JP2013249099A - Dispensing container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dispensing container including an outer container and an elastic inner container enclosed in the outer container, which guarantees air suction into a space between the inner and outer containers even when the amount of the content dispensed is less and the shrinking deformation of the inner container is small, and which ensures the air-tightness between the inner and outer containers when dispensing the content.SOLUTION: In an outer container 12 of a container body 13, an externally fitting cylindrical body 18 that is formed elastically deformable and is capable of closing an air inlet hole 26 is externally fitted onto a neck part 15, where the air inlet hole 26 is formed. An engageable part 57, allowing the air inlet hole 26 to open to the container's external environment by being engaged with an engaging part 48 of a cap 19, is formed in a closing part 54 of the externally fitting cylindrical body 18, which is for closing the air inlet hole 26.

Description

  The present invention relates to a discharge container in which a flexible inner container is built in an outer container.

Conventionally, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, a flexible inner container that accommodates contents and is deformed by shrinkage as the contents are reduced, and an outer container in which the inner container is installed are provided. A configuration comprising a container main body, a discharge plug that is attached to the mouth portion of the container main body and has a discharge port for discharging contents, and a cap that is detachably attached to the discharge plug and covers the discharge port is known. It has been.
The outer container is formed with an intake hole that allows the intake of outside air between the inner container and the outer container. The discharge plug is provided with an intake valve that switches communication between the intake hole and the outside of the container, and a discharge valve that opens and closes a communication path that connects the discharge port and the inside of the inner container from the discharge port side. .

In the above discharge container, when discharging the contents contained in the inner container of the container body, the inner container is deformed together with the outer container to reduce the volume by squeezing deformation (elastic deformation) of the outer container of the container body. With this volume reduction deformation, the inner pressure of the inner container becomes positive, the discharge valve opens from the inner container toward the discharge port, and the contents stored in the inner container pass through the communication passage. Discharged from the discharge port.
Thereafter, when the internal pressure of the inner container is lowered, the discharge valve is restored and deformed to close the passage, the inner container is sealed, and when the squeeze deformation described above is released, the outer container tends to be restored and deformed. At this time, the negative pressure generated between the outer container and the inner container acts on the intake valve through the intake hole, so that the intake valve is opened and the intake hole communicates with the outside of the container. Is inhaled between the outer container and the inner container.

When the internal pressure between the outer container and the inner container rises to atmospheric pressure due to the intake of the outside air, the intake valve is restored and deformed to shut off the intake hole and the outside of the container. Thus, the volume reduction shape of the inner container is maintained by sucking the outside air between the outer container and the inner container.
From this state, when the outer container of the container body is squeezed again, the intake valve is shut off, so the internal pressure between the outer container and the inner container becomes positive, and the positive pressure causes the inner container to Volume reduction deforms. When the inner container is deformed and deformed, the contents are discharged by the same action as described above, and when the squeeze deformation is subsequently released, the outside air is sucked between the outer container and the inner container by the same action as described above.
In this way, even if the squeezed deformed outer container is restored and deformed, the inner container is reduced in volume as the contents are reduced, and the outside air is prevented from flowing into the inner container. Deterioration of the object is prevented and storage stability is enhanced.

JP 2004-059131 A

However, in the conventional configuration, when the discharge amount of the contents is small and the deformation amount of the inner container is small, the intake valve cannot be elastically deformed by the negative pressure generated between the outer container and the inner container, There is a risk that air can not be sucked between the inner and outer containers.
Further, as a means for solving such a problem, it may be possible to easily deform the intake valve, but in this case, for example, when the contents are discharged, the intake valve is deformed so that the intake hole is located outside the container. There is a risk that communication will be facilitated.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a discharge container in which an inner container rich in flexibility is built in an outer container, and even when the discharge amount of the contents is small and the deformation amount of the inner container is small, the intake between the inner and outer containers is ensured, and It aims at ensuring the airtightness between the inner and outer containers at the time of discharging the contents.

