WO2007069347A1

WO2007069347A1 - Dispenser container

Info

Publication number: WO2007069347A1
Application number: PCT/JP2006/302844
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hiroshi Fukui; Akihito Torii
Original assignee: Shiseido Company, Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-12-12
Filing date: 2006-02-17
Publication date: 2007-06-21
Also published as: JP3119378U

Abstract

A dispenser container which can be suitably used in a place that is like a zero gravity environment of space and in which a variation in gravitational environment is not negligible as compared with an ordinary use environment. The dispenser container (10) has a container body section (12) for containing a liquid content (C), a suction tube section (14), and a depressing head section (20). The container body section (12) has a container holding section (22) for containing and holding the content and capable of being reduced in the inner volume as the volume of the content reduces, and an outer tubular section (24) covering the content holding section (22), and a pressure regulation mechanism. Since the container is equipped with such a pressure regulation mechanism, a delamination bottle can be suitably employed in it. The depressing head portion (20) has an opening/closing mechanism for opening a discharge opening (18) in association with depressing operation by a finger and closing the discharge opening when the finger is released after the depressing operation.

Description

Specification

Dispenser container technology

The present invention relates to a dispenser container that can store liquid cosmetics and the like and can be used by discharging a predetermined amount. Background art

For example, a so-called dispenser container is widely used for the purpose of containing liquid cosmetics and discharging and using a predetermined amount (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The dispenser container includes a container body part, a suction cylinder part, a pump part, and a pressing head part.

The container body contains an appropriate amount of liquid contents that can be used a predetermined number of times. The contents are sucked at one end by a suction cylinder part inserted into the container main body part and introduced into a storage space of a pump part provided so as to communicate with the other end of the suction cylinder part. In the pump section, a float type ball valve is usually used as the suction and discharge method for the contents. A predetermined amount of contents accumulated in the storage space is pushed out into the internal space of the push-down head portion communicating with the pump portion, and is discharged to the outside of the discharge loca that is communicated with the internal space and normally oriented in the horizontal direction. The pump unit is configured to operate in conjunction with the pressing head unit, and by pressing the pressing head unit once with a finger of the hand, a predetermined amount of content is discharged from the discharge port, and a predetermined amount of the body is set. Applied to the site.

[0003] This dispenser container has an amount of contents accommodated in the container main body by use so that the contents can be easily discharged only by the pressure generated by the pressing operation of the pressing head section. The inside of the container body is sucked into the container body through the pores communicating with the outside provided in the container body that prevents the inside of the container body from becoming negative pressure (vacuum). The internal pressure of the container body is always kept the same as the external pressure.

However, when outside air flows into the container body, the contents may be altered. For this reason, so-called Delami bottles are widely used for the purpose of preventing deterioration of the contents. (See, for example, Patent Document 2).

The Delami bottle is provided in a two-layer structure in which an inner layer that does not elastically recover due to shrinkage and an outer layer that does not deform or elastically recover can be easily peeled. When the contents contained in the inner layer are reduced by use, the outside air enters between the inner and outer layers through the pores provided in the outer layer, so that only the inner layer contracts. For this reason, even if the amount of the contents decreases due to use, the contents stored in the inner layer are always in an external pressure state, and the pressing head portion is pushed down as in the case of the dispenser container. The discharge operation of the contents can be easily performed only by the pressure generated by the operation.

[0005] By the way, in the former dispenser container, due to the above-described structure of the container, a large amount of air is contained in the container main body for storing the contents as the contents are reduced by use. Strictly speaking, the latter delamination bottle inevitably contains a small amount of air in the inner layer (container) together with the contents in the contents injection process at the time of manufacture. In both cases of dispenser containers and delami bottles, if the air contained in the container is mixed with the contents for some reason, problems such as hindering a stable discharge state may occur. There is.

