JP5032268B2 - Foam ejection container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a foam ejection container that foams and discharges fluid contents (liquid, gel, etc.) by squeezing the body of the container.

  For products that contain various liquid detergents such as shampoos, body soaps, hand soaps, facial cleansers, etc. and hair conditioners such as set lotions, the inside of the dispensing pump from the viewpoint of simplifying use by omitting the foaming action There are many products that incorporate foaming mechanisms and make the contents foamy immediately before pouring.

This type of product is usually intended for large-sized stationary containers, but recently it has been applied to small containers that are convenient to carry. A squeeze-type foam ejector that mixes and foams liquid and air by squeezing the body into an air container body having a squeezable body part and squeezing the body part of the air container body is known. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent No. 3761140

  By the way, the above-mentioned conventional foam ejector can more stably discharge fine foam with fine texture (smoothness), reduce the amount of materials used, further reduce the size of the container, There was still room for improvement when refilling containers filled with contents was a challenge.

  An object of the present invention is to propose a novel foam ejection container that enables the contents having fluidity to be discharged as fine-textured foams and can further reduce the size of the container itself. is there.

The present invention includes a container body having a squeezable body portion, the inside of which is a filling space for contents, and a nozzle that is fixedly held at the mouth portion of the container body and that forms a discharge path leading to the filling space. A protective cylinder linked to the base of the nozzle and suspended in the filling space,
Inside the protective cylinder, there is an inner container that can be expanded and contracted in the same manner as a squeeze operation, an inner container that is filled with air, and an air flow passage that leads to the inner container body. A tube body that is located in the discharge path and forms an annular gap with the inner wall of the nozzle;
A foam ejection container is provided with a foaming member that allows the contents in the container body and the air in the inner container to pass through, foam, and discharge from the tip of the nozzle in the annular gap.

  In the foam ejector configured as described above, the tube body and the protective cylinder body can be configured as an integrally molded product, and air can be passed through the tube body when releasing the squeeze operation. In addition, it is preferable to arrange a check valve adapted to a valve seat provided in the air flow passage when the contents are discharged to shut off the air flow.

  The foam member is preferably an annular columnar body arranged along the axis of the container, and the protective cylinder has a window for forming a path for feeding the contents to the discharge path of the nozzle. It is desirable to form holes.

  In the annular gap, it is desirable to provide a valve body that covers the entire surface of the outlet end of the foam member and opens only by the discharge pressure of the foamed contents.

  Since the foam member is disposed in the annular gap formed in the nozzle and the contents and air are simultaneously passed through the foam member, the fine foam can be discharged stably.

  Since the inner container filled with air is disposed inside the protective cylinder, it is possible to eliminate damage to the inner container and deficiencies in assembly during handling such as filling, refilling, and changing the contents. For this reason, it is possible to make the inner container thin (reduction of material used), and since the protective cylinder and the inner container are suspended from the base of the nozzle, the container can be made compact.

  In addition, the amount of squeezing (pushing amount) of the container body during squeezing is regulated by the protective cylinder (when the body part of the container body is pushed in, the side walls of the container body come into contact with the protective cylinder body). The body part can no longer be pushed in.), So the content can be dispensed quantitatively.

  Furthermore, when the contents are discharged, the air flow passage is reliably blocked by the check valve, so that the mixing ratio of the contents and air is made constant.

  In the annular gap, by placing a valve body that covers the entire surface of the outlet end of the foam member and opens only by the discharge pressure of the foamed contents, the container is in an inverted state during use (when no squeeze action is involved) ) And the contents do not ooze out (drip) through the foamed member when the container falls.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a foam ejection container according to the present invention.

  Reference numeral 1 in the figure has a squeezable body part, and the inside of the container body has a content (liquid) filling space M, and 2 is a nozzle fixedly held in the mouth part 1 a of the container body 1. The nozzle 2 includes a base 2a and a cylindrical body 2b provided integrally with the base 2a. The base 2a can be detachably linked to the mouth 1a of the container body 1 by screwing as shown in the drawing. (It is also possible to apply an engaging means such as an undercut, and it may be unopenable to prevent mischief), and the cylinder 2b has a discharge path r that leads to the filling space M. Is formed.

  A protective cylinder 3 is linked to the base 2a of the nozzle 2 and suspended in the filling space M. The protective cylinder 3 is provided with a plurality of window holes 3a (including slit-shaped ones in any shape) on the wall surface, and all or part of the window holes 3a contain the contents. A path for feeding to the discharge path r of the nozzle 2 is formed.

