JP2011251691A - Foam discharge container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a foam discharge container in which a dip tube extends from a foamer cap into a container body, wherein the discharged foam has uniform quality.SOLUTION: The foam discharge container 1 has a container body 2 with flexibility, the foamer cap 10 attached to the mouth part 3 of the container body 2, and the dip tube 11 extending from the foamer can 10 into the container body 2. The foamer cap 10 has a discharge port 12 for discharging foam, a plurality of air introduction passages p, a plurality of liquid introduction passages q, a plurality of gas/liquid merging parts r where the air introduction passages p and the liquid introduction passages q merge, the foam merging parts s where foams formed in the plurality of gas/liquid merging parts merge, a plurality of foam communication holes 32 for communicating the plurality of gas/liquid merging parts r and the foam merging parts s, the air introduction passages p communicates the gas/liquid merging parts r and the upper space 2a in the container body 2, the liquid introduction passages q communicates the gas/liquid merging parts r and the dip tube 11.

Description

  The present invention relates to a foam discharge container that discharges a liquid in a container body in a foam shape by pressing a flexible container body.

  When a flexible container body is pressed, the foam discharge container that discharges the liquid in the container body in the form of foam is also called a squeeze foamer container, and various cosmetics, cleaning agents, etc. are discharged in the form of foam. Is used.

  As one of the common forms of foam discharge containers, a former cap having a gas-liquid mixing chamber is attached to the mouth of the container body, and a dip tube extending into the container body is connected to the former cap, thereby There is a type in which a liquid supplied from a main body through a dip tube and air supplied from an upper space of a container body are mixed and bubbled in a gas-liquid mixing chamber. Moreover, in such a foam discharge container, in order to homogenize foam quality, it is known to provide air intake ports at a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction of the gas-liquid mixing chamber (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 2934145

  In a foam discharge container in which a dip tube extends from a former cap having a gas-liquid mixing chamber into the container body, when air is introduced into the gas-liquid mixing chamber from a plurality of locations, compared to a case where air is introduced from one location. Although the foam quality can be homogenized, large bubbles may be mixed. On the other hand, if the liquid introduction path is narrowed, the gas-liquid mixing efficiency can be improved and the foam quality can be homogenized. However, when the liquid introduction path is narrowed, there arises a problem that the pressing pressure of the container body necessary for discharging the bubbles increases.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to further homogenize foams formed in a foam discharge container in which a dip tube extends from a former cap into a container body.

  The inventor supplies the liquid in the container body to the gas-liquid mixing part in the former cap through the dip tube and supplies the air in the upper space in the container body to cause the liquid to foam. When each of the liquids is supplied from a plurality of flow paths to the gas-liquid mixing unit, the efficiency of gas-liquid mixing is remarkably improved and homogeneous bubbles are formed. It has been found that if a plurality of air introduction paths and a plurality of liquid introduction paths are provided in the gap, a plurality of air introduction paths and a plurality of liquid introduction paths to the gas-liquid mixing section can be easily formed.

That is, the present invention is a foam discharge container comprising a flexible container body, a former cap attached to the mouth of the container body, and a dip tube extending from the former cap into the container body. , The former cap has a discharge port for discharging bubbles, a plurality of air introduction paths, a plurality of liquid introduction paths, a plurality of gas-liquid merge sections where the air introduction paths and the liquid introduction paths merge, and a plurality of gas-liquid merge sections A bubble merging portion where the formed bubbles merge, a plurality of bubble communication holes communicating each gas-liquid merging portion and the bubble merging portion, and the air introduction path includes the gas-liquid merging portion and the upper space in the container body. The communication and the liquid introduction path provide a foam discharge container that communicates the gas-liquid junction and the dip tube.
In particular, according to the present invention, the former cap has an outer cylindrical portion communicating with the dip tube, a bottomed cylindrical inner cylindrical portion fitted in the outer cylindrical portion, and a foam discharge path extending from the inner cylindrical portion. The plurality of air introduction paths, the plurality of liquid introduction paths, and the plurality of gas-liquid merging sections are formed between the outer cylindrical part and the inner cylindrical part,
Provided is a foam discharge container in which a plurality of foam communication holes are formed in an inner cylindrical portion.