However, these containers are usually stored in a vertical position and are used in that position, so that a small amount of air and contents are always reliably separated by the action of gravity. There is a state and there is little possibility that both will mix.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-54669

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-330000

Disclosure of the invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, for example, in a weightless environment such as a space station or spacecraft, even if a small amount of air is contained in a container such as a dispenser container together with the contents, the contents are contained in the container. The air and the contents are easily mixed, and there is a high risk of causing the above-mentioned problems in the discharge operation. In addition, since a float-type ball valve is usually used for the pump part of the dispenser container, the ball valve does not function normally in a zero-gravity environment, and there is a possibility that the discharge operation may be hindered. . In a zero-gravity environment, containers such as dispenser containers are not stored in a stable position and may be in a horizontal or upside-down position. This may also cause a problem that the air and the contents are easily mixed, and may also cause a phenomenon that the contents flow out from the discharge port when the container is stored.

In this way, under the gravity-free environment, the usage conditions are different from normal ones, so there is a possibility that the above-mentioned various problems that are hardly considered when using a dispenser container or a delami bottle in general are generated. Even if these problems are not in the extreme conditions of weightless environment, for example, in a different situation from the domestic environment such as high-speed transportation and places with lots of vibration, It can happen.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a dispenser container that can be suitably used in a situation in which a change in a heavy environment is not negligible compared to a normal use environment. For the purpose.

Means for solving the problem

[0008] A dispenser container according to the present invention comprises:

A container main body part for storing liquid contents, one end inserted into the container main body part, a suction cylinder part for sucking the contents, and another end of the suction cylinder part are connected and stored. A pump unit for delivering the contents, and a pressing head unit which communicates with the pump unit and has a discharge port for discharging the contents to be delivered to the outside, and operates the pump unit by pushing down. In the dispenser container provided,

The container body has a content holder that can store and hold the contents and can reduce the internal volume as the contents are reduced, and an outer cylinder that covers the contents holder, and the outer cylinder Pressure adjusting mechanism force S is provided to keep the outer surface of the content holding part at the outside air pressure by allowing the outside air to enter through the part, and the content is reduced by a decrease in the pressure in the content holding part as the content is reduced. The holding part contracts to hold the contents substantially in a full state, and the pressing head part opens the discharge port in conjunction with the pressing operation by the finger and releases the finger after the pressing operation. It is characterized by having a discharge opening / closing mechanism that sometimes closes the discharge opening.

[0009] The dispenser container according to the present invention exhausts air contained in the container body. It has the air venting mechanism to take out.

[0010] Further, the dispenser container according to the present invention is characterized in that the container main body has a delami bottle structure.

[0011] Further, the dispenser container according to the present invention is characterized in that at least the discharge part of the pump part has a valve mechanism that mechanically opens and closes in conjunction with the operation of the pressing head part.

[0012] In addition, the dispenser container according to the present invention is characterized in that it includes an attaching / detaching mechanism that can be attached to and detached from surrounding objects.

In addition, the dispenser container according to the present invention is characterized in that it is provided with an attachment that can be attached to a peripheral object and can accommodate and take out the dispenser container. The invention's effect

[0013] The dispenser container according to the present invention is configured such that the content holding portion contracts due to a decrease in pressure in the content holding portion due to the weight loss of the content, and the content is substantially held in a full state. Therefore, even if the amount of content decreases due to use, outside air is not mixed in. Therefore, even if the content floats and flows inside the content holding part, the outside air is trapped. Will not be discharged. In addition, since the pressing head unit has a discharge port opening / closing mechanism, even if the contents remaining in the pressing head unit float and flow, the discharge loca does not leak. As a result, the dispenser container can be suitably used in an environment where the change in gravity cannot be ignored as compared with the normal use environment.

In addition, since the dispenser container according to the present invention has an air vent mechanism for discharging the air contained in the container main body, even if the container main body contains air for some reason, for example, the container main body is lightly shaken. After separating the contents from the air, etc., the air is discharged by the air vent mechanism, so that it is possible to avoid discharging the air while it is being used.

