JP2012140176A - Container with pump - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a container with a pump which is capable of reliably securing the quality of initial flow of liquid when starting the use while preventing infiltration of liquid into a dip tube.SOLUTION: The container with a pump includes the dip tube 16 for pouring content liquid which is fit to a pump 10, wherein, to an inlet end part 16a of the content liquid of the dip tube 16, an infiltration prevention mechanism 18 is added which opens a valve and allows passage of the content liquid into the dip tube 16 when a suction negative pressure of the pump 10 gets to a prescribed pressure or more upon the usage of the pump 10, and closes the valve and prevents the content liquid from infiltrating into the dip tube 16 upon the nonuse of the pump 10.

Description

  The present invention relates to a container with a pump that can prevent liquid from flowing into a dip tube when not in use.

  When designing a product using a pump-type container, various stability evaluations may be performed in order to check the suitability of the liquid to be filled and the container. In particular, for the tubes that suck up the pump's contents (materials are often PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), hereinafter referred to as “dip tubes”), the oil-soluble (including active ingredients) components of the inner solution are adsorbed, There exists a subject that an ingredient will lose weight.

  There are cases where this problem can be improved by selecting the material of the dip tube, but due to productivity restrictions at manufacturers, the material is often PE or PP, so improvement by the material is actually difficult. .

  The problem in particular is that the content liquid enters the dip tube before the start of use, and stays for a long time, so that the components of the retained liquid are adsorbed significantly. The quality cannot be ensured.

  Here, the prior art regarding the inflow prevention valve of the container with a pump is demonstrated.

  First, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 31-3859 (referred to as Patent Document 1) discloses a sprayer for ironing. In this sprayer, a small hole at the lower end of the dip tube (suction pipe) connected to the lower side of the nozzle is closed by a small ball, and when the liquid in the dip tube is compressed and sprayed, the small ball at the lower end of the dip tube is check valve Work like The small sphere that works as a check valve has a structure that can move up and down freely in the dip tube, and lacks closing ability depending on the posture such as lying down.

  Therefore, the sprayer of patent document 1 cannot prevent the liquid intrusion into the dip tube before the start of use due to the lack of the closing function of the small spheres and cannot cope with the above-mentioned problem.

  In Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-106861 (: Patent Document 2), as a method for preventing liquid from entering the dip tube, a “sealing plug”, “cap body”, “thin film” is provided at the end of the dip tube. Is used. In addition, as a method for opening the tube, the opening is “cutting with scissors, a knife, etc.” by “withdrawal” or “wire”. Sealing the end of the dip tube of the spraying device prevents the liquid from entering the pump, thereby mainly preventing metal corrosion in the pump and improving the storage state before the start of use.

  However, this method does not use an “inflow prevention valve” as a method of preventing liquid from entering the dip tube before the start of use, and the sealed part must be destroyed and disassembled at the start of use. The problem cannot be solved without impairing usability.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 8-290083 (PTL 3) discloses a dip tube having a sharp tip shape for breaking through a seal in a potion container-like refill container (the opening is sealed with a sealing material). Is a dispenser container to which is attached. Since the dip tube is not contained in the container before use, it can be said that the liquid does not enter. Originally, it can be used while replacing a refill-dedicated container (sealed with a sealing material at the opening) like a portion container intended for a refill structure.

  However, it is not suitable for a normal container product in which a dip tube is attached from the beginning because a special container for refilling is required so that the liquid does not enter the dip tube before the start of use, and the above problem cannot be dealt with.

  Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3154499 (patent document 4) discloses a structure in which a check valve made of a material such as natural rubber or elastomer is used as a pressure adjusting mechanism in a container in an electric sprayer. In order to solve the problem that spray liquid is difficult to be discharged due to negative pressure inside the container when the small sprayer is operating, the container is equipped with a check valve such as natural rubber or elastomer to improve the negative pressure inside the container. This prevents the back flow of the liquid contents.

