JP7536402B2 - Compression spring and discharge device for container - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a compression spring and a discharge device for a container.

Compression springs of various structures are known from the past (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-47400 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-73138

Compression springs such as those described above usually expand radially when compressed, so it is necessary to secure an amount of radial space for them to function. In addition, while it is generally desirable for a compression spring to have a simple structure, if the rigidity against radial bending loads becomes extremely weak in a specific radial direction, it will not be possible to push the spring straight without wobbling during compression operations. Therefore, when used in a container discharge device or the like, compression springs are required to have a simple structure, be resistant to expanding radially when compressed, and be resistant to wobbling.

The present invention aims to meet these demands, and its objective is to provide a compression spring that is simple in structure, does not easily expand radially when compressed, and is not easily wobbly, and a container discharge device that uses such a compression spring.

The compression spring of the present invention includes at least one unit structure, the unit structure comprising a pair of coil-shaped members arranged with a phase shift of 180 degrees around a central axis, and a pair of annular members spaced apart from each other in an axial direction along the central axis, each forming a ring centered on the central axis and integrally connecting ends of the pair of coil-shaped members, wherein the length from one end of each of the coil-shaped members to the other end exceeds half a circumference and does not reach a full circumference, and each of the coil-shaped members has an isosceles trapezoidal shape in a longitudinal cross section including the central axis, with an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface each extending linearly along the axial direction, and the outer peripheral surface being shorter than the inner peripheral surface .

In the above configuration, the compression spring of the present invention includes at least one unit pair structure, and the unit pair structure is preferably made up of a pair of unit structures that are identical except for the winding directions of the pair of coil-shaped members, and the pair of unit structures are preferably adjacent to each other in the axial direction and connected together.

In the above configuration, the compression spring of the present invention preferably includes at least one unit pair continuous structure, the unit pair continuous structure being made up of a plurality of the unit pair structures, and the plurality of unit pair structures being aligned in the axial direction and connected together.

In the above configuration, the compression spring of the present invention is preferably made of synthetic resin.

The container discharge device of the present invention is characterized by having the compression spring and an operating unit that discharges the contents of the container by compressing the compression spring.

In the above-described configuration of the container discharge device of the present invention, it is preferable that the operating section includes an expandable structure, the expandable structure has the compression spring built in, and expands and contracts in the axial direction by the operation against the biasing force of the compression spring and the release of the operation.

In the above configuration, the container discharge device of the present invention is preferably a push-down head type pump device in which the operating unit includes a push-down head.

The present invention provides a compression spring that is simple in structure, does not easily expand radially when compressed, and is not easily wobbly, as well as a container discharge device that uses such a compression spring.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a compression spring according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the compression spring shown in FIG. 1 at a different angle of 90°. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the compression spring shown in FIG. 1 . 1 is a cross-sectional view of a container discharge device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The compression spring 1, which is an embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 1 to 3, is a synthetic resin spring including a unit pair continuous structure 4 consisting of two unit pair structures 3. Each unit pair structure 3 is made up of a pair of unit structures 2 with different winding directions. Each unit structure 2 is made up of a pair of coil-shaped members 5 and a pair of annular members 6. Note that in Figures 1 to 3, the pair of coil-shaped members 5 and the pair of annular members 6 are labeled with reference numerals for only one unit structure 2.

Each unit structure 2 is composed of a pair of coil-shaped members 5 arranged with a phase shift of 180° around the central axis, and a pair of annular members 6 spaced apart from each other in the direction along the central axis (hereinafter also referred to as the axial direction), each forming a ring centered on the central axis and integrally connecting the ends 5a of the pair of coil-shaped members 5, and the length from one end 5a to the other end 5a of each coil-shaped member 5 is more than half a circumference but does not reach one circumference.