Further, the dispenser container according to the present invention has a valve mechanism that mechanically opens and closes in conjunction with the operation of the pressing head unit, so that at least the discharge unit of the pump unit may occur when a float type ball valve is used. It is possible to prevent malfunction of the valve mechanism due to the floating of the ball and its associated trouble. Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a view showing a basic configuration of a dispenser container according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an example of a container body provided with a pressure adjusting mechanism for a dispenser container according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining an example different from FIG. 2 of a container body provided with a pressure adjusting mechanism for a dispenser container according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial view of a pressing head portion of a dispenser container according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining an air vent mechanism of a dispenser container according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a dispenser container attaching / detaching mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining an attachment of a dispenser container according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a view for explaining a valve mechanism that mechanically opens and closes in conjunction with the operation of the pressing head portion of the dispenser container according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

[0015] 10, 10a, 10b, 10c Dispenser

12, 12a ゝ 12b ゝ 12c Container body 咅

14, 14a, 14b Suction cylinder

16 Pump section

18, 27a, 28a Discharge port

20, 20a, 20b Pressing head

22, 22a, 22b Contents holder

24, 24a, 24b Outer tube

26 Cover

27, 28 Nozzle

29, 46 pipe

31 Blocking member

32 Valve member

32a Tip

32b Rear end 34 Moving parts

36, 36a Spring

Things around 38, 44

40, 46 magnets

42 Node Case

45 dispenser

48 cylinders

50 Valve part

52 Inner lid

52a Cylindrical protrusion

52b, 64a protrusion

54 stem

56 Piston

56a Circumferential protrusion

64 valves

68 Liquid reservoir

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[0017] The basic configuration of the dispenser container according to the present invention is the same as that of a conventional dispenser container. That is, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, a dispenser container 10 according to the present invention includes a container body 12 for storing liquid contents (indicated by arrow C in FIG. 1), and a container body. One end of the suction cylinder 14 is inserted into the section 12 and sucks the contents. The pump 16 communicates with the other end of the suction cylinder 14 and sends out the stored fixed amount of contents. It has a discharge head 18 that communicates with the section 16 and discharges the contents delivered from the pump section 16 to the outside, and has a pressing head section 20 that operates the pump section 16 by being pushed down.

These container main body part 12, suction cylinder part 14, pump part 16 and pressing head part 20 have the same structure and materials that are usually used unless they are described as specific to the present invention below. It can be adopted as appropriate.

[0018] In the present invention, the container main body 12 contains and holds the contents, the contents holding part 22 capable of reducing the internal volume as the contents are reduced, and the outer cylinder part covering the contents holding part 22. 24. Here, the outer cylinder part 24 means an outer cylinder when the content holding part 22 is an inner cylinder, in other words, an outer layer with respect to the inner layer, and the shape is not limited to a cylindrical shape.

The container main body 12 is further provided with a pressure adjusting mechanism that keeps the outer surface of the content holding part 12 at the outside air pressure by letting outside air through the outer cylinder part 24 (not shown in FIG. 1). . As a container main body having such a pressure adjusting mechanism, a delami bottle 12a as shown in FIG. 2 can be suitably used. As described above, the Delami bottle 12a is provided in a two-layer structure in which the inner layer (content holding part) 22a that does not shrink and elastically recovers and the outer layer (outer cylinder part) 24a that does not deform or elastically recover can be easily peeled off. . When the content contained in the inner layer 22a is reduced by use, only the inner layer 22a contracts due to the outside air entering between the inner and outer layers 22a, 24a from the pores 25 provided in the outer layer 24a. For this reason, even if the content C in the inner layer 22a is reduced by using the content C, air does not enter the inner layer 22a. In other words, the delami bottle 12a is configured such that the inner layer 22a contracts due to a decrease in the pressure in the inner layer 22a as the content C is reduced, and the content C is substantially held in a full state.

When the Delami bottle 12a is used under weightless conditions, the shape of the inner layer 22a during contraction is likely to change due to the contents C floating. For this reason, it is conceivable that the inner layer 22a blocks the suction hole (opening) 15 of the suction cylinder portion 14a and hinders the discharge operation. To alleviate this, for example, a plurality of auxiliary suction holes 15a are provided on the side surface. More preferably, the member 17 is provided around the auxiliary suction hole 15a.