  However, although it is a structure that uses the check valve of the material to change the pressure inside the container, it does not aim to prevent liquid intrusion into the tube, and the fluid that passes through is “air”. It was not compatible with.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 31-3859 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-106861 JP-A-8-290083 Utility Model Registration No. 3154499

  As described above, in the conventional technology, in the container with a pump, the ingress prevention of the content liquid into the dip tube is insufficient, and the internal solution stays in the dip tube for a long time, so that the components of the retained liquid are adsorbed remarkably. However, even if the problem that the quality of the initial liquid at the start of use cannot be ensured cannot be completely solved or the intrusion can be prevented, the problem remains in the convenience of the user.

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a container with a pump that can reliably ensure the quality of the initial flow liquid when the use is started by preventing the liquid from entering the dip tube.

The present invention relates to a container with a pump.
The inventor has studied a tube structure in which the content liquid does not enter the dip tube as a method that can solve the adsorption of the content liquid component without changing the dip tube to a special material.

  As a secondary effect, we also studied a tube structure that prevents accidental leakage of liquid from the liquid outlet of the pump before the start of use because liquid does not enter the dip tube.

  Conventionally, a pump type container is often used with a liquid detergent or mouthwash. The pump before use is fixed so that the engine portion does not operate, and the airtightness in the dip tube is maintained. However, it has been found that liquid enters the dip tube due to various conditions during storage.

  In other words, liquid intrusion into the dip tube is "air leak to the engine side due to increase in vessel internal pressure", "gas-liquid replacement due to surface tension of the tube cross section", "internal pressure increase and gas-liquid replacement due to stirring of content liquid" These three patterns are recognized.

  Therefore, the inventor installs an inflow prevention valve that operates at a constant pressure at the inlet end of the dip tube in order to take measures against various causes of liquid intrusion, thereby increasing the internal pressure when the above causes are not used. Depending on the situation, the liquid could be prevented from entering without opening the valve so that it could be used when the pump was activated. In this way, the problem is solved by using the operation differential pressure.

  The present invention has been devised from such a viewpoint.

The present invention is a container with a pump in which a cap-integrated pump is attached to a bottle, and the pump can be operated to pour out the internal solution in the bottle. In a container with a pump equipped with
The inlet end of the content liquid of the dip tube opens when the pump suction negative pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure when the pump is used, and allows the content liquid to flow into the dip tube. The pump-equipped container is characterized by adding an intrusion prevention mechanism that closes the valve when not in use and prevents the liquid content from entering the dip tube.

  In the present invention, the intrusion prevention mechanism opens when the pump suction negative pressure becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure when the pump is used, and allows the content liquid to flow into the dip tube and does not reach the predetermined pressure. It is preferable that the mechanism be closed to prevent the liquid from entering the dip tube.

  In the present invention, the intrusion prevention mechanism includes a valve body made of a film-like elastic body in which a flange portion is formed around a central dome portion, and a member for mounting the valve body on a dip tube, A slit is formed in the dome, and the slit opens when the suction negative pressure of the pump exceeds a predetermined pressure to allow the flow of the content liquid. On the other hand, the slit closes when the pressure is lower than the predetermined pressure. In addition, it is preferable that the content liquid does not enter the dip tube from the slit due to the surface tension of the content liquid.

  According to the pump-equipped container of the present invention, in the pump-equipped container in which the dip tube for dispensing the content liquid is attached to the pump, the dip tube is opened at the inlet end of the content liquid when the pump is used. A dip tube is added when the pump is not in use before use because the inflow prevention mechanism that allows the content liquid to flow into the tube and prevents the content liquid from entering the dip tube when the pump is not in use. The liquid content does not enter inside, the oil-soluble (including active ingredients) components of the inner solution are adsorbed, and it is possible to reliably prevent the amount of the component from being reduced. it can.

  The intrusion prevention mechanism is opened when the pump suction negative pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure when the pump is used, and allows the content liquid to flow into the dip tube. On the other hand, the valve is opened above a predetermined pressure so that a reliable pump operation can be performed.

  The intrusion prevention mechanism is a valve body made of a film-like elastic body in which a flange portion is formed around a central dome portion, and a slit is formed in the dome portion. When the suction negative pressure exceeds the specified pressure, it opens to allow the flow of the content liquid. On the other hand, when the suction negative pressure is less than the predetermined pressure, the slit is closed and the surface tension of the content liquid causes the content to enter the dip tube. By adopting a structure that does not allow liquid to enter, it is possible to obtain an excellent effect that an intrusion prevention mechanism can be configured with a simple configuration of a valve body made of an elastic body and a member that attaches the valve body to a dip tube.

