JP2016033052A - Squeeze discharge container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a squeeze discharge container in which content liquid can be mixed stably with air upon implementing downward discharge and discharge of the content liquid can be continuously repeated while keeping the desired discharge condition.SOLUTION: Provided is a squeeze discharge container 1 which comprises a container body 2 that is formed as squeeze-deformable and in that content liquid is housed, an air supply pipe 3 and an outside air introducing pipe 4 that are disposed in the container body and extend from a mouth part 10 side of the container body to the bottom part of the container body, and a cap body 6 that is fitted to the mouth part of the container body and in that a discharge hole 5 is formed, and in which, at the cap body, outside air introducing holes 40, 81, a communication hole 73 communicating with the inside of the container body, an air hole 74 communicating with the inside of the air supply pipe, and an air liquid mixing chamber R communicating with the discharge hole and mixing the content liquid in the container body through the communication hole with the air in the container body through the air hole are formed, and the outside air introducing pipe is fitted to the cap body and communicates with the outside air introducing hole.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a squeeze discharge container.

As a squeeze discharge container, for example, a discharge container that can be discharged in the form of foam by mixing a content liquid with air is known (see Patent Document 1).
The discharge container contains a content liquid and is squeezable deformable container body, a two-stage cylindrical cap body attached to the mouth part of the container body, and disposed inside the mouth part of the container body. Is a cylinder with a discharge cylinder protruding above the cap body and a pipe mounted on the cap body in a state of being arranged inside the container body, and holding a discharge cylinder and attached to the pipe extending toward the inside of the container body And a head member having a nozzle that is attached to the upper cylinder portion of the discharge cylinder and the cap body and has a discharge hole that communicates with the inside of the discharge cylinder.

  A first outside air introduction hole is formed between the discharge cylinder and the upper cylinder portion of the cap body. The pipe-attached member includes a partition wall formed with a communication hole that communicates the inside of the container main body and the inside of the discharge cylinder, a holding cylinder that protrudes downward from the partition wall and holds the upper end of the pipe, a holding cylinder, An air groove formed between the pipe and a second outside air introduction hole communicating the inside of the container body and the first outside air introduction hole is formed. Meshes are provided inside the discharge cylinder and inside the nozzle, respectively.

Since the container body is squeezed and deformed, the liquid content can flow into the discharge cylinder through the pipe and the communication hole, and the air in the container body is discharged through the air groove and the communication hole. It can be made to flow into the cylinder side. Accordingly, the content liquid and air can be mixed in the discharge cylinder, and then can be discharged from the discharge hole as a foam-like content liquid by passing through the mesh.
Moreover, after discharging the content liquid, the container body is restored and deformed by releasing the squeeze deformation. Then, with this restoration deformation, air flows into the container body through the first outside air introduction hole and the second outside air introduction hole. Thereby, it can prepare for the next discharge.

JP-A-8-26315

  However, the conventional discharge container is not suitable for discharging (downward discharge) in a state where the mouth of the container body is directed downward, for example, in an inverted posture with the mouth of the container body facing down. It was.

In this case, contrary to the case of discharging in an upright posture, for example, the content liquid can be caused to flow into the discharge cylinder side through the air groove and the communication hole, and the air in the container body is passed through the pipe and the communication hole. Since it can be made to flow into the discharge cylinder side, it is possible to discharge. However, by releasing the squeeze deformation, when air flows into the container body through the first outside air introduction hole and the second outside air introduction hole, the air becomes bubbles and floats in the content liquid in the container body. Foaming occurs on the surface.
For this reason, when the generated bubbles easily enter the pipe and are continuously discharged, there is a possibility that the air in the container main body cannot be appropriately flowed into the discharge cylinder through the pipe.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its purpose is to stably mix the content liquid with air when performing downward discharge while maintaining a desired discharge state. An object of the present invention is to provide a squeeze discharge container capable of continuously and repeatedly discharging the content liquid.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
(1) A squeeze discharge container according to the present invention is squeezable and is squeezable, a container main body in which a content liquid is accommodated, and a container main body disposed inside the container main body, from the mouth side of the container main body An air supply pipe and an outside air introduction pipe that extend toward the bottom of the container body, and a cap body that is attached to the mouth of the container body and has a discharge hole formed therein. The outside air introduction hole that communicates, the communication hole that communicates with the inside of the container body, the air hole that communicates with the air supply pipe, the discharge hole, and the inside of the container body that passes through the communication hole A gas-liquid mixing chamber for mixing the content liquid and the air in the container body through the air hole is formed, and the outside air introduction pipe is attached to the cap body and communicates with the outside air introduction hole. That features To.

  According to the squeeze discharge container according to the present invention, the liquid content can be supplied into the gas-liquid mixing chamber through the communication hole by squeezing the container main body while the mouth of the container main body is directed downward, and the air supply pipe and the air Air in the container body can be supplied to the gas-liquid mixing chamber through the holes. Accordingly, the content liquid and air can be mixed (gas-liquid mixing) in the gas-liquid mixing chamber, and the content liquid in a state of being mixed with air can be discharged to the outside through the discharge hole. As a result, the content liquid can be discharged in a desired discharge state such as a mist or foam.