  Reference numeral 4 denotes an inner container (indicated as a pouch-type container (bag-shaped container) having a spout S) disposed inside the protective cylinder 3. The inner container 4 can be expanded and contracted in accordance with the squeeze operation of the container body 1, and the body 4a is filled with air inside, and the air flow path (body and body) is connected to the body 4a. It consists of a tube 4b forming a passage connecting the outside world. Here, the inner container 4 is shown as a pouch-type container having a spout S, and this inner container 4 is shown as an example in which the spout S is integrally connected by inserting it into the passage of the tubular body 4b. There is no limitation.

  The tube 4b is fixed (fitted) to the base 2a of the nozzle 2 via a stepped flange f provided at the end thereof, and its main body is located in the cylinder 2b of the nozzle 2, An annular gap t is formed between the inner wall of the nozzle 2 and each other.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a check valve disposed inside the tubular body 4b. The check valve 5 is held by a pin S ₁ provided at the tip of the spout S when the container body 1 is in a stationary state (standing posture) or when the squeeze operation is released, and allows air to flow (valve When the squeeze operation to discharge the contents, or when the container is tilted, when the container is in an inverted position, it conforms to the valve seat 4b ₁ and shuts off the air flow. To do.

  Reference numeral 6 denotes a foamed member (indicated as a porous body formed of a sintered body or a foamed body) disposed in the annular gap t. This foamed member 6 forms an annular columnar body extending in a desired range along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle 2 at the annular gap t, and its length, cross-sectional shape, etc. are the size of the annular gap t and the properties of the foam It is set appropriately according to (mixing state of contents and air). When a porous material is applied as the foaming member 6, it is possible to increase the resistance in passing the contents by setting the length long, and it is possible to ensure fine mixing with air and produce fine textured foam It is advantageous to prevent the content from dripping (liquid dripping). In the illustrated example, a flange 6a is formed at the end of the foamed member 6, and is shown as a shape that is sandwiched and fixed between the back surface of the base 2a of the nozzle 2 and the flange f of the tube 4b.

  Further, 7 is an opening provided in the side wall of the tubular body 4b. The opening 7 opens toward the inner wall surface of the foam member 6. Reference numeral 8 denotes an opening provided in the flange 4f of the tubular body 4b so as to face the lower end of the foamed member 6, and 9 denotes a fitting type cap that is detachably attached to the tip of the nozzle 2.

  When discharging the contents in the container body 1, as shown in FIG. 2, the container body 1 itself is tilted or inverted to narrow its body (squeeze). The contents in the container body 1 reach the foamed member 6 through the window hole 3a of the protective cylinder 3, the opening 8 provided in the flange f, etc. by the narrowing down of the body part, while the air in the inner container 4 is The spout S reaches the foamed member 6 through the opening 7 provided in the side wall of the tube body 4b, and the foamed member 6 causes the contents to be foamed and discharged as a fine foam from the tip of the nozzle 2. The When the squeeze of the container body 1 is stopped, the outside air is introduced into the body 4a of the inner container 4 through the tube body 4b and restored to the original state, and the container body 1 passes through the discharge path r of the nozzle 2 and the foaming member 6. Outside air is introduced to restore the original state.

  The inner container 4 for supplying air is placed in the container body 1 and the inner container 4 is surrounded by the protective cylinder 3 to damage the inner container 4 when filling the contents, refilling, replacing, etc. In addition, since the protective cylinder 3 functions as a stopper for restricting the amount of narrowing (pushing amount) of the body portion during the squeeze operation, quantitative discharge and stable squeeze are possible.

  Although the protective cylinder 3 is illustrated as having its bottom opened, a cylinder having a bottom wall may be applied. Further, the protection cylinder 3 and the tube 4b can be configured as an integrated body, thereby reducing the number of parts.

  By holding the inner container 4 together with the protective cylinder 3 on the base 2a of the nozzle 2 and installing it inside the container body 1, the entire container can be gathered in a compact manner, and the container body 1 filled with the contents can be refilled. It can be replaced as a type of container.