[0019] In addition, as a container body provided with such a pressure adjusting mechanism, the inside of a container body (outer cylinder) 24b, which is widely used as a dispenser container for high-viscosity contents, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the container 12b provided with the bottom plate 22b slidably contactable with the inner wall of the container body 24b exposed from the lower opening 27 of the container body 24b may be employed. When the container 12b is used, the content C is sucked from the suction cylinder portion 14b, and the amount of the content C to be stored is reduced. When the internal pressure is reduced, the bottom plate 22b is raised by the pressure of the outside air, and the content C is substantially held in a full state.

In the present invention, the pressing head unit 20 has a discharge port opening / closing mechanism that opens the discharge port 18 in conjunction with a pressing operation by a finger and closes the discharge port when the finger is released after the pressing operation.

Such a discharge port opening / closing mechanism is not particularly limited. For example, the discharge portion of the nozzle may be formed of an elastic member, opened at the pressure during discharge, and closed at the end of the discharge operation. It is more preferable that the discharge port is opened and closed by a mechanical action after the discharge operation is completed. As long as it is such a mechanically operated discharge port opening / closing mechanism, one having an appropriate structure can be employed. For example, a pressing head portion 20a shown in a partial view in FIG. 4 can be used.

The pressing head portion 20a shown in FIG. 4 includes a cover portion 26 and a nozzle portion 28 having a discharge port 28a. The lower part (not shown) is provided with a cylindrical head part, and the content C sent from the pump part (not shown) is sent to the nozzle part 28 through the passage 30. Further, the pressing head portion 20a is provided with a valve member 32 and an operation member 34 for moving the valve member 32 in the left-right direction in FIG. The valve member 32 has a front end portion 32a formed in a conical shape or a tapered shape, and a rear end portion 32b formed in a conical shape or a tapered shape. The discharge port 28a is also tapered to match the tapered shape of the front end portion 32a, and the lower part of the operating member 34 is also tapered to match the tapered shape of the rear end portion 32b. The nozzle portion 28 is provided with a spring 36 that biases the valve member 32 toward the rear end portion 32b (rightward in FIG. 4).

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state where the pressing head portion 20a is pushed down with a finger to discharge the contents, and the force of the spring 36 is exerted by the action of the moving member 34 that descends integrally with the pressing head portion 20a. The valve member 32 is urged to the left in FIG. Then, the contents are discharged to the outside through a gap formed between the tip portion 32a and the discharge port 28a. Subsequently, when the finger attached to the pressing head portion 20a is released, the operating member 34 is lifted together with the pressing head portion 20a by being biased by another spring (not shown). As a result, when the engagement between the operating member 34 and the rear end portion 32b is released, the valve member 32 is urged by the spring 36 to move rightward in FIG. 4, and the front end portion 32a of the valve member 32 is moved to the nozzle portion. The 28 outlets 28a are closed. [0021] According to the dispenser container 10 according to the present invention described above, the content holding portion 12 contracts due to a decrease in the pressure inside the content holding portion 12 due to the weight reduction of the content, so that the content is substantially reduced. In order to keep it full, outside air will not be mixed even if the amount of contents decreases due to use. For this reason, for example, when used in a zero-gravity environment such as a space station, even if the content floats and flows inside the content holding unit 12, it cannot be discharged in a state in which outside air is trapped. A stable discharge operation can be performed. Further, since the pressing head unit 20 has a discharge port opening / closing mechanism, even if the contents remaining in the pressing head unit 20 float and flow in a non-gravity environment, the discharge locus does not leak. As a result, a change in gravity cannot be ignored as compared with the normal use environment! The dispenser container can be suitably used in the environment.

[0022] In addition, the dispenser container according to the present invention preferably has an air vent mechanism for discharging air contained in the container body. As such an air vent mechanism, one having an appropriate structure can be adopted. For example, in a dispenser container 10a having a structure similar to that shown in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. A pipe 29 or a pore communicating with the outside of the dispenser container 10a is provided, and a closing member 31 such as a plug that can be closed and opened is attached.

