JP3741859B2 - Dispensing container - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dispensing container having a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the content liquid and a ball valve mechanism for controlling the flow of gas-liquid fluid in the container, and the ball valve mechanism can be used even when the container is tilted. This relates to a dispensing container that does not lose its distribution control function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In order to use liquid cosmetics, various liquid detergents, shampoos, rinses, various finishing liquids, antifungal / disinfectant liquids, bleaching liquids, water, etc. Conventionally, a dispensing container having a dispensing head mounted on the top of the container has been widely used. This type of dispensing head includes trigger type dispensing head that activates the dispensing pump by triggering (pulling / releasing) the trigger lever and injecting or spraying the liquid content, or the dispensing pump can be moved up and down by hand. An operating hand pump type dispensing head or the like is generally used. In this pouring mechanism, in addition to the pouring pump, a ball valve mechanism for controlling the flow of the content liquid and the gas phase above the liquid surface is often used.
[0003]
In addition, these pouring containers were previously assumed to be upright, but recently there has been a demand for upside down pouring containers that can be used both upright and upside down. In any case, a number of dispensing mechanisms that can dispense the content liquid have been proposed. These pouring mechanisms that can be used upside down generally have a liquid absorption mechanism in which the pouring mechanism provided at the top of the container has an upright valve mechanism and an inverted valve mechanism, and extends to the bottom of the container during upright use. From the end of the tube, the liquid is drawn up through the erecting valve mechanism by the suction force of the dispensing pump, and the inverted valve mechanism is closed to prevent the inflow of the gas phase above the liquid level. At the same time, the erecting valve mechanism is closed and the inflow of the gas phase from the liquid suction tube is prevented. Ball valve mechanisms are often used in the upright valve mechanism and the inverted valve mechanism used here in order to control the flow of the content liquid and the gas phase (collectively referred to as “fluid”).
[0004]
The conventional ball valve mechanism used in various places in the above-mentioned erecting container for erecting or for erecting both has a structure generally shown in FIG. That is, the conventional ball valve mechanism has a ball 51 and a vertical cylinder 52 having an inner diameter larger than that of the ball and accommodating the ball 51 so as to freely move up and down. The valve seat 53 has a diameter reduced to a dough shape and is smaller than the diameter of the ball to form a valve seat 53 in close contact with the ball. The lower end of the valve seat 53 is connected to a conduit 54. The valve is closed at a sealing portion 55 where the inner wall of the valve seat portion 53 and the ball 51 dropped by its own weight in the cylinder come into close contact. This ball valve mechanism pushes up the ball 51 and flows out from the cylinder side upper opening 56 when fluid (liquid or gas) flows in from the lower conduit 54 side. Is closed by the ball 51, and the ball 51 is pressed against the valve seat 53 by the fluid, and therefore cannot flow downward.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in a conventional dispensing container having a ball valve mechanism, for example, when the container is tilted in order to pour the liquid content into the palm of a hand, a part of clothing, the floor corner of a room, etc., the dispensing pump operates, but the ball There was a problem that the valve mechanism stopped functioning and could not be dispensed. When the container is tilted, as shown in FIG. 6, the vertical axis S of the cylinder 52 is also tilted from the vertical axis V of the container, and the tilt angle β with respect to the horizontal line H on the lower peripheral surface of the valve seat 53 becomes negative. This is because the ball 51 rolls down to the cylinder 52 side along the slope of the valve seat 53, and the sealing portion 55 is opened to lose its function as a check valve.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to dispense the liquid content by the ball valve mechanism functioning normally even when used in an inclined manner by an extremely simple and inexpensive mechanism. The object is to provide a dispensing container that makes it possible.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention according to claim 1 is a dispensing container having a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the content liquid and a ball valve mechanism for controlling the flow of gas-liquid fluid in the container. The ball valve mechanism has a ball, a cylinder for freely moving the ball up and down, and a valve seat formed at a lower end of the cylinder smaller in diameter than the ball and in close contact with the ball. In addition, the discharge container is characterized in that the vertical axis of the cylinder is inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the container so that the lower part of the cylinder approaches the discharge direction of the content liquid .
Further, the invention according to claim 2, the inclination angle of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, a dispensing container according to claim 1, characterized in that it is from the vertical axis of the vessel and within 45 °.