When the squeeze deformation of the container body is released after the content liquid is discharged, the container body is restored and deformed to return to the original state. At that time, since the inside of the container main body is made negative, air can be taken in from the outside through the outside air introduction hole and the outside air introduction pipe and introduced into the container main body along with the restoring deformation of the container main body. At this time, since the outside air introduction pipe extends toward the bottom of the container body, the air taken from the outside can be directly introduced into the head space in the container body. Therefore, since air does not float as bubbles in the content liquid, it is possible to prevent the liquid level of the content liquid from foaming and to eliminate the concern that the bubbles enter the air supply pipe.
Therefore, even if the container body is continuously squeezed and the discharge of the content liquid is repeated, air can be appropriately supplied to the gas-liquid mixing chamber through the air supply pipe, and the content liquid can be discharged in a desired discharge state. It is possible to discharge stably.

(2) The cap body may include a covering wall portion that covers a mouth portion of the container body, and the communication hole may be formed on the bottom side of the container body with respect to the covering wall portion of the cap body. good.

  In this case, when the mouth portion of the container body is directed downward, the content liquid can be guided toward the communication hole using the covering wall portion, and the content liquid can be discharged without waste. Therefore, it is easy to use up the content liquid and the remaining amount can be reduced as much as possible.

  According to the squeeze discharge container according to the present invention, when the downward discharge is performed, the content liquid can be stably mixed with the air, and the discharge of the content liquid is continuously repeated while maintaining a desired discharge state. Can do.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows embodiment of the squeeze discharge container which concerns on this invention. It is the longitudinal cross-sectional view which expanded the periphery of the cap body shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view further enlarging the periphery of a first outside air introduction hole shown in FIG. 2. It is a figure which shows the state which moved the upper cap upward from the state shown in FIG. After opening the overcap from the state shown in FIG. 1 and separating the upper cap from the lower cap, the container body is squeezed and deformed with the mouth portion of the container body downward, and the liquid content is discharged. FIG. It is a figure which shows the state which cancels | releases squeeze deformation | transformation from the state shown in FIG. 5, and introduces air in the container main body from the outside.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a squeeze discharge container according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(Configuration of squeeze discharge container)
As shown in FIG. 1, a squeeze discharge container 1 according to this embodiment includes a bottomed cylindrical container body 2 in which a content liquid W is accommodated, an air supply pipe 3 disposed inside the container body 2, and An outside air introduction pipe 4 and a cylindrical cap body 6 attached to the mouth portion 10 of the container main body 2 and having a discharge hole 5 are provided.

  In addition, the container main body 2 and the cap body 6 are arrange | positioned in the state in which each central axis was located on the common axis. In the present embodiment, this common axis is referred to as a container axis O, the cap body 6 side along the container axis O is referred to as the upper side, and the opposite side is referred to as the lower side. Further, in a plan view viewed from the container axis O direction, a direction orthogonal to the container axis O is referred to as a radial direction, and a direction around the container axis O is referred to as a circumferential direction.

The container body 2 is a synthetic resin container formed by blow molding, for example, and includes a mouth portion 10, a shoulder portion 11, a trunk portion 12, and a bottom portion 13.
The mouth portion 10, the shoulder portion 11, the body portion 12, and the bottom portion 13 are connected in this order from the top to the bottom, and the cross-sectional view orthogonal to the container axis O is, for example, circular. . Further, the body portion 12 can be squeezed and deformed toward the inside in the radial direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cap body 6 includes a top cap-like lower cap 20 that is screwed to the mouth portion 10 of the container main body 2, a screw that is further screwed to the lower cap 20, and the discharge hole. 5, a cylindrical upper cap 21 that is connected to the upper cap 21 via a hinge portion 22, and a top-cylindrical overcap 23 that opens and closes the discharge hole 5. A bottomed cylindrical inner plug 24, a lower cap 20 and a valve member 25 disposed inside the inner plug 24, and a connecting cylinder 26 that connects the valve member 25 and the inner plug 24. ing.

  The lower cap 20 surrounds the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 from the outside in the radial direction, and is connected to the first peripheral wall portion 30 screwed to the mouth portion 10 and the lower end portion of the first peripheral wall portion 30. And the 2nd surrounding wall part 31 expanded diameter rather than the 1st surrounding wall part 30, the 3rd surrounding wall part 32 arrange | positioned above the 1st surrounding wall part 30, and diameter-reduced rather than the 1st surrounding wall part 30, and 3rd A fourth peripheral wall portion 33 disposed above the peripheral wall portion 32 and having a diameter smaller than that of the third peripheral wall portion 32; and a top wall portion 34 connected to an upper end portion of the fourth peripheral wall portion 33. . Accordingly, the lower cap 20 is formed in a multi-stage (four-stage) crested cylindrical shape.

  The upper end portion of the first peripheral wall portion 30 and the lower end portion of the third peripheral wall portion 32 are connected via an annular first flange portion 35 disposed on the opening edge of the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2. . Accordingly, the third peripheral wall portion 32 and the fourth peripheral wall portion 33 of the lower cap 20 are disposed above the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2. The upper end portion of the third peripheral wall portion 32 and the lower end portion of the fourth peripheral wall portion 33 are connected via an annular second flange portion 36.