It is explanatory drawing of the pump original position state of the container with a pump which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the said container of the state in which the pump was not used or was not used but the nozzle head was pushed in. It is explanatory drawing which cut through the intrusion prevention mechanism provided in the lower end of the dip tube of the said pump. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the intrusion prevention mechanism. It is explanatory drawing of the characteristic of the structural example of the said intrusion prevention mechanism. It is performance explanatory drawing of the said container with a pump.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1-4 is explanatory drawing of the structure of the container with a pump based on embodiment of this invention, FIGS. 5-6 is explanatory drawing of an effect.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the pump-equipped container is equipped with a cap-integrated pump 10 on a bottle (container body) 12, and the pump 10 is operated to remove the internal solution in the bottle 12 from the discharge nozzle 14. It is a container with a pump that can be poured out, and the pump 10 is equipped with a dip tube 16 for dispensing the content liquid.

  The inlet end portion 16a of the content liquid of the dip tube 16 is opened when the pump 10 is used to allow the content liquid to flow through the dip tube 16, and when the pump 10 is not used, the content liquid is contained in the dip tube 16. Is added with an intrusion prevention mechanism 18 for preventing the intrusion.

  Here, the pump 10 will be described. FIG. 1 shows a state before the nozzle head 20 is pushed down when the pump 10 is used, and FIG. 2 shows a state in which the nozzle head 20 is screwed with the nozzle head 20 pushed down when the pump 10 is not used or not used (male of the neck portion 26). The screw 26a is fixed by being screwed into the female screw 24b of the cylindrical wall 24a.

  The base cap portion 22 is screwed onto the outer peripheral surface around the opening of the mouth portion 12a having a diameter smaller than that of the lower portion of the upper portion of the bottle 12. A shoulder cover 24 is mounted on the upper portion of the base cap portion 22, and a cylindrical wall 24 a extends downward from a central portion of the shoulder cover 24. A female screw 24b is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical wall 24a.

  The nozzle head 20 is integrally provided with a discharge nozzle 14 extending to the side thereof and a neck portion 26 that extends downward through the nozzle head 20 in communication with a hollow pipe line. The neck portion 26 is inserted in the cylindrical wall 24 a so as to be able to move forward and backward (up and down), and a male screw 26 a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the neck portion 26.

  The pump 10 includes a cylinder portion 28 provided between the bottle mouth portion 12a and the base cap portion 22, and a piston portion 30 provided to be slightly movable up and down at the lower end of the neck portion 26 for sliding in the cylinder portion 28. have. An introduction hole 26 b communicating with the inside of the neck portion 26 is formed at a position where the piston portion 30 of the neck portion 26 is provided, and communicates with the opening of the discharge nozzle 14. More specifically, the cylinder portion 28 is formed with a flange 28 a at the upper portion, and the cylinder portion 28 is fixed to the neck portion 26 of the bottle 12 by sandwiching the flange 28 a between the upper end of the neck portion 26 and the base cap portion 22. ing. In the cylinder portion 28, the lower portion tapers in a step shape, and a locking portion (a step portion having an inner diameter smaller than that of the valve member 28b) made of a ball is formed in the inside, and the valve portion is formed in the cylinder portion 28. The member 28b is arranged to be movable up and down. Further, the dip tube 16 is inserted and fixed in the lower part from the locking portion of the valve member 28b. A spring 32 is disposed in the cylinder portion 28. The lower end of the spring 32 is locked in the cylinder portion 28, and the upper end of the spring 32 is locked to the lower end of the neck portion 26, whereby the spring 32 attaches the neck portion 26 to the cylinder portion 28 upward. It is fast.

  The operation of the pump 10 is as follows. First, the user presses the nozzle head 20 and moves it downward (in this case, the piston portion 30 moves upward relative to the neck portion 26 and the introduction hole 26b is opened). As a result, the piston portion 30 moves downward in the cylinder portion 28. Since the valve member 28b blocks the flow to the dip tube 16, the fluid (content liquid) in the space below the piston part 30 in the cylinder part 28 is compressed, and the content liquid is discharged from the discharge nozzle 14 through the introduction hole 26b. Is done. Initially, when there is air in the cylinder portion 28, the air is discharged from the discharge nozzle 14.