Further, the invention of claim 3, the inclination of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, either by passing liquid pipe bent coupled to the cylinder, either by bending pipe inserted into the liquid passage pipe connected to the cylinder, 3. The pouring container according to claim 1, wherein the pouring container is formed by either a bendable bellows tube inserted in a liquid flow tube connected to a cylinder .
Further, the present invention according to claim 4 is a dispensing container having a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the content liquid and a ball valve mechanism for controlling the flow of gas-liquid fluid in the container. A ball, a cylinder having an inner diameter larger than that of the ball, and capable of freely moving the ball up and down, and a valve seat formed at a lower end of the cylinder smaller than the diameter of the ball and in close contact with the ball it has the door, a dispensing container longitudinal axis of the cylinder, characterized in that it is bent freely with respect to the vertical axis of the container.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the drawings.
Example 1
Example 1 is an example in which claims 1 to 4 of the present invention are applied to an inverted valve mechanism of a normal inverted dispensing container. FIG. 1 shows a lower structure of a trigger-type dispensing head having a normal upside-down dispensing function.
In FIG. 1, this trigger type dispensing head generally includes an upper block 20 and a normal upside down switching valve mechanism 10. Although not shown, the upper block 20 has a pump / pumping mechanism 21 including a pumping pump and a pumping nozzle, and a trigger mechanism 22, and is screwed into the neck 24 of the container body with a rotating cap 23. It is installed.
[0008]
The normal inversion switching valve mechanism 10 includes an inversion valve mechanism 11 and an erecting valve mechanism 12. The inversion valve mechanism 11 has a ball 1 and an inner diameter larger than the ball 1 and moves the ball up and down. A vertical cylinder 2 that is freely accommodated, and a valve seat 3 that is formed in a diameter smaller than the diameter of the ball and in close contact with the ball is reduced at the lower end of the cylinder 2. . A conduit 4 extends downward from the valve seat portion 3 and communicates with the flow path switching portion 13. The lower part of the flow path switching unit 13 is connected via an erecting valve mechanism 12 to a liquid absorption tube (not shown) that absorbs liquid from the bottom of the container. Further, a liquid passage pipe 14 extends from the upper part of the flow path switching unit 13 and is connected to the pump / pouring mechanism 21 of the upper block 20. The upright valve mechanism 12 includes a ball valve mechanism similar to the inverted valve mechanism 11.
[0009]
The upper part of the cylinder 2 of the inverted valve mechanism 11 is opened as an upper opening 5 inside the container, and a ball-fixing convex part 6 is formed below the upper opening 5. Further, a longitudinal groove-shaped side opening 7 is formed on the peripheral surface of the cylinder 2, and the content liquid flows from the cylinder 2 toward the pump / pouring mechanism 21 when used upside down.
[0010]
The cylinder 2 has its longitudinal axis S inclined from the vertical axis V of the container by an angle θ. This inclination angle θ is set to be within 45 °. The direction of the inclination is such that the lower portion of the cylinder 2 approaches the direction (pouring direction) in which the content liquid is poured out from the dispensing nozzle of the pump / pumping mechanism 21. The inclination of the cylinder 2 is realized by bending the liquid passage pipe 14 and inclining the entire forward / reverse switching valve mechanism 10. Therefore, the upright valve mechanism 12 having a ball valve mechanism similar to the inverted valve mechanism 11 is also inclined at an angle θ in the same direction as the cylinder 2 of the inverted valve mechanism.
[0011]
When the trigger lever of the trigger mechanism 22 is pulled with a finger while the container is upright, the content liquid stored in advance in the pump / pouring mechanism 21 is poured out from the dispensing nozzle. When the trigger lever is released and the trigger lever returns to its original position by the bias of the spring, the pump / pouring mechanism 21 enters the pressure reduction mode, and the liquid content passes through the upright valve mechanism 12 from the liquid suction tube extending to the bottom of the container. Then, the water is sucked up and sucked into the pump / pouring mechanism 21 from the flow path switching unit 13 through the liquid passage 14. By repeating this dispensing and suctioning operation, the content liquid is continuously poured out from the dispensing nozzle in the form of liquid or spray.
[0012]
At this time, the inverted valve mechanism 11 is exposed to the gas phase in the container. However, since the ball 1 is in close contact with the valve seat portion 3 by its own weight and prevents the inflow of the gas phase, the liquid passage 14 is decompressed. Even in the state, the gas phase does not pass through the valve seat portion 3 and is not sucked into the pump / pumping mechanism 21. (If bubbles are mixed into the content liquid sucked through the upright valve mechanism 12, the liquid suction force of the pump / pouring mechanism 21 is reduced, and the content liquid cannot be poured out.)