  In the illustrated example, the first peripheral wall portion 30 is screwed into the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2, but is not limited to this case. For example, the mouth portion of the container body 2 is formed by undercut fitting. 10 may be attached.

A first engagement protrusion 37 that protrudes radially inward is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the second peripheral wall portion 31, and protrudes radially outward from the lower end side of the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2. It engages with the formed second engaging protrusion 38.
At this time, the first engagement protrusion 37 can get over the second engagement protrusion 38 when the lower cap 20 is rotated around the container axis O in the screwing direction (one direction in the circumferential direction). When the lower cap 20 is rotated in the loosening direction (the other direction in the circumferential direction), it engages with the second engagement protrusion 38 in the circumferential direction. Thereby, the lower cap 20 is screwed to the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 in a state in which the lower cap 20 is prevented from being loosened.

  The third peripheral wall portion 32 has an outer diameter equivalent to the inner diameter of the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2. At the lower end portion of the third peripheral wall portion 32 (inner peripheral edge portion of the first flange portion 35), a seal cylinder 39 that protrudes downward and fits, for example, in a liquid-tight manner inside the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 is formed. Has been.

The fourth peripheral wall portion 33 is formed with a first outside air introduction hole (outside air introduction hole) 40 that communicates the inside and the outside of the lower cap 20. In the illustrated example, the first outside air introduction hole 40 is formed in a slit shape that extends vertically over the entire length of the fourth peripheral wall portion 33 and is formed to open up and down, and is spaced apart in the circumferential direction. A plurality of fourth peripheral wall portions 33 are formed.
However, the shape and number of the first outside air introduction holes 40 are not limited to these cases. For example, only one first outside air introduction hole having a circular shape in a side view may be formed.

A through hole 41 having a circular shape in plan view is formed in the central portion of the top wall portion 34. The top wall portion 34 is formed with a first holding cylinder 42 having an inner diameter larger than the diameter of the through hole 41 so as to protrude downward, and the first holding cylinder 42 is extended from the radially outer side. The surrounding second holding cylinder 43 is formed so as to protrude downward. The second holding cylinder 43 is formed with a slight gap between the first holding cylinder 42 and has a shorter length than the first holding cylinder 42.
Further, a guide tube 44 is formed on the top wall portion 34 so as to protrude upward from a portion located between the first holding tube 42 and the second holding tube 43.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper cap 21 surrounds the third peripheral wall portion 32 of the lower cap 20 from the outside in the radial direction and is screwed to the third peripheral wall portion 32. A second outer cylinder 51 that surrounds the guide cylinder 44 of the lower cap 20 from the outside in the radial direction and an inner side of the guide cylinder 44 so as to be movable up and down with respect to the guide cylinder 44, and an upper end opening is the discharge hole 5. A discharge cylinder 52. The discharge cylinder 52 is in close contact with the guide cylinder 44.

  A gap is provided between the first outer cylinder 50 and the third peripheral wall portion 32 of the lower cap 20 to allow air from the outside to enter the first outside air introduction hole 40. That is, the space between the first outer cylinder 50 and the third peripheral wall portion 32 of the lower cap 20 is an air passage through which air flows into the first outside air introduction hole 40 from the outside.

  Further, the upper cap 21 is rotatable about the container axis O with respect to the lower cap 20, and moves upward while being guided by the guide cylinder 44 along with the rotation, and as shown in FIG. It can be separated from. At this time, the upper cap 21 is prevented from being unscrewed from the lower cap 20 by the upward movement, so that the upper cap 21 is prevented from being pulled upward with respect to the lower cap 20.

  Specifically, the inner peripheral surface of the first outer cylinder 50 of the upper cap 21 protrudes radially inward and protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the third peripheral wall portion 32 of the lower cap 20. An annular second locking protrusion 50a that locks the first locking protrusion 32a thus formed from below is formed.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, when the upper cap 21 moves upward with respect to the lower cap 20, the first locking protrusion 32 a and the second locking protrusion 50 a are engaged with each other. Further upward movement is restricted. As a result, the upper cap 21 is prevented from coming off from the lower cap 20.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the position where the first locking projection 32 a and the second locking projection 50 a are locked becomes the top dead center of the upper cap 21. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the bottom dead center of the upper cap 21 is a position where the lower end portion of the first outer cylinder 50 of the upper cap 21 is in contact with the first flange portion 35 of the lower cap 20. Therefore, the upper cap 21 can be moved up and down between the top dead center and the bottom dead center by rotation around the container axis O.

  Note that a plurality of first locking protrusions 32a are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. Thereby, since the clearance gap is formed between the 1st latching protrusions 32a adjacent to the circumferential direction, the inflow of the air to the 1st external air introduction hole 40 is enabled. A gap is also formed between the second locking protrusion 50 a and the outer peripheral surface of the third peripheral wall portion 32 of the lower cap 20. Therefore, the second locking protrusion 50a does not hinder the inflow of air into the first outside air introduction hole 40.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the inner peripheral surface of the first outer cylinder 50 of the upper cap 21 is radially inward from the portion positioned above the first locking protrusion 32 a and the second locking protrusion 50 a. An annular seal protrusion 50b protruding toward the surface is formed. The seal protrusion 50 b is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the third peripheral wall portion 32 of the lower cap 20.
Thereby, as shown in FIG. 3, when the upper cap 21 is located at the bottom dead center, the seal protrusion 50 b regulates the inflow of air into the first outside air introduction hole 40.