  As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a container main body including a flexible inner container that accommodates contents and squeezes and deforms as the contents decrease, and an outer container in which the inner container is installed. A discharge plug that is attached to the mouth portion of the container body and has a discharge port for discharging the contents; and disposed in the discharge plug; and communication between the discharge port and the inside of the inner container; A discharge valve that switches between the shutoff and a cap that is detachably attached to the discharge plug and covers the discharge port, and an intake hole that allows the intake of outside air between the outer container and the inner container The formed discharge container, wherein an outer fitting cylinder body that is formed to be elastically deformable and capable of closing the intake hole is externally fitted to a portion of the outer container in which the intake hole is formed, Among the external fitting cylinders, in the closing part that closes the intake hole, The occlusion is elastically deformed by engaging the engaging portion of the serial cap, characterized in that the engaged portion is formed for opening the intake hole in a container outside.

  According to this configuration, when discharging the contents after removing the cap, the intake hole is kept closed by the elasticity of the external fitting cylinder, and when the cap is mounted after the contents are discharged, the cap is mounted. By operation, the closed portion of the outer fitting cylinder is forcibly elastically deformed to open the intake hole to the outside of the container. As a result, even if the discharge amount of the contents is small and sufficient negative pressure does not occur between the inner and outer containers, the intake hole can be forcibly opened by attaching the cap, and the discharge amount of the contents Therefore, it is possible to reliably perform intake between the inner and outer containers. In addition, when discharging the contents with the cap removed, the air intake holes of the outer container can be reliably closed by the external fitting of the outer fitting cylinder, ensuring airtightness between the inner and outer containers when discharging the contents. Can do.

In the present invention, a pair of cuts are formed in a portion of the closed portion on the distal end side of the mouth portion in the external fitting cylinder, and the engaged portion is formed in a portion between the cuts. By doing so, it is possible to facilitate the elastic deformation of the closing portion starting from the engaged portion.
At this time, a portion of the closed portion closer to the proximal end of the mouth than the pair of cuts closes the intake hole, so that the closed portion is easily elastically deformed, and the obstruction to the intake hole is blocked. The influence from the outside to the engaging part can be suppressed.

  In the present invention, if the cap has a covering portion that covers the outer periphery of the outer fitting cylinder with a gap, the influence from the outside on the function of the outer fitting cylinder as an intake valve can be suppressed. it can.

  According to the present invention, in the discharge container in which the inner container rich in flexibility is built in the outer container, even when the discharge amount of the contents is small and the amount of deformation of the inner container is small, the intake between the inner and outer containers is ensured, And the airtightness between the inner and outer containers at the time of discharging the contents can be ensured.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the principal part of the discharge container in embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view equivalent to FIG. 1 at the time of removing the cap of the said discharge container and discharging the contents. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view equivalent to FIG. 1 at the time of mounting | wearing with the cap after discharging the contents of the said discharge container. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the external fitting cylinder of the said discharge container. FIG. 5 is a view taken in the direction of arrow V in FIG. 4.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The discharge container 10 of this embodiment is suitably employed when discharging a small amount of liquid contents such as eye drops, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the discharge container 10 is housed with a flexible inner container (inner layer) 11 that accommodates the contents and deforms as the contents decrease, and the inner container 11 is elastic. A container body 13 having a deformable outer container (outer layer) 12, a discharge plug 17 that is attached to the mouth portion 14 of the container body 13 and has a discharge port 16 for discharging contents, and a mouth in the container body 13 An external fitting cylinder 18 that is externally fitted to the outer periphery of the neck portion 15 below the portion 14, and a cap 19 that is detachably screwed to the mouth portion 14 so as to cover the discharge port 16.

  The container body 13 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, and the cap 19 is formed in a topped cylindrical shape. The container body 13, the discharge plug 17, the external fitting cylinder 18 and the cap 19 share a central axis, and hereinafter, the shared axis is the container axis O, the direction along the container axis O is the container axis direction, and the container axis direction is a cap. The 19 side is the upper side and the opposite side is the lower side. Further, a direction orthogonal to the container axis O is defined as a container radial direction, and a direction around the container axis O is defined as a container circumferential direction.