  According to the foam discharge container of the present invention, bubbles are formed by mixing the air supplied from the plurality of air introduction paths and the liquid supplied from the plurality of liquid introduction paths at the plurality of gas-liquid junctions. Therefore, the foam quality can be remarkably homogenized as compared with the case of supplying the foam from a single liquid introduction path, and the generation of coarse foam is prevented.

  Moreover, the pressing pressure of the container main body required for foam discharge can be adjusted by the total cross-sectional area of the individual liquid introduction paths communicating with the dip tube. Therefore, even if the cross-sectional area of each liquid introduction path is made smaller than the cross-sectional area of the dip tube, the total cross-sectional area thereof can be made larger than the cross-sectional area of the dip tube. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an excessive increase in the pressing pressure of the container body required for discharging the foam while achieving homogenization of the foam quality.

Drawing 1 is a perspective view (a) and a front view (b) of a foam discharge container of an example. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view of a former cap of the foam container of FIG. FIG. 2B is a longitudinal sectional view of a different form of the former cap. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a liquid flow and a gas flow in the vicinity of the gas-liquid confluence portion of the foam discharge container of FIG. 1. FIG. 4A is a top view of an outer cylindrical portion used by the foam discharge container of FIG. 1. FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the outer cylindrical portion used by the foam discharge container of FIG. 1.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same numerals indicate the same or equivalent components.

  1A is a perspective view of a foam discharge container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a front view thereof, and FIG. 2A is attached to the mouth of the container body with the foam discharge container 1. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a former cap 10.

  The foam discharge container 1 is made of plastic having flexibility, a container main body 2 in which a foamable liquid A is accommodated, a former cap 10 attached to the mouth of the container main body 2, a former A dip tube 11 extending from the cap 10 into the container main body 2 is provided, and the foam discharge container 1 is placed in an upright state so that the body portion of the container main body 2 is pressed and deformed as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. By doing so, the liquid A in the container body 2 is discharged in the form of bubbles from the discharge port 12 of the former cap 10.

  Here, as the material of the container body 2, so-called squeeze properties (that is, pressability and squeeze back properties) are good, polypropylene (PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), low density polyethylene. Polyolefin resins such as (LDPE) and polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can be used singly or appropriately in combination.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the former cap 10 is detachably attached by being screwed into the mouth portion 3 of the container body 2. Further, the former cap 10 has an outer cylindrical portion 20 in the housing 13 and an inner cylindrical portion 30 fitted in the outer cylindrical portion 20. Here, the outer cylindrical portion 20 and the inner cylindrical portion 30 are such that the inner wall of the outer cylindrical portion 20 and the outer wall of the inner cylindrical portion 30 are directly opposed to each other at the lower portions 20a and 30a. In 30b, the cylindrical wall 15 suspended from the housing 13 is opposed so that the inner wall of the outer cylindrical part 20 and the outer wall of the inner cylindrical part 30 are sandwiched.

  One end of the outer cylindrical portion 20 serves as a dip tube holder 21 into which the dip tube 11 is inserted, and the inside of the outer cylindrical portion 20 communicates with the inserted dip tube 11. In this case, the dip tube 11 is bent in a dogleg shape so that the liquid A in the container main body 2 can be discharged without any residue when the foam discharge container 1 is tilted toward the discharge port 12 and used. At the bottom, the tip opening of the dip tube 11 faces the discharge port 12 side.

  The inner cylindrical portion 30 has a bottomed cylindrical shape, and the bottom portion 31 faces the dip tube 11 side. Further, the inner cylindrical portion 30 has a first mesh 40 at the opening end opposite to the dip tube 11 and is connected to the bubble discharge path 14 and the discharge port 12. A second mesh 41 is further provided in the bubble discharge path 14 between the first mesh 40 and the discharge port 12.

  Between the outer cylindrical part 20 and the inner cylindrical part 30, a plurality of air introduction paths p, a plurality of liquid introduction paths q, and a gas-liquid junction where the air introduction paths p and the liquid introduction paths q merge. r is formed, each air introduction path p communicates the gas-liquid junction part r and the upper space 2a in the container body 2, and each liquid introduction path q communicates the gas-liquid junction part r and the dip tube 11. Each gas-liquid joining portion r communicates with the bubble joining portion s inside the inner cylindrical portion 30 through a communication hole 32 formed in the inner cylindrical portion 30.