[0013]
When this pouring container is to be poured with the pouring nozzle facing downward, the entire container is inclined in the pouring direction. Even in this tilted state, the cylinder 2 is tilted so that its lower part is close to the content liquid pouring direction, so that, for example, as in the conventional example described in FIG. There is nothing. Therefore, in the dispensing container of Example 1, the valve seat 3 is closed by the ball 1 even when tilted downward, the function as a check valve can be maintained, and the content liquid can be normally dispensed.
[0014]
The inclination angle θ of the cylinder 2 is preferably selected within 45 ° from the vertical axis V of the container. When the inclination angle θ is small, the ball 1 rolls down and the valve seat portion 3 is easy to open when the container is used while being tilted nearly horizontally, and when it exceeds 45 °, the container is reversed (for example, the nozzle is directed upward). When tilted in the direction), the ball 1 rolls to open the valve seat portion 3, and the function as a check valve is easily lost. When the inclination angle θ exceeds 45 °, it becomes difficult to accommodate the forward / reverse switching valve mechanism 10 in the container, and design restrictions are imposed.
[0015]
When the container is used in an inverted state, the cylinder 2 has an inner diameter larger than that of the ball 1 and accommodates the ball 1 so as to freely move up and down, so that the ball 1 falls in the cylinder 2 by its own weight. Then, it comes into contact with the ball stop projection 6 and stops at the position 1a. In this state, since the side opening 7 of the inverted valve mechanism 11 is immersed in the liquid, when the trigger lever is operated and the pump / pouring mechanism 21 is in the decompression mode, the content liquid is discharged from the side opening 7. It is introduced into the cylinder 2, passes through the opened valve seat portion 3, and is sucked into the pump / pouring mechanism 21 via the conduit 4, the flow path switching portion 13, and the liquid passage tube 14 in order. At this time, the erecting valve mechanism 12 is closed when the ball falls, so that bubbles do not enter from the erecting valve mechanism 12. Therefore, by repeating the operation of the trigger lever, the dispensing container can continuously dispense the content liquid even when inverted.
[0016]
In the inverted state, even if the container is used while being tilted, the ball 1 does not close the valve seat portion 3, so that the flow of the content liquid is not prevented. Therefore, when the dispensing container of Example 2 is used upside down, the content liquid can be normally dispensed regardless of whether the container is held vertically or tilted.
[0017]
In the first embodiment, only the inverted valve mechanism 11 of the normally inverted dispensing container has been described. However, other ball valve mechanisms of the same container, for example, the cylinder of the upright valve mechanism 12 are also in the same direction as the cylinder 2 of the inverted valve mechanism 11. It is preferable to incline. In general, the inverted valve mechanism 11 and the erecting valve mechanism 12 are integrally formed as a normally inverted switching valve mechanism 10, and therefore, as shown in FIG. If the liquid pipe 14 is bent, both the inverted valve mechanism 11 and the erecting valve mechanism 12 can be inclined in the same direction.
[0018]
In this dispensing head, the liquid flow tube 14 may be formed into a straight tube shape using a conventional mold at the time of molding, and may be heated and bent by post-processing after molding, so that a new mold is generated. And can be manufactured inexpensively. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper block 20 including the pump / pumping mechanism 21 of the pumping head and the upside-down switching valve mechanism 10 are formed as separate bodies, and the openings serving as the liquid flow pipes are respectively formed in the openings. You may connect and manufacture by inserting the liquid-permeable tube member 25 in which the lower part was bent. In this case, the upper block 20 and the upside-down switching valve mechanism 10 are manufactured using a conventional mold, and only the liquid flow pipe member 25 is molded by raising a newly bent mold, or this liquid flow passage. The tube member 25 may also be formed using a conventional straight tubular mold and bent later by heat processing.
The method of bending the liquid passage tube 14 is not limited to the above. For example, the upper block 20 and the normal inverted switching valve mechanism 10 may be connected by a bent joint, or similar results can be obtained by connecting them by a bellows tube.
[0019]
(Example 2)
The second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 shows an example in which the upper block 20 including the pump / pumping mechanism 21 of the pumping head and the forward / reverse switching valve mechanism 10 are connected by a bellows tube 15. In the following description, components that are functionally the same as those of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted or simplified.