  The container body 13 is a delamination bottle (laminated peelable container) in which the inner container 11 is laminated to the outer container 12 in a peelable manner. The outer container 12, the cap 19, and a valve cylinder member 28, which will be described later, are formed relatively hard from a synthetic resin such as PP and PETG, and the inner container 11 is formed relatively soft from a synthetic resin such as PE, nylon, and ethylene vinyl alcohol. Is done.

  The container main body 13 mainly includes a main body barrel portion 21 for storing contents, a cylindrical neck portion 15 having a smaller diameter than the main body barrel portion 21 and connected to the upper portion via a shoulder portion 22 having an arcuate cross section, and a neck portion. A cylindrical mouth portion 14 having a diameter smaller than 15 and continuous therethrough via a step portion 23 is integrally formed. A male screw 24 is formed on the outer periphery of the mouth portion 14 to screw the female screw 25 on the inner periphery of the cap 19. The neck portion 15 is formed with an intake hole 26 that allows a portion of the container circumferential direction to pass through in the container radial direction so that the outside air can be sucked between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12. A counterbore 26a is formed at the outer end of the intake hole 26 in the radial direction of the container.

  The discharge plug 17 is provided with a discharge cylinder member 27 having a cylindrical shape with a discharge port 16 formed in the top plate portion 27 a and a valve cylinder member 28 held in the discharge cylinder member 27. The discharge cylinder member 27 and the valve cylinder member 28 are provided separately from each other.

  The top plate portion 27a of the discharge cylinder member 27 is formed with a discharge opening 29 that penetrates the top plate portion 27a in the container axial direction and has the upper end portion as the discharge port 16. A locking post 29 a that protrudes downward is provided at a portion of the discharge opening 29 located below the discharge port 16. The locking column 29 a is supported at the upper end portion in the discharge opening 29 via a plurality of support ribs 29 b protruding from the inner periphery of the discharge opening 29 toward the inside in the container radial direction.

  The peripheral wall portion 27b of the discharge cylinder member 27 is smaller in diameter than the mouth portion 14 of the container main body 13, and a flange portion 31 is formed on the lower end edge portion thereof so as to contact the upper end edge portion of the mouth portion 14 of the container main body 13 from above. Is done. Below the flange portion 31, a seal cylinder portion 32 having a diameter larger than that of the peripheral wall portion 27 b and fitted into the mouth portion 14 of the container body 13 in a liquid-tight manner is projected downward.

  The valve member 28 is a lip-shaped discharge that extends from the inner side in the container radial direction to the outer side of the upper end portion of the main body portion 33, the main body portion 33 having a cylindrical shape, the enlarged diameter portion 34 provided on the lower outer periphery of the main body portion 33. It has the valve 35 integrally. The valve member 28 is formed of a soft material that can be elastically deformed, such as nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, silicon rubber, elastomer, urethane, and the like.

  The valve cylinder member 28 is inserted into the discharge cylinder member 27 from below, and the diameter-expanded portion 34 is engaged with the locking protrusion 27c on the lower inner periphery of the peripheral wall portion 27b while the top surface is pressed against the lower end surface of the locking column 29a. By being pushed upward, it is held in the discharge cylinder member 27 in a state of being prevented from coming out downward. At this time, the outer peripheral edge portion of the discharge valve 35 is in close contact with the discharge valve seat 27d protruding from the upper inner periphery of the peripheral wall portion 27b in a liquid-tight and air-tight state from above.

  The main body portion 33 of the valve cylinder member 28 has a plurality of communication holes 36 penetrating therethrough in the container radial direction. The contents in the container body 13 reach directly below the discharge valve 35 through the plurality of communication holes 36 and the like. Each communication hole 36 is formed so as to increase in diameter from the inner side in the container radial direction toward the outer side.

The discharge valve 35 is a check valve that restricts the flow of fluid from the discharge port 16 side to the inside of the discharge cylinder member 27 and permits the flow in the reverse direction.
That is, the discharge valve 35 has an outer peripheral edge seated on the discharge valve seat 27d in the discharge cylinder member 27 so as to be separable from above, and can be elastically deformed upward. Specifically, the discharge valve 35 is elastically deformed upward, and the outer peripheral edge is seated on the discharge valve seat 27d, so that the outer peripheral edge is brought into close contact with the discharge valve seat 27d from above by the elastic restoring force. .