  Next, when the user loosens the pressure, the neck part 26 and the nozzle head 20 move upward together with the piston part 30 by the elastic force of the spring 32 (in this case, the piston part 30 moves downward relative to the neck part 26). Then, the introduction hole 26b is closed), the inside of the cylinder portion 28 becomes negative pressure, the valve member 28b is opened, the coating liquid is sucked up, and flows into the cylinder portion 28.

  In FIG. 2, the nozzle head 20 is fixed by screwing the male screw 26a of the neck portion 26 to the female screw 24b of the shoulder cover 24 before use.

  Here, the intrusion prevention mechanism 18 opens when the suction negative pressure of the pump 10 becomes a predetermined pressure or more when the pump 10 is used, and allows the content liquid to flow into the dip tube 16. 10 is a mechanism for preventing the content liquid from entering the dip tube 16 when not in use.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the intrusion prevention mechanism 18 includes a valve body 38 made of a film-like elastic body formed by expanding the flange portion 36 around the central dome portion 34, and the dip tube 16. And a cylindrical member 40 for mounting the valve body 38, and a slit 34a is formed in the dome portion 34, and the slit 34a opens when the suction negative pressure of the pump 10 exceeds a predetermined pressure. The content liquid is sucked into the pump 10 while allowing the content liquid to flow. On the other hand, the slit 34a is closed when the pressure is lower than the predetermined pressure, and the content liquid does not enter the dip tube 16 from the slit 34a due to the surface tension of the content liquid.

  The cylindrical member 40 is open at the top and bottom in the axial direction, and the upper end is an opening having a size that can be fitted onto the dip tube 16 and is inserted into the dip tube 16. Moreover, the lower end of the cylindrical member 40 is narrow like a bowl. When the tubular member 40 is externally fitted to the dip tube 16, the flange portion 36 of the valve body 38 is sandwiched and fixed between the narrowed portion of the bowl and the lower end of the dip tube 16. The cylindrical member 40 is fixed by various methods such as bonding to the dip tube 16 with an adhesive, press-fitting, and fitting with a concave-convex fitting portion.

  Therefore, according to the container with a pump of the embodiment, the inlet of the content liquid of the dip tube 16 is opened when the pump 10 is used to allow the content liquid to flow through the dip tube 16, and the pump 10 is added with an intrusion prevention mechanism 18 for preventing the content liquid from entering the dip tube 16 when not in use, so that the content liquid does not enter the dip tube 16 when the pump 10 is not used before use. Smooth liquid dispensing during use.

  The intrusion prevention mechanism 18 is opened when the suction negative pressure of the pump 10 exceeds a predetermined pressure when the pump 10 is used, and allows the content liquid to flow into the dip tube 16. The liquid does not enter the tube 16, and on the other hand, the valve 10 is opened at a predetermined pressure or higher so that the pump 10 can be reliably operated.

  The intrusion prevention mechanism 18 is a valve body 38 made of a film-like elastic body in which a flange portion 36 is formed around a central dome portion 34, and a slit 34 a is formed in the dome portion 34. The slit 34a opens when the suction negative pressure of the pump 10 exceeds a predetermined pressure to allow the flow of the content liquid. On the other hand, when the pressure is less than the predetermined pressure, the slit 34a closes and the surface of the content liquid By adopting a structure in which the content liquid does not enter the dip tube 16 from the slit 34a by tension, the intrusion prevention mechanism 18 having a simple configuration of the valve body 38 made of an elastic body and a member for attaching the valve body 38 to the dip tube 16 can be provided.

  Here, the principle of the intrusion prevention mechanism 18 attached to the dip tube 16 will be described.

  The various conditions of inflow of the content liquid into the dip tube 16 were studied.