In each unit structure 2, each coil-shaped member 5 is spiral-shaped, and the inclination angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the central axis (hereinafter also referred to as a horizontal plane), the shape in a cross section (hereinafter also referred to as a longitudinal cross section) including the central axis (hereinafter also referred to as a longitudinal cross section shape), the outer diameter, and the inner diameter are all substantially constant in the axial direction. In each unit structure 2, each coil-shaped member 5 has an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface that are linear in the longitudinal cross section and extend along the axial direction. In each unit structure 2, a pair of coil-shaped members 5 are identical in shape and size to each other.

In each unit structure 2, each annular member 6 is in the form of a circular flat plate centered on the central axis, and has a cylindrical outer peripheral surface with the same diameter as the outer diameter of the pair of coil-shaped members 5, and a cylindrical inner peripheral surface with the same diameter as the inner diameter of the pair of coil-shaped members 5. In each unit structure 2, the pair of annular members 6 are identical in shape and size to each other.

Each unit pair structure 3 is made up of a pair of unit structures 2 that are identical except for the winding directions of the pair of coil-shaped members 5, and the pair of unit structures 2 are adjacent to each other in the axial direction and connected together. Note that "different winding directions" means that in one unit structure 2, each coil-shaped member 5 is axially right-handed, and in the other unit structure 2, each coil-shaped member 5 is axially left-handed.

Each unit pair structure 3 is a plane-symmetrical structure with respect to a horizontal plane passing through the center in the axial direction. However, the unit pair structure 3 is not limited to a plane-symmetrical structure. In other words, in each unit pair structure 3, the orientation of one unit structure 2 can be changed around the central axis independently of the orientation of the other unit structure 2.

The unit pair continuous structure 4 is composed of a plurality of unit pair structures 3, and is a structure in which a plurality of unit pair structures 3 are lined up in the axial direction and integrally connected. As described above, the number of unit pair structures 3 included in the unit pair continuous structure 4 is two in this embodiment, but it may be three or more.

As described above, each unit structure 2 is a structure consisting of a pair of coil-shaped members 5 arranged with a phase shift of 180 degrees, and a pair of annular members 6 that are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction, each of which forms a ring centered on a central axis and integrally connects the ends 5a of the pair of coil-shaped members 5. Therefore, each unit structure 2 can be realized with a simple structure.

As described above, each unit structure 2 has a structure in which the length from one end 5a to the other end 5a of each coil-shaped member 5 is more than half a circumference but not a full circumference. Therefore, each unit structure 2 can suppress radial expansion during compression while ensuring the compression stroke amount.

In addition, in each unit structure 2, the length from one end 5a to the other end 5a of each coil-shaped member 5 is offset from half a circumference. Therefore, in each unit structure 2, the direction in which the connecting portions between a pair of coil-shaped members 5 and annular members 6 on one axial side are aligned (hereinafter also referred to as the first parallel direction) does not match the direction in which the connecting portions between a pair of coil-shaped members 5 and annular members 6 on the other axial side are aligned (hereinafter also referred to as the second parallel direction).

Here, when the first parallel direction and the second parallel direction are the same, the rigidity of the unit structure 2 against radial bending load becomes extremely weak in a specific radial direction perpendicular to the first parallel direction (or the second parallel direction that is the same as the first parallel direction) (i.e., it bends extremely when subjected to a bending load from the specific radial direction). Therefore, the compression spring 1 including such a unit structure 2 has extremely weak rigidity against radial bending load in the specific radial direction, and there is a risk that it will wobble during compression operation and will not be able to be pressed straight.

However, as described above, each unit structure 2 has a structure in which the first parallel direction and the second parallel direction do not coincide, so that the rigidity against radial bending loads can be prevented from becoming extremely weak in a specific radial direction.

Therefore, each unit structure 2 can realize a compression spring 1 that is simple in structure, does not easily expand radially when compressed, and is not easily wobbly.