  The cap 19 is, in order from the upper side, the diameter of the cap cylinder 41 that covers the outer periphery of the discharge cylinder member 27 and the lower end edge of the cap part 41 through the cap shoulder part 42 having an arc-shaped cross section and the lower part. A cylindrical threaded portion 43 that is threadedly engaged with the male screw 24 of the mouth portion 14 via the female screw 25, the diameter of the lower end edge of the threaded portion 43 is increased via the upper cap stepped portion 44, and A taper part 45 extending downward in a tapered shape so as to increase in diameter toward the side, and from the lower end edge of the taper part 45 through the lower cap step part 46, until the diameter closes to the shoulder part 22 of the container body 13 A downward extending portion 47 extending downward is integrally provided. The cap 19 is not limited to a screw cap that is screwed into the mouth portion 14, and may be an overcap that fits undercut.

  4 and 5 together, the outer fitting cylinder 18 has a cylindrical shape that is fitted to the neck portion 15 of the container body 13, and the outer fitting cylinder 18 can close the intake hole 26 of the outer container 12. is there. The outer fitting cylinder 18 is formed of a soft material that can be elastically deformed, such as nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, silicon rubber, elastomer, urethane, and the like. Even when a negative pressure is generated between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12 after normal discharge of the contents, the outer fitting cylinder 18 suppresses elastic deformation due to the negative pressure and does not open the intake hole 26 to some extent. It is formed with thickness.

  The outer cylinder 18 is bent inward in the radial direction of the container so as to extend along the outer surface of the stepped portion 23 connected to the upper end edge of the cylindrical body 51 and the cylindrical body 51 along the outer peripheral surface of the neck 15 of the container body 13. The upper-end diameter-reduced portion 52 and the lower-end enlarged-diameter portion 53 that are connected to the lower end edge of the container main body 13 and bent outward in the container radial direction so as to follow the outer surface of the shoulder portion 22 are integrally provided.

The outer fitting cylinder 18 has a portion in the circumferential direction of the container as a closed portion 54 that overlaps the intake hole 26 and the seat 26a from the outside in the radial direction of the container and closes them.
In the closed portion 54, a portion formed between a pair of cuts 56 (see FIG. 5) arranged in the container circumferential direction on the upper end side of the external fitting cylinder 18 (the tip end side of the mouth portion 14) is an elastic piece 55. The elastic piece 55 protrudes toward the outer side in the container radial direction of the outer fitting cylindrical body 18 at the lower end portion (the end portion on the proximal end side of the mouth portion 14), and when the cap 19 is attached, the taper portion 45 of the cap 19. A plate-like engaged portion 57 that engages with the engaging portion 48 corresponding to the lower end edge portion is formed.

  The closing part 54 closes the intake hole 26 and the seat 26 a by a portion below the elastic piece 55. The closing part 54 elastically deforms the lower part together with the elastic piece 55 with the mounting of the cap 19 to open the intake hole 26 to the outside of the container.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the state where the cap 19 is removed from the container main body 13, the outer fitting cylindrical body 18 is externally fitted to the neck portion 15 so that the inner circumferential surface is brought into close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the neck portion 15 due to its elasticity. The In this state, the externally fitted cylinder 18 hermetically seals the intake hole 26 together with the seat 26a by the closing portion 54. Thereby, in the state where the cap 19 is removed from the container main body 13, even if a negative pressure is generated between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12 after the contents are discharged, the outside air is sucked into the inner and outer containers 11 and 12 from the intake hole 26. Never happen.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, in the state where the cap 19 is mounted on the container main body 13, the external fitting cylinder 18 has the engaging portion 48 of the cap 19 abutting on the engaged portion 57 from above and lowering it. , The elastic piece 55 of the closing portion 54 is elastically deformed so as to rotate outward in the container radial direction around the lower end portion thereof. At this time, along with the elastic deformation of the elastic piece 55, the lower portion thereof is also elastically deformed outward in the radial direction of the container, and a gap S is formed to open the upper part of the seat 26a of the intake hole 26 to the outside of the container. As a result, even with a slight negative pressure generated between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12, outside air can be sucked between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12 through the intake hole 26, and the outer container 12 can be restored and deformed while the inner container 11 remains deformed. It becomes.