3 and 4 are diagrams showing another embodiment of the foam ejection container according to the present invention.
As the inner container 4, a bottle formed by thin biaxial stretch blow molding or the like as shown in FIG. 3 or a thin sleeve tube as shown in FIG. 4 can be used. In this case, the body 4a and the tube 4b may be linked by an engagement means such as an undercut C (a screwing (screwing) means may be employed). Further, the cap 9 may be a screw-in type instead of the fitting type shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 5, the protective cylinder 3 and the tube 4b are integrally formed, and a valve body (for example, composed of an elastic member) 10 that covers the entire exit end of the foam member 6 is disposed in the annular gap t. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

  The foam ejection container having the above-described configuration has an advantage that the number of parts can be reduced and the assembling work can be simplified by integrating the protective cylinder 3 and the tube 4b. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), the valve body 10 is elastically displaced by the discharge pressure of the contents during squeezing and the contents are discharged from the inner opening (edge). In this case, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the outlet end of the foam member 6 is completely covered. For example, when the container is in an inverted state (without squeeze operation) during use, Even if the device falls over for a long time, the content does not ooze out through the foamed member 6, and it is possible to reliably prevent dripping.

The valve body 10 of the illustrated an annular projection 10b provided in the outer edge of the body portion 10a, the annular projection 10b, and fixed by fitting inside the groove portions 2b ₁ of the cylindrical body 2b constituting the nozzle 2, the annular projection Although shown as a structure that elastically displaces the portion 10b as a starting point, the inner opening portion may be fixed and elastically displaced from the starting point to discharge the contents from the outer edge portion of the main body portion 10a. It is also possible to apply the valve body 10 or the like that elastically displaces a part of the main body portion 10a of the valve body 10, and this point can be appropriately changed. As the elastic member (for example, soft material) constituting the valve body 10, soft polyolefin, NBR, elastomer, rubber or the like can be used.

FIG. 7 shows a foam member 6 in which two rings 6b and 6c having meshes m ₁ and m ₂ are stacked and a check valve 5 is elastically displaceable with a support 5a and a tip of the support 5a. FIG. 6 shows still another embodiment according to the present invention, which is constituted by a valve body 5b integrally connected to the above.

  The foam ejection container having such a configuration can stably eject fine textured foam as in the case of using the foaming member 6 such as a porous body. The valve body 10 has a structure in which a gap is formed between the foam member 6 and the outlet end, but whether or not the gap is formed can be freely set. In particular, the pressure required when the valve body 10 is elastically displaced can be adjusted by inclining the main body portion 10a of the valve body 10 in the direction in which the contents are ejected.

  It is possible to provide a compact foam ejection container capable of stably discharging fine foam.

It is the figure which showed embodiment of the foam ejection container according to this invention in the cross section. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a content discharge procedure for the container shown in FIG. It is the figure which showed other embodiment of the foam ejection container according to this invention in the cross section. It is the figure which showed other embodiment of the foam ejection container according to this invention in the cross section. It is the figure which showed other embodiment of the foam ejection container according to this invention in the cross section. (a) and (b) are the principal part enlarged views of the container shown in FIG. It is the figure which showed other embodiment of the foam ejection container according to this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Container body
1a mouth
2 nozzles
2a base
2b tube
3 Protective cylinder
3a Window hole
4 Inner container
4a Torso
4b tube
5 Check valve
6 Porous material
7 Opening
8 Opening
9 cap
10 Disc
10a Body part
10b Annular projection
r Discharge route
S spout
C Undercut
m ₁ mesh
m ₂ mesh

Claims (6)

A container body having a squeezable body, the inside of which is a filling space for contents, a nozzle that is fixedly held at the mouth of the container body and that forms a discharge path leading to the filling space; A protective cylinder linked to the base and suspended in the filling space,
Inside the protective cylinder, there is an inner container that can be expanded and contracted in the same manner as a squeeze operation, an inner container that is filled with air, and an air flow passage that leads to the inner container body. A tube body that is located in the discharge path and forms an annular gap with the inner wall of the nozzle;
A foam ejection container, characterized in that a foaming member is provided in the annular gap to allow the contents in the container body and the air in the inner container to pass through, foam, and discharge from the tip of the nozzle.   2. The foam ejection container according to claim 1, wherein the tubular body is formed integrally with the protective cylinder.   2. The tube body includes a check valve that allows air to flow when releasing a squeeze operation, and is adapted to a valve seat provided in an air flow passage when the contents are discharged to block air flow. Or the foam ejection container of 2.   4. The foam ejection container according to claim 1, wherein the foam member is formed of an annular columnar body arranged along the axis of the container.   5. The foam ejection container according to claim 1, wherein the protective cylinder has a window hole for feeding contents to a discharge path of the nozzle.   6. The foam ejection container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a valve body that covers the entire surface of the outlet end of the foam member and opens only by the discharge pressure of the foamed contents in the annular gap.

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