As described above, each unit pair structure 3 is composed of a pair of unit structures 2 that are identical except for the winding directions of the pair of coil-shaped members 5, and the pair of unit structures 2 are adjacent to each other in the axial direction and are connected together. Therefore, when an axial compressive force is applied to each unit pair structure 3 as shown by the white arrow in FIG. 3, the annular member 6 located in the axial center of the unit pair structure 3 rotates in the circumferential direction as shown by the thick arrow in FIG. 3, thereby allowing the pair of coil-shaped members 5 to expand in the circumferential direction instead of the radial direction. Therefore, each unit pair structure 3 can further suppress radial expansion of the compression spring 1 when compressed.

As described above, the unit pair continuous structure 4 is made up of multiple unit pair structures 3, and is a structure in which multiple unit pair structures 3 are lined up in the axial direction and connected together. Therefore, the unit pair continuous structure 4 can ensure a large compression stroke amount equivalent to the multiple unit pair structures 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, the compression spring 1 can be used in a container discharge device 10 capable of discharging the contents of a container 11. The container discharge device 10, which is an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4, has a compression spring 1 and an operating unit 12 that discharges the contents of the container 11 by compressing the compression spring 1 (hereinafter also referred to as a compression operation). In consideration of recyclability, it is preferable that all of the components of the container discharge device 10, including the compression spring 1, are made of synthetic resin.

In this embodiment, the container discharge device 10 is a commonly known push-down head type pump device in which the operating unit 12 includes a push-down head 13.

The operating section 12 includes an expandable structure 12a. The expandable structure 12a houses the compression spring 1 and is configured to expand and contract in the axial direction by compressing it in the axial direction (the direction along the central axis O, as described above) against the biasing force of the compression spring 1 and then releasing it.

The telescopic structure 12a is composed of a push-down head 13, a cylindrical stem 14 centered on a central axis O that is integrally connected to the push-down head 13, an attachment cap 15, and a stem retaining member 16 that is fixed to the container 11 by the attachment cap 15. The push-down head 13 is provided radially outward from the stem 14 and has a cylindrical peripheral wall 13a centered on the central axis O. The attachment cap 15 is provided radially outward from the stem 14 and has a cylindrical guide wall 15a centered on the central axis O that can guide the peripheral wall 13a in the axial direction.

The compression spring 1 is disposed in an annular space S surrounded by the stem 14, the peripheral wall 13a, and the guide wall 15a. The compression spring 1 is held in the axial direction by the lower surface of the push-down head 13 and the upper surface of the stem retaining member 16.

In this way, the telescopic structure 12a incorporates the compression spring 1 of this embodiment, which does not easily expand radially when compressed. Therefore, the telescopic structure 12a can be easily made smaller.

As described above, the telescopic structure 12a incorporates the compression spring 1 of this embodiment, which is less likely to wobble when compressed. Therefore, the telescopic structure 12a can expand and contract in a straight line without wobbling.

As described above, in this embodiment, the compression spring 1 includes at least one unit structure 2. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to realize a compression spring 1 that has a simple structure, is unlikely to expand radially when compressed, and is unlikely to wobble.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the compression spring 1 includes at least one unit pair structure 3. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the radial expansion of the compression spring 1 during compression can be further suppressed. Note that this effect can be achieved even if each unit pair structure 3 is not a plane-symmetrical structure with respect to a horizontal plane passing through the center in the axial direction.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the compression spring 1 includes at least one unit pair continuous structure 4. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to ensure a large compression stroke amount while suppressing radial expansion of the compression spring 1 during compression.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the compression spring 1 is made of synthetic resin. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to increase the recyclability when the compression spring 1 is used in a device made of synthetic resin. In particular, when the compression spring 1 is used in a device whose components are all made of synthetic resin, it is possible to dispose of such a device as a recyclable product without separation.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the container discharge device 10 has a compression spring 1 and an operating unit 12 that discharges the contents of the container 11 by compressing the compression spring 1. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to realize a container discharge device 10 that utilizes the excellent compression spring 1 as described above.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the operating unit 12 includes an expandable structure 12a that incorporates the compression spring 1. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to realize a container discharge device 10 having an operating unit 12 that is easily miniaturized and does not wobble during operation.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the container discharge device 10 is a push-down head type pump device. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to realize a push-down head type pump device that utilizes the excellent compression spring 1 as described above.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Therefore, the compression spring 1 and the container discharge device 10 of the above embodiment can be modified in various ways, for example as described below.