As a result, even if the container main body contains air for some reason, the air is removed by the air vent mechanism after the air and contents are separated by, for example, lightly shaking the container main body. In this way, it is possible to avoid the problem of discharging while using outside air during use.

[0023] In addition, the dispenser container according to the present invention preferably has a valve mechanism in which at least the discharge part of the pump part mechanically opens and closes in conjunction with the operation of the pressing head part. As such a valve mechanism, an appropriate one can be used as long as it is not a float type ball valve used in a normal dispenser container. For example, a valve having the structure shown in FIG. 8 can be used.

[0024] The dispenser 45 shown in Fig. 8 shows a state in which the left half is broken at the outer shape and the right half is broken at the inner center, and each member shown in the right half, except for a part, It is bilaterally symmetric, that is, has a substantially cylindrical shape. Dispenser 45 The pressing head portion 20b is attached to a Neuve 46 that communicates with the interior of the container main body (not shown). FIG. 8 shows a state in which the operation of pressing down the pressing head part 20b with the finger is not performed, that is, a state in which the contents are not discharged from the discharge port 27a of the nozzle part 27.

[0025] In more detail with reference to FIG. 8, the Neuve 46 is externally fitted by a cylindrical cylinder 48. A valve-like portion 50 having a cylindrical tongue piece extending in the vertical direction in FIG. 8 is fixed to the upper portion of the cylinder 48.

On the other hand, a cylindrical projection 52a extending downward is provided inside the inner lid portion 52 of the pressing head portion 20b, and a projection 52b is provided inside the cylindrical projection 52a. A stem 54 is provided inside the cylindrical projection 52a. The upper end of the stem 54 engages with the protrusion 52b. In this case, the stem 54 may be externally fitted to the cylindrical protrusion 52a, or the stem 54 and the cylindrical protrusion 52a may be integrally formed.

A cylindrical piston 56 is provided so as to be fitted into the stem 54. A slit or hole-like opening 58 that is closed by engaging with the valve-like part 50 is formed at the lower part of the piston 56, and a slit or hole-like opening 60 is also formed at the lowermost part of the stem 54. The Between the stem 54 and the cylinder 48, an upper space 62a for receiving the descending stem 54 and a lower space 62b communicating with the opening 58 by the lowering of the stem 54 are respectively defined by sandwiching the valve-like portion 50. It is. The lower end of the lower space 62b is closed when the lowermost portion of the piston 56 is in sliding contact with the cylinder 48. An internal space 57 that communicates within the cylinder of the stem 54 and the piston 56 communicates with the discharge port 27a.

[0027] A valve 64 is provided by fitting the upper end into a circumferential projection 56a provided on the inner side of the lower portion of the piston 56. A projection 64a is provided below the valve 64 so that a gap 66 is slightly formed from the large diameter portion at the top of the cylinder 48. The protrusion 64a corresponds to a tapered reduced portion (indicated by an arrow T in FIG. 8) formed between the upper large diameter portion and the lower small diameter portion of the cylinder 48 when the valve 64 is lowered. It is formed at a height that touches it (the height that extends to the right in Fig. 8). Between the nozzle 64 and the cylinder 48, a liquid reservoir 68 for storing the amount of contents discharged in one operation is defined. In the liquid reservoir 68, the valve 64 is wound, the upper end engages with the outer lower end of the piston 56, the lower end engages with the protrusion 64a, and a spring 36a is provided.

[0028] The operation of the dispenser 45 configured as described above will be described. In FIG. 8, after one discharge operation, the piston 56, the stem 54 and the inner lid 52 are lifted by being released by the spring 36a by releasing the finger from the pressing head 20b. It is in the state. Since the liquid reservoir 68 is empty after the discharge operation, the contents are transferred from the inside of the container body to the liquid reservoir 68 via the gap 66 due to a pressure difference with the inside of the container body during the ascending of the piston 56. In the state shown in FIG. 8, the liquid reservoir 68 is full due to the same pressure content as in the container body. The liquid reservoir 68 is blocked from the internal space 57 when the opening 58 is closed by the valve-like portion 50. That is, in a state where the dispenser container is not used, the liquid storage portion 68 is reliably cut off from the internal space 57 and the discharge port 27a by the mechanical valve mechanism constituted by the valve-like portion 50 and the opening 58.

