the vertical direction. And the nozzle body 3 which has the discharge port 31 is integrally connected with the upper end part of the stem part 41c of the piston 41 for air of the piston body 4, and the discharge port 31 of the nozzle body 3 and the mixing chamber C are connected. In order to make the foam bubbled in the mixing chamber C into bubbles of a uniform size, a porous body 10 made of a net member (short cylindrical body provided with a net above and below) or the like is disposed in the passage between them. Yes.

  Further, a compressed coil spring 9 is interposed between the upper stopper member 7 fitted into the lower end of the liquid piston 42 and the lower stopper member 8 erected near the bottom of the liquid cylinder 52. As shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle body 3 and the piston body 4 which are interposed and integrally connected to the cylinder body 5 fixed to the cap 2 by the urging force of the coil spring 9 as it is. The upper limit position is always biased upward.

  In the present embodiment, the nozzle body 3 has an inner cylinder portion 32 formed therein with a vertical passage communicating with the discharge port 31 opened in the horizontal direction, and concentrically with the inner cylinder portion 32. An inner cylinder part 33 having a diameter larger than that of the inner cylinder part 32 and an outer cylinder part 34 having a diameter larger than that of the intermediate cylinder part 33 are formed, and the inner cylinder part 32 of the nozzle body 3 connects the piston body 4. The upper end portion of the stem portion 41 c of the air piston 41 is fitted into the lower end portion of the inner cylinder portion 32 of the nozzle body 3.

  The middle cylinder portion 33 of the nozzle body 3 serves as a lock mechanism for locking the nozzle body 3 (and the piston body 4) against the urging force of the coil spring 9 while pushing the nozzle body 3 (and the piston body 4) down to the lowest position. In addition, the inner surface of the middle cylinder portion 33 of the nozzle body 3 is formed with a screw for screwing with a screw formed on the outer surface of the cylindrical through hole 21 of the cap 2, and the nozzle body 3 is pushed down. Thus, the nozzle body 3 (and the piston body 4) is resisted against the urging force of the coil spring 9 by screwing the screw of the middle cylinder portion 33 of the nozzle body 3 with the screw of the cylindrical through hole 21 of the cap 2. Can be locked at the lowest position.

  The operation state of the pump dispenser 1 of the pump type foam discharge container of the present embodiment as described above will be described below. First, from the state where the nozzle body 3 (and the piston body 4) is locked at the lowest limit position, the cap 1 is released and the nozzle body 3 is released from the locked state, the nozzle body 3 (and the piston body 4) automatically reaches the upper limit position as shown in FIG. To rise. When the nozzle body 3 is thus positioned at the upper limit position, the first check valve 11, the second check valve 12, and the third check valve 13 on the air introduction hole E side (the outer peripheral side of the valve body). ) And the air supply path D side of the third check valve 13 (the inner peripheral side of the valve body) are all closed.

  Next, when the nozzle body 3 is pushed down from the upper limit position against the urging force of the coil spring 9, a position where the screw lower end of the middle cylinder portion 33 of the nozzle body 3 comes into contact with the screw upper end of the cylindrical through hole 21 of the cap 2. Thus, the push-down of the nozzle body 3 is prevented, and this position becomes the substantial lower limit position of the pumping stroke, and the range between the lower limit position and the upper limit position becomes the pumping stroke range.

  Thus, by first pushing down the nozzle body 3 from the upper limit position to the lower limit position, the air piston 41 and the liquid piston 42 of the piston body 4 are lowered inside the cylinder body 5, and the air chamber A and the liquid The inside of the chamber B is pressurized, whereby the first check valve 11 is opened and the second check valve 12 is kept closed. In the third check valve 13, the side of the air introduction hole E ( The outer periphery side of the valve body is kept closed, the air supply passage D side (the inner periphery side of the valve body) is opened, and the air accumulated in the air chamber A and the liquid chamber B is mixed into the mixing chamber. C is discharged from the discharge port 31 of the nozzle body 3 through the passage inside the nozzle body 3 from C. When the nozzle body 3 reaches the lower limit position, the pressurization in the air chamber A and the liquid chamber B is finished, and the first check valve 11 and the third check valve 13 on the side of the air supply path D (The inner peripheral side of the valve body) is closed.