The compression spring 1 of the above embodiment includes at least one unit structure 2, and the unit structure 2 is composed of a pair of coil-shaped members 5 arranged with a phase shift of 180° around the central axis, and a pair of annular members 6 that are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction along the central axis, each of which forms a ring centered on the central axis and integrally connects the ends 5a of the pair of coil-shaped members 5, and can be modified in various ways as long as the length from one end 5a to the other end 5a of each coil-shaped member 5 exceeds half a circumference and does not reach one circumference.

However, it is preferable that the compression spring 1 includes at least one unit pair structure 3, the unit pair structure 3 being composed of a pair of unit structures 2 that are identical except for the winding directions of the pair of coil-shaped members 5, and that the pair of unit structures 2 are adjacent to each other in the axial direction and connected together.

In addition, the compression spring 1 preferably includes at least one unit pair continuous structure 4, the unit pair continuous structure 4 being made up of a plurality of unit pair structures 3, and the plurality of unit pair structures 3 being aligned in the axial direction and connected together.

In addition, the compression spring 1 is preferably made of synthetic resin.

The container discharge device 10 of the above embodiment can be modified in various ways as long as it has a compression spring 1 and an operating unit 12 that discharges the contents of the container 11 by compressing the compression spring 1.

In addition, it is preferable that the operating section 12 of the container discharge device 10 includes an expandable structure 12a, which incorporates a compression spring 1 and expands and contracts in the axial direction by operating against the biasing force of the compression spring 1 and releasing the operation.

In addition, it is preferable that the container discharge device 10 is a push-down head type pump device in which the operating unit 12 includes a push-down head 13.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 compression spring 2 unit structure 3 unit pair structure 4 unit pair continuous structure 5 coil-shaped member 5a end of coil-shaped member 6 annular member 10 container discharge device 11 container 12 operation portion 12a extendable structure 13 push-down head 13a peripheral wall 14 stem 15 mounting cap 15a guide wall 16 stem slip-out prevention member O central axis S annular space

Claims (7)

Contains at least one unit structure,
the unit structure comprises a pair of coil-shaped members arranged with a phase shift of 180 degrees around a central axis, and a pair of annular members spaced apart from each other in an axial direction along the central axis, each forming a ring centered on the central axis and integrally connecting ends of the pair of coil-shaped members, wherein the length from one end of each of the coil-shaped members to the other end exceeds half a circumference but does not reach a full circumference , and each of the coil-shaped members has an isosceles trapezoidal shape in a longitudinal cross section including the central axis, with an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface each extending linearly along the axial direction, and the outer peripheral surface being shorter than the inner peripheral surface . At least one unit pair structure,
2. The compression spring according to claim 1, wherein the unit pair structure is made up of a pair of unit structures which are identical except for the winding directions of the pair of coil-shaped members, and the pair of unit structures are adjacent to each other in the axial direction and connected together. At least one unit pair structure is included,
The compression spring according to claim 2 , wherein the unit pair continuous structure is made up of a plurality of the unit pair structures, and the plurality of unit pair structures are aligned in the axial direction and integrally connected to each other. The compression spring according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is made of synthetic resin. A compression spring according to any one of claims 1 to 4;
and an operating portion for discharging the contents of the container by compressing the compression spring. The operation unit includes an extendable structure,
The container discharge device according to claim 5 , wherein the expansion and contraction structure incorporates the compression spring and expands and contracts in the axial direction by the operation of resisting the biasing force of the compression spring and releasing the operation. The container discharge device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the operating unit is a push-down head type pump device including a push-down head.

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