[0029] It should be noted that the state force of FIG. 8 also pushes down the pressing head portion 20b with a finger, so that the piston 56 descends, and the internal space 57 communicates with the lower space 62b via the opening 58 spaced from the valve-like portion 50 Further, the lower space 62b communicates with the liquid reservoir 68 through the opening 60, and the contents stored in the liquid reservoir 68 are discharged from the discharge port 27a. At this time, since the protrusion 64a comes into contact with the taper-like reduced portion T of the cylinder 48, the liquid storage portion 68 is cut off from the inside of the pipe 46, thereby being cut off from the inside of the container main body.

[0030] The valve mechanism that mechanically opens and closes in conjunction with the operation of the pressing head portion described above can prevent malfunction of the valve mechanism due to the floating of the ball, which may occur when a float type ball valve is used. In addition, it is possible to avoid problems such as leakage of the contents and sticking of the contents due to the contents remaining in the pump part or the pressing head part.

[0031] Further, the dispenser container according to the present invention preferably includes an attachment / detachment mechanism capable of detachably attaching the dispenser container to a peripheral object. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, such an attachment / detachment mechanism may be a magnet 40 that can attach the dispenser container 10b to a peripheral device 38 or the like formed of a magnetic material, or a non-magnetic material. It may be a hook-and-loop fastener that can be attached to a peripheral device or the like to be formed. Further, an appropriate locking member such as a hook that engages with a hole or the like provided in a peripheral device or the like. Also good.

This avoids the problem that the dispenser container floats in a gravity-free space. In addition, the dispenser container can be stored in a stable posture.

In addition, instead of the above-described attachment / detachment mechanism, it may be provided with an attachment that can be attached to a peripheral object to store and take out the dispenser container. As such an attachment, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a bag containing a dispenser container 10c or a hard case 42 can be attached to a peripheral object 44, for example, an engaging member such as a magnet 46. It is possible to suitably use a net or the like that is provided with a bag or a hard case with a stop member, or a lock member that can be attached to a surrounding object, and that can accommodate a dispenser container.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] A container main body portion that stores liquid contents, a suction cylinder portion that is inserted at one end into the container main body portion, and sucks the contents, and communicates with the other end of the suction cylinder portion, and is stored. A pump unit for delivering the determined content, and a pump head which communicates with the pump unit and has a discharge port for discharging the pumped content to the outside, and operates the pump unit by pushing down. A dispenser container comprising:

The container body has a content holder that can store and hold the contents and can reduce the internal volume as the contents are reduced, and an outer cylinder that covers the contents holder, and the outer cylinder Pressure adjusting mechanism force S is provided to keep the outer surface of the content holding part at the outside air pressure by allowing the outside air to enter through the part, and the content is reduced by a decrease in the pressure in the content holding part as the content is reduced. The holding part contracts to hold the contents substantially in a full state, and the pressing head part opens the discharge port in conjunction with the pressing operation by the finger and releases the finger after the pressing operation. A dispenser container characterized by having a discharge port opening / closing mechanism that sometimes closes the discharge port.

2. The dispenser container according to claim 1, further comprising an air vent mechanism for discharging air contained in the container main body.

[3] The dispenser container according to claim 1, wherein the container body has a Delami bottle structure.

4. The dispenser container according to claim 1, wherein at least the discharge part of the pump part has a valve mechanism that mechanically opens and closes in conjunction with the operation of the pressing head part.

[5] The dispenser container according to [1], further comprising an attachment / detachment mechanism that can be attached to and detached from surrounding objects.

[6] The dispenser container according to [1], further comprising an attachment that is attached to a peripheral object and can accommodate and take out the dispenser container.