  As cases where the content liquid flows into the dip tube 16, events (a) “when the bottle is squeezed and the internal pressure is increased” and (b) “when the bottle is tilted” can be recognized. From experience, (a) is considered to be “air leak to the engine side due to an increase in the internal pressure of the container”, and (b) is “gas-liquid replacement by surface tension of the tube cross section”, (a), (b) ) Is assumed to be “internal pressure increase and gas-liquid replacement due to stirring of the liquid”. The above three hypotheses were verified.

The measurement result of the bottle internal pressure increase will be described.
In this case, the specification was as follows.
Container used: Yoshino Kogyo Co., Ltd. 900 ml specified amount, PET bottle content liquid: Lion Co., Ltd. liquid toothpaste (viscosity: 0.001 to 0.003 pa · s (1 to 3 cp))
Filling amount: 900ml
The performance of the intrusion prevention mechanism (check valve) is shown in FIG.

製品が受けると予測できる全ての条件でボトル内圧の上昇値を測定して、最大で16kpaの内圧上昇が起こることを確認した。

By measuring the increase in bottle internal pressure under all conditions that can be expected to be received by the product, it was confirmed that a maximum internal pressure increase of 16 kpa occurred.

  Moreover, it compared about the liquid substitution rate in a dip tube.

上記のディップチューブ口径の違いあるポンプ付き容器を従来と本発明とで比較した結果の液置換率を図５に示す。 Conventionally, the inner diameter of the tube is 5.5 (in the 9.5 (mm), 5.0 (mm), 4.0 (mm) pump container and the pump container with the intrusion prevention mechanism (inflow prevention valve) of the present invention. mm).

FIG. 5 shows the liquid replacement rate as a result of comparing the above-mentioned containers with pumps having different dip tube diameters in the prior art and the present invention.

  From FIG. 5, it was found that the higher the internal pressure, the more the liquid enters. It was also found that the larger the diameter, the more the surface tension could not be maintained and the liquid entered. Further, it was found that when pressure is applied to the posture, the liquid is more likely to enter. From the above, it was found that the above three hypotheses are correct.

  Then, based on the verification results, an improvement method was considered because it was possible to prevent liquid penetration into the dip tube if it was possible to cope with an increase in internal pressure and maintain surface tension.

  Do not allow liquid intrusion up to 16 kpa.

In normal use, the pump can infiltrate at a pump suction pressure (98 kpa: from a vacuum pressure of 1 kgf / cm ² ). In addition, the tube end face is devised to maintain the surface tension of air.

  Therefore, the valve is normally opened at a suction pressure of 16 kpa to 98 kpa. When no suction pressure is applied, the valve does not open at 16 kpa or less, and the content liquid does not enter the dip tube.

  In addition, the said conditions are an example and it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not limited to the said conditions.

  The container with a pump of the present invention can be used for a container with a pump that contains liquid products such as household detergent, bath detergent and hand washing detergent.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Pump 12 Bottle 12a Mouth part 14 Discharge nozzle 16 Dip tube 16a Mouth end part 18 Intrusion prevention mechanism 20 Nozzle head 22 Base cap part 24 Shoulder cover 24a Tube wall 24b Female thread 26 Neck part 26a Male thread 26b Introduction hole 28 Cylinder part 28a Flange 28b Valve member 30 Piston part 32 Spring 34 Dome part 34a Slit 36 Flange part 38 Valve body 40 Cylindrical member

Claims (2)

A container with a pump that allows a bottle with a cap integrated type to be attached to the bottle, and the pump to operate to pump out the solution in the bottle. The pump is equipped with a dip tube for dispensing the contents. In a container with a pump,
The inlet end of the content liquid of the dip tube opens when the pump suction negative pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure when the pump is used, and allows the content liquid to flow into the dip tube. A container with a pump characterized by adding an intrusion prevention mechanism that closes the valve when it is not in use and prevents the liquid from entering the dip tube.   The intrusion prevention mechanism includes a valve body made of a film-like elastic body having a flange portion formed around a central dome portion, and a member for attaching the valve body to a dip tube, and a slit is formed in the dome portion. The slit opens when the suction negative pressure of the pump exceeds a predetermined pressure to allow the flow of the content liquid. On the other hand, when the pressure is less than the predetermined pressure, the slit closes and the surface of the content liquid The container with a pump according to claim 1, wherein the liquid content does not enter the dip tube from the slit due to tension.

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