[0020]
3 schematically includes an upper block 20 including a pump / pumping mechanism 21 and a trigger mechanism 22 and a forward / reverse switching valve mechanism 10 which are assembled separately. An upper liquid passing pipe 14 a is fitted into a pipe line extending downward from the pump / pouring mechanism 21 of the upper block 20, and a lower end thereof protrudes downward from the upper block 20.
[0021]
The upside-down switching valve mechanism 10 is generally composed of an upside-down valve mechanism 11 and an upright valve mechanism 12. The upper part of the cylinder 2 of the inverted valve mechanism 11 is sealed by the lid 8. A lower liquid passing pipe 14b extends upward from the upper part of the flow path switching unit 13 connected to the conduit 4 of the inverted valve mechanism 11, and the upper end of the lower liquid passing pipe 14b has the same diameter as the upper liquid passing pipe 14a. Projecting upward from the switching valve mechanism 10.
[0022]
The protruding lower end portion of the upper liquid passing tube 14a and the protruding upper end portion of the lower liquid passing tube 14b are connected by a bellows tube 15. The bellows tube 15 is a click type, and once bent, the bent state is maintained.
[0023]
In the dispensing container of Example 2, the tilting direction of the cylinder 2 can be arbitrarily set when the dispensing head is mounted on the container. For example, when the liquid content is to be poured upward, such as by spraying a liquid on the ceiling. If the bellows tube 15 is bent so that the longitudinal axis of the cylinder is inclined toward the dispensing nozzle, bubbles can be prevented from being mixed into the pump / dispensing mechanism 21 even if the container is inclined largely upward, and the injection is smoothly performed. Can be put out.
In addition, since the liquid passing pipe is bendable, the operation is facilitated when the lower portion of the dispensing head is inserted from the narrow opening of the container, as compared with the case where the bend is fixed as in the first embodiment.
[0024]
Example 3
Example 3 is an example in which claim 5 of the present invention is applied to a regular upside-down dispensing container. FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a trigger-type dispensing container having a normal upside-down dispensing function.
The pouring container 30 includes a pouring mechanism 31 for pouring the content liquid L, and a forward / reverse switching valve mechanism 10 similar to that shown in the first embodiment. A bend-free liquid absorbing tube 32 extends from the lower portion of the upright valve mechanism 12 of the upside-down switching valve mechanism 10 to the bottom of the container body 33.
[0025]
The dispensing mechanism 31 includes a pump mechanism 34, an injection mechanism 35, and a trigger mechanism 36, and the pump mechanism 34 sucks and dispenses the content liquid L by operating the trigger mechanism 36 as in the first embodiment. In the dispensing mode, the content liquid L is ejected from the ejection mechanism 35, and in the suction mode, the content liquid L in the container body 33 is sucked and filled into the pump mechanism 34 via the upside-down switching valve mechanism 10. .
[0026]
The pouring mechanism 31 has a liquid passage pipe portion 37 a for sucking the content liquid L in the container main body 33 below the pump mechanism 34. Further, at the upper part of the forward / inverted switching valve mechanism 10, there is a liquid passage pipe portion 37 b for feeding the content liquid L in the container main body 33 to the dispensing mechanism 31. The fluid passage tube portion 37a and the fluid passage tube portion 37b are connected by a bendable bellows tube 38.
[0027]
In this dispensing container 30, the normal inverted switching valve mechanism 10 is connected to the dispensing mechanism 31 by a bendable bellows tube 38, so that the forward / inverted switching valve mechanism 10 is substantially vertical regardless of which direction the container is tilted. Maintained. Accordingly, the cylinders of the inverted valve mechanism 11 and the erecting valve mechanism 12 included in the normal inverted switching valve mechanism 10 are kept vertical regardless of the inclination direction of the container, and the check valve function is lost due to the rolling of the ball. There is nothing.
[0028]
Since the dispensing container of the present invention has a cylinder in which the ball valve mechanism is inclined, or has a cylinder that is kept vertical even when the container is inclined, the ball valve mechanism is used as an erecting trigger or an erecting trigger. Incorporation into a liquid dispensing head or hand pump type dispensing head makes it possible to use it in an inclined manner. It becomes easy to use as a container for pouring or spraying a liquid agent little by little or continuously.