  More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 </ b> A, and 4 </ b> B, an upper portion 20 b that is substantially the upper half of the outer tubular portion 20 is provided on the inner wall of the outer tubular portion 20. Six vertical grooves 22 extending from the upper end edge to the gas-liquid confluence portion r at the center are formed, and by inserting the cylindrical wall 15 between the outer cylindrical portion 20 and the inner cylindrical portion 30, The air introduction path p is formed in the gap between the inner wall of the upper portion 20b of the outer cylindrical portion 20 and the cylindrical wall 15 and the gap between the inner wall of the step portion 20c of the outer cylindrical portion 20 and the inner cylindrical portion 30. 2A, the air inlet p1 of the air introduction path p is formed at the upper end of the outer cylindrical portion 20, that is, directly below the horizontally extending bubble discharge path 14, and the liquid level of the liquid A in the container body 2 The position is far from the maximum. Thereby, even when the liquid A in the container body 2 is foamed, it is possible to prevent the air intake port p1 from being blocked by the foam and to discharge good foam.

  Further, the lower cylindrical portion 20a, which is substantially the lower half of the outer cylindrical portion 20, has an outer cylindrical portion 20 on the surface of the outer cylindrical portion 20 that faces the inner cylindrical portion 30 from the vicinity of the insertion end of the dip tube 11. 6 vertical grooves 23 are formed to reach the gas-liquid confluence portion r in the center of the liquid crystal so that the liquid introduction path q is formed in the gap between the outer cylindrical portion 20 and the inner cylindrical portion 30. . In this way, by providing a plurality of air introduction paths p and liquid introduction paths q and mixing air and liquid in a plurality of gas-liquid junctions r, the gas-liquid mixing efficiency can be improved and the foam quality can be homogenized. . In the illustrated former cap 10, the cross-sectional shape of the air introduction path p is rectangular and the cross-sectional shape of the liquid introduction path q is a half-moon shape. However, these cross-sectional shapes are not limited to this, and the air introduction path is not limited thereto. The cross-sectional shape of p and the liquid introduction path q may be the same.

  In the foam discharge container 1 of this embodiment, six air introduction paths p and six liquid introduction paths q are formed, but in the present invention, these numbers are appropriately determined from the viewpoint of the desired foam quality. Usually, it is preferable that the air introduction paths p are 2 to 36 and the liquid introduction paths q are 2 to 36.

  In addition, the liquid introduction path q is a lower portion of the inner cylindrical portion 30 facing the inner wall of the lower portion 20a of the outer cylindrical portion 20 instead of being formed from the groove 23 on the inner wall of the lower portion 20a of the outer cylindrical portion 20. You may form from the groove | channel formed in the outer wall of 30a.

  Similarly, the air introduction path p may be formed by providing a groove on the outer wall of the cylindrical wall 15 or the inner cylindrical part 30 facing the outer cylindrical part 20.

  Further, when the cylindrical wall 15 is inserted between the outer cylindrical portion 20 and the inner cylindrical portion 30 as in the former cap 10 shown in FIG. Even if a rotational force is applied to the dip tube 11 to change the direction of the tip opening of the dip tube 11 when the discharge container 1 is transported, the direction of the tip opening of the dip tube 11 can be prevented from changing, and air can be prevented. Although it is preferable because the air intake port p1 of the introduction path p can be greatly separated from the liquid surface of the liquid A, as shown in FIG. 2B, a cylindrical wall is provided between the outer cylindrical portion 20 and the inner cylindrical portion 30. 15, the outer cylindrical part 20 and the inner cylindrical part 30 are directly opposed to each other, and the inner cylindrical part 30 and the inner cylindrical part 15 are fitted by fitting the inner cylindrical part 30 and the cylindrical wall 15. The outer cylindrical part fitted to the part 30 0 and may also be fixed to the housing 13. In this case, the air introduction path p and the liquid introduction path q may be formed by providing a groove on any of the opposing surfaces of the outer cylindrical portion 20 and the inner cylindrical portion 30. Thereby, the freedom degree of design, such as a gas-liquid mixture ratio, can be increased.