However, the outer peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the third peripheral wall portion 32 in the lower cap 20 is an annular recessed surface 32b that is recessed radially inward. As shown in FIG. 4, when the upper cap 21 is located at the top dead center, the recessed surface 32b faces the seal protrusion 50b in the radial direction, and defines a gap with the seal protrusion 50b. doing.
Thereby, when the upper cap 21 is located at the top dead center, the inflow of air into the first outside air introduction hole 40 is allowed through the gap between the seal protrusion 50b and the recessed surface 32b.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper end portion of the first outer cylinder 50 and the lower end portion of the second outer cylinder 51 are annularly arranged on the second flange portion 36 and the top wall portion 34 of the lower cap 20. They are connected via a wall 53. The annular wall 53 has a stepped shape corresponding to the steps of the second flange portion 36 and the top wall portion 34.

  When the upper cap 21 is located at the bottom dead center, the annular wall contacts the second flange portion 36 and the top wall portion 34 of the lower cap 20, and as shown in FIG. Is located at the top dead center, it is separated from the second flange portion 36 and the top wall portion 34.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the second outer cylinder 51 is formed so as to protrude upward from the guide cylinder 44 of the lower cap 20, and is formed so as to gradually decrease in diameter toward the upper side. Has been. And the upper end part of the 2nd outer cylinder 51 is connected to the discharge cylinder 52 after extending toward radial inside. Note that a stepped portion 51 a extending along the circumferential direction is formed at the upper end portion of the second outer cylinder 51.

A plurality of vertical ribs 55 projecting radially inward are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the second outer cylinder 51 at intervals in the circumferential direction. These vertical ribs 55 are in contact with the outer surface of the guide tube 44 of the lower cap 20 so as to be vertically movable.
Accordingly, the upper cap 21 can be stably moved up and down because the discharge cylinder 52 contacts the guide cylinder 44 from the radially inner side and the vertical rib 55 contacts from the radially outer side.

  The discharge cylinder 52 is formed so as to protrude above the guide cylinder 44 of the lower cap 20. At this time, a portion of the discharge cylinder 52 located above the portion to which the upper end portion of the second outer cylinder 51 is connected is formed so as to gradually decrease in diameter as it goes upward. As a result, the upper end portion of the discharge cylinder 52 has a constricted shape, and the discharge hole 5 opens upward in the constricted portion.

  The overcap 23 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a peripheral wall cylinder 60 and a ceiling wall portion 61. The peripheral wall cylinder 60 is connected to the upper end side of the second outer cylinder 51 of the upper cap 21 via the hinge part 22. Under the present circumstances, the lower end part of the surrounding wall cylinder 60 is contacting the step part 51a formed in the upper end part of the 2nd outer cylinder 51, for example in the state of undercut fitting. As a result, the overcap 23 is stably combined with the upper cap 21 and is prevented from opening unexpectedly.

A pull-up protrusion 62 that protrudes outward in the radial direction is formed on a portion of the peripheral wall cylinder 60 that is located on the opposite side of the radial direction from the portion to which the hinge portion 22 is connected across the container axis O. Yes. Using this pull-up protrusion 62, the opening and closing operation of the overcap 23 can be easily performed.
An engagement cylinder 63 that engages with the discharge cylinder 52 of the upper cap 21 protrudes downward from the central portion of the top wall 61. Thereby, it is further suppressed that the overcap 23 opens unexpectedly.

  A concave portion 64 that is recessed downward is formed in a portion of the top wall portion 61 close to the hinge portion 22. When the overcap 23 is opened, the recess 64 is detachably locked to a convex portion 65 projecting upward from the upper portion of the annular wall 53 of the upper cap 21. Thereby, the overcap 23 is maintained in the open state (see FIG. 5).

The inner plug 24 includes, for example, a plug cylinder 70 that is liquid-tightly fitted inside the third peripheral wall portion 32 of the lower cap 20, and a plug wall (covering wall portion) 71 that is connected to the lower end portion of the plug cylinder 70. I have.
The plug cylinder 70 protrudes below the seal cylinder 39 of the lower cap 20. The plug wall 71 substantially covers the inside of the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2. Thereby, the inner plug 24 closes the mouth 10 of the container body 2 in cooperation with the seal cylinder 39.

In the center portion of the plug wall 71, a recess 72 having a circular shape in plan view that is recessed downward is formed. A communication hole 73 that allows communication between the inside of the container body 2 and the inside of the inner plug 24 is formed in the peripheral wall of the recess 72. In the illustrated example, the communication holes 73 are formed in a vertically long slit shape so as to open downward, and a plurality of communication holes 73 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. However, the shape and number of the communication holes 73 are not limited to this case.
In particular, since the communication hole 73 is formed in the peripheral wall of the recess 72, the communication hole 73 is disposed on the bottom 13 side of the container body 2 with respect to the plug wall 71 in the cap body 6.