  Next, when the first push-down operation of the nozzle body 3 is released, the nozzle body 3 (and the piston body 4) is automatically raised by the urging force of the coil spring 9, so that the air in the piston body 4 is inside the cylinder body 5. The piston 41 for liquid and the piston 42 for liquid rise, the inside of the air chamber A and the liquid chamber B is decompressed, and the liquid chamber B becomes negative pressure, so that the first check valve 11 remains closed. Then, the second check valve 12 is opened, the lower end inlet of the liquid chamber B is opened, the liquid content in the container is sucked into the liquid chamber B through the liquid guide pipe 6, and the air chamber A becomes negative pressure. Thus, in the third check valve 13, the air supply passage D side (the inner peripheral side of the valve body) remains closed, the air introduction hole E side (the outer peripheral side of the valve body) opens, and the nozzle Stem portion of body 3 and piston body 4 (air piston 41) and cylindrical through hole 21 of cap 2 And outside air entering from the gap between the is supplied to the air chamber A, is completed ready for discharging bubbles. When the nozzle body 3 reaches the upper limit position, the second check valve 12 and the air introduction hole E side (the outer peripheral side of the valve body) of the third check valve 13 are closed.

  Next, when the nozzle body 3 is pushed down again from the state where the rise of the nozzle body 3 (and the piston body 4) by the urging force of the coil spring 9 is stopped (returned to the vicinity of the substantially upper limit position), the piston body 4 and each The check valves 11, 12, and 13 are operated in the same manner as the first depression, and as a result, the air chamber A and the liquid chamber B are pressurized as the piston body 4 is lowered, so that the air chamber A Is sent to the mixing chamber C through the air supply passage D, and the liquid in the liquid chamber B is sent to the mixing chamber C. Both are mixed and foamed in the mixing chamber C. After passing through and being formed into fine and uniform bubbles, the bubbles are discharged from the discharge port 31 of the nozzle body 3.

  By the way, in the pump-type foam discharge container that operates the pump dispenser 1 as described above, an antibacterial agent is provided for the components of the pump dispenser 1 including at least the piston body 4 and the cylinder body 5 that define the air chamber A. Is granted.

  That is, in this embodiment, specifically, a resin material (a well-known resin material such as polyethylene or polypropylene) for forming each member in the piston body 4 and the cylinder body 5 defining the air chamber A. In contrast, inorganic antibacterial agents such as silver zeolite, silver zirconium phosphate, silver hydroxyapatite, silver phosphate glass, silver phosphate ceramics, etc., or organic antibacterial agents such as 1,2-benzisothiazoline An antibacterial agent is contained in the member by kneading or impregnating -3-one, N-fluorodichloromethylthiophthalimide or the like into the resin material.

  Further, in the piston body 4 and the cylinder body 5 to which the antibacterial agent is applied as described above, an air chamber is formed on a desired portion of the inner surface of the air chamber A excluding a sliding contact portion between the piston body 4 and the cylinder body 5. Ribs 14 are formed as uneven portions for increasing the surface area of the inner surface of A.

  That is, in this embodiment, specifically, in the cylinder body 5 in which the air cylinder 51 and the liquid cylinder 52 are integrally formed via the connecting portion 53, the air cylinder 51 and the liquid cylinder 52 are combined. A plurality of vertical ribs 14 are integrally formed at intervals in the circumferential direction at a connecting portion 53 that connects the two.