  The outer peripheral side of the external fitting cylinder 18 is covered with a tapered portion 45 and a downwardly extending portion 47 of the cap 19. Specifically, the taper portion 45 of the cap 19 covers the upper-end diameter-reduced portion 52 of the outer fitting cylindrical body 18 with a space therebetween, and the downward extending portion 47 of the cap 19 extends the cylinder main body 51 and the lower end enlarged portion of the outer fitting cylindrical body 18. The diameter portion 53 is covered with an interval. The lower extension 47 brings its lower end edge close to the outer surface of the shoulder 22 of the container body 13. The cap 19 together with the outer fitting cylindrical body 18 prevents the intake hole 26 from being exposed, and suppresses intrusion of water droplets, dust and the like in the intake hole 26 opened to the outside of the container. The downward extending portion 47 also suppresses the exposure of the outer fitting cylindrical body 18 formed of a soft material to the outside of the container.

  When discharging the contents stored in the inner container 11 of the container body 13 in the discharge container 10, first, as shown in FIG. 2, the cap 19 is removed, and for example, the container body 13 is moved with the arrow Q in the figure. Squeeze deformation (elastic deformation) as shown. At this time, the contents flow into the discharge cylinder member 27 in a positive pressure state. The container body 13 may be turned upside down and the contents may flow into the discharge cylinder member 27 by its own weight. Due to the positive pressure of the contents flowing into the discharge cylinder member 27, the discharge valve 35 is elastically deformed and separated upward from the discharge valve seat 27d, and the contents are discharged from the discharge port 16 as indicated by an arrow T in the figure.

  Thereafter, when the positive pressure in the discharge cylinder member 27 disappears, for example, by stopping the squeeze deformation of the container body 13, the discharge valve 35 is restored and deformed to block the communication between the discharge port 16 and the discharge cylinder member 27, The inner container 11 is sealed in a deformed and deformed state. At this time, the outer container 12 that has been reduced in volume together with the inner container 11 tends to be restored and deformed. However, when the closed portion 54 of the outer fitting cylinder 18 closes the intake hole 26, the outside air flows between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12. Not being inhaled, the outer container 12 also remains deformed.

  Even if the intake hole 26 is closed not by the external fitting cylinder 18 but by a flexible intake valve similar to the discharge valve 35, the negative pressure generated between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12 is small. When is small, the intake hole 26 is not opened as described above, and the outer container 12 remains deformed and deformed.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the cap 19 is mounted after the contents are discharged, the engaging portion 48 of the cap 19 is engaged with the engaged portion 57 of the external fitting cylinder 18 in accordance with the mounting operation, and the engaged portion is engaged. The closing part 54 is elastically deformed by pressing the part 57 downward. As a result, the suction hole 26 is forcibly opened regardless of the negative pressure between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12, and the outside air is sucked between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12 as indicated by the arrow K in the figure, and the volume of the inner container 11 is reduced. The outer container 12 can be restored and deformed as indicated by an arrow R in the figure while being deformed.

  If the cap 19 is removed again from this state and the outer container 12 of the container body 13 is squeezed and deformed, the suction hole 26 is blocked by the outer fitting cylinder 18, so that the pressure between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12 leaks. The inner pressure is reduced and deformed by the positive pressure, and the contents are discharged in the same manner as described above. In addition, when the container main body 13 is turned upside down and the contents are dropped by its own weight, the inner and outer containers 11 and 12 are passively reduced and deformed.