  Further, a circular air hole 74 having a circular shape in plan view communicating with the air supply pipe 3 is formed in the central portion of the bottom wall of the recess 72, and the first upper end 3 a of the air supply pipe 3 is held. A mounting cylinder 75 projects downward. The first mounting cylinder 75 is formed in a cylindrical shape whose inner diameter is equal to the diameter of the air hole 74. The air supply pipe 3 is fitted and held by inserting the upper end 3 a into the first mounting cylinder 75.

Furthermore, a supply cylinder 76 is formed on the bottom wall of the recess 72 so as to protrude upward from a portion located between the air hole 74 and the communication hole 73.
A longitudinal groove 76 a that extends over the entire length of the supply cylinder 76 and is connected to the communication hole 73 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the supply cylinder 76. At this time, a plurality of longitudinal grooves 76 a are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction so as to correspond to the plurality of communication holes 73. Further, a lateral groove (lateral hole) 76 c that penetrates the supply cylinder 76 in the radial direction is formed at the upper end portion of the supply cylinder 76. A plurality of the lateral grooves 76c are formed, for example, at intervals in the circumferential direction.

Since the supply cylinder 76 is thus formed, the content liquid W in the container body 2 flowing through the communication hole 73 can be supplied into the gas-liquid mixing chamber R described later through the vertical grooves 76a and the horizontal grooves 76c. In addition, the air in the container body 2 flowing through the air holes 74 can be supplied into the gas-liquid mixing chamber R described later. At this time, the content liquid W flows outside the supply cylinder 76 and the air flows inside the supply cylinder 76, so that the content liquid W and air are not mixed before reaching the gas-liquid mixing chamber R.
Note that a plurality of vertical ribs 76 b projecting radially inward are formed on the inner surface of the supply cylinder 76 at intervals in the circumferential direction.

Further, the plug wall 71 is formed in a protruding cylinder 80 protruding upward from a portion positioned radially outside the supply cylinder 76 and a portion positioned between the protruding cylinder 80 and the plug wall 71. A second outside air introduction hole (outside air introduction hole) 81 and a second attachment cylinder 82 that protrudes downward and holds the upper end portion 4a of the outside air introduction pipe 4 are formed.
The second outside air introduction hole 81 is formed, for example, in a circular shape in plan view, and communicates the inside of the inner plug 24 and the inside of the container body 2. Thus, the first outside air introduction hole 40 and the inside of the container body 2 are communicated with each other through the second outside air introduction hole 81.

  The second mounting cylinder 82 is formed in a cylindrical shape whose inner diameter is larger than the inner diameter of the second outside air introduction hole 81, and the inner side communicates with the second outside air introduction hole 81. The outside air introduction pipe 4 is fitted and held by the upper end portion 4 a being inserted into the second mounting cylinder 82.

  The valve member 25 is formed with respect to the support cylinder 90 formed in a multistage cylinder, the outside air introduction valve 91 that is formed integrally with the support cylinder 90 and opens and closes the first outside air introduction hole 40, and the support cylinder 90. And a valve body 92 that is integrally formed and that opens and closes the inside of the support tube 90.

  The support cylinder 90 includes a first support cylinder 90a, a second support cylinder 90b having a diameter smaller than that of the first support cylinder 90a, and a third support cylinder 90c having a diameter smaller than that of the second support cylinder 90b. The support cylinders 90a to 90c are formed in a multi-stage (three-stage) cylindrical shape in which the support cylinders 90a to 90c are integrally connected downward.

  The first support cylinder 90 a is fitted and held in the second holding cylinder 43 of the lower cap 20. The second support cylinder 90 b is fitted and held in the first holding cylinder 42 of the lower cap 20. The third support cylinder 90 c extends downward from the first holding cylinder 42 of the lower cap 20. At this time, the third support cylinder 90 c extends downward to such an extent that a gap is secured between the third support cylinder 90 c and the upper end of the supply cylinder 76 of the inner plug 24.

  The outside air introduction valve 91 is formed integrally with the first support cylinder 90 a of the support cylinder 90. The outside air introduction valve 91 includes an elastically deformable annular valve 95 that protrudes in an annular shape from the outer peripheral surface of the first support cylinder 90a toward the radially outer side, and has an outer end portion as a free end.

The outer end of the annular valve 95 is in contact with the lower surface of the second flange portion 36 of the lower cap 20 so as to be able to be separated from below, and closes the first outside air introduction hole 40 so that it can be opened and closed. .
Therefore, the annular valve 95 is a check valve that allows inflow of air (outside air) from the outside through the first outside air introduction hole 40 and restricts outflow of outside air through the first outside air introduction hole 40. Function.

  In addition, the air from the outside is a gap between the first outer tube 50 of the upper cap 21 and the third peripheral wall portion 32 of the lower cap 20, and the lower portion of the annular wall 53 in the upper cap 21 and the lower cap 20. The air flows from the first outside air introduction hole 40 through a gap between the second flange portion 36 and the second flange portion 36.