[0029]
Next, the embodiments of the present invention will be summarized and listed.
(1) A pouring container having a pouring mechanism for pouring the content liquid and a ball valve mechanism for controlling the flow of gas-liquid fluid in the container. The ball valve mechanism moves the ball up and down. a cylinder for moving freely housed, and a valve seat which contacts the ball and densely been formed smaller in diameter than the diameter of the ball at the lower end of the cylinder, with respect to the vertical axis of the vertical axis container cylinder, the cylinder A pouring container formed so as to be inclined so that the lower part of the container approaches the pouring direction of the content liquid .
(2) In the above (1), pouring vessel tilt angle of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, which is from the vertical axis of the vessel and within 45 °.
(3) In the above (1) or (2), the inclination of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, either by passing liquid pipe bent coupled to the cylinder, either by bending pipe inserted into the liquid passage pipe connected to the cylinder A pouring container formed either by a bendable bellows tube inserted into a fluid passage tube connected to a cylinder.
(4) A dispensing container having a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the content liquid and a ball valve mechanism for controlling the flow of gas-liquid fluid in the container, the ball valve mechanism being larger than the ball and the ball. has a cylinder for vertically moving freely accommodate the ball has an inner diameter of the diameter, and a valve seat which contacts are formed smaller in diameter than the diameter of the ball to the ball closely to the lower end of the cylinder, the longitudinal axis of the cylinder Is a dispensing container that is free to bend with respect to the vertical axis of the container.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
The dispensing container of the present invention is formed such that the longitudinal axis of the cylinder of the ball valve mechanism is inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the container so that the lower part of the cylinder approaches the dispensing direction of the content liquid , or Since it is free to bend with respect to the vertical axis, the ball valve mechanism operates normally even when it is used in an inclined state by an extremely simple and inexpensive mechanism so that the content liquid can be dispensed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view showing a dispensing head in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view showing a dispensing head in another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing a dispensing container according to still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional ball valve mechanism. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the conventional ball valve mechanism in FIG. 5 when tilted.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a ... Ball 2 ... Cylinder 3 ... Valve seat part 4 ... Conduit 5 ... Upper opening 6 ... Ball stop convex part 7 ... Side opening 8 ... Lid part 10 ... Inverted switching valve mechanism 11 ... Inverted valve mechanism 12 ... Positive Vertical valve mechanism 13 ... flow path switching unit 14 ... liquid passage pipe 14a ... upper liquid passage pipe 14b ... lower liquid passage pipe 15 ... bellows pipe 20 ... upper block 21 ... pump / pouring mechanism 22 ... trigger mechanism 23 ... rotating cap 24 ... Neck part 30 of container body ... Pouring container 31 ... Picking mechanism 32 ... Liquid absorption tube 33 ... Container body 34 ... Pump mechanism 35 ... Injection mechanism 36 ... Trigger mechanisms 37a, 37b ... Liquid passage part 38 ... Bellows tube S ... Cylinder vertical axis V ... Container vertical axis θ ... Tilt angle G ... Gas phase L ... Content liquid

Claims (4)

A dispensing container having a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the content liquid and a ball valve mechanism for controlling the flow of the gas-liquid fluid in the container,
The ball valve mechanism has a ball, a cylinder that accommodates the ball so as to freely move up and down, and a valve seat that is formed at a lower end of the cylinder smaller than the diameter of the ball and is in close contact with the ball,
Dispensing container wherein the longitudinal axis of the cylinder relative to the vertical axis of the container, the bottom of the cylinder is formed to be inclined so as to come close to the dispensing direction of the liquid content. The dispensing container according to claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of a longitudinal axis of the cylinder is within 45 ° from a vertical axis of the container. The inclination of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, either by passing liquid pipe bent coupled to the cylinder, either by inserted bent tube passing liquid pipe connected to the cylinder, passing liquid pipe connected to the cylinder 3. The pouring container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pouring container is formed by either a bendable bellows tube inserted in the tube. A dispensing container having a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the content liquid and a ball valve mechanism for controlling the flow of gas-liquid fluid in the container,
The ball valve mechanism includes a ball, a cylinder that accommodates the ball so as to freely move up and down, and a valve seat that is formed at a lower end of the cylinder smaller than the diameter of the ball and is in close contact with the ball,
Dispensing container wherein the longitudinal axis of the cylinder is a free bent with respect to the vertical axis of the container.

Images