  As described above, according to the discharge container 10 according to the present embodiment, the neck portion 15 formed with the suction hole 26 in the outer container 12 of the container body 13 is formed to be elastically deformable and closes the suction hole 26. A possible outer fitting cylinder 18 is externally fitted, and a closing portion 54 of the outer fitting cylinder 18 that closes the suction hole 26 is engaged with an engagement portion 48 of the cap 19 so that the suction hole 26 is placed in the container. By forming the engaged portion 57 that is opened to the outside, when the contents are discharged by removing the cap 19, the intake hole 26 is kept closed by the elasticity of the external fitting cylinder 18 to discharge the contents. When the cap 19 is attached later, the closing portion 54 of the outer fitting cylinder 18 is forcibly elastically deformed by the attaching operation of the cap 19 to open the intake hole 26 to the outside of the container. Thereby, even if the discharge amount of the contents is small and a sufficient negative pressure is not generated between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12, the suction hole 26 can be forcibly opened by attaching the cap 19, and the contents The intake between the inner and outer containers 11, 12 can be reliably performed regardless of the discharge amount of. Further, when the cap 19 is removed and the contents are discharged, the intake hole 26 of the outer container 12 can be reliably closed by the outer fitting of the outer fitting cylindrical body 18, and between the inner and outer containers 11 and 12 when the contents are discharged. Airtightness can be ensured.

  Further, according to the discharge container 10, a pair of cuts 56 are formed on the upper side of the outer fitting cylinder 18 in the closed portion 54, and an engaged portion 57 is formed between the cuts 56. In addition, it is easy to elastically deform the closing portion 54 starting from the engaged portion 57, and a portion of the closing portion 54 below the pair of cuts 56 closes the intake hole 26, so that the closing portion 54 While facilitating elastic deformation of 54, it is possible to suppress the external influence on the engaged portion 57 with respect to the blockage of the intake hole 26.

  Further, according to the discharge container 10, the cap 19 includes the tapered portion 45 and the downward extending portion 47 that cover the outer fitting cylindrical body 18, so that the external influence on the function of the outer fitting cylindrical body 18 as an intake valve is achieved. Can be suppressed.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and for example, at least a part of the elastic piece 55 between the pair of cuts 56 may block the intake hole 26. The shapes of the engaging portion 48 and the engaged portion 57 are not limited as long as the closing portion 54 is elastically deformed to open the intake hole 26.
And the structure in the said embodiment is an example of this invention, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary of the said invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Discharge container 11 Inner container 12 Outer container 13 Container main body 14 Mouth part 15 Neck part (part in which the suction hole was formed)
16 Discharge port 17 Discharge stopper 18 External fitting cylinder 19 Cap 26 Intake hole 35 Discharge valve 45 Tapered portion (cover portion)
47 Downward extension (cover)
48 engaging portion 54 closing portion 56 notch 57 engaged portion

Claims (4)

A container main body including a flexible inner container in which the contents are accommodated and squeezed and deformed as the contents are reduced, and an outer container in which the inner container is installed;
A discharge stopper attached to the mouth of the container body and having a discharge port for discharging the contents;
A discharge valve that is disposed in the discharge plug and switches between communication between the discharge port and the inside of the inner container and switching of the discharge valve;
A cap that is detachably attached to the discharge plug and covers the discharge port,
A discharge container in which an intake hole is formed in the outer container so as to be able to suck outside air between the inner container and the outer container,
Of the outer container, an outer fitting cylindrical body that is formed so as to be elastically deformable and capable of closing the intake hole is externally fitted to a portion where the intake hole is formed,
Of the outer fitting cylinder, a closed portion that closes the intake hole engages with an engaging portion of the cap to elastically deform the closed portion and open the intake hole to the outside of the container. A discharge container in which a joint is formed.   A pair of cuts are formed in a portion of the closed portion on the distal end side of the mouth portion in the outer fitting cylindrical body, and the engaged portion is formed in a portion between the cuts. The discharge container according to claim 1.   3. The discharge container according to claim 2, wherein a portion of the closed portion closer to the proximal end of the mouth portion than the pair of cuts closes the intake hole.   The discharge container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cap includes a covering portion that covers the outer periphery of the outer fitting cylinder body with a space therebetween.

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