The valve body 92 is formed integrally with the third support cylinder 90 c of the support cylinder 90. The outer peripheral edge of the valve body 92 is connected to the inner peripheral surface of the third support cylinder 90c via the elastic hinge part 92a, and the elastic hinge part 92a is elastically deformed to open and close the inside of the third support cylinder 90c.
Specifically, the valve body 92 is formed in a circular shape in plan view, and extends in the circumferential direction with the valve main body 92b positioned at the center in the third support cylinder 90c, and the inner end is the outer peripheral edge of the valve main body 92b. And a plurality of (three) arm-like elastic connecting pieces 92c whose outer end portions are connected to the elastic hinge portion 92a.

The elastic connecting piece 92c is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the third support cylinder 90c via a first weakening portion that can be broken, except for a connecting portion with the elastic hinge portion 92a, of the outer edge facing radially outward. The inner end edge that is connected and faces radially inward is connected to the outer peripheral edge of the valve main body 92b via a breakable second weakening portion.
Accordingly, at the stage of forming the valve member 25, the first weakened portion and the second weakened portion are not broken, so that the valve body 92 completely closes the inside of the third support cylinder 90c. In addition, at the stage of manufacturing the cap body 6 after the molding of the valve member 25, it is preferable to break the first weakened portion and the second weakened portion in advance by applying an external force to the valve body 92, for example. However, for example, when the first weakened portion and the second weakened portion can be ruptured with a minute force, the first weakened portion and the second weakened portion are made to use the internal pressure of the container body 2 that rises due to squeeze deformation. It is good also as a structure made to fracture.

The elastic connecting piece 92c is elastically deformed to move the valve main body 92b upward when the internal pressure of the container main body 2 rises due to squeeze deformation (see FIG. 5). As a result, a gap is generated between the valve main body 92b and the elastic coupling piece 92c, so that the content liquid W can be circulated.
When the squeeze deformation of the container body 2 is released, the elastic connecting piece 92c is restored and deformed to return the valve body 92b to its original position. Thereby, since the clearance gap between the valve main body 92b and the elastic connection piece 92c closes, it is possible to regulate the flow of the content liquid W.

  Therefore, the valve body 92 functions as a dripping prevention valve that permits the flow of the content liquid W when the container body 2 is squeezed and restricts the flow of the content liquid W when the squeeze deformation is released.

  The number of elastic connecting pieces 92c is not limited to three. Further, as the valve body 92, it is sufficient if the content liquid W can be circulated at the time of squeeze deformation of the container body 2, and a valve structure other than the above configuration may be used.

  By the way, the space located below the valve element 92 in the inside of the third cylindrical portion is the content liquid W supplied through the communication hole 73, the vertical groove 76a and the horizontal groove 76c, the air hole 74 and the inner plug 24. Functions as a gas-liquid mixing chamber R in which the air supplied through the inside of the supply cylinder 76 merges.

  The connecting cylinder 26 includes an upper cylinder 100, a middle cylinder 101 having a diameter smaller than that of the upper cylinder 100, and a lower cylinder 102 having a diameter smaller than that of the middle cylinder 101. 102 is formed in a multistage (three-stage) cylindrical shape that is integrally connected.

The upper cylinder 100 is fitted and held in the second support cylinder 90 b of the valve member 25. The middle cylinder 101 is fitted and held in the third support cylinder 90 c of the valve member 25. The lower cylinder 102 is inserted from above between the supply cylinder 76 and the protruding cylinder 80 of the inner plug 24, and is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the supply cylinder 76 and the inner peripheral surface of the protruding cylinder 80.
As a result, the inner plug 24 is disposed inside the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 while being stably held by the connecting cylinder 26.

The connecting cylinder 26 is further integrally formed with a domed portion 103 having a cylindrical shape disposed in the gas-liquid mixing chamber R. The dome portion 103 has a plurality of openings. As a result, the content liquid W and air supplied into the gas-liquid mixing chamber R are in a state of being agitated, for example, by interfering with the dome 103, and mixing is actively promoted.
An insertion member 103 a is formed on the top wall of the dome portion 103 so as to protrude downward and be inserted into the gap between the vertical ribs 76 b of the supply cylinder 76 from above. As a result, the air supplied into the gas-liquid mixing chamber R enters the gas-liquid mixing chamber R while being diffused by the insertion member 103a, so that mixing with the air is more actively promoted.

  Since the cap body 6 is configured as described above, a passage that communicates the first outside air introduction hole 40 and the second outside air introduction hole 81, and a passage that communicates the communication hole 73 and the air hole 74 and the discharge hole 5. Are independent of each other. As a result, when the container body 2 is deformed by squeezing, the content liquid W and the air in the container body 2 flow toward the discharge hole 5 and when the deformation of the squeeze is released, air flows from the outside toward the container body 2. The operation can be appropriately performed by using different passages.

By the way, the cap member 6 configured as described above is attached with a foaming member 110 that foams the content liquid W mixed with gas in the gas-liquid mixing chamber R to form a predetermined foam.
The foam member 110 is disposed in the first holding cylinder 42 in the lower cap 20 and is located between the gas-liquid mixing chamber R and the discharge hole 5. The foam member 110 includes two foam elements 111 mounted in the first holding cylinder 42.