  According to the pump type foam discharge container of the present embodiment as described above, in the air chamber A of the pump dispenser 1, a plurality of ribs 14 are formed on the connecting portion 53 of the cylinder body 5 and the antibacterial agent is applied. Since the surface area of the inner surface of the air chamber A is increased, the antibacterial effect of the antibacterial agent inside the air chamber A can be sufficiently enhanced. Therefore, when external air is supplied to the air chamber A from the gap between the stem portion of the nozzle body 3 or the piston body 4 (air piston 41) and the cylindrical through hole 21 of the cap 2, the air from the outside is supplied. In addition, even when moisture enters and the moisture accumulates inside the air chamber A, it is possible to reliably suppress the growth of germs by sufficient antibacterial action inside the air chamber A. As a result, Without sacrificing many germs in the bubbles discharged from the discharge port 31 of the nozzle body 3, it is possible to discharge hygienic excellent bubbles. Further, since the ribs 14 are formed up to the bottom surface portion of the connecting portion 53 where water accumulates, the moisture containing various bacteria that have entered the air chamber A always comes into direct contact with the portion to which the antibacterial agent is widely applied. That is, it is possible to effectively suppress the proliferation of various germs in the water.

  As mentioned above, although one Example of the pump type foam discharge container of this invention was described, this invention is not limited only to the above concrete Examples, For example, about the member which provides an antibacterial agent Is not limited to the piston body and cylinder body that define the air chamber, but may also be appropriately applied with an antibacterial agent to other members (such as a nozzle body and a liquid guide pipe). Moreover, about the specific means for providing an antibacterial agent to a member, not only the antibacterial agent is contained in the resin of the member by kneading or impregnation into the resin material, but also the paint containing the antibacterial agent is used for the member. The antibacterial agent may be applied by applying to the surface of the piston, and the portion where the uneven portion is formed in order to increase the surface area of the inner surface of the air chamber, Even if it is a part excluding the sliding part It is not limited to the connecting part of the cylinder body, but is also formed on other parts such as the back surface (surface opposite to the sliding contact portion) of the air piston of the piston body and the upper surface of the air piston. Furthermore, it is needless to say that the shape of the concavo-convex portion can be appropriately changed in design, such as not only a rib but also a small protrusion.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the part of the pump dispenser except a container main body about one Example of the pump type foam discharge container of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pump dispenser 2 Cap 3 Nozzle body 4 Piston body 5 Cylinder body 9 Coil spring 10 Porous body 11 1st non-return valve 12 2nd non-return valve 13 3rd non-return valve 14 Concavity and convexity 21 Cylindrical through-hole 31 of a cap 31 Nozzle Body discharge port 41 Piston for air 42 Piston for liquid 41a Cylindrical seal portion of air piston 41b Connection portion of piston for air 41c Stem portion of piston for air 51 Cylinder for air 52 Cylinder for liquid 53 Connection portion of cylinder body A Air chamber B Liquid chamber C Mixing chamber D Air supply passage E Air introduction hole F Air hole

Claims (3)

  A pump dispenser in which a liquid chamber and an air chamber are defined by a cylinder body and a piston body, and a nozzle body that can move up and down in conjunction with the piston body is moved up and down to store the content liquid stored in the container. The air is sucked into the liquid chamber, the outside air is sucked into the air chamber, and the liquid that has been sucked into the liquid chamber and the air sucked into the air chamber are mixed in the form of bubbles. In the pump-type foam discharge container to be discharged from, the antibacterial agent is applied to at least the inner surface of the air chamber, and the desired portion of the inner surface of the air chamber excluding the sliding contact portion between the cylinder body and the piston body, A pump-type foam discharge container, characterized in that an uneven portion for increasing the surface area of the inner surface of the air chamber is formed.   The pump type foam discharge container according to claim 1, wherein an antibacterial agent is contained in a resin of a member of a pump dispenser including at least a cylinder body and a piston body.   A pump dispenser includes a cylinder body in which an air cylinder and a liquid cylinder are integrally formed in a double cylinder state, and an air piston having a sliding contact portion between the air cylinder and a liquid cylinder. A piston body integrally assembled with a liquid piston having a contact portion, and a plurality of cylinder body connecting portions connecting a large-diameter air cylinder and a small-diameter liquid cylinder. The pump type foam discharge container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a rib is formed.

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