  On the other hand, the housing 13 is provided with a ball valve 16 as a check valve that prevents outflow of air from the inside of the housing 13 and allows the inflow of air from the outside of the housing 13.

  This foam discharge container 1 is used as follows. First, in a state where the foamable liquid A is accommodated in the container body 2, the body part of the container body 2 is pressed and recessed. As a result, the internal pressure in the container body 2 is increased, and the liquid A passes through the dip tube 11 as shown in FIG. 3, branches at a plurality of liquid introduction paths q, and is supplied to a plurality of gas-liquid junctions r. Air B is supplied to a plurality of gas-liquid junctions r from a plurality of air introduction paths p communicating with the upper space 2a of the container body 2. As a result, the liquid A is uniformly bubbled in the plurality of gas-liquid merging portions r, and the bubbles C are discharged through the communication holes 32 to the bubble merging portion s inside the inner cylindrical portion 30. The merged bubbles sequentially pass through the first mesh 40 and the second mesh 41 to improve the foam quality and are discharged from the discharge port 12. Next, when the pressure on the container main body 2 is released, the container main body 2 returns to the shape before the press due to the flexibility of the container main body 2, so that the pressure inside the container main body 2 decreases. By reducing the internal pressure, the ball 17 of the ball valve falls to its latching position due to its own weight and the ball valve 16 opens, from which air outside the container enters the container body 2 and the inside of the container body 2 is always inside. Return to pressure. Thereafter, the liquid A in the container body 2 can be discharged in the form of bubbles by repeating this pressing and releasing thereof.

  The foam discharge container of the present invention can take various forms. For example, the shape of the discharge port is not particularly limited, and an applicator such as a comb tooth may be attached. Moreover, the arrangement | positioning position of the 1st, 2nd meshes 40 and 41 provided in the bubble discharge path 14 can be changed suitably, and the arrangement | positioning number of meshes may be reduced or increased.

  The foam discharge container of the present invention is useful as a container for discharging cosmetics used for hair, face, body and the like, detergents used for baths, kitchens, toilets, and the like in a foam form.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Foam discharge container 2 Container body 3 Mouth part 10 Former cap 11 Dip tube 12 Discharge port 13 Housing 14 Foam discharge path 15 Cylindrical wall 16 Ball valve 20 Outer cylindrical part 21 Dip tube holder 22 Groove 23 Groove 30 Inner cylindrical form Part 31 Bottom 32 Communication hole 40 First mesh 41 Second mesh A Liquid B Air p Air introduction path q Liquid introduction path r Gas-liquid merge part s Foam merge part

Claims (5)

  A foam discharge container comprising a flexible container body, a former cap attached to the mouth of the container body, and a dip tube extending from the former cap into the container body, the former cap comprising: Foam formed by the discharge port for discharging bubbles, a plurality of air introduction paths, a plurality of liquid introduction paths, a plurality of gas-liquid merge sections where the air introduction paths and the liquid introduction paths merge, and bubbles formed by the plurality of gas-liquid merge sections A plurality of bubble communication holes that communicate each of the gas-liquid merge portion and the bubble merge portion, and the air introduction path communicates the gas-liquid merge section and the upper space in the container body, and the liquid introduction path Is a foam discharge container that connects the gas-liquid junction and the dip tube. The former cap has an outer cylindrical portion communicating with the dip tube, a bottomed cylindrical inner cylindrical portion fitted in the outer cylindrical portion, and a foam discharge path extending from the inner cylindrical portion,
Between the outer cylindrical portion and the inner cylindrical portion, the plurality of air introduction paths, the plurality of liquid introduction paths, and the plurality of gas-liquid merging sections are formed,
The foam discharge container according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of foam communication holes are formed in the inner cylindrical portion.   The foam discharge container according to claim 2, wherein the air introduction path is formed from a groove formed in the inner wall of the outer cylindrical portion.   The foam discharge container according to claim 2, wherein the liquid introduction path is formed from a groove formed in the inner wall of the outer cylindrical portion.   The foam discharge container according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a dip tube is fitted into one end of the outer cylindrical portion.

Images