The foam element 111 includes a ring portion 111a attached to the inside of the first holding cylinder 42, and a mesh member (net) 111b that is stretched at one end opening end of the ring portion 111a and has a predetermined mesh. The first holding cylinder 42 is arranged inside the first holding cylinder 42 with a space in the vertical direction.
At this time, of the two foam elements 111, the foam element 111 positioned below the first holding cylinder 42 has the mesh member 111b facing downward, and the foam element 111 positioned above the first holding cylinder 42 is The mesh member 111b is disposed so as to face upward.

However, the number of foam elements 111 is not limited to two, and may be only one. Further, when two foam elements 111 are provided, they may be arranged in a state where they are stacked in two upper and lower stages.
Further, the position of the foam member 110 is not limited to the inside of the first holding cylinder 42, and may be located between the gas-liquid mixing chamber R and the discharge hole 5. For example, the foam member 110 may be disposed in the discharge cylinder 52 of the upper cap 21.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the air supply pipe 3 is a long pipe extending from the mouth 10 side of the container body 2 toward the bottom 13 of the container body 2, and as described above, The upper end portion 3a is inserted into the first mounting cylinder 75 of the inner plug 24 and is held by fitting. Thereby, the air supply pipe 3 is stably held inside the container main body 2 in a state where the air supply pipe 3 communicates with the air hole 74.
The lower end 3 b of the air supply pipe 3 reaches the vicinity of the bottom 13 of the container body 2 and opens toward the bottom 13.

As with the air supply pipe 3, the outside air introduction pipe 4 is a long pipe that extends from the mouth 10 side of the container body 2 toward the bottom 13 of the container body 2, and as described above, 4a is inserted and held in the second mounting cylinder 82 of the inner plug 24. As a result, the outside air introduction pipe 4 is stably held inside the container body 2 in a state of communicating with the second outside air introduction hole 81.
Note that the lower end 4 b of the outside air introduction pipe 4 reaches the vicinity of the bottom 13 of the container body 2 and opens toward the bottom 13.

(Operation of squeeze discharge container)
Next, the use of the squeeze discharge container 1 configured as described above will be described.
When discharging the content liquid W, first, the overcap 23 is rotated around the hinge portion 22 by using the pull-up protrusion 62 to open the overcap 23 with respect to the upper cap 21. At this time, the concave portion 64 formed in the top wall portion 61 is engaged with the convex portion 65 of the upper cap 21. Thereby, the overcap 23 can be stably held in the open state.

  Next, the upper cap 21 is rotated around the container axis O with respect to the lower cap 20, and the upper cap 21 is moved upward with respect to the lower cap 20, as shown in FIG. Accordingly, since the upper cap 21 is located at the top dead center, the inflow of air from the outside to the first outside air introduction hole 40 is allowed.

Next, from the upright posture in which the mouth portion 10 of the container main body 2 faces upward, as shown in FIG. At this time, since the valve body 92 is closed, it is possible to prevent so-called dripping that the content liquid W leaks from the discharge hole 5 before squeeze deformation.
And in the state which made the container main body 2 into the inverted posture, the trunk | drum 12 of the container main body 2 is pressed and squeezed and deformed.

  Note that the operation of opening the overcap 23 and the operation of rotating the upper cap 21 are not necessarily performed before the container body 2 is in the inverted position, and may be performed after the container body 2 is first inverted. Absent.

  By squeezing and deforming the body portion 12 of the container body 2, the internal pressure of the container body 2 rises, so that the content liquid W in the container body 2 is connected to the communication hole 73 and the vertical groove 76a as shown by the arrows in FIG. And the gas-liquid mixing chamber R can be supplied through the lateral groove 76c. At the same time, the air in the container body 2 can be supplied into the gas-liquid mixing chamber R through the air supply pipe 3, the air holes 74, and the supply cylinder 76 as indicated by arrows in FIG. 5. Thereby, the content liquid W and air can be merged and mixed in the gas-liquid mixing chamber R.

  Furthermore, since the internal pressure of the container body 2 rises, the elastic connecting piece 92c of the valve body 92 is elastically deformed so as to move the valve main body 92b, so that a gap is generated between the valve main body 92b and the elastic connecting piece 92c. . As a result, the valve body 92 is opened, and the content liquid W mixed with air in the gas-liquid mixing chamber R passes through the valve body 92 and flows into the foam member 110. Therefore, the content liquid W is foamed and passes through the mesh member 111b of the two foaming elements 111, thereby forming a fine predetermined foam. As a result, the foam-like content liquid W can be discharged to the outside through the discharge hole 5.

When the squeeze deformation is released after the content liquid W is discharged, the body 12 of the container body 2 is restored and deformed to return to the original state. At that time, since the inside of the container main body 2 is negative, this negative pressure acts on the outside air introduction valve 91 through the second outside air introduction hole 81. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the outer end portion of the annular valve 95 is separated from the lower surface of the second flange portion 36 of the upper cap 21 to open the first outside air introduction hole 40.
Thereby, as shown in FIG. 6, along with the restoring deformation of the body portion 12 of the container body 2, air is taken in from the outside through the first outside air introduction hole 40, the second outside air introduction hole 81, and the outside air introduction pipe 4, It can be introduced into the container body 2.

At this time, since the outside air introduction pipe 4 extends toward the bottom 13 of the container body 2, the air taken from the outside can be directly introduced into the head space in the container body 2. Therefore, since air does not float in the content liquid W as bubbles, the liquid surface of the content liquid W can be prevented from foaming, and there is no concern that bubbles will enter the air supply pipe 3.
Therefore, even if the container body 2 is subsequently squeezed and the content liquid W is repeatedly discharged, the air can be appropriately supplied into the gas-liquid mixing chamber R through the air supply pipe 3, and the foam-like shape The content liquid W can be stably discharged.

  As described above, according to the squeeze discharge container 1 of the present embodiment, when performing downward discharge, the content liquid W can be stably mixed with air, and a desired discharge state (bubble state) is maintained. However, the discharge of the content liquid W can be continuously repeated.

  In addition, after the discharge of the content liquid W, the elastic connecting piece 92c is restored and deformed to restore the valve body 92b to its original position as the barrel 12 of the container body 2 is restored. Therefore, when the body portion 12 of the container body 2 returns to the original state, the valve body 92 is closed and the flow of the content liquid W is restricted. Thereby, not only the dripping prevention at the initial stage of use but also the dripping from the discharge hole 5 can be prevented until the next squeeze deformation.

  Furthermore, when the content liquid W is discharged, the content liquid W can be guided (guided) toward the communication hole 73 using the plug wall 71, so that the content liquid W can be discharged without waste. Therefore, it is easy to use up the content liquid W, and the remaining amount can be reduced as much as possible.

  In addition, when not used or stored after use, the upper cap 21 is located at the bottom dead center, and the seal protrusion 50 b is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the third peripheral wall portion 32 of the lower cap 20. Therefore, the seal protrusion 50b not only restricts the inflow of air into the first outside air introduction hole 40, but is also effective for, for example, the leakage of the content liquid W from the container body 2 through the first outside air introduction hole 40. Can be prevented.

  The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, the content liquid W is discharged in an inverted posture with the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 directed downward. However, the discharge is not limited to this case as long as it is discharged downward. For example, the content liquid W may be discharged in a state where the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 is directed obliquely downward.

  Moreover, although the case where the content liquid W was discharged in foam by providing the foaming member 110 was mentioned as an example, the foaming member 110 is not essential and may not be provided. In this case, when the content liquid W mixed with air in the gas-liquid mixing chamber R is discharged from the discharge hole 5, it can be discharged to the outside, for example, in a mist state. Furthermore, when the content liquid W is discharged in the form of a mist, it is preferable to provide a nozzle tip instead of the foam member 110. By doing in this way, it is possible to discharge the finer mist-like content liquid W. In addition, as a nozzle chip, you may employ | adopt a well-known thing, for example.

In addition, the outside air introduction pipe 4 is formed straight and arranged in parallel to the air supply pipe 3, but the lower end portion 4b of the outside air introduction pipe 4 is connected to the air supply pipe by, for example, bending the outside air introduction pipe 4 in the middle. 3 may be sufficiently separated from the lower end portion 3b of the 3 in the radial direction.
Furthermore, although the outside air introduction pipe 4 and the air supply pipe 3 are separate pipes, the two pipes may be combined together.

  In addition, in the squeeze discharge container 1 of the present embodiment, the outside air introduction pipe 4 is removed, and a slight design change is performed so that the discharge hole 5 opens sideways, whereby the mouth portion 10 of the container body 2 is It is possible to change the model to a specification for discharging the content liquid W in an upright posture facing upward.

W ... Contents liquid R ... Gas-liquid mixing chamber 1 ... Squeeze discharge container 2 ... Container body 3 ... Air supply pipe 4 ... Outside air introduction pipe 5 ... Discharge hole 6 ... Cap body 10 ... Mouth part of container body 13 ... Bottom of container body 40: First outside air introduction hole (outside air introduction hole)
71 ... Seal wall of the inner plug (cover wall)
73 ... Communication hole 74 ... Air hole 81 ... Second outside air introduction hole (outside air introduction hole)

Claims (2)

A squeeze-deformable container body in which the content liquid is stored;
An air supply pipe and an outside air introduction pipe that are arranged inside the container body and extend from the mouth side of the container body toward the bottom of the container body;
A cap body attached to the mouth of the container body and having a discharge hole formed thereon,
The cap body communicates with an outside air introduction hole communicating with the outside of the cap body, a communication hole communicating with the inside of the container body, an air hole communicating with the inside of the air supply pipe, and the discharge hole, And a gas-liquid mixing chamber for mixing the content liquid in the container main body through the communication hole and the air in the container main body through the air hole, and
The squeeze discharge container, wherein the outside air introduction pipe is attached to the cap body and communicates with the outside air introduction hole. In the squeeze discharge container according to claim 1,
The cap body includes a covering wall portion that covers a mouth portion of the container body,
The squeeze discharge container is characterized in that the communication hole is formed on the bottom side of the container body with respect to the covering wall portion of the cap body.

Images